Stage Notes (and all that jazz) | Broadway, movies, books, music, and everything in between

September 30, 2007

Fanadus!

A Broadway musical version of a cheesy 1980 movie about a painter and a Greek muse who rollerskate their way to love in L.A.? What would the theatre gods say? But because "Xanadu" is a spoof, it works brilliantly. Think tube socks, leg warmers, over-the-top choreography, breathy Australian accent, disco balls and hilarious performances all around: you get 90 minutes of pure, silly fun. Anybody who's as beautiful, funny and as great a singer as Kerry Butler is deserves to be a demigoddess. Ms. Butler(who reminded me of Sarah Michelle Gellar from where I sat), plays Clio/Kira, who sets out to inspire Sonny, a struggling artist. Cheyenne Jackson was absent so we saw Curtis Holbrook (he's in the Broadway in Bryant Park footage). Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman as Melpomene and Caliope respectively, chewed up the scenery as expected. The only weak spot I found was the flashback to real estate bigwig Danny Maguire's (played by Tony Roberts) failed romance. So to writers Douglas Carter Beane, Jeff Lynne, John Farrar and director Christopher Ashley, thanks for "A place where nobody dared to go, The love that we came to know
They call it Xanadu."

September 26, 2007

Broadway's baritone bar none

said Lani at 10:28 PM 0 comments

Pinky and I first saw Norm Lewis in the Actors' Fund "Chess" and "Hair" benefit concerts and heard his voice on the "Side Show" cast recording. Only Norm could have played God in the "Children of Eden" concert. I watched the Les Miz revival mainly to see his Javert. He will be playing King Triton in the upcoming "The Little Mermaid", opening 03 November. (Thanks to color-blind casting.) Needless to say we have tickets to see Disney's newest Broadway show already. Initial reviews haven't been favorable but because I love the movie that inspired the musical, I'm sure I will not be disappointed.

If you haven't heard him sing, here's Norm and the inimitable Seth Rudetsky at the latter's Broadway 101 Master Class.

September 24, 2007

The Plays The Thing....

Author! Author!

said Lani at 7:32 PM 0 comments

I was with my sister Cecile at my very first meet-and-greet with a published author. This was almost two years ago when Lynne Truss was promoting "Eats Shoots and Leaves" and "Talk to the Hand". They served us lunch and Ms. Truss gave a speech before the actual book signing. She is a sweet, very proper yet very funny English lady. It was a lovely afternoon. The hilarious Terry Pratchett is coming to New York City next week for the release of his newest book "Making Money". It came out on 18 September. Cecile and I are going again. She had gone with my other sister Lynn when he was in Yale last time. They had a blast! Click here for Mr. Pratchett's U.S. schedule.

Ms. Lynne Truss

For me!

Sticklers unite!

September 23, 2007

Broadway Flea Market 2007

The time is now, the place is here

said Lani at 12:46 AM 0 comments

For all its many faults, one thing the Bush administration did right is to declare the catastrophe in Sudan a genocide. This was the first time in history that the U.S. government has done so while the killings are still going on. "Darfur Now: An Indifferent World" is a documentary highlighting the efforts of six people to change the situation , including a Darfurian woman who has joined the rebel forces, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and "Hotel Rwanda" actor Don Cheadle. The film had its New York City premiere on 20 September at the United Nations' Dag Hammarskjoeld auditorium. The movie has a limited release on 02 November 2007.

To read more about genocide, pick up a copy of "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide" by Samantha Power or Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire's "Shake Hands With The Devil: The Failure Of Humanity In Rwanda" . The latter has also been adapted into a movie scheduled to open in the U.S. on 28 September. A documentary version was released in 2004. If you're horrified enough by man's inhumanity, find a local Save Darfur group and take action.

September 21, 2007

Promises promises

said Lani at 11:17 PM 0 comments

From the director of "A History of Violence" comes "Eastern Promises", an intelligent thriller delving into the world of the Russian mafia and modern slavery. It won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. I daresay that Viggo Mortensen is quickly becoming David Cronenberg's muse. He gives a marvelous performance as Nikolai, the mysterious chauffeur of an organized crime family. He can go from ruthless,charming, tender, sometimes all at once. (Not to sound pervy because it wasn't gratuitous at all,but for Viggophiles, he has a four minute nude fight scene. Brave man for doing the scene in the buff. Who knows what could have happened? Props to the fight choreographer.) Armin Mueller-Stahl (Semyon) is appropriately creepy as the patriarch who cooks borscht and decorates birthday cakes for centenarians when not ordering people to be killed. Naomi Watts (Anna) is the mid-wife who delivers the baby of a Russian teenager. When the mother dies, Anna becomes entangled with the mob in her search for the girl's family. Steven Knight, who wrote "Dirty Pretty Things" again exposes London's seedy underbelly with a look at human trafficking this time. The film can only be brutal, given the plot, almost daring you to look away from the blood and violence. But the screenplay is also full of humor, complete with a wacky uncle. What haunts you is the poverty that leads people to leave their homes in pursuit of a better life, lured by promises of job opportunities in other countries. These women and children end up in the sex trade, hard labor, domestic service or sweat shops. Maybe this provocative film can raise awareness and help combat trafficking.

