2012 Lortel Nominees Announced

New York Theater award season has begun! Yesterday, the Lucille Lortel Awards nominations were announced. The Lucille Lortel Awards honor outstanding achievement Off-Broadway. Leading the pack this year are Once with 7 nominations and Tribes with 6. Were any of your favorites nominated? Who do you think will win?

Outstanding Play
Blood and Gifts
Milk Like Sugar
Sons of the Prophet
The Big Meal
The School For Lies

Outstanding Musical
Once
Queen of the Mist
Silence! The Musical
The Blue Flower
The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World

Outstanding Revival
Blood Knot
The Lady From Dubuque
The Cherry Orchard
The Maids

Outstanding Solo Show
An Illiad
The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith

Outstanding Director
Jo Bonney, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
David Cromer, Tribes
Sam Gold, Look Back in Anger
Sam Gold, The Big Meal
John Tiffany, Once

Outstanding Choreographer
Chase Brock, The Blue Flower
Bill Castellino, Ionescopade
Christopher Gattelli, SILENCE! The Musical
Steven Hoggett, Once
Annie-B Parson, The Broken Heart

Outstanding Lead Actor
Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
Russell Harvard, Tribes
Hamish Linklater, The School For Lies
Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts
Jay O. Sanders, Titus Andronicus

Outstanding Lead Actress
Sanaa Lathan, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Cristin Milioti, Once
Carey Mulligan, Through a Glass Darkly
Molly Ranson, Carrie
Mary Testa, Queen of the Mist

Outstanding Featured Actor
David Wilson Barnes, The Big Meal
Adam Driver, Look Back in Anger
Alvin Epstein, The Cherry Orchard
Peter Francis James, The Lady From Dubuque
Jeff Perry, Tribes

Outstanding Featured Actress
Anita Gillette, The Big Meal
Kimberly Hébert Gregory, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Marin Mazzie, Carrie
Tonya Pinkins, Milk Like Sugar
Mare Winningham, Tribes

Outstanding Scenic Design
Bob Crowley, Once
Lauren Helpern, 4000 Miles
Andrew Lieberman, Look Back in Anger
Adrianne Lobel, Galileo
David Zinn, The Select (The Sun Also Rises)

Outstanding Costume Design
ESosa, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Toni-Leslie James, Milk Like Sugar
William Ivey Long, The School For Lies
Ilona Somogyi, Maple and Vine
Catherine Zuber, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Lighting Design
Natasha Katz, Once
Keith Parham, Tribes
Justin Townsend, Unnatural Acts
David Weiner, Through a Glass Darkly
Scott Zielinski, An Iliad

Outstanding Sound Design
Mark Bennett, An Iliad
Clive Goodwin, Once
Daniel Kluger, Tribes
Matt Tierney and Ben Williams, The Select (The Sun Also Rises)
David Van Tieghem, Through a Glass Darkly

Deborah Cox Joins Jekyll and Hyde Broadway Bound Tour

Oh boy. Well, just when you thought it couldn't get worse. The "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" singer, Deborah Cox, has landed the role of Lucy in the Broadway bound tour of Jekyll and Hyde. She will join Constantine Maroulis who will take on the title roles. Am I the only one thinking this is going to be quite bad? Shouldn't we be helping to reinvigorate Frank Wildhorn's career not set it aflame in a fiery inferno?

Smash Report: Abstract Marilyn the Musical

At a tap class, Sam (wearing the original t-shirt worn by Dulé Hill in Stick Fly) and Ivy discuss Marilyn and the lack of feedback. Is it dead? Well it is according to Julia who whines in bed. Don’t be so depressed Julia. It’s not the end of the world. What is a way to feel better about her horrible project? Well to have hubby Frank sing to her via Guitar Hero. Really? Well, that’s a choice. Thankfully we didn’t have to see too much of it. Eileen is in her new apartment when Ellis arrives to offer his services. But before work can be done, Eileen’s daughter, played by Grace Gummer (daughter of Meryl…Meryl the Musical…next season?) arrives. Karen has a private meeting with McSleazy as he’s begin very sleazy. How fitting. He’s offering Karen an opportunity to sing a Marilyn inspired song by a new song writer. The catch? Tom and Julia can’t know. Uh oh! Rival Marilyn musicals or complete and total burn? Stay tuned!

At Tom’s apartment, we learn that Tom sent Ellis to snoop. I guess it is part of the job description. Snoopy offers the information that Katie is in town in addition to some info about Karen and Derek. Tom is intrigued so he calls Julia. But Julia is preoccupied with a meet up with Michael. Time to SMASH his hopes and dreams? You betcha! Michael admits that he would have quit if he weren’t fired. How noble, Swift. Michael and Julia depart amicably, no handshake or hug. All Julia gets is to see Michael smooch his wife while his kid runs around. Karen tells Dev about her sleazy meetings with Derek and her confusion with the project. She then tells Dev she is going to cook him some curry, but Dev tells Karen he’s going to have some curry of his own with RJ. Bad Dev. Bad bad Dev. At Dev’s meet up with RJ, he has a conscience. And we care…not at all. Katie and her mom Eileen begin to decorate her office. Katie tells Eileen that daddy gave her money. Money that is not going to Eileen. John is at the Houston house discussing Leo’s crime. John is a charmer and will do all the talking because he can get anybody off (pun very much intended.) Karen meets McSleazy to tell him she’s uncomfortable. McSleazy and his creeptastic coat meet OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder who is helping Derek with some sort of performance. OneRepublic + Marilyn Musical = Trainwreck!
At court, Julia makes a fool out of herself. But let’s not forget she’s grateful for her family. Yawn. Karen is at a rehearsal for her secret project with Ryan Tedder and McSleazy. Ryan Tedder tells McSleazy to back off. Score! But before we can see more burns, we get Katie playing mediator to mom and dad. Katie is clearly Team Eileen. A new potential “Smash” rivalry in the making? She is grateful for the 3 million dollars daddy gave her. During the battle, Snoopy was at the door spying. Bad Ellis. Will he get caught? Absolutely. Katie sets HIM straight. Score!!! McSleazy calls Eilleen but Ellis answers. He asks him to give her a message that his secret project is on. Too bad Ellis is too smart to put two and two together. The gypsies are at Brooklyn Bowl to let off some steam. Thankfully they’re better dancers than bowlers because the second some music comes on, they’re shaking their groove things like a scene from “Grease 2.” But the way this business works, they’re not going to score tonight. I must say, with all the fun they were having, no bowling alley would allow some kids to dance in the lanes! Not even at Broadway Bowling does that happen!
Something happens to Dev. Who cares. Moving on. Snoopy stalks Ivy at the dance studio in order to get more information about this secret event. Ivy is determined to find out more. She employs deceivious Bobby to butter up to Karen and get her to divulge some info. And apparently it works. Karen spills! Then Cyn and Ellis are in bed (not sure what exactly what they were…oh wait, making out) when Ellis tells he doesn’t want to work for an “artist” any longer. Be grateful kid! Jobs in this business are few and far between. Eileen takes Katie to her new bar to show off her new boy toy Nick. Dev calls RJ over to find out some information that will help him further his career. I think I forgot what he does…Karen comes home to discover the political party featuring RJ which does not suit her fancy. It almost starts a feud but instead she speaks the lyrics of “Touch Me” which is some odd foreplay that leads to Dev and Karen kissing.

