The Hottest, Gayest, Weirdest Things You'll See this Week (NSFW Version)

Grrrr...

Well, several of the links maybe NSFW. Nothing visible on this post is, though.

Broadway Cares has been a major supporter of those in the theatre community affected by and with HIV/AIDS. They were major supporters of the JTMF silent auctions, providing autographed show posters and other memorabilia, as well as the many hundreds of red ribbons we gave out each year. I made my first donation directly to a cast member after seeing Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria at the Marquis. Several events have sprung from the group including the amazing Broadway Flea Market and the annual 'naughty' revue known as "Broadway Bares" (featuring some of the Great White Way's hottest performers wearing nothing - or very little more - than a smile). This year's theme is 'Rock Hard' (get it?), celebrating rock musicals. Advocate.com has the full story (featuring some possibly NSFW shots of hot boys' butts) here, if you are so inclined.

The fuzz-lovers at Accidental Bear had two items that piqued my interest. First was a video trailer for a new magazine (Ugh! That's a thing now, too? Bad enough when they started doing them for novels... but I digress) called 'Good Boys in Trouble,' which appears to be some sort of Fashion/Lifestyle cyber-magazine for Cubs. Check that out here. 

The other story that caught my eye was the weirdest and certainly most NSFW thing about this post.

Uber-hottie Ryan Gosling appeared in a rather amazing and quirky 2007 film (which I remember loving)  called Lars and the Real Girl, about an awkward young man who invents a relationship with a customized vinyl doll he purchased online. The premise is based on a real-world industry in which a subculture of introverts has come to rely on these 'artificials' for companionship. One company which provides these anatomically correct companions is Sinthetics - link NSFW - (I can't decide if I love or hate that pun). They not only have quite a broad selection of models from which to choose (including 'accessories'), they also seem to pride themselves on how realistic their products are (ew). You can see their VERY NSFW photos and videos here, again if you so inclined. I'm hoping you'd rather see Lars...

More, anon.
Prospero

Everything That's Wrong (And a Little Bit Right) with Broadway Today

Esther Hannaford and friend in King Kong Live

Ever since Rogers and Hammerstein created the first true 'book musical' (Oklahoma!) in 1946, the genre has been about telling stories with songs and dances which actually advanced the plot. Over the years, there have been many innovations to and variations of that concept. Personally, I find most musicals written before 1967 to be colossal bores; dated, silly, naive and supremely indicative of the times in which they were written (I said 'most,' not 'all' - there are exceptions to every rule, even mine). 

In 1967, Rado and Ragni's Tribal Rock musical Hair changed everything. Musicals (despite R&H's anti-racist South Pacific) became socially relevant. Their stories and songs did more than entertain, providing avenues of social comment and discourse. The 70's brought us shows like Pippin; A Little Night Music; Chicago; A Chorus Line and Working. Broadway finally had something to say. The 80's continued the trend with Evita, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. They also brought us the show that would start the trend of musical spectacles, the amazingly still-running Andrew Lloyd-Weber version of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. A falling chandelier; a mechanical elephant and grand staircase filled with outrageously costumed characters started the trend of the Broadway Spectacle. Of course, in the 90's Disney invaded Broadway with director Julie Taymor's wildly successful production of The Lion King and there's been no going back. Ever since, Broadway musicals have gotten more and more elaborate, requiring more spectacle, more effects and bigger stunts. Stephen Schwartz's hilarious 2003 Steampunk adaptation of Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked sealed the deal and the shows have gotten bigger and more outrageous ever since. See Taymor's ridiculous Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for prime examples of modern Broadway's excess.

In development for over five years, the new musical King Kong Live saw its world premiere in Melbourne last month and from all accounts, the show is a quantifiable hit, extending it's initial limited run Down Under through August. Featuring an 18 feet + tall gorilla puppet and a decidedly anachronistic score (you can listen to parts of some of the songs here), King Kong Live is slated for Broadway sometime in 2014/15. 

I get it. Tech-savvy 21st Century audiences expect more for their theatre dollars. If I'm spending $110 or more for a ticket, I want to be wowed too. But where does it end? Transformers The Musical? Ironman Sings? Godzilla!? The original 1933 King Kong may well be the movie that made me love movies, but will King Kong Live be the show that ends my love affair with the Broadway musical? I certainly hope not.

Wow! That's certainly impressive. And while I would love to see the show (assuming I can actually afford the ticket price), I am much more excited to see Neil Patrick Harris in the announced revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Broadway may well be 'The Great Invalid,' though spectacles like Kong and Spider-Man may well be the shows that price it out of reach for most folks. My advice to Broadway producers harkens back to that of Henry David Thoreau: Simplify. Audiences are expected to suspend their disbelief. They don't need 18 foot-tall puppets to do that, no matter how amazing they may be.

More, anon.
Prospero

I Miss Michael Jeter

Michael Jeter

My dear Post Apocalyptic Bohemian, Stephen, reminded me that yesterday would have been character actor Michael Jeter's 60th birthday. 

