Watch the Tony® Awards telecast and enjoy some performances at Grace O’Malley’s in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District. It is the 2nd Annual Cityscapes Tony Party.

Performances to start at 7PM. Guests are invited to bring their sheet music to belt out a Broadway tune during the pre-show and commercials. Last year was standing room only.

It will be an awesome night celebrating our local talent and Broadway. As always the amazing Mark Selby is on the keys.

Started back in 2003 Cityscapes provides an on-going opportunity for musical theatre artists to publicly perform a wide variety of material and audiences with an intimate opportunity to enjoy Toronto’s wealth of Talent.

When I was in Sydney back in January Black Watch was playing as part of the Sydney Festival. I was somewhat interested by this play produced by the start up National Theatre of Scotland, based on interviews conducted by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in Iraq. With many theatrical options in Australia I passed on this production that was receiving international acclaim. I was aware it was to be presented as part of Toronto’s Luminato Festival and thought there was no excuse to miss it in my hometown. I saw it last night and I am thrilled that I did.

I was a little hesitant that Black Watch was going to be a very gratuitous anti-war piece written and produced by some left wing people with a political agenda. Although Black Watch makes the case against war it does so without preaching a single word. It is intelligent, truthful, wildly creative and enormously passionate. Black Watch is what all great theatre should strive to be. It expresses deep emotional sentiment in dialogue, song, direction, design and movement. It is a master class in scaling the heights of creativity and what individuals can accomplish when working towards the common goal of producing the best possible piece of theatre. 

Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the war on terror and what it means to make the journey home again. This production was presented in a hockey arena with bleachers on either side. This was an intimate environment with a large playing space used to the fullest. You did not feel as if you were watching an account from embedded journalists, you were involved in getting as close as possible to the boredom, grittiness and horror of modern warfare. It was captivating. The use of sound, multimedia and honest text allowed you to be inside the barracks and the armored vehicles. It is not pretty and it is very uncomfortable but it is an opportunity for us to reflect on the actions and decisions of the politicians we ourselves give authority to via democratic election.

Read the rest of this entry »

I was completely inspired by Robert Simonson’s profile of lawyer turned Broadway producer John Breglio in Sunday’s New York Times. Breglio has been a senior theatrical law attorney for over thirty seven years in New York. His client list included Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patti LuPone and of course Michael Bennett who appointed him executor of his estate. As executor Breglio is the lead producer of the Broadway revival of Bennett’s legendary A Chorus Line.

In January, Breglio finally decided to drop his day job and become a full time producer. From the article:

Then one night in January 2007, he said, his eureka moment finally arrived. While standing at the back of the Schoenfeld Theater on Broadway, he heard Charlotte d’Amboise, who plays Cassie in “A Chorus Line,” sing: “God, I’m a dancer. A dancer dances.”

“I’ve heard that line a million times,” said Mr. Breglio, 61. “But this time I thought, ‘That’s it!’ I shouldn’t be teaching others to do what I should be doing for myself. I don’t want to be a plumber anymore. What was the choice? Drop ‘A Chorus Line’? I could have, but would I ever have contemplated it? No. Could I stop practicing law? Yes.”

I am inspired because at thirty-one TheTheatreAddict also practices entertainment law, specifically in the area of theatre in Toronto. I admire Breglio’s passion for his law practice and the theatre. He has accomplished so much in the industry. Although I do not have the means yet to act on my eureka moment, I am excited to see that the transition is possible at any age.

According to message board accounts from one week ago, Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele had a huge send off as they completed their runs starring in the current reigning best new musical Spring Awakening. Last week the starring role of Wendla was assumed by company member Alexandra Socha but last Friday the brooding male lead was taken over by Saskatoon native Kyle Riabko. The 20 year old singer songwriter is making his Broadway and professional stage debut. What a journey it has been for a young man who has been compared to James Taylor, Prince and even Stevie Wonder. He has an abundance of talent and it appears he is a perfect fit for the rocking musical that is drawing a whole new audience to Broadway.

The Globe and Mail’ Simon Houpt has an outstanding first person account of Kyle’s premier performance.

The NY Times reports today that the final Broadway performance of Rent will be shown in movie theatres across the US. Not much detail is given but Sony Pictures is the first studio to announce it will bring concerts and live performances to local movie theaters.

