This week, two high profile cast replacements were named for two hit Broadway shows. One of them was so high profile, it was on the news! When was the last time THAT happened (Spider-Man, not withstanding)?
The first, though, came the announcement that Adam Pascal would be replacing Tony-nominee Chad Kimball at the end of October in 2010's Best Musical, Memphis. My first thought was, "really??" I mean, there is no doubt that Pascal is talented and is a near expert in conveying chemistry. Look at him and Daphne Ruben-Vega in RENT (or with Anthony Rapp) for that matter. Or he and his AIDA co-star, Heather Headley - smoking hot and romantic, too! That look in the final scene...mmmmm. Yes. Mr. Pascal should have no trouble with the smouldering sexy chemistry with equally sexy and smouldering Montego Glover.
I guess I'm having trouble picturing the quirky, vulnerable, innocent-yet-worldly-wise Huey Calhoun in Adam Pascal. Of course, he is an actor, a very good one, even if his prior roles have a certain similarity that is not really in this new character. I guess I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Just as I did with Kristin Chenoweth when she departed from her "norm" and tackled (beautifully, in my opinion) a challenging out of the box role. Instead, maybe I should wish him well and warn him that as much as critics (and some fans) bemoan the fact that actors rarely venture beyond the expected, they rarely embrace the brave ones that do. Good luck!
The really high profile replacement announcement came today at a press conference live from Sardi's. Looks like Nick Jonas will be Daniel Radcliffe's permanent replacement in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. It is also now clear that producers are looking to fill the seats at the Hirschfeld with Tweens and their parents.
Let's not forget that the first replacement is actually Glee's Darren Criss, who will also appeal to the tween set, just as Radcliffe did before, and Jonas will after. But there is a bit of an error in thinking here, and it has nothing whatsoever to do how well all three of them do or will do in the role. I adored Mr. Radcliffe in the role, and have no doubt that both Mr. Criss and Mr. Jonas will do just fine, finding their own way with the role.
The error in thinking, I think, is that tweens and their parents will embrace these newcomers in the same magnitude, i.e. SRO crowds. Radcliffe has something neither Criss nor Jonas has: international stardom cultivated by over a decade of growing up before our very eyes in the most successful movie franchise, based on the most popular book series of all time. He played a character on film that kids and their parents read in those books. Arguably as many adults kept up with Harry Potter as their kids did. The appeal of Daniel Radcliffe is multi-generational, backed up by a star turn performance.
A pair of Finches: Darren Criss and Nick Jonas
Criss, with just a three week run, should draw the hordes of Glee-Kurt/Blaine fans, keeping interest and numbers high. And, to some extent, Glee fans are multi-generational just as Potter fans are. I bring this up because IF tweens are the target audience, someone has to BRING them to the theatre. Radcliffe and Criss give parents as much reason to come to the show. Now, I admit I know the least about the current appeal of Nick Jonas. How much appeal does he have without his other brothers? How much will his performance in Les Miserables, which divided fans and critics alike, effect the B.O. for H2$? Will parents want to sit through the show just to keep their kids happy? And does Jonas have the same appeal/acceptance by tween boys AND girls as Radcliffe?
Since Mr. Jonas has the most Broadway experience of the three - he's been on the boards in Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast and Les Miserables - I don't think his ability onstage is even a question. But I do wonder about his ability to draw news-making crowds.
All bets are off if they can find a nostalgic appeal for the parents when the recast John Larroquette. Do you plan to see Adam, Darren and/or Nick? Write in and let us know!
Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me! Jeff 3.009
Whether you loved, hated or missed it altogether, last season's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown was an exciting opportunity to see some of Broadway's heaviest hitters in one place at one time, an opportunity one thought would be a rare one. It is almost impossible to fathom that something similar, and potentially great, is happening with one show this season.
Of course, Follies is but one musical this season that boasts some well-known names above and below the title on the marquee. There are dozens of famous stage, screen, TV and music stars coming to the New York stage this season, which should please everyone from the star-struck to the lover of quality acting. This season, heavy so far with musical revivals, offers us the chance to see some of today's brightest stars in historically rich roles. And it offers us some exciting opportunities to make history with new shows, too.
