All stories by Jonathan Mandell on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Art of Adaptation by Jonathan Mandell

  British playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz adapts Ibsen’s timely classic. Arthur Miller hesitated before adapting Henrik Ibsen’s play An Enemy of the People. He believed that t…

SOURCE: TDF at 01:24PM[SHARE]
Monday, September 10, 2012

Homeland Season 2 Sneak Preview by Jonathan Mandell

Showtime has posted the first 25 minutes of the Season 2 premiere of Homeland — which is a little like inviting somebody to dinner and just serving them the soup. Homeland Season 2 Pre…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 11:11AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 7, 2012

Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking Review by Jonathan Mandell

Trey Parker and Matt Stone of the "Book of Morons" sing "We believe that musicals should be disgusting." Two competing Marilyn Monroes belt "Let Me Be Subpar" A bloated Matthew Broderick woo…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 12:46AM[SHARE]
Friday, August 31, 2012

New York Theater Quiz August 2012 by Jonathan Mandell

How well were you paying attention to New York theater news this month?

SOURCE: New York Theater at 01:45AM[SHARE]
Monday, August 27, 2012

Heartless Review: Sam Shepard's Woman Play by Jonathan Mandell

Roscoe, the only male character in Sam Shepard's new, enigmatic play "Heartless," fondly recalls "my junkie days " Avenue D, 14th Street, Dunkin' Donuts, cops, transvestite fist fights, hook…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 09:03PM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 26, 2012

Which Broadway Fall 2012 Shows Are You Most Looking Forward To? by Jonathan Mandell

In this poll, you can pick more than one choice. For details about the shows, see Broadway Fall 2012 Season Preview

SOURCE: New York Theater at 08:52AM[SHARE]
Saturday, August 25, 2012

Broadway Season Preview " 2012-2013 by Jonathan Mandell

Check out my complete preview of Broadway Fall 2012 – including summaries, video excerpts, Twitter feeds, and even a link to buy tickets.  

SOURCE: New York Theater at 12:23PM[SHARE]

Broadway Fall 2012 Preview by Jonathan Mandell

You can look at the Broadway 2012-2013 season in terms of the movie stars that will be on the stage: Al Pacino and Katie Holmes and Debra Winger — or how about Paul Rudd, Michael Shann…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 11:46AM[SHARE]
Monday, August 20, 2012

New York Theater Week August 13 to August 20, 2012 by Jonathan Mandell

In the dog days of August, we glance at  the Broadway 2012-2013 season in formation; so far, there is a list of some two dozen shows with theaters and set opening dates. We also learn the…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 01:58PM[SHARE]
Saturday, August 18, 2012

Bring It On at Broadway in Bryant Park by Jonathan Mandell

Bring It On is not just about cheerleading acrobatics, as the last summer concert of Broadway in Bryant Park 2012 made clear. Here are 40 seconds of Nicolas Womack as Twig rapping in the mid…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 08:49AM[SHARE]
Friday, August 17, 2012

Broadway 2012-2013 At A Glimpse by Jonathan Mandell

Stay tuned for a detailed preview of the whole Broadway season Bring It On: The Musical (August 1) Chaplin (September 10th) An Enemy of the People (September 27th) Grace (October 4th) Cyrano…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 02:35PM[SHARE]

A Christmas Story The Musical Glimpsed at Broadway in Bryant Park by Jonathan Mandell

A Christmas Story, the 1983 movie in which Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940′s, has been made int…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 01:44AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

New Newsies Newsboy Leader: Jeremy Jordan replaced by Corey Cott by Jonathan Mandell

Jeremy Jordan, who has played Jack in Newsies since its pre-Broadway try-out, is leaving to focus on his role in the NBC television series Smash. Replacing him starting on September 5, 2012 …

SOURCE: New York Theater at 02:28AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Harrison, TX Review: Playwright Horton Foote's Return by Jonathan Mandell

Those of us smitten two years ago by "The Orphan's Home Cycle," the Signature Theater Company's epic production of nine of Horton Foote's plays taking place in a small Texas town he called H…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 08:22PM[SHARE]
Monday, August 13, 2012

New York Theater Week August 6 to August 13, 2012 by Jonathan Mandell

This week in New York theater began in sorrow, and ended in absurdity. Inbetween were openings and glimpses of what's to come In the week ahead:  Noël Coward in New York Festival with …

SOURCE: New York Theater at 08:51AM[SHARE]
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Are Political Sex Scandals Funny? Tail!Spin! Fringe Review by Jonathan Mandell

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner may wish to reconsider his reported plans to stage a political comeback, thanks to "Tail!Spin!" which eviscerates him and three other politicians at the cen…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 04:21PM[SHARE]

NY Review: 'Night of the Auk' by Jonathan Mandell

Fringe show "Night of the Auk" is a campy revival of Arch Obler's 1956 drama about mankind's first trip to the moon, originally directed by Sidney Lumet.

