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Cranston, et. al., in All My Sons
 Nov 22 2025, 08:08:59 AM

Stunning in every way. I would expect a broadway transfer and awards. 


Public Theater troubles?
 Nov 21 2025, 05:15:21 AM

Timon3 said: "Oh wow, if true.

This theatre must’ve made a fortune from A Chorus Line and now Hamilton.
"

It's been a while since I looked into this so my memory not 100% but if I recall all their financial statements are public. Hamilton does appear to provide a regular revenue stream but clearly not enough to sustain the entire operations - if I recall from scanning their financial statements it LOOKED like someone had the 'bright' strat


Bernadette Peters agenda
 Nov 20 2025, 09:37:59 AM

I really can't get over this and I don't want to die without this happening. If nostalgia casting is in vogue right now (think Tom Felton in Harry Potter or Lesie in Hamilton) the one viable shot left now I think would be a concert in New York with Mandy Patinkin as Sweeney and Bernadette as Mrs Lovett. I think they could easily sell out Carnage Hall for one night or two. 

Bernadette's voice might be troubled but there can be so much speak singing that I think she


Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 11/16/25
 Nov 19 2025, 05:33:28 AM

It will still flop but I think it would be disingenuous for anyone to suggest they aren't a LITTLE surprised by the Queen of V grosses. These are not pre-booked sales before performances started. There appears to be at least a small crowd of people Kristen is bringing in. 


Bryan Cranston All My Sons
 Nov 15 2025, 06:31:58 AM

Wow, an excellent trio of lead performances all worthy of awards. Incredible writing and depth in the material. Rather simplistic (in a good way) staging from ivo van hove so the focus is really just on the performances - though he tries to enhance the mood (mostly successfully) with musical underscoring. Walking out of the show is like having your heart wrenched and torn to pieces. 

Sales seem strong.

I would expect this to be another New York Transfer. <


Back To The Future Australia Flops
 Nov 15 2025, 04:01:10 AM

A few words from the delusional producer lol. I genuinely wonder if one of the biggest issues with theatre production is an inability for people to see the flaws of shows. It's the only thing in my mind that can explain how shows such as Queen of V, Tammy Faye, Back to the Future etc.. get as far as they do.

"I would understand it if the show was terrible and the production wasn't good, but it's a great production of that show"


Jamie Lloyd-helmed EVITA revival to play the London Palladium in 2025
 Nov 14 2025, 01:40:57 AM

ggersten said: "binau said: "With over 2,200 seats every night of course not everyone is likely to love Evita."

At the performance we attended (Sat evening 28 June) six seats in front of us that had been full were empty for Act II. When I mentioned this to the person seated to my left, she explained that she had seen the original with Page and was not enjoying this version stating (slightly paraphrasing now) "This is not in my top 10. Not even top 5


Jennifer Lopez to Star in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Film
 Nov 13 2025, 03:28:00 AM

I wanted to love this but ultimately I found the change in tone and changes to the score so significant that I barely recognised the musical anymore. It wasn't just that they 'cut songs' there are radical changes to the characters, story and tone.  

I enjoyed it and happy this exists but I want someone else to have a go at adapting this, which I guess will never happen now :'(. 


Jamie Lloyd-helmed EVITA revival to play the London Palladium in 2025
 Nov 13 2025, 02:57:28 AM

With over 2,200 seats every night of course not everyone is likely to love Evita. And not everyone loved Sunset. It only becomes a bit annoying when people seem to get some weird obsession with hating a show and then make it upon themselves to 'go after' the show or individuals in the show which happened for Sunset here, which is just a mood/buzz killer and becomes tiresome. Let's not pretend that the criticism of both productions, especially Sunset, was always in good faith


Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 11/9/25
 Nov 11 2025, 03:41:03 PM

Smaxie said: "The Shubert Organization appears to be reporting the full house attendance figure of 1061 seats, rather than the 760 seats that have actually been on sale for the present weeks, withthe balcony offsale. So for last week's figures, it should be4615 theatergoers filling 6088 possible seats for an actual capacity figure of around 76%."

