New Broadway Season Announcements!

I took a small break from writing here. Life got hectic on my end with a new job, lots of traveling, and crying over Orlando. But I'm back! With the 2016 Tony Awards behind us, it's time to look forward to the 2016-2017 season.

Cirque du Soleil kicked off the current season before Tonys were even handed out, with their new circus/musical hybrid "Paramour". Most of the critics shrugged their shoulders at the conventional musical plot, but the dazzling acrobatics are getting butts in seats.

The newest season announcement arrived today courtesy of The New York Times: Roundabout's Off-Broadway hit, "Significant Other", will make the leap to the main stem this season. Jeffrey Richards will be producing the Broadway run, at a yet-to-be-announced Shubert owned theater. Previews are slated to begin sometime in February with a target opening in March.

"Significant Other" had its world premier at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre, off-Broadway. Its director there, Trip Cullman, will also helm the Broadway mounting. Casting is not 100% confirmed, but Richards is attempting to reunite the original Off-Broadway cast, which featured: Gideon Glick, Lindsay Mendez, Sas Goldberg, Cara Patterson, and Barbara Barrie.

The play, written by 33 year old Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews), follows a young gay man (Glick) desperate to find love in the city. He hangs with his three gal pals on most nights, but the inseparable group of singles gradually starts to dissolve. The women all start to find relationships, and singles nights turn into wedding planning sessions and bachelorette parties. I saw the the play in its original run, and it has a relatable and modern quality to the dialogue rarely seen in new plays. The surprise success of Tony winner "The Humans" (another show that began at Roundabout) has obviously emboldened Richards to make another move to Broadway. I hope "Significant Other" finds the same success. It deserves it.

Another fun tidbit released today: there will be a staged reading today of the long-gestating revival of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". Rob Ashford is still set to direct and choreograph the musical, despite several delays. The cast for today's reading is impressive: Kristin Chenoweth (Miss Mona), Jennifer Holliday (Jewel), Kevin McKidd (Earl Dodd), Christopher Sieber (Melvin P. Thorpe), James Naughton (Governor), Kerry Butler (Doatsey Mae), Jim Newton (Bandleader), and Helene Yorke (Angel).

The A-List casting doesn't necessarily mean we will see all those faces in the eventual Broadway run of course. But, it would be hard to find fault with any of these choices (though should Cheno turn down the role of Mona, may I suggest Tony nominee Carmen Cusack of "Bright Star". She's in need of a job now, and has the gravitas and earthy voice to nail the part). If "Whorehouse" makes it to Broadway this season, it will compete with "Cats", "Falsettos", and "Hello, Dolly!" for the Best Revival of a Musical Tony.

If you want to take a look at all the confirmed shows for the 2016-2017 season, I've compiled them (as always!) in a handy Production Guide. You can find it listed above the Contenders pages. Is it too early to think about the 2017 Tonys?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be singing some 'Hard Candy Christmas' to get in the mood. Take it away, Dolly.

NERDS Full Cast Announced!

The latest musical to make a last minute announcement for this season was the long gestating NERDS. The new musical comedy chronicles the rivalry of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and will being previews at the Longacre Theatre on April 1st, with an opening night set for April 24th.

Today, the creative team announced Tony nominee Rory O'Malley (Book of Mormon) and Bryan Fenkart (Memphis) will lead the company as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively. The cast will also feature Lindsay Mendez as Myrtle, Patti Murin as Sally, Benny Elledge as Steve Wozniak, Rob Morrison as Paul Allen, and Kevin Pariseau as Tom Watson.

NERDS features book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton & Erik Weiner, music by Hal Goldberg, direction by Casey Hushion, and choreography by Joshua Bergasse. Additional choreography from Denis Jones.

Contenders pages will be updated to reflect this new set of Nerds!

"Eclipsed" Makes the Jump and "Bright Star" Makes it Official

The Public Theater is moving yet another production to Broadway. After the Best Musical winner Fun Home and (the likely Best Musical winner) Hamilton, the company is bringing their Off-Broadway play Eclipsed to the main stem.

