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“Kinky Boots” leads 2013 Tony Award nominations

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:47:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — The Cyndi Lauper-scored "Kinky Boots" has earned a leading 13 Tony Award nominations, with the British import "Matilda: The Musical" close behind with 12. Tom Hanks, making his Broadway debut, earned a nod as leading man in a play.

"Kinky Boots" is based on the 2005 British movie about a real-life shoe factory that struggles until it finds new life in fetish footwear. Lauper's songs and a story by Harvey Fierstein have made it a crowd-pleaser.

"I walked my dog early this morning so I'd be back in time to listen to the announcement. It's so great. It's so great. I'm done crying a little bit. But I'm still thrilled and a little stunned," Lauper said.

The haul did not match the record number of nominations for a musical, which is 15, set by "The Producers" in 2001 and "Billy Elliot" in 2009. "The Book of Mormon" nabbed 14 Tony nods in 2011.

"Lucky Guy," Nora Ephron's portrait of Mike McAlary, a gutsy New York City newspaper columnist who won a Pulitzer Prize for exposing that a Haitian immigrant had been sodomized by police officers in 1997, got six nominations, including one for Hanks as McAlary.

Cyndi Lauper just wants to have fun on Broadway

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:08:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Writing her first musical turned into a time machine for Cyndi Lauper.

As the Grammy Award winner began work on the exuberant "Kinky Boots," it took her back to her childhood, where she was likely to be found listening endlessly to cast albums on a record player.

There was "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "My Fair Lady." And "South Pacific," of course. She remembers her grandmother coming downstairs and ripping "The King and I" off the player after one too many spins.

"My mother said I was a little odd as a kid," says Lauper, 59. "I was alone a lot but I didn't feel alone. When I sang with those records, I'd be Julie Andrews and there was Rex Harrison sitting on my mother's bed. I was Mitzi Gaynor. I was Ezio Pinza. I think she had Mary Martin, too — I was all of them. I was pretty good until they sang duets."

Sitting backstage at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, waiting to catch another preview of her 15-song debut as a Broadway lyricist and composer, Lauper is both nervous and humble. The little girl who listened compulsively to show tunes has now delivered her own.

"It's the closest thing to being 5," she says.

Banana Joe to make his Broadway debut

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:11:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — The Best in Show winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is heading to Broadway. Not to see a show — to be in one.

The Roundabout Theatre Company said Banana Joe, the 5-year-old affenpinscher who emerged triumphant Tuesday at America's premier dog competition, will appear for one night only in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" on Wednesday.

The dog will replace Macaco, the 5-year old Maltese-Yorkie mix that is the real-life pet of actress Stephanie J. Block. The role requires very little: Block at one point appears to bolt from the theater in a huff while carrying a dog.

"Drood" and the revival of "Annie" are the only Broadway shows that currently feature live animals. Later this spring, a cat joins the fraternity when "Breakfast at Tiffany's" opens.

Autism-friendly “Spider-Man” planned for Broadway

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:33:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — The first-ever autism-friendly performance of the Broadway hit "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" will take off this spring and tickets go on sale Thursday.

The Theatre Development Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides access to live theater, said Wednesday it bought all the tickets for the matinee on April 27 at the Foxwoods Theatre and will offer them at a discount for children and adults on the autism spectrum. Tickets range in price from $35-$80.

The Spider-Man musical will be the fifth show in the fund's autism-friendly program. The first was Disney's "The Lion King" in October 2011, followed last year with performances of "Mary Poppins," a second performance of "The Lion King" and one of "Elf: The Musical." Each time, the shows got enthusiastic feedback from grateful families.

Lisa Carling, the Fund's director of accessibility programs, said surveys taken after previous autism-friendly performances showed strong interest for one of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark."

"We're grateful to the show's producers, management and creative staff and crew for accommodating the Autism Theatre Initiative and uniting with us to make the show an unforgettable experience for all," she said in a statement.

Broadway’s “Wicked” earns new record

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:43:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) - Oz has reclaimed the box office crown on Broadway.

The Broadway League reported Wednesday that the nine-year-old "Wicked" took in a whopping $2,947,172 over nine performances last week, which is the highest single-week gross of any show in Broadway history.

It squeaked by the old record - $5,382 more to be exact - set by "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," which earned $2,941,790 over nine performances last year during the holidays. Back then, the webslinger had swiped the title from "Wicked." (For the record, the "Spider-Man" musical earned $2,716,990 last week over nine shows.)

Both musicals' huge hauls reflect the use of premium seating, in which producers charge higher prices for certain days and certain seats. "Wicked" managed to command as much as $300 for a top premium seat - second only to the "Book of Mormon," which has a top premium of $477. The average paid admission was $181 to "Wicked."

But making its feat more impressive is the fact that it is performed at the Gershwin Theatre, has about 100 seats less than the 1,930-seat Foxwoods Theatre, home of the superhero musical.

Lewis Black returns to Broadway

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:21:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — This may be a presidential election year, but don't expect Lewis Black to be enjoying himself.

"Everybody goes, 'Oh, this must be an exciting time for you.' No. It's always the same," says the satirist and comedian. Then he corrects himself: "It's always the same — but worse."

Black, 64, might be right, but one thing that's definitely stayed the same over the years is his refusal to turn a frowny face into a smile.

The author, stand-up comedian and regular contributor to "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," has turned being frustrated, cynical and volcanic into highbrow humor, winning two Grammy Awards in the process.

Politicians of every stripe may want to avoid Times Square next month when his current show, "Running on Empty," rolls into Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre for eight shows beginning Oct. 9.

