It's Official: David Cromer is a "Genius"

This article was originally published in the September 29th issue of the TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.

Chicago director David Cromer is among twenty-three individuals who were named as recipients of the MacArthur Fellows Program (otherwise known as the MacArthur “Genius” Grant). According to the MacArthur Foundation, Cromer is “reinvigorating classic American plays and illuminating their relationship to the present.”

The award has a monetary value of $500,000, paid out over five years. The MacArthur Foundation explains that the awards aren’t given as rewards for past accomplishments, but instead are “an investment in a person’s originality, insight, and potential” and the purpose of the program is “to enable recipients to exercise their own creative instincts for the benefit of human society.” Recipients are allowed to use the money for whatever they choose, from new projects to living expenses. Cromer has spoken of the opportunity the award will give him to return to his roots in small, experimental Chicago theatres.

Cromer began his theatrical work in Chicago, directing popular productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and William Inge’s Picnic. His great skill at interpretation and directing soon led to the short-lived Broadway production of Brighton Beach Memoirs and the recent Off-Broadway Our Town, which began life in Chicago. He is set to direct Nicole Kidman in Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth next fall, and has his name attached to virtually every planned remounting of classic American plays.



Links

A profile of Cromer at the MacArthur Foundation’s site, with a video interview.

The complete list of recipients.


Additional Reading

2008 New York Times profile of Cromer by Charles Isherwood.

Kennedy Center and Sondheim Honor Teachers

This article was originally published in the September 29th issue of the TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.


The Kennedy Center recently announced that, in honor of Stephen Sondheim, it is starting a new program that will award grants to outstanding teachers. The “Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards” are $10,000 grants that will be awarded to several teachers annually on Sondheim’s birthday, March 22.

The awards are not limited to teachers in artistic fields, and nominations are open to the public. For more information on guidelines and instructions on how to nominate an inspirational teacher, visit the link below.


The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards.

"Lion King" Returns to Chicago

This article was originally published in the September 29th issue of the TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.


For the first time in five years, The Lion King is returning to Chicago. Produced by Broadway in Chicago, the popular musical opens at the Cadillac Palace Theatre September 29 and runs through November 7.


Links

The Lion King at Broadway in Chicago’s website.

Arena Stage: Refreshed and Revived

This article was originally published in the September 27th issue of the TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.



In Washington, D.C., another major theatre reopens next month. Arena Stage has undergone a major remolding that took $135 million and 30 months. Arena has a reputation for the development and discussion of theatre, which it hopes to continue in the unique new building despite financial stresses.

The new Arena Stage officially opens October 23, but you can see a video preview and an excellent photo tour at the links below.



Links

Washington Post article.


Another Post article, which includes a video.


A multimedia tour of the new building.

Chicago's Newest Venue: The Broadway Playhouse

This article was originally published in the triweekly TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.



Broadway in Chicago is bringing a newly-remodeled theatre venue to the windy city. Previously known as the Drury Lane Water Tower, the 549-seat theatre has undergone renovations throughout the summer. On September 24, the venue reopened as the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

On its opening weekend, the Broadway Playhouse hosted the currently touring cabaret act of Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women). Next February, the venue’s first major production will be a newly-revised version of the musical Working, based on the book by Studs Terkel and featuring music by Stephen Scwartz and others. This revised Working will also feature new material by the Tony-winning In the Heights creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.



Links

Official page at Broadway in Chicago’s website.


A review of Sutton Foster’s performance from the Chicago Tribune.

"Rabbit Hole" Film Announces Release

This article was originally published in the triweekly TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.

In addition to recent news that Nicole Kidman is returning to Broadway, it was announced last week that her Rabbit Hole film would be released in a limited run on December 17. The film, also starring Dianne Wiest, Aaron Eckhart and Sandra Oh, will be released across the country on January 14.

The film is an adaptation of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, which ran in New York in 2006. The original New York production also snagged a Tony Award for Best Actress for Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City).

In addition to starring, Kidman is also producing Rabbit Hole, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month.

