Broadway Watch - December 05
Fri, 16 Dec 2005, 03:27 pmWalter Plinge4 posts in thread
Broadway Watch - December 05
Fri, 16 Dec 2005, 03:27 pmYeah its early this month, but this is my last chance to do it before the new yearÂ…
Piazza extends AGAIN!!!
The Wedding Singer to replace Sweet Charity at the Hirschfeld Theater (sic)
The rumour is that the producers were trying to replace Christina Applegate with Britney Spears [all together now: BRITNEY SPEEEEEEAAAAARS!!! Hehehe Sara Ramirez would be chuckling at that one, her bloody song strikes again] and would have extended, but without a new star they are closing instead.
MovinÂ’ Out is not so much closing as it is shifting to London.
Pity any of the lead actresses this year at Tony time, up against Patti LuPone and now Chita Rivera as well!
Two New Musicals opened this month
Chita Rivera: The DancerÂ’s Life
Book by Terence McNally
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring Chita Rivera (wellÂ… obviously!)
No cast recording
The Color Purple
Music & Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray; Book by Marsha Norman
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Cast Recording Released 24/01/2006
Four Musicals closing this month
In My Life
Opened 20/10/2005; Closed 11/12/2005; 61 performances
Music, Book & Lyrics by Joe Brooks
Original 2005 Broadway Production
No Cast Recording
Sweet Charity
Opened 04/05/2005; Closes 31/12/2005; 278 performances
Music by Cy Coleman; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields; Book by Neil Simon
2005 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1966-67; previous revival 1986-87)
Featuring Christina Applegate and Wayne Knight
Cast Recording Available
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Opened 28/04/2005; Closes 31/12/2005; 285 performances
Music & Lyrics by the Sherman Brothers, Book by Jeremy Sams
2005 Broadway Version of Original 2002 London Production, Based on 1968 Film Musical
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast Available
MovinÂ’ Out
Opened 24/10/2005; Closed 11/12/2005; 1303 performances
Music & Lyrics by Billy Joel; Conceived & Choreographed by Twyla Tharp
Original 2002 Broadway Production
2003 Tony Awards – Choreography & Orchestrations
Cast Recording available
Eighteen other Musicals currently running:
The Woman in White
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel; Book by Charlotte Jones
Broadway version of Original 2004 London Production
Featuring Michael Ball & Maria Friedman
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast Recording Available
Jersey Boys
Music by Bob Gaudio; Lyrics by Bob Crewe; Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Cast Recording Available
Sweeney Todd
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Hugh Wheeler
Broadway Version of 2004 English Revival (Original Broadway Production ran 1979-1980; Revival 1989-1990)
Featuring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris
Cast Recording Announced (Recorded 14/11/2005) – Original Broadway Cast Available
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music & Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 2005
Featuring Dan Fogler
2005 Tony Awards – Book & Featured Actor (Dan Fogler)
Cast Recording Available
The Light in the Piazza
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel, Book by Craig Lucas
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Closes 02/07/2006 – Limited Run (extended – for the THIRD TIME!!)
Featuring Victoria Clark
2005 Tony Awards – Score, Lead Actress (Victoria Clark), Orchestrations, Lighting Design, Costume Design & Scenic Design
Cast Recording Available
Monty PythonÂ’s Spamalot
Music by Eric Idle and John Du Prez; Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria & Sara Ramirez
2005 Tony Awards – Musical, Director & Featured Actress (Sara Ramirez)
Cast Recording Available
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek; Book by Jeffrey Lane
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Gregory Jbara, Joanna Gleason & Sherie Rene Scott
2005 Tony Award – Lead Actor (Norbert Leo Butz)
Cast Recording Available
Fiddler on the Roof
Music by Jerry Bock; Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Book by Joseph Stein
2004 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1964-72; previous revivals 1976-77; 1981 & 1990-91)
Closes 08/01/2006
Featuring Harvey Fierstein, Rosie OÂ’Donnell and Nancy Opel
10th Most Performed Musical in Broadway History
Cast Recording available
Wicked
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Winnie Holzmann
Original 2003 Broadway Production
Featuring Ben Vereen & Rue McClanahan
2004 Tony Awards – Actress (Idina Menzel); Scenic Design & Costume Design
Cast Recording available
Avenue Q
Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; Book by Jeff Whitty
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 2003
2004 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score & Book of a Musical
Cast Recording Available
Hairspray
Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyrics by Scott Wittman; Book by Mark OÂ’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
Original 2002 Broadway Production
Featuring Darlene Love
2003 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Harvey Fierstein); Actress (Marissa Janet Winokur); Featured Actor (Dick Latessa); Direction & Costume Design
Cast Recording available
Mamma Mia!
