Oscar Update

In what might be the zaniest thing to happen all award season (yep, I’m saying that this early), it was announced yesterday that James Franco and Anne Hathaway will host the Oscars next year, February 27, 2011. This seems kind of nutty to me for a few reasons:

1. James Franco will almost undoubtedly be nominated for Best Leading Actor for his excellent work in 127 Hours. While early buzzers say Colin Firth is more likely to win for The King’s Speech, Franco is definitely generating a ton of buzz, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to have a nominee (read: a potential winner) hosting. It just doesn’t sit right with me.
   
   
2. Both actors did well on their respective stints as SNL hosts, but neither is particularly known for their comedic chops. At least not the same way as actual comedians, like past hosts Jon Stewart, David Letterman or Billy Crystal. Hathaway sings, which bodes well for an opening number, but after that, who wants to listen to Franco and Hathaway make jokes about their colleagues? Again, this doesn’t sit right.
   
   
3. Will these two have any chemistry? Last year, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin together were popping off the screen with their rat-a-tat repartee. Though both Franco and Hathaway are lovely to look at and are talented actors (i.e., they could possibly feign chemistry), they seem so mismatched. Franco is the eternal student, a kind of kooky intellectual actor (say it with affect – ac-tore), and Hathaway the bright and bubbly ingénue. Once again, this just doesn’t sit right.

But, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they’ll be terrific together. Maybe this is a signal that the award show will focus more on the awards, and not on the host(ess) with the most(ess). (Or, maybe it’s a signal that the Oscar broadcast producers think that the appealing Franco and Hathaway will draw a crowd, particularly the coveted 18-29 demographic. Said producers did claim in a press release on oscars.org that “James Franco and Anne Hathaway personify the next generation of Hollywood icons.” True enough, but so do other people (or other pairings) who might make better hosts. Whatever the actual motivation behind this odd couple choice, it’s getting people talking about the Oscars. Mission: Accomplished?)

What do you think about this hosting selection? Leave you thoughts in the comment section below.

Ghosts in the Cottonwoods

I’ve seen bad plays before. (I’m looking at you, This.) Ghosts in the Cottonwoods is not a bad play, but I didn’t like it.

I must admit I feel bad saying that. Ghosts in the Cottonwoods is an Adam Rapp play, and Adam Rapp nearly tops the list of my favorite modern playwrights. Ghosts was one of his first plays, actually first written some 15 years ago. Teaming up with the Amoralist Theatre Company*, Rapp takes another swing at it. I don’t know what it was like in 1996 when it was developed at the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. In the program notes, Rapp says it was “overwrought, bloated [and] unsure of itself.” Now it isn’t quite any of those things: It has Rapp’s sharp writing; a very distinct vernacular with which all the characters speak, a trope often found in Rapp’s work; it is well acted and thoughtfully staged, something I’ve come to expect of Rapp, especially now that he’s taken to directing his own work. What I have trouble with is that while I was engaged inasmuch as it held my attention for 90 minutes and my mind didn’t wander too far off, it wasn’t particularly engrossing (at times it was downright disturbing) and worse yet, I found none of the characters to be at all relatable.

Ghosts did seem (perhaps at a stretch) relatable to another of Rapp’s works, though, his play Kindness. In both plays, Rapp explores familial relationships, particularly between mother and son. In both plays, strangers and/or interlopers come in to the protagonists’ lives and shakes things up, for better or (questionably in Kindness, definitely here) for worse. Both depict broken boys trying to find their way in the world. I found this relation to be most interesting, showing growth in Rapp’s writing and psyche. (Even though Rapp revisited Ghosts for this production, rewriting and updating, the seeds were planted long ago so I think it’s fair to look at Kindness as showing growth since Ghosts, space time continuum be damned.)

For my taste, Kindness, though distressing here and there in its own right, was much easier to sit through and because it depicted people a little more like me than those populating the Scully house in Ghosts, I liked the characters in Kindness; I had more sympathy for the Kindness characters; and I actually cared about what happened to them. (In Kindness, our protagonist is a somewhat sullen Midwestern teen on the cusp of adulthood; he’s joined by his sweet if sometimes dim mother, a Holly Golightly-esque party girl and a colorful cabbie. The folks in Ghosts live in the Southern Midwest, aren’t well educated and are backwoods and maybe a little manic.) So you see I feel bad saying I didn’t like an Adam Rapp play, but perhaps the more politick way to describe my reaction is that it simply wasn’t my cup of tea (…or homebrewed whiskey, as the ghosts may say).

The performances were all solid, though. Nick Lawson was convincing as Pointer, an Eminem-in-the-making-wannabe, housing his too-big basketball shorts and writing FUBU on his boxer’s waistband to try to approximate the images sold by his idols, including Jay-Z. Lawson’s Pointer seems to spit out rhymes so fast, like he’s afraid everything could end at any minute so he better get it out quickly. As his mother, Bean Scully, Sarah Lemp does a nice job portraying a woman who is tough because she has to be, but who delights at being made to feel feminine, as she does when Newt shows up at her door. Newt, as played by William Apps, is the most charming bounty hunter you’ll ever meet, and there are some genuinely touching and tender moments when Apps’s Newt forgets his mission, lets down his guard and connects with Bean. Rounding out the cast is the plucky Mandy Nicole Moore as Shirley Judyhouse, Pointer’s literate lover, and James Kautz and Matthew Pillieci, as Jeff Scully and The Man, respectively. When Kautz and Pillieci, playing escaped convicts, make their respective entrances, each thrashes about the stage like a feral beast, reigning terror down onto a Scully house that’s already moody from actual rain.