Here's a list of shows, along with the names that should draw crowds of theatre, film and TV fans. Of course, this is in no way completely inclusive or definitive, as shows and stars may change. And, most of these actors have appeared in all media, but here, I list them for what they are primarily known for.
* Stage @ TV # Film + Music
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark:Reeve Carney+ (The band Carney), Jennifer Damiano* (next to normal, Spring Awakening), Patrick Page* (The Lion King, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Isabel Keating* (The Boy from Oz)
RENT:Adam Chanler-Berat* (next to normal, Peter and the Star Catcher), Matt Shingledecker* (Spring Awakening), Annaleigh Ashford* (Wicked, Legally Blonde)
Follies: Bernadette Peters* (Song and Dance, Sunday in the Park with George, Annie Get Your Gun), Jan Maxwell* (Lend Me a Tenor, The Royal Family, Coram Boy), Ron Raines*@ (Guiding Light, Teddy and Alice), Danny Burstein* (Women on the Verge, South Pacific), Elaine Paige* (Cats, Evita, Sunset Boulevard), Terri White* (Finian's Rainbow, Chicago), Jane Houdyshell* (Well, Wicked), Mary Beth Piel* (The King and I, Women on the Verge)
Bonnie and Clyde: Laura Osnes*@ (South Pacific, Grease, Anything Goes, You're the One That I Want), Jeremy Jordan* (Rock of Ages, West Side Story)
Godspell: Hunter Parrish@* (Weeds, Spring Awakening), Telly Leung*@ (RENT, Glee), Nick Blaemire* (Cry-Baby, Glory Days)
Lysistrata Jones: Cast: TBA
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: Harry Connick, Jr. +*@ (Harry Connick Jr. On Broadway, The Pajama Game, Thou Shalt Not, Will and Grace), David Turner* (In My Life)
An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin: Patti LuPone*@ (Evita, Gypsy, Life Goes On), Mandy Patinkin*@# (Evita, The Secret Garden, The Wild Party, Chicago Hope, Criminal Minds, The Princess Bride)
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess: Audra McDonald*@ (Carousel, Marie Christine, Ragtime, Private Practice), Norm Lewis* (Les Miserables, The Little Mermaid, Side Show), David Alan Grier @* (A Funny Thing..., Race, In Living Color), Joshua Henry* (The Scottsboro Boys, American Idiot)
Yank!: Bobby Steggert* (Ragtime, 110 in the Shade)
Evita: Elena Roger* (London's Evita), Ricky Martin+* (Menudo, solo music career, Les Miserables), Michael Cerveris* (The Who's Tommy, Titanic: The Musical, Sweeney Todd, In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play)
Funny Girl: Lauren Ambrose@* (Six Feet Under, Awake and Sing!)
Nice Work If You Can Get It: Matthew Broderick*# (Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Producers, How to Succeed, Ferris Beuller's Day Off, War Games)
Rebecca: Sierra Boggess* (The Lion King, Master Class, Love Never Dies)
REPLACEMENTS:
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: Darren Criss@ (Glee)
Billy ElliotDaniel Jenkins* (Big, Big River, Mary Poppins)
Anything Goes: Kelly Bishop* (A Chorus Line), Erin Mackey*(Sondheim on Sondheim)
The Addams Family: Brooke Shields@* (The Blue Lagoon, Chicago, Wonderful Town, Grease!, Cabaret), Roger Rees*@ (Nicholas Nickleby, The West Wing, Cheers, Grey's Anatomy), Heidi Blickenstaff* ([title of show], The Little Mermaid, The Full Monty), Brad Oscar* (The Producers)
RUMOR: I've heard two names as possible replacements for Darren Criss in How to Succeed, and they both end in Jonas...
Rate this blog below, and leave your comments below, or by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me! Jeff 2.356
The answer to the Broadway Logic Puzzle appears at the end of this blog.
