Rialto Chatter - Page 14

The Wizard of Oz's latest newsletter tells us that Michael Crawford's replacement will be announced shortly but until that time the casting is 'strictly confidential' - so does that mean the Strictly Come Dancing star is in the frame to take over?

BWW:UK understands that the row over royalties for the Les Miserables original cast recording has now been resolved - and the cast will be receiving their royalties in the future!

After we broke the news on Saturday that the Les Miserables original cast are currently locked in a row regarding royalty payments on their recording, actors' union Equity have responded to First Night Records' accusation that the original contract was 'silly'.

BWW:UK understands that the original cast of Les Miserables are currently locked in a dispute with First Night Records about the royalties of their cast recording. Peter Polycarpou (originally ensemble, later Grantaire and Thenardier; and then John in Miss Saigon) tweeted on Friday: 'First Night Records have said that they no longer want to pay us Les Mis royalties after 25 years.'

The New York Post reports this morning that everyone's favorite international spy, Austin Powers, may be next seen on the Great White Way in a new Broadway Musical. At least, if the character's alter ego, Mike Myers, has anything to do with it.

BONNIE & CLYDE opened on Thursday, December 1, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. As of today, it appears the producers have taken tickets off sale through Telecharge.com past December 30, 2011. (Telecharge.com is selling for the show through this date, however). No official announcement as to why the production has pulled tickets past the 30th has been made.

The New York Times reports that Bernadette Peters and Martin Short are in talks with producers about co-starring as 'Agnes Snow' and 'Michael Snow' in a revival of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's I DO I DO. Talks about the possible revival are in the earliest phases and no readings or workshops have been planned. The producers behind the revival are Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Promises, Promises, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Smash), and Broadway Across America's John Gore and Beth Williams.

Peter and the Starcatcher, written by Rick Elice, directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, based upon the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, opened Wednesday, March 9, 2011 to rave notices and set a record for the highest grossing day in NYTW history. It closed on April 24 following two extensions.

According to The New York Times, the production may be headed for Broadway: a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the paper that talks are underway between Disney and the Nederlander Organization and Jujamcyn Theaters, who seek to house the show for the upcoming season. All announcements from Disney have noted that the production was intended to set the oft-requested show up for licensing, not for a commercial transfer, though insiders have been speculating that positive reviews (which the show received) would result in a move.

BroadwayWorld has learned that the musical BARE may be getting a staged reading in New York in October. Randy Taradash and Martian Entertainment will produce the reading of the Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere piece. Stafford Arima will direct and Lynne Shankel will musical direct. The reading would begin either October 23 or October 24 and run through October 31.

The Toxic Avenger, winner of 'Best New Off- Broadway Musical' by both the Outer Critics Circle and BroadwayWorld's Theatre Fans, may be headed to Broadway. The Joe DiPietro/David Bryan penned musical played New World Stages in 2009.

Andrew Garfield has joined the cast of the upcoming revival of Arthur Miller's Pultizer Prize-winning play DEATH OF A SALESMAN, to be directed by Mike Nichols, according to Deadline. Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman will star as traveling salesman Willy Loman, Linda Edmond will play his wife, Linda, and Andrew Garfield will play Loman's son, Biff. Scott Rudin will produce the revival, set to open next March at the Barrymore Theatre.

According to a casting notice, the Judy Garland tribute show, End Of The Rainbow by Peter Quilter, a play about her last months before overdosing on drugs in 1969 is aiming for a Broadway run in the Spring of 2012. THe production will first run at Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater before tranferring to Broadway.

Nicholas Hytner's One Man, Two Guvnors will soon transfer to the West End for a 16 week run following its sell-out run at The National Theatre, subsequent UK tour and National Theatre Live cinema broadcast. Now according to Vartiety, producer Bob Boyett is eyeing a possible Broadway run in the 2011-2012 season. Additional details have not yet been announced. Performances at the Adelphi Theatre begin 8 November 2011 and run through 25 February 2012.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical, which is slated to transfer to London's Cambridge Theatre on October 18 of this year, is lined up for Broadway in 2013. Riedel explains that Matilda director Matthew Wachus is hoping to bring the show in then so that he can focus on moving his other West End property, Ghost, to Broadway next season.

According to a report by Lemonwade, Broadway legends Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin might bring their concert show, which toured the country in 2010-11, to the Great White Way this fall. The show is aiming to open in mid-October and run through the holiday season. Additional details have not yet been released.

As first reported by Michael Riedel in the New York Post, the Off-Broadway hit musical LYSISTRATA JONES, which closed on Friday, June 24 at the Judson Memorial Church, is hoping to move to Broadway (with a search led by General Manager Alan Wasser) in the fall with a budget between $6-7 million at a small house, ideally the Broadhurst or the Walter Kerr. Confirming this buzz is an Equity EPA notice today for roles under a Broadway minimum contract. Auditions for all roles and understudies will be taking place on July 22 and July 25 at Pearl Studios.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post today that Hugh Jackman's one-man concert, Hugh Jackman in Concert, could be gearing up for a Broadway engagement as yearly as this year. The concert, which opened to raves in San Francisco this spring and even greater praise in Toronto on July 5, has been the source of Broadway buzz for months. No doubt the Broadway favorite will be welcomed back warmly.

According to Whatsonstage.com, stage and screen star Joanna Lumley might return to the West End in the upcoming production of THE LION IN WINTER at Theatre Royal Haymarket. Lumley would play Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 1966 play, which will reportedly be directed by Trevor Nunn.

According to Whatsonstage.com, Priscilla Queen of the Desert might finish its West End run at the end of December 2011. A publicist for the show told Whatsonstage, 'The producers of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical made the decision today to inform the London cast and crew of the likelihood that the show would end its three-year run in the West End at the end of 2011. No formal notice has been given.'