Disney's The Lion King Is Still A Crowd Favorite

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Can you believe it's been almost twelve years since The Lion King first burst onto the scene? Back in 1994 Disney made their first foray onto Broadway with Beauty and the Beast which ran for over thirteen years. Not too bad for a show no one ever thought would make it in the first place. Following that triumph they embarked on what would become their biggest hit too date. Once again no one though that The Lion King would be come the worldwide hit it has become but Disney proved everybody wrong. Not only that but it beat the odds-on favorite Ragtime for the Tony Award for Best Musical. Which by the way is returning to Broadway this fall. Maybe it will win for Best Revival next June. That is of course Disney doesn't bring Aida back. I seriously doubt it but stranger things have happened. Regardless The Lion King should be here for a very long time and continue to delight audiences of all ages for years to come.

JWB
Applause Theatre and Entertainment Service, Inc.
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Jacqueline Stone's Meringue Cookies (Celebrity Recipe)

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We first met Jacqueline Stone when she was the incredible star of TUTA'S "The Wedding" and since we have been enormous fans.

She is a leader in our city and someone to put on your radar in the future.

Now you can see her with all the right moves in TUTA'S Fulton Street Sessions.

Here is her favorite cookie recipe, and it is PERFECT to make for strikes and benefits:

Forgotten Meringue Cookies

Put wax paper or parchment paper on cookie sheet. Grease the paper. Preheat oven 350.

Ingredients:
2 egg whites ¾ cup sugar 6 oz chocolate chips

Beat eggs until stiff. Beat in sugar slowly. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Turn off oven, put cookies in and leave in for 6 hours.


-Anderson Lawfer, Eric Roach

Funemployed's Sunday Funday Fundraiser

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The absolute truth of it is this: I decided to go to Funemployed's party at Friar Tuck's because I knew I wanted to get out of the house.

Getting out is kind of difficult these days, being a new dad and all.  A run to Target is like teleporting to a new beautiful world of air conditioning and Icees.  Coming to work is a lovely respite to reading the first page of Goodnight Moon for the 64th time.  So, a Sunday afternoon/evening at Friar Tuck's with a keg of beer and a few pals sounded like a voyage on the high seas to Sri Lanka.  I was, indubitably, pumped.

Now, I know of Funemployed through Ted Evans, who is a nice and funny and handsome man.  If you don't know about Funemployed, let me explain it this way.  YouTube was created in 2005 by three nerds who were having trouble sharing their videos of Dungeons & Dragons sessions or whatever.  This is the absolute first video ever posted to YouTube, "Me at the Zoo."


Yep...these 19 seconds are a gateway to the new world we exist in now.  You can find oodles of entertainment on YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo, and plenty of others.  You can get to these on your computers, tablets, phones, game consoles, etc.  We live in a future of not worrying about TV and cutting the cable cord because we now can easily find what we want, when we want it.  Well, you need to start wanting THIS:


Funemployed is a smart, funny web series written by and starring Ted Evans, Kate Carson-Groner, Michael Lippert, Dan Hale, and Alex Harris.  This is a hilarious, well-shot, well-directed, well-edited programme.  Don't hesitate, subscribe or die.

Back to the party...now admittedly, I was the old guy at this shindig.  But, from my perch at the bar, I was able to see an inordinate amount of gorgeous people doing things single people do.  But, what I got out of it mostly was a sense of being on a tipping point of something big.  This is a group of folks who obviously have people excited about what they do.  I mean, I am and I'm nearly a fossil to most of these guys.  I also must say...ladies, not all of you can have bad eyes.  What the hell is going on with accessory glasses?  This is a thing now...glasses that just sit on your face, not doing anything important.  Oh well, it's pretty cute I suppose.  I wore leather pants just after college for almost 6 months, so I get it brahs. 

I also called a QR Code a QI Code and was corrected by the prettiest girl there.  It made me happy to be alive.