TOPS AND BOTTOMS (June 13 - 19):
Top Gross:Wicked ($1.77M)
Top Attendance:The Book of Mormon (102.6%)
Bottom Gross:Born Yesterday ($203K)
Bottom Attendance:Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (44.5%)
$1M Club:How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked
SRO Club:War Horse, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
NOW PREVIEWING ON BROADWAY:
Master Class: Previews: June 14; Opening: July 7
CONDOLENCES:
To the entire company of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying who lost a crew member just before the 8PM curtain on June 22. The young man, just 29 years old went into cardiac arrest. The circumstances of his death are still being investigated. In what I am sure was a difficult and emotional speech, both Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette addressed the audience to explain why that performance would not go on. It would have been the show's 100th Broadway performance. The show continued the following evening, though without much celebration, I can only guess.
To the family and friends of stage, TV and film actor Peter Falk. Best known as TV's Columbo, he appeared on Broadway in three shows, Diary of a Scoundrel (his Broadway debut), Saint Joan, and Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue. He was 83 years old when he passed away June 23.
COMINGS AND GOINGS:
Casting:
Chris Sullivan of Lombardi fame began performances June 20 as Amos Hart in Chicago.
Michael Park, currently in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying won the Emmy for Best Actor in a Serial Drama for his role as Jack in As the World Turns. His was the last Emmy to be won by that now defunct program.
Oscar nominee Angela Bassett will join Samuel L. Jackson in The Mountaintop this fall on Broadway.
Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan will be Bonnie and Clyde, respectively, when it opens on Broadway this fall.
Marlo Thomas, Julie Kavner and Steve Guttenberg are among the initial cast members announced for Relatively Speaking.
Patrick Mulvey will take over the role of Tony on July 15 over at Billy Elliot. Will Chase leaves the show July 10.
Christopher Seiber began performances on June 23 as Billy Flynn in Chicago. He was to have joined the show last spring, but instead closed La Cage aux Folles with Harvey Fierstein.
Charlotte d'Amboise began performances on June 24 as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
Shows:
The Prince of Broadway, a new musical revue celebrating the works of theatre legend Harold Prince was announced for the fall of 2012, to be helmed by Prince and Susan Stroman.
The hopefully Broadway-bound show Tales of the City got its third extension at A.C.T in California.
Bonnie and Clyde will play the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre this fall, opening December 1.
Lysistrata Jones is apparently shopping for a Broadway home this fall, looking at the Kerr and Broadhurst, officially, though it is rumored that the Golden is where it will set up shop.
A trio of one act plays by Woody Allen, Elaine May and Ethan Coen will play Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre this fall. The show is called Relatively Speaking.
Milestones:
June 20:
Broadway Bares XXI: Masterpiece announced its record-breaking total of $1,103,072 raised for BCEFA!
The American Theatre Wing will receive a $40,000 grant from the NEA, it was announced today. It will be used for programs that help emerging theatre artists.
June 22:
Billy Elliot celebrated its 1.5 millionth patron today. Ms. Caty Dougherty of Philadelphia and seat Q13 was that patron.
June 23:
Sister Act's show tonight was a Whoopi Goldberg-sponsored fundraiser for the re-election of President Obama. The President spoke after the show and met with cast and crew members.
June 25:
The House of Blue Leaves closes tonight at the Walter Kerr Theatre, after 21 previews and 72 performances.
Jersey Boys becomes the 26th longest-running Broadway show following its 8PM performance this evening. At 2,328 performances, it passes Abie's Irish Rose to claim that ranking.
June 26:
Born Yesterday closes this afternoon at the Cort Theatre, after 28 previews and 73 performances.
The Importance of Being Earnest closes this afternoon at the American Airlines Theatre, after 30 previews and 189 performances.
Bebe Neuwirth played her final performance as Morticia Addams in The Addams Family. Brooke Shields assumes the role on June 28.
Jersey Boys becomes the 25th longest-running Broadway show following its 3PM performance this afternoon. At 2,329 performances, it passes the original production of Man of La Mancha to claim that ranking.
THE ANSWERS TO THE BROADWAY LOGIC PUZZLE:
Stephen and Angela...
...took a taxi...
...to see War Horse...
...and then went to Junior's for cheesecake after the show.