McSleazy offers some compliments to Karen, including “don’t be afraid of the sex.” It leads to “that’s what Marilyn had.” I thought Marilyn is currently dead. Can’t we stop with the comparisons? Tom and Julia have a reunion with Katie in Brooklyn to see the secret project. Oh, Ellis and Ivy are sneakily in on it too. The secret performance begins. Karen is behind a screen being sexy and then appears in a towel with a bed and some dancers in hockey masks who ultimately cage her in her bed. It’s really creepy but a kinda awesome. Maybe it’s some bizarro Greek adaptation. I mean the performance is in Brooklyn…Are you as confused as I am? Yes. But what did we just see? It’s a new direction for Marilyn. Abstract Marilyn the Musical. Uh…no? Katie is pissed at Eileen for pulling the stunt on Tom and Julia. Karen is caught in the middle and can only utter sorry from her bed cage. Snoopy interjects and tries to calm the troops. Ivy intercepts Karen to inform her of the knife she stabbed Tom and Julia with. Tom and McSleazy finally have their out. I smell big reveal! We learn that eleven years earlier  that McSleazy badmouthed Tom after a botched project. That’s it? Yawn. McSleazy makes a homophobic comment about gays running the theater (well, if the high heel fits). McSleazy tries to tell Tom who Marilyn really is, while jabbing him with some backhanded insults, but both vow to not quit on the project.
At headquarters, the troops attempt to rally and move forward. The first step is to find a new Marilyn and a new title. Outside the office, we discover that Snoopy is now working for Eileen and not Tom. What happened to two weeks notice? Snoopy has no ethics! Katie redecorates Eileen’s new apartment because that’s what trust fund babies do. Tom meets Ivy backstage of their show to inform her that she’s out as Marilyn because it’s the only option to get it to Broadway. Ivy breaks down because she’s not a star. It’s a tough business girlfriend. Back at Karen’s, Dev is spoon-fed curry, which leads to more foreplay. Thankfully, we don’t see this because Ivy has to sing away her blues via “Let Me Be Your Star.” McSleazy shows up at Ivy’s door to console her. She’s still jealous that Karen got the secret performance, but that was only retaliation for calling him lousy in bed. Well, she claims she lied which leads to the inevitable. They do it.
So that’s the aftermath of the workshop. Not much to talk about, really. Are you ok with what the “history” between Tom and Derek or was it just the easiest cop out? Are you as fed up with the Dev storyline as I am? Was this just a throwaway episode? What did you think of Abstract Marilyn the Musical?

Spotlight On...Brendan Griffin

Name: Brendan Griffin

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Education: Kenyon College

Select Credits: Clybourne Park (Jim, Tom, Kenneth, Playwright's Horizons, Broadway); Bottom of the World (Josh, Atlantic Theatre Company); Back Back Back (Kent, The Old Globe), Cyrano de Bergerac (Christian, The Old Globe); Founding member of Chicago's Dog & Pony Theatre Company.

Why theater?: Geez. If I'm being a smart ass I'd say it's because it's what I happen to be paid for at the moment. I'll let you know when Warner Brothers calls with a four picture deal and then I'll tell you why film. Well, I suppose theatre is what I learned to do first, but to chart the evolution of my participation in it and my reasons would be epic in length - so i'll keep it simple: Where else do you get to participate with other people like this? I mean, it is fundamentally bizarre, and there are a lot of sound arguments for theatre being a decaying entity, but when it's done right from nose to nuts it's a really exciting process. Performer or audience member.

Tell us about Clybourne Park?: Clybourne Park is a special thing. It's a special play that does all the right things without being precious or bellicose. I mean, it is bellicose but in a really fun way. It's where all those that are suspicious of the theatre at it's myriad agendas can convene with what is, in it's most delightfully profane, a great piece of entertainment. And then, in a phantomly way, it sneaks up on you with its arguments and leaves you looking for the bar to continue the conversation. In a world where we indulge in a lot of issue plays, Clybourne's issues are hidden just well enough to have a subtle and insidious impact.
What is it like being a part of Clybourne Park?: Pretty surreal. This was my first Off-Broadway show and it started as a pre-screen audition with Lisa Donadio. A few weeks later I had the part and two years later we're headed to Broadway. Holy shit. And it's not some piece of tooth aching candy, it's a real fucking play. I never would have thought.
What kind of theater speaks to you?: The kind that doesn't suck.

What or who inspires you as an artist?: Paul Newman. Over and over again I say Paul Newman as much for his resume as for his achievements outside the lines. I'm just sorry I'll never get to meet him or work near him, even. He's the kind of leading man that was a character actor underneath, and he enjoyed getting older because that's when he got to play those character roles. He was also a man of humility and privacy that sought work that meant something to not only him but the people around him. He had a life beyond what we saw, and he was the best at what he did, and that's not bad.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: My wife says she's dying for me to play Stanley in Streetcar. Personally that role kind of scares the shit out of me. I'd love to play Hamlet even though that scares the shit out of me, too. Things like Pinter, Letts, Odets, David Hare, etc. are things I like. Paula Vogel is awesome. But not specific characters, really. I like doing Shakespeare and look forward to doing it again. I guess I do a lot of new plays so it's hard to say. It's nice to have there be no point of reference for your performance.

What’s your favorite showtune?: '’It Isn't Over’' from Parade. Does that count? It's not very showtuney but it'll have to work since I don't know many showtunes. I do like the showtunes that were turned into all those jazz standards.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: It depends on who reads this blog. Sam Gold, Daniel Aukin (or Sullivan), David Cromer. Fellas? - The list goes on. I hate questions like this because you make a list and then someone asks you something like this and you can never fucking remember. I'd like to do a play with Reed Birney or Johanna Day. I bet they're a couple folks who wouldn't mind eating with their hands. Ian Rickson. I got to meet Roger Rhys once at Whole Foods and he seemed cool as hell. Jesus, this list is a lot of guys. I love working with women, too. I swear.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Ed Asner. I have no idea what it would be called.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Peter and the Starcatcher. That play was awesome. Kin, Circle Mirror Transformation, August: Osage County. Definitely not Sleep No More. That sucked.

What’s the best advice you can give someone trying to make it in theater?: Sack up and buy a nice pair of shoes. I see a lot of dudes at auditions wearing a pair of Euro-hip shoes from Aldo that are beat to shit.

What’s up next?: That's not entirely up to me. Not yet.

For more information on Clybourne Park, visit http://clybournepark.com/

Review: Bad Dad and the Invisble Boy

The unit set family drama is an oft-produced play. It’s simple to produce and tends to please the average audience. So how do you create something fresh in a new unit set family drama? Well the jury’s still out on that, but Eric Kingrea’s Dime Heroes does a pretty nice job bringing it up a step to a new level. Dime Heroes follows the power struggle of morality and kin love between Kurt, a down and out alcoholic comic book illustrator, and his son, John, who’s got himself into his own lot of trouble. Kingrea’s script, directed delicately and purposely by Kimberly Faith Hickman, is very much an ode to Sam Shepard. Paying homage to Shepard is not necessarily a bad thing. It kept the evening intriguing. Throughout the play, I kept thinking of Buried Child. Dime Heroes’s John and Marcy have very similar parallels to Buried Child’s Vince and Shelly. Kurt is very much like Tilden. The relationships between these characters dominated both stories as the secrets within unfolded. Though in Dime Heroes, the big reveal can be figured out quite early so much of the time we’re waiting for the moment when it’s revealed and the aftermath of it.
The play should Kurt’s story. Unfortunately, Steven Solomon’s take on the character was very much erratic and confusing. His sudden outbursts served no purpose and seemed to just come out of nowhere lacking purpose. There should be some empathy for Kurt, but Solomon is so far off character that we don’t care what happens to him in the end. Though his character may have been estranged from his son, there was absolutely no chemistry between father and son. Thankfully, Solomon had some better acting partners to carry his weight. Brett Dameron as John had nice moments when he was being tender with Kurt or Marcy, but like Solomon, his sudden outbursts were distracting. The shinning star of the production comes from Ashley Dilard as Marcy. She plays her character with charm and care. It really isn’t until Dilard’s appearance on stage do we start to care. One of the integral plot points of the play is the school incident where John defended the nerdy Jimmy. Jimmy comes into the play quite late in the game and has a “wrap it up” moment with Kurt. Ending the play before Jimmy’s entrance would have been a plausible option, but Kelvin Osaze Ehigie does a fine job making us want to see the scene. Hickman does a nice job as director. We see her intent from start to finish. Unfortunately, the execution from the cast was just not on par. Emily Suzanne Sumner does a great job creating an environment of a rundown apartment with the space she had to work with. Having the drawing table as the only piece of furniture to “survive” was a very strong choice.
Overall, the artistic intent of Dime Heroes is present, it’s just missing some key ingredients. If you’re a fan of new voices with a Sam Shepard flair, check out Dime Heroes.