The crew have made something special, and you should check out the episodes and extras they have on their site.  Wish them luck, buy a DVD, do something.  Retweet this shit, tumblr it, post it on a BBS, I don't care.  Most importantly, be aware that the 3rd Season of Funemployed is coming soon.  This is the new trailer.  Hold on to your comedy pants!


I suggest keeping track of Funemployed.  They're right on the edge, they use real Chicago actors and fantastic Chicago locations, and have a blast to boot.  One suggestion to the guys...tweet to your followers when you are heading out for a night on the town.  Somebody'll show up...like maybe an old dad looking to get out of the house.

Funemployed Sunday Funday Fundraiser: A- (didn't win Barbershop & Barbershop 2 in the raffle...sad face)

-Eric Roach, Anderson Lawfer

Eric & Andy's DEBATE SHOW

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Did you watch the debates at home alone last night?
Did you just watch Home Alone?
Well why don’t you quit being a ding-a-ling, get off your buns, and join Eric and Andy for their first ever Eric and Andy’s DEBATE SHOW!!
Life is made to be lived, and what better way to live then with America’s new favorite Political Pundits!!?
More like America’s new favorite Political FUNdits!
We are ready to host the 2nd Presidential Debate at Strawdog Theater on Tuesday October 16th!!
The doors will open at 7pm. At 7:30pm, we will discuss the rules of various games we will be playing during live coverage of the debate.

Immediately following the debate, stick around for our own town hall meeting to discuss the direction of our country and what Medicare is.

Don’t miss out on the excitement of LIVE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES fashioned into a DRUNKEN BLOODSPORT FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENTS!

A $5 suggested donation at the door will get you $3 PBR TALLBOYS and some of Strawdog’s famous craft beer menu items!

Why sit at home and weep into your hot dog soup? Come and join your heroes and weep into your BEER SOUP.

The Mikado (The Hypocrites) John Taflan

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As some day it may happen that an opera must be viewed,Put this one on your list:Mikado by the ‘crites.A fantastic compilation of the bawdy and skewedIn a promenade-y mist(and there’s booze, if you insist).
Just enter Chopin’s basement and you’ll join a festive throng,Whose tendency to strum and strut makes right from so much wrong.(By “wrong” I mean your standard theatre most often passes As arguments o’er kitchen sinks, four walls, and seats for asses.)But never mind my bitching, Go!  This play should not be missed.Put your name upon the list,(Something something) coexist.
Put your name upon the list!(Something something) coexist!In their audience, enlist.I think you get the gist.
There’s Casey--that’s her family name--and little Shawny PfautschBoth pulling double shifts(That almost rhymed with “list”).Singing/acting all while playing isn’t for your common slouch,But two parts each?  That kissed?A fine quadruple tryst.
When Kahler speaks you cannot help but laugh until you keen.And Rob McLean was being quite especially Rob McLean…you know what I mean.Both Bourque and Pawlik’s spunk (along with Schroeder’s) is in season,And of the girls, I’ll mention Dana Omar for no reason.Forgive me, Becky and Christine, for I could not resist.It’s another brilliant twistFrom the awesome Hypocrites.
It’s another brilliant twist!From the awesome Hypocrites!Sean and Kevin still persist.Epistemologist.
The Mikado:  A

-John Taflan

Broadway Box Office: Week 24: 11.05 - 11. 2012

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BROADWAY BOX OFFICEWeek #24; 32 ProductionsNovember 5 - 11, 2012

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
(Photo by Joan Marcus)

In Previews:

• A Christmas Story - 7 previews
• Dead Accounts - 7 previews
• Glengarry Glen Ross - 7 previews
• Golden Boy - 3 previews
• Scandalous - 8 previews
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood - 8 previews
• The Performers - 8 previews

Annie (Photo by Joan Marcus)

Opened This Week:

• Annie - 3 previews, 5 performances
• Elf - 5 performances

To see how this chart is calculated click on the "Box Office" tab at the top of the screen.