Music and Lyrics by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson; Book by Catherine Johnson
2001 Broadway version of Original 1999 London Production
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available
The Producers
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks; Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Original 2001 Broadway Production
Featuring Hunter Foster, Gary Beach & Jai Rodriguez
2001 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Nathan Lane); Featured Actor (Gary Beach); Featured Actress (Cady Huffman); Direction; Orchestrations; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design & Choreography
Cast Recording available
The Lion King
Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice; Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi
Original 1997 Broadway Production, Based on 1994 Film Musical
1998 Tony Awards – Musical; Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design; Choreography
Cast Recording available
Chicago
Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
1996 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1975-77)
Currently featuring Charlotte DÂ’Ambois & Huey Lewis
1997 Tony Awards – Revival of a Musical; Actor (James Naughton); Actress (Bebe Neuwirth); Direction; Lighting Design & Choreography
9th Longest Run in Broadway History (9th Most Performed Musical)
Cast Recording available
Rent
Music Lyrics & Book by Jonathan Larson
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 1996
1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
1996 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical & Featured Actor (Wilson Jermaine Heredia)
8th Longest Run in Broadway History
Cast Recording available
Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; Book by Linda Woolverton
Original 1994 Broadway Production, Based on 1991 Film Musical
1994 Tony Award – Costume Design
6th Longest Run in Broadway History (8th Most Performed Musical)
Cast Recording available
The Phantom of the Opera
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stilgoe
1988 Broadway version of London Production
Currently featuring Howard McGillin
1988 Tony Awards – Musical; Actor (Michael Crawford); Featured Actress (Judy Kuhn); Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design & Lighting Design
2nd Longest Run in Broadway History (2nd Most Performed Musical)
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available
Attendance figures for last four weeks (to 11 Dec 05)
Top Three Shows by Attendance
Wicked – 57888
The Lion King – 55695
Mamma Mia! – 47357
Top Three Shows by Capacity
Spamalot – 100.3%
Wicked – 100%
Mamma Mia – 99.0%
Bottom Three Shows by Attendance
In My Life – 11128
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – 20388
Avenue Q – 22703
Bottom Three Shows by Capacity
In My Life – 34.5%
Fiddler on the Roof – 62.5%
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – 72.3%
Now In Previews
None!
Coming Soon
The Pajama Game – New Revival – Previews Begin 19/01/2006; Opens 23/02/2006; Closes 11/06/2006 (Limited Run!)
Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show – New Musical – Previews begin 08/02/2006; Opens 12/03/2006
Lestat – New Musical – Previews begin 11/03/2006; Opens 13/04/2006
The Threepenny Opera – New Revival – Previews 24/03/2006; Opens 20/04/2006; Closes 11/06/2006 (Limited Run!)
Tarzan – New Musical, based on the 1999 Disney film – Previews begin 24/03/2006; Opens 10/05/2005
Mary Poppins – Broadway Version of Original 2004 London Production – Previews begin 14/10/2006; Opens 16/11/2006
In the Pipeline
A Chorus Line – New Revival
Jerry Springer: The Opera – Broadway version of Original English Production
Princesses – New Musical
A Tale of Two Cities – New Musical
The Wedding Singer – New Musical
The Wiz – New Revival
Zanna – Broadway version of Original 2003 Off-Broadway Production
Longest Runs (as at 11 Dec 2005)
7485 Cats
7453 Phantom of the Opera (still running)
6680 Les Miserables
6137 A Chorus Line
5959 Oh! Calcutta
4780 Beauty and the Beast (still running)
4092 Miss Saigon
4001 Rent (still running)
3779 Chicago (still running)
3486 42nd Street
Most Performed (as at 20 Nov 2005)
7485 Cats
7453 Phantom of the Opera (still running)
7273 Oh! Calcutta (2 runs)
6680 Les Miserables
6137 A Chorus Line
5010 42nd Street (2 runs)
4893 Grease (2 runs)
4780 Beauty and the Beast (still running)
4715 Chicago (2nd run still running)
4452 Fiddler on the Roof (5th run still running)
Cast Recordings
Sweeney Todd – Released 24/01/2006
The Color Purple – Released 24/01/2006
Have a Happy New Year people
:-)
P.S. Has anyone seen Breeahn's ora recently?
