Playwright Neil Simon

Call it a sign of the times – the tough economic times, that is. After opening on Broadway barely a week ago, the new revival of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs is already history. According to the New York Times, the show, which opened on October 25th, played its final performance last night.

Brighton Beach Memoirs was supposed to run in rep at the Nederlander Theatre with a revival of Simon’s Broadway Bound, which was scheduled to open later this year. Now the former is dark and the latter has been canceled.

Both plays were huge hits on The Great White Way back in the 1980s, yielding Tony awards for Matthew Broderick in Brighton Beach Memoirs, and for Linda Lavin (of TV’s Alice fame) in Broadway Bound.

Scarlett Johansson Planning Broadway Debut
Golden Globe winning actress Scarlett Johansson is set to make her Broadway debut in Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge. Johansson will co-star with Tony award winner Liev Schreiber who will play Eddie Carbone, a New York longshoreman obsessed with his 17 year old niece Catherine, played by Johansson. When Catherine falls in love with a newly arrived immigrant, Eddie’s jealousy erupts in a rage that consumes him, his family, and his world.

The production will play a 14-week limited engagement at Broadway’s Cort Theatre, with previews scheduled for December 28th and opening night set for January 24th.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Diagnosed With Cancer
Just a couple of weeks after announcing plans for a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, 61 year old legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has made a more grim announcement. He has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good news, according to Webber’s publicist, is that the cancer was discovered in its early stages and a full recovery is expected. “Andrew is now undergoing treatment and expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year,” the statement said.

You may recall that we told you about the upcoming opening of Webber’s Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies, which is set to debut in London in March, with a Broadway opening planned for next November. At this time, Webber does not expect that this unfortunate news will affect that schedule.

And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back here often because we’ll be back with more news from Broadway very soon.

The ShowBus Team
http://ShowBusTours.com
info@showbustours.com
(800) 882-6400

Legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis

On its way to Broadway from the Apollo (by way of the Goodman in Chicago) is Million Dollar Quartet. The fifties musical is based on the famous 1956 recording session that brought together four of rock ‘n’ roll’s all time greatest artists, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. The show recreates that legendary session, bringing to the Broadway stage such early rock mega-hits as Blue Suede Shoes, Great Balls of Fire, I Walk The Line, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, Folsom Prison Blues and many more.

Eric Schaeffer will direct the new musical. As of this writing, no theatre or casting information has been announced. But look for Million Dollar Quartet to debut on Broadway in the Spring of 2010.

Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound

Laurie Metcalf

Tickets will soon be available at ShowBus Tours for the Broadway revivals of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound. Both shows will star Laurie Metcalf, known to small screen fans from her roles in Roseanne and Desperate Housewives.

Both shows were huge hits on Broadway in the 1980s. In 1983, Matthew Broderick won the Tony for his role in Brighton Beach Memoirs, while Linda Lavin earned her own Tony in 1987 for her performance in Broadway Bound.

Brighton Beach Memoirs will begin previews at the Nederlander Theatre on October 2 with opening night set for October 24. Broadway Bound will begin previews at the Nederlander on November 18 and open on December 10. Starting with previews for Broadway Bound, the two productions will be performed in repertory on a varied schedule.

Ragtime Returns
Watch for the Broadway revival of legendary musical Ragtime this Fall, as the show is set to begin previews at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 23rd, with opening night scheduled for November 15th.

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s acclaimed epic novel, Ragtime turns back the clock to the dawn of the 20th century — a time when anything was possible and ragtime music filled the air. New York City was the land of opportunity. A poor Jewish immigrant sells his ‘moving picture’ books on the street. A wealthy Victorian couple welcomes a runaway into their home. A Harlem jazz pianist turns an issue of justice into a revolution. Their personal journeys come alive as historic figures offer guidance and diversion — among them escape artist Harry Houdini, auto tycoon Henry Ford, educator Booker T. Washington, and infamous entertainer Evelyn Nesbit. Together, their stories celebrate the struggle between tradition and independence all in pursuit of the American dream.

While tickets for Ragtime are not yet available, be sure to check in at ShowBus Tours, since we will have them as soon as they are released.

That’s today news from The Great White Way. We’ll be back in mid September with more of the Broadway buzz.

The ShowBus Team
http://ShowBusTours.com
info@showbustours.com
(800) 882-6400

Harada, who is currently appearing in 9 to 5: The Musical, has also performed on Broadway in Les Miserables, M. Butterfly and Seussical. This summer she will take over the role of Christmas Eve, which she has played in both the London and Broadway Avenue Q productions. Look for Harada at the John Golden Theatre beginning on July 6th.

Neil Simon Revivals
Look for Broadway revivals of two popular Neil Simon plays this Fall as both Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound are headed for The Great White Way. While the theatre has yet to be announced, watch for Brighton Beach Memoirs to begin previews on October 2nd with opening night scheduled for October 25th. Broadway Bound begins previews at the same theatre on November 18th with opening night set for December 10th. The two shows will be performed in rep on a varied schedule.

Memphis Headed for Broadway
The new musical, Memphis, a tale of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s is headed for Broadway’s Shubert Theatre this Fall. Featuring a score that mixes gospel, R & B and early rock ‘n’ roll, Memphis chronicles the life story of fictional character Huey Calhoun, a young, white radio jock growing up in Memphis in the 1950s.

Previews at the Shubert are set for September 23rd with opening night planned for October 18th.

Harris Set to Join Chicago
If you’re a fan of ABC-TV’s popular Dancing With The Stars, you’ll be pleased to know that the show’s co-host, Samantha Harris, is Broadway-bound this summer. Set for a limited, six-week engagement, Harris will assume the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago from July 7th through August 16th at the Ambassador Theatre.

If you’d like to catch Harris in Chicago this summer, you can reserve your tickets now by clicking here.

That’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Join us again soon for more news from The Great White Way.

The ShowBus Team
http://ShowBusTours.com
info@showbustours.com
(800) 882-6400