In Canada Cineplex Entertainment has led the way in broadcasting live operas from the Metropolitan Opera. I am confident they will open their theatres up for the broadcast of Broadway shows.

This is such great news to allow audiences all over the world to experience a bit of the energy of what will be an emotionally charged final performance for the landmark musical. This announcement forces me to finally forgive Sony Pictures for shepherding the awful filmed version of the Broadway musical. I can’t wait for more details and we will certainly post information for our Canadian readers as soon as we have it.

I absolutely love In The Heights the front runner for the Best New Musical Tony®. A couple of weeks ago they released 4 tracks from the forthcoming cast recording on their fan pages. I have had all 4 in heavy rotation. My favourite of the lot is the song 9600. The scene on stage was electrifying, blowing the roof right off the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The energy and choreography were explosive and this song is in the middle of the first act! This wasn’t even close to being the 11 o’clock number.

The awesome people at Broadway.com were in the studio when the songs were recorded and have released a world premiere video of 9600 from their footage. Be sure to check it out by clicking here. My money is on the song to be performed at the Tonys®. It will sell the heck out of the show. It will best demonstrate the passion and energy of the piece through the television medium. It is so damn catchy.

On a side note the equally awesome people at Sh-K-Boom records sent me a receipt this morning for the purchase of the In The Heights cast recording which I pre-ordered through their site. I have never anticipated a recording more since seeing the show. Anyways the receipt usually means that I may have it very soon almost a week before the June 3rd release date. Always, always pre-order Sh-K-Boom cast recordings via their website. There are always reliable.

Campbell Robertson writes in Monday’s New York Times an insightful post mortem on the musical Glory Days. He interviews the two young writers Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner as well as director Eric Schaeffer. It is a very honest account of their roller coaster ride of emotions post opening. No one can imagine what these guys experienced but Campbell provides some insight into what was a very public and sad tragedy in their lives. As a producer I have been hit hard by critics and know the very public and “dull ache” that negative theater reviews can bring. I do agree with their sentiment that, “they were not nearly as upset about the whole experience as their mothers were.” Thank god for mothers. The good news is the guys are working on their next show. Yes I was harsh on the show but I did recognize its potential. These guys have had one of the most unique experiences in the theatre and I hope all the emotion, passion and pain will be positively channeled into their next work.

I loved In The Heights the new musical playing the Richard Rodgers Theatre. It is a show I previously wrote about on two previous occasions. When it’s transfer from Off-Broadway to Broadway was announced nearly I year ago I wrote “I have not seen the show but have been excited about it since it first landed on my radar screen. It sounds fresh and exciting. Its wide appeal is exactly what Broadway needs to continue to develop new audiences.” In The Heights was all that and so much more. It is a sure bet that the show will rack up an impressive number of Tony award nominations tomorrow and will be the front runner for best new musical. The show is described as an exhilarating journey into one of Manhattan’s most vibrant communities. With music and lyrics by Lin Manuel-Miranda, and a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes the show follows an indelible cast of characters attempting to realize their dreams against the backdrop of our modern world. Traditions of this Latino community are redefined by the youngest generation and everyone searches to define what home means. In The Heights reminded me of a modern Fiddler on the Roof with Washington Heights standing in for Anatevka and the Latino community supplanting the Jewish one. The opening number In The Heights sets up the show while firing off a jolt of the most incredible electric energy.

The show fires on all cylinders. Anna Louizos set is breathtaking, Thomas Kail’s direction flawless and Andy Blankenbuehler’s choreography is some of the best I have ever seen. His movement combining traditional Latin salsa and the most modern hip hop is something to behold. The stop/fast motion and rewind moments are used brilliantly. I was in awe. There is a fusion of a creative team that has achieved the most incredible theatrical synergy. The show is slick but never looses its heart due to the exceptional performances of every single person on stage. If there was a Tony Award for Outstanding Ensemble this one would win it. Their shear talent as dancers and performers radiates to create a pulsating community. Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi (the story of his name is hysterical) fills the massive stage with wonderful charm and heart as the shows central character and narrator. You can’t help but want to patronize his bodega. Mandy Gonzalez as Nina is inspiring with some incredible acting fused with the most powerful and beautiful voice. Christopher Jackson as Benny explodes in his Broadway debut oozing leading man charisma. Karen Olivia is heavenly as Vanessa with an understated sex appeal that somehow makes her even more beautiful. Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia is the poster woman for care takers everywhere, radiating giant warmth and love. Robert de Jesus is the lovable court jester Benny and Andrea Burns is the sassiest hairdresser in town. Priscilla Lopez and Carlos Gomez post strong performances as Vanessa’s parents.