SOURCE: Backstage at 04:27AM[SHARE]
Friday, August 10, 2012

Rebecca the Musical Previewed at Broadway in Bryant Park by Jonathan Mandell

Maxim de Winter brings his new wife home to his estate, Manderley. There she learns of the mystery of his first wife, now dead… Rebecca. Based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier …

SOURCE: New York Theater at 10:14AM[SHARE]

Newsies prepare by Jonathan Mandell

Some 1,200 young men auditioned to be the newsboys of Newsies, the members of the ensemble who dance, act and sing. For Playbill, I profile two of the extraordinary performers who made it &#…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 01:24AM[SHARE]
Thursday, August 9, 2012

Into The Woods Review: Sondheim At Home In Central Park by Jonathan Mandell

"Shakespeare and Sondheim in the Park," it says on the new logo used in posters and programs and t-shirts for the Delacorte Theater's 50th season, and it is a slogan one can happily embrace …

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 09:55PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Bullet for Adolf Review: Woody Harrelson, Playwright and Friend by Jonathan Mandell

The story behind "Bullet for Adolf," an aimless comedy co-written and directed by Woody Harrelson that has now opened at New World Stages, surely helps explain why the actor decided in his 5…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 08:49PM[SHARE]

New York International Fringe Festival 2012 Preview by Jonathan Mandell

For its 16th year, the New York Fringe Festival will be presenting 187 shows from August 10 to August 26th in 20 theaters in Lower Manhattan. It seems a daunting taks to pick what shows to s…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 12:00PM[SHARE]

Stamina and Stardom: Newsies Dancers Work as One to Seize the Day by Jonathan Mandell

How some fancy footwork (and many stairs) made stars of the Newsies newsboys, including Ryan Steele and Ephraim Sykes

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Marvin Hamlisch, 1944 to 2012 by Jonathan Mandell

Marvin Hamlisch, best-known as composer of “A Chorus Line” and “The Way We Were,” has died at age 68. A child prodigy, he was the youngest student ever admitted to th…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 10:12AM[SHARE]
Monday, August 6, 2012

New York Theater Week July 30 to August 6, 2012 by Jonathan Mandell

August is a time for Broadway closings – Fela (Aug 4), Memphis and Harvey (Sun Aug 5) Ghost (Aug 18), Sister Act (Aug 26th) — but this week, two shows actually opened on Broad…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 09:32AM[SHARE]
Friday, August 3, 2012

Will Slings and Arrows Live Again? An Update by Jonathan Mandell

Two months ago, I got the scoop from “Slings and Arrows” co-creator Bob Martin, who Tweeted during his Twitter conversation with me: “Slings may live again.” They …

SOURCE: New York Theater at 09:44AM[SHARE]

Mike Tyson Undisputed Truth Theater Review Round-Up by Jonathan Mandell

As predicted, nobody could resist making puns about “knockouts” and “heavyweights” in reviewing Mike Tyson’s one-man show, “Undisputed Truth,” which…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 12:36AM[SHARE]
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Mamma Mia at Broadway in Bryant Park by Jonathan Mandell

Twenty-seven cast members of Mamma Mia sang four ABBA songs from the hit musical. Below are four of them. And then I spend about 27 seconds interviewing one of the long-time cast members, Al…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 11:14PM[SHARE]

Chaplin The Musical, Three Songs at Broadway in Bryant Park by Jonathan Mandell

Three of the main cast members of “Chaplin The Musical,” a new Broadway show about the life of Charlie Chaplin, which is opening at the Ethel Barrymore on September 10, sang thre…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 04:51PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Bring It On The Musical On Broadway at the St. James Theater by Jonathan Mandell

An excerpt of my review of Bring It On is below. (The full review) Meanwhile, here are some pictures I couldn’t include in the review he first surprise of "Bring It On The Musical," wh…

SOURCE: New York Theater at 10:20PM[SHARE]

Bring It On Broadway Review by Jonathan Mandell

"FDR was a cheerleader….Madonna was a cheerleader…Michael Jordan," sing the cast of "Bring It On," a musical based on a movie about two competing high school cheerleading squads, adapted…

SOURCE: The Faster Times at 09:01PM[SHARE]

All that Chat