Broadway News Round Up #15

Each week, The Broadway Critic will be featuring the news that you don’t want to miss! A lot has happened since we posted about American Idiot and Come Fly Away.

• There are reports that there are four shows that are eyeing Broadway for next season:
  • Yank!
  • Hedwig & the Angry Inch
  • Dreamgirls
  • Little House on the Prairie
• Out of those four, I think three will happen, two will be successful and one will be a critical hit, but no one will go. Can you guess which?
• Should bloggers wait till opening night to post their reviews? Or should the old ways of the press die and let new media reign supreme? Fellow theatre bloggers, Gratuitous Violins and Chris Caggiano report. What do you think? I might be posting my opinion later this week on the very subject.
• The Memphis cast album was finally released this week in stores and on iTunes. It sure did take a long time for them to nationally release this cast album. I’ve had it for months and hopefully my post inspired you (or maybe not) to buy it. Did you buy it and what do you think of it? I’m finding it somewhat non-intriguing. I wonder how it will fare at the Tony Awards this year. I have a feeling that it will get nominated for several awards and overlooked by most, only winning one or two.
• BroadwayWorld.com is reporting that Phantom of the Opera will be closing this June. Does Andrew Lloyd Weber not want both of his shows running at the same time? Read more info here. (I say, CLOSE IT!)
• Everyone is getting a little excited for City Center Encores! production of Anyone Can Whistle starring Sutton Foster, Raul Esparza and Donna Murphy. You can check out some of the rehearsal footage here. I wish I was in NYC to see this! I’ve seen Foster and Esparza perform in several different shows and I absolutely love watching them! They are some of my favorite actors on Broadway right now.
• CLOSING NOTICES: All About Me and The Miracle Worker are both closing prematurely on Sunday, April 4th, 2010. Am I surprised? Not really. I never understood why All About Me even had an audience. And, while A Miracle Worker sounded amazing and I heard great things about it, I think it opened a few weeks too early to survive the March slump.

New shows that are starting previews and/or opening on Broadway in the next couple weeks:

• 4/01/10: Red (opening)
• 4/04/10: Lead me a Tenor (opening)
• 4/06/10: La Cage aux Folles (previews)
• 4/11/10: Million Dollar Quartet (opening)
• 4/18/10: La Cage aux Folles (opening)
• 4/20/10: American Idiot (opening)
• 4/22/10: Sondheim on Sondheim (opening)
• 4/25/10: Promises, Promises (opening)

Until next week…