Carol Rosegg News

No, that steady rumble you may hear and feel beneath your feet as you walk along 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues these evenings is not the A train making its way to Columbus Circle. It's the sound of laughing audiences having a swell time in the underground quintet of auditoriums called New World Stages. The former movie multiplex turned Off-Broadway house seems to be experiencing a happy renaissance, with its long-running anchor production, Altar Boyz, having been joined by laughter-inducing hits like The Toxic Avenger, Naked Boys Singing, My First Time and The Gazillion Bubble Show (which I haven't seen but I'm sure brings out many giggles from the youngsters). The hilarious Love Child, which previously ran at 59E59 will be moving in shortly, but first the welcome mat (and perhaps a red carpet) has been set for the center's new crown jewel as the Tony-winning Avenue Q completes its successful Broadway run and returns to its Off-Broadway roots.

I can't say I've ever really associated important events in my life with what I was wearing. Oh sure, I remember the powder beige tux I wore to my 1977 senior prom (my date picked it out) but since moving to New York I think it's safe to just assume I was wearing black whenever anything significant happened. Not so for the ladies of Love, Loss and What I Wore, a show that my female guest assures me gives an accurate portrayal of how women tend to hold important memories in the stitches of their apparel. And though such sentiments may be foreign to my nature (or perhaps nurture) I found the ninety-minute evening warm, funny (often hilarious), cleverly written and terrifically performed.

There's very little I can recommend from Vigil, Morris Panych's two-person play which I'll assume was meant to be darkly humorous and quirky, but ends up a rather dreary and frequently ugly ninety-five minute affair.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Thursday, October 22, 2009.

AVENUE Q, the Tony Award-winning musical that has delighted and surprised theatergoers since it first arrived on Broadway in 2003, had another surprise in store when the musical's producers announced from the stage at the conclusion of the show's final Broadway performance at the John Golden Theatre (252 W. 45 St.) on September 13, 2009 that AVENUE Q has, in fact, moved to a new address in the Times Square neighborhood and began performances on October 9 at New World Stages.

Two-time Tony Award-winning actress Judith Ivey will portray that great woman of American letters -- letters from readers seeking advice, that is -- when she plays the legendary, trailblazing columnist Ann Landers in David Rambo's play The Lady With All The Answers Off-Broadway this fall, starting performances October 7, 2009 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) in New York City. B.J. Jones directs. The production will run through November 29. Opening night is October 14.

Two-time Tony Award-winning actress Judith Ivey portrays that great woman of American letters -- letters from readers seeking advice, that is -- when she plays the legendary, trailblazing columnist Ann Landers in David Rambo's play THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS Off-Broadway this fall, which started performances October 7, 2009 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St.) in New York City. B.J. Jones directs. The production will run through November 29. Opening night is scheduled for October 14.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

The Irish Repertory Theatre begins its 2009-2010 Off-Broadway season with THE EMPEROR JONES -- Eugene O'Neill's powerful classic about the charismatic Brutus Jones, a self proclaimed emperor of an island nation, who attempts to flee the angry natives and his personal demons -- with previews to begin October 7, prior to its official press opening October 18 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) in Manhattan.

wo-time Tony Award-winning actress Judith Ivey will portray that great woman of American letters -- letters from readers seeking advice, that is -- when she plays the legendary, trailblazing columnist Ann Landers in David Rambo's play THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS Off-Broadway this fall, starting performances October 7, 2009 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St.) in New York City. B.J. Jones directs. The production will run through November 29. Opening night TBA.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, October 2, 2009.

The Irish Repertory Theatre begins its 2009-2010 Off-Broadway season with THE EMPEROR JONES -- Eugene O'Neill's powerful classic about the charismatic Brutus Jones, a self proclaimed emperor of an island nation, who attempts to flee the angry natives and his personal demons -- with previews to begin October 7, prior to its official press opening October 18 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) in Manhattan.

TOMMY FEMIA, the 7-time Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Award-winning impersonator, kicks off his 20th season at the popular midtown club Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), with his acclaimed portrayal of the legendary Judy Garland in 'JUDY GARLAND LIVE!' with two shows a month beginning with a special preview on Monday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m. and the official opening on Saturday, September 26 at 8:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, the eagerly anticipated new stage production of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL -- with Melissa Gilbert as 'Ma' -- kicks off a two-year, 26-city national tour at The Ordway Theatre in St. Paul.

TOMMY FEMIA, the 7-time Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Award-winning impersonator, kicks off his 20th season at the popular midtown club Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), with his acclaimed portrayal of the legendary Judy Garland in 'JUDY GARLAND LIVE!' with two shows a month beginning with a special preview on Monday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m. and the official opening on Saturday, September 26 at 8:30 p.m.

A BOY AND HIS SOUL -- a new play written and performed by Colman Domingo (PASSING STRANGE, Logo Network's 'The Big Gay Sketch Show') set to begin previews September 9, prior to officially opening on September 24 at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) in Manhattan.

After 6 years on Broadway the Tony Award-winning musical AVENUE Q will play its final performance today, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th, 2009. It will have played 2,534 performances and 22 previews, surpassing THE PRODUCERS (on August, 17th), ANNIE, OKLAHOMA!, and PIPPIN, among many others to become the 20th longest running show in Broadway history.

TOMMY FEMIA, the 7-time Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Award-winning impersonator, kicks off his 20th season at the popular midtown club Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), with his acclaimed portrayal of the legendary Judy Garland in 'JUDY GARLAND LIVE!' with two shows a month beginning with a special preview on Monday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m. and the official opening on Saturday, September 26 at 8:30 p.m.

The Toxic Avenger is a charming love story and an award-winning, laugh-out-loud musical. Featuring a freakin' hilarious story, it's got a smokin' onstage rock band, a corrupt New Jersey mayor, a gorgeous blind librarian, her monstrous toxic boyfriend, and two guys who play...well, everyone else. Don't miss the show that guarantees easily 1,000 laughs!

An original cast member off and on B'way and in London, Ann rejoined the show for its final months.