Piazza extends AGAIN!!!
The Wedding Singer to replace Sweet Charity at the Hirschfeld Theater (sic)
The rumour is that the producers were trying to replace Christina Applegate with Britney Spears [all together now: BRITNEY SPEEEEEEAAAAARS!!! Hehehe Sara Ramirez would be chuckling at that one, her bloody song strikes again] and would have extended, but without a new star they are closing instead.
MovinÂ’ Out is not so much closing as it is shifting to London.
Pity any of the lead actresses this year at Tony time, up against Patti LuPone and now Chita Rivera as well!
Two New Musicals opened this month
Chita Rivera: The DancerÂ’s Life
Book by Terence McNally
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring Chita Rivera (wellÂ… obviously!)
No cast recording
The Color Purple
Music & Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray; Book by Marsha Norman
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Cast Recording Released 24/01/2006
Four Musicals closing this month
In My Life
Opened 20/10/2005; Closed 11/12/2005; 61 performances
Music, Book & Lyrics by Joe Brooks
Original 2005 Broadway Production
No Cast Recording
Sweet Charity
Opened 04/05/2005; Closes 31/12/2005; 278 performances
Music by Cy Coleman; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields; Book by Neil Simon
2005 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1966-67; previous revival 1986-87)
Featuring Christina Applegate and Wayne Knight
Cast Recording Available
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Opened 28/04/2005; Closes 31/12/2005; 285 performances
Music & Lyrics by the Sherman Brothers, Book by Jeremy Sams
2005 Broadway Version of Original 2002 London Production, Based on 1968 Film Musical
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast Available
MovinÂ’ Out
Opened 24/10/2005; Closed 11/12/2005; 1303 performances
Music & Lyrics by Billy Joel; Conceived & Choreographed by Twyla Tharp
Original 2002 Broadway Production
2003 Tony Awards – Choreography & Orchestrations
Cast Recording available
Eighteen other Musicals currently running:
The Woman in White
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel; Book by Charlotte Jones
Broadway version of Original 2004 London Production
Featuring Michael Ball & Maria Friedman
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast Recording Available
Jersey Boys
Music by Bob Gaudio; Lyrics by Bob Crewe; Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Cast Recording Available
Sweeney Todd
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Hugh Wheeler
Broadway Version of 2004 English Revival (Original Broadway Production ran 1979-1980; Revival 1989-1990)
Featuring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris
Cast Recording Announced (Recorded 14/11/2005) – Original Broadway Cast Available
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music & Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 2005
Featuring Dan Fogler
2005 Tony Awards – Book & Featured Actor (Dan Fogler)
Cast Recording Available
The Light in the Piazza
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel, Book by Craig Lucas
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Closes 02/07/2006 – Limited Run (extended – for the THIRD TIME!!)
Featuring Victoria Clark
2005 Tony Awards – Score, Lead Actress (Victoria Clark), Orchestrations, Lighting Design, Costume Design & Scenic Design
Cast Recording Available
Monty PythonÂ’s Spamalot
Music by Eric Idle and John Du Prez; Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria & Sara Ramirez
2005 Tony Awards – Musical, Director & Featured Actress (Sara Ramirez)
Cast Recording Available
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek; Book by Jeffrey Lane
Original 2005 Broadway Production
Featuring John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Gregory Jbara, Joanna Gleason & Sherie Rene Scott
2005 Tony Award – Lead Actor (Norbert Leo Butz)
Cast Recording Available
Fiddler on the Roof
Music by Jerry Bock; Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Book by Joseph Stein
2004 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1964-72; previous revivals 1976-77; 1981 & 1990-91)
Closes 08/01/2006
Featuring Harvey Fierstein, Rosie OÂ’Donnell and Nancy Opel
10th Most Performed Musical in Broadway History
Cast Recording available
Wicked
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Winnie Holzmann
Original 2003 Broadway Production
Featuring Ben Vereen & Rue McClanahan
2004 Tony Awards – Actress (Idina Menzel); Scenic Design & Costume Design
Cast Recording available
Avenue Q
Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; Book by Jeff Whitty
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 2003
2004 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score & Book of a Musical
Cast Recording Available
Hairspray
Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyrics by Scott Wittman; Book by Mark OÂ’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
Original 2002 Broadway Production
Featuring Darlene Love
2003 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Harvey Fierstein); Actress (Marissa Janet Winokur); Featured Actor (Dick Latessa); Direction & Costume Design
Cast Recording available
Mamma Mia!
