New York Nights

[+ Lucky]

Fans of Brazil, dance, Brasilian men, or just hot men will delight in the Dance Brazil show going on this week at the Joyce Theater. While I haven't seen this performance, I have seen Dance Brazil in the past, and it sizzles.

 

The Arts section today also announces the coming of the London play Frost/Nixon which I saw last fall at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Another night of sizzling theater as the David Frost inteviews with Richard Nixon are brought to life in new ways. Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair in Queen, is Frost, and Frank Langella is Nixon...a really great performance that gives you new thoughts on an old leader. Yes, Bush makes me miss Nixon. Who could have predicted that? Langella gives the human side of the highly-flawed man.

 

Finally, the stage production of Legally Blonde, now premiering in San Francisco, hits New York April 3d. Not something I would see if the bf didn't like the movie so much. Frost/Nixon starts March 31. Both, sadly, a few days after my New York trip ends! Ed James, where are you?

[AdamSmith]

>The Arts section today also announces the coming of the London

>play Frost/Nixon which I saw last fall at the Donmar Warehouse

>in London. Another night of sizzling theater as the David

>Frost inteviews with Richard Nixon are brought to life in new

>ways. Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair in Queen, is Frost,

>and Frank Langella is Nixon...a really great performance that

>gives you new thoughts on an old leader. Yes, Bush makes me

>miss Nixon. Who could have predicted that? Langella gives the

>human side of the highly-flawed man.

 

Thank you! This is now on my must-see list. Nixon rivets me. I came to political consciousness at age 13 (well, to whatever degree possible then) with the Watergate hearings. One of the most moving places I've ever visited in California (does that qualify things too narrowly?) is the Nixon Presidential Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda.

 

Re comparison with our current leader and others, it almost drowns one in nostalgia to reflect that this near-psychopath (Nixon, not the current one) also created the EPA, proposed universal health care that was much more generous than Hillary's 1994 plan, snake-charmed Mao and Brezhnev...

 

And who knows her veracity, but in Nixon Off the Record, Monica Crowley reports Nixon cringed at the gay-bashing, especially by Buchanan, in speeches at the 1992 Republican convention.

[edjames]

I'm here! I'm here! The theater season is heating up again.

 

I am very excited about the forthcoming "Frost/Nixon." I am sure it will be a hot ticket.

 

Many were skeptical about “Legally Blonde” and everyone questioned why, oh why, wasn't Kristin Chenoweth cast in the leading role, but it seems the producers have a hit on their hands. The SF reviews were good, and called the show “irresistible.” Most agreed the show needs fine tuning and runs about 15 minutes too long. The big courtroom scene is said to be “problematic.” Still the show has time to find its legs before it arrives on Broadway. Some say Laura Bell Bundy will give Christine Ebersole a run for her money at Tony time!

 

I’m off to see the City Center Encores production of “Follies’ tomorrow night, sadly the last of this limited run starring Christine Baranski, Donna Murphy, Victoria Clark and Victor Garber. Joanne Worley (!) leads the cast in that glorious Sondheim number “Who’s That Woman” and Mini Hines belts out “Broadway Baby.” Critics enjoyed the show and I’m looking forward to it.

 

“Curtains” opens later this month and I scored a great center-orchestra seat for a March performance, so I am ready for this Kander-Ebb musical, starring David Hyde Pierce.

 

I also have a seat for “Talk Radio” the Eric Bogosian plan, based on his movie, starring one of the hottest actors of the moment, Liev Schreiber.

 

I will also be at the premiere performance on March 7th at the Lincoln Center concert production of “My Fair Lady,” starring Kelsey Grammer.

 

So, I’m pretty well set for the moment but I haven’t mentioned “Deuce" which marks Angela Lansbury’s return to the great White Way or “Billy Elliot,” “110 In The Shade” with Audra McDonald, “A Moon For The Misbegotten” with Kevin Spacey (reportedly the highest price ticket, ever, on Broadway!), and many others in the works. So many shows, so little time... and money!

 

ED

[+ Lucky]

"I'm here! I'm here!"

 

And we are glad for that!

Would you believe I had a ticket for Moon for the Misbegotten in London and had to give it up. Now I probably couldn't afford it in new York. The Frst/Nixon show was sold out there, but I waited in the cancellation line, at first told that I had missed out by one, but fortunately a guy came in to sell his sick wife's seat ( a very good one!) so got to see the show after all. Those tickets were a mere 20 pounds.

 

When is Billy Elliott coming to New York? I liked the show well enough and was amazed at the talented yong actor I saw play the lead. Sadly, the Jerry Springer Opera will not make it to our conservative shores.

[edjames]

"Billy Elliot" is scheduled for a Fall, 2008 Broadway opening.

 

Sorry that you had to give up your London "Moon.." ticket. I am sure lesser-priced tickets will be available on Broadway. The same thing happened when Julia Roberts was on Broadway last season. A big rush to get tickets and then the reviews came out, Julia didn't do well, and all of a sudden tickets were available. And, don't forget, Kevin Spacey is not as big a movie star as Julia, so we'll see how the box office reacts.

 

ED