*A note about The Amoralists: The theatre company’s mission states that it “produces work of no moral judgment.” They are “dedicated to the honest expression of the American condition…[and] plunge the depth of the social, political, spiritual and sexual characteristics of human nature.” In this sense, The Amoralists are the perfect theatre company to produce Ghosts in the Cottonwoods. Rapp’s play certainly strives to express the American condition (albeit a part of America I’m not, shall we say, familiar with) and definitely plunges the depth of the myriad characteristics of human nature. While I didn’t love the play, as an artist I am grateful to Theatre 80 (the house giving a home to this production); The Amoralists; and Adam Rapp for creating safe spaces for these voices to be heard. Surely amid the glitz, glamour and splashiness of so much theatre (and other entertainment) today, we must recognize and celebrate the companies and artists putting their souls – or ghosts – out on display.

Visit theamoralists.com for more information.

All photos by Annie Parisse

Photos, from top to bottom:

1. L-R: Sarah Lemp (as Bean Scully) takes control of William Apps (as Newton Yardly). Background: Nick Lawson (as Pointer Scully, the son of Bean Scully).
2. L-R: Mandy Nicole Moore (as Shirley Judyhouse) and Nick Lawson (as Pointer Scully)
3. William Apps (as Newton Yardly)
4. L-R: Sarah Lemp (as Bean Scully) and Nick Lawson (as Pointer Scully, the son of Bean Scully) turn the tables on a mysterious guest
5. L-R: Mandy Nicole Moore (as Shirley Judyhouse), Nick Lawson (as Pointer Scully, the son of Bean Scully) and Sarah Lemp (as Bean Scully)

Chicago

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the longest running revival in Broadway history, full of those scintillating sinners, it’s Chicago! This revival of the 1975 John Kander- and Fred Ebb-penned, Bob Fosse-conceived musical began its current iteration on Broadway, albeit at a different theatre, in 1996, and it hasn’t stopped razzling and dazzling audiences ever since.

Though Chicago has been running for 14 years - or maybe because it has been running for 14 years- I had not seen it on stage until yesterday. Of course I’ve seen the movie (I own it, actually,) and of course I know the score, (and I even performed in my high school’s musical theatre class’s rendition of “Razzle Dazzle”), but since it was always there and appeared to be staying for a while, there was never a rush to go see it. So, when my family suggested we go see something when everyone was in town for Thanksgiving weekend (and since I’d taken two of the three members of our party to see American Idiot already and because Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson tickets in our price range were a no-go), I thought, “This is the perfect opportunity to see Chicago.”

I didn’t love it, but I liked a lot of it and thrilled over bits here or there. My favorite part was the Fosse choreography. Ann Reinking (you know, Grace Farrell from Annie, the movie?!?) played Roxie in the show’s original run (succeeding Liza Minnelli who succeeded Fosse’s wife, Gwen Verdon), and when this revival began in October 1996 she starred as Roxie opposite Bebe Neuwirth’s Velma. Reinking, being a great dancer and having worked on many Fosse productions, including the Tony-award wining tribute musical, Fosse, choreographed this revival of Chicago (and won a Tony for it) in “the style of Bob Fosse.” So I guess I didn’t thrill over the Fosse choreography but rather the Fosse-esque choreography. Much as I like fluidity and passion in my dance moves (like in, say, Jerome Robbins’s choreography), there’s something that can be very appealing about Fosse’s isolations and minimalistic dance moves. His style is sexy and slinky... and all that jazz. In fact, at first, watching the dancers roll their hips or tilt their heads during “All That Jazz” I thought they lacked a little energy. But then I got into the rhythm and mood of the show and realized it wasn’t a lack of energy: It was sultry aloofness for these hot shots who’ve seen it all in Chicago. That aloofness is served well by Fosse-esque choreography; it shouldn’t have been anything too showy or too splashy.

And speaking of not being showy or splashy, for a show with a signature number called “Razzle Dazzle,” this production doesn’t have a lot of it. Which is fine by me. The orchestra takes up most of the stage, as they sit in tiered risers overlooking the action on stage and in the audience. Each actor - with, I think, one exception - wears the same costume for the entire show, just picking up a notepad here or a hat there to suggest a different character. This keeps the show flowing, as we’re not waiting for scene changes. It also lends itself to the scrappy can-do attitude of the old vaudeville circuit, the conceptual inspiration for the show.

This brings to light perhaps the biggest difference between the show (at least this revival of the show) and its successful 2002 movie adaptation (starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere). The movie is very sexy - smoke-filled and sultry - while the show is more cartoony - more vaudevillian. My family thought Velma, as played here by understudy Donna Marie Asbury - was a caricature, too much of a cartoon and not real enough. While I understood their point of view and agreed to a degree, I did not view it as a detraction; I thought it worked here. These characters come from or long for the vaudeville circuit. (Example: During “Roxie,” Roxie admits, “Oh, I always wanted to be vaudeville.”) While the movie was sexy, vaudeville isn’t known for sexy, but rather slipping on a banana peel. In fact, if you listen to the revival cast recording, Bebe sounds cartoony - like she’s going for a laugh. Clearly, this was a directing choice. (This revival was directed by Walter Bobbie, who won a Tony for his work here.) I think it works, but I understand the complaint.

Charlotte d’Amboise, daughter of renown dancer Jacques and recent Tony nominee for her turn as Cassie in the most recent revival of A Chorus Line, stars here as Roxie Hart, the chorus girl who shoots her boyfriend when he tries to leave her and gets ratted on by her funny honey hubby, Amos. Roxie winds up in the clink, kept by Matron “Mama” Morton (a scene stealing Roz Ryan), where she meets Velma Kelly, who shot her husband and sister after she caught them “doing number 17, the spread eagle.” Velma is joined by the other merry murderesses of the Cook County Jail. (Their rendition of “Cell Block Tango” is spectacular!) All these ladies are looking for (more than) their 15 minutes of fame, and the slick lawyer, Billy Flynn (Tom Hewitt), is there to help them...for $5,000.

d’Amboise does a nice job as Roxie. She definitely sells the dance numbers, even if her singing and wannabe-Chicago-but-sounds-like-Bronx accent doesn’t quite cut it. A tall, thin, lanky woman, she’s actually the ideal body type for Fosse choreography. Her frame seems to lend itself very well to the angular isolations so closely associated with Fosse dances. I often find bodies like hers, when dancing other choreographic styles, to look awkward as they try to navigate graceful, fluid moves. But here, they look just right doing a shoulder shrug or leg flick.