The Public Theater engagement will conclude on November 29th. It's star, recent Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, will transfer with the production. The Broadway production will have its first preview on February 23, 2016 at the Golden Theatre. Opening night is set for March 6th, with a strictly limited run of 17 weeks.

Eclipsed is written by Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead's Michonne) and directed by Liesl Tommy. The play centers on a group of women being held captive during the Liberian civil war. The entire cast from the Public; which includes Saycon Sengbloh (Hair, Fela!), Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, and Zainab Jah, will transfer with the production.

The Public now finds itself in a unique Tony position. It has a contender in both the Best Musical and Best Play races. Could it nab both top prizes?

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While we knew Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's musical Bright Star was showing up sometime this season, the team has finally announced official dates and cast information.

Following a winter run at the Kennedy Center, Bright Star will begin previews on March 7th with a March 31st opening (which, in case anyone wants to get me some tickets, happens to be this theatre nerd's birthday). The show will fill a Shubert house to be announced at a later date.

Tony winner Walter Bobbie will direct with Josh Rhodes as choreographer. After starring in the premiere at The Old Globe, Carmen Cusack will repeat her performance in her Broadway debut. The rest of the cast features: Paul Alexander Nolan, A.J. Shively, Dee Hoty, Stephen Lee Anderson, Emily Padgett, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Michael X. Martin, William Michals, Tony Roach, and William Youmans.

"Falsettos" Postpones Broadway Bow

Theatre fans rejoiced when Jordan Roth announced a revival of the beloved musical Falsettos was heading to Broadway. But it appears we will have to wait longer than anticipated.

The William Finn/James Lapine musical has officially been pushed back to the 2016-2017 Broadway season. No official reason was given, but sources are citing budget and casting concerns. The reported estimated budget came in at roughly $5 million, more than many expected. The number reportedly had producers concerned over its commercial viability. Roth attempted to strike a deal with the Roundabout Theatre Company, one of Broadway's few non-profit organizations, to insult the production from financial burdens. However, Roundabout's spring season is locked in place and no deal came to fruition.

Casting a movie star seemed to be the only option left to avoid a financial failure. But William Finn's score is tough. And finding a star who can pull it off (and was available for the time frame) proved fruitless.

The postponement of Falsettos has upended the already competitive race for Best Revival of a Musical. With just five revivals remaining, now only three of them are guaranteed Tony nominees. A fourth nominee is possible if they tie for third place. The new tie rule didn't help Side Show or Gigi this past season, nor Roundabout's re-staging of Cabaret the year before. Will a fourth nominee come into play this time? Or will there be lots of unhappy producers come spring?

One upside: Laura Benanti will be done with She Loves Me by next season, and she would make a perfect Trina. Make it happen Mr Lapine!

Frank Langella Returns to Broadway

Three time Tony Award winner Frank Langella will return to Broadway this spring in Manhattan Theatre Club's American premier of The Father. The play, by Florian Zeller, will being previews at the Samuel J. Freidman Theatre on March 22, 2016, with an opening night of April 12th.

Two time Tony winner Christopher Hampton will provide the translation of the play. Tony Award winner Doug Hughes will direct. Hughes and Langella previously collaborated on a Broadway production of A Man for All Seasons.

According to press notes, The Father will offer a look inside the mind of a retired dancer living with his adult daughter Anne and her husband. Or is he a retired engineer receiving a visit from Anne who has moved away, with her boyfriend? Why do strangers keep turning up in his room? And where has he left his watch?

Spring Awakening Makes it Official

Deaf West's rumored revival of Spring Awakening is officially headed to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre for it's Broadway run this fall. Tickets went on sale today.

The show's website lists the production as an 18 week limited run, with previews starting on September 8th and an opening night on September 27th. The site also says it "must close" on January 9th.

The revival is a co-production between Deaf West and Forest of Arden, who's founder Michael Arden will serve as director. Spencer Liff serves as choreographer. Arden previously starred in Deaf West's Broadway transfer of Big River. That production got a special award from the Tonys, as well as nominations for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

This interpretation of Duncan Sheik's Tony winning musical will utilize both hearing and deaf actors, with several characters being sung and signed by two performers. Casting will be announced at a later date, though it is rumored at least some of the LA cast will transfer to Broadway with the production.

