Reeve Carney. Image via Vevo.

Let’s close out the week (and the month) with some big Broadway releases and a look back at our favorite stories of July:

• Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark continues to “Rise Above” with another $1.8 million weekly gross and the release of a glossy music video featuring fetching leading man Reeve Carney and composers Bono and The Edge. Watch it below, after the jump.

• Get a free sneak preview of the music from the Broadway-bound musical Bonnie and Clyde, with a score by the oft-debated Frank Wildhorn (Wonderland) and Don Black (Sunset Boulevard). With a twanging, period-influenced sound and some Wildhorn-ian radio-friendly hooks, the fully-produced recordings have me a lot more curious about what will hit the stage November 4.

• Tom Aldredge, a five-time Tony-nominated actor, passed away this week at the age of 83. He leaves an indelible string of performances including his work in the original On Golden Pond and as the iconic narrator in Sondheim’s Into the Woods. Once upon a time…

In case you missed them, here are some of our favorite posts from the last four weeks:

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  Bobby Steggert and Maxime de Toledo in "Yank!" at Brooklyn's Gallery Players in 2007. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais Kelly.

  The delightful Marin Mazzie mothers Carrie: The Musical and we’ve got a look at her career.

• The delicious Charlie Sutton shows off his Theater Buff.

• The devoted Joe Zellnik takes us into the trenches on Yank: The Musical.

• The delovely Gavin Creel and Rory O’Malley serenade us and make a real Broadway Impact.

• And the de-what!! Carol Channing pumps up the jam with a performance that must be seen to be believed.

And without further ado, let’s watch Reeve Carney spin his web in a song from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark:

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Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re getting the heck out of this hot, steamy urban sprawl and heading to a little slice of heaven…

Sheep Hill, Williamstown. Image via Union & Field.

Each summer for 57 years, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has attracted loyal audience members and top-tier theatrical talent to a tiny, isolated corner of Massachusetts. How do they do it? Visit once and you’ll understand. Beyond the exceptional diversity of the festival itself, the surrounding area provides the perfect mixture of artistic excellence and natural beauty, total relaxation and active pursuits. And did I mention it tends to be about 10 degrees cooler than New York City?

So let’s get to a few quick tips to make the most of your visit:

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Photo by Kevin Thomas Garcia @ BroadwayWorld.com.

Three same-sex couples with strong ties to the Broadway community were wed on the stage of the St. James Theater after last night’s performance of Hair. Intended to mark Sunday’s official start to marriage equality in New York State, the event was organized in part by Broadway Impact, the grassroots political group co-founded by the revival’s original leading man, Gavin Creel.

Among the happy couples, actor (and friend of The Broadway Blog) Ryan Dietz celebrated his lifetime commitment to playwright Josh Levine. We didn’t want to interrupt his “wedding night” but Ryan graciously sent over a few thoughts and a personal snapshot from the party on stage:

The best part of tonight was celebrating our relationship in front of family and friends and feeling so much love radiating from the audience and the cast of HAIR.  We are both proud to be a part of the theatre community and citizens of New York!

Image via Ryan Dietz

Congratulations to Ryan & Josh and the hundreds of couples who made history over the past two days.  (For more photo and video coverage of the event, head over to BroadwayWorld.com.)

Barry Bostwick and Friends. Image via YouTube.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any hotter…

It’s been awhile but I haven’t given up on my fiery passion for odd Broadway-themed workouts. (Right, Bonnie? Are you listening, Les Miz guy?  Mrs. Partridge, you can stop clenching.) And what better way to return to the burn than an 80′s song-and-dance aerobics routine to a Pointer Sister’s cover starring the original Danny from Broadway’s Grease, Barry Bostwick. It would seem that this number was from an NBC Olympics special but to try to make any coherent sense of it is fool-hardy; it exists on a higher plane of understanding than we mere mortals can fathom. Is that the legendary Gwen Verdon (Sweet Charity) on the same stage with a frightened, beat-counting actress from Gimme a Break? Is that Paula Kelly pouring on manic, pop-lock charm to remind casting directors that she was in Sophisticated Ladies on Broadway, damnit? Could thoroughbred dancer Sandahl Bergman (All That Jazz) really be sweating next to the poodle-shag of Audrey Landers (correction: It’s Judy! Even better.)? Best of all, the surely Emmy-nominated supporting performance by Bostwick’s dance belt. Splits, baby, splits.

Work it out for yourself after the jump…

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"Death Takes a Holiday". Photo by Joan Marcus.

It’s so hot out there, I thought it might be time for a super cool round-up of theater news.

• The new Maury Yeston-Peter Stone-Thomas Meehan musical Death Takes a Holiday opened last night with one major thing missing: Death himself. According to playbill.com, the titular leading man Julian Ovenden had to bow out of the performance due to laryngitis. It seems he took the title a little too much to heart…damn method actors. All ironies aside, we wish him a speedy recovery; it must be heartbreaking to miss out on your big moment.

