Broadway on YouTube: Celebrating The Phantom of the Opera

OK, I'm the first to admit that, long run or not, The Phantom of the Opera is just not one of my favorites.  I was decidedly underwhelmed when I saw the show the first time in the late 80's.  I tried it again with the National Tour, and finally found a Phantom I liked in Howard McGillin.  He was, and is the only Phantom I feared, and the only one I felt even a tinge sorry for. 

I have always felt that the "love story" angle has been way over emphasized, while the thriller/horror angle of the story seems to get short shrift, especially some of the really cheesy staging that always seems to get giggles instead of gasps.  I mean, let's face it, his first murder is so out of nowhere and so clearly unreal (the dummy swinging from a noose always - all 6 times I've seen it - gets a noticeable laugh).  And there is that clunky chandelier more scary when it explodes before it ascends into the rafters than when it is supposedly "crashing" to the stage.  I mean just how tense is it when the cast has time to 1. notice it is unsteady, 2. gather across the stage, 3. ooh and ahh then scream that it is falling, 4. clear the stage completely, and 5. have stage hands in costume come out and catch it.  Even the conductor doesn't bother to feign fear by ducking.

Then there is the score, monotonous mostly with second rate opera numbers that I have always (even after listening to the CD) find to be mostly unintelligible.  For me there are three interesting numbers: "The Phantom of the Opera," "Masquerade," and "Music of the Night."  Beyond that...wake me up when it is over.

Still, there must be something to it.  I mean people have seen it hundreds of times.  It has played the world over, and is universally popular if not critically acclaimed.  A quarter of a century in two major cities is nothing to ignore, either.  I am, it seems, in the minority on this one.  And I am OK with that.

But I have to say that if I had only the three commercials circulating about the show to go by, I can definitely see the appeal.  It is amazing what some great photography and superb editing can make the show look fresh, exciting, tension-filled, romantic and lush.  In short, in just 30 seconds or 1  minute, the people who put these ads together make even me want to buy the DVD or get a ticket and see it again.

I love how mostly the same scenes can be rearranged to fit an ad emphasizing "The Greatest Love Story Ever" (sorry Romeo and Juliet), AND for an ad emphasizing "The Spectacle."  Interesting, too that the love story appeals to the female audience, while the spectacle (including a touch of violence) would appeal to male audience members.

The Phantom of the Opera - The Love Story





The Phantom of the Opera - The Spectacle




And here is a longer ad for the forthcoming DVD of the 25th Anniversary concert staging at Royal Albert Hall.  That production, which will feature Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo, will happen early in October, and the DVD will be released November 14th.

The Phantom of the Opera - The 25th Anniversary Concert/DVD



It should be noted that all three videos feature, primarily, the 2009 London Cast, despite the ads being for the Broadway and Albert Hall engagements.

And, yes, I'm sure this DVD will be on my Christmas list!  Who can resist it?


Rate this blog below, add your comments here, by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.010

Broadway Milestones

With so much attention these past few days on the milestone achievements of Chicago: The Musical, it might have been easy to overlook a few other events that are going into the Broadway history books this week.  First, though, a look at that celebration, courtesy of Playbill Online.

I wonder if this cake also comes as a window card?

The celebrating cast of Chicago:

Christopher Sieber (Billy Flynn), Carol Woods (Matron "Mama" Morton),

Charlotte d'Amboise (Roxie Hart) and Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Velma)

Velma, meet Velma!

• Mary Poppins, the mega-hit over at the New Amsterdam Theatre also has reason to celebrate. On September 4, the show will give its 2,000th performance! Laura Michelle Kelly, who originated the role in London and Gavin Lee, who originated the role of Bert both on the West End and on Broadway, currently star in the show.

Olivier Award-winner

Laura Michelle Kelly

• The National Tour oh Hair celebrated its 300th performance at the St. James Theatre, where it is playing a limited run through September 10.  That special occasion happened on Monday, August 29.  The show will continue to tour throughout the U.S. into 2012.  Kacie Sheik, who has been with the production as Jeannie since its beginnings at the Delacorte in Central Park, then on Broadway, London and now on tour, will leave the show on September 10th (along with fellow tour Tribe-mates Arbender Robinson and Caitlin Rose.  For Ms. Sheik, that has meant over four years of harmony and understanding - a real achievement these days!