Review: When Classics Go Bad

Three is a magical number. Three is the number of actors playing Jesus on Broadway right now. Three is the number of Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals on Broadway right now. And three is approximately the number of memorable moments from the newest revival of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar. JCS is a fire starter in the world of mainstream rock operas. The story is timeless and the music is edgy. Sure this revival of JCS is timeless and edgy, but it’s quite possible it has gone too far.

Des McAnuff’s sleek and streamlined version of the rock opera has some stunning stage pictures, but it’s quite hard to find them within all the organized chaos. There may be an ensemble member or five who don’t really need to be on the stage. Take the overstuffed ensemble of Jesus Christ Superstar and shove them on the empty boat over at Anything Goes and perhaps you’ll have two happy musicals! One issue with the production I found was the score is stuffed with some recognizable hit numbers, but in between those numbers there are the “throw-away” songs. I don’t think I was alone in thinking they were throw-aways as the audience dimly applauded, that is when given the chance. But when those smash songs ended, there was a roar in the crowd. An uneven reception does not make a successful production. But through the mediocrity was a standout. And that standout was visible during his first song. I think it’s safe to say that upon finishing the final note of “Heave on Their Minds,” Josh Young solidified his Tony nomination. Young may not have the star titular character, but he’s definitely the focus as Judas. Young’s voice is incomparable. The boy has range! You could call him a classically trained Adam Lambert, who I personally would love to hear sing the role of Judas. But we have to remember, this isn’t Judas’s story. We’re there for Jesus. Like Young, Paul Nolan has a similarly strong voice. Both Nolan and Young have a pop rock style in their voice that very much fit this production. Beyond Nolan’s voice, there was still something to be desired. Maybe it’s just how the character is written, but Nolan just seemed to be missing something. Chilina Kennedy’s Mary Magdalene seemed to run across the stage quite a bit, that is until she sang “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” when she was stationary for her big number. It was a good performance for a subpar production, unfortunately for her she was overshadowed by the big voices of Nolan and Young. Once her big moment finished, she was very much forgettable. Many of the secondary characters, including Tom Hewitt’s Pontius Pilate, Lee Siegal’s Simon Zealotes, and Aaron Walpole’s Annas, used their time on stage wisely, singing their songs well. But it was Bruce Dow’s King Herod who stopped the show. Though the production number seemed entirely out of place in this piece, his “Herod’s Song” was magnificent and a wonderful moment to remember. You wanted him to stay on stage much longer. Especially since he didn’t even get his final line on stage but behind the set. Quite unfortunate.
Robert Brill’s set looked cool. It was very modern and purposeful perhaps even borrowing the second level left over from former Neil Simon Theater tenant Ragtime. It was so modern, there was a ticker, like the ones you’d find out by Times Square, that flashed across before each scene telling us exactly time and place. The design served McAnuff’s intention, but may have been better suited for a completely different show. Paul Tazewell’s costume seemed like Post-Apocalypse meets Urban Renewal meets reject Rent costume meets actual time period. Again, the costumes looked cool and fit the intentions, they just seemed lost and incongruent, especially when the ensemble is clad in leather S&M apparel and during “Herod’s Song” when we get some recycled Joseph... costumes. There is little to truly say about the lighting except for the fact of its use during pre-show and intermission. Unless the Neil Simon Theater lacks house lights, Howard Binkley used two booms and an assortment of other lights to fill the house with light, blinding me in the process. This is not the first time I’ve been blinded by a Binkley design. I sat in a very unfortunate seat during the West Side Story when I was blinded during the balcony seat and not being able to see “Tonight.” This was most definitely a choice.
In a big season for theater, Jesus Christ Superstar will be one of those forgotten productions. There was no reward or payoff in the end. This production is better suited for an edgy regional house. If ever there was proof that a notable title will put butts in the seats, this is it.  Audiences will come flocking leaving more deserving shows to fall in the shadows.

Spotlight On...Gayle Rankin

Name: Gayle Rankin

Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland

Education: The Juilliard School

Select Credits: The Illusion (Elicia /Lyse/Clarina, The Signature Theatre); The Seagull (Nina, Brian Mertes' Lake Lucille Chekhov); Macbeth (Lady M, The Juilliard School)

Why Theater: Why Theatre ... wow .... the dramatic answer is ... because i must - my heart and my body won't really allow me to do anything else. I also owe alot of it to Judy Garland actually. Cheesy , but true. I am (to quote Tribes actually) "A slut for words" - good writing makes me want to act and always has.

Tells us about Tribes: Tribes is a story about a highly over-functional and completely dysfunctional family who have alot of love for each other and also for themselves and what they feel they have to do in this world ... and they meet a young woman who stirs things up for them- alot (I am abbreviating intentionally). There are 3 kids and two parents.

What is it like to be a part of Tribes?: It is really really a gift - EVERYONE involved has become a part of this crazy , wild extended version of the family in the play - we hang out WAY too much on our free time and i wouldn't have it any other way. I am very lucky and i feel that every night doing this play with these incredible people.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Truthful theatre - I don't really have a genre / style / "type" of theatre that speaks to me- I really like to see people (and by people I don't just mean the actors - I mean designers, directors, stage management, producers)making the effort on to share the truth with us - what's really going on in this piece of writing... and whats happening in the moment. When its personal. The people and the work that inspires me most is just what I described and there are too many to mention - I have been very lucky to have found, worked with many people who tell ALOT of truth.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I really want to play Masha in The Three Sisters at some point .. maybe soon ... maybe not soon. I also am kind of desperate to play Diane in the stage version of "Trainspotting" (which i hope they make into a play... hint hint anyone?)
There are many roles in Shakespeare i want to play too - I also love new plays ... but I don't know what the roles are yet .. cause I love them when they're really new.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I don't know if it counts as a "showtune" but I LOVE the duet from Once On This Island "Forever Yours." It's kind of amazing.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Wim Wenders (I just saw "Pina" - oh my !), The Cohen Brothers .. Lots of film people.

Who would play you in a movie and what would it be called?: God ....emmmmm who looks like me ? I have no idea ... it would be called "3268" .....its pretty deep. I'll explain it to you one day. I would have someone who had a really good scottish accent play me ... maybe Kelly MacDonald ?

What shows have you recommended to your friends?: The Big Meal By Dan Le Franc at Playwrights, 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog at Lincoln Center and I haven't seen it yet but Hurt Village By Katori Hall at The Signature ( But i just KNOW its amazing). I've not seen Death of a Salesman, but I have a couple of friends in it and I hear it's out of this world! so .. yeah .. lots to see.

What’s up next?: Next is ... Tribes ... hopefully for a wee while longer - and my parents come to visit !

Prince of Broadway Gets a Cast

Remember when it was announced that there was going to be a Hal Prince musical revue? Well it's getting an All-Star cast. The cast of Prince of Broadway, the Broadway musical retrospective of shows directed by Harold Prince, will be lead by  Linda Lavin, Sebastian Arcelus, Sierra Boggess, Daniel Breaker, Josh Grisetti, Shuler Hensley, Richard Kind, Amanda Kloots-Larsen, LaChanze, Caroline O'Connor, David Pittu and Emily Skinner. With all the talent on one stage, will it be a success or a Sondheim on Sondheim dud?