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  Andrew Rannells. Photo by Joan Marcus.

  In a rare crossover between the music theater and comic book geek worlds (other than that Spider-Man show), the producers of The Book of Mormon are offering the chance to win free tickets to the show to fans visiting the South Park Experience at San Diego’s Comic Con today and tomorrow. Stop by and try your luck (and while you’re at it, enjoy a South Park-themed sno-cone named by yours truly…Papa’s got to pay the bills and he does it by working as a writer at Comedy Central).

• Hold onto your hats (which I hope are lovely, wide-brimmed sunhats); this week was stuffed with big Broadway casting announcements. Hollywood website Deadline.com scooped word that Glee‘s Darren Criss is in final talks to take over for Daniel Radcliffe when he exits How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in January. I guess the folks at the Al Hirschfeld Theater won’t have to remove the swooning couches after all.

• For us actress lovers, the news got even more interesting. Look for Tony-winner Cynthia Nixon to go for a repeat in the Broadway premiere of Wit. I loved Emma Thompson in the filmed version but this casting is also prickly perfection.

• The line-up has fallen into place, as well, for Other Desert Cities to make its move to the Great White Way after a successful Lincoln Center run earlier this year. Entertainment Weekly reports that talented Aussie Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters) will make her Broadway debut in the role Elizabeth Marvel played and Judith Light (sure Who’s the Boss, but also a Tony-nominee this year for Lombardi) will take over for Linda Lavin. And ready for the spooky factoid to tie it all together: Judith Light starred in the Off-Broadway and touring productions of Wit. Ooh. Ahh.

• Finally, I know for a theater blog we’ve done marriage equality news out the ying yang but I’ve got two more quick bites as we prepare for the big wedding weekend. As our sistah blog Global Cocktails reported, gay puppets Rod and Ricky from Avenue Q will be among the couples tying the knot at City Hall. (They’re here. They’re felt. Get used to it.) In addition, one of our favorite stage divas (and twitterers) Audra McDonald announced via tweet the following, “Gonna sing at the celebration of the first gay marriage officiated by Mayor Bloomberg this weekend. So honored and excited!” And, get ready for some goosebumps, Audra McDonald was also in the movie of Wit. Dang, I’m good.

2009 Prospect Theater Company production of "Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge". Photo by Gerry Goodstein.

NAMT has announced their annual Festival of New Musicals and the authors involved are an eye-catching line-up of award-winning talent. From crowd pleasing adaptations (Bernice Bobs Her Hair from Kleban-winning Adam Gwon) to boundary-pushing works from underground-favorites (Joe Iconis‘ Bloodsong of Love), the 2011 NAMT festival shows are an eclectic roster worth a closer look…and listen.

But first things first, what is NAMT? It’s not NYMF–though you can be excused for getting lost in the alphabet soup. NAMT is the National Alliance of Musical Theatre, an organization dedicated to the advancement of music theater, made up of over 150 “members” (producers, theaters and higher education departments like the Goodspeed in CT and TheatreWorks in CA). Basically, these are the folks that actually get shows done. Over two days (October 27-28 this year), members are invited to watch fully -subsidized presentations from 8 new works; they are then encouraged to sign on to shows for further development or for a slot in their official season. Think Sundance for musical theater and you’ve got an idea of the stakes. The wrinkle is that each show is presented through script-in-hand, 45-minute readings (and let me tell you from experience, cutting a full-length show is a challenge). Although the festival is intended for members and other industry folk, music theater fans are allowed to line-up for open seats and are usually accommodated.

(As for NYMF, that’s the New York Music Theater Festival, a larger, fringe-like event featuring staged and, here’s the important part, self-financed full productions of new works. It runs over the course of a few weeks at venues around the city in September and October.)

There, I feel better now. Don’t you?  Now, let’s get to the shows. While all the pieces sound intriguing (you rarely get a total miss at NAMT), let’s explore three of the more unusual selections:

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Every third Wednesday (hump day of the hump week), a fabulous actor/singer/dancer currently on Broadway will fill out my nosey little questionnaire and offer a glimpse of what they look like from a bit closer than the mezzanine. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet…

Photo by Phillip Spaeth.

Name: Charlie Sutton

Hometown: Miami, Fl

Current Show/Role: Catch Me If You Can/Ensemble

The best part of the show I’m in now is: Warming up with the boys, on the stage, before the show. There’s always so much to talk about.

The most challenging job in show business I ever had was: In high school, working as a dancer on the spanish television show Sabado Gigante. I don’t speak Spanish….lets just say a lot was lost in translation.