Rank This Week	Show Title	Show Type	Theatre	Rank Last Week	Up/ Down
1	The Book of Mormon	Musical	O'Neill	1	Same
2	Glengarry Glen Ross	Play Revival	Schoenfeld	2	Same
3	The Lion King	Musical	Minskoff	3	Same
4	Once	Musical	Jacobs	4	Same
5	Rock of Ages	Musical	Hayes	6	+1
6	Wicked	Musical	Gershwin	7	+1
7	Jersey Boys	Musical	Wilson	5	-2
8	Newsies	Musical	Nederlander	8	Same
9	The Heiress	Play  Revival	Kerr	11	+2
10	Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark	Musical	Foxwoods	10	Same
11 tie	Elf	Musical Revival	Hirschfeld	n/a	n/a
11 tie	Annie	Musical Revival	Palace	13	+2
13	Nice Work If You Can Get It	Musical	Imperial	20	+7
14	War Horse	Play	Beaumont	17	+3
15	Evita	Musical  Revival	Marquis	9	-6
16	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Play Revival	Booth	19	+3
17	Chicago	Musical Revival	Ambassador	14	-3
18	Mamma Mia!	MusicalPlay	Winter Garden	12	-6
19 tie	Cyrano de Bergerac	Play Revival	American  Airlines	27	+8
19 tie	The Phantom of the Opera	Musical	Majestic	15	-4
21	A Christmas Story	Musical	Lunt-Fontanne	n/a	n/a
22	Mary Poppins	Musical	New Amsterdam	16	-6
23 tie	Chaplin	Musical	Barrymore	22	-1
23 tie	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Musical Revival	Studio 54	25	+2
25	Dead Accounts	Play	Music Box	n/a	n/a
26 tie	Grace	Play	Cort	23	-3
26 tie	An Enemy of the People	Play  Revival	Friedman	21	-5
28	Golden Boy	Play Revival	Belasco	n/a	n/a
29	The Performers	Play	Longacre	24	-5
30	Peter and the Starcatcher	Musical	Atkinson	18	-12
31	Bring It On: The Musical	Musical	St. James	25	-2
32	Scandalous	Musical	Neil Simon	28	-4

Before you go...

...have you VOTED in this month's THEATRE POLL?  It is in the left column!
...have you VOTED in this week's HOT or NOT?  CLICK the ELF icon in the upper left column and vote BEFORE THURSDAY!
...have you read the latest from WAYNE ALAN WILCOX?  Find out how an actor prepares!  Click HIS PIC to read all about it!
...have you checked this month's BROADWAY BOY, DROOD's WILL CHASE?  He's a pretty amazing guy!  CLICK his picture in the right hand column to find out more! 
Jeff4.074Comments? Questions? @jkstheatrescene (Twitter); jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (Email); or leave a comment below and check a box!

JKTS Chat: The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Eric Sciotto

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I am so excited to bring you a new series of interviews with another of Broadway's hardest working people, a true gypsy, The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Eric Sciotto!  In the show, he's part of the ensemble, and plays an important part in the final vote each night at The Music Hall Royale, aka Studio 54.  This time around, Eric talks about juggling family and career - when both parents work on Broadway.  He gives us this inside scoop on keeping his last show's dances razor sharp.  And shares the thrill of working with one of the Great White Way's living legends.

Here are...

5 QUICK QUESTIONS FOR ERIC SCIOTTO!
Question 1: In your Drood program bio, you mention your family!  "Proud father of two... husband, David" - congratulations.  How amazing is it that New York legalized same sex marriage, and now four other states have done the same?  Since David is also working on Broadway (most recently, he's worked on the choreography for Anything Goes and Nice Work If You Can Get It),  how does that impact the challenge of juggling your family and a successful stage career? 

Eric Sciotto: First off...we actually live in NJ, and therefore cannot get married.  I question my choice to call him "husband" for fear that people might not realize that we are STILL not allowed by law to be husbands to each other.  However, after 11.5 years and 2 kids.... he's CLEARLY my husband.  We'd always planned to have kids, and always planned to do our best to keep one daddy home with the kids.... so initially juggling work and family was made easier by keeping one of us as SAHD (Stay At Home Dad) and one working full time.  We'd agreed to take turns.  The SAHD could also take short term work... so we both Vacation Swung for various shows while being the SAHD.  It helped with sanity and also income... because when we added mouths to feed, we halved our income.  Coordinating babysitting was a constant focus... not necessarily a challenge... and now Sammy is in school, so that helps...  It's not easy by any means.  But it's totally worth it.  I love my family and I love being a Dad.