Probably best known for his roles as the homeless cabaret singer in The Fisher King; mouse trainer extraordinaire Eduard Delacroix in The Green Mile and Mr. Noodle on 'Sesame Street,' Jeter was an extraordinarily talented performer who was equally comfortable in front of a camera and a live audience. Jeter's first film appearance was in Milos Forman's 1979 adaptation of Hair but he went on to appear in dozens of films, including Ragtime; Zelig; The Money Pit; Tango and Cash; Patch Adams and Jurassic Park III.

On television, Jeter appeared on 'Night Court;' 'Designing Women,' 'Evening Shade,' 'Picket Fences' and 'Taken.' Jeter was usually a second banana on shows like 'Evening Shade' and 'Picket Fences,' though he was often the most memorable member of the cast. I was always glad to see him, because he usually elevated even the crappiest of fare, like Jurassic Park III. 

A recovering addict, Jeter proved that hard work and ambition could lead to greatness and he was rewarded in 1990 with a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role - Musical, for his astounding performance as the fatally ill bookkeeper Otto Kringelein in Grand Hotel. I was lucky enough to see that show and his astonishing, rubber-legged dancing in the number "We'll Take a Glass Together:"

Jeter passed away from complications due to AIDS on March 30, 2003, at the far-too-young age of 50. Talented, funny and smart, Jeter may not have been a so-called "A-Lister," but he was always a stand-out in whatever he did. Here he is an appearance on Letterman in the 80's.

I wish we could have seen what he might have done in the past 10 years. RIP Micheal. I know I'm not the only one who misses you!

More, anon.
Prospero

From Screen to Stage and Back Again

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in The Producers

Over at The Film Experience today, Michael did a post about turning Broadway shows into movies and vice-versa. He was decidedly against the latter, though I had to point out at least one (among several) exception - The Producers. But more on that particular show in a bit.

There are currently 7 Broadway musicals based on films: Bring It On; Newsies; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Ghost; Sister Act; Once and The Lion King. And this has been a trend for a while. Of course, I blame Andrew Lloyd Weber, whose adaptation of Sunset Boulevard seems to have started the trend. Oh, there have been several before that: 42nd Street; Promises, Promises (based on The Apartment); Applause! (based on All About Eve); A Little Night Music (based on Smiles of a Summer Night), but these were relatively few and far between. Lately though, shows like Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid; Tarzan; Mary Poppins (all Disney productions); Little Shop of Horrors; The Wedding Singer; Legally Blonde; Shrek; Chitty Chitty Bang-Bang; Spamalot (based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail); Singin' in the Rain; Billy Elliot and Xanadu have graced the Great White Way. 

The cast of Spamalot

 Some (Little Shop...; Spamalot; Xanadu) were actually quite good. Others, not so much. And there is at least one more Disney show on deck; Aladdin is scheduled to hit Broadway next season. Of course, the aforementioned The Producers is probably the best example of when this works. For many years I told anyone who would listen that Mel Brooks should adapt his 1968 movie (one of the funniest films ever made) into a Broadway show. The fact that it went on to win a record-setting 12 Tony Awards proved me right.

Some people have griped to me about shows like Kander and Ebb's brilliant Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Ehrens and Flaherty's Ragtime. "They were movies first, Uncle P!" But like the upcoming Rebecca  and Matilda, these shows are based on the novels which inspired the films, rather than the films themselves. Still I have to wonder about the state of the original Broadway musical. Is Broadway becoming like Hollywood, regurgitating and/or adapting old ideas because they've run out of new ones? I doubt that. But people seem to like the familiar. "I loved that movie! Let's see the musical!"

Of course, many musicals from the 40's through the '80's have been made into movies. Some, brilliantly: Funny Girl; West Side Story; Cabaret; Chicago; Hair. Others, not so much: Jesus Christ Superstar; Evita; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Phantom of the Opera; Nine. Currently, the film version of Rock of Ages is receiving scathing reviews. 

One of my favorite musicals (which deserves much more love than ever received) Bill Russell and Henry Krieger's heart-wrenching show about conjoined twins The Hilton Sisters - Sideshow, would make one hell of a movie. I can also imagine Avenue Q; Urinetown; The Boy from Oz; Wicked; The Drowsy Chaperone and Zombie Prom (among a few others) would all probably do quite well on celluloid (though these days movies have gone digital). 

Musicals will (hopefully) always be a part of American Theatre and as long as they are, they will be adapted into films. I just hope that the best of them get the film adaptations they deserve.

What original musicals would you like to see made into movies? Let me know in the comments.

More, anon.
Prospero

And I Will Always Exploit You

Heather Headley

Some movies deserve Broadway Musical adaptations, while other don't. For many years before it happened, I hoped Mel Brooks would bring The Producers* to Broadway. It was a perfect fit and resulted in a record number of Tony awards. But The Producers was a movie about Broadway; an obovious choice for musicalization. Brooks' attempt at adapting Young Frankenstein was far less successful (and let's hope his planned stage version of Blazing Saddles never comes to fruition).

