The Big Bad Day - Multiple Broadway Closings

Today is a tough day for Broadway, with numerous shows closing. Long-runner Hairspray, last season hits Young Frankenstein and Boeing Boeing, limited run White Christmas, and newbie 13 are among the Broadway musicals and plays shutting their doors. And over the next month, a few more shows will be shutting down, leaving many Broadway theaters barren. The good news is that the spring will usher in several new Broadway productions, including Guys and Dolls, Hair, and Waiting For Godot.

American Plan Starts On Broadway Tonight

Richard Greenberg's play The American Plan, starring Mercedes Ruehl, begins performances on Broadway today. The Manhattan Theatre Club production is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly the Biltmore Theatre) and will have its official Broadway opening on January 22.

Broadway At The Cineplex

Two recent hit Broadway plays are now playing at a movie theater near you. John Patrick Shanley's drama Doubt has been made into a film, directed by the playwright and starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The docu-drama Frost/Nixon is now a film as well, and this one has retained the two men who starred in the Broadway production, Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, as Richard Nixon and David Frost, respectively. So if you missed these top-notch plays while they graced Broadway, catch them in the movie theater now!

Piven Out, Butz and Macy In

Jeremy Piven has departed from the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow, reportedly due to high mercury levels in his system. The acclaimed Broadway revival still has 10 weeks until its run ends, and Piven fans holding tickets to the play may be upset about his sudden leave-taking. However, the powers-that-be at Speed-the-Plow have managed to find two exciting replacements. The always excellent Norbert Leo Butz, whose Broadway credits include Wicked and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, will take over the role of Bobby Gould through January 11. Then film, TV, and sometime stage star William H. Macy will play the part until the show's run concludes. Broadway lovers who have already seen Speed-the-Plow now have two good reasons to return. If you want discount tickets to see it on Broadway, get them while you still can by clicking here.

Slava's Snowshow Opens On Broadway

Slava's Snowshow officially opened on Broadway today for a limited holiday run. The Olivier Award-winning show, which also played a lengthy engagement Off-Broadway, will end its brief Broadway run at the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 4.

Broadway's Grease To Rock Out Of The Atkinson

The current Broadway revival of the musical Grease, now starring reality TV show finalists Derek Keeling and Ashley Spencer, will close in the New Year. The '50s rock 'n' roll musical will have its final performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on January 4.

Slava's Snowshow Blows Onto Broadway

Slava's Snowshow opens on Broadway tonight. The magical show featuring Russian clown Slava Polunin previously played Off-Broadway for over two years, and it is now enjoying a limited holiday engagement at Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre through January 4.

Doc About Broadway's Billys Airs Tonight

"Finding Billy," a new documentary about the casting of the three performers currently playing the title role in Billy Elliot on Broadway, airs on New York's PBS station tonight. The program offers a behind-the-scenes look at the nationwide search for three young men with the acting, singing, and dancing talent necessary to carry the lead in Broadway's hottest new musical.

Broadway Playwright William Gibson Dies

William Gibson, the writer best known for The Miracle Worker, has passed away at the age of 94. Gibson also penned the Broadway plays Two for the Seesaw and the recent hit Golda's Balcony.

Young Frankenstein and 13 To Close January

Yet another of the big musicals has posted its Broadway closing notice: Young Frankenstein will shutter on January 4, 2009. Like the soon-to-be-closing Hairspray and Spamalot, Young Frankenstein is one of those shows popular with tourists looking for a big, splashy Broadway musical. But unlike Wicked and Jersey Boys, these shows have long had middling ticket sales, meaning that the current economic woes are just too much for them to survive on Broadway. The much newer musical, 13, is also ending its run on January 4. With the cold, quiet winter months ahead, many Broadway producers have decided to pack it in right after the popular Christmas holiday, knowing that ticket sales will dip considerably in the New Year.