Eric, David and the kids!
(Photo courtesy of Mr. Sciotto)

Question 2: You've been in a lot of Broadway shows!  And you've had the opportunity to work with many big stars - John Lithgow, Kelli O'Hara, Bernadette Peters, just to mention a few.  What would you say has been the most interesting/valuable thing you've learned from working with famous people?  What is the one thing that audiences might find most surprising about working with such beloved actors?  

Eric Sciotto: I have found, in my experience, that the BIGGEST and MOST TALENTED stars are often the nicest, most genuine people  around.  John Lithgow is like that, Reba McEntire! Chita Rivera! Bernadette Peters!  And Kelli O'Hara is actually one of my oldest friends, since we were dance partners in summer stock.... She's awesome!  Very thoughtful and caring and engaging people, and accessible and playful and silly! It's been beautiful icing on a spectacular cake to work on Broadway with some AMAZING people.  

Dancing in those costumes made Priscilla even more
fun and challenging...

Question 3: OK, I have to ask... what was the trick to successfully dancing those elaborate routines in those "Gumby Suits" in Priscilla Queen of the Desert?  As the dance captain of that show what did you have to do to keep each production number sharp and fresh?  

Eric Sciotto: Ha!  The Gumby Shoes were odd for a minute... they were giant foam half-spheres... but they were flat on the bottom... and they didn't weigh much... I guess the challenge was that they created a lot of drag - pardon the pun - and so lifting them was like fighting against the air... so the picking up of the legs and the lifting of the knees was very exaggerated out of necessity... probably not awesome for the knees.  To keep the show sharp and fresh, we just had to keep reminding and hammering home the "key words" or "defining details" of each number... since most of that was simple choreo with elaborate costumes... it was necessary to refresh the small style differences that kept each number from looking the same as the others.  "Pulled up." "Breathy." "Wiry and Tweaky." "Dream-like." "Effortless."  

Question 4: The Mystery of Edwin Drood is kind of unique in terms of revivals.  Like most revivals, the show itself has fans who love the original (like me), but unlike most revivals, a lot of theater fans only know the show from the cast album.  In a lot of ways, it's almost like a brand new event.  I understand that Rupert Holmes (book, music and lyrics) has been very instrumental and "hands on" with the revival.  What kinds of things have happened during rehearsals to tweak the show for today's audiences, both new to the show and familiar with it? 

Eric Sciotto: Drood has been an amazing and very singular experience!  The uniqueness is not lost on me! I'm THRILLED to be involved   I actually knew pretty much NOTHING about the show until I was cast....but yes, people who know this musical really know it and really love it!  Rupert Holmes was indeed around almost every day, and very involved.  I do not have much knowledge of the original production, but I would say that one thing that's very different is that today's audience are used to voting for things (Think American Idol and SYTYCD....) whereas in the 80's they were not...  And this version is definitely pieced together differently, using the original and the London, and cobbling together a new version! Rupert's been LOVELY to work with!  So happy to have him so hands-on with this production!

A dream come true!  Chita Rivera and Eric Sciotto
(Photo courtesy of Mr. Sciotto)

Question 5: Finally, let me quote again from your Drood program bio: "ERIC SCIOTTO (Ensemble) is incredibly grateful to be a part of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and overwhelmed at the thought of working with the legendary Chita Rivera! " "Legendary" is right!  Has this experience working with her been everything you dreamed it would be?   Details, please, for all of us that wish we were in your shoes!  

