So … we're still figuring this out. There's something called Legally Brown: The Search For The Next Piragua Guy, which looks like a web-only spoof that's supposedly casting for a bit part of Broadway musical In The Heights. "Dozens of people" auditioned. It's a take off of MTV's reality show Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods, which crowned Bailey Hanks the winner, only to see her show get canceled.
From the videos we watched, well, it's sort of funny, mostly because its creators got actual Broadway stars involved, including the likes of Allison Janney (of new Dolly Parton show 9 To 5) and Cheyenne Jackson (he of the also-closing Xanadu), as well as Legally Blonde's judge Bernie Telsey to reprise his role. That, and you don't need to be a total theatre geek to get the jokes.
Below, the project's trailer, which reminds viewers that each of the contestants, who are on Broadway, have a chance to be on Broadway. CONTINUED »
Hopefully you've seen a show or two at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival, at least so you can tell your friends, and parents, you stopped by nymph NYMF. But wrapping up three weeks of 24 Broadway hopeful musicals, NYMF is now ready to celebrate its fifth successful year by inviting you to relive that awkward night in high school: the prom. On Sunday, NYMF concludes the much-hyped festival with Prom 2008, the closing night party at Touch in New York City (240 W. 52nd Street), starting at 8pm. Tickets are just $40 and can be yours at NYMF.org, guaranteeing entry to a night of techno showtunes, a dance off, and plenty of boozing courtesy Peak and VOGA. It's been Jossip's pleasure to sponsor this year's festival, and include you guys and girls in the industry's largest musical festival. So, we'll see you there?
'First "Rent," then "Legally Blonde" and now "Hairspray." The show is closing its curtains on Broadway, with a final performance January 18. The producers say the closing has nothing to do with last year's strike, which put so many long-running shows in jeopardy. Instead, a rep for the production noted, "The show is six and a half years old, and the producers have decided it's the right time. We've had a great run, and we can't ask for much more." To go out on a high note, Harvey Fierstein is returning to his original role of Edna Turnblad — a role John Travolta played in the last film version — starting November 11.' [MTV]
Anonymous, the masked Internet avengers against Scientology, are planning a protest outside the Broadway theater where Katie Holmes will be starring in All My Sons. The show, which doesn't even open till October 16th, is already getting slapped with reports of lackluster ticket sales.
While the Anonymous group protests the unwatchable show, they claim their goal is not to humiliate Ms. Holmes, but to "save Katie."
From Tom Cruise? From herself? Or from the nasty queens in the critics circle who will enjoy nothing more than tearing her mediocre acting to shreds of lost dignity?
Page Six gossip Paula Froelich wrote a book. Ex-colleague Jared Paul Stern writes for a blog. And retired Gatecrasher and current Star television face Ben Widdicombe is probably scribbling something between two hardcovers right about now. But former Rush & Molloy stringer Patrick Huguenin? He's gone and wrote himself a play. It's called Paper Dolls, opens tomorrow at the NYC Fringe Festival, and centers around a one Claire Cunningham, a the gossip columnist conceit who "once cried her way onto a plane to spy on Madonna." And there is scandal! Worse than anything Hud Morgan did on Daily News reality show Tabloid Wars! [Paper Dolls]
Only because Campbell Robertson sat through Rent does he get excused for beginning his article about Rent with the word "I." [J. Goldberg]
The new musical Bash'd, the "gay rap opera" playing Off Broadway at the Zipper Theatre, tells the story of T-Bag and Feminem, two white lyrcists who spend 65 minutes, non stop, rapping out the story of two Canadians (Dillon and Jack) who, in the course of meeting and falling in love (and, um, getting "bash'd"), also face off on what it means to be gay and have rights without assimilating into the hetero world (or maybe that's a good thing?). The whole effort is quite funny, without the scatalogical humor Mike Myers (and other homos) so often relies on. If you're looking for an existential storytelling on what it means to be a gay man in modern times, you'll find it; if you're looking for a romantic dramedy played out by two stamina-blessed players, you'll find that too. And like a good romp, afterward you'll be exhausted, and yearning for a cigarette. [Bash'd on MySpace]
The only way to make a sex tape circulating among high schoolers sound interesting/relevant is to set the scandal in 1988. And even that didn't work. [NYT]
The New York Times: Now accepting press releases as story pitches. [FBNY]
Charles Busch wrote and starred in the 2003 insta-camp-classic film Die, Mommie, Die!. He's now taken the act to the stage (where it actually originated in 1999, but never played in New York), resurrecting his drag role Angela Arden, a Joan Crawford-esque expired pop diva in 1960s Hollywood who's unhappily married to studio chieftan Sol and has two children: daughter Edith, who fancies daddy a little too much, and the emotionally pitiful son Lance, played by the excellent Van Hansis, in a "I can do more than soap operas" role. During previews, the gays were seated in greater numbers than they were at Xanadu, if that's at all possible. [Tickets]
If you've been hanging around this website long enough, you'll know that we've teamed up with The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero, a new play about a high school senior lass who "shrinks to a size zero and descends into a filthy/gorgeous world of booze, beauty and boyfriends all while attempting to get into the Ivy League school of her choice." Story of your life, isn't it?
Lucky you, then: Size Zero kicked off its run with an official debut last night at Union Square's DR2 Theatre (103 E. 15th St.). We attended, and although we're a biased party on the matter, we quite enjoyed. Sure, jokes about bulimia, blowjobs, and boys tend to write themselves, but how often do you get to see the My Girl girl all grown up and delivering them?
The gays will like it, the girls will love it, and the straight boys will want to go backstage.
Last night's Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall went off without a hitch — or any live music. Despite the musicians' claims to be ready and willing, Radio City officials weren't interested in dealing with their complaining, sending the Rockettes on stage without a live music accompanyment.
So how'd the show fare with specatators, who were supposedly not interested in "[paying] up to $250 to hear a tape recorder"?
No calamity appeared to befall the theatergoers. "It was really good," said Wendy Coulson, of State College, Pa., who had come to see the show with her daughters, Madeline, 14, and Rebecca, 12. "I didn't notice a difference at all."
Huh, and we thought it was spelled T-H-E- M-U-S-I-C-I-A-N-S A-R-E F-U-C-K-E-D.
Music Isn't Live, but Rockettes Keep Kicking [NYT]
Earlier: The hills are alive with the sound of (recorded) music
Salary increases and health benefit extensions weren't enough to keep Radio City Music Hall's orchestra from walking out of rehearsal for Christmas Spectacular, which is scheduled to begin tonight. Negotiations broke down between Radio City and the musicians when, depending on who you believe, one party acted a sissy.
The Rockettes, meanwhile, showed their support by storming out of the theater along with the musicians, but they're expected to be kicking their legs tonight — to recorded music!
"It's a sad day when the Radio City Christmas show doesn't go on with its live orchestra," [union president] Mr. [David] Lennon said. "People don't pay up to $250 to hear a tape recorder."
Excluding Celine Dion's Vegas show, of course.
Editorial Director