Finally, one of the elements of this production that I liked the most was the choice to have the actors sitting on the sides of the stage at all times. They were there to watch the show because, as Velma and Roxie and Billy would surely argue, the whole thing’s a “three-ring circus.” And that’s Chicago!

Visit chicagothemusical.com for more information about this revival, the tour, the UK production and to purchase tickets.

Media Morsels 11.26.10

• Happy Thanksgiving!
  Yesterday was Thanksgiving (duh!) and that meant the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade brought us all the usual bells and whistles and floats. As usual, my favorite part was watching the performances from Broadway shows. It should come as no surprise that my very favorite part of that was watching my beautiful Idiots perform "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." They sounded great, they looked great and I just can't watch Johnny play guitar without tearing up. This Thanksgiving, I am so incredibly thankful for American Idiot, for pluralism and for the freedom of expression. Happy Thanksgiving!

• Bloody Bloody Bits
  President Sexypants was interviewed by the Craptacular, a Broadway blog (with a spectacular name…). Read on to find out what he’s been reading, how his “Rock Star” lap dance caused a woman’s teeth to fall out and how to get that “guy-liner” just right.
  
  
• Spider-Man Swings by NY Magazine Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is the subject of the cover story in this week’s New York Magazine. Sometimes theatre writer Jesse Green spent time with the creative team, mostly director Julie Taymor, to make some sense of this Spidey stuff. Taymor comes across as a thoughtful (not necessarily compassionate but rather meticulous) and confident artist, one who is shrewd about executing her vision. She also seems to be rather resilient and dismissive of the NY Post’s gossip whore columnist Michael Riedel, much to my delight. (Riedel has relished in being the bearer of bad Spidey news.) I’ll find out next week if the not-quite-finished product (it first starts previews on Sunday; the show won’t officially open until January 11) can quiet Taymor’s critics.
  
  
• NY Export: Opus Jazz
  The vibrant film adaptation of the wonderfully colorful and energetic Jerome Robbins ballet NY Export: Opus Jazz is now available on DVD! It was broadcast on PBS several months ago (maybe even a year ago…) and I taped it to VHS, but since VHS tapes are likely to go the way of the 8-track and likely won’t enjoy a resurgence like vinyls currently do, I’m definitely going to grab this on DVD. (I’ll report back about any nifty bonus features!) Visit opusjazz.com for more information and to order your copy today!

After the Revolution

A rallying cry at various rallies is often, “What are we fighting for,” (also the name of a Live song…). But what happens when you know what you’re fighting for and the fight ends? Where does the passion go? After going round and round, trading jabs and taking stabs, do you have it in you to fight some more for something else?

That’s partially what After the Revolution, the new play currently running at off-Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons, is about. Revolution centers on Emma and her leftist, Marxist family; her paternal grandfather ran in to trouble with a certain senator from Wisconsin in the 50s and Emma has appropriated his name for her foundation, The Joe Joseph Fund, which she is using to solicit and provide monetary and legal support for a former Black Panther member who has been branded a cop killer, though Emma and co. believe he has been jailed without having received a fair trial, all because of his political beliefs. When Emma finds out Grandpa Joe wasn’t everything she thought he was, she begins to question her belief system and what she’s fighting for.

All the while, Emma (Katharine Powell) is egged on by her father, Ben, an affecting and intense Peter Friedman (who was strong and quiet last year in Circle Mirror Transformation). Ben is a teacher and self-proclaimed Marxist who has encouraged Emma’s political behavior. His brother, Leo (Mark Blum), was also political in his day, though all three of his children have turned out to be jocks. When Leo and Ben discuss how Leo’s children handled the news of Grandpa Joe possibly leading a less than exemplary political life, Leo is fully disheartened that his greatest fear is realized: His children have no reaction.

This all left me thinking about politics (obviously), though in a couple variations: Governmental politics and social revolutions; and familial politics and nature vs nurture.

I have a very strong memory of my first political experience. (Well, I guess it’s really just the first I remember. It was November 1988 and I was heading into the gymnasium of PS 174 in Queens, accompanying my mom as she cast her vote in the presidential election. I, being all of five, said to her, “Mom, I think George Bush is going to win.” She looked at me and said, “Ugh, I hope not!” Mom and I still talk about politics and are still largely aligned politically. But my Democrat mother thought she’d raised Alex P. Keaton when my brother once announced (in recent, adult-years, not as a precocious kid) that he would vote for a Republican. She thought she failed him. I was reminded of this while watching After the Revolution.

Arguably, she didn’t fail him. He has political beliefs, unlike Leo’s children; they just aren’t my mom’s political beliefs. Mom believes in one revolution. Bro believes in another. Who is anyone to say who’s right or wrong? (Certainly I like to claim to know who’s right and wrong, but that judgment is entirely subjective.)

Setting aside specific political persuasions, After the Revolution echoed the sentiment of The Hurt Locker a bit. I thought of this at intermission when I reflected on the play’s themes: You fight and you fight and you fight and then the fight ends. Maybe the revolution comes, maybe it doesn’t. (What does the revolution look like, anyway?) After the revolution, you return to your home and try to adjust. But just like in The Hurt Locker, we see in After the Revolution that you can never go home again. It is incredibly difficult for Ben – a radical – for example, to adjust to normal life. He rants in school assemblies, much to the chagrin of his supervisors, and neglects one of his daughters (Jess, played by a spunky Meredith Holzman) because personal suffering has no place in Marxist philosophy. (We learn this in a chilling moment of confrontation between Emma and Ben.)