September 20, 2007

The Understudy Website

said Pinky at 10:54 PM 1 comments

The Understudy is usually a person who is a member of the cast either in the chorus or a supporting role and performs 8 times a week but is also prepared to perform for another part (usually a bigger role but not necessarily the lead). It should be differentiated from a Standby. A standby is a person who covers only for the lead performer and is not a member of the cast and does not perform 8 times a week. In some shows where the score is more difficult they have a standby and an understudy as a back-up. Wicked is a good example. In order of heirarchy, if let's say the lead for Elphaba could not perform, the standby is called first to cover. If the standby is not available then the Elphaba understudy would go on.

Usually understudies and standbys are a very under appreciated group of people......remember my Slip of Doom posting a few months back? Well, some of the understudies before are the broadway stars and Tony winners of today. A list of which can be seen here.

And for those of you who would like to lessen the devastation of a slip of doom, BroadwayUnderstudy.com has a good listing of announced understudy performances for shows on Broadway. Check it out before you buy your ticket.

CURTAINS: THE MUSICAL

said Pinky at 12:21 AM 0 comments

This is an overdue review because I saw this show end of June. I saw this show without any expectations and came out really liking the show! It's one of the more enjoyable shows I've seen this summer.

It's a combination of a murder mystery whodunit and a musical within a musical. It starts with a musical Robin Hood of the West having an out of town tryout in Boston and on opening night the leading lady is murdered. David Hyde Pierce of Fraser fame is Lt. Frank Cioffi is called on to investigate the murder. The twist in this musical is that the Leutenant is a huge musical theatre fan too!

Some delicious moments of this show were:
> David Hyde Pierce's comedy as his character digresses from the murder investigation and being more involved in the musical itself
> Debra Monk and her brassy performance of the show's producer....and her one liners!
> Karen Ziemba's voice
> the lovely song I Miss the Music sung by Jason Daniely....which echos as an ode to Fred Eb by his writing partner composer John Kander
> amazing amazing dancing courtesy of Noah Racey and Megan Sikora and the ensemble

Curtains has been labeled as an old fashioned musical. I've heard people say that....like it's a bad thing but I will say that Curtains is indeed a straight forward musical....songs and dances. It doesn't try to succumb to providing spectacles such as turntables, falling chandeliers, flying bubble machines or songs that are belted to the stratosphere; nor does it have a gimmick like breaking the 4th wall, actors playing instruments onstage or having cuss words on the songs lyrics. In our world today...with plasma tv, jumbotrons, imax films it's so easy to fall into all the spectacle and gimmick....but that's just what it is....all fluff. This show, is down to bare bones good singing and dancing which we rarely get these days. I love the Tough Act to Follow sequence where David Hyde Pierce and Jill Paice dances in a Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers kind of way....you don't get that kind of dancing and footwork anymore on stage. I love the overture where you get to hear the orchestra....the brass section, woodwinds, strings and the rhythm section and not a pop sound coming from a synthesizer. But I think the best part is seeing a cast that enjoys and relishes being onstage together performing this show....it's very palpable!

September 18, 2007

It always pays to raise the roof

said Lani at 11:57 PM 2 comments

The 8 PM performance of "Wicked" on 07 October 2007 is a benefit show for the New York Restoration Project. It also marks the farewell performances of Julia Murney and Kendra Kassebaum as the witches of Oz. Proceeds go towards a maintenance fund for the Friendship Community Garden on Amsterdam Avenue and West 150th st. The garden was designed by Edward Pierce, Wicked's associate set designer, and features a yellow brick road and likenesses of the show's characters. The garden is set to open 28 October at a ceremony to be hosted by Bette Midler, founder of the NY Restoration Project. Tickets are $150 to $500.

