Category: theater
The Perfect Hatewatch: Anne Hathaway Singing at Joe's Pub
Does anyone have $100-300 that they'd like to give me for the sole purpose of having me produce the world's greatest hatewatching review of a live musical performance? If so, please contact me, because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to finally earn the title of Player Hater of the Year at the Player Haters' Ball.
Anne Hathaway will be singing the songs of Kander and Ebb's wartime Berlin musical, Cabaret, live in concert on October 24th at Joe's Pub.
It's the perfect hatewatching storm: Anne Hathaway + Broadway musical + live. And they named the thing "Perfectly Marvelous." C'mon! They are simply asking for it!
Ok, sure the show is a benefit for the Public Theater's new space — which indeed is a worthy cause — but we all know how this is going to go down. Lots of fake self-concious mugging and *serious* acting/singing moments.
Maybe she'll bring out her friend James Franco:
Or maybe she'll "apply the truth" of Sally Bowles, she'll become a self-absorbed, completely oblivious performer … oh wait…
Continue reading "The Perfect Hatewatch: Anne Hathaway Singing at Joe's Pub"
The Les Miz Movie Preview Proves to Be Everything Normal People Hate about Theater People
Sad, but true. I know it's hard for these Hollywood actors to understand but PEOPLE HAVE SUNG LIVE WHILE BEING FILMED BEFORE. These people are talking so self-righteously, it's like they just stole a loaf of bread to keep from starving or something:
Really Anne Hathaway? "There seemed to be something selfish about trying to go for the pretty version" — really? Doing a wimpy sob/speak Rex Harrison version of one of the greatest diva songs in musical theater is definitely way "less selfish" because you are "applying the truth to the melody"? OMG PUllleeaaasseeeezzzzzz. Get off your damn high horse and give the people what they want!
How many down-on-her-luck front-toothless prostitutes were really singing ballads right before they died of tuberculosis right before the start of the June Rebellion? If you want to be in a Les Miserables musical, I honestly cannot listen to your talk of "applying the truth."
Says Hathaway about her character Fantine's state of mind while singing "I Dreamed a Dream": "She's literally at the bottom of a hole, realizing that she's never going to climb out of this."
That's how I felt after watching that extended preview.
Too bad the Les Miz movie wasn't something more like this:
Theater Nerds Perform Newsies "Seize the Day" in Madison, WI Protest
If you were a pre-teen girl in the early 1990s, then you probably were in love with the Disney movie musical Newsies. Since then it's kinda become this cult classic musical theater nerd favorite — trust me, if you mention it to women in their late 20s/early 30s, they'll probably squeal with delight.
Well it looks like a bunch of musically-inclined folks in Wisconsin have used the pro-union Newsies anthem "Seize the Day" to get their point across to legislators who want to pass a bill that would cut the rights of unions to collectively bargain:
I'm not sure that dressing up as 1890s newsboys is the most effective form of protest, but it sure is adorable.
On a side note, a staged production of Newsies is going to open up the 2011-2012 Paper Mill Playhouse season. Expect geeky pandemonium to ensue.
Lea Michele Turning Into a Mini Diva?
Am I the only one who's been kinda bummed out by Lea Michele's diva-esque attitude of late? Last night on Jimmy Fallon she seemed overly hyper and a little self-important:
Then today I read about her make-out session with emo-looking boyfriend Theo Stockman (currently in the Greenday Broadway musical, American Idiot) during the Time 100 gala where she basically told legendary party photographer Patrick McMullan to eff off. Not feeling it, Lea! You don't hear about Idina Menzel throwing down attitude like that! Boo hiss.
On a Glee-related note, PLEASE KEEP JONATHAN GROFF ON!! He's brought somee much needed male singing power to the show. Groff 4eva!
Sondre Lerche Auditioned for "Spider-Man" Musical
The impending Spider-Man musical (Spider-Man Turn on the Dark) makes me giggle with delight. It seems like possibly the worst and best idea I've ever heard. I love Julie Taymor, so I'm definitely going to see it, and the idea that Bono and the Edge are doing the music makes it even more intriguing.