Disney, of course, has had some massive successes with The Lion King; Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins, while the less said about Tarzan and The Little Mermaid, the better. I really loved the Broadway version of Xanadu but more because it parodied the movie, instead of trying to reinvent it. Currently on Broadway there are no less than six musical adaptions of movies, including Sister Act; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Newsies and Ghost. Off-Broadway musical versions of Silence of the Lambs (admittedly a parody) and Carrie (a revival of one of Broadway's most infamous flops) are also playing in New York. This trend is disturbing to me, because it follows the current Hollywood trend of remakes, reboots and television adaptations that have angered so many fans over the lack of original material. Where are all the original musicals? And why can't I find a composer with the follow-through to help me finish any of mine? But I digress...

Perhaps most disturbing of all, is the announcement of the West End musical production of the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston movie The Bodyguard. Apparently in the works for a while, Houston's death has propelled interest in the show, which will include songs from the film as well as other songs from Houston's canon. Really? Starring the rather amazing Heather Headley (above) as Houston's character Rachel, the show is currently scheduled for a Fall premiere. Headley, who was outstanding in The Lion King and truly amazing in Aida, is one of the few stage actresses I can see taking on the role with any hope of success, though I think Weight Watchers' spokeswoman Jennifer Hudson would be the shoe-in for a film version. 

Still - Houston's body is barely in the ground. Should producers be exploiting her legacy for profits this soon? If nothing else, the musical version of The Bodyguard seems in bad taste, if not outright exploitation. Though exploitation seems to be the name of the game, these days. And how sad is that?

As an antidote, here is Chris Cornell's rather amazing tribute to Whitney:

*I'd also come out of retirement to play Max Bialistock in The Producers.

More, anon.
Prospero

The Most Irrelevant of Irrelevancies

Most of you know how I feel about Awards shows in general, so it should be no surprise that I really hate the Grammys. 

And please excuse me while I go into "Old Guy Ranting" mode here, but the majority of popular music today is just plain crap. Oh, don't get me wrong - there are exceptions. I adore Adele and I am thrilled that she won Album of the Year; Record of the Year; Song of the Year, etc., etc. I can also appreciate a good dance beat (LMFAO or Lady Gaga, anyone?) and no one loves a great ballad like I do. And Best Musical Theatre Album for The Book Of Mormon? Yes! 

Betty White added another award to her showcase for Best Spoken Word Album. Really, who doesn't love America's Grandmother? I know I do. But Best Score for Visual Media to The King's Speech? Did no one listen to Howard Shore's magical score for Hugo? And honestly, no one really cares about Best Country Album; Best Instrumental Arrangement for Accompanying Vocalist(s) or Best Regional Roots Music Album. Well, maybe those nominated care. Still...

Music has always played an important part in my life. Dad was a classical music fan, while Mom loves Elvis and old school Country. I grew listening to Wagner; Orbison; Mozart; Presley; Beethoven; Nelson; Sibelius; Cline; Verdi and Parton. In high school, I listened to Disco and Musical Theatre and discovered the true genius of the Beatles in college, while dancing to the B-52's; Sinead O'Connor; X; Siouxsie and the Banshees and any number of 80's bands. But my true love always has been (and always will be) Film Scores. I know I've mentioned that the majority of my music collection is made up of Film Scores. I suppose I love them because the composers are very deliberately trying to evoke an emotional response and when they succeed in doing so, it just makes me happy.

But back to the Grammys. The only Awards Show with more categories than the Oscars, the Grammys are also the most superfluous. Music is probably the most subjective art form around, and while I like to think my musical taste is eclectic, many would consider it 'weird.' Of course, many people consider me weird, so what do I know? I just think it is so silly to give awards for any art, end even more so for music. One man's noise is another's symphony.

More, anon.
Prospero

TV Review: "Smash"

Having spent the greater part of my life in the theatre, I was excited to see "Smash," which tells the story of the creation of a Broadway musical. In this case, it's a musical biography of Marilyn Monroe.

Julia Houston ("Will and Grace" alum Debra Messing) and Tom Levitt (Christian Borle of Broadway's Legally Blonde) are musical writing partners whose latest Broadway show "Heaven on Earth," has just opened in London's West End. Tom's best friend Ivy (Megan Hilty) is in the show's Broadway chorus, but longs for a major role. Meanwhile, Midwestern transplant Karen ("American Idol" winner runner-up Katherine McPhee) is working as a waitress while auditioning for her big break. 

When Tom's new assistant, Ellis (adorable newcomer Jaime Cepero) offhandedly suggests that Marilyn might make a good subject for a musical, Julia and Tom's wheels start turning and they begin to write, despite the protestations of Julia's husband Frank (Tony-nominee for Shrek,  Brian d'Arcy James). Frank is upset because Julia has promised to take time off so the couple can devote time to adopting a baby. 