White Christmas Opens On Broadway

Today the stage version of Irving Berlin's White Christmas opens on Broadway. The classic film gets the big Broadway treatment just in time for the holidays. Starring Kerry O'Malley and Stephen Bogardus, the cheery musical is scheduled to play through January 4.

Broadway's Spamalot Moves Up Closing Date

Following a previous announcement that it would close on Broadway on January 18, Spamalot has moved up its closing date. The Monty Python musical is now scheduled to have its final Broadway performance on January 11, so get those discount tickets now, while you still can!

American Buffalo Opens On Broadway

The latest Broadway revival of American Buffalo, David Mamet's play about small-time crooks, opens at the Belasco Theatre today. The dark comedy stars Cedric the Entertainer, John Leguizamo, and Oscar-nominee Haley Joel Osment, making his Broadway debut.

To Be Or Not To Be Closes On Broadway

Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Nick Whitby's dark comedy To Be Or Not To Be closed on Broadway today. Based on the film of the same name, the World War II-era play suffered from bad word-of-mouth and negative reviews. MTC's next production scheduled to play the Samuel J. Friedman is Richard Greenberg's play The American Plan.

Tale of Two Cities Closes On Broadway

Broadway's A Tale of Two Cities, which previously announced a closing date of November 16, has bumped up the date and is now shuttering today. Based on the Charles Dickens novel, the French Revolutionary-set musical was a crowd-pleaser but struggled to get audiences into the theater.

Shrek Starts Broadway Performances

The new stage musical version of Shrek starts performances on Broadway today. Brian d'Arcy James, who has been on Broadway in many shows including Titanic and Sweet Smell of Success, stars as Shrek himself, and Sutton Foster (most recently seen on Broadway in Young Frankenstein) plays Princess Fiona. The big green musical will have its official opening at the Broadway Theatre on December 14.

More Broadway Closings

Spamalot won't be the only Broadway musical to close on January 18. It has just been announced that Spring Awakening will also take its final Broadway bow that day. Hairspray, too, will shut its doors at the beginning of the year, closing on January 4. Seeing such significant Broadway shows - all Tony-winning musicals, all having enjoyed a lot of box office success - go down all at once is dispiriting. It's not a very good sign for the health of Broadway. That said, the truth is that all of these shows have had less than impressive ticket sales for awhile now, so it isn't a huge surprise. To get discount tickets to these shows while they're still on Broadway, click here.

Legally Blonde Closes On Broadway Today

The Broadway production of Legally Blonde closes at the Palace Theatre on Broadway today. The 'girl power' musical, based on the Reese Witherspoon movie of the same name, will have played 595 regular Broadway performances when it ends its run this afternoon. Legally Blonde is survived by a national tour that is still scheduled to play through autumn 2009.

Spamalot To Close On Broadway In 2009

Monty Python's Spamalot has announced that it will be closing on Broadway on January 18, 2009. The Tony-winner was a sensation when it opened at the Shubert Theatre in early 2005, but ticket sales have steadily declined since the show's second year on Broadway. The Broadway musical will have played over 1,500 Broadway performances when it closes in January.

Broadway's 39 Steps Moving To Helen Hayes

The 39 Steps is moving house again. The Broadway comedy loosely based on Hitchcock's film of the same name will depart from the Cort Theatre on January 11, 2009 and re-open at the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 20. Will Ferrell's solo show will be taking its place at the Cort.

Will Ferrell Coming To Broadway In 2009

Actor/comedian Will Ferrell, who first gained fame as a Saturday Night Live regular, will make his Broadway debut on January 20, 2009 in the solo show You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W. Bush. The show will be directed by Adam McKay, Ferrell's frequent collaborator, who directed the funny man in movies Anchorman and Talladega Nights. You're Welcome America is expected to play a limited engagement through March 15.