Stephen and Angela took a taxi to War Horse, and then went to Junior's for Cheesecake after the show.
Oscar and Donna arrived at The Book of Mormon by rickshaw, and went to Splash for a BCEFA benefit after the show.
Peter and Edie arrived at The Normal Heart by limo, and went to Times Square to people watch after the show.
Richard and Charlie walked to Catch Me If You Can, then returned to the Marriott Marquis and went to sleep.
Tom and Bebe took the subway to see Anything Goes, and went to Bowlmor Lanes after the show.
So far, in this series, I've looked at the ads for the four nominees for Best Musical 2011. (click on "The Tony Awards" tab at the top for links to all awards-related articles.)
Today, I'll take a look at the two current ads for the Musical Revival nominees.
Anything Goes
Actually, this commercial reminds me of Sutton Foster's critically-acclaimed performance in the show. (And I know I am in the minority here when I say this) It, like she, is technical perfection. All the right notes are hit: all of the stars are shown, the famous title song plays in the background, its Tony nominations (at least the major ones are listed, though you might notice how Adam Godley is not named, and just about every dance step in the show is shown. It makes the show look like a cavalcade of glamorous costumes and a song and dance extravaganza, and they tell us it is "musical comedy joy" so it must be funny, though nothing they show looks particularly amusing, and the last montage of kissing couples certainly ups the romantic factor. Quotes, flashy cuts and cross-cuts, a tell-all voice over and a famous title tune converge successfully to make those of a certain age want to grab for the phone and snatch up whatever tickets are left. It is a great commercial. Technically perfect, content-savvy, and slick. Very slick. Just like Ms. Foster. Doesn't honest emotion sell a show anymore? Commercial: A
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
It is interesting to note that the ad for this show has not changed since the Tony Award nominations were announced. I think it is smart, even though 8 nominations is important and noteworthy, since its main attraction was not nominated. Why add insult to injury? Of course, there hasn't been much "injury." In fact, their numbers have gone up, both in gross and attendance since the nominations were announced. People, by and large, don't seem to care about awards, so long as the reason they want to see the show stays in it.
As far as the ad goes, I "reviewed" it earlier this year, and had this to say about it: "You sure get a lot in this 30 seconds! And it will likely sell tickets, especially to those who are marginal fans of the Harry Potter films, who wanted to wait and see if Daniel Radcliffe could actually sing and dance. Well, the very first quote/voice over tells us that he is a "musical comedy superstar." And who wouldn't believe that? Clip after clip shows him doing just that - singing and dancing. And if that won't sell tickets alone or makes you still unsure, the quotes/voice overs tell us that the songs are "classic, bright and funny" and the dancing is some of the best on Broadway. The ad also succeeds because it is fast paced, shows a lot of scenes - hot guys in suits dancing (gay men, check), pretty girls in costumes that "they just don't make anymore" (wives who love musical theatre, check). And it also succeeds by what it doesn't mention: a. the Harry Potter films. Seeing Daniel live is the prize; let's not remind folks that this is a decidedly un-Hogwarts show; b. that while critics loved his performance, his voice isn't going to get him to Carnegie Hall any time soon, so you never hear him singing; c. the husbands of the aforementioned "wives who love musical theatre" might just go along because cool funny man John Larroquette is in it, and he carries golf clubs and footballs..." Commercial: A+
Occasionally, I like to share emails from readers with everyone. Today, I have a few that are very topical that I'd like to share. If you have anything you'd like to ask or simply state for the record, please email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com!