Meanwhile, Broadway producer Eileen Rand (the incomparable Anjelica Huston) is in the midst of a divorce, which will dash all hopes of her proposed revival of My Fair Lady. When Ellis leaks a video of a demo recording session of the show's first song online, it goes viral and soon Eileen is courting Julia and Tom to finish the show, even going so far as to arrange an "audition' for arrogant director/choreographer (and Tom's arch-nemesis) Derek Wills (Jack Davenport of Pirates of the Caribbean and "Swingtown").

All of this happens, mind you, in the pilot's first 30 minutes.

I recently read an interview with executive producer Steven Spielberg who said he wanted to do this show because he only understood the creative process of film and wanted to explore film's progenitor, theatre; something about which he knew next to nothing. 

Created by Pulitzer-nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck (Seminar) and Scott Burkhardt, "Smash" might best be described as "Glee" with an attitude. And I mean that in the most flattering way possible. With original music by Marc Shaiman (Hairspray; The Wedding Planner; Southpark: Bigger, Longer and Uncut) and more than a few amazing performances (McPhee positively shines here), "Smash" gets it. And by "it," I mean the creative process that goes into the mounting of a show. 

As someone who has been an auditioner, a director and the creator of a musical (or three), I can attest that the show understands everything that goes into the mounting of a musical or play, albeit at a rather remarkably accelerated pace. "Smash" provides its audience with the viewpoints of the writers; director; producer and hopeful actors, all while exploiting New York City's best locations. The cast; the music; the production values and the writing are all top-notch here and I honestly can't wait to see the next episode.

If you love the theatre, dream the dream and live the life, "Smash" is the show for you. If you're just a fan of the Broadway experience (and "just" is hardly the right word for die-hard theatre aficionados), "Smash" is the show for you. And if you've always wondered what goes on in the creative process, then "Smash" is the show you.  I only hope it can maintain the excellent standard it has set for itself in the pilot episode. **** (Four Out of Four Stars). "Smash" airs on NBC. Check your local listings for dates and times.

More, anon.
Prospero

I HATE When That Happens

I'm am currently writing to you from a silent computer. I am hoping that it's just my crappy old Dell speakers that have given up the ghost and not my HP  PC's sound card. It's certainly easier (and probably cheaper) to replace hardware than software. Oh, I know I could spend hundreds of dollars on very fancy computer speakers with super-duper woofers and tweeters, but I have a really good pair of Sony headsets for the Sony boom-box on which I listen to most of my music. I listen to a lot of music; mostly film scores. And while my 600 plus CD collection might suggest I'm a bit of an audiophile, I once dated a guy with a collection of over 2000 CDs. I imagine it's much larger now, even if he isn't (oops!). 

Since I'm about to start rehearsals for Hairspray, I've been listening to the OBC (Original Broadway Cast) recording of the show. And while most of the cast includes some rather terrific singers, listening to the otherwise amazing Harvey Fierstein sing is actually painful. For the most part, Harvey 'speak-sings' his role, much like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady  or Richard Burton in Camelot. Still that gravelly, grating voice of his is less than pleasant. Don't get me wrong - I adore Harvey. I played Arnold in his amazing Torch Song Trilogy in the second annual JTMF fundraiser and find him hilarious in movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day but I cannot get past his "singing" in this show. I hope he faired better in the revival of Fiddler on the Roof where Rosie O'Donnell played his wife. Wow, A gay man and a lesbian pretending to be a straight married couple - what's the world coming to?

But for now, trying to watch something on YouTube is very annoying without sound. Have I really become so spoiled that a day or so without sound is making me so crazy? Now I just feel like a douche. "I complained I couldn't hear until I met a man with no ears" (or something). Yes, I'm a total douche.

Maybe I need to see The Artist. Hope you can hear that amazing score in this clip, because I can't:

Wow - Jean Dujardin is gorgeous!

More, anon.
Prospero

Waltzing "Matilda"

As you can imagine, Uncle P was snarky even when he was a child. As with many people, snark was a form of defense when we were kids. And if you were funny, you didn't get picked on for being different... too much. I realize now why I loved Roald Dahl's books as a kid. Their heroes were always smart, good kids who always win the prize, expose and punish the bad adults and rise above adversity, ending up with a much better life.

And so it is with Matilda, a story about a very, very smart little girl who is being raised by rather dubious (and ignorant) parents who obviously don't care about her at all. Dumped in a private school run by an ogre of a headmistress (one Miss Trunchbull), thanks to a deal made by Matilda's crooked used-car dealer father, Matilda finds out some remarkable things about herself. Trunchbull is an evil tyrant, while Matilda's teacher Miss Honey, is kind and encouraging and (as it turns out), Trunchbull's niece, whom Trunchbull swindled out of her inheritance.

SPOLIER ALERTS: Matilda soon discovers she has telekinetic powers and uses them to right all the wrongs in her life, including finally allowing her to live happily ever after with kindly Miss Honey in the home that should have been hers, all along. End of spoilers.

