Media Morsels 2.24.12

• Peter and the Starcatcher
  
  Star stuff is coming to Broadway. As we've known for several weeks now, Peter and the Starcatcher, which was magical last year at the New York Theatre Workshop, is heading uptown for a Broadway engagement at the Brooks Atkinson Theater. The show unveiled its new website this week, which comes complete with a priority pre-sale discount! Visit peterandthestarcatcher.com to order tickets for as little at $59. Also on the site: a video about crafting the show's poster (at right) and a FAQ sheet so you can enjoy every last bit of star stuff! Previews begin on March 28, and they're ready: they just announced the full cast!
  
  
• The Lyons
  If you hear some roaring in the theatre district, it's probably coming from the Cort Theatre, where, it was announced this week, The Lyons will take up residency. The superb Nicky Silver play, which ran at the Vineyard Theatre last year (I loved it), is making the leap to Broadway this spring, opening sometime before the April 26 Tony eligibility deadline. Linda Lavin is confirmed to reprise her role as the Lyons matriarch and most of the off-Broadway cast (including Michael Esper) are expected to return, as well, according to the announcement on Playbill.com. Stay tuned for details!
  
  
• Leap of Faith
  If you're excited about Leap of Faith coming to Broadway, then you'll remember that a few weeks ago, stars Raul Esparza and Jessica Phillips did a photo shoot for the show. You may also remember that a couple weeks ago they released a behind-the-shoot video (see below). Well, this week the actual promotional shots were released. They seem to say, "Hello. We are the cast of Leap of Faith, and we are sexy." (And I'm totally fine with that!) Visit the show's Facebook page to view all the photos by Joan Marcus, like the one at right, and then head over to leapoffaithbroadway.com to learn more and purchase tickets. (Bonus: On the website, you can listen to the title song!)
  

• Springtime for Broadway
  There are lots and lots of shows opening this spring, all before the April 26 Tony eligibility deadline, including the three mentioned above. I am most excited to see Leap of Faith because if Raul Esparza is on a stage, you get excited. Those are the rules. But I'm also looking forward to several off- to on-Broadway transfers, like the two mentioned above and Clybourne Park. Plus there's the incredible cast of The Best Man (stars include Angela Lansbury, Candice Bergen, Michael McKean and James Earl Jones), the London-tested Ghost starring Hair's Cassie Levy, and the American classic Death of a Salesman (which I'm seeing this weekend!). But that's me. Want to know what working theatre actors are looking forward to seeing? The good folks at the New York Times asked and have shared the stars' answers with us. And now, I want to know: what do you want to see this spring?
  
  
• Downton Abbey: The Musical?
  Not exactly. Dealing with Downton withdrawal, the Broadway.com team decided to cast a (fantasy) musical adaptation of Downton Abbey. From the legendary Angela Lansbury taking on Dame Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess, to the luminous Laura Benanti stepping into Michelle Dockery's shoes as Lady Mary, I like most of their choices. Except one: no offense to Stark Sands, but Aaron Tveit has to play Matthew Crawley. They're both so dreamy! What do you think? Who would you cast?
  
  
• Oscar Time
  Are you ready for the 84th Annual Academy Awards? They will be presented this Sunday night on ABC at 8pm, with red carpet coverage beginning on E! at 6pm. Some Oscar prep:
• A list of nominees (and my commentary!)
  
  
• My favorite piece of Oscar prep: AP's style guide!
  
  
• EW.com has an updated list of presenters
  
  
• Call is Schadenfreude or simply pointing out that sometimes amazing performances don't win Oscars, Gold Derby takes a look at Meryl Streep's 14 losing Oscar bids.
  
  
• Need help getting dressed? Funnyman Paul Feig gives tuxedo-wearing advice.
  
  
• Empire Online's guide to a proper Oscar acceptance speech
  
  
• Oscar etiquette, courtesy of Michael Myers and Kevin Kline
  
  
• Funnyman and Hugo star Sacha Baron Cohen is set to attend the Oscars; the question is: will he attend as Cohen or in character as the titular dictator of his new film? (Update: The Academy isn't too keen on Cohen showing up at the dictator. Further update: Cohen isn't too keen on the Academy banning him.)
  
  
• Another star of Hugo is talking: Michael Stuhlbarg, also known for his penetrating portrayal of gangster Arnold Rothstein on Boardwalk Empire, talked with Moviefone about Hugo, Empire and Martin Scorsese.
  
  
• Rolling Stone's Peter Travers makes his Oscar picks
  
  
• ...so do several Broadway actors, including Raul Esparza and Celia Keenan-Bolger.
  
  
• Slate discusses how two of the Best Actor contenders, George Clooney and Brad Pitt, became this era's Paul Newman and Robert Redford. (For the record, I disagree with author David Haglund's final conclusion. What do you think?)
  
  
• Oscar's official website, full of trivia and behind the scenes featurettes
  
  
• Matt Taibbi on the Republican Debate
  The Republican party, according to Rolling Stone's venerable journalist Matt Taibbi, is in the last stage of a paranoid illness. The chickens are coming home to roost, he says, adding, "It's as if all of the American public's bad habits and perverse obsessions are all coming back to haunt Republican voters in this race..." Taibbi's insights are usually right on, and he's often thrillingly sardonic, to boot. Stay tuned to his Taibbi Blog throughout the election season. (Decisions are made by people who show up. So make sure you show up to vote this year (and every year, for that matter). Visit rockthevote.com for information about registering and voting.)
  
  
• Dig This
• Preview "Shackled and Drawn," another song from Bruce Springsteen's new album, Wrecking Ball, on RollingStone.com.
  
  
• Seminar star Hamish Linklater talks to Broadway.com about performing on Broadway.
  
  
• Genius composer Tom Kitt talks about adapting and enhancing Green Day's American Idiot record for the stage.
  
  
• Community is coming back!!!
  
  
• Here's a Friday treat: a piano cover of Foo Fighters' "Everlong." This is proof positive of the power of a good cover. (I think it sounds like it should accompany a Christopher Wheeldon ballet!)