To Be Or Not To Be Opens On Broadway

To Be Or Not To Be, the latest production of the Manhattan Theatre Club, officially opens on Broadway tonight. It is MTC's first Broadway show since re-naming their Broadway home the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly known as the Biltmore). To Be Or Not To Be, written by Nick Whitby and based on the film of the same name, has been through quite a bit of turmoil in the lead-up to its Broadway opening. Two of the play's lead actors, Craig Bierko and Brian Murray, dropped out during the rehearsal process, and word on the street is that the self-proclaimed dark comedy wasn't funny enough. It will be interesting to see the critics weigh in after tonight's opening.

[title of show] Closes October 12

Last chance alert! The new Broadway musical [title of show] has its final performance at the Lyceum Theatre on Sunday, October 12. The witty little show about two guys trying to write a Broadway musical didn't have a long life on Broadway, but it did have a passionate fan base and will hopefully continue to have a life beyond Broadway.

Broadway Bailey Goes To High School

Bailey Hanks, the talented young lady who made her Broadway debut in Legally Blonde thanks to the MTV reality show "The Search For Elle Woods," had the misfortune to learn that her Broadway run would end not long after it began, due to Blonde's impending closure on October 19. However, Bailey will bounce back quickly - not to Broadway this time, but to New Jersey. She will be playing Sharpay in the upcoming Paper Mill Playhouse production of that teenybopper sensation, High School Musical, opening in early November.

13 Opens On Broadway Today

The new musical 13, about teenagers and starring teenagers, opened this afternoon on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The bright, fun musical is about Evan, a New York City boy who tries to win over the popular kids when he's forced to move with his mom to Indiana. 13's book is by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (whose Broadway credits include Parade and Urban Cowboy).

Slava's Snowshow Coming To Broadway

Slava's Snowshow, the wintry clown show that played Off-Broadway's Union Square Theatre for a lengthy run, is coming to Broadway for the holiday season. Slava's Snowshow will play Broadway's smallest theater, the Helen Hayes, from mid-November to early January. For what is essentially an Off-Broadway show to do a limited Broadway engagement like this is somewhat unusual, but lately limited holiday-themed shows have done well on Broadway. How the Grinch Stole Christmas played short Broadway engagements the last couple years, and this winter we have Irving Berlin's White Christmas on the Great White Way. With its crowd-pleasing blizzard finale, Slava's Snowshow will add to the festive atmosphere on Broadway.

Broadway To Vegas: Lion King Goes West

The massively successful original Broadway production of The Lion King continues to run after over 10 years, and other incarnations have popped up in cities across the United States. Now the Julie Taymor-directed Disney musical based on the animated film will have a sit-down production in Las Vegas. Although many Broadway transfers have crashed and burned in Vegas, The Lion King seems like a good candidate for a successful desert city production since it is big on theatrics and recognizable songs, but short on plot. The Lion King will open at the Mandalay Bay Theatre, where Mamma Mia! is concluding its lengthy run, on May 2, 2009.

Xanadu Ends Broadway Run Today

The Broadway musical Xanadu has its final performance on Broadway this afternoon. Based on the flop film musical starring Olivia Newton-John, Broadway's Xanadu featured Kerry Butler as a Greek muse and Cheyenne Jackson as the artist who she inspired. The Tony-nominated show, featuring a slew of memorable pop songs, played over 500 performances at the Helen Hayes Theatre before having its final performance on Broadway today. Xanadu is expected to have a production in London soon.

American Psycho To Become Broadway Show

Just when we thought we'd seen it all as far as Broadway musical adaptations go, here comes the announcement that the brutally satiric Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho (also a film starring Christian Bale) is aiming to hit the Broadway stage. Producers are working to make it happen, along with the blessing of the book's author, but a creative team has yet to be announced. So far the plan is for the Broadway version of American Psycho to include a mix of original music and hit songs from the '80s.

Equus Opens On Broadway Tonight

The Broadway revival of Equus opens tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre. The production, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths (both best known from the Harry Potter franchise), comes to Broadway following a successful run in London. This limited Broadway run of Equus, scheduled to play through February 8, marks Radcliffe's Broadway debut and Griffiths return to the Great White Way - he first appeared on Broadway in The History Boys (playing a role won him a Tony Award).