Goodbye, Starshine!  Caitlin Rose,

Kacie Sheik and Arbender Robinson

• But a world-record setting run is about to be celebrated and ended when The Phantom of the Opera original cast member George Lee Andrews leaves the stage of the Majestic Theatre for the last time on September 3rd.  He is officially named in The Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running actor in the same Broadway show.  If you've seen Phantom on Broadway, you've probably seen him.  He started in the ensemble, but for the majority of his 23 year run, he played one of the opera company managers, Firmin or Andre (his current role) - one guesses he wanted to switch things up a bit over the years.  Interestingly enough, his replacement will be Aaron Galligan-Stierle who is Andrews' son-in-law!  Congratulations, Mr. Andrews! Phantom just won't be the same without you!

George Lee Andrews

Phantom's new Opera Company managers:

Kevin Ligon and Aaron Galligan-Stierle

Looks like Chicago will have to go another 7 years or so to even approach that record! 




Rate this blog below, leaving your comments here, by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.002

Musical Words of Wisdom: The Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals

A few weeks ago, I had a blog of Broadway musical lyrics that I (and you) found to be particularly clever, catchy or meaningful - sometimes all three.  Several of you have since been so kind as to send in lists of your favorites.

I am still collecting them, looking particularly for "words of wisdom" from Stephen Sondheim and Kander and Ebb.  So, please send them in!

Today, though, I thought I'd focus on quotes from the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber.  Before I share my favorites and yours, though, I thought I'd share some insight you've shared and some that I've gotten by looking at what you sent me.  And I'm sure they aren't too Earth-shattering for real Webber-philes, but interesting nonetheless.

First, it is of interest that he and his collaborators focus on the fantastic, larger than life characters - real (Jesus, Eva Peron), fictional (Norma Desmond, Jeeves), non-human (cats, trains) - to shed light on the more mundane of human feelings and relationships.  Second, love and death, common themes in all art forms seem to work best hand-in-hand in his shows (Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Aspects of Love).  And third, whimsy and quirkiness are a common tone in his shows.

Jules from Paramus, NJ wrote, "As grand as Lloyd Webber's tunes are, his lyricists always manage to find a balance between the profundity of Sondheim and the Everyman quality of most other Broadway composers.  Being the masters of neither, just very good at both, is probably why his shows are so popular and critically reviled at the same time."  What do you think about that?

Here is a quote, sometimes two, from each of his Broadway shows.  Some are my contributions, others are singular submissions from one person, and others are quotes sent in from several of you.  In the interest of fairness, I will attribute the quotes to no one, except the lyricists themselves.  I think they are all kind of catchy and all of them at least clever and thought-provoking.

Aspects of Love - Don Black and Charles Hart

"There is more to love, so much more than simply making love -- that's easy."  from “There is More to Love"

"If death were given a voice, that voice would scream through the sky: 'Live while you may for I am coming...'" from "Hand Me the Wine and the Dice"

By Jeeves - Alan Aykbourn

"Time, they say, is relative.  Infinite as space, this must be eternity.  Neither time nor place..." from "Half a Moment"

Cats - T.S. Eliot

"Are you cock of the walk when you're walking alone?" from "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats"

Evita - Tim Rice

"I came from the people, they need to adore me, so Christian Dior me from my head to my toes!  I need to be dazzling; I want to be Rainbow High!   They must have excitement, and so must I!" from "Rainbow High"

Jesus Christ Superstar - Tim Rice

"You're far too keen and where and how, but not so hot on why." from “Gethsemane”

"Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you and anoint you.  Myrrh for your hot forehead - oh!  Then you'll feel everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.  And it's cool and the ointment's sweet, for the fire in your head and feet.  Close your eyes, close your eyes, and relax, think of nothing tonight." from "Everything's Alright"

