Baltimore/Washington Backstage - March 16, 2007

On Wednesday, March 21, Rosie O'Donnell will celebrate her birthday on "The View". What better way to celebrate than to invite the casts of three Broadway musicals to perform. So look for scenes from "The Color Purple", "Les Miserables" (Lea Salonga maybe?), and "A Chorus Line".

He's been called the finest American theater actor of his generation by the New York Times. Liev Schreiber is now appearing at the Longacre Theater in Eric Bogosian's "Talk Radio". CBS's "Sunday Morning" profiles this fine actor. Check local listings.

 The documentary "The Pirate Queen: A new Musical – A Broadway Journey" will be rebroadcast on  WLIW21 in New York Sunday night at 7 p.m.

 For readers of this column, you recall my many comments about the success of Disney's "High School Musical" TV sensation. Well, "Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour" kicks off on Aug.31 in Lakeland ,Florida and will visit 100 cities nationwide.  Can there be a "Wicked: The Ice Show" in the future? Would not surprise me. Can you imagine what this would be like?  There could even be lyrics available for sing-a-longs.

 MPT's "Artworks This Week" features a wonderful interview with Tony-winner Cherry Jones discussing her performance in "Doubt".  She goes into great detail about her role in this hit drama and you can see a small glimpse of the play. It replays Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and Monday morning at 5:30 on MPT. "Doubt" plays The National Theatre March 13-25 and then heads to Baltimore's Hippodrome May 1 to May 6.

 Your last chance to see "Spamalot" this Sunday evening at the Hippodrome. Crowds have been huge for the Tony-winning musical which includes Baltimorean Robbie Roby, who not only is the Dance Captain but is a "swing". See my interview with Robbie on this site.

 I enjoyed watching Darryl Semira, a member of the ensemble (he plays the minstral on the drum during "Brave Sir Robin"). I first noticed Darryl in the ensemble in "Mamma Mia" on Broadway and saw him in the original cast of Broadway's "Bombay Dreams". Semira is enjoying life "on the road". He commented, "I love visiting different cities and being exposed to various parts of the country." After he leaves Baltimore Sunday night, there's one thing he'll always remember and what would that be? "That's easy, the crab cake at Faidley's in Lexington Market."

"Spamalot" ends its run in Baltimore Sunday evening. 410-547-SEAT.

 

Well, here's my report on the dog auditions last Saturday for "Annie" held at the Petco in Timonium. About twenty dogs auditioned. I thought my jet black cocker-spaniel "Beau" distinguished himself quite well. He was first asked to climb over a plastic bridge. And then my wife Lisa was asked to put him in a shopping cart and push him around a bit. He was fabulous!! But, as is the case in show business, you may be very talented, but unless you have that certain look…So, "Beau's" equity card will have to wait. Congratulations to "Eeyore", a Jack Russell Terrier who will go on opening night March 20 and to "Butler", a Cairn terrier, who will grace the stage of the Hippodrome on Wednesday night the 21^st.

Kudos to the Hippodrome for offering free tickets to the adults of the aspiring thespian canines.

 "Annie" runs from March 20 to March 25. Thursday night is "Kids Night on Broadway" where if you use the password "CBKIDS", you can get one free children's ticket for each ticket purchased. You can go online at Ticketmaster.com, phone, or at the box office. I recently saw the "orphans" perform on the "Today" show and they are terrific. Marissa O'Donnell has the leading role and John Shuck is Daddy Warbucks.

 Two area theaters just announced their line-ups for next season.  Center Stage announced half of its 2007-08 season. Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead", Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" and the world premiere of "These Shining Eyes" by Melanie Marnich. I applaud Center Stage for doing their first full-length Stoppard. But I do wish it was a more recent offering like "Arcadia" or "Invention of Love". "R and G" is produced more often than some of his more contemporary work. See my article on this site posted yesterday.

 Also the Signature Theatre launches its first full season in its new $16 million complex. There will be three shows by Kander & Ebb (their eagerly anticipated "Curtains" opens on Broadway next week): "The Visit", "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "The Happy Time". There will be the requisite Sondheim musical directed by Eric Schaeffer, the 1981 "Merrily We Roll Along". The dance-play "The Studio' by Christopher d'Amboise could be a highlight. I saw this at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California and really enjoyed it. (See my review on this site).

 I'm looking forward to Center Stage's next production, the comedy "Ah, Wilderness" by Eugene O'Neill which will have its preview performances this week-end and continues to April 15. "Live@Centerstage" will be Thursday evening, March 22. And if you're between 20-40 years of age, for $25 not only can you see the play, but you also get free food, prizes, happy-hour bar prices, and music by blues/folk singer/songwriter Peter Wile. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m.  I always look forward to the "Meet the Actors" night, which will be Friday, March 24. Following the performance, the cast discusses the play and patrons are encouraged to ask questions. It's always entertaining. 410-332-0033.

 Last chance to see the following:

 "Assassins" at the Spotlighters. 410-752-1225

"Gem of the Ocean" at the Arena Stage.  202-488-3300.

"Glass Menagerie" at Chesapeake Arts Center. 410-636-6597.

"June Bride" at the Theatre Project. 410-752-8558.

"Richard III" at the Shakespeare Theatre 202-547-1122.

"Cats" at the Warner Theatre. 202-467-4600.

"Candide" at Catholic University. 202-319-5416.

"Merrily We Row Along" at the Smithereens Musical Theatre. 301-662-3722

For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

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