Legally Blonde To Close On Broadway 10/19

The bad economy appears to be taking a heavy toll on Broadway. In just a week's time we've had closing announcements from Xanadu and [title of show], and now comes the word that Legally Blonde will have its final Broadway performance on October 19. Although the musical (based on the popular film of the same name) has managed okay during its year and a half run, Legally Blonde has had to resort to some high profile stunts in order to maintain ticket sales, such as participating in the MTV reality TV series "The Search for Elle Woods". Legally Blonde will close at Broadway's Palace Theater on October 19 having played 595 performances.

Xanadu Moves Up Broadway Closing Date

It was only a few days ago that Xanadu announced it would be ending its Broadway run on October 12, but today came the news that the campy musical will be wrapping up even earlier. Xanadu is now scheduled to have its final Broadway performance on September 28. Get discount tickets to see the show while you still can!

Broadway Performers Nab Emmy Awards

The 60th Annual Emmy Awards that aired last night could have just as easily been a Tony Awards ceremony, considering all the Broadway regulars who accepted awards. Winners Jeremy Piven (Entourage) and Dianne Wiest (In Treatment) are both appearing on Broadway this season, in Speed-the-Plow and All My Sons, respectively. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, who won for playing John and Abigail Adams, both have extensive theater credits, though Linney is more frequently seen on Broadway than Giamatti these days. Zeljko Ivanek, Eileen Atkins, and Alec Baldwin, as well as Jean Smart and Glenn Close, all honored for their TV work this year with Emmys, have traversed the Broadway stage as well.

[title of show] Announces Closing October 12

On the heels of Xanadu's announcement of its impending closing comes the news that another small musical, [title of show], is calling it quits on the same day. [title of show] was the first show of this Broadway season, opening mid-summer, and it will close having played only 102 official performances on Broadway. Because of the "insider" nature of this 'musical about writing a Broadway musical', bringing [title of show] to Broadway was always a big financial risk, but stars and creators Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell are no doubt pleased to have been able to realize their dream of making it to Broadway, even if only for a few months.

Xanadu To Close On Broadway October 12

Broadway's Xanadu, the new musical based on the infamous film musical flop, will be closing on October 12. With a new book by Douglas Carter Beane, and featuring the disco-pop songs from the movie, Xanadu is a campy, colorful laughfest that caters more to the sensibilities of Broadway fanatics. For that reason, most people didn't think it would last long, but the show snagged great reviews when it opened last summer and managed a healthy run. When it closes, Xanadu will have played 49 previews and 528 regular Broadway performances.

Broadway's Chicago Starts Post-Show Talks

Lively post-show talkbacks with cast, crew, and creative team members are a staple at regional theaters and Off-Broadway theaters, but they're less common at Broadway shows. And they're pretty much unheard of for long-running Broadway musicals. But the Tony-winning Chicago is bucking the trend by introducing "Talkback Tuesdays," a Q&A session to be held once a month following a designated performance. The first talkback at the Ambassador Theatre will be with Chicago's director, Walter Bobbie, following the September 23 performance of the show.

Forbidden Broadway Closing In January

The long-running Off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway, which appeared in its first incarnation in 1982, will be closing in January 2009. It wouldn't be the first time that composer/lyricist Gerard Alessandrini's Forbidden Broadway, a musical revue that parodies Broadway musicals and plays, took a break, so it's possible that Forbidden Broadway will return to New York soon enough.

Hair Coming To Broadway In 2009

After loads of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that the Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair will indeed make the move to Broadway. The free Public Theater production has drawn big crowds to the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park all summer, necessitating several extensions. Producers are now hoping that the 1960s "tribal love-rock musical" will be able to draw crowds to Broadway in early 2009, when the show is expected to open. Details about theater, casting, and dates have yet to be announced.

