| A second day of dark theaters and disappointed audiences on Broadway
NEW YORK (AP) — It was a second day of dark Broadway theaters and disappointed audiences as striking stagehands reaffirmed their commitment Sunday to remain off the job until producers started acting ``honorably'' at the negotiating table.James J. Claffey Jr., president of Local One, said the League of American Theatres and Producers needs to make a ``constructive'' adjustment to its counter offers.``We want respect at the table,'' he said at a somber news conference. ``If there's no respect, they will not see Local One at the table. The lack of respect is something we are not going to deal with.''Twenty-seven shows remained closed Sunday, the day after stagehands went on strike, shutting down such popular productions as ``Wicked,'' ``The Phantom of the Opera,'' ``Hairspray,'' ``Jersey Boys'' and ``Mamma Mia!''Among the shows canceled Sunday was a gala 10th-year anniversary performance of ``The Lion King,'' although a party celebrating the Disney musical's decade-long run was still being held.Producers of ``August: Osage County,'' a play by Tracy Letts from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, said they may postpone its scheduled Nov.
The Big Apple
Manhattan is as great as ever. There is something for everyone in the city that never sleeps. My fiance'� and I went up recently and were able to catch the great show, "Jersey Boys," which is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' rise to musical fame. The play has great drama, and all the great sons from Frankie Valli.
Other Broadway productions now playing include: "Hairspray," "The Color Purple," "Legally Blonde," "The Drowsey Chaperone," "Mary Poppins," and "The Lion King," among others.
Most shows start at 8 p.m. with some matinees at 2 p.m.
Then there's food, glorious food. New York City offers so many opportunities for great cuisine. New Yorkers and tourists love the great restaurants: Sardi's, Tavern on the Green, he Boat House in Central Park, as well as many others.
Actor Sues 'Hairspray' Producers for $1.5 Million
An actor in the Tony-winning Broadway musical "Hairspray'' has sued the show's producers for $1.5 million, claiming they wrongfully fired him after he had surgery on a knee he injured during a performance. Joel Vig, 54, who played the roles of the Principal, Mr. Spritzer, Mr. Pinky, the Policeman and the Flasher in the show claimed he worked for about six months in 2004 while hurt -- at the stage manager's request. But after surgery, according to court papers, his job was gone and he was barred from entering the Neil Simon Theatre where "Hairspray,'' based on John Waters' 1988 movie of the same name, has had more than 2,000 performances. A "Hairspray'' spokesman, Don Summa, issued a statement saying the show's managers were unaware of the lawsuit.
Reprise! Presents LuPone's Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Nov. 12
Reprise! Broadway's Best presents an evening with Tony and Olivier Award winner Patti LuPone Nov. 12 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. LuPone will offer her acclaimed concert act Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, which she debuted at Carnegie Hall several years ago. The concert, conceived and directed by Hairspray's Scott Wittman, features songs LuPone "could have played, should have played, did play and will play." Audiences can expect to hear tunes from Hair; Bye Bye Birdie; Funny Girl; West Side Story; Peter Pan; Evita; and Anything Goes. Musical director Chris Fenwick will accompany LuPone on piano; the concert utilizes musical arrangements that were penned by the late Dick Gallagher. A Tony Award winner for her work in Evita, Patti LuPone also earned an Olivier Award for her performances in the West End productions of Les Mis�rables and The Cradle Will Rock.
Hairspray 髮膠明星夢
From its opening song-and-dance number, "Hairspray" shows so much rhythm, you can snap your fingers and tap your feet to it. Indeed, the musical bursts with an infectious exuberance and a tireless, refreshing energy that carry it through the occasional dull spot or miscalculated moment. Based on the recent Broadway musical -- which was itself an adaptation of director John Waters' 1988 cult flick about a girl's spiritual and intellectual awakening with the help of an aerosol can -- the most recent incarnation stands on its own two feet, thanks to director and choreographer Adam Shankman's smart moves behind the camera. (Waters and original star Ricki Lake give their blessings to the new production in the form of cameos.) The star-studded cast, which includes, among others, John Travolta -- in drag and a fat suit -- helps, too.
The Movie:
Who could have predicted that the twisted mind behind some of the grossest images in underground film would also be partly responsible for one of the sunniest movie musicals in decades? Hairspray, based on the hit stage musical that in turn was based on John Waters' loopy 1988 flick, is a delight from start to finish, a valentine as big-hearted -- and big-boned -- as its indefatigable heroine, Tracy Turnblad. Set in Baltimore during the early 1960s, Hairspray is too rambunctiously good-natured to resist. It's no secret that the salad days of the movie musical are long gone. The few that get made by Hollywood these days -- Rent, The Producers, etc. -- typically come saddled with Broadway-fueled expectations almost impossible to meet. And yet Hairspray stands as tall as a bouffant.
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