Baltimore/Washington Backstage - March 23, 2008

As I begin my column today, I can't help but notice the coincidence that it's my daughter Britt's birthday. As any parent does during the anniversary of a child's birth, it brings back memories. I recall her first performance in kindergarten as the Good Witch of the South in The Wizard of Oz.  This was followed by the Baltimore Actor's Theater's Babes in Toyland, an urchin in The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd (loved this part), Shprintze in Fiddler on the Roof, Maggie in A Chorus Line, the many musicals during the summer at the French Woods Festival, Katherine in the Carver Center for the Arts' production of The Taming of the Shrew, and Hair at NYU.  And in March of 2002 to celebrate her birthday, we took her to see the Broadway production of  Mamma Mia!

It was only one week later, Britt was called to audition for the ABBA musical.  Before you could say "Dancing Queen", she began her five year run in the hit musical and performed on "The Tony Awards". She started as a "swing", then became a member of the ensemble, and finally was selected to be an understudy for the leading role of "Sophie". Britt, thanks for the memories and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

 

Last week "ABC's Good Morning America" presented two stories on Broadway. Sunday in the Park with George was featured (including nice interviews with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine) and how clever, for the first day of spring, the cast of Spring Awakening did a montage of numbers. You may wonder how the network handled the song "Totally Fucked". It became "Totally Stuck" for obvious reasons.

 

The video of Enchanted hit the stores recently and NBC's "Saturday Night Live" had its star Amy Adams as a guest host. Adams opened the show singing the delightful duet "What is this Feeling (Loathing) "with new cast-member Kristen Wiig from the musical Wicked. And what a great job they did. Has SNL ever started a show before with a Broadway song?

 

This coming Thursday night (March 27), the Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" will celebrate the Baltimore opening night of  Avenue Q at the Hippodrome Theater with a cake based on the hit musical.

 

One of my favorite new shows on television is ABC's "Eli Stone" (Thursday at 10 p.m.)  You can catch cast member Victor Garber in fine form singing the song "Freedom" on YouTube. I'll never forget Garber as the original  Anthony in SweeneyTodd.

The Fox network on Monday nights has two interesting new shows. "New Amsterdam" at 8 p.m. features Ben Shankman (Tony-nominated for Proof) and at 9 p.m. is "New Amsterdam".  I noticed veteran actor Stephen McKinley Henderson who plays the bartender, Omar. Many Center Stage enthusiasts will recall how terrific Henderson was as the character Turbo in the 1999 Center Stage production of August Wilson's Jitney.

 

Have you seen the new Maaco commercial which featured a modern version of "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof?

 

Just saw the new theatrical trailer for Mamma Mia and it looks promising. It opens July 18.

 

Congratulations to the 100^th birthday of  the Converse All Stars basketball shoe.  I have noticed so many recent Broadway productions including them as a part of their wardrobe.  I remember visiting the factory store in Malden, MA as a youngster.

 

Sorry to report that the Broadway-themed television show "Theater Talk" will not start on WETA until June. MPT has agreed to show it, but has not released when it will begin on their schedule. Both stations would be smart to get this on prior to the Tony Awards.

 

MPT's "Artworks This Week" last Wednesday featured a nice interview with Barbara Walsh and  Stephen Bogardus from A Little Night Music at Center Stage. This week, you can see Polly Bergen (Madame Armfeldt) featured on Wednesday night, March 26 at 7:30 p.m.

 

The Kennedy Center has announced its line-up for next season. Highlights include a new musical Giant (in collaboration with the Signature Theatre), a new production of Ragtime, Stacy Keach in Frost/Nixon, Legally Blonde, The Color Purple, and Spring Awakening.

 

The Hippodrome this week announced its line-up with a short preview for subscribers and press. Betty Gulsvig did a wonderful rendition of "So Much Better" from Legally Blonde, ten-year old Caroline London and William Ryall (in full costume) sang "Sometimes When You're All Alone" from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Jessica Lee Goldyn did "Tits and Ass" from A Chorus Line, and Emily Padgett and Matthew Hydzik did a nice duet from Grease, "You're the One That I Want". Also making an appearance was the writer and star of A Bronx Tale, Chazz Palminteri. The final show on the subscription program is the hit musical Spring Awakening, a show that was involved "puberty, suicide, and sexuality".

 

Four shows that are not on the subscription include Riverdance, Cats, Movin' Out, and Annie. These shows will only play a limited run. If you would like to comment on the Kennedy Center and Hippodrome selections, please email me at cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

While the Hippodrome is presenting the musical Movin' Out, the Baltimore Symphony is presenting a concert entitled "The Music of Billy Joel" with Michael Cavanaugh reprising his Tony-nomiated role on Broadway as the pianist Joel. What a concert this should be with the huge Baltimore Symphony behind him. Get your tickets NOW! Performances are Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 at Strathmore Hall, Friday and Saturday nights, October 3^rd and 4^th, and Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5 at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.

 

Another theater-related concert will feature Tony-winner Savion Glover performing with the BSO on Feb. 13, 2009 at Strathmore and Feb. 14 and 15 at the Meyerhoof. 

 

The BSO will also feature "The Leading Men of Broadway" May 7 at Strathmore and May 8-10 at the Meyerhoff with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. Visit www.BSOmusic.org or call 410-783-8100.

 

Here's an example of a strange but true story. My friend Sam is a theater-lover and is moving to Portland, Oregon. In one day, he got a call from Baltimore's Center Stage about contributing during their fund-raising campaign and later the same evening got a call from Portland's Center Stage for the same reason. Only in America.

 

If you're heading to the Hippodrome next week to see Camelot (opening on Tuesday, March 25) you now have an addition to you restaurant choices as the Parthenon Diner just opened at 8 Park Avenue (at Baltimore Street, two blocks from the Hipp). Call 410-637-4040 and they're open 24 hours a day.

 

And coming in August at the new Hilton Hotel Baltimore, 401 W. Pratt St. will be a 215 seat sports-themed restaurant.

 

And if you haven't discovered one of the most popular new restaurants in Baltimore, try  the Woodberry Kitchen, 2010  Clipper Park Road (at the Clipper Mill light rail stop). They also feature free valet parking. If you're heading downtown from the north, you are only five minutes by car to the Everyman, Lyric, Center Stage, BSO, or the Hippodrome. Where else can you get a $1 appetizer? All right, it's only eastern shore popcorn but it's great.  Call them at 410-464-8000 to get a reservation, necessary on week-ends.

 

Did anyone else notice the Baltimore Examiner suggesting a trip to Lorenzo's Timonium Dinner Theater to see Mary Poppins with a photo from the Broadway cast? Who was responsible for this? By the way, Poppins continues there until May 31.

 

Look for another B/W Backstage later this week.

 

For comments, you may contact me at cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

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