| ‘Spring Awakening’ rocks the Tonys
"Spring Awakening," the musical lauded for giving Broadway fresh impetus by using rock songs to intensify its tale of teenagers wrestling with their libidos in 19th century Germany, racked up eight Tony Awards on Sunday night.
Its haul during the Tonys' 61st annual ceremonies, televised by CBS from Radio City Music Hall, included best musical, score -- by composer Duncan Sheik and librettist Steven Sater -- book and direction of a musical, by Michael Mayer, who deployed a cast of young unknowns in a show drawn faithfully from Frank Wedekind's 1891 play. The choreographer, modern dance notable Bill T. Jones, also won a Tony in his first Broadway outing.
"Musical theater rocks," proclaimed Sheik, a staple on the modern-rock touring and recording circuit since his 1996 hit "Barely Breathing." He and Elton John ("Aida") are the only rockers to win Tonys for music written expressly for the stage.
Magical Broadway nights
One of the most popular shows on Broadway, Mamma Mia, will come to London for five days, beginning Dec. 18. Mamma Mia is well-known for its ABBA music, such as Dancing Queen, Money, Money, Money and Take a Chance on Me. "I think everybody will enjoy Mamma Mia," said Broadway in London spokesperson Patrick Harrison. "This show is currently one of the hottest tickets in New York and London (England)." Illusionist David Copperfield (Jan. 15), Blast (Jan. 28-20), Chicago (Feb. 19-20) and Evita (March 10-11) round out the season. Blast, Chicago and Evita have a combined 14 Tony awards. "Lovers of the classic Broadway musicals will love Gypsy, Chicago and Evita," Harrison said. "Lovers of music will be blown away by Blast, while Cirque and David Copperfield will draw a non-typical theatre-going crowd to the John Labatt Centre." Last year, 2,000 subscriptions were sold for the season.
Off-Broadway Theater to Be Named After Jerry Orbach
The Snapple Theater Center (1627 Broadway at 50th Street) will name one of its two theater spaces after actor Jerry Orbach, who died of prostate cancer on December 28, 2004 at the age of 69. The current home of the Off-Broadway revival of The Fantasticks will be named The Jerry Orbach Theater at a private dedication ceremony to be held on Thursday, June 21, from 6:30 to 7pm; an adjacent rehearsal studio will be named in honor of Orbach's widow, Elaine Cancilla-Orbach. Sam Waterston, Orbach's colleague from TV's Law & Order, will speak at the dedication, and Karen Ziemba (Curtains) will perform. Among the other notables scheduled to attend the ceremony are Mariska Hargitay, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelly Bishop, Celeste Holm, and Anita Gillette, as well as Fantasticks co-author Tom Jones and the revival's current star, Anthony Federov.
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