IN DEFENSE OF CRY-BABY Its my new personal goal to separate the 2 camps of people who dislike CRY BABY. Cause while everyone agrees that CRY BABY is not so great, I firmly believe it should be unappreciated for the right reasons.

The camp you can't argue with are the theatre-fans who are just unimpressed with the show's weaknesses, of which there are many. Some are 1) Harriet Harris is criminally misused. Her solo number, alone on stage in a mediocre song, is a waste of her acute comic timing and larger than life character work. 2) The Squares, written to be witless and annoying, are just that: witless and annoying. Who wants to watch that? and 3) The first 15 minutes drag (almost to the point of no return).

Once you get past the first 15 minutes, the secondary female lead, and half the cast of characters....what's left is a pretty entertaining show that has something rarely seen on Broadway that I totally appreciated: filth.

And that brings me to the 2nd camp who I completely disagree with: the tourists and families who thought they were seeing GREASE. CRY BABY is a John Waters musical, even more so than HAIRSPRAY, which was watered down Waters (and a fantastic show). There's some great word play and sight gags that are so dirty, I was truly surprised they went there. But they did, and that's great. There's even some (gasp!) nudity . But not pandering to the family crowd is a dangerous game on Broadway, and many folk ain't happy. Screw them. GREASE is actually still running down the block.

So while you're out there laughing about how CRY BABY has no chance of winning the big prize (its funny cause its true), make sure you're dumping on the show for the right reason. And while you're at it, see the show. Tickets are like, really cheap. And (after the first 3 numbers) you might actually have a good time.
  ¶ 11:35 AM 0 comments links to this post

  SEND MONEY TO 'HELPTWS@HOTMAIL.COM'. THAT'S: HELP TRICIA WALSH-SMITH AT HOTMAIL.COM She's back. Again. And this time.....you're just not gonna believe it. In Tricia's (aka: The Phoenix's) most subdued video yet, she takes us on a tour of her beautiful London flat (yes, her flat in London) and then proceeds to solicit donations from her adoring public. Just one dollar each will keep this hot-box-of-crazy out of a tent on the street. Apparently it has something to do with women or something.

I totally had Tricia's back until this video.

This is what it sounds like when lines are crossed:



P.S. How about that 'Bonkers' dance?
  ¶ 1:47 PM 1 comments links to this post

  TODAY'S RIEDEL - THAT'S GOTTA HURT One measly vote lost A CATERED AFFAIR the nomination for Best New Musical. Ouch. With millions of dollars at stake, its insane that it comes down to one vote. And per Riedel, there were 10 other ties, which explains a lot. I was surprised to see winners in my book like Cheyenne (leg sandwich) Jackson and John Doyle get snubbed, but I guess the competition this year is just that good. So, really everybody wins.

....except for those that don't win....and those that didn't even get nominated.

Read Riedel here

(If you don't know who Michael Riedel is, you're probably not reading this blog.)

  ¶ 1:32 PM 1 comments links to this post

  CUBBY I don't even know what this video is all about, but its got more star cameos than the [title of show] show, so here it is: Cubby Bernstein.


Love Julie White. Is that really her dog?

UPDATE: So, apparently is a publicity stunt on XANADU's behalf. Interesting.  ¶ 4:12 PM 0 comments links to this post

  REAL QUICK: Anyone still looking for $20 tickets to THE OCCUPANT?

Try craigslist.  ¶ 1:09 PM 0 comments links to this post

  SHIT WENT DOWN AT THE LUNT-FONTAINE THIS WEEKEND.....AND SO DID AN ACTOR Official word says minutes before the 2:00 curtain on Saturday, ensemble member Adrian Bailey fell "approximately 20 feet" through a trap door to the stage. Um...try like 45 feet. That ship in the opening number is lowered from above the stage, meaning Bailey fell at least the entire distance from the proscenium to the floor, and then some.

"Approx" my butt, Disney.

Word is, the stagehands claim they would've caught the "human error", had their numbers not been reduced, giving them a pretty valid (post-strike) argument for more hands on deck.

Also, actors warming up on the stage at the time were severely traumatized. Imagine taking your deep breaths and your doing your stretches (perhaps strapping on your healies?) when suddenly a large sailor comes crashing down from above. For some: a wet dream, for most: horrific.

And its a damn good thing this didn't happen after the curtain went up.
Can. you. even. fucking. imagine.

Equity is on it. Bailey is in stable condition.

