Broadway Watch August 2006

[sigh] technical issues continue to be… an issue! so even though a couple of shows HAVE closed between be completing this and being able to post it… here it is! No Musicals opened in August No Musicals closed in August Nineteen Musicals currently running: Tarzan Music & Lyrics by Phil Collins; Book by David Henry Hwang Choreography by Meryl Tankard Original 2006 Broadway Production; Based on the 1999 Film Musical Featuring Josh Strickland (Tarzan), Jenn Gambatese (Jane), Shuler Hensley (Kerchak) and Merle Dandridge (Kala) Cast Recording Available The Drowsy Chaperone Music & lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison; Book by Bob Martin & Don McKellar Original 2006 Broadway Production Featuring Sutton Foster (Janet) Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone) & Bob Martin (Man in Chair) 2006 Tony Awards – Original Score, Book of a Musical, Featured Actress (Beth Leavel), Scenic Design & Costume Design Cast Recording Available The Wedding Singer Music by Matthew Sklar; Lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Book by Chad Beguelin & Tim O’Herlihy Original 2006 Broadway Production Featuring Stephen Lynch (Robbie Hart); Laura Benanti (Julia); Richard H. Blake (Glen Gulia); Kevin Cahoon (George); Felicia Finley (Linda), Rita Gardner (Rosie), Matthew Saldivar (Sammy) & Amy Spanger (Holly) Cast Recording Available The Color Purple Music & Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray; Book by Marsha Norman Original 2005 Broadway Production Featuring LaChanze (Celie), Elizabeth Withers-Mendes (Shug), Felicia P. Fields (Sofia), Brandon Victor Dixon (Harpo) & Krisha Marcano (Squeak) 2006 Tony Awards – Actress (LaChanze) Cast Recording Available Jersey Boys Music by Bob Gaudio; Lyrics by Bob Crewe; Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice Original 2005 Broadway Production Featuring John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli), Christian Hoff (Tommy DeVito), Daniel Reichard (Bob Gaudio) & J. Robert Spencer (Nick Massi) 2006 Tony Awards – Best Musical, Actor (John Lloyd Young), Featured Actor (Christian Hoff) & Lighting Design Cast Recording Available Sweeney Todd Due to Close 03/09/2006 Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Hugh Wheeler 2005 Broadway Version of 2004 English Revival (Original Broadway Production ran 1979-1980; Revival 1989-1990) Featuring Michael Cerveris (Sweeney Todd), Patti LuPone (Mrs Lovett), Donna Lynne Champlin (Pirelli), Manoel Felciano (Tobias), Alexander Gemignani (Beadle), Lauren Molina (Johanna) & Benjamin Magnuson (Anthony) 2006 Tony Awards – Direction & Orchestration Cast Recording Available The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Music & Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin 2005 Transfer of Original 2005 Off-Broadway Production Featuring Celia Keenan-Bolger (Olive Ostrovsky), Barrett Foa (Leaf Coneybear) & Jose Llana (Chip Tolentino) 2005 Tony Awards – Book of a Musical & Featured Actor (Dan Fogler) Cast Recording Available Monty Python’s Spamalot Music by Eric Idle and John Du Prez; Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle Original 2005 Broadway Production Featuring Harry Groener (King Arthur), Steve kazee (Sir Lancelot), Michael McGrath (Patsy) & Christian Borle (Prince Herbert) 2005 Tony Awards – Best Musical, Director & Featured Actress (Sara Ramirez) Cast Recording Available Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Due to close 03/09/2006 Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek; Book by Jeffrey Lane Original 2005 Broadway Production Featuring Keith Carradine (Lawrence Jameson), Brian D’Arcy James (Freddy Benson), Sherie Rene Scott (Christine Colgate), Lucie Arnaz (Muriel Eubanks), Gregory Jbara (Andre Thibault) & Sara Gettelfinger (Jolene Oakes) 2005 Tony Award – Lead Actor (Norbert Leo Butz) Cast Recording Available Wicked Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Winnie Holzmann Original 2003 Broadway Production Featuring Eden Espinosa (Elphaba), Kate Reinders (Galinda), David Garrison (The Wizard) & Carol Kane (Madame Morrible) 2004 Tony Awards – Actress (Idina Menzel); Scenic Design & Costume Design Cast Recording available Avenue Q Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; Book by Jeff Whitty 2003 Transfer of Original 2003 Off-Broadway Production Featuring Howie Michael Smith (Princeton/Rob) & Mary Faber (Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut) 2004 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Original Score & Book of a Musical Cast Recording Available Hairspray Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyrics by Scott Wittman; Book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan Original 2002 Broadway Production Featuring Shannon Durig (Tracy Turnblad), Haylie Duff (Amber von Tussle), Stephen DeRosa (Wilbur Turnblad), Darlene Love (Motormouth Maybelle) & Isabel Keating (Velma Von Tussle) 2003 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Harvey Fierstein); Actress (Marissa Janet Winokur); Featured Actor (Dick Latessa); Direction & Costume Design Cast Recording available Mamma Mia! Music and Lyrics by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson; Book by Catherine Johnson 2001 Broadway version of Original 1999 London Production Featuring Leah Hocking (Donna Sheridan), John Dossett (Sam) Judy McLane (Tanya), Andy Kelso (Sky) No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available The Producers Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks; Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan