| Spirit of Broadway Theater announces 2008 season
What Spirit of Broadway Theater founder and CEO Brett Bernardini avoids for his Norwich theater are what he dubs the "oompha" musicals, or the ones that mulishly drag the audience through predictable, yet illogical plots: boy meets girl, they dance and someone dies. Every year, Bernardini looks through about 200 scripts, winnowing them down to 20, and then further examining how they complement each other, and serve his criteria. "Are they new, fresh, innovative? Does it stretch the envelope, and, quite frankly, do I care about it?" Bernardini said, ticking off some of the qualities he searches for. "I'm looking for pieces that approach subject matter in a new way. Musical theater is strictly an American invention, opera is European. And frankly, no one does it better than America, but one of the problems is we've fallen into a rut." Audiences, Bernardini said, are looking for other options, and he said the theater has developed a loyal following, with people traveling from New York, Boston and Long Island to attend shows; although he also recognizes audience members who only want to see musicals they are familiar with.
Broadway stagehands go on strike
NEW YORK -- From "Wicked" to "The Phantom of the Opera," from "Mamma Mia!" to "Rent," most shows did not go on as Broadway stagehands walked off the job, shutting down more than two dozen plays and musicals. It was a dramatic, uncertain day in the Times Square area for disappointed theatergoers, who mingled on the streets Saturday while striking Local One stagehands picketed in an orderly fashion behind barricades and declined to talk to reporters. The union had no official comment on the walkout. No new negotiations have been scheduled between Local One and the League of American Theatres and Producers, so the outlook for a quick settlement looks murky. The two sides have been in contentious negotiations for more than three months. Much of their disagreements involve work rules and staffing requirements, particularly rules governing the expensive process of loading in and setting up a show.
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"The Ritz" is among the few Broadway shows still playing in spite of a stagehands strike that shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals. "The Ritz" is a revival of Terrence McNally's 1975 musical set in a gay bathhouse, starring Rosie Perez. Appropriately, the Roundabout Theatre has staged "The Ritz" in the old Studio 54 space. "The Ritz" is one of several shows that have separate contracts with the Local 1 union that allowed them to remain open, and doing strong business. Among the other plays still live are "Young Frankenstein," "Mary Poppins, " "Xanadu" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Broadway's stagehands and theater producers resumed talks Saturday at an undisclosed location in their first meeting since a walkout by Local1 shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals.
Crews, theaters resume talks
Broadway's stagehands and theater producers resumed talking Saturday, a week after a walkout by Local 1 shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals. The two sides met at an undisclosed location, their first meeting since Nov. 8 when Thomas Short, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, gave the local authority to strike. The walkout two days later forced 27 productions to cancel shows during the run-up to one of the most lucrative times of the year for Broadway, Thanksgiving week. Local 1 and the League of American Theatres and Producers would not comment on the resumption of talks. Pressure to settle the contract dispute is increasing as the holiday approaches and losses mount for the shows, which include some of Broadway's biggest hits such as "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lion King" and "Mamma Mia!" Ticket sales for Thanksgiving week could easily top $1 million for several of those shows.
Striking Broadway stagehands and producers resume talks 1 week into walkout
NEW YORK - Broadway's stagehands and theatre producers resumed talking Saturday, a week after a walkout by Local 1 shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals. The two sides met at an undisclosed location, their first meeting since Nov. 8 when Thomas C. Short, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, gave the local authority to strike. The walkout two days later forced 27 productions to cancel shows during the run-up to one of the most lucrative times of the year for Broadway, Thanksgiving week. Local 1 and the League of American Theatres and Producers would not comment on the resumption of talks. Pressure to settle the contract dispute is increasing as the holiday approaches and losses mount for the shows, which include some of Broadway's biggest hits such as "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lion King" and "Mamma Mia!" Ticket sales for Thanksgiving week could easily top US$1 million for several of those shows.
Bearcat band returns from NYC trip
By David Lazenbydlazenby@cullmantimes.comCullman High School Marching Band members took a big bite of The Big Apple during a trip to New York City this week.The ensemble that was invited to strike up the band at the Nation's Parade held Sunday missed a different musical event because of a strike by Broadway producers and stagehands that started Saturday.The walkout shut down 27 Broadway plays and musicals, including two shows band members planned to attend, "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Wicked.""We had to make some changes," said Band Director Christopher Smith.Although the band missed the shows, Another show became a highlight of the trip.Smith said the band got to perform on "The CBS Early Show.""They came out and filmed our band and we performed a little bit for them and got to be on national TV," said Smith.
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