I never understand why they'd exclude the balcony seats even if it's common practice...does the rent reduce? O


THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES Reviews
 Nov 10 2025, 01:37:18 PM

To be fair when it comes to new musicals part of the role of the director does appear to be shaping the material. So for example Michael Grief heavily influenced next to normal and Dear Evan Hansen. Hal Prince shaped kiss of the spider woman etc. 

I guess it might be hard for Arden to tell Schwartz he needs to do better and even if he did, that doesn’t mean he can. 

I don’t think Michael Arden can be thrown under the bus for this but I don’t know if h


Niche/offbeat but high quality Sondheim performances - what are your fav?
 Nov 10 2025, 10:23:31 AM

Thanks these are perfect, exactly what I was looking for. I forgot about Aaron Tveit's Bobby! 

Another: Caroline O'Connor as Mrs Lovett in the Paris 2011 Sweeney. With a big claim from Caroline's website.

Stepping into 2011 Paris production of Sweeney Todd with less than a month's rehearsal, Stephen Sondheim declared Caroline the best 'Mrs. Lovett' he had ever heard…


THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES NYT review
 Nov 10 2025, 10:19:22 AM

I agree it's surprising but it doesn't feel uncommon for successful directors to have a a dud or two or three along the way. 

Hal Prince had "Merrily" (even if the revival redeemed itself) and "Bounce" that were nothing like the success of Follies, Company, Sweeney etc

Michael Grief had If/Then which (as much as I enjoy parts of it) is no "Rent", "next to normal", "Dear Evan" or "Grey Gardens". 


THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES NYT review
 Nov 10 2025, 08:45:11 AM

Both Redwood and QoV get critics picks in a sea of negativity. Likely a coincidence but I kind of love the parallels between Idina/Kristin continuing..


Niche/offbeat but high quality Sondheim performances - what are your fav?
 Nov 10 2025, 08:43:12 AM

I'm making my way around secondary/tertiary what I call 'off-beat' Sondheim to appreciate high quality work that might be forgotten or lost. So off-broadway, broadway understudies, replacements, outside Broadway etc... 

Any examples to add to the list so I can help continue researching, or if you have any thoughts on any of these performances would be keen to hear them. Most won't have cast recordings, which is kind of the point. 

Exampl


JCS Teases Return on IG
 Nov 8 2025, 01:27:47 AM

joevitus said: "Is Jamie Lloyd really supposed to helm a Superstar revival? It would surprise me, considering Lloyd Webber seems to have cooled on him (probably because, for all the hype, the revivals haven't been cash-cows--which I think is all Lloyd Webber cares about)."

The only thing he said is he wanted to do it. However, after this announcement I don't think it'll happen any time soon, personally. 

 


TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) Previews
 Nov 8 2025, 01:24:39 AM

Jmuep2 said: "I saw this tonight and it has made me so irrationally angry. It’s the most facile, lazy, milquetoast forgettable trifle I’ve ever seen. A book with the emotional depth of a third grader and a score I wanted to forget BEFORE most of the notes came out of the musician’s instruments. It makes MAMMA MIA look like Chekhov. It’s like somebody took the lamest Hallmark movie, added some lame songs, found two wonderful performers and then put it on stage. The


AVENUE Q revival to open on West End in March 2026
 Nov 7 2025, 02:05:56 AM

idk I think the show IS funny and relevant..."the internet is for p*rn" will be especially hilarious after the UK just passed their laws requiring ID to watch p*rn. It would only take 30 seconds to write a joke in there to emphasise this and the audience will go crazy for it (but they don't even have to and the subtext will still be there).

For "Everything's a Little Bit Racist" - well the UK is currently in a lot of political turmoil and conflict betwee


RAGTIME 2025 Reviews
 Nov 6 2025, 01:18:22 PM

Any guesses how C Levy got out of her Lost Boys contract? 


RAGTIME 2025 Reviews
 Nov 6 2025, 01:45:13 AM

"but the ensemble vocals in this show is insane, too. Shout out to Allison Blackwell as a highlight."

YES - those are some truly BEAUTIFUL, HAUNTING vocals during "Till This Day". Just oozing with emotion and pain. 


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