All-Teen Dress Rehearsal For Broadway's 13

The new Broadway musical 13 is holding a free teens-only dress rehearsal for the show on Saturday, September 13 at 8pm at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Teenagers aged 13-18 are invited to sign up at www.13fans.com to get a free ticket (if your request is granted, you'll get a confirmation e-mail by September 10). First come first served, one ticket per teen, and IDs will be checked at the door of the theater. Parents and guardians aren't permitted to attend this all-teen performance of 13, but nearby Planet Hollywood will be offering discounts and priority seating for adults that would like to wait there while the kids enjoy the show (details will be offered at the theater on the night of the dress rehearsal).

New EP For Broadway's Spring Awakening

Tony-winning Broadway musical Spring Awakening, which has been lauded for its rock score by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, now has a second recording that fans can enjoy along with the original Broadway cast recording. "Spring Awakening: Live from SoHo" features six tracks that composer Sheik re-arranged for a seven-piece acoustic band. Sheik himself, along with a couple original cast members and a couple from the current Broadway cast, sing on the recording. "Spring Awakening: Live from SoHo" is now available as a digital EP on iTunes.

Broadway Previews of MTC Play Delayed

To Be Or Not To Be, Nick Whitby's new stage adaptation of the famous film, will start Broadway preview performances later than planned. Instead of beginning on September 11, the play will now start on September 13. The Manhattan Theatre Club production has experienced some difficulties with casting recently, replacing leading men Craig Bierko and Brian Murray with David Rasche and Peter Maloney, respectively. To Be Or Not To Be is scheduled to have its official Broadway opening at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly the Biltmore Theatre) on October 2.

Be A Broadway Star At The Movies

Most fans of the musical Mamma Mia will never have a chance to sing its infectious ABBA songs on Broadway, but you can experience the next best thing at your local cineplex. The sing-a-long version of the new Mamma Mia film is now playing at selected movie theaters, where you can sing like a Broadway star from the comfort of your seat! Check your local movie theater listings for the Mamma Mia sing-a-long near you.

Haley Joel Osment To Make Broadway Debut

Once a gifted child actor, Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, A.I.) is now an adult and set to make his Broadway debut. The 20-year old actor will play Bobby in the upcoming Broadway revival of David Mamet's play American Buffalo, alongside the already-cast John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. The production will have its official Broadway opening at the Belasco Theatre on November 17.

Get Your Broadway Tickets In Flight

Soon In-Flight Box Office will be offering an unusual - and unnecessary? - service for New York-bound travelers. People who didn't buy their Broadway tickets in advance, and don't want to go looking for tickets on the ground, will be able to purchase Broadway tickets right there on the airplane from flight attendants equipped with special handheld devices for processing Broadway ticket orders. The "pilot" run for this service will likely be tested on American Airlines, and the only Broadway shows that will be offered are Chicago, Mamma Mia, Spamalot, and The Phantom of the Opera. Presumably a wider variety of Broadway tickets will be offered on more airlines if there is sufficient interest.

Cirque Dreams Closes On Broadway

Today is the last day of Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy's Broadway engagement at the Broadway Theatre. The limited run show will now continue a national tour that will take it to Texas next. As for the Broadway Theatre, its next tenant will be what is almost sure to be a giant Broadway hit, the new stage musical version of Shrek.

A Tale Of Two Cities Begins On Broadway

The new Broadway musical A Tale of Two Cities, based on Charles Dickens' classic novel, begins performances at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre tonight. A Tale of Two Cities is a sweeping musical epic in the style of that other sprawling book-to-Broadway adaptation, Les Miserables. Starring James Barbour (Broadway's Jane Eyre, Beauty and the Beast) and written by Broadway newcomer Jill Santoriello, A Tale of Two Cities will have its official Broadway opening on September 18.