Musical Revivals Vie for Tony Votes

It has been widely assumed for some time that the race for Best Musical Revival is a done deal. The King and I features director Bartlett Sher re-teaming with star Kelli O'Hara for another lush Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. Tony voters loved South Pacific in 2008, so Lincoln Center has another Tony winner on their hands. Right?

Well not so fast. On nominations morning, The King and I did well, as expected, with nine nominations. But it was the musical's two competitors for Best Revival that performed outside of expectations. On the Twentieth Century netted acting notices for superstar Kristin Chenoweth and featured player Andy Karl as well as two design awards. But director Scott Ellis was kicked out of the Best Director category.

Who should take Mr. Ellis' place was non other than On the Town director John Rando. On the Town's choreographer Joshua Bergasse claimed his expected nomination for Best Choreography. But On the Twentieth Century stumbled in that category as well when last year's champ Warren Carlyle lost his spot to a straight play: The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time.

If you're keeping score, The King and I and On the Town are both represented across three key disciplines: directing, acting, and choreography. On the Twentieth Century is only seen in acting.

Seizing the moment, the struggling On the Town announces a national tour for 2016! And to top it off, their Tony nominated leading man, Tony Yazbeck, will headline the tour. Tours can be a significant factor in Tony voting. A sizable block of voters are "road voters". They prefer to vote for shows that play well in their regional markets. This is why shows like An American in Paris and Something Rotten! quickly announced their own national tours. Essentially they're signalling: "Hey we're commercial! And we're already committed to going on the road! Pick me!".

Well not to be outdone, just a day later Lincoln Center has swooped in to steal their thunder. As announced earlier today: The King and I will launch a national tour as well. They have also done one better by announcing that the Broadway production has been extended indefinitely. Now Tony voters can vote for the perpetually sold out open run, or the "probably-will-close-in-September-even-if-it-wins" show.

The King and I seems like it is still in the best position to win. But, I'm thrilled to see the true fight the producers of On the Town are putting up. The race needed a little suspense (and frankly all three nominated revivals are too good for it to be a one horse race). We will have to wait and see if any of these plays turn into Tony wins for On the Town.

The industry affection for the show is also quite heartening. On the Town is a expertly crafted, charming revival. It was unfortunately cursed with a theatre too large for...well, any show really. Rumors suggest that Cirque du Soleil wants to take over the Lyric Theatre whenever it becomes available. Should that happen I'd like to suggest yet another name change for the space: The Broadway Airplane Hanger. Let's just call a spade a spade and let the acrobats deal with it.

Lift Up Your Hands: Final Predictions and a Special Announcement

Twas the night before Tony noms, and in every Broadway house, creatures were stirring, and totally freaking out.

Tomorrow at 8:30 am, Mary Louise Parker and Bruce Willis will announce the 2015 Tony Nominations. The Contenders section of the blog has been updated with all my final predictions. Some more confident than others. But as often the case with a strong season like the one we've had, many worthy artists will have a disappointing Tuesday morning.

Perhaps that's why the Tonys are leading into the anticipated morning with exciting news. John Cameron Mitchell will be the recipient of the 2015 Special Tony Award. The actor and co-creator of the Tony winning musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch just completed a run as the title character. A role he originated downtown.

Having recently seen him in the role, I couldn't be happier for him. With no disrespect to the talented men who inhabited her glittery heels: JCM is the definitive Hedwig. I'm not sure I have ever seen a performer so comfortable in a role. It is also a nice gesture considering he was not eligible to receive a Tony for Hedwig's Broadway debut, since it was classified a revival (a rare event that was amended with a rule change regarding authors and composers this season).

Stephen Schwartz, known for creating music and lyrics to the likes of Wicked and Godspell, will receive the 2015 Isabelle Stevenson Award. The award is presented to a member of the theatre community who dedicates their time to a charity or humanitarian organization. Mr. Schwartz is being cited for fostering new talent through ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, ASCAP Foundation, and developing new partnerships as President of the Dramatists Guild.

Congrats to the well deserved Tony honorees. At least there will be two people who won't be sweating at 8:30 in the morning.