That’s Ben’s crisis. Emma’s crisis is dealing with the revelation about her grandfather’s revolution, which may not be so revolutionary after all. It seems Grandpa Joe may not have been the political martyr Emma thought but rather a liar – someone who perjured himself before Congress. What Emma has to deal with, and what we all probably have dealt or will have to deal with at some point is this: Is lying okay, dare I say commendable, if it is done for noble reasons?

Ultimately, the conclusion we come ‘round to after the Revolution still leaves us questioning: As human beings, sentient beings endowed with free will – the ability to make choices – we can only make the best decisions based upon the information we have at the time. Therefore, can we be held accountable for what we didn’t know? (Lawyers call this the veil of ignorance and try (sometimes valiantly, sometimes scrupulously) to pierce the veil and collect ridiculous amounts of punitive damages.)

Given all the questions brought to light in After the Revolution and all the answers it tries (with varying amounts of success, though the cast tries their best) to give, at the end, Emma’s step-grandmother, Joe’s wife, Vera, is left saying – after the revolution – “Not much progress. Not much progress.”

While we’re talking politics and theatre, allow me to bring to your attention the cold open from Saturday’s SNL. In it, Rachel Maddow (Abbey Elliott) is questioning soon to be House Majority Leader John Boehner (Bill Hader) about his governing strategy. Their exchange (watch the video below) is exactly what the whip-smart, hilarious and simultaneously reflective and prescient Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is about, particularly in its second half. Way to, SNL. Maybe next time you can invite President Sexy Pants to make the point for you!?!

Media Morsels 11.19.10

• American Idiot
  This is your chance to quite literally be a part of American Idiot: The show announced this week that it is holding a contest allowing fans to have their original art work incorporated into the Tony-winning scenic design. Artists are encouraged to send their “band’s poster, original art or any other dynamic image of [their] own design.” Tony winning scenic designer Christine Jones will pick a limited number of winners and add their art to the collaged walls. Visit AmericanIdiotonBroadway.com for more details and to buy tickets to the show.
  
  
• Bloody Bloody Bits
  Writer and director Alex Timbers visited Morning Joe last week to talk about Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, which basically depicts America coming into its adolescence. He said of emo being the right fit for AJ’s story, it, like musical theatre, can be “silly but it can also be transcendent.”
  
  The jokesters at Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson have a new target for their lampooning ways (and a new advertisement for their show):
  
  

• In Treatment
  The New York Times recently ran excerpts from separate interviews with writer Adam Rapp, actor Irrfan Khan and novelist and consultant Jhumpa Lahiri, who all collaborate on the Sunil episodes of In Treatment. The Sunil and Jesse episodes are definitely my favorites this season, and my affection for the Sunil episodes have everything to do with Rapp’s nearly unparalleled writing and Kahn’s magnificent performance each week. Be sure to watch In Treatment each week on HBO for some of the best and highest quality programming on the tube.
  
  
• Muppet Movie Update
  You probably know, dear readers, that the adorable Jason Segel is working on the latest Muppet movie. (An avid Muppet fan himself and a funny guy and talented writer to boot, Segel is the obvious and good choice, especially since he has designs on wresting the Muppets from squeaky clean Disney plot lines and allowing Kermit, Dr Teeth and the whole gang to revert back to their zaniness of the 70s and 80s.) So it was very exciting to see Segel seated among the Muppets (and collaborators James Bobin, Bret McKenzie and Nick Stoller) in a production shot released this week. Have a look below and check out the scoop from slashfilm.com on other Muppets goings on.

• New Foo for You
  As you may remember from past morsels, the Foo Fighters are hard at work on their seventh studio album. Joining them in the studio are Dave Grohl’s Nirvana-circa-Nevermind collaborators, bassist Krist Novoselic and producer Butch Vig. According a report in the current issue of Rolling Stone (an excellent issue, by the way, with Eminem on the cover, a post-election roundtable featuring Matt Taibbi, an in-depth look at the mortgage meltdown, also from Taibbi, and an interview with The Boss), Dave, Chris Shiflett (guitar), Taylor Hawkins (drums), Nate Mendel (bass), Novoselic and Vig expect to finish recording in early December. My guess is this means we can expect to get this brand new heavy Foo record in our hot little hands this spring. I can’t wait! After kicking around with other projects, including Them Crooked Vultures (featuring none other than John Paul Jones), Dave says, “I missed being in the Foo Fighters…this is where I belong.” Amen, Dave. Amen.
  
  
• The Daily Show’s at it Again
  The jester’s job is, arguably, to point out foibles of the elite. And as America’s most trusted jester (I think Al Gore said something about this on a Daily Show appearance a few years back), Jon Stewart and his merry band of comics took aim at Senator John McCain and his constantly changing and evasive non-stance on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Check it:
  
  

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
It Gets Worse PSA
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

• The Beatles on iTunes
  You can’t buy me love, but now you can buy The Beatles’ music on iTunes. The legendary band’s catalog had heretofore been unavailable digitally. (Certain songs that appeared on soundtracks or decent covers may have been available but not, say, Abbey Road.) Apple announced on Tuesday that John, Paul, George and Ringo’s catalog is now available through the iTunes store. Fans can purchase entire albums or individual songs, according to Rolling Stone’s coverage, from all 13 original albums and a couple of compilations. (Still holding out: AC/DC; Garth Brooks; Kid Rock; Bob Seger; Def Leppard; and Tool.)
  
  
• Glee Scoop
  Rob Sheffield recently said (in Rolling Stone) that each week, Glee leaves you wondering how they’re going to top themselves next week. Well, the Super Bowl is still several weeks away but EW.com has some news that just may top everything that’s come before it: the McKinley High misfits are going to be covering Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” According to the report, “Thriller” will be mashed-up with another yet to be determined song. So let’s take stock: It’s going to be the Super Bowl (good on its own); Glee will be on right after – and super-sized (i.e., longer); and the Gleeks will be rocking out to MJ. Whew! Can’t wait for February 6 and Super Bowl XLV!
  