Eric Sciotto: Oh my!  I can barely deal with this question without crying a little.  Chita has been my inspiration and my idol for as long as I can remember.  Since I was young, I had three very specific dreams for my career.... 1) to dance at Disney World (which came true in 1994) 2) to sing with Bernadette Peters (which came true in 1999 with my Bway debut in the AGYG revival) and 3) to dance with Chita Rivera..... For real.  I'd met her once when we overlapped in shows at PCLO, and for a long time, I had decided that that may have to suffice.... but then I got Drood!  I had heard nothing of the principle casting until my agent called with my offer.  He said "it's gonna be great, it's got SJB, and Will Chase, and Chita Rivera...." UMMMM.... EXCUSE ME?!?!? "Yes, Chita Rivera."  I couldn't speak and I didn't stop crying with joy for 4 days.  Every time I thought about it I got weepy.  Seriously this is a HUGE DEAL for me.  And Chita could not be more lovely or wonderful or fun or caring and just one of my favorite people in the world!  I am in awe every day of this amazing legend and I am NOT taking it for granted!  I am VERY LUCKY to be able to watch her and experience her every day.  I'm learning a lot!  And... we have playful moments.  I'm beside myself!  Elated!  One of my favorite moments was when Chita said to me "I was thinking about you yesterday while I was decorating for Halloween!"  WHAT?!?!  I'm a huge Halloween fan and she was putting lighted skulls out in her yard... and it made her think of me... on her day off.... I smiled and laughed, then later shed a little tear. 

Thanks, Eric!  Look for more with him soon!

For more on Drood, click these links:
Show Review:
Mr. November: Will Chase
Ms. October: Betsy Wolfe
Face of the Future: Spencer Plachy

4.082
Jeff

Broadway's Gone to the Dogs

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There was a time not all that long ago when Cats ruled Broadway.  For the last 15 years, Broadway has been ruled by a certain Lion monarch.  But this season, another set of four-legged creatures has quietly taken over the hearts of Broadway fans.  No less than three shows on the Great White Way feature scene-stealing dogs.  What a treat for those of us who love a cuddle with a canine!

Best Exit by a Pup on Broadway: Macaco in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Studio 54

His Performance: He practically steals the scene in which his scene-stealing owner, Miss Alice Nutting, is trying once again to upstage her fellow Thespians of the Music Hall Royale.  In real-life, Macaco is Stephanie J. Block (and Sebastian Arcelus)'s pet Yorkie/Maltese mix.

Macaco and His Owner, Stephanie J. Block,
make a grand exit in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
(Photo by Joan Marcus)

Best Running (Literally) Joke by a Pair of Pups on Broadway: Pete and Lily as The Bumpus Hounds in A Christmas Story: The Musical at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Their Performance:  The Old Man may be running in terror to get in the house before the Bumpus Hounds bite, but the audiences at A Christmas Story are "awww"-ing their heads off every time these two adorable Purebread Bloodhounds take the stage.  Broadway's own dog whisperer, Bill Berloni,  rescued these two from a Canadian shelter and we are all the better for it!

The Parkers meet Pete and Lily, aka
The Bumpus Hounds in A Christmas Story
(Photo by Carol Rosegg)

Best Partner in Crime on Broadway: Sunny as Sandy in Annie at the Palace Theatre

Her Performance:  Sunny recreates probably the most iconic Broadway role ever played by a pooch.  She was plucked from a Houston, Texsas shelter with less than 24 hours to go before her time was up by Bill Berloni.  As sweet as her "human," Annie, Sunny is a Sandy to be remembered!

Orphan Annie and Sandy:
Lilla Crawford and Sunny
(Photo by Joan Marcus)

Before you go... (Click the blue links!)
Check out these reviews: 

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• A Christmas Story

Check out these Broadway Babies:

• A Christmas Story's Erin Dilly (Ms. November)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Will Chase (Mr. November) 
• Eric Sciotto (JKTS Chat) 
• Spencer Plachy (Face of the Future)

PLUS: Don't forget to VOTE in this week's "HOT or NOT": Bare Cast! (Please do BOTH parts!)  CLICK HERE!

