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 Seminarand 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?
Audra McDonald & Ricky Martin & the Cast of "Mary Poppins" at the 2012 Easter Bonnet Competition. Photo by Monica Simoes.
It’s time to dress you up in our love of theater with a very fashion forward news roundup…
Broadway put on one heck of an Easter Bonnet this year as the proverbial hat was passed to the tune of $3,677,855 raised for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The winning chapeau went to the company of Mamma Mia during a song and dance packed event featuring big stars like Audra McDonald and Ricky Martin.
John Carrol. Photo by Kevin McDermott.
In any sort of clothes (or out of them) our very own Theater Buff John Carroll is a special guy. And now the Advocate magazine has named him one of their Forty Under 40, “leaders in media, politics, sports, and science, [who] are facilitating our future”.
Cinderellais getting another makeover…and we aren’t just talking a snazzy dress made by mice. A new version of the classic fairytale is headed to Broadway next season using Rogers & Hammerstein songs from their various TV incarnations and from their catalog and featuring a new book by Douglas Carter Beane (Lysistrata Jones). Laura Osnes (Anything Goes) and Santino Fontana (Brighton Beach Memoirs) will star and Mark Brokaw (The Lyons) is slated to direct.
The 2011-2012 Broadway season officially came to a close this week with three more openings. And what did the all-powerful New York Times have to say about the final arrivals (in the spirit of our sartorial roundup theme): Don’t Dress for Dinnerfeels like hand-me-downs, Leap of Faith might need to head back to the tailor and The Columnistlays star John Lithgow bare. (I’m seeing Leap this weekend so I’ll have my take next week.)
Feel like getting decked out in gold? How about just lining yourself with the latest awards nominations from the Drama Desk. Their list is out and features a mixture of Off-Broadway and Broadway, a bunch of shows not eligible because of previous consideration (to confuse you Tony predictors) and a pack leading 10 nominations for Follies and Death Takes a Holliday.
Everyone’s favorite theater-inspired web series Submissions Only ends its second season today with a totally bedazzled final episode, embellished with some serious spangly star power. Guest stars included Jessie Tyler Ferguson, Nick Jonas, Harvey Fierstein, Lin-Manuel Miranda and the dancing boys of Newsies.
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!
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.
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.
