Rialto Chatter - Page 25

Kris Allen was crowned the 'American Idol' Season 8 champion tonight, Wednesday night May 20, after nearly 100 million votes were cast. Adam Lambert the glam-rock favorite to take the title came in second, but his future looks very bright as theatre industry insiders are already clamoring to steer him to The Great White Way and fast!

Might Jessical Biel be headed to a New York stage? The actress, soon appearing at the Hollywood Bowl in a concert version of 'GUYS AND DOLLS', indicated her interest in a recent interview with People Magazine.

'Queen of All Media' Perez Hilton has let slip on his twitter that sources have revealed to him the news that Nolan Gerard Funk, the star of the Nickelodeon movie 'Spectacular!' has won a role in Roundabout's upcoming production of 'Bye Bye Birdie'. The next question is, has he been cast as Hugo Peabody or Conrad Birdie? As a budding teen idol, he could essay both characters will relative ease. There has been no official casting confirmations regarding those roles as of yet.

Variety is reporting that Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed that his 'Phantom' sequel, 'Love Never Dies,' will premiere in London 'in March of next year, and on Broadway in the same season.'

The New York Post's Michael Riedel reports in his column today that Tony winner Alan Cumming is being sought for the role of the villianous 'Green Goblin' in the upcoming SPIDER-MAN musical by Julie Taymor, the tuners director.

The New York Times sheds a light on the fact that Tony Award voters have to see only one of the three boys rotating in the title role of 'Billy Elliot: The Musical' before voting on their joint nomination for leading actor in a musical.

The Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones is reporting in his 'Theater Loop', that production talks and negotiations are in an advanced stage to bring Tracy Letts' 'Superior Donuts' to Broadway in the fall, the Steppenwolf Theatre confirmed Tuesday, while insisting that no final contractual deal had been made.

The Broadway run of DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS would appear to be ending earlier than planned if Telecharge is any indication, the ticket service is now only selling seats for the production through May 24th, 2009.

The New York Times ArtsBeat section one of the biggest questions going around the Rialto regarding this spring's biggest hit, 'God of Carnage,' 'how long will it end up running with its superstar cast of Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini, and Marcia Gay Harden?'

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye is reporting that The Phantom Of The Opera sequel, Love Never Dies, is re-evaluating schedules for the debut of the stage show at the Adelphi in London and the as of yet undisclosed theatres where the production will 'haunt' in Toronto, New York and the Far East.

In his New York Post column today Friday, April 24th, Michael Riedel writes that the new Stephen Sondheim show 'iSondheim' may have been saved from the 'never been' bin by the Roundabout Theatre Company.

Grammy Award winning superstar and 'Dreamgirl' Beyonce Knowles revealed to The New York Times her hoped for plan of settling down in a couple of years to have some children with her husband, hip hop mogul Jay-Z, slow down on touring and saving the best for - make her Broadway debut.

Variety reports that a musical performance based on the legendary Liberace hopes to light a few candelabrum on a Broadway 'piano' next Fall season, with 'Liberace: The Man, the Music and the Memories'.

Hugh Jackman, has 'revealed' to Sydney's Daily Telegraph that he is indeed working to 'reappear' on Broadway in the original musical, HOUDINI in the spring of 2010.

Broadway hit GOD OF CARNAGE may be extending its run on the Rialto, according to Variety. The trade paper recently spoke with GOD OF CARNAGE star Marcia Gay Harden, and when asked if the show might extend, Harden replied 'We are trying to figure it out. If we can all go on, we will, happily. We are such a team.'

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye has once again revealed some exciting information on the The Phantom Of The Opera sequel, Love Never Dies, in his newest column. He reports that the show might have four companies in rehearsal this summer instead of the earlier announced three, as Toronto may end up staying put and not heading for a Broadway bow if it proves successful. It now appears the Great White Way will have its own cast in the mix!

Online sources are reporting that The Little Mermaid ensemble member Chelsea Morgan Stock has won the leading role of Ariel and will be replacing current star Sierra Boggess when Boggess leaves the production to create the role of Christine Daae in the upcoming sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, 'LOVE NEVER DIES'. Stock has some experience playing the lovelorn Ariel as she has understudied the role since the hit show opened on Broadway. Reports indicate that Chelsea Morgan Stock will take over in June 2009.

While speaking to Canada's Citytv, Liza Minnelli commented on the planned Judy Garland bio film 'GET HAPPY' and urged filmmakers to avoid focusing on her late mother's drug addiction in the upcoming project.

PThe New York Times reports that a spokesman for the Broadway production of Neil LaBute's 'reasons to be pretty' revealed Sunday that the show's producers had beefed up the security detail at the Lyceum Theater following an incident at the Saturday evening performance.

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports that the MGM classic, The Wizard Of Oz, one of the most famous and iconic movies in the history of film, is getting a total makeover, including new songs and score, for a planned stage production that will hit London late next year.