4.085Jeff

FACE OF THE FUTURE: A Christmas Story's Johnny Rabe

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To be perfectly honest, I find the majority of child actors to be annoying with their overly cheesy smiles, over acting, and consistent mugging.  They are brats even when their role calls for a nice, everyday kid.  Lately, Broadway has been very fortunate to have a whole generation of kids who are anything but phony.  I'm thinking of the wonderful young lady in War Horse, the kid versions Bonnie and Clyde, most of the cast of 13.

Most recently, though, one young actor has set the bar for charming, effortless, and most importantly, realistic acting by the 8 - 12 set.  His name is Johnny Rabe, and he currently stars as Ralphie in A Christmas Story: The Musical.  There isn't a less than genuine moment in his entire performance.  That is really saying something considering that he's called upon to not only sing, dance and act, but play against some of Broadway's best pros, a couple of dogs, a kick line of sexy leg lamps, and a mountain of physical comedy during some truly outrageous fantasy sequences.




The many faces of Ralphie Parker
That he maintains a professional presence while still bursting with youthful energy is to his considerable credit.  His zeal and wide-eyed wonder is all that betrays his age.  He's having the time of his life, and we are all the better for it.  I have a feeling that this just the beginning of a long, successful career.


(Photos by Carol Rosegg)

Before you go... (Click the blue links!)
Check out these reviews: 

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• A Christmas Story

Check out these Broadway Babies:

• A Christmas Story's Erin Dilly (Ms. November)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Will Chase (Mr. November) 
• Eric Sciotto (JKTS Chat) 
• Spencer Plachy (Face of the Future)

PLUS: Don't forget to VOTE in this week's "HOT or NOT": Bare Cast! (Please do BOTH parts!)  CLICK HERE!

4.086Jeff

Broadway Box Office: Week 26: 11.19 - 11.26.2012

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BROADWAY BOX OFFICEWeek #26; 31 ProductionsNovember 19 - 26, 2012

Dead Accounts

In Previews:

• Dead Accounts - 8 previews
• Glengarry Glen Ross - 5 previews
• Golden Boy - 8 previews
• The Anarchist - 8 previews

Opened This Week:

• A Christmas Story - 9 performances

A Christmas Story

Closed This Week:

• An Enemy of the People - 26 previews, 59 performances
• Cyrano de Bergerac - 32 previews, 52 performances

Elf

Special Performance Schedule This Week:

• A Christmas Story - 9 performances
• Elf - 9 performances
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf - 7 performances

Rank This Week	Show Title	Show Type	Theatre	Rank Last Week	Up/ Down
1	The Book of Mormon	Musical	O'Neill	2	+1
2 tie	The Lion King	Musical	Minskoff	3	+1
2 tie	Wicked	Musical	Gershwin	4	+2
4	Glengarry Glen Ross	Play Revival	Schoenfeld	1	-3
5	Once	Musical	Jacobs	5	Same
6 tie	Newsies	Musical	Nederlander	6	Same
6 tie	Annie	Musical Revival	Palace	12	+6
8	Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark	Musical	Foxwoods	10	+2
9	Rock of Ages	Musical	Hayes	6	-3
10	Jersey Boys	Musical	Wilson	6	-4
11	The Phantom of the Opera	Musical	Majestic	20	+9
12	A Christmas Story	Musical	Lunt-Fontanne	18	+6
13 tie	War Horse	PlayMusical	Beaumont	15	+2
13 tie	Mary Poppins	Musical	New Amsterdam	21	+8
13 tie	Evita	Musical Revival	Marquis	14	+1
16	Chicago	Musical  Revival	Ambassador	23	+7
17 tie	Elf	Musical  Revival	Hirschfeld	19	+2
17 tie	Nice Work If You Can Get It	Musical	Imperial	11	-6
19	Mamma Mia!	Musical	Winter Garden	24	+5
20	Peter and the Starcatcher	Play	Atkinson	27	+7
21	Cyrano de Bergerac	Play  Revival	American Airlines	17	+4
22	The Heiress	Play  Revival	Kerr	9	-13
23	Bring It On: The Musical	Musical	St. James	26	+3
24	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Play  Revival	Booth	16	-8
25	The Anarchist	Play	Golden	13	-12
26	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Musical  Revival	Studio 54	22	-4
27	Dead Accounts	Play	Music Box	25	-2
28	Grace	Play	Cort	30	+2
29	Chaplin	Musical	Barrymore	28	-1
30	Golden Boy	Play  Revival	Belasco	33	+3
31	Scandalouss	Musical	Neil Simon	29	-2

