In honor of the Olympic games, this week’s theater news wrap-up will be extra speedy (with, I hope, bonus points for style). On your mark, get set, GO…
Marcus Stevens, Natalie Charlé Ellis, Jenny Lee Stern and (kneeling) Scott Richard Foster in "Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking". Photo by Carol Rosegg.
- Something wicked (and wickedly awesome) this way comes as the ever-popular, star-skewering Forbidden Broadway makes a triumphant return this week. The limited run officially opens in September and promises all-new parodies of Porgy and Bess, Once, The Book of Mormon and Spider-Man. And if I were Ricky Martin, I’d be preparing myself for some ribbing about left arm acting.
- The New York Post is reporting that Cheyenne Jackson will be playing an adult film star opposite Henry Winkler (the Fonz!) in The Performers on Broadway this fall. That’s some casting I can get behind.
- The hit Off-Broadway revival of Closer Than Ever is getting two new leading ladies for its extension, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan (Miss Siagon) and, one of our faves, Julia Murney (Wicked). I’m checking it out this weekend so watch for a review later this week.
- Another Off-Broadway hit is proving pundits wrong and settling in for a longer run. The acclaimed drama Tribes announced an extension through January 6, 2013.
- For you cast recording collectors out there, big news as four unexpected CDs are dropping (ooh, that’s some music biz slang). Ghostlight Records preserves the original cast of Michael John LaChiusa’s latest Queen of the Mist and upstart Broadway Records is offering completists downloads or CDs of Bonnie & Clyde, Lysistrata Jones and Nick Jonas: Songs from How to Succeed…
- And finally, two dates to add to your calendar: the always-popular free concert Broadway on Broadway is scheduled for 11:30am on September 9th and the Broadway transfer of the London smash Matilda: The Musical is scheduled to begin previews March 4, 2013 at the Shubert Theatre.