Broadway Journal

TOOTSIE’S INSIDER ADVANTAGE AT THE TONY AWARDS

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Santino Fontana & Andy Grotelueschen

EXCLUSIVE: In competitive Tony Awards contests, can producers who vote for their own shows have an outsized impact? Apparently.

I obtained a list of voters in the 2017-18 season — which I’m told is largely current — and cross-referenced it with names above the title of this year’s Best Musical nominees.

I counted 17 Tootsie  producers and co-producers who were eligible to vote, 16 on Ain’t Too Proud,  12 on Hadestown  and nine on The Prom.  With just 831 voters, those margins aren’t negligible. Continue Reading

SUSAN SARANDON, R&H MIX AWKWARDLY IN JESSE EISENBERG’S ‘HAPPY TALK’: REVIEW

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Marin Ireland & Susan Sarandon/Monique Carboni

“I always thought that my lot in life was to help people en masse,” pontificates Susan Sarandon as an unbearable community theater diva in Jesse Eisenberg’s half-baked new play, Happy Talk.

“Through my work. People see me on stage. They see the human condition — it filters through me — and maybe they learn a little something about themselves,” Sarandon’s character, Lorraine, says.Continue Reading

A NERD’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 TONY NOMINATIONS

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Santino Fontana & Lilli Cooper/Matthew Murphy

It’s been a few years since an old-fashioned mainstream comedy won best musical at the Tony Awards. Tootsie  could change that.

Its primary challenger appears to be the acclaimed New Orleans-infused folk opera Hadestown. But don’t count out the thriving Temptations musical, Ain’t Too Proud,  or the inclusive comedy The Prom.Continue Reading

DAZZLING PERFORMANCES, FAMILIAR STORY: ‘AIN’T TOO PROUD’ REVIEW

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photo: Matthew Murphy

Ain’t Too Proud  isn’t too original, but it should appeal to fans of the Temptations, the most successful African-American recording group in history.

The musical’s five leads gorgeously harmonize on such hits as “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” “My Girl” and “I Can’t Get Next to You.” Sergio Trujillo’s kinetic homage to the group’s original choreography includes dazzling splits, slides and spins. Continue Reading

ACTORS’ EQUITY ENDS STRIKE AGAINST BROADWAY LEAGUE

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After 33 days, Actors’ Equity has ended its limited strike against the Broadway League over how its members are compensated for developing new work.

Actors had sought profit share and a raise from the current $1,000 weekly salary when participating in a developmental lab, which are multi-week workshops to create new plays and musicals.Continue Reading

RECORD WEEK CAPS RECORD YEAR — WITH HIGHEST PRICES FOR LONG-RUNNING HITS (TABLE)

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Hamilton composer Lin-Manuel Miranda & director Thomas Kail/Tammy Shell

Broadway celebrated 2019 with a slew of milestones: highest-grossing week and year in history and best-attended week and year since at least 1984, according to the Broadway League.

Long-running shows such as Wicked  ($3.4 million), The Lion King  ($3.7 million) and Hamilton  ($4 million) recorded their best sales last week and charged their highest average prices, with tourists continuing to flock to Broadway’s biggest brands.

Hamilton,  whose composer-lyricist, Lin-Manuel Miranda, returns to the show next week for a short engagement in San Juan, Puerto Rico, became the first Broadway show to clear $4 million over eight performances.Continue Reading

‘CHER SHOW’ SHINES WITH STEPHANIE J. BLOCK: REVIEW

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Stephanie J. Block/Joan Marcus

Early in The Cher Show,  Sonny Bono reprimands Cher when she complains about the rigors of stardom.  “You bought the ticket; take the ride.”

The target audience at the Neil Simon Theatre is onboard.

Book writer Rick Elice (Jersey Boys),  director Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and choreographer Christopher Gattelli have created a celebratory jukebox musical that has energy and style. Continue Reading

BROADWAY HAS RICHEST THANKSGIVING IN HISTORY

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Broadway sold $43 million of tickets in the week ending on Sunday, up 10 percent from a year ago for its best Thanksgiving ever.

In an ugly week for stocks but fine one for tourism and premium pricing, most shows bounced, especially musicals that performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Continue Reading

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA TO PRODUCE & OCCASIONALLY STAR IN HIP-HOP SHOW

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Lin-Manuel Miranda & Tommy Kail/Tammy Shell

With a top-ticket (so far) of $119, Lin-Manuel Miranda and three co-producers are mounting an engagement early next year of Freestyle Love Supreme,  the improv hip-hop group that the Hamilton  creator has performed in since 2004.

“There is nothing like a live hip-hop show that is improvised from the first moment til the final curtain,” Miranda said in a statement. Previews begin on Jan. 30 at the tiny Greenwich House Theater. That’s three days after a run of Hamilton  is scheduled to end in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which stars Miranda in the title role.  Continue Reading

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