Sure, the Tony nominations were the big theater news this week, but there were a lot of other stories to get hot about as Broadway dropped some shows — and some clothes:
Nick Kenkel for "Broadway Bares: Happy Endings". Photo by Andrew Eccles.
- If the weather is getting warmer than you know it’s time for Broadway to bare it all. The run up to the big burlesque night of all nights, Broadway Bares, begins this Sunday at 9pm with a curtain raiser, so to speak, of Solo Strips. This one-night-only fundraiser will feature ten of the hottest men of Broadway (including Theater Buffs Nick Kenkel and Sam Cahn) shaking their money makers to make some money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
- As sure as some producers are popping champagne on Tony nomination morning, others are dropping the axe. Without Tony love to build audience awareness both Seminar and Magic/Bird posted closing notices. While Bird never found its box office magic, Seminar completes a fairly healthy run, suffering only from a drop in sales after the loss of its original marquee star, Alan Rickman.
- That fiery gal Rebecca is actually making it to Manderlay via Broadway as the on-again, off-again musical announced an October 20 start date for previews. Unfortunately, the presumed leading lady Sierra Boggess has moved on to another Broadway production slated for the same period, Prince of Broadway.
- Two “hotties” making theater related news this week: two-time Tony nominee (and Sutton Foster main squeeze) Bobby Cannavale will return to Broadway in a revival of Clifford Odets’s The Big Knife and indie-film pin-up Joseph Gordon-Levitt is developing a movie remake of the classic Menken & Ashman musical Little Shop of Horrors. If you’ve seen this little number from 500 Days of Summer, you know that Gordon-Levitt has some dance moves in him…so this might not be a bad thing.
- The anniversary of an important milestone in the history of musicals passed this week, but no one seemed to notice. Well, no one but my good friend and amazing writer at large (yes, Jason, amazing as in awe-inspiring) Jason Cochran in this insightful article about the film version of Chicago and its “justified” musical numbers. I couldn’t agree more with his analysis and have to say that the box this has created is constraining the musical imagination, even on stage. Will the film version of Les Miserables swing the pendulum back?
Categories: The Buzz Tags: alan rickman, bobby cannavale, Broadway Bares, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, chicago movie, clifford odets, joseph gordon levitt, les miserables movie, little shop of horrors, Magic/Bird, rebecca musical, seminar, Sierra Boggess, the big knife, Tony Awards
Sneak Peek at the Broadway Bares XXII Poster. Photo by Andrew Eccles.
It’s official: the 22nd edition of Broadway Bares is all about Happy Endings, with all of your favorite Fairy Tails…I mean, Fairy Tales…represented. Tickets are already on sale for the June 17 burlesque fundraiser of the year, so don’t miss the chance to see your favorite Prince Charming in person and contribute to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It should be anything but Grimm.
Want a preview? Check out this very saucy behind the scenes look at the Happy Endings photo shoot.
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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:
- 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.
Some news briefs from the week in theater; click the links for more info:
- The Wednesday night performance of How to Succeed was cancelled following the death of a crew member just before curtain. The cause of death is officially still under investigation. Our thoughts go out to the family of the stagehand and to the entire staff and cast of the show as they face the difficult task of moving forward without one of their own.
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Mauricio Perez.
A number of shows announced big moves this week: LCT3′s well-reviewed 4000 Miles is getting an Off-Broadway run, the next Frank Wildhorn musical Bonnie & Clyde heads for Broadway this fall and, according to Playbill, the Transport Group hit Lysistrata Jones is rumored to be on the same road to the Great White Way.
- The amazing Angela Bassett is coming to Broadway opposite Samuel L. Jackson in a play about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Photo by Andrew Eccles.
This Sunday, more than 200 of Broadway’s most stunning dancers will strip down for an auction-themed burlesque show at this year’s Broadway Bares XXI: Masterpiece at Roseland Ballroom. Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), the sizzling performance features stars and starlets of the stage engaging two crowds of theatre enthusiasts (9:30pm and midnight) with their interpretations of the scantily clad subjects of famous art pieces.
Special guests will include Tony and Emmy nominees and winners from a number of Broadway shows, including Judith Light, Rory O’Malley, Jim Parsons, David Hyde Pierce, Roger Rees, and Christopher Sieber, as well as New York Post columnist Michael Riedel. Tony Award winner Beth Leavel will perform the opening original song and the show will end with a number by Tony nominee Patina Miller.
Broadway Bares has become one of the signature events of BC/EFA, with 20 editions of the show raising more than $7.5 million. BC/EFA is a nonprofit fundraising and grant-making organization devoted to helping people with AIDS and other critical illnesses throughout the United States.
Don’t miss this chance to see Broadway’s most talented dancers bare it all!
