Here in New York, there has finally been a break in the rain — knock on wood! The days are sunny but the humidity is still way up there, and that’s a perfect excuse to take in a Broadway show, whether you’re Joe Audience Member or a star yourself. Here’s Andrea Martin, attending a recent performance of Long Day’s Journey Into Night.
Diane Keaton caught the same performance of Long Day’s Journey…
…and so did Horton Foote. Hey, when your show has a cast that includes Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Dennehy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Robert Sean Leonard, it’s a must-see for everybody.
The Broadway Under the Stars concert in Bryant Park on Monday, June 16 was enjoyed by thousands of fans. Here’s Carolee Carmello, the new star of Urinetown, belting out a solo al fresco…
…and here’s Carmello again, performing with Raúl Esparza (who will almost certainly be back on stage in New York later this season, either in Anna in the Tropics or Taboo) and Marin Mazzie (soon to replace Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Aldonza in Man of La Mancha).
The Town Hall’s Broadway by the Year series offered a show dedicated to “The Broadway Musicals of 1925” on February 17 — but that turned out to be the day of the Big Blizzard of ’03, and much of the audience didn’t make it. So a “revival” of the show was presented on Monday, June 23 with a somewhat different roster of performers, who were found celebrating after the show at Café Un Deux Trois. Here they are, in various couplings: Nancy Anderson and Walker Jones…
…Marc Kudisch and Emily Skinner…
…Justin Bohon and Jason Graae.
On Monday, June 23, members of the 2003 graduating class of the Hetrick-Martin Institute’s Harvey Milk School saw Seth Rudetsky’s wonderfully gay-positive Off-Broadway show Rhapsody in Seth at The Actors’ Playhouse. On hand was Rosie O’Donnell, who joined Rudetsky on stage after the show to address the students. (As you can see, O’Donnell is unfortunately still having medical problems with her hand.)
Also on June 23, a large percentage of the theater community turned out for the renaming of the Martin Beck Theatre in honor of the late, great theatrical artist Al Hirschfeld. Among those who spoke and/or performed in tribute to Hirschfeld that evening was Carol Channing, who (of course!) sang a little bit of “Hello, Dolly!”
A highlight of the tribute was Brian Stokes Mitchell’s performance of “Look at that Face,” accompanied by an on-screen montage of some of Hirschfeld’s most vivid caricatures of theater folk. (That’s his drawing of Mitchell and Marin Mazzie in Kiss Me, Kate.)
For the event’s finale, Audra McDonald sang “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” as photos of Hirschfeld through the decades were projected…
…and then the song was taken up by a phalanx of Broadway performers in a moving farewell to Hirschfeld, who died on January 20 at age 99. Click here to access Michael Buckley’s full report on the tribute.
Seen on West 45th street after the program and rededication ceremony were several participants: Here’s Barbara Cook with director Jerry Zaks…
…and here’s the irrepressible Nathan Lane.
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(Photo © Joseph Marzullo)
(Photo © Joseph Marzullo)
(Photo © Joseph Marzullo)
(Photo © Nancy Beer)
(Photo © Nancy Beer)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
(Photo © Joseph Marzullo)
(Photo © Joseph Marzullo)