Danny DeVito directed and appeared in a 1996 Americanized version, starring Mara Wilson (Mrs. Doubtfire); Rhea Perlman ("Cheers"); Embeth Davitz (Army of Darkness) Pam (Aunt Marge) Ferris and Paul  (Pee-Wee Herman) Reubens. It's a funny and delightful (if not always faithful) telling of the tale, transplanting it to America and softening some the Dahl's edges and brightening some of his darker corners. DeVito and Perlman are hilarious as Matilda's scumbag parents; Ferris is downright frightening as Trunchbull and Davitz is just sweet enough without ever once slipping in to saccharine. It's a sweet and fun family fantasy. I may just have to do a "Forgotten Gems" post on it, soon.

And now the book has been adapted into a stage musical by the RSC, which is taking the West End  by storm and looks to make the jump across the pond to Broadway next year. I had heard something about this a few months back, but either didn't know or had forgotten that my favorite satirical song-smith, Tim Minchin, had written the show's songs. I can't imagine anyone better for the job. I follow NPR on Facebook and and got directed  to this excited and exciting article about the show here. Personally, I don't remember being so excited for a musical adaptation since The Producers. Have a look for yourselves:

I have to admit to wearing a big, idiotic grin on my face as I write this post. Of course, this news came after my last gift-exchange gathering of the year, with the big three; Q, K and Dale. We all loved what we got and then sat down to the first pasta meal my very Italian Q has served me in almost 30 years of eating her food. We did do a group effort spaghetti and meatballs at K's tiny, 3rd floor apartment many years ago, but that hardly counts. It was delicious, as was dessert. As was the new Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey that K got from Q & Dale. I gotta get me a bottle of that! Yum! I also finally got to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes, thanks to Q & Dale's OnDemand - a terrific popcorn movie which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend, if you haven't already seen it. The four of us will gather again on New Year's Eve (along with a few other folks), for our traditional 'quiet' NYE. 

Sadly, real-life rears its ugly head until then, demanding the doing of laundry; the dusting of furniture; the putting-away of gifts and the running of the dishwasher. Maybe I should have gone to my sister's...

More, anon.

Prospero

Marketing for Dummies (or Should that Be "to Dummies?")

Christmas is essentially over. Uncle P has one more gift exchange with my three closest friends tomorrow and today was a Boxing Day gift exchange and Chinese smorgasbord with dear friends from college. I think everyone was and will be quite pleased with their gifts. 

Sadly, it's the gifts that seem to be the focus of Christmas, these days (though honestly, with my friends, it's the chance to spend time together). And yes, that's an old complaint. As far back as (and probably well before) 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Charles Schultz was bemoaning the commercialization of the holiday. Of course, we all have Mr. Charles Dickens to thank for it. Before the publication of A Christmas Carol, Christmas was a minor Christian holiday, far surpassed by Easter, which is the basis for the entire religion. And it was only after the Catholics co-opted the pagan holiday of Winter Solstice that the birth of Jesus was celebrated in December. Historical accounts place the actual birth in March or April, depending on which calendar is being used. And please don't get me wrong; I have no doubt that Jesus of Nazareth existed. There are plenty of documents other than the New Testament to verify that. It's the rest of it I have a problem with. 

But none of that has anything to do with this post. And I'm sure by now you must be wondering what any of this has to with Marketing and the new NBC musical "Smash." Well, I'll tell you.

I came across this first video on Facebook, posted by three friends whose only connection is yours truly. Riley is an amazingly perceptive young lady, who goes on a gender-biased marketing rant in her local Toys-R-Us. I hope she maintains her amazing acuity as she gets older.

I see a Gender Studies Major in the making, here.

And then on Towleroad, I came across the  promotional clip for the aforementioned "Smash" below. Produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Deborah Messing; Angelica Huston; Megan Hilty; Jack Devenport and "American Idol" winner Katharine McPhee, "Smash" is a story about the mounting of a Broadway musical, from inception to opening night curtain. The musical in question is a biography of Marilyn Monroe and from what I can gather, it focuses on the making of a 'star.' 

Now that's how you market a new show.

Spielberg admits that he is clueless about how a Broadway show comes to fruition, so it will be interesting to see if he has put together the right team to pull off a show like "Smash." Having cut my teeth on musical theatre and about to start rehearsals for what I'm pretty sure will be my last musical theatre performance, I am intrigued by and excited for "Smash." I hope it lives up to its hype.

I hope I made all the connections, here. We're all targets, folks. Just look at the ads on you Facebook walls. Hell, look at the ads Google places on my blog. Buy this! Watch that! Spend your money here! It doesn't take a genius to see what the Madmen are doing. The real joke is, they're making money by telling you where and how to spend yours. It makes my head hurt...

More, anon.

Prospero

Nothing New Tonight

 

See that cute baby sleeping there? I wish that was me. I am so tired, I could cry. So I am begging off for tonight. 