Two Broadway Closings Today

Two Broadway shows end their runs today. The play Thurgood, starring Laurence Fishburne, concludes its limited Broadway run at the Booth Theatre, which had already been extended an extra couple weeks due to popular demand. The other closure is the Broadway revival of the musical A Chorus Line. This first Broadway revival of the groundbreaking musical was a success, quickly recouping its investment and running on Broadway for nearly two years. Of course, it was nowhere near as successful as the original Broadway production, which ran for a record-breaking 15 years (though that record was later broken by Broadway long-runners Cats and The Phantom of the Opera).

Broadway Godspell Postponed Indefinitely

Yet another Broadway postponement. The upcoming Broadway revival of the New Testament-based musical Godspell has been postponed indefinitely. This Broadway season seems to be getting off to a strange start, with a few other Broadway-bounders having already announced cancellations or -- the preferred word choice -- postponements. Speculation is that the bad economy is causing trouble for Broadway producers and backers. Here's hoping we don't see any more forthcoming Broadway shows make such an announcement.

Mary-Louise Parker Coming To Broadway

It has just been announced that Mary-Louise Parker, last seen on Broadway in the play Reckless, will return to Broadway in early 2009 as the title character in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. Roundabout Theatre Company will present the Broadway revival, which will be adapted by playwright Christopher Shinn and directed by Ian Rickson. Parker is frequently seen on the New York stage, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, but she is also known to film and TV audiences for her screen work, such as Fried Green Tomatoes and the TV series Weeds.

Shakespeare In The Park's Hair Opens

The Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair opens at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park tonight. The revival of the groundbreaking Off-Broadway (and later Broadway) hippie musical has already been playing at the Delacorte for a couple weeks and will continue playing until the end of this month. There has been a great deal of speculation about whether or not this production will transfer to an open Broadway run, but that is still up in the air.

Constantine Goes Off-Broadway

Constantine Maroulis, a popular former American Idol contestant, is now going to be starring in an Off-Broadway show at New World Stages called Rock of Ages. The new musical, which features music by such rock bands as Journey and Bon Jovi, is about an aspiring young rock star. This won't be Maroulis's New York stage debut - he previously co-starred in the Broadway musical The Wedding Singer.

Broadway August Heading For Hollywood

The massive Broadway hit play August: Osage County is likely to become a film in the near future. This is yet another Broadway show in the early stages of Hollywood planning and very few details have been settled. Playwright Tracy Letts will write the screenplay, and two of the Broadway play's producers will produce the movie version, but no casting has been determined yet.

Prices Go Up For Broadway Aisle Seats

Believe it or not, Broadway producers have found yet another way to fleece Broadway theatergoers. First they decided to start charging the same price for the entire orchestra section, then they started selling the very best seats for insanely high "premium seat" prices, and now some of them have decided to mark up the aisle seats as well. Many people prefer the aisle because of the added leg room, and now those people are going to have to pay extra for that comfort. Only a few Broadway shows - Gypsy, Spring Awakening, and the upcoming Broadway revival of The Seagull - have adopted the higher aisle seat pricing so far, but history has shown that once one Broadway show introduces a higher pricing model, the others soon follow. The upcharge amounts to about $15-$25, depending on the show. Furthermore, these higher-priced Broadway aisle seats are only sold in pairs, meaning that one person is paying the aisle price without even getting the benefit. What will they think of next?

Broadway On Broadway Scheduled For 9/14

The free "Broadway on Broadway" concert, the annual event held in Times Square at the beginning of each Broadway season, has been set for Sunday, September 14. The casts of existing and upcoming Broadway shows will perform in front of approximately 50,000 fans on a stage set up in the heart of Times Square just for the concert. "Broadway on Broadway" begins at 11:30am, but you should arrive a couple hours early if you want to get up close to the stage.

Two Incoming Broadway Shows

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf, which was expected to begin performances on Broadway soon, has announced that the production is being delayed, apparently due to one of the show's backers dropping out at the last minute. Another upcoming Broadway show, the Broadway revival of the musical Brigadoon, has also announced postponement. This production, which was not scheduled to open for many more months, says its delay is due to an inability to find a suitable Broadway theater for its planned spring 2009 opening.