Category: theatre

“The export of musical theater abroad has never been bigger. At least 13 major productions of American or British musicals are running in Japan.”

Michael Riedel: “I’m also hearing that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been approached to play Stanley and Stella Kowalski in a revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, opening early next year.” (No conrracts have yet been signed.) The revival will be directed by Emily Mann and produced by Stephen Byrd, who presented the all-black 2007 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Terrence Howard and Anika Noni Rose.

“We have read chick lit and watched chick flicks; now women are queuing up for a stream of female-friendly dramas on the stage. Theatre is awash with shows appealing particularly to women, many based on popular novels and films, and more are in the pipeline. Women are responding in their droves, often on a girls’ night out.”

“Archaeologists who have been digging here since 2008 have uncovered a section of outer wall and floor surface from the building, completed in 1576 and known simply as The Theatre — whose timbers were later used to build The Globe theater. Now a London drama troupe plans to erect a new building on the site, bringing live performances back to the spot where Elizabethan drama flourished more than 400 years ago.”

Overseas productions of The Lion King have grossed $2.2 billion (and counting). Tarzan, which fizzled in New York, has been a monster hit in Germany and Holland. They love Legally Blonde in Manila. Next to Normal opens in Oslo this fall. Broadway and West End shows are big business abroad. But making sure everything translates is a big challenge – as, for instance, the producers of Billy Elliott in Seoul have discovered.

“Reel to Real, which features a cast of 12, with more than 200 costumes and a backstage crew of 32, is also thought to be one of the biggest productions to have ever been staged at the Fringe. … The multimillion pound production uses extensive film projections to make live characters interact with classic movie musicals and features a score with songs from composers including Stephen Sondheim, Frank Loesser and Irving Berlin.”

The Society of London Theatre’s “Box Office Data Report for 2009 has revealed the ‘average ticket price asked’ for a theatre ticket in London last year was £43.07 – a rise of more than 100% from its 1995 level of £21.36.” In the same period, “retail prices and average earnings … have gone up by 45% and 68% respectively.”

“You are riding the subway, enjoying your commute by ignoring everyone else on the train. In comes a woman wearing a white robe. You probably ignore the buns on the side of her head thinking she is just wearing headphones. You may not even notice the title of her book: Galactic Rebellion for Dummies: Princess Edition.” (With video.)

“Commercial theatres saw revenue up by 6.8% and attendances increase by 4.8% in 2009.
However, subsidised venues in full [Society of London Theatre] membership saw their revenue fall by 6.8% and attendances down by 7.3%. London’s subsidised sector also produced considerably fewer performances than in 2008….”

“The Tony-winning performers are actor-singers Nathan Lane (two Tonys), Audra McDonald (four Tonys), Idina Menzel, Tonya Pinkins and Karen Olivo (one each, for ‘Wicked,’ ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’ and ‘West Side Story,’ respectively), and pianist Marvin Hamlisch, a Tony winner for his score to ‘A Chorus Line.'”