The 2012 OUT 100: The Broadway Connection, Part 2

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The Covers

Well, it's the end of November, and at last the rest of the 18th Annual Out 100 list is out!  The initial roll out featured 8 gentlemen with Broadway connections (read about them HERE).  Here are 8 more - 16 out of 100, not bad!  And the rest of the list is equally full of veterans of the stage and the new generation of theatrical movers and shakers.  Best of all, though, these artists represent the very best of their craft, and as people who lead and live by example.  They are role models, envelope pushers, champions and heroes.  Together, they (and all of the 100) move us even closer to a day when we might celebrate the 100 greatest people of the year - gay, straight or whatever.



Here are the rest of the theatre people celebrated on this year's Out 100!

Jon Robin Baitz: Playwright


Theatre Connection:  Well, he writes plays (and TV that more resembles theatre than television).  Most recently, he stunned with Other Desert Cities, his first play to make it to Broadway.

Walter Bobbie: Actor, Director


Theatre Connection: There are those of us old enough to remember know Bobbie was in the original cast of Grease, and we were probably old enough to have actually seen him in the much-beloved 90's revival of Guys and Dolls.  But I can almost guarantee that if you are reading this you have probably seen his directorial work - last year, he made sure the stage was smoking hot with David Ives' erotic thriller, Venus in Fur.  And for as long as most of us can remember... a little show called Chicago.

Boy George: Singer, Song Writer, Actor (OUT Magazine's Legend of the Year)


Theatre Connection: It's been awhile, and we'd love to have him back!  He was the star, the composer and lyricist and subject of Taboo.

Simon Callow: Actor, Director


Theatre Connection: Though this Brit is a living legend in his native country, Broadway has had the pleasure of his company twice: as director of Shirley Valentine and as performer in The Mystery of Charles Dickens.  Come back soon, Simon!

Jane Lynch: Actress (OUT Magazine's Entertainer of the Year)


Theatre Connection: The former Love, Loss and What I Wore star is probably best known as Sue Sylvester, the terror of McKinley High in the theatre-friendly Glee, but a better friend to the arts would be hard to find in real life.

Andrew Rannells: Actor (OUT Magazine's Ingenue of the Year)


Theatre Connection: Hello!  The Tony-nominated star of The Book of Mormon is now wowing the country in the hit TV series The New Normal.  I hope we haven't lost him completely to Hollywood...

Michael Urie: Actor


Theatre Connection: Since his acclaimed stint in TV's Ugly Betty, Urie has been no stranger to the New York stage, including equally acclaimed turns in The Temperamentals and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Matthew Wilkas: Actor


Theatre Connection: This fine slice of beefcake (like you don't see it...) currently stars in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark as bad boy Flash, and several ensemble roles.  He also understudies the web-slinger himself, Peter Parker/Spider-Man!

To see the full 2012 OUT 100, click HERE.  All photos by M. Sharkley.


Before you go... (Click the blue links!)
Check out these reviews: 

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• A Christmas Story
• Scandalous

Check out these Broadway Babies:

• A Christmas Story's Erin Dilly (Ms. November)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Will Chase (Mr. November) 
• Eric Sciotto (JKTS Chat) 
• Spencer Plachy (Face of the Future)

PLUS: Don't forget to VOTE in this week's "HOT or NOT": Bare Cast! (Please do BOTH parts!)  CLICK HERE!

4.088Jeff

Please Boicot This Show: The New Colony's Rise of the Numberless

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"The show is called r1s3 of the numb3rl3ss (remove the jarg) which i could call rise of the dumber fellas.