Check out the Tony predictions and see just how right (or horribly wrong) I am in the morning.

Outer Critics Circle Nominations Announced!

The Outer Critics Circle nominations have been announced! The first kudos of the season to reveal nominations, the Outer Critics Circle is comprised of writers who cover New York theatre for out-of-town and national publications. Both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions are eligible for these awards. 

Three shows with big Tony dreams (Fun Home, Disgraced, and Hand to God), were not eligible this year having been eligible for their Off-Broadway runs. Curiously, the new musical Finding Neverland was completely shut out. While the show was dealt a harsh blow by critics, this seemed like the awards body with which it would do best. 

As for shows the group embraced? The new musical Something Rotten! picked up the most citations, 12 in total. The show was followed closely by On the Twentieth Century (9), An American in Paris (8), and Wolf Hall (7). Lin Manuel Miranda'a Off-Broadway smash Hamilton reaped 5 bids (though was mysteriously shut out of the acting categories).  

Given the ineligibility of certain shows, Off-Broadway crossover, and zero overlap of voters, the Outer Critics Circle has a dubious track record in terms of being a Tony precursor. But it is still interesting to see what direction theses voters go, and who they throw weight behind (like the surprise love for It Shoulda Been You). Winners will be announced on May 11th, with a Gala for the winners on May 21st at Sardi's.

Full list of nominations below:

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Audience
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
An American in Paris
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Between Riverside and Crazy
The City of Conversation
The Nether
Rasheeda Speaking
The Village Bike

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
A Christmas Memory
Disenchanted
The Fortress of Solitude
Hamilton
Lonesome Traveler

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
The Heidi Chronicles
Skylight
You Can't Take It With You

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Into the Woods
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Side Show

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Stephen Daldry The Audience
Marianne Elliott The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Scott Ellis The Elephant Man
Scott Ellis You Can't Take It With You
Jeremy Herrin Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Scott Ellis On the Twentieth Century
Thomas Kail Hamilton
Casey Nicholaw Something Rotten!
David Hyde Pierce It Shoulda Been You
Christopher Wheeldon An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Joshua Bergasse On the Town
Andy Blankenbuehler Hamilton
Warren Carlyle On the Twentieth Century
Casey Nicholaw Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Bunny Christie The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Bob Crowley An American in Paris
Scott Pask Something Rotten!
David Rockwell On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan The King and I

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Gregg Barnes Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley The Audience
William Ivey Long On the Twentieth Century
Christopher Orem Wolf Hall
Catherine Zuber The King and I

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Paule Constable The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jeff Croiter Something Rotten!
Rick Fisher The Audience
Natasha Katz An American in Paris
Japhy Weideman The Visit

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Reed Birney I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Bradley Cooper The Elephant Man
Stephen McKinley Henderson Between Riverside and Crazy
Ben Miles Wolf Hall
Alex Sharp The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Greta Gerwig The Village Bike
Jan Maxwell The City of Conversation
Helen Mirren The Audience
Elisabeth Moss The Heidi Chronicles
Tonya Pinkins Rasheeda Speaking

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Borle Something Rotten!
Brian d'Arcy James Something Rotten!
Robert Fairchild An American in Paris
Peter Gallagher On the Twentieth Century
Tony Yazbeck On the Town

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Kristin Chenoweth On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope An American in Paris
Tyne Daly It Shoulda Been You
Kelli O'Hara The King and I
Chita Rivera The Visit

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Paul Jesson Wolf Hall
Richard McCabe The Audience
Alessandro Nivola The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker Wolf Hall
Bryce Pinkham The Heidi Chronicles

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Annaleigh Ashford You Can't Take It With You
Patricia Clarkson The Elephant Man
Francesca Faridany The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Julie Halston You Can't Take It With You
Lydia Leonard Wolf Hall

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

John Cariani Something Rotten!
Josh Grisetti It Shoulda Been You
Andy Karl On the Twentieth Century
Paul Alexander Nolan Doctor Zhivago
Max von Essen An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Heidi Blickenstaff Something Rotten!
Victoria Clark Gigi
Megan Fairchild On the Town
Ruthie Ann Miles The King and I 
Mary Louise Wilson On the Twentieth Century

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Joe Assadourian The Bullpen

Jim Dale Just Jim Dale

Tom Dugan Wiesenthal
Cush Jumbo Josephine and I
Benjamin Scheuer The Lion

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Ayad Akhtar The Invisible Hand
Halley Feiffer I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Elizabeth Irwin My Mañana Comes
Markus Potter Stalking the Bogeyman
Benjamin Scheuer The Lion

Tony Awards Announce Dates and Robin Hood Declines the Marquis

We now have an official announcement from the Tony Awards on dates for the upcoming awards season.