Original 2001 Broadway Production Featuring Hunter Foster (Leo Bloom), Gary Beach (Roger DeBris) & Angie Schworer (Ulla) 2001 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical; Actor (Nathan Lane); Featured Actor (Gary Beach); Featured Actress (Cady Huffman); Direction; Orchestrations; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design & Choreography Cast Recording available The Lion King Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice; Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi Original 1997 Broadway Production, Based on 1994 Film Musical Featuring Josh Tower (Simba) & Kissy Simmons (Nala) 1998 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design; Lighting Design; Choreography 10th Longest Run in Broadway History Cast Recording available Chicago Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse 1996 Broadway Revival (Original production ran 1975-77) Featuring Usher (Billy Flynn), Bianca Morroquin (Roxie Hart), Brenda Braxton (Velma Kelly) & Lillias White (Matron Momma Morton) 1997 Tony Awards – Best Revival of a Musical; Actor (James Naughton); Actress (Bebe Neuwirth); Direction; Lighting Design & Choreography 9th Longest Run in Broadway History (7th Most Performed Musical) Cast Recording available Rent Music Lyrics & Book by Jonathan Larson 1996 Transfer of Original 1996 Off-Broadway Production Featuring Christopher J. Hanke (Mark), Antonique Smith (Mimi), Tim Howar (Roger) Justin Johnson (Angel), Ava Gaudet (Maureen), Nicole Lewis (Maureen) & Frenchie Davis 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1996 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Original Score; Book of a Musical & Featured Actor (Wilson Jermaine Heredia) 7th Longest Run in Broadway History Cast Recording available Beauty and the Beast Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; Book by Linda Woolverton Original 1994 Broadway Production, Based on 1991 Film Musical Featuring Sarah Litzsinger (Belle) & Steve Blanchard (Beast) 1994 Tony Award – Costume Design 6th Longest Run in Broadway History (6th Most Performed Musical) Cast Recording available The Phantom of the Opera Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stilgoe 1988 Broadway version of London Production Featuring Howard McGillin (Phantom) 1988 Tony Awards – Best Musical; Actor (Michael Crawford); Featured Actress (Judy Kaye); Direction; Scenic Design; Costume Design & Lighting Design Longest Run in Broadway History and Most Performed Musical No Cast Recording – Original London Cast available Attendance figures for last four weeks (to 27 Aug 06) Top Three Shows by Attendance Wicked – 57888 The Color Purple – 54559 The Lion King – 50554 Top Three Shows by Capacity Jersey Boys – 100.6% Wicked – 100% The Color Purple – 99.2% Bottom Three Shows by Attendance The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – 19380 Sweeney Todd – 23621 Avenue Q – 24310 Bottom Three Shows by Capacity The Wedding Singer – 62% The Producers – 62.4% Sweeney Todd – 66.9% Now In Previews No new musicals due until September Coming Soon A Chorus Line – New Revival – Previews begin 18/09/2006; Opens 5/10/2006 The Times They Are A’Changin’ – New Twyla Tharp Dance Musical; Music by Bob Dylan – Previews begin 25/09/2006; Opens 26/10/2006 Grey Gardens – Broadway transfer of Original 2006 Off-Broadway Production – Previews begin 03/10/2006; Opens 02/11/2006 Les Miserables – Revival – Previews begin 24/10/2006; Opens 09/11/2006; Closes 22/04/2007 (Limited Run) Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas –New Musical – Previews begin 25/10/2006; Opens 8/11/2006; Closes 07/01/2007 (Limited Run) Mary Poppins – Broadway Version of Original 2004 London Production – Previews begin 14/10/2006; Opens 16/11/2006 Company – New Revival; with the actors doubling as the musicians – Previews begin 30/10/2006; Opens 29/11/2006 High Fidelity – New Musical – Previews begin 20/11/2006; Opens 07/12/2006 Spring Awakening – Broadway transfer of Original 2006 Off-Broadway Production – Previews begin 17/11/2007; Opens 10/12/2006 The Pirate Queen – New Schoenberg/Boublil Musical – Previews begin 22/02/2007; Opens 23/03/2007 Legally Blonde – New Musical – Previews begin 3/04/2007; Opens 29/04/2007 In the Pipeline 110 in the Shade – New Revival Princesses – New Musical A Tale of Two Cities – New Musical Longest Runs (as at 27 August 2006) 7749 Phantom of the Opera (still running) 7485 Cats 6680 Les Miserables 6137 A Chorus Line 5959 Oh! Calcutta 5076 Beauty and the Beast (still running) 4297 Rent (still running) 4092 Miss Saigon 4075 Chicago (still running) 3659 The Lion King (still running) The Producers, currently 19th, due to enter Top Ten in February 2011 The Producers passes Oklahoma Hairspray passes The Wiz Avenue Q passes Promises, Promises Most Performed (as at 27 August 2006) 7749 Phantom of the Opera (still running) 7485 Cats 7273 Oh! Calcutta (2 runs) 6680 Les Miserables 6137 A Chorus Line 5076 Beauty and the Beast (still running) 5011 Chicago (2nd run still running) 5010 42nd Street (2 runs) 4893 Grease (2 runs) 4484 Fiddler on the Roof (5 runs) Rent, currently 11th, due to enter Top Ten in February 2007 The Lion King sits at 14th Chicago passes 42nd Street Mamma Mia! passes La Cage Aux Folles Avenue Q passes Sweet Charity, The Pajama Game and Promises, Promises Wicked passes Cabaret Sweeney Todd passes Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, Big River. Shenandoah and They’re Playing Our Song Cast Recordings Grey Gardens – Now Available A Chorus Line – released 03/10/2006 Spring Awakening – Coming soon