REVIVALS
There are several revivals soming to Broadway with some of my favorite actors. I usually don't go for revivals much but they are really bringing out the big guns here:
A CHORUS LINE
http://www.achorusline.com/
Wow wow wow! I absolutely love the music for this show. And while it ran for a million years I missed it. I was a tiny kid when it opened and it wasn't even on my radar when it closed in 1990, though my love of theater was blooming. So I am beyong excited to see this show on Broadway. One of my favorites, Charlotte D'Amboise, is starring in it along with Deidre Goodwin along with a huge cast of established performers and newcomers. I mean, I even love the horrible movie version of it (of course Terrence Mann being in the movie has a little something to do with that, lol!) I can't wait!!
AND there is already a new cast recording coming out!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=11484
COMPANY
Does much need to be said here? It's Sondheim! And one of my FAVORITES - Raul Esparza!!! This show is, of course, brilliant and Raul can do no wrong in my eyes (well there was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but I've already forgotten all about that, ha.) I have very high hopes for this one. I just wish Marcy Harriell was in the cast because was anazing in the Kennedy Center staging a few years ago. Ahhh Raul is back! Did I mention that? YAY!
And of course there is...
LES MISERABLES
Is it ridiculous that they are reviving this show after closing five minutes ago. Absolutely. Do I care? No! And I am thrilled? YES! It's not Broadway without Les Miz for me. I remember obsessing over this show for all of high school up until it closed. I can recite every word. An all-time classic. And the casting is strange, intriguing, and fun for this version. Daphne Rubin Vega as Cosette? Unconventional, surprising, and really cool. And Norm Lewis as Javert? Another shocking and cool choice. Plus there's Celia Keenan Bolger as Eponine (sad to see her leave Spelling Bee but I'm excited to see her in Les Miz.) Supposedly the run is only for 6 months and it's widely rumored that the run will be open-ended.
The new musical I am most excited to see is...
HIGH FIDELITY
There are many reasons why this is the show I am anticipating most. It's based on Nick Hornby's incredible novel which was famously turned into a great movie a few years back that I also love. I've read the book twice and seen the movie countless times. The movie-turned-into-musical genre is not my favorite but the source material for this is close to my heart and I'm excited to see it. I have a four-track demo of the show and I've fallen in love with it.
There is also my latest Broadway crush, Will Chase, in the lead role. It's cliche but he could sing the phone book and I would go see him sing it. I think he is one of the most underrated performers in theater there is. I hope this shines a bright light on him. Plus there's Jenn Colella, Matt Caplan and it's composed by Sh-K-Boom friends Tom Kitt and Amanda Green. Woo hoo!!!
SPRING AWAKENING
I love that this show is transferring to Broadway. It was staged off-Bway by The Atlantic Theater Compnay and I didn't have a chance to see it. It's a new dramatic musical starring a relatively unknown cast with a rock score by Duncan Sheik, This has been in the works for a long time and I'm sad I missed the original run so I'm excited to see it on a Broadway stage.
MARY POPPINS
Why? Because who doesn't love Mary Poppins? I am not of the Disney-On-Broadway-Hater camp. I love what they've done for Broadway, for Times Square, and aside from Tarzan I think they produce fun, guilty-pleasure theater. Mary Poppins has been playing quite successfully in The West End and I'm sure the Broadway run will have as much, if not more, success. Though I doubt I'll be seeing this very soon. Tickets on the weekends are already sold out for months and the prices are sky high. It's all very Lion King-esque in that way. But I guess I'll have the next decade of two to see it.
That's pretty much it for now. There are quite a bit more shows coming this season. I will bore you all with news of the others in the future. :o)
***
But before I go and get dressed and leave my computer there are two plays I wanted to touch on. I don't have a real handle on the new and revived plays for this season yet but I know I want to see...
THE COAST OF UTOPIA (MARATHON)
Now this is a tough one. It's a huge epic in three parts. Each production will open a few weeks apart from each other. Once all three open, there will be a few Saturdays where you can see all three in succession in one day. Talk about a marathon! It's written by Tom Stoppard and the cast is ridiculous - Billy Crudup, Richard Easton, Josh Hamilton, Ethan Hawke, Amy Irving, Brían F. O'Byrne, Martha Plimpton and on and on. Talk about ambitious! I don't know how I'll have the cash or the time to catch all three but I'm certainly going to try.
and last but not least, THE VERTICAL HOUR
I know pretty much nada about this one. Just that JULIANNE MOORE IS IN IT! Wow wow wow!
Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone!
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