Thursday April 23rd is the official cut off date for nomination eligibility. Opening night must be on or before this day in order for a production to be considered.

Tuesday April 28th is the Tony Awards nomination announcement. The event will take place from the Diamond Horseshoe in the Paramount Hotel. A live webcast can viewed at www.tonyawards.com. A limited number of tickets to the Tony Awards will also go on sale at this date, by visiting the aforementioned website.

Wednesday April 29th is the annual Meet the Press Reception for all of 2015's Tony nominees. This event will also take place at the Paramount Hotel.

Friday May 15th is the Tony Nominee Luncheon. Located in the Paramount's Diamond Horseshoe, this is a private event for the nominees and is closed to all media.

Sunday June 7th is the 69th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall. The awards will be broadcast by CBS from 8:00-11:00 pm EST.

One show which won't be hunting for Tony Awards this season is The Heart of Robin Hood. The production is currently playing in Toronto (and also received a recent staging at ART) and was originally booked for the Marriott Marquis Theatre this spring.

The Broadway bow came with a contractual end date in August. The producers, citing booming business with the Toronto mounting, have chosen to scrap the move to Broadway this season. The show has extended for an additional four weeks at the Royal Alexandria Theatre in Toronto. They hope to bring the show to New York when a longer Broadway run is possible.

The Gloria Estefan backed musical "On Your Toes" is already set to play the Marquis in the fall.

Make way for Chita! "The Visit" officially arriving on Broadway

After months of rumors it was officially announced today that the final Kander and Ebb musical, "The Visit" will make its Broadway bow this spring. The musical, with book by Terrence McNally, will begin previews at the Lyceum Theatre on March 26th. Opening night is set for Thursday April 23rd. Two time Tony winner Chita Rivera will star, alongside Roger Rees. Much of the Williamstown cast is expected to join them (though Judy Kuhn is already booked on Broadway this spring, to reprise her work in "Fun Home"). John Doyle directs.

In other news: Christian Borle and Brian D'Arcy James are officially headlining the cast of "Something Rotten!" this spring. The duo originated the roles of Shakespeare and Nick Bottom in a previous workshop. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Will either musical be big players at the Tonys this spring? Time will tell, but since Chita Rivera has reportedly stated "The Visit" will be her final role on Broadway, people are bound to play close attention to that one.

Best of Broadway 2014: Because My Opinions Matter

I don't get to see absolutely everything Broadway has to offer (help me, I'm poor), but I do my best to take in as much as possible. Most people do a top ten list at the end of the year, but I'm being even more selective by only choosing five productions for my year's best list. I'm being exclusive, and therefore very important.

Strangely, I found myself with zero straight plays on the list. This is likely due to two factors. 1.) Last season's plays weren't anything revolutionary. Act One almost put me to sleep, Mothers and Sons had great performances but could have dug deeper, Casa Valentina perhaps dug too deep and didn't know how to end. 2.) There have been too many plays this fall for me to keep track of. So perhaps they have all washed over me a bit, given the sheer number of them. Based on what I know about my own personal tastes, and the reviews it's gotten, Curious Incident... would stand a chance at making my list, but I haven't seen it yet. If anyone has tickets they'd like to give a broke actor, I'll happily be your first good deed of the New Year.

Those who failed to make the exclusive list, but are still among my favorites include On the Town (mostly for the choreography and orchestrations) and A Delicate Balance (mostly for the superb work by Glenn Close and Lindsay Duncan).

Without further ado: Sam's Top Five Broadway Productions of 2014. 