The concept of a guy in a Spider-Man costume singing… it's just beyond words.
I just imagine the entire show looking like this:
Although it's already been announced that Evan Rachel Wood (who also starred in Taymor's Beatles musical, Across the Universe) will play Mary Jane and Alan Cumming (another Taymor alum — he was in Titus) will be playing the Green Goblin, there has been no announcement as to who will be playing Peter Parker himself.
The super-cute Jim Sturgess has done workshops of the musical during its development, but so far has not signed on to be Spidey.
Which leads me to the following bit of amusing info. Writes a long-time reader from Norway:
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The Aftermath of "After Miss Julie"
After hitting up an amazing party for the opening of the new Sassoon Salon at 7 West 56th Street, I went to go see Sienna Miller and Jonny Lee Miller in the new staging of the Patrick Marber play, After Miss Julie.
Joc pretty much summed it up with her review, "I'm not sure whether the play was bad, or the acting was bad."
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Neil Patrick Harris's Most Amazing Musical Moments
This weekend I was holed up in my apartment trying to defeat a winter bug that has been plaguing me all week. As a result, I found myself in front of the boob tube watching a lot of television (namely the first season of Weeds on Netflix instant), so I caught this week's Saturday Night Live, with host Neil Patrick Harris (NPH).
I was pretty excited to see NPH on SNL, knowing how funny he is, especially on live television, but sadly this weekend's skits were all kind of lame. Even the skit where they made fun of the current Broadway closing situation (with NPH playing an actor portraying Mark in Rent–which he actually did do in 1997 in the LA cast of Rent) only produced a chuckle from me:
That said, NPH was the best thing in the skit, with his over-the-top angsty Mark. (However, I did love all the Broadway nods–like the lame, slow chandelier drop from Phantom of the Opera.) As you may already know, NPH has a great past of producing hilarious musical moments in the past. Here are a few of my favorites:
NPH and Jason Segal doing "Confrontation" from Les Miserables:
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"Once" to Be on Broadway in 2010/2011
Woah, this could be amazing…or horrible. Either way, I hope the Frames' Glen Hansard is getting a TON of money for his beautiful music. From Broadwayworld.com:
Multi-Tony Award winning theater and Academy Award nominated film producers John N. Hart, Jr, Jeff Sine and Fred Zollo have acquired the North American and worldwide live theater rights to ONCE, the 2007 Academy Award-winning film. ONCE, was written and directed by John Carney, and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, with original music and lyrics by Mr. Hansard and Ms. Irglová. The creative team for the theatrical musical adaptation of ONCE will be announced shortly, with the aim for the production to bow on Broadway during the 2010/2011 season.
Oh, and unrelated… for giggles: Katy Perry falling down flat on her face during the Mexico Latin MTV Awards:
RENT: Live on Broadway This Week!
Hey guys! Right now I'm literally looking outside the window onto the beach. Yup, it's a Modern Age vacation. Anyhoo I needed to make sure I told you guys about one thing before I completely detach from the world. (Do you know how hard it is to blog from someone's iPhone?)
The thing I wanted to mention is the Hot Ticket showings of RENT: Live On Broadway, which is going on this week starting on Wednesday, Sept 23rd and playing again on Thursday, Saturday, and Saturday.
I went to an advanced screening last week, and let me tell you, it's really well done and a joy to watch.
Buy tickets for one of the four showings at The Hot Ticket.
PS- Back to blogging on September 29th!
Gossip Girl Alert: Leighton Meester Hearts DVF, Blake Lively Hearts…RENT?
So I didn't wake up today and say to myself, "Dude, you should totally be a paparazzi specializing in CW stars," but it seems as though I ended up being one today… I just happen to spot almost all the major players in the cast of Gossip Girl! I was walking around the tent for Diane von Furstenberg at Bryant Park today and all of a sudden out the corner of my eye I saw a girl wearing yellow, and then a herd of people instantly swarming around her and her friend.
Walking closer, I recognized Miss Leighton Meester! I snapped a few photos, and then only later did I realize that the other girl accompanying her was none other than Jessica Szohr!
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