Berger News

CAKE BOSS has taken viewers behind the scenes of Buddy Valastro's busy, family-run bakery, sharing the sweeter side of life. Now, TLC is heating things up with KITCHEN BOSS, a brand-new daytime cooking series that will showcase Buddy's traditional Italian recipes. Both series are ready to be served up this month - KITCHEN BOSS premieres on Monday January 24 and season four of CAKE BOSS premieres Monday January 31.

Cast member T.V. Carpio officially assumed the role of 'Arachne' in SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, replacing Natalie Mendoza back in early January. BroadwayWorld.com photog Walter McBride went through his extensive photo arrives and dug up some great photos of Carpio at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival where she was promoting another Julie Taymor project - Across the Universe, which she starred in as Prudence!

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) presents the World Premiere of A SMALL FIRE, a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Drunken City at PH, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows). Directed by Trip Cullman (Adam Bock's The Drunken City at PH and Swimming in the Shallows, plus Bachelorette, Some Men, The Last Sunday in June, the recent Edgewise, Adam Rapp's upcoming The Hallway Trilogy) the production will close Sunday, January 23 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The 2009 Tony Award-winning musical revival of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical conclude performances at the Pantages Theatre on January 23, 2011.

According to Ew.com, T.V. Carpio has revealed that SPIDER-MAN director Julie Taymor is making 'major changes in the second act, which will make things more clear and better.' One of those 'major changes' includes the fight between her character, Arachne and Peter Parker.

SPIDER-MAN is now offering a unique opportunity for theatregoers to see a Broadway performance without feeling guilty about spending too much on tickets. Proceeds from tickets purchased for SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK's February 3 performance will be donated to The Actor's Fund. Tickets for the event range from $145 to $250.

For the first time since Christopher Tierney was inured, Julie Taymor, Director of SPIDER-MAN : TURN OFF THE DARK gave an interview to NY1's Frank DiLella. In an attempt to clear her name from any fault, Taymor said, 'It's physical theater. Someone said it was action theater. And it's a terrible thing to happen but I don't think you can point to someone who actually didn't do the thing and say that they're at fault. We all know what we're doing in here and all of the safety issues have been covered -- and that one there was a mistake on -- and hopefully it could never happen again.' Taymor claims that Tierney will do 'something on stage on opening night.' The opening date for the musical has been delayed once again to March 15.

The Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director, Diane Stiles, managing director) held the first full cast rehearsal today for Fred Newman's MR. HIRSCH DIED YESTERDAY, which runs Friday, January 21 to Sunday, February 20 with an official press preview on Thursday, January 20. Directed by Woodie King, Jr. (founder and producing director of the New Federal Theatre).

The Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director, Diane Stiles, managing director) held the first full cast rehearsal today for Fred Newman's MR. HIRSCH DIED YESTERDAY, which runs Friday, January 21 to Sunday, February 20 with an official press preview on Thursday, January 20. Directed by Woodie King, Jr. (founder and producing director of the New Federal Theatre).

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres will produce another new show on its Main Stage with JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. The groundbreaking theatrical masterpiece will run two weeks of previews from Friday, February 4 -17, with grand opening festivities on Friday, July 18. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is slated to run through July 30, 2011. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director) announces that The Witch of Edmonton, directed by Mr. Berger, which begins a limited engagement January 25th at Theater at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues) will have its Gala Benefit Performance on Sunday January 30th.

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director) will present The Witch of Edmonton, adapted and directed by Mr. Berger, for a limited engagement beginning January 25th at Theater at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues).

Many critics still haven't decided (or announced) if they'll review SPIDER-MAN, but now New York Magazine's Scott Brown says that he will review the show on February 7th and then return to see the 'final product' on March 15th.

On the heels of the highly successful preview of the new musical THE GOOD GIRL in October, MUSICAL MONDAYS THEATRE LAB Artistic Directors Bick Goss and Frank Evans and Board President Stephen Hanks are pleased to announce another exciting musical preview for its fall/winter 2010-11 season.

The attention of the world is still lasered in on SPIDER-MAN as is the New York Times, who reports that the long talked about new finale for the show has finally gone in today.

The attention of the world is still lasered in on SPIDER-MAN, and Fox News at 10 reported tonight that 'the curse of SPIDER-MAN seems to be continuing with another stunt mishap stopping today's matinee. The TV network is reporting that SPIDER-MAN was left hanging in the air for several minutes during Wednesday's matinee performance. Witnesses say that he was left hanging in mid-air while the show was stopped, but that thankfully no one was hurt.

Noted critic John Simon has expressed his opinion on the debate that seems to be taking place among newspapers, websites, and readers alike: should reviewers wait out SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark's lengthy preview period, or review the show while still in previews?

Back in November, Oprah Winfrey stopped by Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre to chat with SPIDER-MAN:TURN OFF THE DARK director Julie Taymor on her newest project. Much news has circulated around SPIDER-MAN since Oprah's interview, however Taymor still revealed some unknown details about her involvement in the production.

The Theater Hall of Fame has announced its 2010 inductees. They include Michael Blakemore, Paul Gemignani, Caryl Churchill, Linda Lavin, Brian Dennehy, Fritz Weaver, James Lapine and, posthumously, director/writer Joseph Chaikin.

Now, the New Jersey Star-Ledger's music critic, Jay Lustig has gone in, noting that they considerer the number of previews that SPIDER-MAN has had to be 'an unreasonably long period of time' and also cite the fact that the audience is paying non-discounted ticket prices and therefore to wait would be 'absurd'.