Links

Playbill.com article.

Two clips from the film (YouTube).

Additional Reading

Rabbit Hole – the film (Wikipedia).

Rabbit Hole – the play (Wikipedia).

David Lindsay-Abaire (Wikipedia).

Polanski's "God of Carnage" Film Cast

This article was originally published in the triweekly TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. To subscribe (for free), enter your e-mail address in the form on the right side of this page.

The film version of God of Carnage, adapted by Roman Polanski, has announced its cast. Set to begin shooting in February 2011, the film will star Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and Matt Dillon. The film will be set in Brooklyn, but Polanski's current legal troubles require production to occur in France.

The original play by French playwright Yasmina Reza was a hit on Broadway, running from March 2009 to June 2010. Starring Marcia Gay Harden, James Gandolfini, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis, the production won Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Director.

Links

Playbill.com article.

God of Carnage (Wikipedia).

Yasmina Reza (Wikipedia).

Selection from the latest issue: Broadway at the White House

On July 19, the White House hosted a Broadway concert as part of the White House Music Series, which featured many notable singers (including Nathan Lane, Elaine Stritch, Idina Menzel, Brian d'Arcy James and Audra McDonald). The concert was held in the East Room and featured mostly songs from recent Broadway productions, with a few classics in the mix.

PBS taped the concert, and will broadcast it on October 20 as a special entitled "A Broadway Celebration" as part of its continuing series "In Performance at the White House." See below for the link to view the entire concert online.

Links

Playbill.com provides the full list of songs and performers.

A recap and review from the Washington Post (including some dish on Elaine Stritch's massive lyrics flub), with a small photo gallery.

PBS's website, where the video will be available after broadcast.

Selection from Issue #7 - "Scottsboro Boys": The Guthrie to Broadway

The new Kander & Ebb musical The Scottsboro Boys finishes its run at The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis this weekend. After an acclaimed Off-Broadway run last spring directed by Susan Stroman, many expected a transfer directly to Broadway, but the producers had difficulty finding a theatre that suited the show. Now, Scottsboro will transfer from Minneapolis to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre, begging previews on October 7 and opening on October 31.

The musical, completed after lyricist Fred Ebb's death, tells the story of an infamous 1931 civil rights case in which nine black teenagers were convicted by an all-white jury of raping two white women. Their death sentences were overturned by the Supreme Court, but despite flimsy evidence and unreliable testimony from victims, their convictions were held up by the courts. Kander and Ebb set the story within the framework of a minstrel show, evoking their previous vaudeville-influenced successes Cabaret and Chicago.

With this weekend being the last opportunity to see Scottsboro at The Guthrie, we thought we'd take a look back at news and reviews of the original Off-Broadway production, and look forward to the Broadway opening.

Links

In the New York Post, Michael Riedel gives a rundown of the Off-Broadway production, including a video of star Brandon Victor Dixon singing a ballad from the show.

Ben Brantley of the New York Times reviews the original Off-Broadway run. 

A Broadway.com video including interviews with the cast and creators. 

Further Reading

The Guthrie's official site.

The official site of the Broadway production.

Kander & Ebb (Wikipedia).

Issue #5 Out Now

Hello there! On Monday, we sent out Issue #5 of TheatreZine, the e-mail magazine filled with theatre news for busy people. TheatreZine is a tri-weekly magazine filled with a selection of the latest, more important theatre news from across the country. We publish TheatreZine because we know that thousands of people are wasting time sifting through headline after headline on a whole list of websites, just trying to keep up with the news. We also know that there are many others who are interested in theatre, but not enough to bother seeking out news on a regular basis. We offer TheatreZine as a free, spam-free, easy solution.

Below, you'll find a couple selections from Issue #5. Also in the latest issue is information on Broadway in Chicago's spring 2011 season, what's opening soon on Broadway, and more.

If you want to receive the whole issue, for free, you can subscribe using the box on the right side of this page.

Enjoy your theatre news!