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Tim Rice

"If you ever find yourself near Ramases, get down on your knees!" from "A Pharaoh's Story"

"We have never liked him all that much before. And now this coat has got our goat.  We feel life is unfair!" from "Joseph's Coat"

The Phantom of the Opera - Charles Hart

"In all your fantasies, you always knew that man and mystery ... were both in you ..." from "The Phantom of the Opera"

"Half your cast disappears, but the crowd still cheers!  Opera!  To hell with Gluck and Handel - It's a scandal that'll pack 'em in the aisles!"  from "Notes/Prima Donna"
(All three of you who sent this quote in added a few thoughts about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark)

Song and Dance - Don Black and Richard Maltby, Jr.

"Don't want to fight day and night, bad enough you're going.  Don't leave in silence with no word at all, don't get drunk and slam the door.  That's no way to end this.  I know how I want you to say goodbye..." from "Tell Me on a Sunday"

Starlight Express - Richard Stilgoe

"Don't try to show you can go faster than me.  This is my back view and it's all you'll see.  Don't stop now - we gotta keep it going all night!" from "Rolling Stock"

"Couldn't stand gravel and sand, being ignored, no-one aboard, nobody complaining we were late again.  I should hate carrying freight, nobody living in me.  Got to be a living, breathing passenger train." from "Freight"

Sunset Boulevard - Don Black and Christopher Hampton

"Of course, there's bound to be a little suffering. Eternal youth is worth a little suffering!" from "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"

"Don't forget me when you're casting !" from "Let's Have Lunch"

The Woman in White - David Zippel

“I never walk when I can dance.” from “A Gift for Living Well”


From Jesus to a Jellicle Cat, these bon mots and clever turns of phrase really cover the gamut, don't they?

I am looking forward to hearing more quotes from you!


Rate this blog below, leaving your comments here, by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.357

Broadway Vocabulary Quiz #2

"Ululating" is the word that started it all.  That little gem of a word always makes me smile, as does a smart lyric in a Broadway musical.  Apparently, a lot of you enjoyed the first of this type of blog - thanks for all of the interest.  Seems you all like a quick mind-bender during a break at work or at the beach!

Well, Mike and I put our heads together and came up with 10 more Broadway lyric vocabulary words.  Some are relatively easy, others a little more challenging.  Your job is to match the word with the definition, and then with the song and show it comes from.

Example: "Shut up! Or Not. Let go, and pretty soon you're ululating like a banshee..."  Ululating - howling, wailing.   "On the Verge" - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

WORD IN A SENTENCE

1. "I'm filling up the room, our secret room, with every flower in bloom.  I'll have the fire lit, the table set, I'll wear the blue chemise."
2. "We've got a lot to thank you for - Geordie you're a corker - a nice extension on the house and a fortnight in Majorca!"
3. "Overthrow the effigy!  The vast majority burning down the foreman of control!"
4. "Reports of my fame are greatly exaggerated, exacerbated by the fact that my syntax is highly complicated."
5. "If we're not one, but two, are we evil or good?  Do we walk the fine line that we'd cross if we could?  Are we waiting to break through the façade?"
6. "It's loosey goosey time! She was a gadabout, but she's back again!"
7. "But her single most disturbing feature was the coarse black hair on her face. Maybe she was menopausal. Lack of estrogen will cause a lot of odd conditions, some acute! The irony would never faze her namesake of a famous razor. And to be so facially hirsute!"
8. "But! What I've left behind looks trifling. What's ahead... looks black! Am I doomed to spend my life a-lingering on...Lingering on! Just lingering on...malingering on?"
9. "Raoul and the soubrette, entwined in loves' duet.  Although he may demur, he must have been with her."
10. "Soon learned power of the truncheon, organize a function king to pawn!  So if peace is what you're after, Urinetown's the rafter to hang it on!"