5.) The Bridges of Madison County
Obviously this musical wasn't perfect. I couldn't have cared less about the supporting characters (Except Cass Morgan. She can stay). But Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale were giving career best performances with some of the best songs Jason Robert Brown has ever produced. Out of all the cast albums from last season, this is the only one that is still on constant rotation. The vocals were absolutely insane, and I'd watch these two seduce one another with power ballads any day of the week. I expected to hate this one and it surprised the hell out of me.

4.) Side Show
It's a shame that this show can't find an audience. The revisions and design work have likely made this the best version of Side Show there will ever be. I'll be forever haunted by Bill Condon's staging, and the mind blowing performances by Erin Davie and Emily Padgett. If you have a chance to catch this before January 4th: GO. Then you can sing "I Will Never Leave You" in the shower each morning like i do. (Im totally auditioning for the next revival, which I can only imagine will be a gender-bender).

3.) Cabaret
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The reproduction of this award winning revival is still as potent as ever. Time has made Alan Cumming (if possible) even seedier and more seductive as the Emcee. Its a star turn for the ages, and even if you're one of "those" people griping about Roundabout being "lazy", seeing Cumming command the stage is absolutely worth every penny. New actors Danny Burstein (Herr Schultz), Linda Emond (Fraulein Schneider), and Gayle Rankin (Fraulein Kost) give impressive performances that keep the side stories fresh.

2.) Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

All hail Queen Audra. I am sometimes concerned for myself, because I love this woman more than is socially acceptable. But every time I watch her I am transfixed, and her Billie Holiday was no exception. She is a master of vocal and physical transformations. My jaw dropped when she exhaled her first note, and it stayed there for one classic jazz number after another. Her most impressive moment turned out to be the curtain call, where in one movement, we see the actress drop Billie and revert back to Audra. Mind. Was. Blown.

1.) Hedwig and the Angry Inch
This is as close as they come to a perfect production. Director Michael Mayer worked some hefty theatre magic to bring a show that oozed downtown grit into a big Broadway house ("Hurt Locker: The Musical" is by far the best theatre parody of the year, or maybe ever) . Neil Patrick Harris defied those who thought he wouldn't get feminine or rock enough, and basically had the Tony Award in his hand from the moment he was first lowered onto the stage. Rarely have I experienced such energy coursing through a theatre. This one deserves a long, healthy run. I can't wait to go back.

Off-Broadway Shout Out

Murder for Two
I'm cheating a bit with this one because it opened in 2013. But I didn't see it until 2014, so deal. By far one of the most creative and entertaining pieces of theatre I've seen in a long while. Just two actors and one piano, the duo brings us through a comical whodunit by playing a slew of different characters, and banging out the entire score themselves. Jeff Blumenkrantz, who cycles through about a dozen suspects with just a simple gesture or tilt of a hat, had my stomach hurting from too much laughter. Thanks for the ab workout Murder for Two!

Did your favorite show make the list? Or am I crazy and you're never coming to this blog again? 

Broadway Roundup: Two New Shows and a New Bankable Star

The Broadway season continues to change its shape as two productions join the spring lineup (They were both announced previously, but I've been caught up with Oscars, rehearsals, and holiday shenanigans. Please forgive).

It didn't take long before the vultures hovered over the coveted St. James Theatre, mere hours after Side show posted its January 4th closing notice. The new musical comedy Something Rotten! will take its place. It begins previews on March 23rd with an opening set for April 22nd, the last day of Tony eligibility. Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph with a score by newcomers Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick. The story centers around two playwrights living in Shakespeare's shadow, who set out to write the world's first musical. Casting will be announced at a later date, though a recent New York workshop starred Christian Borle, Brian D'Arcy James, Brad Oscar, and Beth Leavel.

In other news, Broadway star Kelli O'Hara who makes her Met debut in "The Merry Widow", seems to have convinced her co-star to give the rialto  a try. The legendary opera star Renee Fleming will make her Broadway debut in a new play Living on Love, by Joe DiPietro. Tony winner Kathleen Marshall will direct the Grammy winning soprano at the Longacre Theatre starting April 1st, with an official opening on April 20th. Fleming will be playing an Opera diva feuding with her husband, so we may even get to her a bit of singing. Tickets go on sale today for the limited 18 week engagement, and you probably can't afford them.