Selection from Issue #5 - "Promises" to Close, Despite Popularity

Recently, the producers of the Broadway revival of Promises, Promises (starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth) announced that it will close on January 2. The New York Times quickly started speculating, and one of the lead producers, Beth Williams, responded.

According to Williams, it all comes down to the loss of Hayes and Chenoweth. While the production is expected to recoup its initial investment in the coming weeks, the cost involved in replacing the two leads would apparently be too much to handle. However, she does mention the possibility of putting the show out on tour.

Additional Links:

Promises, Promises Official Site.

Selection from Issue #5 - Nicole Kidman and David Cromer are Broadway-Bound

On Friday, Michael Reidel at the New York Post announced that Nicole Kidman will return to Broadway next fall in a production of Sweet Bird of Youth by Tennessee Williams. The play will be directed by David Cromer, whose recent off-Broadway production of Our Town was hailed by audiences and critics alike.

Additional Links:

Sweet Bird of Youth (Wikipedia.)

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This blog serves as a preview of the TheatreZine e-mail newsletter. By subscribing, you get the latest theatre news delivered to your inbox three times a week, along with helpful links and additional materials that are only included in the e-mail form.

It's theatre news for busy people. Because, let's face it: You have more important things to do with your time than sift through website after website every day just to keep up with the news. With TheatreZine, we do the sifting for you.

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Issue #4 - Steppenwolf Announces "Virginia Woolf" Cast

Steppenwolf Announces Virginia Woolf Cast

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of its upcoming production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Earlier this year, Steppenwolf ensemble members Tracy Letts and Amy Morton were announced as George and Martha. Last week, the Chicago institution rounded out the cast with Carrie Coon as Honey and Madison Dirks as Nick.

The production, directed by noted Albee interpreter Pam MacKinnon, runs from December 2 to February 13 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre.

Additional Links:

Broadwayworld.com article with more detailed info and a photo of Letts and Morton.

Explore the rest of Steppenwolf's season at the official site.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Wikipedia).

Issue #4 - "Godspell" Revival Will Be Community-Funded

You may already be familiar with the term "crowd funding." (Wikipedia.) The community-based distribution of funding has seen a huge upswing recently, with the rise of Kickstarter, Kiva, and other websites. The low cost of entry into these funding avenues makes investment possible for those who don't have lots of spare cash to throw around. For $10 or $20, you can help fund a documentary film, a nonprofit health center in Africa, a community farm in India, or one of thousands of other projects.

With theatrical productions already inhabiting Kickstarter, perhaps it was only a matter of time before the trend made it to Broadway. Ken Davenport, lead producer of the upcoming Godspell revival, recently announced on his blog that the production would be "crowd-funded." For a minimum of $1,000, you can now be a Broadway producer. You even get billing! Though, with the typical rate of return of Broadway productions, you probably shouldn't count on getting any of it back.

They've set up a website specifically for the "People of Godspell", as they will be known: www.peopleofgodspell.com

Issue #4 - Actor's Spotlight: Training Across Genres

"What Can a Musical Theatre Actor Learn from a Non-Musical Theatre Coach?"

This article from Backstage has some helpful acting tips for musical theatre actors. Three non-musical theatre acting coaches share their viewpoints about acting for musical theatre, and where many actors go wrong.

Issue #3 - "The Book of Mormon" Sets Opening Date

The Book of Mormon has official dates. The new musical by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, with co-creator Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), will begin previews at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on February 24, 2011, and will open on March 24. Matt Stone will co-direct with Casey Nicholaw (Tony nominee, The Drowsy Chaperone), with Nicholaw acting as choreographer.

The new musical tells the story of two young Mormon missionaries sent to spread their gospel in a dangerous part of Uganda. Alongside their story, we hear the tale of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Links

BroadwayWorld.com feature from April.

Wikipedia.

Michael Riedel's April column in the New York Post, with some great quotes.

Issue #3 - "Light the Lights!": Sonheim Theatre Is Named

At 6:30 this evening, the marquee of the Stephen Sondheim Theatre will be lit in a ceremony featuring Patti LuPone and librettist John Weidman. Work has progressed throughout last week.