(And after the jump, get a little video preview of what’s in store…)
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Image via Broadway Bares.
Summer is heating up and so are preparations for the annual Broadway Bares show. Featuring some of the sexiest performers from the New York stage, this year’s burlesque extravaganza, Masterpiece, is so close (June 19) you can almost touch it.
But if you just can’t wait for a little taste of what’s to come, head over to Splash (50 W. 17th Street) this Monday night at 7pm to mix and mingle with 30 of the hottest men and women spotlighted in Masterpiece‘s opening number. Plus, toss your hat (or shirt) into the ring for a huge raffle with prizes including tickets to Broadway Bares & Anything Goes, autographed CDs from Sutton Foster, classes at PNT Fitness, memberships to DavidBartonGym and much more. But, honestly, when you get a chance to chat with these smoking hot dancers, everybody wins.
All proceeds go to the amazing programs of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, so if you can’t make it Monday night, donate online here.
Still not sold? After the jump, we’ve got some extra spicy pics of just a few members of the cast you’ll meet, up close and in person, at Splash…
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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. And Mr. April is…
Photo by Mark Bradley Miller.
Name: Nick Kenkel
Hometown: South Bend, Indiana
Current Show/Role: Catch Me If You Can – Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain/Swing
The best part of the show I’m in now is: It has some beautiful power ballads that will give you chills and make you feel some genuine emotions about love, life, and regret. 2nd best: When I go on I get to be a handsome dancing man and not a cartoon, animal, or glorified prop.
The worst job in show business I ever had was: I danced for two Bat Mitzfah parties …and swore never again. Got tricked into doing another one last Halloween damnit.
If I wasn’t an actor, I would be: An accountant. I was an accountant before; a C.P.A for Arthur Andersen before the Enron scandal took down the firm. Thank God, for opportunities that present themselves to pursue your dreams!
Cape, mask or spandex tights? Cape, I wanted to fly when I was a kid.
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Arcadia. Photo by Carol Rosegg.
They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb but clearly “they” weren’t talking about Broadway theater. It’s like a twenty car pile-up of show openings out there, everyone trying to crash the party before the Tony eligibility deadline on April 28. Right now, there are overworked publicists surviving on nothing more than leftover pigs-in-a-blanket and fumes from their overheating blackberries. Pray for them. Here are a few bits and bobs to keep our energy up:
The new play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo opens tonight for a limited 16 week run on Broadway. The critical reaction to Robin Williams’ performance should be interesting to watch (and I’ll chime in next week in April’s “To See or Not To See” round-up.)- The box office results are in and it looks like people are responding to the fizzy (and slightly filthy) fellas of Priscilla Queen of the Desert as well as the revival of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. In a perfect world, Arcadia would be raking in Wicked-dough for years to come.
We’ve made it through our first month and I want to thank everybody for reading and commenting; this should be a conversation between friends so jump on in and let me know what you’d like to see more (or less) of. Keep up with posts by joining us on Facebook. And, finally, take a look back at some popular stories from March you may have missed:
Image via Youtube
‘Tis the Season! Well, not that season—though there will be bells jingled. No, ‘tis the season for stripping or so it would seem from all the fundraisers planned in the run-up to Broadway Bares: Masterpiece, the annual burlesque-style charity event coming this June 19. The first package being unwrapped is a night of teases by some of the fittest—and bravest—men of the Great White Way called Broadway Bares: Solo Strips. Bring your dollar bills (it’s for charity—make ‘em tens) to Splash on Sunday, April 3 at either 8 or 10pm and catch cast members from Memphis, Spider-Man, Catch Me If You Can and more showing off their dance moves and their dance belts. In a sense, it’s a nostalgic return to 1992 and the very origins of Broadway Bares, when Tony-winner Jerry Mitchell and six friends climbed up on the bar at Splash to raise money. Or it’s just a reason to see sexy guys get almost naked. Either way, everybody—including the amazing programs of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS—wins.
After the jump, see a video from last year’s Solo Strips but be warned: unless you’re a scout for Playgirl Magazine, this is not safe viewing for work.
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Photo by Andrew Eccles
Put your money in fig leaf futures because the bawdy folks at Broadway Bares have announced that their 2011 edition will be a salute to great works of (naughty) art, titled Broadway Bares XXI: Masterpiece. Featuring the hottest Broadway dancers in elaborate burlesque numbers, the Broadway Bares series is not only the most entertaining charity event of the year, but it has also raised over $7.5 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. When the curtain rises—and the clothes fall—for two shows on Sunday, June 19, I’m guessing Greek statuary will come to life, the Mona Lisa will reveal why she’s smiling and auction paddles will be put to less than orthodox use.
Catch a glimpse of two more enticing posters for the event after the jump.
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