I hope you sleep as well as this cutie appears to be. I hope I will, too.

Good night! Sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs bite! 

Ew! My mom said that to me a lot when I was a kid. 

I suppose I should leave you with something. How about this interview with Armistead Maupin and Jake Shears about the upcoming musical version of "Tales From the City?" (via): 

Now there's a show I'd go out of my way to see...

More, anon.
Prospero

Musical Mayhem

Wow. Talk about wildly disparate topics. Yesterday I'm extolling the virtues of a gross-out Horror short and tonight I'm talking about movie musicals. Does anyone else think I might be just a little bit insane? Good. Glad it's not just me.

So, let's talk about movie musicals, shall we? The last big movie musical hit was Chicago, Rob Marshall's 2002 adaptation of the Kander and Ebb musical about celebrity murderesses. It was the first musical in a very long time to win "Best Picture," and (along with and thanks to Baz Luhrman's Moulin Rouge) paved the way for the return of the movie musical. Of course, Joel Schumaker's rather boring version of The Phantom of the Opera did little to help the cause...

Now comes word that not one, but two major Broadway musicals may well be making their way to the big screen.

First up, "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy is at the top of the short list of directors being considered for a 3D (damnit!) adaptation of the Stephen Schwartz musical Wicked, based on Gregory Maguire's novel, a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz." Wicked is still one of the hottest tickets on Broadway and features some of Schwartz's best lyrics, ever. The original Broadway cast featured Idina Menzel as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Kristin Chenowith (my much beloved and sorely missed "Pushing Daisies") as Glinda. The latest news has Murphy casting "Glee" star Leah Michelle as Elphaba (very fitting, considering that Menzel played Michelle's birth mother on "Glee" last season). And while the show takes many liberties with Maguire's novel, eschewing much of its political satire for Steampunk aesthetics, I think Murphy is the perfect choice to direct an adaptation of the most successful Broadway musical of the last 10 years.

And now that he's won an Academy Award, director Tom Hooper is being considered to direct the film adaptation of the biggest musical of the late 80's, Les Miserables. I must admit to a certain bias for Les Miz, as it is not just the only musical that can make Uncle P cry every fifteen minutes or so, but my high school theatre director was chosen to help create the amateur version of the show, which premiered at my HS Alma Mater. Of course, casting rumors abound. Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean? Leah Michelle (again) as Eponine? Michelle Pfeiffer as Fantine? Jonathan Price as Thenardier? All excellent choices, if you ask me. While mega-producer Cameron Makintosh may be touting the film version as a go, I still have my doubts.

Still, it is my fervent hope that film adaptations of Broadway Musicals will continue to be a trend in the future, if only so that the shows from which they have been adapted can reach audiences which might otherwise not have a chance to experience this uniquely American form of entertainment.

More, anon.
Prospero

The Ultimate Slap in the Face

That's an image of the villain "Carnage" from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the $65M Broadway disaster I've been decrying for months.

Last week, the producers fired meglomaniacal director Julie Taymor (though "official" press releases say she will still be part of the show's creative team) and commissioned new songs from Bono and The Edge. They brought in director Phillip William McKinley (The Boy from Oz) and Marvel writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa to fix the problems with the show, though at this point, it's probably beyond saving. 

I've said all along that this was a bad idea from the get-go, though a few theatre friends tried to defend it... The show is now scheduled to close for three weeks in order to fix it (though I doubt three weeks is enough  to come up with an entirely new second act) and is now officially scheduled to open June 14th, with previews resuming on May 12th.

While I am always a proponent of new theatricals, I will continue to express my disdain for this ill-conceived project until it closes, which should be sometime in July (sigh). I am always sad to see a show fail, but I honestly can't say I'll be sorry to see this particular show fall by the wayside. Not everything is worth musicalizing and not every idea (no matter how good it may seem at first) should be brought to fruition. Taymor, whose original concept came to her as a dream after 9/11) apparently had no prior knowledge of the Marvel source material, and tried to integrate completely irrelevant Greek mythology into the show. Maybe she should have read a few of the Marvel comics, or at least viewed the Sam Raimi films before attempting to adapt the character for a musical.

If you want to see Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (whatever the hell that title means), I suggest you do so while you can. In the meantime, enjoy this parody from Jimmy Kimmel:

Ouch! Take that, Broadway!

I will always love "The Great Invalid," but sometimes the folks who run it just have to admit when they've been defeated.

More, anon.
Prospero

Dancing Queen

I came out to my family rather late in life. I was out to most of my friends for a long time. Especially my theatre friends. One of them was my dear friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth is an amazing dancer as well as a  massage, Raiki and MFR therapist. For a very long time, Elizabeth was the only friend who was willing to accompany me to see LGBT films, usually at a small art house cinema near her home. We saw Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet together and loved it.