The former Henry Miller's Theatre, now operated by Roundabout Theatre Company, will be one of the few Broadway theatres to be named for a theatre artist who is living at the time of the dedication.

Issue #3 - Cirque du Soleil Moves to Radio City

Yesterday, Cirque du Soleil announced that they will bring a new production to Radio City Musical Hall next summer. They've yet to provide the show's name (or much other information, for that matter), but their official press release does lay out the creative team, including director Francois Girard (The Red Violin, Silk) and composer and musical director Nick Littlemore (protégé of Elton John). The New York Times gives us a bit more information, noting that there will be a cast of more than 70 performers and a budget of $50 million.

With this new production, Cirque du Soleil continues their effort to gain a foothold in New York. Earlier this year, the international company suffered its first major failure with "Banana Shpeel", abandoning their typical methods in favor of a more traditional, Vaudeville-style variety show. This new production, however, will return to the tried-and-true acrobatic extravaganza, thematically unified by a single concept.

Currently, Cirque plans to run the show for the next four summers. If they even come close to their past successes, the Radio City location will be an ideal spot to tap the tourist market. This new production could very well be the permanent New York presence the Montreal-based troupe has been seeking.

Additional Links:

A short New York Times article.

Wikipedia: Cirque du Soleil.

Cirque du Soleil's official website.

New Albee Work Opens

Edward Albee's latest play, "Me, Myself & I" opened yesterday. Playbill provides a rough sketch of the play, while Ben Brantley pens a middling review in the New York Times.. 

Additional Links:

"Me, Myself & I" official site at PlaywrightsHorizons.org 

Playbill.com feature on "Me, Myself & I", with thoughts from the playwright 

A 2007 Times feature on Albee

"U": Klingon Opera Premieres in the Netherlands

This weekend, a 90-seat experimental theatre in the Netherlands presented a Klingon opera (performed completely in the fictional alien language). This article from Radio Netherlands Worldwide makes some flailing attempts to give the opera meaning or context, but for us the real issue is visibility. In the media coverage of the event, the artistic merits of the work have taken a back seat. News outlets all over the world are talking about this small theatre. As one of the creators says: "Well, how's this for visibility?"

In your theatrical work, where do you draw the line between a stunt and good publicity?

Additional Links:

NPR's take on the "artifact of extreme nerdery." 

A Rock Impresario Gambles on 'Spider-Man'

Since we're just getting the ball rolling, this first issue is a simple one. We've just got one article for you this time, a feature on the producer of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." In the future, you can expect three or four articles in each issue.

A Rock Impresario Gambles on 'Spider-Man' Remember that Spider-Man musical? Well, it's still coming... When the original February opening date for "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" came and went, the creators and producers were fairly silent on the issue. The Foxwoods Theatre (formerly the Hilton Theatre) has been sitting empty since then, with "Spider-Man" advertisements plastered on the windows. But, producers promise: "It's coming soon!"  The musical, directed by Julie Taymor and featuring a score by Bono and The Edge, is projected to have a budget of $60 million dollars. With preview performances beginning November 14th, the New York Times has a feature on the show's sole producer, Michael Cohl. Additional links: "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" Official Website  Julie Taymor, Bono and The Edge on Good Morning America  Leading man Reeve Carney on Good Morning America

Starting Out

Hello, everyone!

This blog serves as a home base for TheatreZine, an e-mail magazine that features current news in the theatre world.

TheatreZine exists because your time is valuable, and we think you shouldn't have to spend so much time visiting all your bookmarked websites, scrolling and sifting through headlines just to find the important stuff. Instead, we do the searching for you.

Three times a week, we send a selection of the latest, more important theatre news directly to your inbox. This way, you can stay informed on the latest news and trends without spending hours each day scanning other websites. It's the only way to keep up in today's fast-paced, media-saturated world.

If you've already subscribed to TheatreZine by e-mail, you might want to check this blog occasionally. We're planning to use it to post other news that just can't wait for the e-mails!

Enjoy!