Basically america celebrates the adoption of a one child policy that saves the country and i suppose the world from starvation, cancer, unemployment, war, and many other catastrophes.

But as you could guess the stars in the show are a group of tinfoil hats that have as many children as they want because they dont care at all about other people suffering, and that are shown as victims being fugitives on the ran.

Seriously, make a law to charge every cast member, technician, scripter, director, and VERY SPECIALLY the producers for every unemployed and poor people in the world, they will lost EVERYTHING AND EVERY PROPERTY and it will be like an useless drop in the mouth of an utterly thirsty behemoth growing at the speed of light and killing hundred millions every year in many ways."

 -Internet Commenter userwords, from the forum A Childfree Life, which claims to be A Safe Haven in a Baby-Crazed World

I love when people are crazy on the internet, I mean, I looooooooooooove it.  There's now a way to pinpoint exact locations of insanity in the online world and completely ignore it, or secretly revel in it.  Like, back in the old Chicago days, we would say things like "Oh, man, don't even LOOK at the Wooden Nickel off of Wilson.  They will throw a shiv at you through the front door."  But now, you can go to the Wooden Nickel as a ghost and just hang out in the corner while drunken immigrants scream about people having babies.

This commenter (we'll call her Wanda) is incoherently bitching about "Rise of the Numberless", a new musical collaboration between the Bailiwick Theatre and local legends The New Colony.  Now, I dig The New Colony...they are a bunch of nice people who do hard work and make new musicals, which in an America where ANIMAL HOUSE is being adapted as a musical for the Broadway stage is an incredibly fucking daunting task.  And this one sounds particularly intriguing...a rock concert in support of the "numberless" children of the world who have become fugitives from society in a "One Child, One Nation" type of sci-fi dystopian future.  Actually, sounds pretty bitchin', and if I know The New Colony it's going to be intelligent and entertaining and fun!

Now, let's breakdown what Wanda here is trying to accomplish in her poorly worded post to "Boicot this show."  I want to concentrate on her last paragraph, because oh god it's so insane:

Seriously, make a law to charge every cast member, technician, scripter, director, and VERY SPECIALLY the producers for every unemployed and poor people in the world, they will lost EVERYTHING AND EVERY PROPERTY and it will be like an useless drop in the mouth of an utterly thirsty behemoth growing at the speed of light and killing hundred millions every year in many ways.

First of all, you can tell she is serious because she uses the word Seriously.  "Seriously, aliens are hiding plans to destroy country up anus."  What anus, slick?  Your story fell apart in the last moments.

Make a law to charge every one involved for every unemployed and poor person in the world.  Wait, make a law?  A law?  You are aware this is a fictional musical running at a small not-for-profit theater space in Chicago that at the most, maybe 1000 people will see?  No offense, I mean, I hope millions of people see it, but I'm not a crazy lady typing in broken English on an internet forum that celebrates killing babies to cut down smog levels.

Here's my favorite part though, the thesis statement of her magnum opus.  "...They will lost EVERYTHING AND EVERY PROPERTY and it will be like an useless drop in the mouth of an utterly thirsty behemoth growing at the speed of light and killing hundred millions every year in many ways."

Wow.  An utterly thirsty behemoth growing at the speed of light is quite a simile.  You sure you want to go to the "behemoth" analogy?  I mean, I crave some good crazy monsters who suffer from gigantism and murderous psychopathic tendencies but does one want to close with that?  Especially if you are trying to get normals on your side?  Kind of Book of Revelations, in my opinion, which is a pretty good book but it's no 2nd Corinthians.  Let's not kid ourselves, it's too pretty of a day.

Anyway, don't boicot a show.  Never boicot any show, for God's sake, what are we children?  Still, it was nice of Wanda to give Rise of the Numberless all this free pubilicity.  I wonder why more people don't realize that the average human will line up to do something when you tell them specifically not to do it?  Oh, because they are crazy people, that's right.

Thanks, Wanda!

A+

-Eric Roach, Anderson Lawfer