And she and I saw The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the 1994 Australian film about two drag queens and transgendered woman making their way across the Outback to perform in the small resort town of Alice Springs. Along the way, we find that these friends have just as much in common with all of us, as they do each other. Hugo Weaving (The Matrix); Guy Pierce (Memento) and Terence Stamp (Superman II) star in a delightfully funny and heartwarming movie about friendship, pride, love and determination. When it won the Oscar for Best Costume Design, co-winner Lizzy Gardner accepted her award wearing an amazing gown made out of American Express Gold cards, causing a sensation.

The movie was turned into a stage musical a few years ago, taking Australia and then England by storm. And it is finally about to hit Broadway. Starting previews on February 28th, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert features a score of 70's disco tunes and some of the most astonishing costumes since the original production of La Cage aux Folles. While writing about the disastrous reviews for Broadway's latest big-budget debacle (which shall remain unnamed, but is obviously about a certain Marvel Superhero), I uploaded a grainy YouTube preview of Priscilla. But now, (via) comes the "official" preview.

I've already asked Elizabeth to see the show with me. It's sort of our thing. I saw the last performance of the original cast of Kiss of the Spiderwoman  on Broadway with her, as well as Julie Andrews final Broadway appearance in Victor/Victoria. And while I don't get to see her nearly as much as I would like to these days, we've shared a love of many things, both silly ("MST3K") and sublime (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover). And while I certainly wouldn't object to seeing this show with any of my dear friends, I know they will all understand that there is no one else I want to see it with more than Elizabeth. Of course, it doesn't help that K absolutely hates the city; Q and Dale usually prefer straight (as in non-musical) plays and D is more of a movie guy. They are all more than welcome to come with us, but I have a feeling this is show meant for me and Elizabeth... You guys understand, right?

More, anon.
Prospero

The Reviews Are In

And they ain't pretty. 

On what was supposed to have been the opening day of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, now postponed until March 15th and still in previews since November, national theatre critics could no longer hold their tongues and let the vitriol spill toward this ill-conceived (if not downright stupid) musical.

Most vicious was Ben Brantly at the New York Times (full review here) who said the show is "...so grievously broken in every aspect that it is beyond repair." And "...only when things go wrong in this production does it remotely feel right - if, by right, one means entertaining." Yikes!

Less nasty, but equally disdainful, Charles McNulty of the L.A. Times said "Incoherence isn't much fun to sit through." He also says the show's failure "...rests squarely on Taymor's run-amok direction." McNulty's full review is here. Meanwhile, Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune writes that show's woes boil down to "...an incoherent story." Jones seems to genuinely want to like the show in his review, but just can't. Peter Marks in The Washington Post laments "...the creature that most often spreads its wings at the Foxwoods (Theatre) is a Turkey" and that "...its more appropriate home might be off a highway in Orlando." (Ouch!)

Personally, I've said from the first moment I heard about the show that it was destined for failure. And while I may delight in a sense of schadenfreude (a word I've been using a lot, lately), I can't help but feel bad for the hardworking cast and crew of Spider-Man. I know from personal experience how tough it can be to put a show a together. But I also know that without a story to hold the audience's interest and without characters to whom they can relate, no amount of spectacle can save a bad show. I'll admit, Taymor's visuals are unparalleled and when they work (as in The Lion King and Titus) they do so beautifully.Of course, the crtics are also faulting the mostly forgettable score by U2's Bono and The Edge, citing only a few numbers as worthy of a Broadway musical, while being exceptionally kind to the cast who seem to be struggling against almost insurmountable technical, musical and scriptural issues. Honestly, I feel really badly for the poor schlubs who are contractually obligated to appear in this disaster night after night. It can't be much fun, knowing you're in the worst Broadway musical since Carrie. Sadly, all fault with the show seems to lie with Taymor and her insane vision, a lesson future backers will certainly have in mind when she proposes her next Broadway debacle.

Hopefully, this will be my final rant about this particular show. I'm also hoping that the upcoming production of the Australian import Priscilla: Queen of the Desert will outshine and eventually overshadow Spider-Man by its sheer fabulousness alone (and can guarantee it will be the show I'm willing to shill $100+ to see over Taymor's monstrosity). 

Still, I will somehow sleep easier knowing that I was right all along, and that superheroes have no serious place on the Broadway stage... Just ask the producers of It's a Bird... It's a Plane...

More, anon.
Prospero

Everything Old Is New Again

Broadway isn't known as "The Great Invalid" for nothing. Every time it seems that live theatre is about to gasp its last, some amazing show or other comes along and saves the day. Though these days, with ticket prices topping out at well-over $100 a pop, I'm amazed that people still go. When I go (and it's less-and-less these days), I make sure I visit the TKTS booth in Times Square. You can purchase left-over tickets for a fraction of their original price, as long as you're willing to stand in line and don't have your heart set on a particular show. I have rarely been disappointed by the selection of shows there and have seen many original casts for a lot less than I would have paid at the box office.

New musicals abound on Broadway this season, including the very well-reviewed Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; the apparently disappointing The Addams Family and this season's standout; American Idiot, a musical based around the songs from the Green Day album of the same name (my friend Jonathan saw it on opening night and said it revolutionizes Musical Theatre).

