Publish-pandemic Broadway has gone into overdrive. That is essentially the most promising season in years, one which’s particularly wealthy in revivals — with a twist.
The most popular new musical to look at for is “Almost Famous,” which starts previews Oct. 3 at the Bernard B. Jacobs. It’s drawn from Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film, a semi-autobiographical tackle his travels as a teenage reporter for Rolling Stone.
The movie launched Kate Hudson as teeny-bopper Penny Lane, self-appointed muse for the band, and gave us a joyous rendition of “Tiny Dancer.” Hudson isn’t within the musical, however that Elton John track is.
“That was a no brainer,” mentioned Tom Kitt, the Tony Award-winning composer who wrote the present’s unique music, with lyrics by Crowe, who additionally wrote the script. “We would have liked to do a tackle it that will honor the movie, but additionally theatricalize it and transfer our story ahead.”
When the musical premiered in Crowe’s hometown of San Diego, the LA Instances reviewer Charles McNulty referred to as it “as pleasing as a free and simple Seventies rock traditional.’” Critics had nice issues to say about Solea Pfeiffer, the present’s Penny Lane, and Casey Likes as William Miller, Crowe’s younger alter ego.
Granted, it’s the uncommon film that makes a long-running musical. However Kitt — who composed, orchestrated and organized the music for Pulitzer Prize-winning “Subsequent to Regular” amongst them — is undaunted.
“You assume there’s a rhyme or cause or a template… however there isn’t,” he mentioned. “It’s how a musical connects with an viewers. ‘Virtually Well-known’ is Cameron’s private story — it’s about his love of music. Anybody can relate to how one track, one band, can change your life. If we are able to seize that feeling, we’ll have one thing particular.”
Many individuals will relate to “Leopoldstadt,” wherein Tom Stoppard traces a Viennese household’s fortunes over almost a century in simply 2 hours. It’s additionally been referred to as “The Actual Factor” and “Arcadia” playwright’s most private play, impressed because it was by his late-in-life discovery that he’s Jewish.
“Tom was about 8 when his household escaped Czechoslovakia and went to England,” forged member Brandon Uranowitz mentioned. “His father died and his mom married a really correct Englishman. With a view to assimilate, she kind of relinquished her Jewishness to offer Tom a greater life.”
Almost 30 years after Stoppard realized this, he put it right into a play. “But it surely’s a lot larger than Tom,” Uranowitz mentioned. “It’s monumental, a lot larger than anybody individual.”
“Leopoldstadt” follows a Austro-Hungarian Jewish household to the aftermath of the Holocaust, “however it’s not by any means a Holocaust play,” Uranowitz mentioned. “It’s very witty and there’s a variety of levity. It wouldn’t be a Stoppard play with out all that.”
When it premiered in London, reviewers referred to as it “breathtaking.” and “elegiac.” Directed by Patrick Marber, it has a forged of 20. Uranowitz, a three-time Tony nominee (“Burn This,” “Falsettos,” “An American in Paris”), takes the twin roles initially performed by the playwright’s son, Ed Stoppard.
“It’s additionally essentially the most private factor I’ve ever executed,” Uranowitz mentioned. “My great-aunt Millie survived the [concentration] camps. A few of my most vivid reminiscences had been visiting her and listening to about her expertise in Poland throughout [World War II], shedding her husband and younger sons and escaping to America. You don’t must overlook with a view to survive. You’ll be able to carry these reminiscences with you and nonetheless transfer ahead.”
August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Piano Lesson,” previewing at the Barrymore and set in Thirties Pittsburgh, revolves round two siblings at struggle over a household heirloom with 88 keys and a fraught historical past.
John David Washington (son of Denzel, and star of Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman”) and Danielle Brooks (Taystee, “Orange is the New Black” and Broadway’s “The Shade Purple”) play the battling brother and sister.
Becoming a member of them is Samuel L. Jackson, making his first Broadway look since he performed Martin Luther King Jr. in “The Mountaintop,” a decade in the past. This time, his director is none aside from his spouse of 41 years, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who made a memorably outspoken Calpurnia in Aaron Sorkin’s retooled “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
That was three years in the past, when she advised The Publish that she’d by no means make one other film together with her husband. Why? She mentioned they had been in 2006’s “Freedomland” when LaTanya advised an thought for a shot. “Sam mentioned, ‘What’s your quantity on the decision sheet?’” she recalled. “I mentioned, ‘Huh. 9.’ And he mentioned, pointing to his chest, ‘One!’ and walked away. He was being an ass.”
Apparently, he’s prepared to pay attention now: Folks journal stories she provides him his notes over dinner. Trivia observe: This isn’t Jackson’s first “Piano Lesson”: He starred as Boy Willie when the play premiered at Yale in 1987, and understudied the Broadway position in 1990.
“Again in Black” is how some wily PR individuals are selling the most recent “Death of a Salesman” (in previews, the Hudson). And what a change that’s. As Susan L. Schulman writes in “Backstage Cross to Broadway,” when George C. Scott starred in and directed it within the mid-’70s, he needed to struggle playwright Arthur Miller to forged Arthur French, a Black actor, as Willy Loman’s neighbor. Solely when Scott threatened to stroll did Miller relent.