Smash Report: Living in the Shadows

The day has come. The moment we’ve all been waiting for, for weeks! The big show, aka The Workshop! It’s finally here! But before we head inside for the big show, Julia and Michael have to hide their love from the world. But we don’t have time to revile because Snoopy Ellis overhears stuff that sets off the McSleazy. It’s gonna be a bad day at rehearsal! Meanwhile, Karen goes in for a recording session to record a demo of a lame Colbie Caillat song. Apparently it’s really good. If you wanted to see her shine, let her sing something bigger like, I don’t know, “Let Me Be Your Star”! Michael and Julia get it on in another rehearsal room only to be interrupted by Tom who warns of the wrath of Derek who wants to discuss the “Breakup Scene.” Well let’s not be subtle friends! But wait. Who was looming while Michael and Julia have their unprofessional moment? Snoopy himself! Jeez! Ellis! Where WON’T you hide! I’m afraid to go to sleep in fear of you being around! If ever there was going to be trouble, you bet it’ll happen tonight!
Brad Oscar appears as the building manager who Eileen annoys about the heat. The heat is really on upstairs in the rehearsal room. Linda, our faithful stage manager who has been given an identity, lets Karen go to another recording session, but she gets stopped by the legendary Lee Conroy played by the legendary Bernadette Peters. She’s so legendary t hat the entire room becomes faker than fake. And leave it to Bobby to burst out, “sing something!” When someone offers “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” Tom plays the accompaniment for Bernie/Lee to sing. Now I’m probably be alone here, but I think it’s a total cop out to have Peters sing that song. Of every song in the musical theater cannon, a song that Peters sang about ten years ago on Broadway comes across as, “I didn’t have time to rehearse the song you REALLY wanted me sing so I’m going to sing an iconic song I can pull out of my butt.” While the performance was great, it was lost on me. Anyway, we see that not only does Ivy fall under the shadow of Karen but of her famous mommy. Speaking of mommies, Michael’s wife and son barge into rehearsal. Listen, that would NEVER happen. So why does that happen here? Oh, that’s right, to let Julia have a run out of the room moment. Tom tries to rescue her, but Julia is far too damaged by reality to stay at the place she’s meant to be.
McSleazy is in a pissy mood when he discovers Julia ran off, but Eileen sets Ellis straight when he attempts to tell her of the Michael/Julia bombshell. She threatens to make Ellis never work in theater (and maybe “Smash”…wishful thinking?). Julia arrives home to see bad actor Leo smoking with his pal Mason. The boy is trouble, but he’s acting out because he saw his mommy cheat on daddy. At Ivy’s house, Lee is watching Marilyn and asks Ivy how she’s going to pull it off. Apparently Lee is way bigger than Ivy will ever be. At Eileen’s new hangout, she’s with the boy she just threatened to destroy. Why? Well, I can’t justify it. But she begins to flirt with her new bartender pal. In a montage of beds, we see all our favorites agonizing over the big day. The only one sleeping is Karen, who gets a call from her recording pal. Someone loves her!
Karen brags about her opportunity with Bobby Raskin which makes Jessica and Bobby tell Karen to just leave the workshop to record the demo. In what world does that happen! The heat is still on in the rehearsal room as Julia tells Michael about how her son knows about them. McSleazy wants to hear a part of the play read before the audience comes in, so Julia plays the role of Marilyn as Michael plays Joe aka Julia and Michael have a heated battle with her dialogue. Witty move writers. McSleazy tries to tell Eileen that the project is cursed. Eileen assures him that it will be a brilliant hit. As the audience wanders into the room, agent Joe Machota is in the audience possibly to get one of his big name clients in the production. This irritates Ivy. How does she alleviate the pain? She gossips with Tom about his lover John, his bad gaydar, and Sam who is gay. This leads her to have a near nervous breakdown because she still continues to live in the shadows. Jealousy to the max!
Eileen invites Nick, her new pal, to watch the workshop. Because he has the money to invest or she’s falling for a commoner? The workshop gets underway with an introduction by McSleazy only to get upstaged by Lee Conroy. She makes a scene. Wouldn’t a seasoned veteran know better? As we learned weeks ago, the musical begins with fan favorite “Let Me Be Your Star.” Ivy opens the song, which wows the audience. So much so Lee starts crying and Karen imagines it’s her in the role. We then journey to “The 20th Centurty Fox Mambo.” And then “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Then “The National Pasttime.” It’s basically just a montage of the songs we know a bit more fully formed with doses of Karen’s imagination intersected. Until Karen falls over leading to intermission. At intermission, Michael tries to talk to Julia who shuts him out. McSleazy tells Ivy to “get her head in the game” and focus, breaking the cardinal rule of talking to the cast during intermission. We head back to the performance with Michael singing a new song about how Marilyn hurts him but really it’s about Julia betraying his heart. It’s an interesting number, with the iconic Marilyn skirt moment, but would Joltin Joe really pull that? In the fantasy moment of the song, Michael sings straight to Julia. It’s tender for both. The air finally comes back on right at the end of the show but we never get to see the grand finale. Fitting. The cast does a curtain call and then it’s time for the schmoozing. John tries to compliment Tom but he gets brushed off. Tom! No! Don’t do that to him! We like him! Karen pays Ivy a compliment to the rest of the gypsies who are still on her case for not taking the appointment with Mr. Music Producer. Lee gives Ivy a bravo but can’t say one kind word about her performance. Ivy breaks down and compares herself, again, to Marilyn who had a non-loving mommy.

At Ivy’s, Lee starts to pack up her belongings and mend things with her daughter. Lee tries to warn Ivy of the heartbreak and pain she experienced as an actress. She assures her that she’s good at what she does; she just doesn’t like seeing her not be a star. Her day will come! At the recap, Derek reads the responses from the potential investors. Eileen tells the group they have to regroup, maybe a new Marilyn is in order. She lists a few ladies, including Scarlett Johansson, and Sutton Foster, prompting Tom to say, “stop” allowing for a miraculous hidden gem of the entire series. But the result of the meeting is they need to recast Michael Swift at Tom’s suggestion. This is not only to save the show but to save his writing partner. At home, Julia tries to patch things up with Leo who is slightly interested in how the workshop went. Julia tells Leo that they’re firing Michael (though isn’t it more like going in a new direction?). Leo breaks down after hearing the news. Why? Well, I wish I could tell you. But the episode ends.
So we saw Marilyn the Musical. Would you invest? Did Ivy cry too much in tonight’s episode? Where was Ellis at the workshop? And Dev? Did Karen not invite him! What is the next step for Marilyn the Musical after the workshop? If the promos are any indicator, BETRAYAL.

Spotlight On...Bella Poynton

Name: Bella Poynton

Hometown: Buffalo, NY

Education: BFA in Acting, Boston University, Working on an MFA in Playwriting from the Iowa Playwright's Workshop.

Select Credits: Pope Joan (New World Stages, InCite Arts Festival), Unpopular Devotion (New Perspectives Theatre Company), A House Full of Dust (Wings Theatre), Hey Mary (Midtown International Theatre Festival), Fat Actress/Ugly Model and Other Destructive Labels for Women (WriteAct Eastside Repertory), Yellowknife (The TANK), Advanced Programs System (The American Globe Theatre and A Festival Of Fools), Who Is Dan Schiller? (LookingGlass Theatre), The Age and The Experiment (The Barrow Group FAB Project), The Angel Play (LookingGlass Theatre)

Why theater?: I get the sense that I am part of something larger when I see or create theater. Theater is healthy for communities. The ancient Greeks used to go to the theater in order to see themselves—to learn more about the society they lived in, and I wish we did more of that today.  I also have a deep spiritual connection to the theater. It’s very clear in a number of my plays.  I know I’m meant to be working in the theater because it’s the only thing that fills my spirit with joy.

Tell us about The Angel Play: Well I’ve always been interested in faith in our culture—particularly now, as we try to rediscover our spiritual identity after the Bush era. The Angel Play is really a hybrid of a number of different faith constructions. It explores the idea of the ancient zodiac eon (a period of 2000 years), and how that plays into the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Virgin Mary was having her baby at a very interesting time in history—the zodiac system was shifting from Aries into Pieces, and interestingly, now, just over 2000 years later, we are moving again from Pieces into Aquarius. So in a way, the play is a mirror image of our own time. I wanted to write a play about this young girl, moving from girlhood into adulthood,  from being a frightened bystander,  into a powerful prophetess-- all while the world was teetering on the brink of a brand new era.

