AmericanTheaterWeb Top News

LATE DAY ADDITIONS

Seattle Times

Musical "Shrek" has some flaws but its heart is in the right place
Theater review by Misha Berson: "Shrek the Musical" has a super-talented cast, charming songs and, despite some flaws, comes off as a musical full of heart in its world premiere at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre on Sept. 10, 2008.

Variety

Review: Shrek the Musical
"Miss Saigon" has its helicopter; "Phantom" has its chandelier. The creators of "Shrek the Musical" have worked hard to devise a similar money-shot involving a giant dragon and a stained-glass window, but it's one of the least satisfying moments in this sometimes ingenious, sometimes baffling show, now in tryouts at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater before a Dec. 14 opening on Broadway. Proof once again (if we needed it) that production values alone can't carry a musical.

amNY New York Theater Blog

"Broadway on Broadway" Song List Revealed

Playbill

* Cathey Will Join De Shields for Flea's Cato Revival

TheaterMania

* Marvel, O'Connell, Rattazzi, Strong, Waterston Set for CSC's First Look Festival

See all of the late day clips

MID-AFTERNOON ADDITIONS

Playbill

* Musical Numbers Announced for Sept. 14 Broadway on Broadway Concert

TheaterMania

* Full Casting Announced for WPPAC's Camelot

London Theatre Guide

Churchard Steps up in extended show
The 39 Steps, which opened at the Criterion two years ago this month, celebrates its birthday by announcing a further extension to its run and a new cast member. On 13 October Tessa Churchard takes over from Josefina Gabrielle to play the three female roles in this comedy thriller, which is now booking until 6 September 2009.

See all of the mid-afternoon clips

LATE MORNING ADDITIONS

Date for 63rd Annual Tony Awards Announced

* 63rd Annual Tony Awards Will Be Presented June 7, 2009 (Playbill)
* 2009 Tony Awards to Be Broadcast June 7 (TheaterMania)
* Date Set for 2009 Tony Awards Telecast (Broadway.com)

The Guardian Theatre Blog

Chris Wilkinson: Noises off: Playwrights under the microscope

The Guardian

A Shaw thing in Stratford-upon-Ontario
Christopher Plummer's star turn in George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra is a crowd-pleaser at this annual Shakespeare festival in Canada, reports Kelly Nestruck

See all of the late morning clips

AmericanTheaterWeb

ATW Digest - Enter Laughing opens - read the reviews
* ATW Review - Enter Laughing - Musical Hilarity Found In Stage-Struck Boy's Bio

ATW Digest - What's That Smell? opens - read the reviews
* ATW Review - What's That Smell? - Making Merry With Musical Pretensions

ATW Review - King of Shadows - A Runway Kid's Story Is Only Make-Believe, Maybe

New York Post

Liz Smith: Young actor distinct and happy
'I think part of me would love to play a drag queen, just because it would be an excuse to wear loads of eye makeup," says the "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe. ...

Public Theater 'Hair' Sets Broadway Dates

* Arts, Briefly: ‘Hair’ Headed to Broadway (New York Times)
* Finally Official - 'Hair' Will Move to Broadway (amNY New York City Theater Blog)
* The Age of Aquarius is set to dawn again on B'way (Associated Press)
* Public puts its 'Hair' up (Variety)
* Hair Transplant: Public's Central Park Staging to Arrive On Broadway in 2009 (Playbill)
* Public to Bring Hair to Broadway in 2009 (TheaterMania)

TheaterMania

Wood NYMF and Other Delights
The fifth annual New York Musical Theatre Festival features such fare as Wood, The Road to Ruin, and Play It Cool.

Variety

Chetwynd taking 'Reagan' on tour
One-man show will culminate with filmed finale

Former Broadway exec forms Balance
Alan Cohen preps coaching and consulting co.

nypress

Lower Manhattan Libretto
Terrorist attacks get the theatrical treatment in Calling

The Clyde Fitch Report

Does the New York Theatre Know How Green It Is? The London Theatre Does

ecoTheater

London’s “Green Theatre” Plan
As I read through London’s recently released plan of action for their theaters, I kept asking myself how the climate (and I don’t mean the weather kind) in London — or Europe in general — allows such things...

The Playgoer

Frank Zappa, on Santa Monica Boulevard
One of the more interesting L.A. theater events shaping up is the premiere of Joe's Garage, the 1979 rock opera written by Frank Zappa -- which was released as a CD, but never before produced on stage.

Chicago Tribune Theater Loop Blog

Memories of the Bailiwick's longtime home

Time Out Chicago

Arts and the election
Are these guys ready to lead…on arts funding?

St. Louis Riverfront Times

Playing Politics: The world might be a better place if presidents still went to the theater
The presidential election is seven weeks away, and already the two weary candidates have been asked about everything from their favorite...

Atlanta Creative Loafing

Interviews with Kenny Leon and Kent Gash
Directors team up at Alliance Theatre for August Wilson Full Circle

Los Angeles Times

First ‘9 to 5’ crowd gets a surprise
After two postponements due to "technical demands," the curtain finally rose Tuesday night on previews for "9 to 5: The Musical," where audience members received an unexpected treat -- a mini-concert by Dolly Parton.

Seattle Weekly

Team Player
Seattle Rep's David Esbjornson announced in April that he'd be leaving at the end of the Rep's current season. But in what seems to be a case of...