August 25, 2006
We don’t know if this is still technically off-off Broadway since there’s a big time movie star performing there. On the other hand, Clare Danes did a show there, so I guess it’s not so unusual. Regardless of how many off’s one wants to use when describing the theater, there’s no denying that having the star of a huge summer movie like Talladega Nights is a cool thing. Reilly’s done theater in NYC before, notably “True West” with Philip Seymour Hoffman. (And he was so freakin’ good in Boogie Nights.) Yeah, whatever, you say? Look, the more actors who come back and do theater after their fame and success level has surpassed most folks’ wildest dreams… well, in theory that means that other actors will follow suit. That brings more attention to smaller theaters (and PS122, excellent though they are, is still smaller than the big Broadway boys uptown).
Okay, now for the potentially scary news. It’s so long you need to eat during the show.
To be fair, that’s not exactly right. There are two parts, and on some nights you can see both of them. “Kentucky Cycle”, “Angels in America”, “Nicholas Nickleby” – all long. Of them, we’re pretty sure that only “Nicholas Nickleby” had a dinner break, but that one was REALLY long (almost a full day). All were fairly well received. There was the recent Synge festival, which was long enough to need a mid-show meal, but that was more than one play. So we’re admittedly wary, but hopeful that this Tale can hold its own with other lengthy theater experiences. Details about the show and its schedule (and the other people who are in it besides Mr. Big Time Movie Star) are below.
Bi-Coastal World Premiere of Heather Woodbury’s
Tale of 2Cities
Begins at Performance Space 122
October 12 THROUGH 29
Oscar®, Golden Globe and Tony Award® Nominee John C. Reilly
Joins Woodbury’s Ensemble Cast
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August 24, 2006
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‘The Pool With Five Porches’
FringeNYC
Ticket and venue info
review by Naneh Israelyan
An ambitious play on the idea of miracles, The Pool With Five Porches is as delicate with significance as it is rough with its aggressive characters and fuming dialogue. Regardless, playwright Peter Zablotsky succeeds in maintaining a fantastic balance between the play’s hotheaded, stern personalities and their more or less softer demeanor learning to compromise in order to bring each other to their final destination: the miracle pool.
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August 18, 2006
MARCO MILLIONS (based on lies), is the latest from the theater ensemble Waterwell. It’s based on a Eugene O’Neill play, but not a well known one. Broadway.com put it well when they said “If asked to name a Eugene O’Neill play, Marco Millions would hardly be the first off anyone’s tongue.” No kidding.
On the other hand, that’s a smart thing to do. Does New York really need yet another production of Desire Under the Elms? Nothing against that one, or any other O’Neill, but if you’re going to do something, why do what everyone else is doing?
So Waterwell gets points for at least trying something different.
Aside: we freely admit that when reading the title of this show, we said “Huh?” and had to restrain ourselves from drooling like big dummies. Then we actually went and researched it a bit, and found that there have been a lot of nice notices for this piece (they seem to call their shows “drops” rather than, well, shows).
Decide for yourself, and as always, let us know if you see this puppy. Sorry, we mean “drop”. Press release and logo coming…. NOW!
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AGAIN with the bad puns. Well, that’s not really a pun, it’s more of a joke. But it’s still bad. (If you don’t get it, it’s a take off on the tag line for Trix cereal. Exciting we know.)
IS THERE A POINT HERE?
Yes, of course. This is a new production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The trick? It’s ALL WOMEN. Considering how many years Shakey’s plays were done with all dudes, this only seems fair.
Press release and the way cool postcard are below. If you see this show (or any other, frankly), contact us (info is here) and let us know.
Foolish Mortals Presents
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Directed by Blake Bradford
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Okay, bad pun. But when you see the enormous outpouring of thee-tah stuff that the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival is bringing to the Big Apple, you’ll see it’s not misplaced (although it is still a bad pun).
So read on, and then visit NYMF.org to find out about tickets. Right now tix are only available to members, which you can find out more about here. It’s not a bad deal – even if you only plan on buying two tickets, that would run you $40, and there’s a membership that only costs $60. So you can get your tickets and do something good for the Festival.
Blah blah blah, right? Enough talk! More SINGING!
Full press release (it’s looong) after the jump.
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August 16, 2006
From the good folks at FringeNYC and SpinCycle, a big ol’ party:
Wednesday, August 16:
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (49 Grove, between 7th Ave. & Bleecker St — one
block below Christopher St.)
The New York International Fringe Festival is back in town. Come meet
the cast and creators of some of the best and gayest shows in the
festival. Other benefits: NO cover charge, FREE Cosmos from 10pm –
11pm, $6 drink specials all night, and music by DJ Chip Duckett
(including brand new songs from FERGIE, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, BEYONCE,
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SCISSOR SISTERS, JESSICA SIMPSON and PARIS
HILTON). Now That’s what Friends are for! Doors open at 10pm. Every
Wednesday.
August 11, 2006
You’ve got to be nuts to open your show the same day as the The New York International Fringe Festival. Well, these folks are that nuts! The show sounds like it could be fun: a werewolf musical.
Blue moon, I saw you standing alone…
Oh, sorry. We’re back. Info and press release are below:
AUTUMN MOON: A Rock Musical Thriller
David Velarde, book, music & lyrics
Jonathan Stuart Cerullo, director
Wings Theater Company, producer
Wings Theater, venue
154 Christopher Street, NYC
(212) 627-2961
August 11-September 2
(Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00… Sunday at 3:30 and 8:00… no perfs on August 13 or 14)
Tickets – $20
Autumn Moon: A Rock Musical Thriller will make its world premiere at The Wings Theatre from August 11-September 2.
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It’s been 10 years since the first New York International Fringe Festival. In a way, it seems like it’s always been here, and also that it started yesterday. A few stats from Jason Zinoman’s article in Time Out New York:
The budget is now $800,000. 10 years ago it was $74,000
About 20,000 tickets were sold in 1997. Last year, about 70,000
There are basically the same number of shows now as there were in 1997
Zinoman’s article is worth a read, but here’s the last line to whet your appetite: How many shows about blow jobs, clowns and Tom Cruise can one city take? Indeed.
August 8, 2006
THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, Douglas Carter Beane’s Hollywood satire-type-thing, is moving a few blocks away to Broadway. Good for them, we say. Julie White is a great actress who, though making a living, isn’t as big a star as she should be, and we hear Johnny Galecki (above; of ‘Roseanne’ fame) can act good too. Perfs start October 26.
DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE’S
THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
TO PLAY THE CORT THEATRE THIS FALL
TOM EVERETT SCOTT joins JULIE WHITE
and JOHNNY GALECKI
in Acclaimed Comedy
Directed by SCOTT ELLIS
Previews begin Thursday, October 26
Opening Night is Monday, November 13
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Gee, is this show topical? Ya think? It’s just a reading, but we bet someone will pick it up for a longer run if it’s any good.
This one is free, but a $10 donation is “suggested”. Since they’re beating people off with a stick, you should give them some money.
PERFORMANCE ADDED DUE TO DEMAND
“THE MIDDLE EAST, IN PIECESâ€
Presented by BACK HOUSE PRODUCTIONS and CHERRY LANE THEATRE
A Free Reading of Six Short Pieces in Response to the Current Developments in the Middle East
ADDED PERFORMANCE: FRI., AUGUST 18th at CHERRY LANE THEATRE
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