What inspired you to write The Angel Play?: Western spirituality has always been fascinating to me. It’s so dramatic! I also don’t think people write about the Virgin Mary enough. I mean, there’s a lot about her son, but not so much about her. She is such an important image of female power and beauty! If you look closely at the image of Our Lady of Grace (the one with Mary in blue and white), she is actually stepping on the head of the serpent—the lady is a warrior!  She’s not messing around.  I’ve always liked this idea of the powerful spiritual woman— wrestling with her identity in relationship to both men and God. We need more stories about powerful women. It’s high time.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Anything new and fresh. Old stories told in new ways are always a treat. Take risks. Be bold. I like plays that scream this message out loud. There is a company in Chicago called StrangeTree, focusing on supernatural and paranormal themes that sound fantastic.  Timeline Theatre Company, also in Chicago, are doing incredible work, as well as pretty much anything anything given a reading the LARK, or done at the Women's Project or Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theatre. Oh gosh, so many things inspire me! New plays that really push the envelope inspire me. I’m going to the Humana Festival next week—my friend Idris Goodwin’s play How We Got On is happening there, and I’m so excited to see it in production. Right now, I’m pretty much obsessed with anything science fiction or steam punk. It’s a whole genre focused on taking old stories, and revamping and retelling them in new ways.  I can’t think of anything more inspirational than that.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I think every playwrights dream is to work with the amazing artists at New Dramatists. I would love to take a class with Naomi Wallace. I’d probably faint first, though. Someday, I want to write a part for Benedict Cumberbatch—he’s pretty much the hottest thing over in Britain right now (not to mention disgustingly talented), and I’d absolutely die happy if a show of mine was directed by Mary Zimmerman. I love her sensibility for spectacle—big sweeping stories. I love that stuff. I wish it was done more often.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I’ve been in Iowa City at the Playwrights Workshop all year, so I haven’t seen much New York Theater as of late, but I did see two really cool new plays here over Christmastime: Samuel & Alasdair: A Personal History of the Robot War, presented by the New Ohio Theatre, and Chimera, a one woman show created by Suli Holum and Deborah Stein that was being performed as part of The Public Theatre’s Under the Radar Festival. They were both really thought provoking pieces. I like seeing smaller, more obscure shows. They always surprise me and I love being surprised, so I would suggest going to see something small; a new play somewhere downtown that you wouldn’t usually go to. Surprise yourself. That’s my recommendation.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Hmmm… Carrie Fisher. But when she was a young woman. Circa 1980-ish. She has this amazing crassness about her. Funny and bold and unapologetic.  I think that’s an accurate self description. Maybe it would be called something like “Red Lipstick and Diet Coke”!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Oooh, that’s easy—"Doctor Who". It’s a campy British Science fiction television show on the BBC. If you don’t know it yet, go watch right now!  I’m legitimately obsessed. No, really, I have a problem. I’ve actually considered travelling to Cardiff, England to crash the set and get autographs.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be______: I’d probably be writing terrible science fiction novels. You know; the kind that all us nerdy girls (and boys!) read when we were like 12? Yeah… or maybe I would have gone to medical school. Yes!—Doctor Poynton. I like the sound of that!

What’s up next?: Well, I literally have 4 full length plays ready and awaiting world production, so if you are looking for new material, please drop me an email! This April, I have a staged reading in the annual New Play Festival at the University of Iowa, a play being published later this year, and I’m also working on a commission for an experimental Shakespeare Company called The Dark Lady Players. I like to keep busy!

For more on Bella, visit http://www.bellapoynton.com/

Shameless Plug: Broadway Beauty Pageant 2012

Looking for something exciting to do tomorrow night? Then head on down to the Symphony Space for the 2012 Broadway Beauty Pageant! Featuring a panel of celebrity judges and some special performances, this year's contestants include  Andrew Chappelle (Mamma Mia!), Wilkie Ferguson, III (Porgy and Bess), Corey Mach (Godspell), Jesse Swimm (Mary Poppins) and Anthony Wayne (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). For more information, please visit http://broadwaybeautypageant.com/

Spotlight On...Eric Kingrea

Name: Eric Kingrea

Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Education: College of Charleston

Favorite Credits: Dime Heroes is my first full-length, post-collegiate production and thus my favorite.

Why theater?: In college, I was a literature guy, but hung around the theater folks because they were fun and interesting and had the comfiest couches.  The more plays I read, the more interested I became in the form and its capabilities.  Having an actor and director interpret your work can either go great or be disastrous, but it's a fascinating artistic exchange--factor in the presence of a live audience and how they further affect the interpretation, and you have something unique to the arts.  That's the pat answer all playwrights give but it's the right one.  Why else would a writer want to put his work in the hands of others, to be reinterpreted night after night, than the thrill of the high-wire act, and the cathartic payoff--instant and collective--when it's done right?

Tell us about Dime Heroes?: Dime Heroes is the story of Kurt, an embittered comic book artist who lives a life of isolation and self-loathing since the death of his daughter.  The play takes place over the course of a day where his estranged, teenage son comes to him, desperately requiring help, and Kurt has to discover for himself whether or not he still has the ability to be a good father.  Also: fights!  Comic book trivia! It's a 90-minute show, so it's a short jab of a play, but it's one to the gut, or the heart.  Take your pick.

What inspired you to write Dime Heroes?: I had to put my encyclopedic knowledge of super-hero secret identities to use somehow. Other than that, I'm interested in people who give up, or who run away from their responsibilities.  It's a hard world, and I've been lucky enough to not have experienced the brunt of its hostilities first-hand, but it's easy to see how some people can break.  And people who were once whole being broken has been tragic since the advent of the notion.  Ideally, your parents should be your heroes, who should be helping you through this world.  So what happens when they're the broken ones?  What happens when you really find that out?  That's what Dime Heroes is about.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Well, Dime Heroes is most directly inspired by Arthur Miller, to the point where I used his theatrical and tragical theories as a header while I wrote the thing.  American playwrights are the ones who inspire me the most, from the Big Three (Miller, Williams, O'Neill) to Albee, Shepard, Parks, and Letts.  Tarell Alvin McCraney is awesome, and if I ever write anything half as great as The Brother/Sister Plays I'd be sitting happy.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I'd get coffee for Sam Shepard, if only to see him work and pick his brain about the 70's punk scene.  There's a little section in Please Kill Me: An Oral History Of Punk that talks about Cowboy Mouth.  How fucking cool is that?

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Besides pissing in their ears about coming to see Dime Heroes? Horse Trade Theater's "The Fire This Time" series consistently has some great one-acts from black playwrights. I was lucky enough to catch the Sam Mendes Richard III at BAM, and everything about that show worked for me.  The atmosphere was stark and epic at the same time, and just turned into a tornado whenever Spacey was onstage.  Good times.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?: I don't feel guilty at all about saying "Gilmore Girls".  For a long time there it was the wittiest writing on TV. I also know every lyric to every song from "Newsies".  I remember as an eight-year-old really hoping that Christian Bale would score some more work.

If you weren't in theater, you would be doing _____?: I'm barely in theater as is, so I guess I'd be doing what I'm doing now, bartending at punk dives like The Trash Bar and Don Pedro.

What's up next?: Hopefully a good review.

For tickets to Dime Heroes, visit SmartTix.com

Rebecca Will Open In the Fall, for real

After postponing their debut in the 2011-2012 season, the producers of the epic musical have announced that Rebecca will open some time in the fall. Rebecca will play the Broadhurst Theater. Though an initial cast was announced for the original bow, no casting has been revealed for the fall production. It was a smart move to wait for the fall for an opening sine it's a pretty competitive musical season, but really, is anyone excited?

