Glen Berger News

The critically acclaimed New Century Theatre Company (NCTC) enters their third season by taking on the outrageously funny and profoundly moving story of a stuffed dead goat on a fantasticalquest for the meaning of existence. O Lovely Glowworm was written by former Seattleite Glen Berger (co-book writer Broadway's already infamous SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK). View promotional videos for the show below!

Annex Theatre collaborates with Puppet This and presents THE GREAT HAPPINESS MACHINE, May 2nd through May 18th, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8pm. Tickets are $10 on Brown Paper Tickets - Tickets in Advance or at the door. TPS/Military/Seniors/Student tickets are $5.

The underbelly of Beatrix Potter comes to life in Brandon Simmons' 'The Tale of Jemima Canard'. An innocent girl falls under the romantic sway of a predatory cad, but as the author is interrogated by one of her own characters, layers of love, envy, jealousy, and much worse becomes revealed as the play delves into the initially whimsical loves of Jemima.

Annex Theatre serves up a saucey satire of the Lifetime television genre in a new late night show WOMEN IN PERIL written by Joel Steinpreis & Craig Trolli and directed by Jason Sharp. Bad Actor Productions bring their campy nonsense and anarchic deviance to bear on the trashy world of 1990's Lifetime movies - the kind of trashy psychotic plot-defying guilty pleasure we secretly binged on with our moms!

We've gotten word that on Sunday cast members were given a chance to give their thoughts on the new script with work by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Glen Berger and that rehearsals begin today with all of the principles for Act 1 of the new script with the first read thrus and staging taking place with Phil and the leads, while Chase Brock will simultaneously begin working on his new choreography with the ensemble.

The cast was also informed tonight that the first reading of the new script would take place Friday afternoon at 1:30 PM. We're told that no cast members have yet seen the new script, which will not be given out till 1:15 PM tomorrow before the reading takes place. It's the scheduling of Friday's reading that made the telling of the cast tonight about the Greek chorus being cut. Also to be noted, only the leads have been called at the current time, and not the ensemble.

Update: The cast was also informed tonight that the first reading of the new script would take place tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM. We're told that no cast members have yet seen the new script, which will not be given out till 1:15 PM tomorrow before the reading takes place. It's tomorrow's reading that made the telling of the cast tonight about the Greek chorus being cut.

There's just as much drama going on behind the scenes ofSPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark as there is on the stage. There's been news this week that Julie Taymor's deal has not yet been completed and cast member, T.V. Carpio (Arachne) suffered a whiplash injury and additional stoppages. Also, first reported exclusively by BroadwayWorld.com this morning, it's now been officially announced that choreographer Chase Brock has joined the SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark team. The company was introduced to Brock tonight at a pre-show company meeting. Also at that meeting, they were informed that amongst the many changes that would be coming to the show in the weeks to come, the Geek Chorus who narrate much of the show now would be cut entirely from the new version of the production. The Geek Chorus was played by Gideon Glick, Jonathan Schwartz, Mat Devine, Alice Lee.

The critically acclaimed New Century Theatre Company (NCTC) enters their third season by taking on the outrageously funny and profoundly moving story of a stuffed dead goat on a fantastical quest for the meaning of existence.The critically acclaimed New Century Theatre Company (NCTC) enters their third season by taking on the outrageously funny and profoundly moving story of a stuffed dead goat on a fantastical quest for the meaning of existence.

This morning, Bloomberg News is reporting that producers are now in talks to replace the show's choreographer, Daniel Ezralow with Chase Brock. Ezralow, who helped to create many of the show's mid-air battles is a longtime collaborator of Julie Taymor's, having worked with her on Across the Universe, and the Green Bird, along with also staging shows for David Bowie, Sting and U2. Chase Brock most recently choreographed Lost in the Stars at Encores!, was assistant choreographer to Kathleen Marshall on Wonderful Town and recently helped create the (fantastic) Nintendo Wii game, Dance on Broadway.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, March 13, 2011 - Sunday, March 13, 2011.

On Sunday, BroadwayWorld.com has confirmed that Glen Berger, co-writer of the book who has been left out of much other press coverage and speculation is very much still on board and is at work with comic book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa on making heavy revisions to the book. These changes are said to include much cutting of Julie Taymor's additions to the already rich SPIDER-MAN mythology including both the Geek Chorus, and Arachne. Other changes will include the Green Goblin remaining SPIDER-MAN's chief rival for the entire show which will involve changing both the ending of Act 1 and the beginning of Act 2 (with a new opener by Bono and the Edge) along with many other changes in Act 2.

A production source tells us that an official company meeting has been called for tonight at 7pm at the Foxwoods Theatre for all the SPIDER-MAN cast and crew to hear the news officially from producer Michael Cohl before an announcement is revealed to the press and public regarding the show's future. We're told that neither Bono, nor The Edge are expected to be there, and aside from Cohl, it's not been revealed what current, or future creative team members might be in attendance.

Patrick Healy in the New York Times is now reporting that lead producer Michael Cohl has 'told at least two investors and one other person involved with the Broadway musical that its director Julie Taymor, will step aside once negotiations about complex contractual matters like her creative legal rights and her considerable financial stake in any profits are concluded.'

Patrick Healy in the New York Times is now reporting that lead producer Michael Cohl has 'told at least two investors and one other person involved with the Broadway musical that its director Julie Taymor, will step aside once negotiations about complex contractual matters like her creative legal rights and her considerable financial stake in any profits are concluded.'

Now, others are adding to the trickle of information leaking out of the production, with Michael Riedel in the New York Post reporting that Christopher Ashley (Memphis, Xanadu, All Shook Up, The Rocky Horror Show) is likely to take over direction duties from Julie Taymor. Riedel reports that it's unknown if she will continue with the production in some capacity, take a break and return or what as negotiations are still ongoing. He pegs the hiatus as 4-6 weeks, to begin at the end of April, but also notes that the sheer technical complexity of the production will make large scale changes difficult.

The New York Times is reporting that tomorrow's SPIDER-MAN announcement will include the news that the production will shut down for 2-3 weeks for giving the cast a break, and for holding new rehearsals for more substantial changes. Other online blogs have speculated that there will be a longer break, possibly as much as 4-5 weeks. The production is also expected to delay its scheduled opening for 'about three months'.

Sources tell BroadwayWorld.com that behind the scenes talks have been 'making progess' and that the cast, which has not been made aware yet of the specifics, has been told to expect that announcement to come tomorrow (Wednesday) as was promised on Friday.

Monday night, the New York Times is reporting that discussions and negotiations are underway for director and co-bookwriter Julie Taymor to either 'work with a newly expanded creative team to fix the critically derided $65 million musical or to possibly leave the show.' The paper reports all of this to anonymous sources as the producers have insisted that the talks are private, but they do note that for the first time Bono himself is directly involved in the negotiations. As to the possibilities of Taymor departing or accepting help, they note that as of Monday night, 'they were not sure if Ms. Taymor would stay or go as director'.

After five delays, the show is currently scheduled to open on March 15th, 2011, but rumors have said that the show will likely be delayed again, possibly to June of 2011. A delay past April 28th would make it inelligible for this year's Tony Awards. Now, multiple sources tell us that the show is likely to announce that further delay this week, probably to June of 2011.