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 going behind the curtain to see how Broadway shows really get to opening night…

2006 Broadway Revival of "A Chorus Line". Photo by Paul Kolnik.

It’s July and all is quiet on Broadway.

Or so it seems. Actually, right now in production offices, rehearsal studios and writers’ rooms around New York, the real drama is happening as the 2012-2013 theatrical season takes shape. Big decisions are being made with multi-million dollar investments on the line.

So how do we mere mortals get behind the scenes and find out what’s really happening? (And don’t say, “Watch the first season of Smash on my dvr.” It’s fun but a documentary it is not.) Fire up your netflix subscription and rent these three highly recommended, “warts and all” films about the state of the Broadway art…

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Gavin Creel at Birdland. Photo by Monica Simoes.

Two-time Tony-nominee Gavin Creel is on a roll–and it’s rolling him into a theater near you. Producers just announced that he’ll be playing the lead in the first national tour of the smash hit The Book of Mormon. But that’s just the latest in a string of bold moves for the charming and handsome Creel. From a new pop album to his groundbreaking work for marriage equality with Broadway Impact, he’s long been winning hearts and minds far beyond the Great White Way.

Two months ago (and sadly before I could grill him about Mormon), I caught up with Creel via phone to interview him for the May issue of “Passport Magazine” (hitting newsstands any day now). However, we had so much to chat about and so much that was too juicy for the print edition, it couldn’t be contained in one article–so I thought I’d share the extras here. Serious or silly, whether discussing his own wedding dreams or his codependent relationship with his dog, Creel proves why he’ll always be one of our favorite leading men…

Hi Gavin. How are you doing?

I’m good. I’m literally standing on a marina in Key West so I’m going to step outside so we can have a little chatty poo.

I’m sorry to interrupt; I didn’t realize it was vacation time.

I’m not on vacation; I’m doing a Broadway Across America concert. Doing a little presentation for eleven new musicals for next season. Just coming down to sing a song. I literally flew in an hour and a half ago and am flying out tomorrow morning.

Fun times.

Crazy. That’s the life of being a show business whore.

[laughter] Honestly, the first thing I have to do is thank you. My partner and I of eleven years just got engaged last week.

Oooh! Congratulations!

It truly is because of people like you that we were able to do this.

I appreciate that; it’s very kind of you but I’m not getting married or engaged yet so it’s people like you who are doing it. Even though we’re still fighting for the rights it takes people like you to do it, to stand up and face all the stupid that might come your way even though it’s legal.

Have you had a chance to attend any weddings since it became legal in New York?

No gay weddings yet.

None! Oh no…

I’ll be looking for the invite.

It’s in the mail now.

[laughter]

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Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr, Sara Ramirez and Kevin McKiddat "Grey's Anatomy: The Songs Beneath the Show". Photo by Scott Appel.

Our casting cup runneth over this week with theater news featuring big doings from big casts:

• The blockbuster gang at The Book of Mormon is ignoring their Momma’s advice and giving it away for free again. To celebrate the show’s first year anniversary, the show will offer its second Free Fan Performance on June 6 at 2pm. To be eligible for a seat, just sign up for one of their nightly ticket lotteries through Sunday, May 20 and hope your name is picked.

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  Image via BBB.

  Prince of Broadway is getting a cast fit for a king. Check out just some of the names set to star in the Broadway bound tribute to Director/Producer Hal Prince: the suddenly ubiquitous Linda Lavin, LaChanze (The Color Purple), Sierra Boggess (Master Class), Josh Grisetti (Enter Laughing), Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma), Richard Kind (The Producers), Caroline O’Connor (Moulin Rouge!!!), and Emily Skinner (Side Show).

• The gals of Steel Magnolias sure do love a makeover, so it’s no surprise that the southern fried, beauty parlor chestnut is getting remade as a Lifetime movie. The not-so-French twist this time is that it has been reset (and blowdried?) in Louisiana and features a who’s who of African-American screen stars including Queen Latifah (playing the Sally Field role), Alfre Woodard (taking over for Shirley MacLaine) and Phylicia Rashad (sitting in Olympia Dukakis’ chair).

• The day someone performs the epic flop musical Via Galactica is the day someone will revive Carrie off-Broadway. What is that you say? Really? Well, it seems pigs are flying all over town because that infamous 70′s sci-fi tuner with a score by Galt MacDermot (Hair) is getting a concert reboot March 23-25 at the Kraine Theater in NYC. I don’t know anything about the company presenting this new Via Galactica but I do know it’s a benefit for the Embrace Kids Foundation  and features an updated script by Erik Ludwig. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by writing vgreservations@gmail.com.

• If you were in LA this past weekend, I hope you caught Grey’s Anatomy: The Songs Beneath the Show, a benefit for the Actors Fund featuring the cast of the hit drama showing off their pipes–instead of surgically removing someone else’s. Watch a clip of the fabulous Tony-winning Sara Ramirez after the jump and you’ll want to plead for her to come back to Broadway. Stat!

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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.

"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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Andrew Rannells. Photo by Joan Marcus.

As I’ve mentioned before, on Monday nights in this town you can’t swing a former cast member of Cats without hitting stage stars performing in a benefit. However, the NYCLU just released the initial line-up for their annual Broadway Stands Up for Freedom concert (July 25th at the Skirball Center in NYC) and it caught my attention. From big deals of the moment Nikki M. James and Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon) to innovative writer/director Moisés  Kaufman (The Laramie Project), from heartthrob/activist Gavin Creel (Hair) to indie darling Nellie McKay (Get Away from Me), they’ve got an eclectic mix of talent that looks very intriguing.

