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Issue #141: November 15, 2004
- It looks like Ethan Hawke has bailed on the revival
of The Glass Menagerie with Jessica Lange to
join David Rabe’s "newly revised" version of Hurlyburly scheduled
to hit the boards in January.
- You know that theatre has reached a new low when you find
out Val Kilmer (Batman, The Doors) is playing
Moses in the musical The Ten Commandments. It seems
fitting that it is playing in Hollywood at the Kodak Theater
into December. Unlike other biblical musicals (Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar),
this musical opened to mostly negative reviews making one wonder
why the long run. The producers have already cancelled three
shows a week, which has to be a significant loss in revenue. It’s
no wonder the plan for a U.S. tour is in jeopardy… sounds
like this musical will need a miracle to survive.
- Recently while in Connecticut, Broadway legend Jerry Herman indicated
that the television rights to his classic musical Mame are
no longer in the hands of Barbara Streisand’s production
company. As he puts it, “it’s up for grabs” and
asked who he would love to see in the leading role… Catherine
Zeta-Jones. Not a stretch since she comes from musical
theatre and look at her Oscar winning performance in Chicago, the
movie!
- Following his colourful role in Baz Luhrman’s movie
musical Moulin Rouge, Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting)
is taking the plunge and will make his musical theatre debut
in
a revival of Guys and Dolls. In the role of Sky Masterson
the 33-year-old Scottish actor hits the boards in the Frank
Loesser classic next June.
- The English National Opera has signed film director Anthony
Minghella to direct their November 2005 production of Madame
Butterfly.
- The booming baritone voice of Howard Keel was
legendary both on stage and in the movies. Keel,
who died at age 85 on November 7 from colon cancer, was
selected by Oscar Hammerstein II in 1946 for the
role of Billy Bigelow in the Broadway production of Carousel. Then
he went on to London to open Oklahoma! where he
originated the role of Curly and remained there
for 18 months. He tilted at windmills on tour in Man
of La Mancha and starred in other such stage favourites
as South Pacific, Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides
For Seven Brothers and Show Boat. Most of
these stage musicals were recreated by MGM turning them
into dazzling movie musicals, which Keel starred
in. He was introduced to television audiences in 1981
as Clayton Farlow on the prime time soap Dallas and
had a second wave of popularity in the twilight of his
career. He stayed with the popular show until the series
ended in 1991.
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