  Harry Shum, Jr., who plays the Other Asian Mike Chang will be a series regular in the show’s third season, E! Online reports. This doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll see more screen time (to wit: Dianna Agron/Quinn is a series regular and we barely saw her in this week’s episode) but it does mean his name will appear in the opening credits…and he’ll likely receive a pay bump!
  
  Surf’s up! Dreamboat Matthew Morrison is on the cover of Details magazine’s December issue. Inside, stalkers readers will find some sexy shots of the triple threat traipsing along the beach (along with a written profile, available online), brought to you by photographer Norman Jean Roy. (Check out behind-the-shoot video here.) Visit details.com to see bonus photos of Dreamboat Morrison in (and out of) designer duds.
  
  
• Bringing Sexy Back
  Ready for more dreamboatiness? Morrison was named one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive. While he didn’t make the cover (that would be Ryan Reynolds – who’s nice but not the sexiest man alive, in my humble opinion), Morrison is featured in a sexy black and white photo inside, along with other sexy men like Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downy, Jr., JTims, Jon Bon Jovi and Leo (in an enticing photo from his recent appearance in Rolling Stone). The issue is on newsstands now. Go to people.com for full sexy coverage.
  
  Not to be outdone (and possibly a sexier issue), GQ released its Men of the Year issue this week. There are few different covers – I like the one with The Dude on it (that would be Jeff Bridges, for those unfamiliar with how The Big Lebowski rolls). Other men of the year include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Franco, Ryan Gosling, Jesse Eisenberg and Glee’s own Chris Colfer, plus the leading men of Boardwalk Empire – four Michaels and a Steve (Pitt, Stuhlbarg, Kenneth Williams, Shannon and Buscemi), and a photo of Mark Ruffalo looking just as scrumptious as the food in his garden in The Kids Are All Right. That issue is also on newsstands now and is plenty swoon worthy! Head to GQ.com for all the details.
  
  Perhaps the sexiest things in magazines right now, though, are the Gap ads featuring sexy funnyman Donald Glover and City Ballet principal dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied. (Visit Gap’s Facebook page for photos and videos of their Holiday 2010 campaign.)
  
  
• Award Season Update
  Funny man Joel McHale will host the Film Independent Spirit Awards this winter. The awards, presented on IFC the Saturday before the Academy Awards, honor excellence in independent film making. Sometimes nominees for Spirit awards are also Oscar nominees, as Oscar has taken to recognizing more independent films in favor of big budget blockbusters, but sometimes they’re not. Either way, the Spirit awards is always a good place to get some film recommendations for your Netflix queue. And with McHale hosting, it’s sure to be a good broadcast. Tune in to IFC on February 26 for all the fun.
  
  
• SNL Update
  EW.com is reporting that the venerable late-night sketch comedy show will welcome some talented and funny men as their host and musical guests in December. Kicking off the month will be Robert De Niro (December 4). Next up (on December 11), cutie Paul Rudd will return as host, with another Paul – Sir McCartney, that is – serving as musical guest. Closing out the calendar year on December 18, Oscar winner Jeff Bridges will take over hosting duties while Eminem treats us to his own musical stylings. Tune in Saturdays at 11:30 on NBC. (Or DVR the shows and watch anytime – like me!)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, a musical stage adaptation of the Pedro Almodovar film, looks exactly the way it should: like a musical stage adaptation of the Pedro Almodovar film. Almodovar’s films are highly stylized; he shoots at very specific angles and the lively colors look like pop art on film. The designers of the stage version have captured that look, which should thrill any Almodovar fan.

I overheard the woman sitting next to me comment, during intermission, that she thought the show was a little over the top. Now, dear readers, you know I don’t usually go for schmaltz or gimmicks and prefer stripped down, expressive art. But here - while I wouldn’t call it schmaltzy the production effort, the wow factor, is tremendously palpable - it works; it’s what’s needed. These women are on the verge! They’re wound up; eccentric; maybe a little nutty (some of them are certifiable); they’re full of color and life so the design is, too. Any hints of staidness would be completely out of place. I really liked that the frenetic energy of the fluidly moving sets and projections (Michael Yeargan and Sven Ortel, respectively) matched the frenetic energy of the women (and men) on the verge. And as if the characters didn’t pop on their own, Catherine Zuber’s richly saturated and colorful costumes pack an extra punch, while remaining faithful to the designs from the film.

Here, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the projections. They are used in Women on the Verge to give a full sense of Madrid 1987, just the way the actual scenery and landscapes were used in Almodovar’s film. It helps that they’re projections and not scrims (painted backdrops) because it allows the show to carry on at an uninterrupted pace. These highly effectively projections (and The Sky Box’s aerial design - yup, there’s flying involved); the beautiful and often times emotional projections in American Idiot; and what I hear are terrific projections and film sequences in this season’s Brief Encounters all make a very good case for a special Tony category.

So if I’m writing about the design first you might be wondering if that means the meat and potatoes of the show aren’t quite what they should be. Well, I’m happy to report that that is not the case. The book, by Jeffrey Lane, is very funny, complete with zany antics and Jackie Mason-esque one-liners. (To wit: “Your mother’s really something.” “Yes, and the next minute she’s something else.” Zing!) The score, by David Yazbek, is lively and fun while it lasts, if not wholly memorable or hummable. (Though, I did love hearing some Spanish guitar - so sexy.) Christopher Gattelli’s choreography was rumba-tastic and Bartlett Sher’s direction was right on point.

And the performances! Nikki Graff Lanzarone is the one actress who looks most like her film counterpart. She as Marisa and de’Adre Aziza as Paulina are both serviceable here. Mary Beth Peil (a stage vet who can currently be seen on The Good Wife as Peter Florick’s mother) is nice as Pepa’s Concierge, the slightly flighty but devout landlord. Justin Guarini, a stage newcomer some may remember from the first season of American Idol, is good here as Carlos. He hits his marks and punchlines. His voice is fine, but its thinness is all too apparent when he’s singing with his stage father, Ivan, the bellowing Brian Stokes Mitchell. That man could sing from the bottom of the Grand Canyon - sans microphone - and be heard in Florida. He’s very good here as rico suave, a too-smooth Lothario who pushes many of the women to the verge. And Danny Burstein is charming, funny and lovably kooky as the Taxi Driver, more or less our guide and voice of reason throughout.

