Issue #122: January 15, 2004

• A revival of Sly Fox is set to open on April 1 at the Barrymore Theater.  Eric Stoltz and Richard Dreyfuss (see London's West End for more Dreyfuss news) share billing.  The Arthur Penn-directed play will head to Boston first for a February 20 to March 7 tryout.

• A taste of the West End lands in Toronto when producer Duncan Weldon brings his production of The Hollow Crown to the Princess of Wales Theatre.  Theatre legend Vanessa Redgrave will be making her first Canadian stage appearance when the production opens on January 27 for a five-week limited engagement.  Two other distinguished actors Donald Sinden and Ian Richardson will join Redgrave.  Richardson may be a familiar face to those fans of PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.  His roles in series House of Cards and To Play The King were delicious.  Unfortunately with Redgrave's numerous film commitments over the next two years there will be no extension or tour of this production.

• Hare here and Hare there!!!  Currently a revival of David Hare's play from the 80s The Secret Rapture can be seen at the Lyric. Plans are afoot, however, to mount a major commercial revival of Hare and Howard Brenton's Pravda.  Originally staged in 1985, the groundbreaking play saw Anthony Hopkins win all awards possible for his performance as South African entrepreneur Lambert Le Roux.  No date or theatre has been confirmed.

• Another successful film will be translated into stage fare when a production of When Harry Met Sally hits the boards at the Theatre Royal on February 10.  American Pie star Alyson Hannigan will join Beverly Hills 90210 heartthrob Luke Perry when they play the roles made famous by Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.

• The two leads have been confirmed for the London production of The Producers which lands at The Drury Lane on October 22 for previews and officially opens on November 9.  Richard Dreyfuss will play Max Bialystock and British comedian Lee Evans backs him up as Leo Bloom.  Currently in rehearsals for Sly Fox, Dreyfuss will take a break and head to London for the official launch.  Dreyfuss is no stranger to the West End - he was last seen in the 1999 revival of Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue.

• This past year we lost more stage giants.  On December 28 Sir Alan Bates died of cancer.  A man of the theatre, Bates studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London in 1934.  Following his national service in the Royal Air Force he performed with the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre.  His career spanned more than 40 years where he continued to appear on stage.  His most recent stage role was his 2002 Tony Award winning performing in Fortune's Fool. Also known for his numerous film roles. His most recent included The Sum of All Fears, Gosford Park and The Statement, which is currently playing.  Sir Alan was knighted in 2003 and to my mind is an actor who shares the same select company as Oliver Reed, Michael Gambon, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, and Michael Caine.

• Other notable stage actors we lost in 2003:  Nell Carter, Lynn Thigpen, Dame Thora Hird, Michael Jeter, Peter Stone, Rachel Kempson, Hume Cronyn, Katharine Hepburn, Buddy Ebsen, Gregory Hines and Tom Kneebone.