Confirmed: THE NORMAL HEART to Open on Broadway April 27, Previews Begin April 19 - Jackson, Mantello & Barkin

[Rob]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:36pm

Click Here to Read Confirmed: THE NORMAL HEART to Open on Broadway April 27, Previews Begin April 19 - Jackson, Mantello & Barkin

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:47pm

Very exciting! But I hope Joel Grey can do this and ANYTHING GOES.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:47pm

Great news. What a season it's shaping up to be for the plays!

[madlibrarian]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:59pm

Hmmmm--April 27 is also the opening date for Baby It's You!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:59pm

Patrick Healy just posted a more elaborate piece in the ArtsBeat section of the Times.

John Benjamin Hickey will also be part of the production.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/normal-heart-revival-a-late-addition-to-broadway-and-tony-contention-calendar/

Updated On: 2/23/11 at 12:59 PM

[chickfila]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 1:20pm

If there is a God in heaven, Cheyenne will show some skin.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 1:21pm

Hmmmm--April 27 is also the opening date for Baby It's You!

There is an opening night scheduled for every single day of the week leading up to the Tony cut-off, April 28. For THE NORMAL HEART to be eligible for any nominations this season, they had to overlap with something. Not sure why they picked the 27th instead of the 28th (maybe they left themselves an extra day in case they needed extra tech time?), but either way, there would have been two opening nights on the same day. The alternative would be to open nearly a full week earlier, and that's not really feasible with only three or four previews.

Can we assume this will be eligible for Best Revival even though it has never played on Broadway before, like LITTLE SHOP and OLEANNA? (And IS HE DEAD, which I still disagree with.)

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 1:27pm

"Anything Goes" will have to let ticket holders know what days Joel will be absent.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 2:40pm

This isn't the first play this season making its Broadway debut that will be a revival. Driving Miss Daisy, A Life in the Theatre...

[Chad Eberle]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 2:41pm

Anyone know if this is an open-ended run or a limited engagement? I won't make it back to NYC until the fall, and I REALLY want to see this!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 2:44pm

i would expect Grey to be missing at least every Wed. matinee for Anything Goes until Normal Heart opens. It wouldn't surprise me if he opts to do only 6 shows a week until Normal Heart opens.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 2:51pm

.

Updated On: 2/23/11 at 02:51 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 3:04pm

Can we assume this will be eligible for Best Revival even though it has never played on Broadway before, like LITTLE SHOP and OLEANNA? (And IS HE DEAD, which I still disagree with.)

Actually, Is He Dead was ruled to be a new play. I do think, however, that Normal Heart will be ruled a revival.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 3:57pm

I'm getting mixed messages here. Is Cheyenne definitely going to be in in it? Or is he still "in discussion"?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 3:59pm

Telecharge describes the show as "an all-star reading."

Is this just old press material referencing the previous benefit, or are they going to do the show with scripts again? It mentions the Broadway premiere, so it doesn't seem like something that's there by mistake. Odd.

Updated On: 2/23/11 at 03:59 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 6:47pm

Any old-time BWWers still around will remember that I have a really special relationship with this play. I'm so happy it'll finally get to Broadway, much deserved and arguably a long time coming. I hope I'll be able to get to New York to see it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 6:54pm

Emcee, I have no doubt you'll find a way to get here to see it. :)

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 7:07pm

I'm optimistic about my resourcefulness and scheduling prowess. The year I leave seems to be the year New York decides to produce everything I ever wanted.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 7:11pm

I made some calls to some producers just to piss you off.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 7:13pm

And this is why I need new friends.

I suppose you made it start previews on my birthday, too. :P

Updated On: 2/23/11 at 07:13 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 7:15pm

Well that was my gift to you.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 7:16pm

Thanks.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:57am

The casting notice confirms what I thought the Telecharge listing was alluding to- the show will be done as a "staged reading." They're also hoping to rotatingly stunt cast the person who reads the stage directions.

Very odd for something being presented as if it's a full production.

http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/35477.html

Updated On: 2/24/11 at 11:57 AM

[Q]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 12:21pm

"the show will be done as a 'staged reading.'"

If this is true, it's an absurd waste of time and energy. They have more than enough time to get a fully staged production on its feet.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 1:25pm

True, but maybe not enough money. I don't know the specific circumstances about this show, but if it were up to me, I'd rather see a staged reading of this play open on Broadway than a full production never get off the ground.

And this lets them change up the cast frequently, similar to LOVE LETTERS or LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE. Less rehearsal time (usually) means easier to get bigger or more intriguing stars.