How to Succeed...:
the first show I was comped for and asked to review
Dear Jeff: I've noticed that some of your reviews lately have stated that you have gotten a free copy of a book to review, or received free tickets to a show you are reviewing. I know you say that you aren't obligated to give a good review, but be honest. Doesn't that influence your opinion a little? MM, Brooklyn, NY
MM,
Thank you for writing - and for reading "the fine print." I have been fortunate that people directly involved with Broadway productions have found their way to my blog and that they think highly enough of it to ask me to review their product or show. I'd like to think that at least part of what makes them ask me in the first place is that my reviews come across as honest opinions supported by facts and details. And I'll assume that before they even ask me, they've read more than one review. So, I feel obligated - more to you than to them, really - to continue to share my honest opinions. If they are good, great, if not, that's fine, too. While I can't speak for these people directly, I can tell you that nothing in our conversations leading up to complimentary tickets or books, even implies that I will automatically like what I see. And should a negative review result in my no longer being asked to review something, so be it. I'll buy the book or the ticket if I want read/see the book/show enough, anyway! JK
Aaron and Andrew: Catch Me If You Can vs The Book of Mormon
Jeff: I just got done reading your reviews of Catch Me If You Can and The Book of Mormon. I have to say that yours are the most thorough reviews I've read of either show. You also seem to have the most opposite opinions on both shows that I've read. Do you always root for the shows that are not the hottest tickets and go harsher on the big hits? Last year, you loved Come Fly Away and The Addams Family... Tarana J., Washington, DC
Tarana,
Thanks for writing, and for being such a long time reader! I get variations on this question a lot, though usually it has to do with my seeming to like EVERYTHING! I guess the bottom line is that I try to go into every show with the attitude that this is going to be a great show, and the truth is, it is rare that I outright hate any show I see. Please note that I say, "I try." I am human, and I am influenced by past experiences, and, try as I might to avoid it, public opinion. For example, I generally do not like the kind of humor associated with the creators of South Park, who both wrote The Book of Mormon. I purposely made myself watch an entire episode of that show just so I wouldn't be operating under any pre-conceived notions about their brand of humor. Further, I absolutely HATED (and I know I contradicted what I just said) both The Producers and Spamalot, which I kept reading about being comparable to The Book of Mormon. So, I have to admit I went in with a certain dread that I couldn't be fair to the show because of all this baggage. And yet, I really liked it a lot. Enough that I'd like to see it again, and I can't wait for the Cast Recording! That said, I stand by my chief objection to the show, which has mostly to do with the pacing and structure of the scenes. As far as Catch Me If You Can goes, I guess it is a matter of taste. I love sophisticated, complicated shows that ask you to mentally participate every step of the way. And I am a sucker for big dance numbers. Which is why I loved Come Fly Away. As for The Addams Family, it just hit me right. Big, splashy sets, costumes and dance numbers, plus a very funny book, coupled with an understanding that they weren't replicating the films or the TV series, but rather the comics, allowed me to love it for what it was, not what it wasn't. JK
I think the words speak for themselves.
Jeff: Now that it is on hiatus, what do you really think of Spider-Man? HowToFan
HowToFan: I was wondering how long it would take to have someone ask me that! You win!
I will honor the work of the original team by not offering a formal review, as the show never officially opened. However, I will say this: it is so far away from being the worst musical of all time - even at the 5th preview I attended - that it makes the reviews that did come out laughable. But it was still in massive need of overhaul in several areas. And I will also mourn the loss of some things that Julie Taymor created for the show if they don't make it to version 2.0. There were some truly stunning moments that I hope I'll never forget. Still, I want the show to be a success, and to be the payoff that the cast deserves. And this is history in the making. What an absolute thrill to have this opportunity to watch and learn!
On a similar note, I noticed today when I was at another theatre site, that the banner ads for Spider-Man have a significant change to them. They now say "Previews Begin May 12!" "Begin"? Interesting... are we supposed to forget the other 150 or so? This is a clear signal that they are distancing themselves from the original. I am surprised that no one has cried "foul" yet about this, given the shows history of being attacked for every little thing. A quick look at the show's website also offers some hints as to where things stand at the Foxwoods Theatre: The title page offers the same "Previews Begin May 12!", but also still lists Julie Taymor as co-writer and director. Deeper in, she remains as the director of record, and none of the new creative team members are listed, but the four members of The Geek Chorus are no longer a part of the cast list. (Everyone else remains so far...). I guess that means legal negotiations are ongoing, but things are moving in getting the show overhauled.
Jeff
THE NORMAL HEART CONTEST QUESTION OF THE DAY!