Smash Report: Spooky Leading Lady Hell Dream

“Let Me Be Your Star” starts off the show! Our favorite song has returned, but Ivy for some reason can’t hit that glory note. Is this foreshadowing for something? I think so! At rehearsal, the gang is attempting to reorder their musical. Apparently this is a show where being linear is not important. McSleazy is pissed at Julia for not finishing the blackhole of a musical, which doesn’t seem will ever be finished. Ellis over hears the battle between Julia, Tom, and McSleazy, so what does he do? Well he goes to Eileen to tattle. Dude! He’s your employer! And you’re not five years old! Well, that’s not the worst of it. Poor little Ivy is having some major vocal trauma. Is she sick? Has karma smacked her in the vocal chords? All we know is the workshop is a week a way from an audience, tension is in full force, and the leading lady is not in perfect shape. Drama at a drama!
Tom returns from the doctors and tells the gang about Ivy’s condition. Is there another option? Well…Karen! Duh! She is hiding behind the piano because all her stuff magically fell out of her bag. Can she learn the part in a week? Is she overly excited for the possibility? Go home and learn that part Karen Cartwright! At Julia’s house, Julia dreams of the kiss between her and Michael as she burns the pancakes, with batter on her face. Defiant Leo doesn’t want pancakes because he wants cereal because he’s a little shit of a son. Thankfully daddy comes home and saves the day. At rehearsal, Ivy informs McSleazy that she can sing and nothing is going to stop her. Karen is upset, but Jessica gives her a Bar Mitzvah gig for the night. And Ellis AGAIN goes to Eileen and tattles about the positive rehearsal. What is his angle! Michael and Julia have another awkward moment where Michael threatens to make a scene. What is between these two? Love or just pathetic lust? Well, we won’t find out because we’re saved by the “We’re back.”
One of Ellis’s friends gets Eileen into a swanky apartment to potentially rent but financial woes won’t let her rent a $10,000 apartment. Money is hard kids! Karen plays dress up with Dev watching discussing her Bar Mitzvah gig. Apparently neither of them have Jewish friends as they’ve never been to one. How stone aged! At their work time, Julia drops the bomb that Michael kissed her, a big one. It was all in the song he sang! Tom admits he would have too. Tom then tells Julia that things with his new boy are good. Eileen is brought to a normal person bar which she will soon call her new hangout, filled with normal people and arcade games. But the real question is why the hell is she out with Ellis? Is she on drugs? At home, Ivy has a moment with some pills. We don’t see her consume the drugs but if I’m a betting man, she did. And they must have gotten to her head because she breaks out into song. The entire moment looks like a frickin’ music video. And then in her delusional haze, Karen appears in Ivy’s mirror dressed up as Marilyn. It’s a Spooky Leading Lady Hell Dream!

At the Bar Mitzvah, a plethora of Jews await the arrival of Karen posing at Ivy. Living the life. At John’s bash, Tom meets two of John’s stuffy friends who tell Tom that John is newly out.  Tom gets freaked out and is saved by Ivy’s Spooky Leading Lady Hell Dream. Sam is also there at the rescue. Tom texts Karen about her potential big break right before she has to sing a horrendous version of “Hava Nagila.” Sheltered girl doesn’t even know “Hava Nagila”?! Julia attempts to have a tender moment with Frank, but then Michael calls. Bad timing buddy. Julia steals the phone away from Frank and learns that Michael is terrified of his love for her. And being caught by his wife. Your sister? How lame dude! Back at Ivy’s, Tom proposes that they watch a movie. Sam proposes a Rangers game. “What’s a Ranger?” Really Tom? You live in New York. “What’s a Ranger.” If I’m a betting man, the sexual tension between Tom and Sam and the newfound information of John’s “recent” emerging from the closet will make some drama for our favorite composer. At the Bar Mitzvah, Karen sings “Shake It Out” a song that is not, well, so perfect for the closing number of a Bar Mitzvah. Doesn’t she know “Shout” or “The Macarana”? The kids apparently love the performance, swaying their arms as if they were instructed. Mazel Tov Ethan. You had a potential Broadway star sing at your Bar Mitzvah. I will say, it was not one of Karen’s shining moments.
At the Houston household, Julia is battling some inner emotional demons. The stress of the musical is a beautiful cover for the stress of cheating on your spouse. After the Bar Mitzvah has ended, the band and FauxIvy have leftovers. The venue director (played by a local neighbor of mine Geoffrey Cantor!) gives FauxIvy a business card. Elation? No because Tom tells Karen that Ivy is indeed ok. Julia and Michael sneak into the rehearsal hall. Julia tells Michael that he cannot contact her at home any longer. After five years of separation, Julia and Michael attempt to resurface to reality. But Michael unbuttons Julia’s shirt and instantly, Julia is in his control. First off, naked and doing the nasty in a rehearsal room after hours? Hot or entirely creepy? Where’s Ellis to sneak in on this one? Or has he tapped the room with video cameras already? Someone is going to find out that Julia and Michael did it on the set pieces!

John and Tom have ice cream and Tom asks John if he just came out. John reassures he’s not one of those closet cases. In fact, he’s come out four times since he was eight. The next day at rehearsal, McSleazy asks Ivy how’s “The Voice” (Mondays on NBC) and Ivy says “The Voice” (Mondays on NBC) and again says “The Voice” (Monday’s on NBC) to reiterate her statement and to give a shameless plug on the hit NBC show that is the lead into to our favorite show. Tom apologizes to Karen for the confusing texts. The business card that Karen gets from the Bar Mitzvah is from Bobby Raskin who is apparently a big deal. Ivy is P.O.ed! Michael enters and Julia is glowing. If there weren’t an audience around, they’d probably do it again right now! Side note: writers, please stop making our lovely stage manager so dull! Give her real people lines! In the night’s new song, a definite parallel to Michael and Julia’s history making night, we see Julia finally smiling. Any chance she wrote the song WHILE she was doing it? The number stops after Ivy and Michael stumble on the couch, which sets off McSleazy, humiliating Ivy in the process. We get Ivy’s gem of the night “maybe you can remember artists are not football players who can take endless abuse and still do their jobs.” Excuse me? Ivy calls out Karen and says maybe she can do the part and admits that McSleazy is bad in bed. Side affect of the steroids of emotional breakdown? Is Ivy really ready for the spotlight? And why does Tom approve of her actions? At the Bushwhack, Eileen and her producer friend celebrate with martinis for her new apartment on the Lower East Side. Eileen buys the bartender a drink. Mr. Bartender, a local of Soap Opera World, will be Eileen’s new romantic pal. Yes, that means Ellis is officially out of the running.
So how did we feel? Anyone buying Ivy’s meltdown? Will Derek tell off Ivy for her actions? Is Karen going to get her chance? And who the hell is Bernedette Peters playing next week?

Spotlight On...Jimmy Davis

Name: Jimmy Davis

Select Credits: Broadway: The House of Blue Leaves. Off & Off Off Broadway: The More Loving One for FringeNYC at LaMama and Soho Rep (winner of the Best Overall Production/Play Award), Julia in Two Gentleman of Verona for the all male Shakespeare company Poortom Productions, Hamlet for The Pearl Theater, What Happened When, The Undeiable Sound of Right Now, and Best Sex Ever for Rising Phoenix Rep, Allen Ginsberg's 'America' for The New Voice Collective, and other numerous workshops and readings and retreats for Rattlestick, EST, Red Bull, MCC, NYTW, and Clubbed Thumb. Regional theater credits: Juliet in the all male production of Romeo and Juliet for The Shakespeare Theater(DC), American Buffalo for The Studio Theater (Helen Hayes nomination - Best Ensemble)(DC), Othello for New Harmony Theater(IN). Film work: "Doppelgänger". Actor Training: BFA from The Juilliard School. Jimmy is a company member of Rising Phoenix Rep.

Why theatre?: Theatre is the human art form. Humans watching humans act like humans (for the most part). It's live, it's in the moment, it's fleeting. It requires attention. There is no rewinding.

Tell us about Much Ado About Nothing?: Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespeare play. This production of Much Ado is what I consider Communal Theater. Performed at The Secret Theater in Long Island City, it's directed by Daniel Talbott. My early years in St. Louis, Missouri were spent watching and involving myself in Community Theater productions. My memories of that time are of joy. Despite having worked all day in 9-5 type jobs, these actors would show up night after night to rehearse and perform for little to no money because they believed in the power of theater.  There is so much talent in New York City. None of us are getting paid a salary. The cast is close to twenty. So, basically, right now, we are a bunch of Communal Theatre artists working for very little, showing up after long days at work, because we have a need to be together, to tell this story, share ideas, collaborate, BE there for an audience.

