Broadway on BroadwayI love this event.  Have you heard of it?  Broadway on Broadway?  Essentially they shut down Times Square for a big concert of B'way show tunes.  They do songs from shows that are currently running and even give audiences a taste of some upcoming shows.  I love it.  "The Broadway" really takes over Times Square.  One year I went and literally camped out for a great seat.  I haven't done that in a while, but now that I see the line up for the 17th annual Broadway on Broadway concert September 14th, I just might have to get out my camping gear.They have just announced the guests and musical numbers for this year's concert.  Spamalot's Drew Lachey will host the even...

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Is the new cartoon-to-musical adaptation in trouble?  Last night the new tuner Shrek: The Musical opened in Seattle at the 5th Street Theater under the direction of Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and starring Brian d'Arcy James and Sutton Foster.  The question on everyone's lips is, "is it any good"?The early reports have been quite good.  Informal reviews from audience members on chat boards and message boards seem to approve of the show - no raves (a la The Lion King) but no total trashes (a la Young Frankenstein).   But there has been a lot going on out there in the city of rain and coffee (is there an official tag line for Seattle? Hmmm...I wonder).  They have been doing extensive work on ...

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Monday night, as we headed back home after another night of theater - we ran into our friend James Lescene (actor-writer extraordinaire) who was walking his dog Sophie (I bold Sophie's name because she is a star in her own right).  Part of our conver...

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Every year my friend Justin and his mom come to NYC for a visit.  We head to the U.S. Open for tennis and try to catch a bunch of theater.  What could be better; drama on the court and drama on 42nd street!  This year we got treated to several amazing tennis matches (Serena Williams taking the top prize and the Bryan brothers winning an awesome men's doubles final).   Even better than the tennis were the shows we saw on "The Broadway".   Sometimes it is fun when people visit NYC because you can catch up on some of the shows that you may not have seen when they opened and this weekend I got a chance to (finally) see Xanadu and Boeing-Boeing.  Here are some of the details... Whooping ...

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Five hundred twenty-five thousandSix hundred minutesHow do you measure the lifeOf a woman or a man?In truths that she learned,Or in times that he cried.In bridges he burned,Or the way that she died. ......

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Friday, Saturday and Sunday - that is it.  The final three performances of Rent.  I am headed to the Red Carpet on Sunday to cover it all for you...and will have a full report on Monday (after I calm down); it is sure to be a star studded event with a tear soaked red carpet. I love today's Q...

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I am really loving these Q&As with the final cast of Rent.  Today we bring you Shaun Earl who has been with the show (in various companies and roles) since 1997.  Wow.  He has some great answers below - take a look.I am starting to get really sad about Rent closing.  It is so close.  Sunday is the final show.  That being said, Shaun offers a bit of hope in his last answer.  THE TOUR!  That is right.  We can all still see Rent on tour around the country and Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp will be doing it.  Woo Hoo.  I can stop crying now.   Enough of the sentimentality...let's check in with Shaun.Name: Shaun EarlRole: Paul ...

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How about those political conventions?  Wow.  Right?  More drama than August: Osage County.  Bigger sets than South Pacific.  Music in the same league as The Wedding Singer (take that for what you would like).  We haven't bee...

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Cate Blanchett is one of Hollywood's greatest talents.  She is am amazing actress and a beautiful woman.  Now, it seems, she is a fierce and passionate theater lover.  You may have heard that Blanchett has taken over as co-artistic director of the Sydney Theater Company (along with her husband Andrew Lipton).  And it looks like she plans to put a ton of energy into this job and even snag some big name folks to head to Australia to get involved.  As Blanchett heads into her debut season at STC she has a few exciting "tricks" up her sleeve. She has just announce that there will be two new productions helmed by directors Steven Soderbergh and Liv Ullmann.  Blanchett declined to give more...

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