Peter and the Starcatcher Tour 2013 - Articles Page 20

Overflowing with enthusiasm and energy, the true star of the 2012 Tony Awards was unquestionably three-time host and affable Broadway spokesman extraordinaire Neil Patrick Harris, doing what he does best - namely, being the host with the most. Whether web-slinging behind Angela Lansbury and Ted Chapin or leading a spectacular production number with Patti LuPone and a lawnmower, Harris proved yet again why is he is the best in the biz at this sort of thing - well, right up there along with Hugh Jackman, at least. Speaking of whom, in addition to a goosebump-inducing trailer for the forthcoming Tom Hooper-directed film adaptation of the Broadway sensation LES MISERABLES, Hugh Jackman was featured on the Tony Awards telecast and personally on hand to receive a well-earned special Tony Award for his many fundraising successes over the course of his three-show Broadway career, as was crossover superstar Bernadette Peters who took home a special Tony Award for her BC/EFA and Broadway Barks efforts. Adding to the star quotient of the night was Broadway/Hollywood super direct Mike Nichols, giving one of the classiest (despite the CBS-sanction bleep; on the same word as during Danny Burstein's FOLLIES turn, "godammit", incidentlly) and most profound acceptance speeches on the Tony Awards in recent memory - breaking the current record with, now, six Best Director statuettes, by the way. As far as musical performances go, in addition to Harris's triptych of showstoppers throughout the show - without even mentioning the many biting and sassy remarks, jokes and offhand commets; staged and otherwise - there were some seriously strong showings from almost all new musicals and revivals currently running, and even one or two terrific turns from productions already shuttered. The musical highlights of the night were Josh Young and the cast of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in a spirited and divine take on the title song from the celebrated Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera, as well as good showings from new musical head-to-head, nail-bite-worthy competitors, ONCE and NEWSIES, plus one or two other swoon-worthy moments, too. The 2011-2012 Broadway season may not have been a record-breaker insofar as outstanding content and memorable modern classics - while NEWSIES is certainly a smash, last year's THE BOOK OF MORMON is the type of hit we only see once a decade or so, and, therefore, is a bit eclipsed; and, ONCE won Best Musical, anyway - but Harris and the team of this year's show made it an unusually entertaining and unique Tony telecast, even when compared to the finest shows on the past - particularly those from the rightly lauded Cohen era. ONCE may have dominated the wins, but the many musical numbers showed that there is a lot of room for enjoyment whether or not your personal favorite show took home the prizes. Most of all, Neil Patrick Harris proved he was once, twice, three times a Tony triumph.

A casting notice has revealed potential July starting dates for a new actor to take over for the Tony-nominated Christian Borle as 'Black Stache' in Peter and the Starcatcher when he departs (as expected) for the filming of season two of NBC's SMASH. We're told by a production source that no official date has been set for Borle's last performance, which remains to be determined.

The new musical adaptation of ROCKY has set casting for its German premiere, which will open this November in Hamburg under the direction of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Tony nominee Alex Timbers.

As first reported by Deadline.com, Walt Disney Pictures is beginning development on a PETER AND THE STARCATCHER movie with writer Jesse Wigutow (The Crow).

Producers Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price and Tom Smedes announced today that Rick Elice's new play, Peter and the Starcatcher, will embark on a national tour, opening in August 2013 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver, CO. The play's Tony Award-nominated directors, Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, will direct the touring production, which will be represented by The Road Company.

The Guthrie's 2012-13 season features three major Tony Award nominees, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris and Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz, which were both nominated for Best Play. The Guthrie's upcoming season also features Roger Rees as director of Crispin Whittell's new play The Primrose Path. Rees has been nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for his work on Peter and the Starcatcher.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo today anounced that A Civil War Christmas, written by Paula Vogel, directed by Tina Landau and Sontag: Reborn adapted by Moe Angelos, directed by Marianne Weems and produced in collaboration with The Builders Association will round out the company's 2012/13 season.

Disney's THE LION KING will make its South American premiere in São Paulo, Brazil. T4F (Time For Fun), will present the production with its opening night on March 7th, 2013 at the Teatro Abril. THE LION KING in São Paulo will mark two firsts: as the largest stage musical ever presented in Brazil and the first time the show has been performed in Portuguese. The Disney and Cameron Mackintosh musical, MARY POPPINS will be produced in Mexico City by OCESA. The production will be performed for the first time in Spanish and will begin performances on November 14th, 2012 at the Telmex Cultural Center, in Mexico City.

Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham announced the line-up today for The Public's 2012-2013 Season, beginning in the fall with an October rededication of The Public's historic downtown building. The season continues the theater's nearly 60 year tradition of developing new theatrical voices and presenting Shakespeare to the entire New York community.

As of March 28, 2012, NYTW will have two shows running on Broadway: Once, which opened on March 18 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre to superb reviews, and Peter and the Starcatcher, which begins previews March 28 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Additionally, Rent, which originated at NYTW, is enjoying a successful off-Broadway revival at New World Stages. Both Once and Rent received their world premieres at NYTW, while NYTW presented the New York premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher.