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Sondheim Bounces Back with "Road Show"

Stephen Sondheim's oft-reworked musical about brothers Wilson and Addison Mizner — most recently titled Bounce — is getting yet another incarnation, under the name of Road Show.

The musical chronicles the picaresque lives of the Mizner brothers from the Alaskan Gold Rush of the 1890s to the Florida land boom-and-bust of the 1920s. Frequent Sondheim collaborator John Weidman wrote the book of the musical.

The show was originally developed as Wise Guys. It premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in October 1999, with Sam Mendes directing. Nathan Lane and Victor Garber starred.

Another version, briefly known as Gold! but later retitled Bounce, was produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Harold Prince directed. Richard Kind and Howard McGillin played the Mizner brothers. Jane Powell played their mother. A new character — a dance hall girl played by Michele Pawk — was added to the show.

Bounce also ran at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., but never made it to New York. However, a cast album of Bounce was recorded and released.

The new version, Road Show, no longer includes the title song, "Bounce." Sondheim kept most of the music from that song, but wrote new lyrics. Also, the character of the dance hall girl is no longer in the show. Sondheim says there is no title song for Road Show, and the new version is an amalgam of the Mendes and Prince productions, with new material.

The new production, directed by John Doyle, will be staged at the Public Theater October 28 through December 28. Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani play Wilson and Addison Mizner. Alma Cuervo is Mama, Claybourne Elder is Hollis, and William Parry is Papa.

Personally, I can't wait to see what Sondheim does next with this show. Bounce always seemed a lesser work, one I never warmed up to in the way I did with, say, Passion, which I've come to love. But any new Sondheim music is a major event, even if the show itself has been down that road before.

Source: Playbill and Broadway World

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Weekend Roundup: 7/28 - 8/3

I've been in rehearsals for a showcase all this week (I'll be performing two scenes, two songs, and a monologue), so this week has been a little lighter on the news front.

This week at Broadway Musical:

Broadway Ticket Prices Increase for Aisle Seating
Whoopi Goldberg Joins Xanadu on Broadway
Mary Testa Stays Up for Sleepless Variations
Broadway Brigadoon Belayed
Luck is a Lady for Guys and Dolls Revival

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Whoopi Goldberg Joins "Xanadu" on Broadway

This week Whoopi Goldberg replaced Jackie Hoffman in Xanadu at the Helen Hayes Theatre after two weeks of rehearsal.

Xanadu is about a muse named Kira (Kerry Butler) who inspires an artist (Cheyenne Jackson) to create a roller disco. Goldberg, playing another muse, tries to thwart the ensuing love affair.

In addition to Butler, Jackson, and Goldberg, the cast includes Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Curtis Holbrook, Kenita Miller, Patti Murin, Mary Thomas, André Ward, and Jacob Ben Widmar.

The score features the film songs by John Farrar and Jeff Lynne. The book is by Douglas Carter Beane. Christopher Ashley directs and Dan Knechtges choreographs. The music director is Eric Stern.

Goldberg is also a producer on two upcoming Broadway shows: a revival of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enough, and a musical called Bricktop.

She will continue performing in Xanadu through September 7.

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Mary Testa Stays Up for "Sleepless Variations"

Broadway veteran Mary Testa takes a leave of absence from her regular gig in Xanadu to perform in the debut of a new musical, Sleepless Variations.

Sleepless Variations is a song cycle exploring where a woman's mind wanders when she can't sleep. The score features songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jimi Hendrix, and Bjork.

William Finn is the artistic producer. Michael Schiralli directs. Michael Starobin is the musical director.

The show runs Thursday through Sunday at the Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab/Stage 2, in Pittsfield, MA.

Source: The Berkshire Eagle

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Broadway "Brigadoon" Belayed

The planned 2009 revival of Brigadoon has been postponed for lack of appropriate theater space.

The production was to have been directed by Rob Ashford, with a new book by John Guare. Alan Jay Lerner, who wrote the book for the original version, also wrote the lyrics. Frederick Loewe composed the music. No cast had been announced.