Music and Lyrics by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson; Book by Catherine Johnson
2001 Broadway version of Original 1999 London Production
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available
The Producers
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks; Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Original 2001 Broadway Production
Featuring Hunter Foster, Gary Beach & Jai Rodriguez
2001 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Nathan Lane); Featured Actor (Gary Beach); Featured Actress (Cady Huffman); Direction; Orchestrations; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design & Choreography
Cast Recording available
The Lion King
Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice; Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi
Original 1997 Broadway Production, Based on 1994 Film Musical
1998 Tony Awards – Musical; Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design; Choreography
Cast Recording available
Chicago
Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
1996 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1975-77)
Currently featuring Charlotte DÂ’Ambois & Huey Lewis
1997 Tony Awards – Revival of a Musical; Actor (James Naughton); Actress (Bebe Neuwirth); Direction; Lighting Design & Choreography
9th Longest Run in Broadway History (9th Most Performed Musical)
Cast Recording available
Rent
Music Lyrics & Book by Jonathan Larson
Transferred from Off-Broadway in 1996
1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
1996 Tony Awards – Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical & Featured Actor (Wilson Jermaine Heredia)
8th Longest Run in Broadway History
Cast Recording available
Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; Book by Linda Woolverton
Original 1994 Broadway Production, Based on 1991 Film Musical
1994 Tony Award – Costume Design
6th Longest Run in Broadway History (8th Most Performed Musical)
Cast Recording available
The Phantom of the Opera
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stilgoe
1988 Broadway version of London Production
Currently featuring Howard McGillin
1988 Tony Awards – Musical; Actor (Michael Crawford); Featured Actress (Judy Kuhn); Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design & Lighting Design
2nd Longest Run in Broadway History (2nd Most Performed Musical)
No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available
Attendance figures for last four weeks (to 11 Dec 05)
Top Three Shows by Attendance
Wicked – 57888
The Lion King – 55695
Mamma Mia! – 47357
Top Three Shows by Capacity
Spamalot – 100.3%
Wicked – 100%
Mamma Mia – 99.0%
Bottom Three Shows by Attendance
In My Life – 11128
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – 20388
Avenue Q – 22703
Bottom Three Shows by Capacity
In My Life – 34.5%
Fiddler on the Roof – 62.5%
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – 72.3%
Now In Previews
None!
Coming Soon
The Pajama Game – New Revival – Previews Begin 19/01/2006; Opens 23/02/2006; Closes 11/06/2006 (Limited Run!)
Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show – New Musical – Previews begin 08/02/2006; Opens 12/03/2006
Lestat – New Musical – Previews begin 11/03/2006; Opens 13/04/2006
The Threepenny Opera – New Revival – Previews 24/03/2006; Opens 20/04/2006; Closes 11/06/2006 (Limited Run!)
Tarzan – New Musical, based on the 1999 Disney film – Previews begin 24/03/2006; Opens 10/05/2005
Mary Poppins – Broadway Version of Original 2004 London Production – Previews begin 14/10/2006; Opens 16/11/2006
In the Pipeline
A Chorus Line – New Revival
Jerry Springer: The Opera – Broadway version of Original English Production
Princesses – New Musical
A Tale of Two Cities – New Musical
The Wedding Singer – New Musical
The Wiz – New Revival
Zanna – Broadway version of Original 2003 Off-Broadway Production
Longest Runs (as at 11 Dec 2005)
7485 Cats
7453 Phantom of the Opera (still running)
6680 Les Miserables
6137 A Chorus Line
5959 Oh! Calcutta
4780 Beauty and the Beast (still running)
4092 Miss Saigon
4001 Rent (still running)
3779 Chicago (still running)
3486 42nd Street
Most Performed (as at 20 Nov 2005)
7485 Cats
7453 Phantom of the Opera (still running)
7273 Oh! Calcutta (2 runs)
6680 Les Miserables
6137 A Chorus Line
5010 42nd Street (2 runs)
4893 Grease (2 runs)
4780 Beauty and the Beast (still running)
4715 Chicago (2nd run still running)
4452 Fiddler on the Roof (5th run still running)
Cast Recordings
Sweeney Todd – Released 24/01/2006
The Color Purple – Released 24/01/2006
Have a Happy New Year people
:-)
P.S. Has anyone seen Breeahn's ora recently?