Right: Matilda’s Jill Paice at Broadway Barks (top); If/Then’s James Snyder at Broadway in Bryant Park.
Is there a live theater equivalent of the summer movie blockbuster?
Yes!
But instead of sequels, they are original cutting edge work – or lovely, familiar classics.
Instead of blasts of hot air and intergalactic explosions, they offer gentle breezes and the occasional firefly.
We are talking about summer theater festivals.
But that’s not all that theater offers during the summer. There is Broadway Barks and Broadway in Bryant Park – and many other outdoor celebrations of live theater.
The Week in New York Theater
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Ended today: The Realistic Joneses, with Michael C Hall,Marisa Tomei,Toni Collette, Tracy Letts
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After too long a wait, Lynn Nottage is going to be on Broadway! She’ll write the stage adaptation of 1959 film Black Orpheus, which will be directed by George C. Wolfe. (No other details – such as cast, date of opening or theater) available yet.
Making art boosts older people’s psychological resilience, new studies show. http://bit.ly/TZ0Ga3
Lincoln Center is offering a two-year program with Hunter College and the New York City school system to train arts educators AND PLACE them in city public schools. Applications for Lincoln Center Scholars Alternative Certification Program due this summer. Program starts Fall 2014.
The marquees already up but The Elephant Ma nwill be delayed three weeks. It will start Nov 7 (instead of Oct 18) and open December 7
While many other shows were dark, the Phantom of the Opera was performed for the 11,000th time! (26.5 years, 16 million patrons)
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Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill with Audra McDonald has been extended yet again, to September 21.
Wiesenthal, a play about Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal written & starring Tom Dugan, on Theater Row Oct 24- Feb 1.
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.@AlanCumming with his @SardisNYC portrait. #whattooksolong?! pic.twitter.com/dD5Zdjbc6K
— Jonathan Mandell (@NewYorkTheater) July 9, 2014
My vote for least-resembling caricature at Sardi’s is …Cyndi Lauper pic.twitter.com/Bf6hHJywrb
— Jonathan Mandell (@NewYorkTheater) July 9, 2014
The Music Man, Transport Groups one-night only concert with Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana, Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Andrea Silber, among others, will be offered on August 11th at Signature Theater.
The challenge of a long-running show is maintenance, not creativity – avoiding creating something new to “keep it fresh.”
People motivated internally, rather than by reward (ie $), have better work AND more $, study suggests.
World’s Fair Play Festival: 10 10-min plays by Kristoffer Diaz, Craig Lucas and eight others. Queens Theater, July 18-27
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“This isn’t theater, this is a problem.” ~ President Barack Obama, responding to questions about why he hasn’t gone to the Mexican border.
.@TheBwayLeague blames drop in Broadway ticket sales on…Elmos! http://t.co/TH6eRgBKUZ pic.twitter.com/XP5umEGeIG
— Jonathan Mandell (@NewYorkTheater) July 10, 2014
@NewYorkTheater This feels like a classic “correlation doesn’t imply causation” thing.
— allison p. (@allisonosity) July 10, 2014
This may be the last summer for the Drilling Company’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot (at least in current lot)
Heathers, which arrived Off-Broadway March 15, will close at New World Stages August 4.
“I made a rookie mistake by underestimating how much capital was necessary, but I’m tenacious.”~ producer – Eric L. Gold, producer of Holler If Ya Hear Me.
He plans to raise $5 million to keep Holler going until ticket sales pick up http://bit.ly/W1n8Rw
Dame Helen Mirren, who played Queen Elizabeth to raves in The Audience last year in UK, is reportedly bringing it to Broadyway in 2015. It will begin previews in February.
Two breathtaking videos from On The Town, choreographed by Joshua Bergasse.
Another provocative post by Melissa Hillman: Forced Audience Participation Doesn’t Work (Yay for “passive” auds) http://bit.ly/1mObnIZ
<cough bullsh!t cough> MT @NewYorkTheater: By @melissaimpact: “Audience Participation” Doesn’t Work http://t.co/UB6iyPESM0
— Reduced Shakespeare (@reduced) July 10, 2014
@reduced @NewYorkTheater You can say “bullshit” in front of me. We’re all grownups. But read the article first. I’m drawing a distinction
— Melissa Hillman (@melissaimpact) July 10, 2014
@reduced @NewYorkTheater between forced interaction in traditional theatre & interactive theatre designed as such w/voluntary participation.
— Melissa Hillman (@melissaimpact) July 10, 2014
@reduced @NewYorkTheater Or let me save you the click: voluntary good, forced bad. (Like so many things in life)
— Melissa Hillman (@melissaimpact) July 10, 2014
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The Qualms by Bruce Norris (Clybourne Park), about swingers, to be part of Playwrights Horizons’ 2014-15 season. It opens in Chicago this week.
@NewYorkTheater Shakespeare in the Park?
— Brian (@frontrowcenter5) July 11, 2014
@NewYorkTheater the Book of Mormon.
— Kathleen (@Kathleenbeen) July 11, 2014
A Frank Wildhorn production! RT @NewYorkTheater: Is there a live theater equivalent of the summer movie blockbuster?
— NRNW Theater (@NRNWTheater) July 11, 2014
“@NewYorkTheater: Is there a live theater equivalent of the summer movie blockbuster?” Limited-run immersive staging of Hamlet with Branagh?
— Murphy & Christensen (@ScottAndNathan) July 11, 2014
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What percentage of the time have you read reviews, then seen a show and gone “It’s not so bad’ — vs. “How could they have LIKED this?!”
Beverly Baker @TheatreAddict I think 10 percent of the time I usually think that the show isn’t as bad as the reviews and probably 25 percent how could they LIKE that.