Enter this manufacturing, with an all-African American forged headed by Wendell Pierce (“The Wire”) as Willy, a job that’s drawn our best actors — Scott, Rod Steiger and each Hoffmans (Dustin and Philip Seymour) amongst them. Sharon D. Clarke, who blew the home down in “Caroline, or Change,” performs Willy’s long-suffering spouse, Linda, and Andre De Shields, contemporary off a Tony for “Hadestown,” performs Willie’s brother. Marianne Elliott, who helmed the good “Struggle Horse” and “Firm,” directs, alongside Miranda Cromwell.
Critiques from London, the place this manufacturing premiered two years in the past, had been ecstatic.
When “1776” debuted in 1969, there have been two ladies in your entire musical. (Enjoyable reminiscence: A pre-“Cats” Betty Buckley performed one in all them.) Flash-forward half a century and “Hamilton” later, and also you get this Roundabout revival, wherein all of the founding fathers are performed by feminine, nonbinary and transgender actors.
In addition to a slew of contemporary faces, search for Broadway favourite Carolee Carmello, who performed Abigail Adams in an earlier, conventional revival of the present. This time round, she’s John Dickinson. Crystal Lucas-Perry, a “Regulation & Order: Particular Victims Unit” veteran, takes on John Adams. Extra glad information: Diane Paulus, the Tony-winning wizard behind the revivals of “Hair” and “Pippin,” directs, alongside Jeffrey L. Web page. Now in previews on the American Airways Theater.
Progeria — a uncommon, incurable illness that ages its victims 5 occasions sooner than regular — isn’t your typical show-biz fodder.
Nonetheless, that didn’t deter David Lindsay-Abaire from turning his Pulitzer successful play, “Kimberly Akimbo,” right into a musical, with a rating by Jeanine (“Enjoyable Dwelling”) Tesori.
Regardless of the darkish subject material, critics who noticed the present final yr at off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company declared it a life-affirming triumph.
Victoria Clark, who elevates each present she’s in (from “The Gentle within the Piazza” to “Sister Act”) performs the smart and witty teen of the title. Steven Boyer, hilarious because the demonically possessed teen in “Hand to God,” performs Kimberly’s hopelessly inept father; Alli Mauzey, a former Glinda of “Depraved,” is forged as Kimberly’s mess of a mother. Previews begin Oct. 12 on the Sales space.
Again with a bang is “KPOP,” which exploded 5 years in the past throughout two flooring of a constructing in Hell’s Kitchen. Like “Sleep No Extra,” it was a totally immersive expertise, with spectators following the actors round a (fictitious) Korean hit manufacturing unit. Half satire and half cleaning soap opera, it climaxed with a full-on live performance. God is aware of how it will all play out on the Circle within the Sq., the place previews start Oct. 13. Actual-life Ok-pop star Luna (pictured left) heads the forged.
Think about what life might need been like for Romeo’s different half if she had soldiered on alone. Enter “& Juliet” (Oct. 28, Stephen Sondheim), Shakespeare’s story of younger love set within the now, with pop music to match. The rating is by Max Martin (“… Child One Extra Time,” “Roar”) and the script, by David West Learn, the Emmy-winning author from “Schitt’s Creek,” so don’t anticipate something too tragic.
Paulo Szot, the Brazilian baritone and Metropolitan Opera heartthrob who bewitched Kelli O’Hara’s character in “South Pacific” a decade in the past, will sing three songs on this one, together with Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.” Guarantees to be an enchanted night.
“Virtually Well-known” isn’t the one movie title we’ll see on Broadway this yr. “Some Like It Hot,” the 1959 Billy Wilder film that gave us Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in drag, is now a musical. Broadway has tried this one earlier than, as 1972’s “Sugar,” music by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. This time round, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the wits behind “Hairspray,” rating the story of two Prohibition-era jazzmen who witness a mob hit and go on the lam with an all-woman band.
The ever-engaging Christian Borle (“Spamalot,” “One thing Rotten”) and J. Harrison Ghee (a onetime Lola from “Kinky Boots”) play the cross-dressing guys; Adrianna Hicks, the previous Catherine of Aragon from “Six,” takes on Marilyn Monroe’s luscious avatar, Sugar. Previews begin Nov. 1 on the Shubert.
Granted, no Broadway season is full with out not less than one catalog musical. Keep tuned for “A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond Musical,” the uncommon bio present to go the Tony Soprano route, constructed as it’s round its star’s visits together with his therapist. Linda Powell, late of Broadway’s “On Golden Pond” (and daughter of the late Secretary of State Colin Powell), performs the great physician, whereas two males divvy up the Brooklyn troubadour’s position: Will Swenson as Neil the youthful and Mark Jacoby, the bard of the current day. Each obtained heat opinions when the present premiered in Boston, the place Crimson Sox followers routinely, if inexplicably, burst into “Candy Caroline” in the course of the eighth inning.
Extra excellent news: The director is Michael Mayer, who’s helmed many a success, together with the chic “Spring Awakening”; the script is by Anthony McCarten (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and Steven Hoggett (too many terrific credit to say, however let’s say “As soon as”) is the choreographer. Jersey boy Bob Gaudio, who is aware of just a little one thing about music after writing a lot of it for the 4 Seasons, is without doubt one of the lead producers. Previews begin Nov. 2 on the Broadhurst.
Begin marking your calendars. Broadway is again.