But those three women: Patti LuPone, Laura Benanti and Sherie Rene Scott. Wow! Okay, let’s just get it out of the way: Patti LuPone is a fabulous diva. She seems to relish this juicy character role (Lucia, Ivan’s jilted wife), with outrageous costumes and wigs and tons of comedic bits that cement her as one of the all-time stage greats. She walks on stage and owns it. What a presence. Not to be outdone, Laura Benanti (who co-starred with LuPone in the most recent revival of Gypsy, for which both women won Tonys) is fantastic here. (She might have given my favorite performance.) She has a wonderful voice, that’s obvious; but she’s also incredibly funny - hilarious, even, as Candela, the totally spacey model who urgently seeks the help of her best friend, Pepa. Pepa, of course, is our leading lady, an actress played to perfection by my favorite beltress, the terrific Sherie Rene Scott. Scott exudes confidence and sexiness, but also has moments of vulnerability, showing the cracks in her appealing surface. She’s the protagonist and emotional core of the show, and her show closing number, “Talk to Me” is chilling.

Also served chilled is gazpacho. Gazpacho figures prominently in the show, which is basically about women trying to come down from the ledge after these men have pushed them to the edge. I won’t give too much away, for those unfamiliar with the Almodovar film, particularly with this whole gazpacho zaniness. But, I will say that perhaps my favorite part of the show was when I entered the theatre to see that instead of a curtain, there was a scrim with a gazpacho-stained gazpacho recipe emblazoned on it. Absolutely brilliant. And tasty!

(Visit lct.org for more information about the show or to buy tickets. And click here to meet the characters.)

127 Hours

When I first heard about 127 Hours, I thought, “Yeah, right. Like I’m really going to watch a rock for 90 minutes.” But, the buzz was good and I like James Franco so I went for it. Turns out it was excellent.

127 Hours is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a climber and canyoneer who was out for an adventure and found one - just not the kind he was expecting. While en route to the big drop at Blue John Canyon, Aron’s right arm got crushed and caught by a boulder. Unable to move the boulder, Aron, after being stuck there for six days - 127 hours - makes the life-saving decision to amputate his own arm (with a dull knife) and escape. Aron’s story as depicted in the movie - particularly the ending, post-amputation - might seem hard to believe, contrived even, but the inspiring thing is that it is true.

(Possible spoilers beyond this point. While we all know the ending, I am going to talk about some specifics of the middle.)

Over the course of a very fast 90 minutes, we watch Aron go on a journey, even though he’s stuck in one place for about 90% of the time. The movie begins with bright colors, chaotic scenes and a pulsing score. (Familiar territory for director Danny Boyle.) We see Aron prepping for his trek, ignoring a phone call from his sister and not telling his friends where he’s going. He arrives at the base of the canyon, rests in his truck for the night and when the sun rises, so does he. Aron bursts out of the truck and sets off.

Here’s the remarkable thing: This set up is crucial to the success of the movie. We, the audience, have to immediately like Aron so that we can survive the six days with him. These expository moments are just right. We get the chance to see that Aron loves the journey. When he is racing up the mountain and gets tripped up, tumbling off his bike, he laughs, smiles and takes a picture of his stumble. It’s really all about the ride and there seems, to me, to be something humble and appealing about that. Then he meets two young ladies who are lost. He offers to be there guide and is thoroughly charming as he helps them to their destination, showing them a

beautiful, tucked away oasis along the way. Shortly after leaving the ladies, Aron starts to make his way through a crevasse. Though he checks the stability of the rocks and branches as he goes, disaster hits when the boulder comes crushing down on his right arm.

Over the course of the next six days, Aron must figure out how to survive. He has little water and almost no food; no cell phone to use to call for help; no leverage to move the boulder. He does have a video camera. Seeming to have accepted that he is in his final resting place, he uses the camera to say his final goodbyes to his loved ones. These are incredibly touching moments, interspersed with flashbacks to his time growing up and to his mistakes (with a girlfriend) of the recent past. While Aron is taking stock of his life, he’s also starting to lose his mind. (Six days of nothingness will do that to you.) Some of the hallucinations are hilarious; some of them are frightening; some of them are tremendously moving. Just when Aron seems to have given up hope, his past flooding back to him and his present almost coming to an end, Aron has a revelation about the future that gives him just enough hope to persevere. He proceeds to break and cut off his arm, finally escaping from the boulder. The look on James Franco’s face as Aron looks at the boulder that almost cost him his life - one of contempt and disgust, with a slight sense of having vanquished his foe - is brilliant.

But the journey’s not over yet. Aron still has to get down the mountain and find sustenance and medical attention. In other words, Aron (who we’ve learned thinks of himself as a hard hero) needs help. As he’s about to collapse in the desert, he thinks he spots some people ahead of him. He tries to call for help but his voice doesn’t work at first. Finally, sounds come out and the people come running. Then more people and finally a helicopter, bringing him to safety.

This movie was the most intense thing I’ve ever sat through. It’s amazing that, even while knowing Aron’s ultimate fate, the time he spent fighting with the boulder was still gripping. There are some really terrific cinematic moments in 127 Hours. I’m thinking in particular of the devastatingly ironic use of Bill Withers’s “Lovely Day.” Being an engineer and a man of action, Aron creates a pulley, of sorts. The song plays as Aron tries to use this pulley to move the boulder. “It’s gonna be a lovely day, lovely day, lovely day” plays as Aron looks at the boulder in anguish, realizing it won’t budge an inch.