Bradley Cooper will try his hand for his first Tony nomination this year, but he is already a Broadway record-breaker. The Elephant Man has recouped its investment in an astonishing six and a half weeks. While the $3.1 million investment isn't the highest on Broadway, the success is nothing to scoff at. Cooper regularly helps the play draw in well over a million dollars at the box office each week, and The Elephant Man is the first production in the history of the Booth Theatre to do so. Its safe to say producers will want him back on Broadway again as he joins the likes of box office draws Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have crazy theatre patrons to take care of and tons of shows to see before everything closes on January 4th. So much for a holiday break. If you want more info on what to see before the deathly grip of winter claims the lives of Broadway favorites, read my article over at SmashCut. And use this code on the TodayTix app for $20 off your first order: XJQKU. My Christmas gift to you.

HedHeads, McNally, and Chita. Oh My!

It's official! Despite adamant claims that he would never return to the role (or acting) again, John Cameron Mitchell is returning to Hedwig and the Angry Inch! Mitchell co-created the musical with Stephen Trask, and starred in the original Off-Broadway production as well as the film version (for which he received a Golden Globe nomination).

Current Hedwig Michael C. Hall will finish his extended run in the Broadway hit on January 18th. Mitchell will then take the stage beginning January 21st for a limited 8 week run. Tony winner Lena Hall remains with the show as Yitzhak.

Hedwig was without a doubt one of my favorite Broadway experiences ever. I'm of the mind it should be required viewing for all New Yorkers, and really all theatre fans everywhere. I cant wait to make a return trip to see the original star. Cue theatre queens calling for a "best replacement" Tony category again.

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In other news: The latest rumor circulating Broadway is that the Williamstown Theatre Festival cast of Kander & Ebb's The Visit has been privately contacted regarding availability for a spring Broadway bow. Book writer Terrence McNally has been reportedly using the success of his recent It's Only a Play to convince the Shuberts to give The Visit a shot in New York. And star Chita Rivera has been adamant for some time about recreating her role for Broadway.

Theatres being looked at supposedly include the Longacre and Helen Hayes (though Second Stage still has first option on the Hayes after Rock of Ages closes shop in January). The stage at the Longacre is probably a better fit for the massive two-tiered set from Williamstown.

Whatever theatre is chosen, one original cast member will have to sit this one out. Judy Kuhn is currently involved with the Broadway transfer of Fun Home, last season's hit Off-Broadway musical.

While You Were Gambling

Well, the desert was fun, but I've missed so much while I was away! I had a nice break from obligations/reality in the City of Sin for the past weekend and now its time to get back to work. Though I did manage to see some incredible theatre in Las Vegas with Cirque du Soleil's "O". It was my first time seeing one of their shows live, and it's just unspeakably cool.  After the show finished, I found myself wishing it could be on Broadway so I could experience it again at home...but I would likely spend all my money on repeat trips, so perhaps its in my own best interest that it isn't located in Manhattan. Plus, with the drinking and general gluttony of Vegas, the bodies of the acrobats cause some serious gym guilt.

Speaking of Manhattan theatre: Broadway heard the first Tony rulings of the season this past week. The Tony Awards Administration Committee met for the first of four times and dished out rulings on Holler if Ya Hear Me, This is Our Youth, Love Letters, It's Only a Play, You Can't Take it With You, The Country House, and On the Town. Most decisions went as predicted, based on billing and precedent, with a few notable exceptions.

Saul Williams will be the sole Lead Actor candidate from Holler if Ya Hear Me, despite Christopher Jackson's rather central role. Tavi Gevinson will be considered in Featured Actress for her Broadway debut in This is Our Youth. It's Only a Play and On the Town will also have just one lead candidate within their large ensembles: Nathan Lane and Tony Yazbeck, respectively. 

The most surprising decision is that the entire cast of You Can't Take it With You will be eligible in the featured categories. It may help James Earl Jones' chances come nomination time (the lead actor category is plenty stacked), but may hurt the ladies. Kristine Nielsen will now have to compete against her scene stealing co-stars Annaleigh Ashford and Elizabeth Ashley. My Tony contenders pages have been updated to reflect the rulings. 

