"Hadestown" leads in Outer Critics Circle nominations, followed by "Tootsie" and "Oklahoma!"; Disney plans revival of "Beauty and the Beast"; “Sea Wall/A Life" headed to Broadway this summer; Phylicia Rashad to direct "Blue" on Broadway next spring; Mel Brooks will play a two night residency at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre; MCC announces 2019-2020 season; "The Boys in the Band" cast to reunite for Netflix adaptation; "Survivor: The Destiny's Child Musical" will premiere in Houston; Noah Galvin to join the cast of "Waitress"; “The Lehman Trilogy" eyes Broadway; "Nowhere Boy" musical in development; "The Prom" to receive YA novel treatment; cast album news update; RIP Harvey Sabinson
All tagged Oklahoma!
Jackie Sibblies Drury's "Fairview" wins the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Laurie Metcalf, Eddie Izzard, Russell Tovey, and Patsy Ferran to star in 2020 Broadway revival of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; "Oklahoma!" musical television series in development; 2019-2020 seasons announced at Off-Broadway's Signature Theatre and Playwright's Horizons; "Grease" movie prequel is in the works; Mike Faist will play Riff in “West Side Story" film; Olga Merediz, Gregory Diaz IV, Jimmy Smits join "In the Heights" film; Lila Neugebauer to make film debut; RIP Georgia Engel
REVIEW: Reinterpreted for today, “Oklahoma!” on Broadway is a must-see
Fresh from an acclaimed Off-Broadway run, director Daniel Fish’s reinterpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s groundbreaking 1943 musical “Oklahoma!” completely deconstructs this canonical and totemic masterpiece of American musical theatre by stripping it of its corn and highlighting the darker themes of violence and injustice that have always been simmering underneath. Sexually charged and presented with a striking naturalism, this bold new production is a revelation and a must-see.
"Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" cancels pre-Broadway tryout; "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" books the Broadshurt; “Network” extends to June; Roundabout announces 2020 Off-Broadway season; "Oklahoma!" cast announced; Annie Golden to headline "Broadway Bounty Hunter"; Claybourne Elder and Bryce Pinkham to lead "Benny & Joon"; private reading of "The Prince of Egypt" held in London; Rob Zombie floats "House of 1,000 Corpses" musical; union controversy over musical orchestrators playing in the pit band; RIP Mark Bramble and Stanley Donen
"The Band's Visit" to close April 7th; "Anastasia" to close March 31st; Public Theater announces summer line up in the Park; "Oklahoma!" joins the Gun Neutral Initiative; Fox cancels "Hair"; USPS issues Gregory Hines stamp; buzz builds for transfer of British musical “Six”; Laura Collins-Hughes defends physical, printed programs; photos of the Mark Hellinger Theatre
FEATURE: Top 10 Shows of 2018
By my count, I’ve attended 246 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2018. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten favorite shows I saw in New York (including no new musicals and only three Broadway shows!).
"Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" to close December 30th and “Once On This Island" to close January 6th; rumor is “Girl from the North Country” will take the Lunt-Fontanne; wishful thinking is "Oklahoma!" will take the Circle in the Square; "Falsettos" tour will feature Nick Adams, Eden Espinosa, and Max von Essen; watch Cher and Stephanie J. Block sing "If I Could Turn Back Time", and the Netflix trailer for "Springsteen on Broadway"; read a travel Q&A with Patti LuPone; RIP Stephen Hillenburg and John Wulp
NOTES: The New York Pops perform the “Best of Broadway”
Last night at Carnegie Hall, the New York Pops presented “Song and Dance: The Best of Broadway”, a concert celebration of musical theatre’s finest orchestral selections, featuring the Essential Voices USA chorus and dancers from New York Theatre Ballet.
REVIEW: Not your Aunt Eller’s “Oklahoma!”
Director Daniel Fish delivers a glorious and terrifying production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s groundbreaking 1943 musical “Oklahoma!” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, completely deconstructing this canonical and totemic masterpiece of American musical theatre by stripping it of its corn and highlighting the darker themes of violence and injustice that have always been simmering underneath. Sexually charged and presented with a striking naturalism, this masterful new production is a revelation.