September 17, 2007

The movie in my mind

Broadway flea market

said Lani at 9:25 PM 0 comments

The annual Broadway Flea Market will be held this Sunday, 23 September in Shubert Alley from 10 AM to 7 PM. Cast members from Broadway, off-Broadway and daytime television shows will be selling memorabilia to raise funds for BCEFA. You can get autographs and have pictures taken with stars like Sir Ian McKellen, Bebe Neuwirth, David Hyde Pierce, Tyne Daly, Vanessa Redgrave at the Celebrity Table. Grand Auction highest bidders can snag Tony Awards tickets, onstage appearances at Broadway shows, walk-on roles in TV shows and backstage tours, among others. Come one, come all!

September 16, 2007

Broadway on Broadway

said Lani at 9:04 PM 3 comments

16 September 2007 was a beautiful fall day in New York, perfect weather for an outdoor concert featuring the stars of The Great White Way. We were situated by the Toys R Us store so most of the pictures are of the Geoffreytron. (The stage was further up). I'm sure Geoffrey didn't mind turning over the spotlight to Broadway's best and brightest for one day.

Lea Salonga's heartbreaking "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables". Great audience response before and after her performance. I spotted some Filipinos in the crowd.

Cast assembled onstage for the traditional "New York, New York" finale.

Sing-along on Broadway!

Confetti!

"The Drowsy Chaperone" Beth Leavel held the last note of "As we stumble along" interminably! This Tony winner has lungs of steel.

Chazz Palminteri coming soon to Broadway in "A Bronx Tale".

Seth Rudetsky announcing Broadway's biggest fan. Wattup with the hair oh ahmaazing one?!

The winner Ryan Haddad got to introduce...

Former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray from "Rent" who sang "Out Tonight".

Our favorite green witch Julia Murney with her stirring "The Wizard and I" from "Wicked".

Marin Mazzie urging King Arthur to "Find your Grail" from "Spamalot".

Debra Monk from "Curtains" reiterating that "It's a Business".

Happy crowd

Times Square, the cross roads of the world.

Lance Bass, currently Corny Collins on "Hairspray". He made us do the Wave twice, allegedly something that hasn't been done in Times Square.

My point of view. why do I have to be so short?

The concert also featured performances from Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Mamma Mia, Grease, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Legally Blonde, The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago. When the cast of "Avenue Q" sang "For now...George Bush!", the crowd erupted into applause and cheers. "The Color Purple" performed "Push da button" so no Fantasia. I came 15 minutes late so I may have missed "Part of your world" from the upcoming "The Little Mermaid", currently in previews in Denver. All in all a great start to the new Broadway season. See you next year!

ADDENDUM (by Pinky): Broadway.com photo coverage here.

September 15, 2007

Hodge-podge

said Lani at 2:19 PM 0 comments

Andrea McArdle, Broadway's original Annie, will host Broadway Idol at the NY Musical Theatre Festival on the 21st and 28th of September, and 05 October. Anthony Rapp, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Marc Shaiman and Manoel Felciano are among the judges. Andrea also recently joined Carol Burnett, Kathie Lee Gifford and Gary Beach in recording the 30th anniversary CD of Annie. She was Belle when I watched "Beauty and the Beast". Dawn, Pinky and I saw her at Seth's Broadway 101 show and she's a fierce belter. I hope she stars in a new show sometime in the near future.

On Monday 17 September, a portion of 53rd st. at 8th Avenue will be christened Jerry Orbach Way. The renowned star of stage and screen passed away in December 2004.

Jerry Springer the Opera is coming to New York by way of Carnegie Hall. The performances are scheduled for 29 and 30 January 2008. The show won the 2004 Olivier Award for Best Musical.

The 59th annual Emmy Awards will be telecast on FOX at 8 PM ET on 16 September. Elaine Stritch was already announced as the Outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for her hilarious appearance on "30 Rock". Lots of other theatre folk are nominated. The national touring company of the 2006 Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys, currently playing at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, will sing songs as part of a tribute to HBO's "The Sopranos," which ended this past season.

Also in downtown LA on the afternoon of 16 September, "Asian Americans On Broadway: Heart and Music" at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre. Scheduled to perform: Grease's Christine Toy Johnson, Rent's Telly Leung, Beauty and the Beast's Deborah Lew, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee's Jose Llana and Avenue Q's Hazel Anne Raymundo.