James Franco really gives an incredible performance here. He goes through a roller coaster of emotions as Aron stays in one place and there’s never a false moment. Especially poignant are the moments when Aron is making his videos. What begins as something very funny - Aron pretends he’s on a talk show and carries on a conversation with himself (Franco putting on different voices and reminding viewers he can be pretty goofy) - turns in to something incredibly sad and heart wrenching, as Aron realizes he brought himself to this place.

I was amazed at how quickly the movie passed by and by how enthralling it was. You might think that watching someone trapped under a rock can’t make a movie - but it does. 127 Hours is thoroughly gripping, intense, emotional and, ultimately, inspirational.

Media Morsels 11.12.10

• Bloody Bloody Bits
  Vogue.com recently put the spotlight on five politically themed shows treading the boards, all of which have a connection to The Public. On their list of must-see political theatre is Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Check out their write up of my favorite dirty sexy dive-bar show, as well as their other picks, Angels in America, That Hopey Changey Thing, Gatz and In the Wake.
  
  Hunky leading man Benjamin Walker and his rocking co-stars were interviewed in this week’s Time Out New York, and along the way helped TONY show off the best winter bars in New York. I’ll drink to that! (Bonus: Check out these behind-the-scenes shots from the Bloody Bloody cover-photo shoot!)
  
  While some Bloody Bloody blokes were out boozing, Broadway.com was catching up with funny man Jeff Hiller, who plays a few characters in Bloody Bloody, including the whiney John Quincy Adams. Read what he has to say about garnering laughs and finally landing a Bloody Bloody gig.
  
  
• No More Normal
  Bad news, dear readers: Next to Normal will close on January 16, 2011. This isn’t much of a surprise, given their recent weekly box office returns, but it’s disheartening nonetheless. However, as we used to say in high school, “don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” Next to Normal began as a class exercise when Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey were in a musical theatre writing workshop over ten years ago. Since then, it was produced off-Broadway at NY’s Second Stage, where I first saw it, and then reworked at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage before debuting on Broadway in March 2009. It’s made it well past the one year mark on Broadway – an extraordinary feat these days – and won three Tony awards and a Pulitzer. The first national tour of Next to Normal will begin this month and features the amazing Alice Ripley in her Tony winning role. Congratulations cast, crew and creatives (and chutzpah filled producers) for believing in this raw, powerful original musical and sharing it with all of us.
  
  
• Boycotting the Boys
  This past weekend, protesters from The Freedom Party demonstrated outside the Lyceum theatre, where The Scottsboro Boys just opened. The show, about nine young black men falsely accused of rape in 1931, uses the minstrel show technique as a storytelling device. The protesters were demonstrating against the use of minstrelsy, claiming it is racist and perpetuates racist stereotypes. This is true, but (in my opinion and according the creators) here it is used to comment on our racist past; the use of minstrelsy in The Scottsboro Boys in not meant as commendation but rather condemnation. In my review of the new Kander and Ebb musical, I wondered if the intentions behind using the minstrel show would be lost on some theatergoers. Apparently, it’s been lost on some theatre protestors.
  
  
• Censorship in Schools
  Speaking of misunderstood racism: A high school in Florida has canceled a production of To Kill a Mockingbird because of its use of the N word. I’m appalled at this. I don’t advocate the use of such language. I rarely drop F-bombs or other invectives but the language in the Harper Lee classic isn’t used willy-nilly. It’s used purposefully and it reflects the language used at the time. I wonder if they’d censor West Side Story, in which some racial epithets are thrown around. Or what about Shakespeare when Sampson bites his thumb at the Montagues? The worst part about this is what the high school’s principal said in defense of his decision: “Community members [who come to see the play] would not be able to discuss the controversial material…in the same way students do in class.” They shouldn’t need to! They’re adults! Hopefully they’ve already discussed it when they were in school. And if they haven’t, can’t they be adults and discuss it on their own?
  
  
• Adam Rapp at Humana
  A new season at the Humana Arts Festival in Louisville will begin this spring and it will feature a new work from one of my favorite playwrights, Adam Rapp. His The Edge of Our Bodies will play the Victor Jory Theatre from March 22-April 3, 2011, and will be directed by Rapp, as is his common practice these days. Visit actorstheatre.org for more information. (Can’t make it to the festival but need a Rapp-fix? Watch In Treatment on Monday nights; the Sunil episodes are written and produced by Rapp. And check out The Amoralists’ production of Rapp’s Ghosts in the Cottonwoods here in NY.)
  
  
• They’re All Gonna Laugh At You
  You remember when, a couple months ago, I mentioned that Carrie: The Musical would be making its way back to New York with a reworked script? Well, this week MCC, which will produce the work in its 2011-2012 season, and other producers got some folks together for a reading. Featured in the reading were Aaron Tveit (!!!), Marin Mazzie, Molly Ranson (in the title role), Annaleigh Ashford (Veronica in Heathers) and Spring Awakening alum (and current The Big C player) Alexandra Socha. Now that Aaron Tveit is in the mix, you can be sure I’ll update you on future developments.
  
  
• Glee Scoop
  It’s November which means it’s sweeps month – which means the TV shows are pulling out all the stops and wrangling in super-star guest stars. (This week: Marty McFly Michael J. Fox made an effective and hilarious appearance on The Good Wife.) Coming up this month on Glee: Carol Burnett! We knew this was coming and we knew when it was coming but, dear readers, it’s almost here. The comedy legend will appear on the November 23 episode of Glee and, according to Ms. Burnett in a TV Guide interview, she may be coming back for more. I can’t wait to see her go toe to toe with Jane Lynch – two funny ladies being hilarious. Now that’s good television.
  
  In other Glee news, Darren Criss may become a series regular. Criss made his Glee debut in this week’s episode as the charming Blaine, Kurt’s gay friend from an all-boys school. Criss was originally contracted as a recurring character but rumors abound that he will in fact become a regular cast member in the third season. I really liked his character and his and Kurt’s fledgling relationship so I think this is great news. What do you think? Would you like to see Criss on Glee more often?
  