MATCH THE DEFINITION TO THE WORD

a.  someone who flits about in social activity
b.  to pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness (as to avoid duty or work)
c.  a police officer's billy club
d.  a crude figure representing a hated person
e.  one that is excellent or remarkable
f.   hairy
g.  a soprano who sings roles in comic operas; an actress playing a coquettish maid
h.  a false, superficial or artificial appearance or effect
i.   a woman's one-piece undergarment
j.   to make more severe, more intense

MATCH THE WORD TO THE SONG AND SHOW IT COMES FROM

A.  "Know Your Enemy" - American Idiot

B.  "Solidarity" - Billy Elliot

C.  "In the Heights" - In the Heights

D.  "Facade" - Jekyll and Hyde

E.  "Forty Days" - Passion

F.  "Prima Donna" - The Phantom of the Opera

G.  "On the Right Track" - Pippin

H.  "Turkey Lurkey Time" - Promises, Promises

I.   "Mrs. Remington" - The Story of My Life

J.  "The Cop Song" - Urinetown: The Musical

Look for the answers on Sunday!  

(Please send in your vocabulary words!)

Rate this blog here, leaving your comments her, or by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!

Jeff

2.335

LEGEND: Harold Prince

This time next year, if all goes according to plan, we'll be looking forward to Prince of Broadway, a musical revue celebrating the hits (and maybe a few flops, too) of legendary producer/ director Harold Prince.  The 21 time Tony-winner is preparing to direct the revue with the help of no less than Susan Stroman (Prince collaborator on Show Boat) and Jason Robert Brown (Prince collaborator on Parade).

He has done it all his 60+ year career: assistant stage manager, stage manager, producer, director, and, briefly, even a performer!  Prince has worked with all of Broadway's best, including a legendary apprenticeship with the great George Abbott.  Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kander and Ebb, Bock and Harnick are all among his collaborators.  He has directed such Broadway acting legends as Angela Lansbury, Zero Mostel, Carol Lawrence, Chita Rivera, Joel Grey, Ben Vereen, Michael Crawford, Liza Minelli, Barbara Cook, Glynnis Johns, Lem Cariou, Donna Murphy and Alexis Smith.  And though the revue will feature material from his musicals, Prince has also directed plays, most recently the short-lived, but critically acclaimed Hollywood Arms.

Even his flops have proven to be a part of the enduring American Theatre canon:  Merrily We Roll Along, Baker Street and Flora, the Red Menace among them.  But it is his hits that have changed the face of musical theatre: Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and the longest-running musical in Broadway history, The Phantom of the Opera.

Below is a survey of his musicals.  A "hit" means either long-running and/or critically acclaimed.  ASM - Assistant Stage Manager; PSM - Production Stage Manager; PRO - Producer; DIR - Director; CON - Conception; ** - Prince, himself, a Tony-winner.

A Scene from Grind and the Playbill from Parade

FLOPS

• Debut - Tickets, Please  ASM
• A Family Affair - DIR
• Flora, the Red Menace - PRO
• "It's a Bird!... It's a Plane!...It's Superman!" - PRO, DIR
• Merrily We Roll Along - PRO, DIR
• A Doll's Life - PRO, DIR
• Grind - PRO, DIR
• Roza - DIR
• Candide (1997 Revival) - DIR
• Parade - DIR, CON
• LoveMusik - DIR

MODERATE SUCCESS

• Tenderloin - PRO
• She Loves Me - PRO, DIR
• Baker Street - DIR
• Zorba - PRO, DIR
• Pacific Overtures - PRO, DIR
• On the Twentieth Century - DIR
• Cabaret (1987 Revival) - DIR

Joel Grey in the 1987 revival of Cabaret;

Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in The Phantom of the Opera

HIT SHOW

• Call Me Madam - ASM
• Wonderful Town - PSM
• The Pajama Game - PRO **
• Damn Yankees - PRO **
• New Girl in Town - PRO
• West Side Story - PRO
• Fiorello! - PRO  **
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - PRO **
• Fiddler on the Roof - PRO ** + Special Tony
• Cabaret - PRO **, DIR **
• Company - PRO **, DIR **
• Follies - PRO, DIR **
• A Little Night Music - PRO **, DIR
• Candide (1974 Revival) - PRO, DIR ** +Special Tony
• Side by Side by Sondheim - PRO
• Sweeney Todd - DIR**
• Evita - DIR**
• The Phantom of the Opera - DIR **
• Kiss of the Spider Woman - DIR
• Show Boat (1994 Revival) - DIR **

Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence in

West Side Story

Show Boat and Sweeney Tood

No matter how you look at it - hits, flops, ground-breaking productions, working with the very best in Broadway history - Harold Prince is a legend.

