Rialto Chatter - Page 9

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.

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice both travelled to see the show and came away from their experiences - wildly enthusiastic. Now, Michael Riedel in the New York Post has picked up on the trail this morning, and he adds fuel to the fire that has the show likely to come to Broadway in the Spring of 2012.

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.'

Now, the paper reports that 'Tim Rice, the lyricist of Jesus Christ Superstar, attended the Wednesday night performance of his show at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival less than two weeks after his composer colleague, Andrew Lloyd Webber undertook the same journey. This only served to underscore the constant rumbling since the show's June 3 opening that it was headed for Broadway - fast. If both of the show's creators give this production their blessing, then the chances of it going to Broadway have just grown exponentially.

This morning on a Today Show appearance, Angela Bassett revealed that she's 'weighing coming to New York to do a Broadway show' to the show's hosts, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.

Commenting on the show on his official web site, Andrew said: "I have just seen a fabulous production of Jesus Christ Superstar. It is very probably the best acted performance of the show I have ever seen and fully worthy of the fantastic reviews it has received. I pass my congratulations to Des McAnuff and everyone involved with the production at the Stratford Festival, Ontario."

According to published reports, stage and screen star Matthew Broderick will replace Harry Connick Jr. in the upcoming Broadway production of the Gershwin musical Nice Work If You Can Get It. Additionally, Tony winner Kathleen Marshall, who left the project a while ago, is back on board to direct.

Today, the Toronto Star is reporting that composer Andrew Lloyd Webber came to town on Saturday to see the production which has been generating potential Broadway buzz. If true, the production would come to town along with another bible based revival - the already confirmed GODSPELL.

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT may be extending its Broadway run for a second time. Although there's no official word just yet, Telecharge has released a new block of tickets for the Tony nominated play, which was set to close on July 17th following a first extension earlier this month; tickets are now being sold through September 10th.

Broadway producer Darren Bagert has just revealed that there are plans to bring both PICNIC and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN back to the Great White Way. The Tony-winner mentioned in a recent statement that a revival of PICNIC will arrive on Broadway in the 2011-12 season, featuring direction by Sam Gold. Additionally, Jose Rivera and Allan Baker are working onA new adaptation of SPIDER WOMAN, which is also scheduled to make it to Broadway in the 2011-12 season. Peter DuBois is on board to direct the production.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that Carole King is at work on a new musical showcasing tunes from her legendary songbook entitled Natural Woman. The show, which has its sights on Broadway, according to the report, had an industry-only reading on Monday and features hits such as 'Chains,' Crying in the Rain,' 'Tapestry,' and 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow.' Interestingly enough, 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' was the song that put the Shirelles on the map, yet that song is noticebly absent from Broadway's current Baby It's You, as King refused to license the rights for inclusion in her own show. Music giant EMI is the show's backer.

James Earl Jones, who most recently starred as Hoke Colburn, the chauffeur in Driving Miss Daisy will return to Broadway in the role of the feisty, folksy and wily ex- U.S. President Arthur Hockstader in GORE VIDAL'S THE BEST MAN coming to Broadway in the spring of 2012. Reported first by Variety, he revealed last night while being honored with the Monte Cristo Award at Bridgewaters-South Street Seaport that starring alongside him will be five-time Tony Winner Angela Lansbury making her return to the stage after most recently appearing as Madame Armfeldt in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.