What kind of theatre speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Honest theater. Smart exposition, engaging dialogue, a great pay off or surprise. Love to see an actor, director and writer working cohesively to tell the story together. Moreover, seeing a human experience on stage is the point of it all for me. I've been into watching videos of Taylor Mac, Justin Bond, and Ethel Eichenberger on Youtube. I have major respect for their lineage, homage, and gender performance politics and artistry. I have come to understand that these performers are traditionalists in the sense that Greek Theatre is traditionalist. And on the converse side that Stanislavski, naturalism, realism, and TV acting are the avant garde. I love both. I'm inspired by both. I never get tired thinking about theater/acting.

Any roles I'm dying to play?: No. I'm more interested in the collaboration of any given role together with a director with a vision, other cast members, and the writer (if still alive). I don't want to have preconceived notions on what playing a character would feel like or guess at what I would accomplish in playing a dream role, sort of speak. I'd like to be surprised and let that sort of thing happen organically.

What's your favorite showtune?: I'll go with the soundtrack of Into the Woods. I liked that musical very much when I was kid.

If you could work with anyone you've yet to work with, who would it be?: If I could work with Tilda Swinton I think my head and heart might explode.

Who would play you in a movie and what would it be called?: Tilda Swinton, Daniel Talbott, Finn Wittrock, Ben Wishaw, Michael Padden, Alison Pill, and/or James Lecesne. Someone told me Gabe Ebert does a good impression of me. It would be called "LOVE."

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I've been recommending that people see Nick Westrate's "Process and Performance" series on the avant garde at NYTW. It's a great series of interviews. The last one was with Taylor Mac. Truly inspiring.

What's up next?: Spring and Summer lovin'.

Spotlight On...Jelena Stupljanin

Name: Jelena Stupljanin

Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia

Education: BFA in Acting from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, Serbia; also, attended the Lee Strasberg theater and film Institute, NYC

Select Credits: Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret, Boomerang Theater Company); Stray Dog (Elsie, Cino Nights with Rising Phoenix Rep); Woman-Bomb (Solo performance, United Solo Festival); Progress (She, HERE Art Center); Wild Honey (Maria, Atelje 212, Belgrade, Serbia); Bash (She, Yugoslav Drama Theater); Alice (Alice, co-production with Atelje 212, Belgrade, Serbia and Intercult, Stockholm, Sweden); First Love (The Girl, Atelje 212, Belgrade, Serbia) Phantoms (Sana, Atelje 212, Belgrade, Serbia); Front Page Doll (Babe the 'Doll', Musical Theater 'Terazije', Belgrade, Serbia); “Cirkus Columbia” (Azra, dir by Bosnian Oscar winner Danis Tanovic, Best Actress award at the Alexandria film festival, Egypt); “The Ambulance” (Sofie, dir. by Goran Radovanovic); “New York- Belgrade” (Katarina, dir by Nikita Milivojevic);  “Foxes” (Stasha, TV Series, National Serbian Broadcast Channel 1)

Why theater?: There's something about when the house lights go off and the stage lights light up that opens the whole new world to me, the world of the plays I'm doing. And, that feeling to me is the most thrilling, beautiful and, at the same time the most scary and the most safe thing I'm experiencing when I'm on stage. I always love actors that I'm performing with because I think those are one of the most vulnerable yet one of the strongest people I know and to be sharing the stage with fellow actors and to be exploring the world of plays is something I would love to be doing for the rest of my life.

Tell us about Much Ado About Nothing: Daniel Talbott directed Much Ado About Nothing last Summer in Central Park for Boomerang Theater company and I was part of that production as well and, now we're back with it again. Although it was suppose to be the same show as the last Summer, it really now is a new one. We're now in the close theater space which brought the whole new feeling to the play and with several other new cast members (mostly for the lead parts) who brought the new energy to it so, we're doing almost this whole new production of it which is great.

What is it like being a part of Much Ado About Nothing?: I am having so much fun doing this show over again and I was thrilled when I heard that we'll be playing it this time as the Boomerang's Repertory season show over at the Secret Theater! Needles to say, it's one of the Shakespeare's most beautiful plays and Daniel has a way of making it so alive and, also he made it speak so well to the modern time and I'm just really having a blast, exploring it all over again and with him and, playing it with the company of brilliant and amazingly talented actors.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater that addresses the issues of our time. But, having said that, I absolutely love both comedy and drama. What's important to me is to see or to be part of the show that hopefully can evoke emotions, feelings in the audience that they can carry with them after the show is over and that will make them think and perhaps even change in a better way. I am still a huge believer that theater can change If not the whole world cause, that's really not possible but, the individual who will then carry the idea into the world and hopefully 'infect' the others with a positive change. Harold Clurman was teaching a lot about that. As well as Stanislavski and Chekhov.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I always go back to Chekhov when I think about a question like that. But, also, there are so many amazing modern playwrights and, that are part of Rising Phoenix Repertory, (the theater company I'm a member of) or, that are working with this company and, that I'd love to work with and, hopefully we'll get to do something together soon. Some of them are Lucy Thurber, Crystal Skillman, Zack Calhoon, Kristen Palmer and many, many more...

What’s your favorite showtune?: "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: So many people!! And, I feel very lucky to say that with many of them I've already worked with and so, I'd love to go back and work with them again. But, beside the obvious choices (such as Ryan Gosling and people like that :) the first one that really comes to my mind that I haven't yet had a chance to really share the stage/ screen with is Addie Johnson Talbott.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: My friend Marko Jovanov at the young age and Julianne Moore when I get older :)

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Besides Much Ado About Nothing :) really anything that comes from Rising Phoenix Repertory and also, Ratlestick Theater company. Those guys always inspire the hell out of me!

What’s up next?: I am playing a lead role in 'Cirkus Columbia' the film directed by a Bosnian Oscar winner Danis Tanovic ('No man's Land', 2002). And, after many international recognitions and awards that this film won (Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival- Best Foreign Language Film; Official selection Toronto Film Festival; Bosnian contender for Oscar nomination 2011; Best Film by Audience- Sarajevo Film Festival; Best Film by Audience Thessaloniki Film Festival; San Sebastian Film Festival etc) and, after it has been shown here in NY, this film opens in Los Angeles on March 9 for a limited run. I'll be shooting two other film projects this Spring/ Summer, the first one being a short film and the second one a feature, both here in NY and I'm very excited about that.

