Robert Diamond - Page 8

So, with stomachs happily full, we headed over to the Shubert Theater on a rainy night. The mood in the lobby and the audience though was fantastically upbeat for this beloved show. I'm happy to report that MEMPHIS, which I originally saw in previews, is in great shape, with performances, choreography, scenic elements, lighting and costumes in as sharp of shape as any show on Broadway could ever hope to be. Interestingly enough, the US national touring production of MEMPHIS opened October 16th at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, TN. For more information on the Broadway and Tour productions, visit www.MemphisTheMusical.com. (Click here to check out the cast visiting Elvis Presley's house at Graceland).

It takes a lot to get me to below 42nd Street, but this weekend, the treck down to the Abrons Arts Center was worth it - and then some! Our evening began with one of the best New York city meals that I've ever had, at the uber-hip Beauty & Essex on the Lower East Side with amazing sharing plates of delicious food prepared by chef Chris Santos (also of the equally wonderful Stanton Social restaurant). The cocktails weren't bad either. After being extremely well fed, with spot-on service and unexpected glamour we made our way on over to the Abrons Arts Center, just a few blocks away, for a night to remember.

It was March 12, 1994 when a young, 15 year-old Rob Diamond saw THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway for the first time, and came home on 'cloud nine', my life forever changed. I still remember vividly falling asleep that night listening to and discovering Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Steve Barton and more on the show's original cast recording. I did this listening to a cassette tape that my parents had (which I had of course never before listened to), on my Walkman.

Veteran humorist and playwright, Justin Moran, launches 'Spiderman Smackdown', a guerilla theatre project to write, rehearse, and perform a fully realized musical based on the character Spiderman in under 30 days with a budget of $0. Set to open one day before the $65 Million Broadway musical 'Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark', Moran's musical will be the first Spiderman Musical to officially open in New York City.

Update: The New York Times has now weighed in on the early reviews of SPIDER-MAN, in which they spoke to Manuela Hoelterhoff, the Executive Editor of Bloomberg News about their decision to review the show early. 'I worried that by the time the show opened,' Ms. Hoelterhoff wrote, 'I might be in a rest home with Jeremy. You know, in India, they teach elephants to fly in less time, while painting pictures and humming a capella.' Jonathan Landman, the Culture Editor of the Times weighs in as well saying that 'It's easy to see why they did it and completely understandable and I admit that we've been tempted. After all, these guys are raking in the cash, charging some people more than $200 a ticket. Still, it's clear that the producers really are making significant changes and a review that's out of date when the show opens isn't all that useful. So we'll wait, but not forever.'

Well, last night Newsday, which normally hides Linda Winer's reviews behind a pay-wall, but made an exception for the sure traffic grabbing piece, published their critics take on SPIDER-MAN, in which she didn't so much express many of her own opinions, as she did talk to audience members. As to why she was not respecting the status quo of waiting for the show to be frozen and to invite critics, as is normal, she cited both the full-price cost of tickets being sold during previews, the multiple delays to opening night and the press attention.

Here's a story I wasn't expecting to see, but as Newsday critic Linda Winer writes 'After four premiere push-backs (now to Feb. 7), four high-profile injuries, 19 previews at full price ($75-$150, almost double through brokers), and public investigations by state and federal safety agencies, it seems that critics are now the only interested parties who can't see the bride before the wedding.'

All anyone in the theatre world is talking about so far this morning is last night's first preview of the highly anticipated SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark. I was there and it was certainly a night to remember. Message boards and Twitter were abuzz throughout the show, as audiences sat through 4 technical stops in Act 1, and 1 in Act 2 as well as an elongated intermission (and one heckler), but the show as performed from beginning to end.

Juggling both film and stage careers, Michael Crawford had established himself as one of theatre's finest leading men long before he opened as 'the Phantom' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, beginning one of the most widely acclaimed and memorable performances in theatre history. Few stars are as widely connected to a single role as Crawford is to 'the Phantom.' His Los Angeles and Broadway performances earned an astonishing catalogue of critical recognition including the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Los Angeles Dramalogue Award and Drama Critics Award. Since leaving PHANTOM after nearly four years in the role in London, New York and Los Angeles; Crawford has become a multi-platinum recording artist and one of the world's most sought after concert and stage performers, playing to sold-out venues around the globe. In addition to his recent concert work, stage credits in London and on Broadway include Billy, Flowers for Algernon, Black Comedy, Dance of the Vampires, The Woman in White, and Barnum. It was announced late last night that he will make his eagerly awaited return to the stage alongside Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC's smash hit Over The Rainbow, when the show opens at the LONDON PALLADIUM next year. We checked in with the star to get the first scoop!

BroadwayWorld.com's Editor-in-Chief, Robert Diamond is live blogging from the 2010 Tony Award Rehearsals at Radio City Music Hall! Refresh for updates!

Sara Fitzpatrick currently serves as the Director of Interactive for SpotCo, a leading full-service entertainment advertising and branding agency, working with Broadway and film productions to oversee the development and strategy of interactive operations. Her focus includes search engine marketing and optimization, media buying, viral marketing and website user functionality. We checked in with Sara to get the scoop on the current state of official Broadway sites on the web.

This year's new entries include Johnny Mathis, Perez Hilton, The New York Times' Ben Brantley, Idina Menzel, Eden Espinosa, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Betty Buckley, Carol Channing, Cynthia Nixon, Phyllis Diller, Florence Henderson, Marsha Mason, Laura Osnes, John Schneider, Adam Shankman, Frank Wildhorn, Jonathan Tunick, Paul Gemignani.

This year will be of particular interest due to the economic situation, which makes the phrase 'more for your hard earned dollar' even harder...

The release of 'I Stand,' the long-awaited and highly anticipated Warner Bros. Records debut of Idina Menzel, took place back on January 29th and hit the Billboard charts at #58, the star's first solo album to do so.

Thomas Schumacher, President, Disney Theatrical Productions, has written a new book, HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON? an INTRODUCTION TO THE THEATER. Designed to give kids a backstage look, the book, written with author Jeff Kurtti, explores the world behind the scenes, in a fun and educational way.

Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my mailbox and not only did I receive a copy of the new Betty Buckley CD, Betty Buckley 1967 (being released on Playbill Records, a joint-venture partnership with SONY BMG Masterworks Broadway), BUT accompanying it, was a 12 inch LP, in all of its HI-FI 'MONO' glory.

I sat with Brian Stokes Mitchell on the lobby steps of Carnegie Hall, where one week from tonight, he will make his solo debut on the world's most famous stage with a 42-piece orchestra. Here's what he had to say...

A few weeks back, BroadwayWorld.com's international sources tipped us off to the fact that composer Frank Wildhorn was having quite the European adventure this past summer, with new productions of Dracula, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Rudolf, taking the continent of Europe by storm in Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary and more. In addition, a musical theatre festival named after him as well as word that the Far East is joining in the Wildhorn fever as well.

Set your DVRs. This Friday, Former New York Times Theatre Critic, Frank Rich, who was once known as 'the Butcher of Broadway' will appear on the Late Show with David Letterman...

Well, as all of us had expected at BroadwayWorld.com, everyone at UGLY BETTY loves musicals and everyone who loves musicals, happens to love UGLY BETTY...