Also canceled was the Broadway tryout, scheduled for October 21 through November 16 at the Colonial Theater in Boston.

Source: Broadway.com

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Luck Is a Lady for "Guys and Dolls" Revival

The first Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls in 17 years is slated for early 2009.

Des McAnuff will direct the musical, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The Ambassador Theatre Group of London is producing, after mounting a West End version in 2005, which was directed by Michael Grandage with Ewan McGregor playing the role of Sky Masterson.

No casting has been announced for the new production.

Source: Bloomberg

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Weekend Roundup: 7/21 - 7/27

This week at Broadway Musical:

Jason Robert Brown Musical Headed to Broadway
Phantom Sequel Coming Soon
Review Roundup: [title of show]
Angels Skips Try-Outs, Winging it to Broadway
A Little More Hairspray
Broadway Gets A Tale of Two Cities
Robin and the 7 Hoods to Muscle in on Broadway
Godspell Goes Back to Broadway
Caitlin Kinnunen Joins Cast of Spring Awakening

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Jason Robert Brown Musical Headed to Broadway

Jason Robert Brown's latest musical, 13, will open on Broadway at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on October 5, after previous stagings at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and at The Norma Terris Theatre (Goodspeed Musicals) in Connecticut.

Music and lyrics are by Jason Robert Brown (Best Score Tony Award winner for Parade). Dan Elish and Robert Horn wrote the book. Jeremy Sams directs, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli.

Previews begin September 16.

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"Angels" Skips Try-Outs, Winging it to Broadway

The musical Angels, based on Milton's Paradise Lost, was scheduled to open at the Strand Theatre in Shreveport, LA before moving to Broadway. However, the engagement has now been canceled due to unspecified "technical requirements."

The show features complex aerial choreography.

There are no other pre-Broadway performances scheduled, but the production team expects to open on Broadway for the 2008-2009 season, as previously announced.

Angels is written by Ken Lai (music, lyrics, book) and Marcus Cheong (lyrics and book). The cast includes Jessica Grové as the angel Sera and Robert Cuccioli as the angel Lucifer. Richard Fowler directs.

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A Little More "Hairspray"

Can't get too much of a good thing? There seems to be an emerging trend of musical sequels. High School Musical led the way, of course, with High School Musical 4 now in the works.

Next is Hairspray 2, a movie musical sequel to the 2007 movie Hairspray, which was adapted from the Broadway musical Hairspray, which was adapted from the original 1988 movie Hairspray.

Got it?

Writer-director John Waters, director-choreographer Adam Shankman, producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are all on board for the sequel.

Source: Playbill

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Broadway Gets "A Tale of Two Cities"

A stage musical version of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities will open on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on August 19.

Jill Santoriello wrote the music, lyrics, and book. A former Showtime television executive, Santoriello has been developing the show for more three decades. Recently, it was staged at the Asolo Reperatory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida.

Warren Carlyle directs and choreographs the show, which stars Aaron Lazar as Charles Darnay, James Barbour as Sydney Carton, and Brandi Burkhardt as Lucie Manette.

Previews begin August 19.

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"Robin and the 7 Hoods" to Muscle in on Broadway

A stage musical version of the 1964 film Robin and the 7 Hoods is expected to reach Broadway in Spring 2010.

The film, starring Frank Sinatra and several of his "Rat Pack" cohorts, was set in 1930s gangland Chicago. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the score, which featured the song "My Kind of Town," performed by Sinatra.

The stage version will be scored by Cahn and Van Heusen, with a book by Peter Ackerman. Several songs from Cahn and Van Heusen (both of whom passed away in the early '90s) will be worked into the show, including "Come Fly with Me" and the Oscar-winning "Call Me Irresponsible" (from Papa's Delicate Condition).

Producers are Barry Brown, Bruce Charet, Dennis Mastro, Dennis Farina, and Billy Campbell. Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph.