If I wasn’t an actor, I would be: A fashion designer/stylist. I love fashion and nothing’s sexier than a well-dressed woman.

Pick a Harry: Potter, Prince (of Wales) or Debbie? I’m not into gingers, so Prince Harry is out. Debbie Harry…. I’ll Pass. But it’s a big thumbs up for Mr. Potter. I like a do-gooder with glasses. Who doesn’t? And he can really dance!

The best post-show cocktail in town is at: SNOB (aka Saturday Night On Broadway). It’s not a bar…so stop looking it up on your iPhone. It’s when you and your fellow co-workers get drunk on a Saturday night after the show. Good times had by all!

After you’ve hit all the traditional sites of New York City, you should totally go to: Catch Me If You Can. It’s a show for the whole family! (Wink! Wink!)

If I could live anywhere else in the world it would be: My hometown of Miami. All I need is a pool, sunshine and a sensible cocktail. The hot tan guys don’t hurt either.

Board shorts, speedo or skinny dip? I like a small board short. Its perfect for running on the beach with my dog Parker.

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"8". Image via Broadway Impact.

Talk about making an impact.

Gavin Creel and Rory O’Malley, two co-founders of the grass roots marriage equality organization Broadway Impact, have leapt to the top of the theatrical heap with an impressive combination of acting and activism. In the last two years, Broadway Impact has been a galvanizing force in the now successful drive for marriage equality in New York State. In the last few days, the duo’s organization has announced a headline-making gay wedding ceremony on Broadway and, in partnership with the American Foundation for Equal Rights, a one night only reading of Oscar-winner Dustin Lance Black’s new play 8 . Based on transcripts from the Federal District Court trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger (the case filed by AFER to overturn California’s Prop. 8 and reinstate same-sex marriage in the state), the staged reading will be performed at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre September 19 under the direction of Tony-winner Joe Mantello. The Broadway evening, however, represents just the first phase of a larger plan to have the play performed around the country at colleges and local theaters, including presentation hosted by Creel and O’Malley at their alma maters, the University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon.

As if leading the charge with an ambitious merging of activism and theater weren’t enough, the duo has amassed an impressive body of stage work in recent years; Rory rocketed to stardom in The Book of Mormon (he was my pick for Best Featured Actor in a Musical at this year’s Tonys) and Gavin served as the heart of the acclaimed revival of Hair (earning a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical). Ambitious, talented, political active and…well…so darn adorable, what’s not to love about these guys?

So, in honor of their latest coups (and as a little tribute to two of our favorite men of Broadway), let’s sit back and enjoy watching Rory and Gavin on stage working their magic with two sexy, charming, small-venue performances:

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I’m off to check out the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires so…you know what, I’ll let Carol Channing explain. (If you’re feeling starved for time, she gets to the point at about 2:00…but, really, why would you skip a morsel of this?)

See! It’s so clear. “Jam” equals a new big Broadway post. There was one yesterday but not today and…it’s spooky really. How did she know?

Stop getting all up in my mind, you white wigged temptress!

Paris Remillard, Steel Burkhardt, and the cast of Hair. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Let’s ring them bells and sink our teeth into some quick news bites from the week:

• The national tour of Hair arrived on Broadway last night and immediately began spreading their summer of love vibe; Broadway Impact co-founder Rory O’Malley announced at a press conference that several same-sex couples from the Broadway community will get married onstage at the St. James Theatre after the July 25th performance of the award-winning revival. The cast of Hair will also mark the official start of marriage equality in New York state with a benefit at Rockwood Music Hall at 9pm on July 24th.
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  Jonathan Groff. Photo by Kevin Yatarola/Joe's Pub.

  Speaking of my finding a husband, Glee cutie Jonathan Groff will be joined by Rutina Wesley (“Tara” on True Blood) in The Submission, a new play by Jeff Talbot at MCC Theater beginning September 8. Now, if only Rutina could entice Jonathan off to her TV show; I’m thinking Eric needs a boy vamp to play with.

• Speaking of Gothic romance, the New York Times reports that Daphne du Maurier’s classic Rebecca will be coming to Broadway as a multi-million dollar musical. Sounds like a scorcher.

• Speaking of haunted musicals (I know, your wondering, is he really going to keep this up), you can listen to the cast recording for the London stage adaptation of Ghost online on Facebook. Now, what rhymes with “you in danger, girl”?

• Speaking of stage danger (why yes, he is), the Royal Shakespeare Company began its unprecedented 6-week, 5-show residency in New York. Unfortunately, according to an accident report on Playbill.com, Romeo might need some help climbing the balcony from now on.

• Speaking of free (falls), don’t forget the Broadway in Bryant Park concerts continue today with performances by the casts of Chicago, Catch Me If You Can, Million Dollar Quartet and Newsical.