(Source: Broadway Internet Database)
Comments? Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene, or Tweet me.@yahoo.com
Jeff
2.300

February Poll Results: Broadway's Most Romantic Songs

One last look back the "month of love" with the results of February's two polls.  Thanks, as always, to those of you who took the time to vote, many of you both times!

First, though, a couple of notes:

• I divided the poll into "Classic Broadway" and "Modern Broadway," with "classic" defined as shows from the 1960's and earlier, and "modern" defined as shows from the 1970's and forward.  Why?  Because generally theatre historians define the "golden era" of Broadway musicals as ending in the mid-60's, and that style of show being generally replaced by 1970 or so.
• I also limited the "love song" genre by giving it the limitation of "romantic," i.e. emotional, relationship-driven love songs.  This is why I did not include "What I Did For Love" from A Chorus Line.  While it is a fantastic, popular song, and it even has the word "love" in it, it is not about romantic love.

I think this is the first time that both responses I'd have voted for won!

Poll Question #1:  Which song from a classic musical is Broadway's most romantic?

0% - TIE: "Easy to Love" - Anything Goes and "She Loves Me" - She Loves Me
I wonder if "Easy to Love" would have gotten more votes had the Anything Goes revival begun performances already?  And maybe both are a little too old school, but not unique enough to stand out as "classic"?

5% - TIE: "If Ever I Would Leave You" - Camelot, "I've Never Been in Love Before" - Guys and Dolls, "Old Devil Moon" - Finian's Rainbow, and "They Say It's Wonderful" - Annie Get Your Gun
Interestingly enough, even though these 4 songs got the least number of votes, they did get the most accompanying emails (thanks for taking the extra time to write!).  Both of the songs from Finian and Annie came with emails that mentioned the recent revivals as the reason for the vote.  You just can't beat the fans of Bernadette Peters and Cheyenne Jackson.  And I, too, think that the chemistry between Cheyenne and Kate Baldwin makes the song romantic AND sexy!

9% - "Til There Was You" - The Music Man
I guess you simply can't get around the lovely song stylings of Miss Barbara Cook at her prime.

14% - "Some Enchanted Evening" - South Pacific
I'll quote reader Sarah P. from New York, NY on this one: "The booming voice of an exotic stranger professing his love in such an exotic location just takes me away!"

19% - "If I Loved You" - Carousel
Who knew?  OK, Carousel bores me to tears, but this song does pack an emotional wallop.

38% - "Somewhere" - West Side Story
Romeo and Juliet/Tony and Maria:  You simply can not beat star-crossed, doomed lovers dreaming of a utopia they will never see.  "Hold my hand and we're half way there..."  God, I'm tearing up at the thought.  But what really tears me up is the song juxtaposed with the dream ballet - the simplicity and the joy of that dance transports you...  Here is a version of the song as sung by Celtic Woman.  4 voices. Perfect harmony.  I found myself holding my breath the whole time...



Poll Question #2:  Which song from a modern musical is Broadway's most romantic?

0% - "Anything for Him" - Kiss of the Spider Woman
I guess unrequited love, torture and violent murder do not conspire to make a romantic song, afterall...

2.3% - TIE - "Love Can't Happen" - Grand Hotel: The Musical and "The Moon and Me" - The Addams Family
Interestingly, these two songs have much in common, despite the seriousness of the former and the bawdy comedy of the other.  They both are about unlikely love and both result in death as a sacrifice.  Ain't Broadway fun?