The music is infectious; I can’t wait for the recording due out on June 3rd. Every song outdid the previous one and 9600 in the middle of the 1st act explodes in the theatre with an energy I thought would short circuit the NYC grid. The script might be predictable but In The Heights is everything a great Broadway musical should be. There are great performances and a story that reminds us that the important things we are all searching for in life may be closer than we think. In The Heights is certainly my top recommendation on your Broadway must see list.

Passing Strange was the second show on my Broadway weekend. I was initially not enthusiastic about this strange musical. It seemed way too arty for my taste despite the positive raves by critics. I couldn’t understand what the show was. I spoke to a couple people who had seen it and loved it and I decided to check it out. Simply put it is brilliant, innovative, wildly entertaining and trailblazing. This is one of the most unique shows to hit Broadway and I couldn’t get enough.

The show is billed as a rock musical following a young musician’s journey – from 70’s Los Angeles, through free-lovin’ Amsterdam, to the anarchy of ‘80 Berlin – in his search to find something Real. The show is narrated by Stew (pictured above) a singer/songwriter who wrote the book and lyrics and co-wrote the music with Heidi Rodewald. It is his semi-autobiographical tale told through a smart book, incredible music and outstanding direction and choreography. In addition to Stew the show is performed by an amazing on stage band and dynamic company of 6 actors. Yes it is difficult to articulate what the show is but the experience leaves you much richer for seeing it. This show is for anyone who considers themselves an artist, cares passionately about the arts, desires to follow a dream or cares deeply about family. Passing Strange is all about these struggles to find out what is real in our lives. It does it with music, humour and warmth. I felt like I was in Stew’s living room hanging out and listening to incredible stories while enjoying the most wonderful jam session. For me one of the most poignant observations is when Stew, near the end of the show, delivers the line, “Do you ever feel that your entire adult life is based on the dreams of a teenager.” For me that is what Passing Strange reflects. The line is extremely funny yet enormously sobering for any dreamer, including this one.

Passing Strange has been developed with enormous care and integrity. I now understand the raves and the numerous esteemed producers above title who dedicated themselves to bringing this show to a wider audience. Passing Strange is a must see.

Who knew how interesting Toronto theatre could be off stage. Long time Toronto producer David Mirvish was hauled into court this week by fledging impresario Aubrey Dan. According to the Globe and Mail “Claiming conspiracy, fraud, a breach of the Competition Act and irreparable harm, Toronto theatre impresario Aubrey Dan is seeking an injunction to block the sale of the Canon and Panasonic Theatres to his downtown rival, David Mirvish.”

The application, filed Monday in Ontario’s Superior Court, alleges that the sale, if consummated, would violate Mr. Dan’s prior agreements with John Gore’s New York-based Key Brand Entertainment, which bought the two theatres from Live Nation in January.”

Yes Mr. Dan is suing Mirvish and a company, Key Brand Entertainment, of which he is a corporate director. It is bizarre that Mr. Dan has been duped by the very company that was to give him the control over the very assets he required to sustain his hopes and dreams of a theatrical empire in Toronto. A few things are clear. Key Brand Entertainment doesn’t give a damn about the Toronto market and most likely the Canadian market. It is not worth their time or investment of further resources. Secondly Mr. Dan must have done something offensive to Mr. Gore to encourage him to enter secret negotiations to sell the theatres to Mirvish and or not offer Mr. Dan a right of first refusal. The Globe and Mail alludes to a law suit in which Key Brand Entertainment is suing Mr. Dan for negotiating in bad faith and to force him into arbitration for not signing a long form agreement consummating their deal. The sticking point was Key Brand’s desire to retain the option to sell the theatres to anyone they like despite a management deal with Dan.

Read the rest of this entry »