Production Notes  

 

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WEEK OF MARCH 6-12

SCOOP!! PATRICK QUINN will become the 13th president of ACTORS' EQUITY (since its inception in 1913) on May 20th. When the ballot is mailed in two weeks, Patrick will be running unopposed. (Apparently, no one thought they could win against him, so they ran in other categories.) Patrick says he kind of wanted to campaign a little...so in that sense, he is disappointed. Though the job entails a lot of work for NO pay, it's a great compliment to Patrick that the nominating committee chose him and no one decided to challenge him.

George Stiles and Anthony Drewe with their Olivier Award for Honk!

PRODUCTION NOTES made it to the final performance of HONK! at the HELEN HAYES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER in Nyack, New York. I have had a cyber relationship with star ALISON FRASER for over a year now, and finally met her for the first time in person after this performance. HONK! has been enjoying increased attention due to the fact that it beat the West End production of THE LION KING for Best Musical at the Olivier Awards this year. That award has inspired the planning of productions all over the world. The plot of the show was a surprise to nobody in the audience at the Helen Hayes--yet when Honk discovered he was a swan after so many had ridiculed him, there were tears in the eyes of almost everyone. At a champagne party following the performance, we got to meet the cast and had a chance to chat with the show's creators, GEORGE STILES and ANTHONY DREWE. They brought their actual Olivier Award for HONK! to the party, so we all could take a gander (!) at it. Anthony and George promised to talk to me later this week about HONK! and some of their upcoming projects. After the show, we bribed our way into the company van for a ride home to NYC, which gave us more time to chat with the cast.

Luther Creek, Anita Noni Rose, and Jim Ambler

Back in the city, the cast of HONK! headed to ARRIBA, ARRIBA on Ninth Avenue for some of those legendary margaritas. While walking back to my office around midnight, I bumped into JIMMY SMAGULA (last seen being fawned over by ROSIE O'DONNELL on national TV) and KATHY DEITCH from FOOTLOOSE on their way to another Hell's Kitchen watering hole, where the cast of that show was celebrating the arrival of ANITA NONI ROSE (as Rusty) and the departure of LUTHER CREEK (who had been playing Travis). So many of the cast members encouraged me to see the show again with Anita in her new role.

Into this same lounge then entered the cast of HONK! (they had closed ARRIBA, ARRIBA). And then, a few moments later, in came ANDREW LIPPA and some of the folks from THE WILD PARTY. Wow! It makes my job of being a theater celebrity stalker so much easier when they come to ME!!

The cast of MISS SAIGON (and friends) have put together a G.I. TEA dance benefit for BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS...Special performances by BEVERLY HILLS, CANDIS CAYNE, SHASTA COLE, FRANKIE BRAXTON, KAM, LUZ LOR, JENNI PADUA, RAY SANTOS and a surprise guest star performance...
G.I. TEA
CHEETAH
12 West 21st Street
March 12, 3pm till midnight
$15 (advance), $20 (@ door with ad), $25 (without ad)
Tickets available @ RAINBOW & TRIANGLES, RAYMOND DRAGON, DELPHINIUM INFO: 212-206-7770

Kelly Bishop, Seth Rudetsky, and Christine Ebersole

Last Thursday, SETH RUDETSKY had KELLY BISHOP and CHRISTINE EBERSOLE as guests for his show at DON'T TELL MAMA. Kelly, the original Sheila in A CHORUS LINE, told further tales of how the show was cast and created...and why she walked through her performance during the TONY AWARDS that year. Seth showed a video of the performance, thinking he was giving us an example of how much attitude Kelly put into her character. But Kelly then revealed that it was not solely attitude at work: she said that, under the extremely hot lights and with the added anxiety of being on TV, she was sweating heavily. In the flesh-colored leotard (Sheila's costume), moist spots show as very dark patches, and she was NOT going to sweat on national television! Next, Christine entertained us with stories of how she landed some choice jobs (including SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE). Then both Kelly and Christine performed "Bosom Buddies," which they had recently sung together in the MAME at the PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE.
SETH RUDETSKY's BROADWAY CHATTERBOX
DON'T TELL MAMA
343 West 46th Street, NYC
Thursdays @ 6pm
RSVP: 212-757-0788

Each year, the ED KLEBAN AWARD is given to a librettist and a lyricist. Each wins $100,000. This year, however, STEPHEN COLE won the librettist award and there was a four-way tie among lyricists: DAVID SPENCER; MARION ADLER; CHAD BEGUELIN; and the team of ROBERT LOPEZ/JEFF MARX. (It seems as though this award will be raised to $150,000 this year, so that each of the tied winners will take home $37,500.) Robert Lopez and my friend Jeff Marx have only been writing together for a year and a half, and KERMIT, PRINCE OF DENMARK was their first project together. Though the HENSON COMPANY does not plan to make any more movie musicals, they do like the material, and perhaps the Kleban award will increase their enthusiasm. There continue to be meetings with the head writer at the HENSON COMPANY and lots of telephone conversations with agents, directors, puppet designers... you know. Good luck, guys!!

CHRISTOPHER McGOVERN wrote to tell me that ALISON FRASER's new album, MEN IN MY LIFE, will be released on March 23.

There is a new site called ULTIMATEBID.COM, where you can bid for incredible, unique experiences. One of their current auction items is a walk-on role in RENT, and 90% of the winning bid will go to BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS.

I love being a source of information for the Broadway community...but recently, during a rehearsal for this year's NOTHING LIKE A DAME event, one of the producers called me to say that PHYLLIS NEWMAN's feet were killing her and she wanted to know where drag queens go to get their larger-size shoes. Not that I didn't have the answer, but what gave them the idea that I know such things? (My feet are petite!)

 

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