4.5% - TIE - "As Long as You're Mine" - Wicked and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" Disney's The Lion King
Broadway is sure inclusive!  Here we have love between witches and scarecrows and a pair of randy felines.  I thought more Wicked fans would vote for this, but then I remembered a terse little email I got a few months back chastising me for not enough Wicked coverage.  Oh well.

6.8% - "Still" - Titanic
A beautiful song, sung in a sad situation.  But love triumphing over death is always a welcome theme in theatre.  You know, every time I pass Macy's I think of this song?

11.4% - TIE - "Happiness" - Passion, "Song on the Sand" - La Cage aux Folles, and "Without Love" - Hairspray
How truly lovely that we can embrace the diversity that these three songs represent: lust mascarading as love, with a side of adultry, love between two men, and chubby chasers and "checkerboard chicks" going after the ones they love, free of perjudice.







13.6% - "All I Ask of You" - The Phantom of the Opera
This was the one I was sure would win.  But second place isn't bad, especially when you consider how much play (overplay) this song gets.  Still, the emotions are high, danger lurks and it could be their last moment together... perfect drama!  Here are the original stars, Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton.



15.9% - TIE - "Perfect for You" - next to normal and "I'll Cover You" - RENT
It may surprise long time readers of this blog, but the song I would have voted for was "I'll Cover You."  Why?  Well, it emcompasses a very modern, forward way of thinking in its place and setting in the show, but it also perfectly explains real love between any two people in any situation.  What I wouldn't give for a thousand sweet kisses...





Don't forget to vote in this month's first poll, starting tomorrow!

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.181

TheatreScene: January 24 - 30

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?  BECOME A "FOLLOWER"!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL!  A NEW ONE ALSO STARTS TUESDAY!

BE A PART OF JKTS!  Try the crossword puzzle... Submit your list of the 6 greatest musicals of all time... Tell us about shows you've seen more than once... Check out the chorus boys and girls of 2011!  (Use the links below to see the blogs and respond!)

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK:
Back in Time: 2002: Into the Woods: Revival, Part II: The Creative Team
Broadway Crossword by Blog #5: Original vs Revival, Clue Set #1
LEGEND: Bob Fosse
The Greatest...Ever?
Ask Jeff: A Really Good Question
2011 Chorus Boys and Girls, Part I

January 24

HISTORY:

• 2010: A View from the Bridge opened at the Cort Theatre, starring Liev Schreiber and eventual Tony winner Scarlett Johansson.  The universally praised revival played 81 performances (a limited engagement).

NEWS:

• The final (I hope - what'll be left for next season?) musical of the 2010/2011 season was announced today.  The story of the woman behind the Shirelles and many other 60's groups, Baby It's You! will open at the Broadhurst Theatre, starring Beth Leavel and American Idiot's Cristina Sajous, with previews starting March 26 and opening April 27.  Dear theatre gods, Please not another Million Dollar Quartet.  PLEASE.

• The PR machine for Wonderland is cranking up big time!  Here are a couple of pictures.  At least we can see that the tech aspects are pretty to notch! (Kate Shindle...ouch!)

TOPS AND BOTTOMS (January 17 - 23)

• Top Gross: Wicked ($1.4M)
• Top Attendance: Wicked (96.5%)
• Bottom Gross: Colin Quinn: Long Story Short ($169K)
• Bottom Attendance: Chicago (53%)
• SRO Club: No shows were at 100% capacity.
• $1M Club: Wicked, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Neil Diamond, Lyricist/Composer (Dancin', Fosse)

January 25

HISTORY:

• 1982: The Curse of an Aching Heart played the Little Theatre (today we call it the Helen Hayes) for 32 performances.  It starred film legend Faye Dunaway, who played 4 different characters named Frances.  A whole 32 performances?

NEWS:

• My boyfriend Kyle Dean Massey returns to Wicked tonight.
• Good news never makes the National News: Spider-Man tickets are on sale now through May 8.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ruth Williamson, Actor (The Music Man, La Cage aux Folles (2004), Smile)

January 26

HISTORY:

• 23 years ago...1988: The Phantom of the Opera began its record-breaking run at the Majestic Theatre.  The original cast included Rebecca Luker, who played a Princess in Hannibal.  She went on to play Christine, one of 23 actresses to do so, so far.  As of today, the chandelier has dropped 9,567 times!

