65th Annual Tony Awards...Neil Patrick Harris hosts! Chris Rock, Alec Baldwin & Steve Colbert guest!

Acting hopefuls are skillfully preparing their acceptance speeches to ensure a rude musical burp doesn't strike up from the orchestra pit and humiliate 'em, the red carpet has been steam-cleaned and readied to roll out on a bustling New York Street, and a gang of celebrated presenters are waiting in-the-wings and at-the-ready to trot out on stage and wow their adoring fans (and all the little people) below the footlights.

Of course, charismatic Neil Patrick Harris is tweaking his tux right about now (and tweeting his avid followers), as he prepares to saunter into the glare of the spotlight and host the 65th annual Tony Awards once again!

Expect the unexpected!

With the likes of - Chris Rock, Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams slated to utter up their particular brand of humor live tonight to a packed house - anything goes (and probably will!).

Uh-huh!

There will probably be a "Weiner" weener joke or ten, for starters.

They're cheaper by the dozen, I understand.

No doubt, aging Lothario - Alec Baldwin - will be prompted to tease the audience about his run for Mayor of the "Big Apple" on the heels of the Weinergate scandal!

Tin Pan Alley will never be the same, just betcha!

The "Spiderman" production will probably rustle up a poke or two from the rank-and-file in attendance, too.

Oh, what a web those Broadway producers weave in the same of show biz!

Personally, I've be keeping an eye-out for all the fashion disasters sure to parade their way out onto the celebrated stage before you can quip "Nicole Kidman" (courtesy of the Country Music Awards).

There'll be quite a bit of spit and polish in evidence, though.

After all, the Tony Awards are always a class act, all the way.

A handful of the nominees this year include seasoned pro Al Pacino (Best Actor / Merchant of Venice); Patti LuPone (Best Performance in a featured role in a Musical); Joel Grey & George C. Wolf (Best Play Direction); How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Best Musical Revival).

See 'ya there!

http://www.thetattler.biz

HAIR...returns to Broadway July 5th! Gerome Ragni rock musical timeless in appeal!

 



HAIR, the entertaining rock musical hit - authored by good friend Gerome Ragni - is going to land at the St. James Theatre in New York once it wraps up a National Tour in the next few months.

As I noted in a prior post - Ragni was anxious to cast me in the Toronto production - which was unveiled in all its joyous glory at the Alexandria Theatre at the tail-end of the heady 60's.

Just a few weeks ago, I trotted down to the Pantages Theatre to catch the latest raucous stage revival, which hasn't lost any of its appeal over the years.

Post: 01/21/2011

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2011/01/haira-celebration-life-horrors-of-war.html

The tie-dyed celebration of life will open July 5th and run for 10 weeks 'til September 10th.

The Broadway encore will feature a celebrated mix of cast members from the 2009 revival (with Darius Nichols as Hud and Kacie Sheik as Jeanie) in addition to talented performers from the tour such as the ever-popular Steel Burkhardt (Berger), Paris Remillard (Claude), and Caren Lyn Tackett (Sheila) who pranced on the boards in the pre-Broadway run of the Central Park Revival (2008).

My "Body" is walking in space, alright!

Uh-huh!

Catch the Broadway launch - a must-see musical extravaganza - just betcha!

See 'ya there!

http://www.thetattler.biz



The naughty sexy tribe!

Hair...a celebration life! Horrors of War still impact in Pantages production!

As soon as the last number ends with a hair-rising rendition of  "Let the Sun Shine In"  at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, the audience spontaneously springs to their feet with a rousing standing ovation for the talented cast of the 60's Musical Revival.

Minutes later - without much urging from the actors - ecstatic theatre-goers dash up on to the festive stage to partake in a mystical ritual of dancing and clapping at the close of the well-written Musical.

The Stage Revival - now on tour around the country - is definitely a celebration of life!

In one ribald scene, where the cast sing out joyously about having - "my teeth", glorious "hair", and a hot a** - it is quite evident that the rock musical is also an insightful foray into the elusive world of the inner confines (and erotic fantasies) of mind, body, and soul.

And - the message of LOVE and PEACE resonates just as soundly today - as it did over forty years ago when it first hit the Broadway Stage in NYC.

When the storyline drifts into controversial territory - on such thought-provoking issues as the draft and an unpopular War - Hair delivers up a punch that offers up relevant commentary that smacks of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Talk about timely!

The horrors of War still impact!

To the instinctive heads of that era - it was quite apparent in their own naive way - that it was intrinsically wrong to rampantly rape, pillage, kill, - and pit Nation against Nation - in the name of protecting the free world!

In contrast, the visionary material also uncannily manages to underscore how different the youth of today are compared to the "hippies" of that bygone era.

After all, in the wake of  9/11 - honor, duty, and serving one's country - became values worth fighting for!

Although some of the references to LBJ (a former U.S. President) and IBM (long before Bill Gates sauntered into the PC Marketplace with compact desktop computers) date the material - in their context - they appear to matter little to enthusiastic theatre-goers who have been packing the house since opening night.