We've also seen several shows make their grand entrance recently, including the Hugh Jackman vehicle The River, and the much anticipated revival of Side Show. I'm dying to see the new "come look at the freaks" take on Side Show, but I likely wont be able to see anything for a week given my rehearsal schedule. 

Shameless plug alert: if you'd like to see your favorite blogger perform (and put his money where his mouth is) I'm singing in a concert at the Duplex this Saturday at 6:30pm. I'll be performing songs by my friend Timothy Mathis in an evening titled "If Only I'd Written it Down". He's an excellent composer and I can't wait to perform his material. I'll try to channel a little bit of "Who Will Love Me as I Am" in honor of Side Show.  

And as we head deeper into the Oscar race, I am continuing to update those contender pages with my latest thoughts. "Selma" has recently crashed the party and made such an impression I'm going to put it in the top five Best Picture candidates. Of course the race is ever shifting, but the MLK drama seems to check off every requirement for Oscar love. Could we have the first year with two female best director nominations? Ava DuVernay makes a strong case for nomination (though I'm probably putting too much faith in the "boys-club" director branch ). The film "Selma" kicks out is "Foxcatcher", in my opinion. It's a cold film, with a depressing ending. It will get a lot of support from actors, but I think too much competition has entered the fray for it to make Best Picture. 

I'm off to obsess over my rankings, rehearse some songs, and attempt to contain my excitement that I'm seeing Glenn Close in A Delicate Balance in just over a week. If you hear squeals of joy coming from the Golden...it's totally me. 

New Season

Hello World!

I've taken quite a break from writing here. But now that changes. After last years' foray into the awards season I've done some travelling, a whole lot of work, and a deal of performing myself.  I have also begun to lend my voice to theatre reviews at smashcutreviews.com.  I do my best to see and write about as much as possible...but being a non-union actor with a survival job at a non-profit theatre company often limits the spending (and time) I can give. My expenses generally shake out in the following priorities: 1.) Rent 2.) Wine 3.) Seamless 4.) Theatre 5.) scraping together what's leftover towards new headshots and/or acting classes...and also seeing movies.

The new Broadway season began with Holler if ya Hear Me...well at least technically. The rap musical failed to make much of a dent on Broadway. But the fall has brought us a slew of shows to take in. It might actually be too many.  I don't know about you, but there are just more plays on Broadway than this theatre nerd has time to see. I've done a decent job so far; taking in This Is Our Youth, Love Letters, and The Real Thing. And I have tickets to A Delicate Balance in a few weeks (if you see me at the stage door, just get the eff out of my way. I love Glenn Close more than you do). But I have yet to take in You Can't Take it With You, Disgraced, Curious Incident, or It's Only a Play.

It speaks to the curious development over the past few years, where some of the most worthy straight plays of the season are now debuting in the fall. It used to be that shows in the fall, with only a few exceptions, failed to make much of an impact. They certainly didn't compete for Tonys. But success stories of early bowing productions like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Glass Menagerie have changed the game. Whereas producers used to backload the season with their would-be Tony players in the spring, you can now see definite Tony contenders in October. Though it's hard to keep up with, I'll take this incessant assault of (mostly quite good) straight plays over a barren fall season anyday.

And since most of the current season has been announced at this point, I'm introducing a new feature to the blog: The Contenders pages. On the right side of the site you'll see several links where I have laid out all the currently known contenders for a given category. These will be edited and updated as we learn more about the season, and I will hopefully expand them to include each Tony category very soon. And Mary, before you get up in my face about "But Im oh so sure what's-her-face will be considered featured for this show"; I'm using the best information I have at this given moment to compile the lists. No category placement is technically official til the Tony committee's decision. I'm sure we all know someone "in the know", but I'm just a theatre gay doing the best he can.

Anywhoo, I'm Back! And ready to give you lots of opinions about what's going on with Broadway.
I will leave you with a LEGO recreation of the original staging for Fiddler on the Roof...which I can't stop watching. Danny Burstein: Take a good look at your costume for next season.