NEWS:

• Though I often knock it, and it will never be my favorite show, I have to give credit where it is due:  The Phantom of the Opera turned 23 today!  Wait, didn't I already say that?  I was 21 when it opened... OH MY GOD! I AM OLD!

• I am pretty certain it won't run 23 years, but The Importance of Being Earnest got a 17 week extension.  This despite duping the public by not announcing which shows were previews, like its neighbor up the street.  This extension also moves The People in the Picture to Studio 54.  Looks like it'll be at least a year before I finally get to see a show at the American Airlines Theatre - the only one I have never been in.  (I have zero interest in Earnest.)
• Is this the last show to be announced for the season?  The Jim Belushi revival of Born Yesterday confirmed that it would be opening this season at the Cort Theatre.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jules Feiffer, Playwright (The Apple Tree, Oh! Calcutta!)

January 27

HISTORY:

• 1982:  Just 6 years before Phantom, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opened on Broadway (for the first time) at the Royale Theatre, starring the late, great Laurie Beechman as the Narrator.  David Cassidy and Andy Gibb both played the title role during the run of 747 performances.

NEWS:

• My boyfriend Kyle Dean Massey must not be in Wicked too long.  He will be headlining the new off-Broadway musical Lucky Guy at the New Little Shubert Theatre.  Previews: April 28. Runs through: July 24.  It co-stars three of my favorites: Jim Newman, Jenn Colella and Savanah Wise.  All three could use a big fat hit; they deserve  it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Alan Cumming, Actor (Cabaret, ThreePenny Opera)

January 28

HISTORY:

• The Oldest Opening of the Week: Romeo and Juliet opened in 1754 at the New Theatre, starring Mr. Rigby and Mrs. Hallam in the title roles.
• 2010: Time Stands Still opened at MTC's Samuel Friedman Theatre.  It re-opened this season at the Cort Theatre, where it will have played 192 performances total, as of January 30, when it closes.

NEWS:

• Bring It On: The Musical opens tonight in Atlanta. Look for my blog on that very show next week!

• Spring Awakening goes international!  The Melbourne Australia production opens tonight.
• Mini-Rant: Linda Eder has announced a new tour and album.  Great for her.  But why do people continue to refer to her as a Broadway diva?  She's played exactly one role on Broadway for a very un-diva like 6 months (maybe a bit more), and with a pretty spotty attendance record, I might add.  Patti LuPone had years in shows before she was ever considered a diva.  Don't you have to play a leading female role, tearing down the walls with your arias night after night before you are a diva?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Luther Creek, Actor (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Hair, RENT)

January 29

HISTORY:

• 1966: Broadway first heard those beats that open the show that would later be the song "Hey, Big Spender," on this date when Sweet Charity opened at the Palace Theatre.  Gwen starred, Bob directed and choreographed.  One of the greatest scores ever written was supplied by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, and the hilarious book was by an at-his-best Neil Simon.  It closed after 608 performances.

NEWS:

• Matthew Morrison gave a free concert in LA today to benefit music education.  The concert featured songs from his upcoming solo CD.  Gleeks rejoice!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Terry Kenney, Actor/Director (The Grapes of Wrath, Reasons to Be Pretty)

January 30

HISTORY:

• The Longest Time Since a Show Opened: 25 years ago, in 1986 The Caretaker opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, lasting only 45 performances.  The Pinter revival was notable for Gary Sinise's Broadway debut, and the direction of one John Malkovitch.

NEWS:

• Time Stands Still closed today at the Cort Theatre, after a total of 192 performances.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Norbert Leo Butz, Actor (Wicked, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Catch Me If You Can)

(Photos from Playbill Online, Broadway.com, show websites, Getty Images.  Kyle Dean Massey picture from Twitter, by Mr. Massey)

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Jeff

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