September 14, 2007

What can men do against such reckless hate?

said Lani at 11:06 PM 0 comments

I remember watching a tape of "Gandhi" with my sisters in my parents' bedroom. For 3 hours I sat mesmerized by the tale of the little brown man who brought down the British empire. He in the loincloth who spoke softly and carried a walking stick. I watched the 25th year anniversary DVD tonight. It was a pleasant surprise seeing a young Daniel Day-Lewis as a street thug, Richard Griffiths as a journalist and even John Ratzenberger as Candice Bergen's driver (although his voice was dubbed by someone else). The film is as relevant as ever. Nowadays, it's still east vs. west, Hindus vs. Muslims, men vs. women, Muslims vs. Christians, the untouchables are still untouchable. People would still prefer their own bad government over a good goverment run by an alien power. It still shouldn't matter if you read the Koran, the Talmud or the Bible; God is still being worshipped. Freedom fighters fascinate me no end, because I don't know where they get their strength, faith, morality, and courage. Martin Luther King followed the Mahatma's philosophy of non-violent civil disobedience. My friend Jonard and I paid a visit to The King Center years ago and I was deeply moved by the stories of the civil resisters. As Gandhi said, an eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind. No truer words were said.

September 13, 2007

Hippie cabs

said Lani at 9:25 PM 0 comments

From the New York Times City Room : Until December, you might see New York City cabs adorned with giant waterproof vinyl flowers. The decals are hand-painted by children from NYC schools and hospitals. The art project is called "Garden in transit" organized by Portraits of Hope as therapy for disabled and seriously ill children. Cab owners do not have to pay for the flowers if they choose to participate. Perhaps flower power can trump road rage in city streets.

September 11, 2007

In memoriam

September 10, 2007

Last six years

September 9, 2007

It was a dark and stormy night...

The Economics of Marriage

said Lani at 11:54 AM 0 comments

It was a stormy day yesterday, perfect for movie marathons. I first went to see "Becoming Jane", an imagining of a romance between author Jane Austen and Thomas Lefroy. It even suggests that he may have been the inspiration for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. The film unfolds as if it was an Austen novel, complete with the pastoral scenes, although purists may frown upon certain scenes and dialogue. Still, it is a must-see for Austenites. (Sidenote: They showed a trailer for "The Jane Austen Book Club" movie. I read the book a few years ago and wasn't even aware there was going to be a film adaptation. I didn't particularly care for the book but I will see the movie only because Emily Blunt and Hugh Dancy are in it.)

So after watching the problems faced by poor yet genteel unmarried Englishwomen, I finally watched my DVD of "Water". This is Deepa Mehta's controversial film about the plight of poor widowed Indian women. Set in 1938, it starts with 8 year old Chuyia becoming widowed and sent to an ashram. She is told that with her husband dead, she is half dead. Chuyia's head is shaved, eats once a day and is forced to beg in the streets. She is befriended by Shakuntula and by Kalyani, a widow forced into prostitution by the house matriarch. The film sparked protests, riots, and production was shut down in India because it was viewed as anti-Hindi. Deepa puts forth the idea that 2000 year old religious texts have been misinterpreted, resulting in the degradation of these women. By law, when the husband dies, the widow can be cremated with him, marry his younger brother, or live with other widows as an ascetic. They cannot remarry and are viewed as impure. Narayan, a law student who falls in love with Kalyani, tells Shakuntula that this is their fate because of economics. Sending them away, their husbands' families have no obligation to feed, clothe or shelter them, keeping the inheritance for themselves. It is thought-provoking and moving. Seema Biswas as the caring and devout Shakuntula is the film's moral center and gives a tremendous performance. It is a gorgeous film, beautifully lit and has a haunting score. "Water" is not as depressing as it sounds. With Mahatma Gandhi rising to power, the movie ends on a hopeful note. That last shot of Seema lingers with you.

September 7, 2007

Dining with the stars

said Lani at 9:13 PM 1 comments

Meeting up for a pre-theatre meal in New York City? Or hoping for some post-curtain stargazing while having a drink or late-night snack? Your best bets for celebrity spotting are Joe Allen's on 46th st., Chez Josephine on 42nd if you're hankering for French cuisine, Carmine's on 44th st. if you're in the mood for Italian. Other Broadway hot spots on 44th include Ollie's for cheap Chinese food and Angus McIndoe. For authentic New York deli food, head over to Cafe Edison at the Hotel Edison on 47th, dubbed the "Polish Tea Room". And although the Life Cafe is off the beaten Broadway path, I include it here only because I may never post about restaurants again and of course, I worship at the altar of Jonathan Larson. I wish all you theatregoers many celebrity sightings! Thanks to Lynn for the photos :D

September 6, 2007

The Maestro

September 5, 2007

Playbooks

said Lani at 11:25 PM 0 comments

My niece played Queequeg in a production of Moby Dick last year. Hanging out at their house one day, I came upon the script for the musical. Having seen the show a couple of times at that point, it was fascinating reading the page directions and comparing it to the actual staging. To get your hands on the script of your favorite play or musical, check out Stageplays or The Drama Bookshop. It should make for interesting reading. Maybe your inner director will come out.