Of course, every season also has its share of revivals and this year is no exception. The biggies this season are Sean Hayes ("Will and Grace") & Kristin Chenowith (Wicked; my beloved "Pushing Daisies") in Promises, Promises, the musical version of The Apartment with some rather well-known songs from Burt Bacharach and Hall David; Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury in Sondheim's 3/4 tempo love story, A Little Night Music and Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") in La Cage aux Folles. Of course, the latter really puzzles me, because of Grammer's right-wing politics (but then, Log Cabin Republicans puzzle me as well, but what do I know?).

When my sister was still in high school, I took her to see the touring company production of La Cage... in Philadelphia. The particulars of the cast escape me (and I'm too lazy to dig out my Playbill), but I do remember both of us loving it. It was her first time seeing a professional production of a musical, and I think that may have impressed her as much as anything, but it also showed the budding Born Again that being gay wasn't quite the horrific thing most so-called "Christians" are led to believe. Thankfully, that lesson carried over into her current dogma and even though we may disagree when it comes to religion, she is a firm believer in LGBT rights, and I love her even more for it.

But, I digress.

The point is that good Musical Theatre (like any art) is an examination of the one unwavering constant: The Human Condition. Young/Old; Gay/Straight; White Collar/Blue Collar; Rich/Poor... we all share our Humanity and the Joy, Love, Pain, Laughter, Tears and everything else that comes with being Human. And it is in that spirit that I share with you these clips (via) of the revivals of La Cage aux Folles and Promises, Promises. Enjoy.

More, anon.
Prospero

In Praise of the Modern Movie Musical

Back when Uncle P was writing movie reviews professionally for the LGBT entertainment site PhillyOut.com, one of the first reviews I wrote was for the 2001 film version of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I loved the movie and its amazing performances. And in particular, I loved the animation-infused version of the show's best song, "The Origin of Love"

That's the amazing Miriam Shor (late of "Damages" and "Swingtown") as Hedwig's bandanna-headed back-up singer, Yitzhak.

Of course, turning stage musicals into movies is far from new - one need only go back to the first true American musical Oklahoma for proof of that. But the movie musical seemed to have all but died after Randall Kleiser's 1978 adaptation of Grease. Oh, there were plenty of attempts at musicals after Grease, including Milos Forman's version of Hair; the late Gene Kelly's (sadly) last film Xanadu; Robert Altman's under-appreciated Popeye; the godawful Village People disco musical Can't Stop the Music; a far too-stagey version of The Pirates of Penzance (the movie that made Uncle P fall in lust with Kevin Kline); an abysmal adaptation of A Chorus Line and the Christian Bale kiddie musical Newsies. None of them did very well (though Xanadu would later fare much better in its tongue-in-cheek Broadway adaptation a few years ago).

That number would show up again in Adam Sandler's bizarre and misguided attempt at "serious" acting, Punch-Drunk Love.

It wasn't until Aussie auteur Baz Luhrmann made Moulin Rouge in 2001 that the movie musical once again regained its place on the big screen. Combining existing and original songs with a plot as creaky as an old boot (Boy Meets Girl/Boy Loses Girl/Boy Gets Girl/Boy Loses Girl Again to TB), Moulin Rouge was a sensation and proved that the movie musical was indeed a still valid art form:

Of course, Bollywood has been producing similar musicals forever:

Still, thanks to Luhrman's triumphant film, American audiences were able to experience the joy of Rob Marshall's version of Chicago, the first musical to win the Oscar for Best Picture since Cabaret...

...and Adam Shankman's highly entertaining film version of the stage musical based on John Waters' Hairspray:

Though of course, the less said about the downright boring film version of The Phantom of the Opera; Tim Burton's completely humorless version of Sweeney Todd; Susan Stoman's stagey version of The Producers; Julie Taymor's decidedly odd Beatles' musical Across the Universe and Marshall's most recent failure, Nine, the better.

Lately, the trend has been toward turning movies into stage musicals, as seen with the Broadway versions of Beauty and the Beast; The Lion King; The Producers; Mary Poppins; Young Frankenstein; Chitty, Chitty Bang-Bang and Uncle P's favorite Evil Dead: The Musical.

There's plenty of room for more musical movies, as far as I'm concerned. And there's been some chatter of film versions of Kiss of the Spider-Woman (as far as I am concerned, the best Kander and Ebb musical, ever); Batboy; Avenue Q; Spring Awakening and Wicked, but I'll believe 'em when I see 'em. Until then, I'll continue to hold out hope that the movie musical isn't dead and that this very American art form hasn't seen its last incarnation. Of course, having started my theatrical career in musical theatre, I may be a bit biased. Keep singing, Hollywood. Gay boys, theatre geeks, teenaged girls and "Glee" fans need you to keep providing us with hope, glamor, music and romance. Is that really too much to ask?

More, anon.
Prospero