  
• Is Blue Valentine a Blue Movie?
  Blue Valentine, the new film featuring one of my faves, Ryan Gosling, and Michelle Williams as a struggling married couple, had been generating a lot of buzz. First it was buzz coming out of the festival circuit and that buzz was about the impeccable quality of the film. (Reportedly: a gripping story told through virtuosic performances.) More recently, though, it’s been getting buzz because of the NC-17 rating the absurdly secretive and thoroughly unpredictable and prudish MPAA slapped on the film. Star Gosling said (via E! Online) the rating “seems arbitrary to me.” Me too, Ryan! There seems to be no reliable guideline filmmakers could use to determine what rating their movie will receive. Of course, nothing has to be rated; however, many theaters decide what movies to show based on the ratings. For example, they’d rather play lots of PG or PG-13 rated movies that will draw bigger crowds. (Think about any animated film. The kids want to see it. The parents have to take them. That’s reasonably four tickets, plus concessions. Compare that to some R rated movie – like Pulp Fiction. Not exactly family entertainment. I might go by myself and not purchase any concessions. Who does Regal Entertainment prefer as a client?) Well, I could go on ad nauseam about the utter ridiculousness of the MPAA, but for now, suffice to say that Blue Valentine will be a movie I make a point to see in the theatres if for no other reason than to support interesting, careful, thoughtful and uncompromising filmmaking. (To go behind the scenes of the ratings board (kind of) check out the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated – available for instant viewing on Netflix.)
  
  
• Eat Your Veggies!
  An article in this week’s New York Magazine highlighted the prevalence of vegetable-centric meals, some of which totally eschew meat while others simply relegate meat to a supporting role. I like my veggies a lot – especially when they’re fresh and simply prepared (say with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a crack or two of pepper) – so I’m glad to see this trending and infiltrating restaurants’ menus. What do you think? Is it time for a cucumber comeback?
  
  
• Catch Me Casting
  It’s official: Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz will be playing on stage at the Neil Simon theatre in the Broadway bow of Catch Me if You Can. You may remember that both actors originated roles in the show’s Seattle run last summer. Also joining them from that production are Kerry Butler and Tom Wopat. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I am psyched to welcome Aaron and Norbie back to the boards. Catch Me begins previews March 7 in anticipation of an April 10 opening. (Anyone want to place bets on Tveit receiving a Tony nomination for Catch Me as way of nominators showing remorse for egregiously leaving him nomination-less for his amazing, thrilling, charismatic and otherwise flawless performance in Next to Normal?)
  
  
• Not So Miraculous Year
  You may remember that a Kathryn Bigelow directed, John Logan written and Broadway star studded TV pilot was recently shot, with the hopes of becoming an HBO series. Well, unfortunately, HBO passed on The Miraculous Year. (Norbert Leo Butz was to star in the show; given the Catch Me announcement, though, I wouldn’t feel too terribly bad for him.) I’m pretty bummed about this as the show – about theatre folks and the trials and tribulations that go in to writing a musical – appealed to me. But, I suppose this doesn’t explicitly spell the end of the Year. HBO famously passed on Mad Men, which went on to find a home (and a rabid audience) at AMC. I’ll be sure to bring you any updates so keep checking back.
  
  
• Tonys Find a Home
  The Tony Awards will call the famed Beacon Theatre home on June 12, 2011. Shortly after this year’s Tony ceremony, it was announced that Radio City Music Hall, the Tonys’ home for several years, would be unavailable at Tony time in 2011 and so producers began looking for a new home. They found it in the Beacon Theatre, which has hosted a slew of great rock acts for decades. Visit tonyawards.com for more information.
  
  
• Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!
  The beloved show from the Children’s Television Workshop, Sesame Street, turned 41 this week. To help celebrate, Broadway.com compiled several clips of theatre veterans taking a stroll down the Street, including Neil Patrick Harris singing about shoes and James Earl Jones reciting the alphabet.
  
  (It was also Leo’s birthday this week. The uber talented star turned 36 on November 11. Happy Birthday, Mr. DiCaprio! Also, let’s wish a happy birthday to Anne Hathaway (28) and Ryan Gosling (30), who both celebrate their birthday today.)
  
  
• Award Season Update
  You know how I love award season, dear readers. This week, we learned that Robert De Niro will receive the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes. The full list of Globe nominees will be announced on December 14 and the ceremony will be held and broadcast on NBC on January 16.
  
  Also, it’s now time to vote for the People’s Choice Awards. I usually find that my choices are not the people’s, but I vote so that I can complain! Some of the categories are a little nutty – like favorite TV obsession and favorite family TV movie – but you can skip the categories that are not applicable to your tastes. Visit peopleschoice.com to cast your vote.
  
  
• The Boss Talks
  As The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story (a posh box set) gets ready to hit the shelves, Bruce Springsteen sat down with Rolling Stone to talk about the record, the reissue and everything in between. That issue hits newsstands today and RollingStone.com has online exclusive audio of the interview. It’s so boss.
  
  
• More Mark Rylance
  The terrific Tony Award winning actor Mark Rylance is currently busy being hilarious in La Bete. That play is set to end its limited run in February. Rylance fans may note have much cause for withdrawal, though, as Rylance may be springing right back in to action in a Broadway transfer of the successful-in-London play Jerusalem. Rylance starred (and won oodles of acclaim and awards) in Jerusalem when it played in the West End in 2009 and 2010. Jerusalem is looking to bow on Broadway this spring, sometime before the April 28 Tony eligibility cut off. Nothing’s official, but if Rylance is on a stage, you know I’ll be in an audience.
  
  
• The Spring Standards
  I usually don’t watch commercials – that’s why I’m in a long-term relationship with my DVR. But, one of my favorite bands, The Spring Standards, can currently be seen shilling for BlackBerry. I absolutely adore James, Heather and James, and their endorsement of the phone leaves me giving thought to picking up the phone. (But on second thought, I’ll just watch the commercial a couple of times and listen to their records a lot!)