It is not too late to join the contest to win TWO FREE TICKETS to Broadway's The Normal Heart! Click HERE for complete rules and Trivia Question #1. Trivia Question #2 can be found HERE.
TRIVIA QUESTION #3: Lee Pace will be making his Broadway debut in The Normal Heart. He played the lead in which TV series that also featured a lot of Broadway stars?
A. Glee B. Pushing Daisies C. The Good Wife D. Law and Order
Look for question #4 at the bottom of Wednesday's blog! And remember, you need to give the letter AND the answer on your entry!
It has been some time since I've blogged about TV commercials for Broadway shows. So, today, I thought I'd blog about the commercials for the two shows I've most recently seen, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. And despite giving it up for Lent, I thought now might be my last chance to talk about the current ads for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark before they make any of the substantial changes promised, so I relented and am talking about it now.
One of the things that strikes me about all three commercials is the inclusion of onscreen quotes from reviews - a common practice to be sure. Another thing that strikes me about all three is what isn't being touted in the ads. I think you'll see what I mean.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
You sure get a lot in this 30 seconds! And it will likely sell tickets, especially to those who are marginal fans of the Harry Potter films, who wanted to wait and see if Daniel Radcliffe could actually sing and dance. Well, the very first quote/voice over tells us that he is a "musical comedy superstar." And who wouldn't believe that? Clip after clip shows him doing just that - singing and dancing. And if that won't sell tickets alone or makes you still unsure, the quotes/voice overs tell us that the songs are "classic, bright and funny" and the dancing is some of the best on Broadway. The ad also succeeds because it is fast paced, shows a lot of scenes - hot guys in suits dancing (gay men, check), pretty girls in costumes that "they just don't make anymore" (wives who love musical theatre, check).
And it also succeeds by what it doesn't mention: a. the Harry Potter films. Seeing Daniel live is the prize; let's not remind folks that this is a decidedly un-Hogwarts show; b. that while critics loved his performance, his voice isn't going to get him to Carnegie Hall any time soon, so you never hear him singing; c. the husbands of the aforementioned "wives who love musical theatre" might just go along because cool funny man John Larroquette is in it, and he carries golf clubs and footballs...
Grade: A
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Gay musical theatre fans don't need a commercial to get them to see this show at the Palace Theatre. And clearly, the ad is going for a more "universal" crowd. For a show that features two drag queens (and dozens of others) and a transgendered person, this ad is surprisingly (not really, click HERE) lacking in drag queens and gay themes. OK, maybe the 2 second shot of Priscilla bathed in a rainbow lighting effect might be a clue. But if I didn't know anything about the show, save for it was "finally on Broadway," I'd see big, colorful sets, lights and costumes, and HUGE dance numbers with people in kick lines and pinwheels. The mention of "three friends" has our leads in street clothes both times they are on screen for more than a few seconds - I'd bet if you screened this for 100 people, 99 wouldn't know Tony Sheldon wasn't really a woman from this. And nothing says sexy fun for wife like a soundtrack of disco hits, and for husband like three sexy divas with tight dresses, prodigious cleavage and pouty lipsticked-lips gyrating to quotes about the show. And all of the costumes are outrageous, so as they blur by at an amazing pace, you don't even notice that those Broadway chorines are really Broadway boys. Now, I'll admit, and hope, that the ticket buying public at large might figure all the pink, neon and feathered clothing just might have to do with gay themes, not to mention the background song, "Finally," but the producers wanted a cleansed version "to get people in the seats" and to "teach them a lesson" once they are there. This commercial certainly fills that bill... and if you are savvy enough to realize what's up, a tight shot of Will Swenson hugging a child who leaps into his arms, will seal the deal... this has a FAMILY angle. The ad does what is supposed to - at least what the producers want, anyway - so in that way it is a big success. But an ad for a show that wears tolerance on its spangled sleeves that is tricking people into the seats, rather than educating them before money is exchanged kind of lessens the bigger impact that the show could have. Maybe it's just me...
