Issue #242: July 15, 2010

• Ricky Martin who has been out of the limelight for a few years returns to Broadway in 2012 in the revival of Evita.  Martin was a fan favourite when he appeared in Broadway’s Les Miserables as Marius in the mid 90s.  

• Helen Hunt heads to Off Broadway stepping in as the narrator in Our Town.  

• Brit Eddie Izzard replaces James Spader in the role of Jack Lawson in the revival of David Mamet’s play Race.  Dennis Haysbert (24, The Unit) makes his Broadway debut replacing David Alan Grier as Henry Brown opposite Izzard currently at the Barrymore Theater.

• The Toronto production of Jersey Boys will be closing on August 22 wrapping up a two year run for this hit musical.  

• Billy Elliot the Musical is on track to open in Toronto at the Canon Theatre on January 28 for an extended run which has this production opening in San Francisco on September 13, 2011.  

• Brooke Shields and Raul Esparza star in the musical Leap of Faith at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theater from September 11 to October 24.  

• The Legally Blonde tour is currently in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre until August 8 and has received good reviews from critics and audiences.

• The BBC sci-fi series Dr. Who, that seems to have been around forever is making its stage debut in London on October 8 for a short tour of 25 performances wrapping up in Belfast on November 7.  The producers are promising epic special effects, pyrotechnics and a 16 piece live orchestra.  No casting has been confirmed as of yet.

• Shrek the Musical is scheduled to open at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in May 2011.