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"We have definitely seen a boost in ticket sales since the strike began," said Kelly Davis, a spokeswoman for the 59E59 theatre, where a 90-minute adaptation of the Fyodor Dostoevsky novel has been playing to packed houses. With eight exceptions -- including "Young Frankenstein," the Disney musical "Mary Poppins" and a revival of George Bernard Shaw’s "Pygmalion" starring Claire Danes -- most Broadway shows are shuttered. Theatres are refunding tickets and tourists are scrambling to change plans. Some fans are turning to Off Broadway, smaller venues that are not on the Great White Way. Same-day sales for "Masked," a play about three Palestinian brothers written by Israeli playwright Ilan Hatsor, received a boost from the strike, a spokesman for the production said.
'Grinch' May Not Get Chance To Steal Xmas In NYC
Could the Grinch get Christmas stolen out from under him? The limited holiday engagement of "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" won't reopen until the lengthening labor dispute between Broadway stagehands and theater producers is settled, James Sanna, the show's producer, said Monday. "It's not like there's an option to rebook the show," Sanna said, adding that the musical "is losing a significant amount of money." Sanna had wanted to resume Tuesday, the start of the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday when "Grinch" was to play 15 performances -- almost twice the usual number of weekly performances for Broadway shows. The producer said an agreement for "Grinch" was reached over the summer and signed by both the League of American Theatres and Producers and Local 1, the stagehands union, and the current contract wrangle does not involve his production.
Toe-tapping fun
One of Broadway's most famous musicals, 42nd Street, is tapping into town. The acclaimed production launches its one-week season in Beijing next Tuesday. It is the winner of two Tony Awards in 1981 and 2001, and the second longest-running Broadway musical production of all time. The high-spirited musical is all about the love of theater, making it a must-see for anyone keen on the spectacle of a live stage experience. It features dazzling sequences of tap dancing, Broadway pizzazz and a good dose of 1930s nostalgia culture. The story following a humble and nave young chorus girl named Peggy Sawyer, who becomes an overnight sensation. It tells a typical American dream-come-true story. Director Paul Gregory Nelson is confident the tale will not be lost on Chinese audiences. Whatever messages the play contains, above all it is an all-singing, all-dancing celebration of life, set to the time-enduring theme of making it in the glitzy yet fickle world of show business.
Disney favorite stops at Kelsey
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," yet another stage musical based on an already popular movie, garnered several Tony Award nominations in 1994, but lost out across the board to the more sophisticated Stephen Sondheim drama "Passion." Yet all across America, tours of the Broadway production were eagerly attended, and community theaters hankered for the day when they could stage the extravagant fairy tale. Now, Playful Theatre Productions brings the fractured fairy tale to the Kelsey Theater stage with a vibrant cast that keeps the nearly three-hour show consistently exciting. With a book by Linda Woolverton, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman ("The Little Mermaid" and "Little Shop of Horrors" team) plus Andrew Lloyd Webber's former partner, Tim Rice, "Beauty and the Beast" offers something for everyone.
Tony Award-winning musical comes to ABT
Arizona Broadway Theatre's latest musical production Crazy for You debuts Friday. Directed and choreographed by Tralen Doler, the musical features songs by George and Ira Gerswhin and book by Ken Ludwig. It runs through Dec. 30. Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, a 1930s playboy whose dream is to dance. The plot is adapted from the popular 1930s musical Girl Crazy. .
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