For more about Jelena, visit http://www.jelenastupljanin.com/

Smash Report: The Good, the Bad, and the Really Bad

What happened to the magical world of music in the mind as the show opener? I miss those. I do. Instead we get Eileen freaking out that her lawyer ditched her. Nobody likes her. And frankly, the audience doesn’t really care. Give us the show! Oh, thanks. Ask you and you shall receive! McSleazy and Karen do some dancing before rehearsal starts. But we’ve seen that tango before. The big news from the opening of the show is the book writer has been revealed: Julia! That sounds like a train wreck. Speaking of, Ivy walks in on McSleazy and Karen doing the nasty-making dance. Rut ro! But wait! Guess who’s on a second date! Tom and John at Brassiere AND Michael and Julia at Westway Diner. Westway? Really? Well, it is the Mecca for theatrical inspiration. Or the place where people go to have affairs with pie. Back on the date that actually matters, Tom is playing the timid card when John flat out asks if they’re going to have a nightcap of sex. Well, saved by the phone ring (which is the same ringtone for every phone for each character.) Moments before, Julia ignored a phone call from an odd number. Well Tom got that same call, only he answers it. Lo and behold, it’s little Leo who was arrested. Rut ro! First question: How did Leo know Tom’s cell number by heart? Second question: Is Julia the worst mother? Talk amongst yourselves.
Tom and John save Leo who was arrested for loitering for drugs. John pulls his lawyer card, which is totally a turn on, and seemingly gets Leo free. Dev and RJ (played by a BU alum!) are discussing how Dev is not the top for some job no one really cares about. Karen goes to pick up Dev from work and gets intimidated by the new sexy competition. I would be very happy is Dev and RJ do it so Deve leaves the show. Am I alone? Possibly. Tom brings Leo home and makes up a fun little song to Leo’s “she’s gonna kill me” mantra. When Julia comes home, she “epically grounds him” because that’s all she can do in the moment. Well, then some Jack drinking. Bad momma! Ellis drops off a book to Eileen and offers to help Eileen with her computer. Eileen flat out asks snoopy Ellis about Julia’s work. Well we know the history between Ellis and Julia, so we know that he’s gonna sell her out. At rehearsal, Tom calls John for a second date and gets introduced to Sam who talks sports. What are these sports you speak of? Ivy then begins to sing “Let’s Be Bad” to McSleazy’s dismay. He calls out Karen to sing the vibrato Ivy is missing. Ivy is P.O.ed! Did you see the scowl? It gets worse for you Ivy. Derek tells Ivy to work WITH Karen. Rivalry is getting tenser by the rehearsal!

Julia talks to Frank (who’s been M.I.A. taking a some teacher test) while Tom taunts her about Michael Swift. She’s babysitting her son while he’s grounded. Getting better mamma, getting better! Meanwhile at the Ivy/Karen work session, Ivy partakes in some verbal sparring to intimidate Karen, the lowly chorus girl. Ivy gives Karen some advice. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” She tells Karen she basically will never top her. Oh snap! Them fightin’ words! Julia discovers that Leo’s arrest puts a major halt on the adoption process. Michael tries to offer a tender shoulder, but Julia shuts him out. Ivy performs “Let’s Be Bad” again with the ensemble behind her, but to the creative team, something was missing. In a long, and a bit unnecessary moment of Ivy pants, Ivy finally realizes that something is not going right.
Leo Houston is doodling on some red Facebook knockoff when Julia tries to talk Leo about his actions and the repercussions. More pot=no Chinese baby. Back at rehearsal, sans Julia, Ivy has a minor meltdown. Or is it a performance? Could the cold-hearted bitch have feelings? Well, perhaps we’ll find out! Let’s see “Let’s Be Bad” on stage! All the girls are clad in flapper costumes while some actors recite dialogue from the SCRIPT. It’s a first! Marilyn has a script! In this scene, Marilyn admits she’s not loving the film life, takes some pills, and thus dances! The logical sequence of events. For the first time, we see a journey within one of the Marilyn songs, and actually it’s quite good. It works. We get some cool lighting effects and good acting from Ivy. When the song is over in fantasyland, Ivy and the team applaud. The only one absent from the cheer is Derek, who storms out with his phone. Karen attempts to give Ivy a complement only to get her head bitten off. For the firs time this season, we see Ivy terrified for her artistic safety.
At another local stomp, Mr. Biggs, Ivy, Sam, and Michael (the new motley trio) we learn that Sam is not straight. That leaves him to be gay. Yes, the sports lover is gay. That is what we call (gay) diversity my friends. They do exist in society. Dev then appears again. Can’t he go away? Karen tries to dish her feelings about rehearsal but Dev wants nothing to do it. Again. Why? Because he’s under pressure. Whine whine whine. He just wants his arm candy to look hot on a boat. Karen sends Dev off to political war alone. Will she stand him up again? Perhaps since she’s staring at herself in the mirror singing about “A Man’s World.” We broke out into song that has nothing to do with a performance (unless you count Karen singing to herself in the mirror as an audience). Thanks for the diversity creators. This was Karen’s “I know what I bring to the party” moment. Michael arrives at Julia’s house and gets invited to dinner by Leo. Leo and Michael have some sort of connection. Just how involved in the Houston household was Michael? We won’t find out because Ivy drunkenly stumbles to McSleazy’s apartment and goes on a drunken verbal vomit. Ivy does realize she is an employee of Derek’s right? But then she bursts out “theater is about feelings.” Which is so true, but that was not the time to say it girlfriend! At the Intrepid, Karen DOES arrive and learns that Dev is sitting at the hot girl’s table and NOT with Karen. In what world does he think that’s ok?! At dinner, Michael and Leo joke around about pot. It’s very brotherly. Michael admits that Julia smoked pot after rough rehearsals. Leo wants to know what else Julia does after a rough rehearsal. Julia banishes him to his room because loose lips will most definitely spill. At the party, Karen tells her new friends at her table that she’s playing Marilyn in Marilyn only to get hit on by a super conceited guy who tries to seduce Karen to his hotel room. When Karen learns he’s goal is to be press security, apparently the job Dev wants, the wheels start turning. Whatever will you do Karen?

In the luxury car supplied by RJ, Karen tells Dev about his competition and then starts to get all hot and heavy in the backseat. And they’re not the only ones. Tom and John! They did it! They discuss what each other’s “wows” were about. They joke about the bad sex they just had. I think it’s love in the making. Don’t let John go producers! I beg of you! Back at McSleazy’s, Ivy walks down the stairs in the bed comforter to see Derek working. What that has to do with anything? Well, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the comfort of her knowing that may care about her…or his job. But Michael and Julia on the front stoop. That’s something. Michael starts serenading Julia with a song. Michael’s sweet, sweet voice must be the thing that gets Julia to fall for him. Will tonight’s episode end with a montage? Hell no! It ends with Julia and Michael kissing with Leo watching! Oh shit! Daddy’s gonna find out!
So what did you think? Where you glad to see that Leo’s acting chops get a little better? Are you buying the Michael-Julia rehash? Is it true that Ellis appeared in only a grand total of one scene (despite not knowing if he told Eileen all about Julia)? And who’s in love with Tom and John? I think “Smash” is back on track!

Broadway's Newest Toga Party?

The Fraternity of Broadway will be getting some new members sometime soon. Those boys? Well that little movie with the Toga Party from 1978. "National Lampoon's Animal House" will soon be getting the Broadway treatment. Casey Nicholaw will direct the musical with a libretto by Michael Mitnick and a score by Pop Rock band Barenaked Ladies. So who should embody the coveted role played by John Belushi? Til then, Toga! Toga!

8 Premieres in LA

Dustin Lance Black's 8, which had a New York reading a few months back, will test its legs in Los Angeles tonight. Rob Reiner will direct a cast including George Clooney,  Brad Pitt, Kevin Bacon, Chris Colfer, John C. Reilly, Matt Bomer, Campbell Brown, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Vanessa Garcia, Christine Lahti, Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison, Rory O'Malley, Jansen Panettiere, James Pickens, Jr., Martin Sheen, Yeardley Smith, George Takei and Bridger Zadina. If you're not lucky enough to see it in person, you can watch the live stream by RSVPing here: http://act.afer.org/site/PageNavigator/Contact%20Forms/8LALivestreamRSVP.html With the cast assembled, it looks more like a red carpet event than a night of theater, but hey, it's an important story to be told!

Broadway Beauty Pageant All Set to Dazzle

The annual Broadway Beauty Pageant has all their pieces in place! Jackie Hoffman, Tonya Pinkins, and Michael Musto are set to judge this year's pageant. Battling for the crown this year are Mamma Mia's Andrew Chappelle, Porgy and Bess's Wilkie Furguson III, Godspell's Corey Mach, Mary Poppins's Jesse Swimm, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert's Anthony Wayne. Tovah Feldshuh will host the night's festivities which will also feature performances by Brent Barrett and part Pageant winners Franke James Grande, Michael Cusumano, and Anthony Hollock. The Broadway Beauty Pageant, set for Monday, March 19th, will benefit the Ali Forney Center. The Broadway Beauty Pageant is written and conceived by the very talented Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, with musical direction by Christopher Denny. Tickets for The Broadway Beauty Pageant are available at www.SymphonySpace.org. Who are YOU rooting for???