Issue #4: August 25, 1998

• Art ,Tony winner for best play, continues to play to full houses at the Royale Theatre. Word is that the New York cast of Alan Alda, Victor Garber and Alfred Molina may be taking the comedy to L.A.’s Doolittle Theatre. Although still to be confirmed, the buzz is that the cast of Frasier will be taking over the Broadway duties. There is, however, a dispute over the length of time they can commit. Producer of Art and former James Bond Sean Connery would like Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney to commit to twelve weeks whereas the Frasier team are only interested in nine weeks. Stay tuned!

• Evita may be returning to Broadway. No date is set yet but it looks like there will be a tour heading out in November with casting beginning in September. I wonder if this has anything to do with the popularity of the movie?

• Theatre representatives from around North America were invited to, of all places, Green Bay, Wisconsin on Aug. 9 to take in a new production called Spirit Dance. Based on a native theme, Spirit Dance is the newest work from the producer of the Aussie hit Tap Dogs. Depending on how the invited audience members liked it, you could see Spirit Dance in your local theatre next season.

• With all the upheaval at the Livent headquarters in Toronto one has to wonder about the future of their Broadway and touring plans. Have no fear, says a spokesman for the organization in transition. Their productions of Ragtime, Fosse and Show Boat currently either on Broadway or on the road in North America, London and Australia will continue as planned.

• Speaking of Toronto, leading classical director Robin Phillips, is currently directing the premeire season of the Soulpepper Theatre Company. Don Carlos and The Misanthrope are the first two productions staged by this company commited to staging the classics. Founded by an ambitious group of classical actors, the Soulpepper Theatre Company is currently performing at the Du Maurier Theatre Centre until August 30.

• Continuing on our Art theme, the multi-award winning play continues at The Wyndhams Theatre, with its seventh cast since its opening being the first all American group of actors: Stacey Keach of television’s Mike Hammer fame, George Wendt, best known as "Norm" on Cheers for which he received six Emmy nominations, and David Dukes, who starred in television mini-series The Winds of War and War and Rememberance, Dukes was also seen on Broadway in Amadeus, Bent and M Butterfly.

• The word is that Australian superstar Kylie Minogue will head the Rent cast downunder.

• Canadian actor Victor Garber currently in the Broadway production of Art may be familiar to Titanic movie goers. He played the role of the designer of the Titanic – he looked great in the tux during the last dinner on the doomed ship!