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"Godspell" Goes Back to Broadway

Broadway producer Adam Epstein is bringing Godspell to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on October 23.

The 1970 musical, with a score by Stephen Schwartz, ran more than 2000 performances off-Broadway, followed by more than a year on The Great White Way.

The revival is directed by Daniel Goldstein. Christopher Gattelli choreographs. The cast includes Gavin Creel (Jesus), Joshua Henry (Judas), and American Idol runner-up Diana DeGarmo. Music and Lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by John-Michael Tebelak.

Previews begin September 29.

Source: AP

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Caitlin Kinnunen Joins Cast of "Spring Awakening"

Caitlin Kinnunen, 16, will make her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening today at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. She will play the role of Thea.

Raised on Camano Island, Washington, Caitlin appeared in many Seattle-area theater productions, including The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy), Little Women (Amy), and Annie (title role).

At the age of 5, Caitlin first took to the stage in the nonspeaking role of a fairy in a play at Sky Theatre, where her mother was the production manager.

The casting process for Spring Awakening took ten months. Last September Caitlin attended an open casting call in Seattle. A month later she got the call to come to New York, where she was asked to sing and read a script. She got a call-back for the next day. Then on her way home, while changing planes in Philadelphia, she received the call to return in November. During the final call-back in November she spent three days singing, dancing, and acting. She was finally cast in June.

Sometimes talent and persistence do pay off.

Source: HeraldNet

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Eight-Year-Old to Star in Broadway Show

Jerome Stephens, age 8, has only been acting for about a year, but that didn't stop him from landing the lead role of Simba in The Lion King on Broadway.

He was invited to audition after attending a Disney theatrical skills program.

Jerome and his mom Tracy Stephens will relocate from Towson, Maryland to New York, New York for at least six months.

His Broadway debut will take place in late August.

Congratulations, Jerome!

Source: wjz.com

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"Billy Elliot" Dances to Broadway

When Billy Elliot, the title character of the 2000 film, traded his boxing gloves for ballet shoes, he probably never dreamed he'd end up on Broadway.

But sure enough, that's where he's headed.

Thanks to Elton John (music), Lee Hall (book and lyrics), Stephen Daltry (direction), and Peter Darling (choreography), Billy Elliot will be dancing into our hearts on November 13 at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. Previews begin October 1.

Billy Elliot the Musical is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jon Finn, and Sally Greene. Executive Producers are Angela Morrison and David Furnish.

The role of Billy Elliot will be played by David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish.

Source: BroadwayWorld

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"Boots" to Broadway

The 2006 Miramax film comedy Kinky Boots, about a drag queen who saves a failing shoe company with a line of fetish footwear, is being turned into a stage musical.

Veteran Broadway producers Daryl Roth (August: Osage County) and Hal Luftig (Movin' Out) are in talks with Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde) to direct the new show.

Before directing Legally Blonde on Broadway, Mitchell choreographed the film-to-stage adaptations of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, and The Full Monty.

Source: Reuters

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Is Broadway Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Producer Kevin McCollum hopes to bring the musical White Christmas to the Marquis Theatre this winter, after a tour of major cities that began in San Francisco in 2004.

The show is directed by Walter Bobbie, with music by Irving Berlin, book by David Ives and Paul Blake, and choreography by Randy Skinner.

The story is about two WWII vets, now show biz stars, who fall in love with a sister act at a Vermont inn.

Source: BroadwayWorld

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Broadway Hopeful Has an "Ace" Up its Sleeve

The new musical drama Ace, which is aiming for Broadway, opens the 2008-2009 season at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.

The WWII-era story explores the heroic lives of America's "Greatest Generation" as seen through a young boy's eyes as he comes to terms with his past and unlocks his future.

Music is by Richard Oberacker, with book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Oberacker. Eric Schaeffer directs, with choreography by Karma Camp.

The cast includes Jill Paice (Curtains on Broadway), Emily Skinner, Christiane Noll, and Florence Lacey.

Previews for Ace begin August 26.

Source: Playbill.com

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