Rialto Chatter - Page 11

First reported by BroadwayWorld.com back in December, the Hollywood Bowl has now officially confirmed that they have chosen their summer musical... Drum roll please... HAIRSPRAY! The Hollywood Bowl has been knocking these musicals out of the ballpark these last three years with LES MISERABLES, GUYS & DOLLS and RENT.

Following a developmental workshop at the Vineyard in the fall of 2009 and a series of concert readings last summer by New York Stage and Film Company and the Powerhouse Program at Vassar, the musical ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER - with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Burton Lane, a new book by Peter Parnell based on the original book byAlan Jay Lerner, and reconceived and directed by Michael Mayer - was supposed to next receive a production at the Vineyard Theatre. Now, reports Michael Riedel in the New York Post, the show will instead head straight to Broadway in the Fall of 2011, starring Harry Connick, Jr. There's no word on who will play his co-star, a role played by Anika Noni Rose at Vassar.

Lincoln Center Theater production of Jon Robin Baitz' OTHER DESERT CITIES, directed by Joe Mantello, opened on January 13 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. The cast features Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Linda Lavin, Elizabeth Marvel and Thomas Sadoski. Today, the New York Times suggests that the show is looking to transfer to Broadway, however, a full house on the Great White Way will prevent the show from making a spring move.

Variety reported back in July that that the biographical musical about composer Florence Greenberg by Million Dollar Quartet producer and book writer Floyd Mutrux is being prepped for a 2011 Broadway opening. Entitled Baby, It's You, Variety reported that the musical is aiming to open in the winter of 2011, co- directed by Mutrux and Sheldon Epps. Mutrux and Epps also collaborated on the Pasadena Playhouse production in November of 2009. The show premiered at the Coast Playhouse in Los Angeles prior to its Pasadena run. Now, in today's New York Post, Michael Riedel reports that the show is now aiming to open this Spring at the Broadhurst Theatre. He reports that Beth Leavel is in negotiations to play the lead role of Lorence Greenberg.

The New York Philharmonic will present Stephen Sondheim's groundbreaking Company, with an all-star cast led by Neil Patrick Harris, star of the hit television series, How I Met Your Mother, on April 7-9, 2011. The award-winning musical will be produced and directed by Lonny Price, who directed and co-produced last season's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert!, and will be conducted by Sondheim specialist Paul Gemignani, with the original orchestrations for a 35-piece orchestra by Jonathan Tunick. More details will be announced at a later date.

According to Ology.com, David Fincher recently expressed interest in creating a stage adaptation of his 1999 film, FIGHT CLUB. The Social Network director is currently in talks with Trent Reznor, who wrote the score for the 2010 hit film, to possibly get the musical started.

According to a recent casting notice, the upcoming revival of BORN YESTERDAY will open in mid-April in a Broaway theatre that has not yet been determined.

BroadwayWorld.com's Seattle sources have exclusively confirmed for us that Disney's Aladdin will indeed open at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in July of 2011. The stage production will feature all the songs from the film as well as restored songs from early drafts of the score.

An above-average amount of rehearsals are still scheduled for SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark as under 30 days remain until the show's currently scheduling opening night of February 7, 2011. We're told that everyone is committed to ensuring that there's no further delays to that date as the show's official opening because the production is aware that will no doubt bring a flood of critics in.

The Seattle Times is reporting that 'The 5th Avenue Theatre has apparently forged a deal with the Walt Disney Company to stage the world premiere of a new Disney musical, 'Aladdin,' in the summer.

It looks like off-Broadway's DRACULA, playing at the Little Shubert might have a shorter run than originally announced. The show, which just opened on January 5, was originally scheduled to close on March 13. Now, after speculation in the NY Post this morning about an early end for the revival, Telecharge.com is only offering tickets for the show through January 9.

While some have criticized Bono for not being around for SPIDER-MAN's early previews, due to previous touring commitments in New Zealand, he is now back in town and fully involved with the production that features his music and lyrics.

EW.com is reporting that Big Love's Chloe Sevigny is in talks to join Katie Holmes on Broadway in the near future with William Mastrosimone's Extremities. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Holmes has reportedly been tapped to play the role of a woman who 'turns the tables' on her attempted rapist and must decide how to handle the situation. Sevigny would play her opposite.

According to the NY Times, both Jim Belushi and Nina Arianda are currently in talks to star in the spring 2011 Broadway revival of Garson Kanin's BORN YESTERDAY.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Matthew Lombardo's High, starring movie and stage actress Kathleen Turner and directed by Rob Ruggiero. This riveting and powerful production will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, October 13 through November 7, 2010. After its St. Louis run, High will move to Broadway in early 2011.

BroadwayWorld has been hearing that SPIDER MAN's Natalie Mendoza, who has been out of the show since December 2 due to a concussion she received during the first preview, could be out of the show for as long as another week. A spokesperson for the production stated that Mendoza 'would be going back into the production very soon,' in response. Reportedly, Mendoza underwent medical testing this week.

Multiple online reports are now stating that the NEWSIES readings went very well this week and that next up for the Disney show will be a full production at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey in the Fall of 2011. No dates or cast have naturally yet been announced for the production.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS may return to Broadway in the Spring for a repeat run just before the Tony Awards. According to the report, once THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS shutters in on Sunday, the producers are 'planning to put together a national tour for the musical and [hope] to bring it back to Broadway for a limited run before the Tony Awards in the spring.'

BroadwayWorld.com's scoopsters have found the cast list for this Friday's highly-anticipated reading of Disney's NEWSIES musical. Of course, participation in a reading is not a predictor of who will appear in any future productions and no announcement has been made regarding where or when a production will be mounted.

We are hearing HUGE rumblings that the Hollywood Bowl has chosen their summer musical... Drum roll please... HAIRSPRAY! The Hollywood Bowl has been knocking these musicals out of the ballpark these last three years with LES MISERABLES, GUYS & DOLLS and RENT.