The sweet (and tart) cherry on top of this one-of-a-kind event is host and music director Seth Rudetsky. If you don’t know Seth, he’s Broadway’s head cheerleader, resident historian and all-around live wire, famous for his hysterical “Seth Deconstructs” video series. With him running the show, anything can happen…and probably will.

Tickets are available now and all proceeds go to benefit the NYCLU’s youth programs, including its work with LGBT teenagers and its Teen Health Initiative, which educates teenagers on their rights to access health care in New York City.

After the jump, let’s get a taste of what’s in store for the benefit with one of my all-time favorite “Seth Deconstructs” and a promotional video from last year’s event.

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

April showers may have brought May flowers, but June brought the Broadway season to an end with plenty of flare; from the Tony Awards to Spider-Man‘s long-awaited arrival, residents of the mezzanine were on the edge of their crimson seats. Even with summer heating up and shows such as Arcadia and Born Yesterday closing, there will be plenty to see (in the safety of an air-conditioned theater) this month and beyond:

• Hippie nation rejoices as HAIR returns to Broadway for a “Summer of Love” 10-week run. The first hundred at St. James theatre on July 5 will snag some free tickets, and those dressed in their finest hippie garb may even win a role in the show! Get your groove on for the show, running July 13-September 10.

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  Nina Arianda in "Born Yesterday". Photo by Carol Rosegg.

  Broadway meets erotica as Venus in Fur brings seduction, power, love and, most importantly, the return of recent Tony-nominee Nina Arianda to Broadway starting October 13. The New York Times called the off-Broadway production that made Arianda an overnight sensation “90 minutes of good, kinky, fun!” Say no more, we’re in.

• As usual, star power leads the way on stage and even behind the scenes. Grammy-winning pop star Alicia Keys is promoting the Broadway premiere of Stick Fly, a new play about interracial relationships opening December 8. Sex in the City‘s Kim Cattrall transfers her well-received London performance in Private Lives, starting November 17. Plus, we also get Alan Rickman, Audra McDonald and Harry Connick, Jr. back on the Great White Way this fall.

• 2460–what!? Hugh Jackman is officially in as Jean Valjean in the film version of Les Miserables. Boy can sing, so this just might be brilliant and Oscar worthy.

And, finally, here’s a look back at our most popular stories from June:

• A Broadway striptease…what else is there to say! Oh, it was for a good cause!

• Book of Mormon had quite a month, conquering the Tony Awards and joining the Top Billboard Hits List.

• Whether you were more excited about Carey or Carrie, there was good news all around.

• Broadway fans showed they cared by givin’ through Givnik when buying tickets.

• And don’t forget to follow our editor Tom on twitter for breaking news, posting updates and random Broadway fun @broadwayblogtom.

Image via Seatgeek.

You won’t often hear a theater major say this but–dude, math is cool.

We all know that Book of Mormon tickets are ultra-expensive and nearly impossible to get, but the smart folks over at SeatGeek are on the case. Using their expertise in aftermarket ticket sales for all kinds of events, they’ve whipped up the chart above showing the eye-popping difference between average face value price and the average actual price tickets are being sold for at weekend performances. (Click to enlarge it.) Any guesses as to when reviews hit?

So besides being just plain fascinating information and cool visually (not to mention stretching my college “Math For Trees 1 & 2″ knowledge to its limits), what’s the point?  Seatgeek uses their data to forecast the prices of sports, concert and theater seats and guide consumers to the best deals. Look up their page for The Book of Mormon and you’ll find listings for upcoming shows and a color-coded rating system.

If you’re feeling extra geeky, they’ve got a great article about how they arrived at these figures (that I promise I could actually follow without anguished Algebraic tears) and Business Week just published a great profile of the guys behind Seatgeek. But for now, check out the chart below for weekday performances of The Book of Mormon.  Am I the only one who loves this kind of stuff!?

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It’s time for another round-up of the week in theater news:

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  Image via Boneau/Bryan-Brown.

  The well-received Kennedy Center production of Follies is moving up the coast to Broadway’s Marquis Theater this summer for a limited engagement. Sightings of stray sequins and feathers on I-95 to follow.

• One Follies Girl who won’t be making the trek is Linda Lavin. Playbill reports that, in order to star in a new show at the Vineyard, she will not reprise her “Broadway Baby” and she is also passing on the Broadway transfer of Other Desert Cities, last season’s Lincoln Center hit. Perhaps those rumors of cast issues were true.

• Attention “Carrie” Nation! The New York Times has word of a one-night-only sneak peek at the upcoming reboot of everyone’s favorite high school horror musical. No word if there will be pig blood involved.

• Nathaniel at the great site Film Experience takes a look at the casting rumors for the film adaptation of Les Miserables. Hugh Jackman, 24601!

• It may not have Hugh, but the Arena Stage production of Oklahoma took DC by (dustbowl) storm last year. Now you can get free tickets to opening night of its return engagement by “liking” their Facebook page.  Hmmm, that sounds familiar…

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Photo by Joan Marcus.

With the help of serious mainstream press coverage and 9 Tony wins, The Book of Mormon Cast Album rose to #3 on the Billboard 200 chart this week, the highest placement for a Broadway album in 42 years. Helping push it to the top, producers took a page from Lady Gaga’s playbook and offered the recording last week on Amazon for $1.99.

All this talk of Broadway and Billboard got me thinking about the last time a showtune hit the top of the singles chart…not counting jukebox musical songs that were hits before they were inserted into shows. After the jump, let’s take a look at videos of the three highest charters from the post-Broadway-Standard era. (Or, at least the ones I could find without a research staff at my beck and call…)

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