Disney is on major damage control.  ¶ 11:10 PM 0 comments links to this post

  TODAY'S RIEDEL: IN WHICH CELEBS GET WHATEVER THEY WANT Because I'm strangely glad that AC Slater is a celebrity again, and because I'm glad he's using his powers to sell theatre tickets, I'm officially letting A.C. off the hook for demanding changes to costumes that are essential to A CHORUS LINE. I mean...why waste two perfectly good biceps under a tan sweater with long sleeves?

We in the professional theatre call them "money-makers".

And anyone upset about AC demanding that Nick Adams wear a hoodie so as to not look prettier, will enjoy Nick's Flickr page which uncovers a lot more than biceps.

Read Riedel here

(If you don't know who Michael Riedel is, you're probably not reading this blog.)

  ¶ 5:33 PM 0 comments links to this post

  OMG. A SEQUEL TO MY FAVORITE NYC DRAMA No, not PHANTOM. Clearly, its Episode 2 of the Tricia Walsh-Smith vs. Shubert President Philip Smith story: 'Yet Another Crazy Day In the Life Of A Phoenix Rising From the Ashes'. And...oh man...this one is good. You just can't write this stuff.



If you need a quick fix, start at 3:00. She's got her cards, people.

I hope you'll all donate and help her buy a tent.  ¶ 11:18 PM 0 comments links to this post

  BECAUSE I'M A TOTAL SUPER-NERD... I get excited about photos like this:


One show. Two Marquees. Absolute craziness!

Glad to see a 3-Act, 13-Actor drama can still recoup on Broadway.

And, the A:OC site says there's a national tour in the works. Hoo-ray.  ¶ 9:11 PM 1 comments links to this post

  HMM....HYPER-QUIRKY? I HOPE ITS NOT... Michael Musto's blind items drive me crazy cause they're so freakin' vague. Anyway this week's column has a few theatre related bits. Good freakin' luck:

-Which recently dead, supposedly straight movie actor did it with that then-handsome Broadway restaurant owner years ago?

-What hyper-quirky stage actor (who's also known for movies and TV) does lots of coke and has sex in club bathrooms when the boyfriend's at home?

-Which legendary actor's bisexual father is murmured to have died of AIDS, not of "cancer," as the family officially reported?

Well, that last one isn't necessarily theatre related, but still interesting.  ¶ 3:34 PM 0 comments links to this post

  AUTHOR'S NOTE OF THE DAY From the printed edition of Edward Albee's A DELICATE BALANCE, the 1967 Pulitzer Prize winning play:

"Following instructions from the author, this Play may be released only for stock productions at which the audiences are non-segregated."

You tell 'em Eddie.  ¶ 11:14 AM 0 comments links to this post

  ANYWHERE BUT HERE Hey guess what? I'm going on vacation. What's that you say?? It feels like I've been on vacation all week? Ouch. Well, this week kinda sucked a lot (can we talk about EPAs sometime?) and now I really need a vacation.

While I'm gone, lets have one last David Mamet Book giveaway, shall we? I read the book btw and its a solid read (if not a little too detailed).

Tell me the shortest six-degrees connection from David Mamet to Laurie Metcalf not counting NOVEMBER. You can use actors in any play or film written Mamet. (I can do it in 2 degrees).

Email to whatblows@gmail.com by May 5th. Bonus points for including photos of Charles Isherwood's sweaters.

The winner receives a shiny new copy of 'David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre', and my warmest regards.

Be safe.  ¶ 3:36 AM 0 comments links to this post

  TODAY'S REIDEL - OH THANK HEAVEN Its been a long wait, but the answer to this year's biggest question is in: No, they will not be changing BILLY ELLIOT for American audiences. Halleluya! Reidel reports from an insider event for the $18.5 Million musical, that "[Elton] John, Daldry and producer Eric Fellner said they decided not to mainstream the musical for Broadway".

The show New York is going to get is the one that's been playing to packed houses in London for the past three years. John even told me that "Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher" - a spectacularly staged assault on the former British prime minister - will be performed with even more gusto, should Thatcher, who's ailing, die during the run of the show.

And in case you missed the boatloads of press this week, the Billys have been chosen.

Read Riedel here

(If you don't know who Michael Riedel is, you're probably not reading this blog.)

  ¶ 10:27 AM 1 comments links to this post

  "IT WAS STUPID, BUT IT WAS ALSO THEATRE" I'm really excited for Hamlet 2.
And with this cast, you should be too.

  ¶ 10:26 AM 0 comments links to this post