Grade: A (for selling tickets) Grade: D (for selling out)
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Ad #1
Nothing beats bad word-of-mouth like filmed good word-of-mouth! And by all of the demographic groups - teenaged boys, tween girls, a lady who "goes to a lot of Broadway plays," a middle aged man... inter cut with lots of flying and fighting... lots of color and lighting... and a shot or two of Bono, with a rock guitar underscoring. Images of the most stunning visuals aside from the flying - the swinging/weaving (remember those colors in The Lion King?), the pop-up cartoonish sets (it is based on the comics legend, not the films) and some dancing to boot (a real Broadway musical, right?) This commercial pretty much gives the finger to all the bad word-of-mouth - especially since the majority of it comes from people who have never stepped foot in the Foxwoods Theatre.
If all I had to go on was this ad, I'd RUN to the B.O. and buy a ticket!
Grade: A+
Ad #2
This ad will not likely be playing much longer, as it is big on Julie Taymor's visuals. Note that it relies on a quote from a review. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? That quote focuses on three things: "Visual feast," "electriFLYING" and "Bono and the Edge's rock score." On these three counts, the ad succeeds with, um, flying colors. First of all, there is a barrage of interesting visuals - gorgeous moving sequences, spectacular close-ups of villainous costumes and electrified sets. Then there is the blaring rock music throughout (if it is actually in the show, I don't remember it, but that isn't really the point, is it?). And finally, the flying - Spidey zipping around the theatre, Spidey and Green Goblin in an aerial battle, and perhaps most significantly, they are doing so OVER THE AUDIENCE, unscathed, not stopping, no one being injured. And this includes the final image before the logo - a clearly wired Spider-Man catapulting from upstage, right to the edge of the stage and in the face of a patron. See? They fixed it!
I can't really blame them for using the quote, either. They didn't ask for it, but they sure got it. Why not make lemonade from lemons? (And I checked - The New Jersey Star-Ledger does refer to the "stellar songs.")
Grade: B+ (They should have used one of those "stellar songs.")
WHY HE'S MR. APRIL:Frequent visitors to this blog might be asking the more obvious question: why wasn't he Mr. Broadway sooner? Well, as my followers know, Charlie Williams has been a favorite of mine since I saw him in Memphis. But the Mr. Broadway for that show went to its star, Chad Kimball, and so it has taken Charlie's run in that show, along with a trip out west to premiere Leap of Faith, and finally a return to Broadway in the sizzling hot revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in order to be eligible for the honor again. Of course, I'm sure I'd have named him this month anyway had I never seen him before. That's just how great he is in this show. What a dancer! What an actor - yes, the ensemble acts! And what a great, charming smile. Then there is his kind, giving heart. His Broadway castmates refer to him as "Charity Charlie," so often does he participate in charity events. Who could forget his sexy turn in Broadway Bares XX: Strip-opoly? Or the related photo shoots? Or his being named Mr. Broadway 2010 in last year's Broadway Beauty Pageant. The guy has it all - talent, good looks and sincerity.
INFO:
Currently appearing in: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as Mr. Jenkins and u/s for Bud Frump. He is also an assistant choreographer on the show.
Birthdate: He's 23... as of March 30th!
Other credits: Broadway debut in Memphis; nominated for an Astaire Award for his work in Memphis; appeared in The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular; regional/pre-Broadway Leap of Faith
Dancing in Memphis; Celebrating performance number 200;
Enjoying a slice of Memphis-inspired pizza with castmates
Mr. Broadway 2010
4th Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant
(Top to Bottom)
PR Shot; Talent; Swimsuit
The crowning!
Sex and Silly Sell:
Fun Photo Shoots
Serious Photoshoots
Broadway Bares XX: Strip-opoly
Poster Boy
The Broadway Bares/Next Magazine
Photo Shoot
No matter what the angle, this bellboy
can move!
Leap of Faith
Charlie is second from the left
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
"How To..": Charlie is to the right of Daniel Radcliffe,
in the front of the two rows of dancers
VIDEO: Mr. Broadway 2010 Competition
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Charlie is featured in "How to Succeed," "Coffee Break, " "The Company Way," and "The Brotherhood of Man."
Who would YOU like to see as Mr. or Ms. Broadway in the coming months? Leave your suggestion here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me! Jeff