Although some of the directing is a bit pedestrian at times - Hair is a delightful production - that would have benefitted from a bit of judicious pruning here-and-there with the ultimate aim of moving along the pace a tad.

A couple of stand-out poignant ballads are show-stoppers, too!

Members of the audience are particuarly thrilled with the interaction that goes on between the cast and ticket-holders each night once the show gets underway.

At one point - two characters in the stage hit- step out of the Orchestra to offer up a segment of comic relief that is both dazzling and entertaining.

Hair was quite the personal experience for me! 

In fact, I got a little teary-eyed.

Ah, the memories!

Readers of the Tattler may recall that I posted a promo for the two-act musical in which I recalled my friendship with Book & Lyric contributor Gerome Ragni.

Post: 12/26/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/12/hairmemories-of-gerome-ragni-rock.html

Both Jerry & I lived and breathed the engaging material - hence - the reason why the words jump out from the page and touch musical-lovers magically in what has proven to be a memorable Stage experience that will not be long forgotten.

In fact, a number of the lyrics are catchy, amusing, and insightful!

Rush Tickets may be purchased on the night of the performance for $25.00.

Such a deal!

Catch it if you can, you won't regret it.

http://www.thetattler.biz/

Pee Wee Herman...Broadway show opens in N.Y.

Paul Rubens is expected to make a big splash on Broadway next week when a stage production featuring a character he created hits the boards at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

The Pee Wee Herman Show was based on Paul Ruben's alter-ego and was an award-winning children's series that ran on CBS from 1986 -1991.

Rubins also met with theatrical success with the feature film release of " Pee Wee's Big Adventure "and the sequel "Big Top Pee Wee" .

The Pee Wee Herman show is based on the popular Television show "Pee Wee’s Playhouse" of yesteryear.

Understandably, a cast of familiar characters will take the stage, in the  new incaration on the stage in Tin Pan Alley.

Audiences will be cracking up over the wild shenanigans of - Mailman Mike, Cowboy Curtis, Ms. Yvonne, and Jambi - for starters.

The comic actually “tested” the  material - slated for its Broadway run - in what amounted to out-of-town previews.

Before Rubins  landed the backing for the New York stage show, he performed a version of his new project in Hollywood to sold out audiences.

In fact, if I recall correctly, the production was extended to accommodate the demand for tickets.

When Pee Wee appeared on Jimmy Fallon the other night, it was obvious the zany comic's timing is as impecable as ever.

Mr. Rubens is witty, insightful, and a unique talent in the final analysis.

Break a leg, Pee Wee!

Info & Tickets

http://www.peewee.com/

http://www.thetattler.com

Addams Family...turning profit on Broadway despite bad critiques! Entertaining & Popular...

Depsite dismal reviews in April, when the curtain first went  up on The Addams Family on Broadway, the madcap production - adapted from the hit TV show of yesteryear - has soared to the top of the heap with a respectable rank in the top three.

And, when the Tony Awards passed the quirky production by, industry-insiders were prediciting doom and gloom.

But, John Doe and a posse of out-of-towners (in particular those who saunter into the Big Apple for a dinner and Broadway Show) don't pay much attention to the critics.

As the old saying goes:

"I may not know much about Art, but I know what I like."

Obviously, this truism carries over to live! stage! comedy bill-of-fare along the lines of the off-beat Addams Family.

Theatre-goers have also been scrambling to pluck up coveted tickets for - The Lion King and Wicked - while sure contenders (award-winners who got the nod) have been left in the dust behind all the glitz and glamour of Tin Pan Alley to duke it out with tough competition on the gloomy sidelines.

According to show-biz sources, the entertaining comedy - starring Nathan Lane - has mustered up a whopping fifty percent "pay back" to date - to the original backers of the show - with no end in sight.

Hopefully, during the end run, no one whistles back stage.

Who wants to tempt fate, after all?

TV Cast of Addams Family!

http://www.julianayrs.com

All Stars Project...Castillo Theatre presents Poetry Snap! Stimulating Theatre on April 17th, 24th & 25th!

Hot young poets from the mean streets of New York City causing a big buzz in performance circles of late, will be delivering up their rhymes and rants at the All Stars Project on 42nd Street on April 17th, 24th, and 25th.

Yup, just three performances!

The thought-provoking show - Poetry Snap: Word on the Street - was directed by Michael Alcide and Darnelle Cadet.

According to the producers, Snap is "a new hip-hop theatre form, an integrated performance of new hard-hitting, provocative (and often tender) poems woven into an evening of stimulating theatre by an ensemble of socially-engaged poet/performers".

Featured Poets
Kristina Acheampong, Michael Alcide, Darnelle Cadet, Aadanis Dempster, Andrea Harrison, Shaneequa O'Connor, Johanny "Jay" Paulino, Christina Tapia, and Serge Velez.

Theatre
All Stars Project
543 West 42nd Street
New York, New York

Performances
Show times: 7:30 p.m. (all nights)

Info: http://www.broadway.com

http://www.julianayrs.com