No one avoids his lashings, not Mitt Romney, whom Black calls the whitest candidate ever: "We know this because George Bush, in comparison to Romney, looks Jamaican." Barack Obama is no better, Black says: "He's offering up hope and, at my age, that's a worthless commodity."

Funeral to be held for composer Marvin Hamlisch

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:53:59 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Friends and admirers of Marvin Hamlisch will gather Tuesday morning in New York City to bid farewell to the celebrated songwriter hailed as "the people's composer."

His funeral was to be held at Congregation Emanu-El, a prominent Upper East Side synagogue. The composer died Aug. 6 in Los Angeles at age 68.

Hamlisch composed or arranged hundreds of scores for musicals and movies, including "A Chorus Line" on Broadway and the films "The Sting," ''Sophie's Choice," ''Ordinary People" and "The Way We Were."

He won three Oscars, four Emmys, four Grammys, a Tony, a Pulitzer and three Golden Globes.

His versatility and ear for musical hooks meant he was as comfortable writing songs for Barbra Streisand as he was for a light Woody Allen comedy.

Broadway will dim lights in memory of Gore Vidal

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:37:32 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway theaters will dim their marquee lights on Friday night in memory of Gore Vidal and the cast of his play "The Best Man" will dedicate the next week of performances to the author and playwright.

The Broadway League said Wednesday the lights will be dimmed for one minute at exactly 8 p.m. EDT Friday. Executive Director Charlotte St. Martin called Vidal's work both "timely and timeless."

Vidal died Tuesday in Los Angeles at age 86.

The second revival of his political play "The Best Man" opened in April with strong reviews and a stellar cast that included James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, John Larroquette, Candice Bergen, Eric McCormack, Michael McKean and Kerry Butler.

The show currently stars Cybill Shepherd, John Stamos, Kristin Davis, Mark Blum and Elizabeth Ashley, in addition to Larroquette and Jones.

"I'm honored to have been able to call Gore a close friend," said Shepherd in a statement. "I'm privileged to currently be appearing in his play 'The Best Man' and speaking his witty and eloquent words every night only reinforces for me what a genius he was."

Producer Jeffrey Richards said there will be an announcement before each show for the next week that it is being dedicated to Vidal. At curtain calls, photos of Vidal will be shown on the monitors.

‘The Fonz’ heads to Broadway this fall

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:41:45 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Hold onto your hats — Henry Winkler is heading to Broadway as a porn star.

The one-time "The Fonz" on "Happy Days" will star in David West Read's comedy "The Performers" alongside Cheyenne Jackson, who also plays an adult film actor.

Winkler will portray Chuck Wood, a legend in the porn industry, who gets entangled in the romantic problems of two young couples.

The play is scheduled to open Nov. 14 at the Longacre Theater. It will be directed by Evan Cabnet, who also directed Read's play "The Dream of the Burning Boy."

Winkler was last on Broadway in 2000 in Neil Simon's "The Dinner Party." Jackson's Broadway credits include the recent revival of "Finian's Rainbow," ''All Shook Up" and "Xanadu."

Comedian Aasif Mandvi heads off-Broadway again

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:57:33 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Aasif Mandvi, a regular correspondent for "The Daily Show," is going back to the stage.

The comedian and actor will star in "Disgraced," a new five-character play by Ayad Akhtar that opens Oct. 7 at Lincoln Center Theater's new Claire Tow Theater. It will run through Nov. 18.

Mandvi, whose film credits include "Margin Call" and "The Last Airbender," is also the writer of the Obie Award-winning play "Sakina's Restaurant."

"Disgraced," tells the story of a yuppie Pakistani-American lawyer and his white wife who host a dinner party that escalates into a heated discussion of race.

Akhtar, who wrote the novel "American Dervish," also co-wrote and played the lead in the film "The War Within." His "Disgraced" premiered earlier this year at Chicago's American Theatre Company.

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Online: http://www.lct.org

Lewis Black to rant on politics on Broadway

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:13:48 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Lewis Black is bringing his anger back to Broadway — just in time for the election.

Talent agent Jackie Knobbe said Thursday the comedian will bring his trademark frustration and high blood pressure style to the Richard Rodgers Theatre from Oct. 9-14. The show, currently on tour, is called "Running on Empty."

Black has been on Broadway before: His 2004 show "Black on Broadway" made it to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and also was broadcast on HBO.

His other standup highlights include "Red, White and Screwed" as well as regular appearances on "The Daily Show." He's also a playwright: His play "One Slight Hitch," written in 1983, was updated and appeared this summer in Seattle.

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Online: http://lewisblack.com

“The Book of Mormon” leads Tony Award nominations

Tue, 03 May 2011 13:04:00 +0000

When the Broadway season began last year, a big brash musical about Spider-Man was supposed to muscle its way to multiple Tony Award nominations. Instead, a pair of goofy Mormons may be the ones to beat.

"The Book of Mormon" nabbed a leading 14 Tony Award nominations Tuesday morning, earning the profane musical nods for best musical, best book of a musical, best original score, two leading actor spots and two featured actor nominations.

The musical, about two Mormon missionaries who find more than they bargained for in Africa, was written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park," and Robert Lopez, co-creator of the Tony Award-winning musical "Avenue Q." The trio teamed up with Casey Nicholaw, who co-directed with Parker and choreographed.

It has received 12 Drama Desk Award nominations, six Outer Critics Circle Award nominations and a Fred & Adele Astaire Award nomination, which recognizes excellence in dance. The musical is also grossing more than $1 million a week and is selling out -- the place "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" was supposed to be before its implosion.