Reviewing the Drama: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Ballet, Movies, and TV Reviews

Leap of Faith The talented cast of the upcoming Leap of Faith , led by Raul Esparza and Jessica Phillips, gave select members of the press a preview of what to expect when the show begins previews at the St James Theatre on April 3. Watch a full preview of "Into the Light" (I can't stop singing it!) and Broadwayworld.com's video medley, both below. Broadway.com also has video of the sneak peek, including interviews with Esparza, Phillips and others. (From the looks of Esparza's movements, he's going to have some major knee problems by the end of the run if he's not wearing knee pads. Be careful, Raul!) Check out featured cast members at right (photo from Broadwayworld.com ), and visit Playbill.com and Theatermania.com for more photos from the event. I'm so excited for this, and I hope you are too! Visit leapoffaithbroadway.com for more information and to purchase tickets. (If the Broadwayworld.com video doesn't load properly, click here to ...

Having seen the Encores! production of Merrily We Roll Along , I feel as if I’ve gone through a musical theatre lover rite of passage. I had known of the show and was vaguely familiar with the plot and score but there’s nothing quite like seeing a top-notch production of a show to really hook you.   Merrily We Roll Along is an inspirational cautionary tale that follows three “old friends” on their journey from wide-eyed dreamers to hardened, jaded adults – but it’s told in reverse. When we meet Franklin Shepard (Colin Donnell), Mary Flynn (Celia Keenan-Bolger) and Charley Kringas (Lin-Manuel Miranda), they are showbiz and publishing veterans in their forties and they can barely stand to be in the same room with each other. Years of professional infighting (Frank is a composer and Charley his lyricist; Mary is a writer) have given way to the dissolution of what seemed to be an unbreakable bond. It’s an absolutely devastating story, and by telling it in reverse, Stephen Sondh...

Dear Readers, Please enjoy these last few Morsels of the year. Next week, Media Morsels will be dedicated to my Year in Review. Check back then to find out my favorite things of 2011. Show by Show When I took a musical theatre survey class in college, the Good Book was Broadway Musicals: Show by Show , by Stanley Green. It has since been my go-to for musical theatre tidbits. (For example, when my parents hear a song on the Broadway channel on XM and don't know what show it's from, I field their call and look it up in my Show by Show .) The edition I had, which was the newest at the time, only went through 1996; Rent was the last entry. This week I learned, from Playbill.com , that there's a seventh edition out, and it includes musicals up through 2010. (That means the recent Hair revival and American Idiot are in it!) This is a must-have for budding (or even established) musical theatre scholars and lovers. Pick up your copy today. More Year-End Lists AP's Top Theatr...

Venus in Fur : Back Before it's Gone The incredible, sexy power play Venus in Fur , which is set to conclude it's limited run on Broadway (via the Manhattan Theatre Club) on Sunday, will be back in the spring for a commercial run . (MTC is a not-for-profit theatre company.) Current stars Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy will return for the limited commercial engagement, set to run at the Lyceum Theatre, February 7-June 17. (I think it's smart to do this and not just because it's a phenomenal play. That spring run will include Tony season; this is sure to garner several Tony nominations so now this show will have an opportunity to enjoy a Tony bump.) Read my review of the current production , and visit VenusInFurBroadway.com for tickets. (Bonus: Check out this Hugh Dancy edition of Broadway.com's Ask a Star .) Take a look at the "trailer" below. Award Season Update This week, the Golden Globe , SAG and Critics Choice Movie Award nominations came out, and over...

Before you scoff at yet another screen-to-stage adaptation, take note: this is not Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s Bonnie and Clyde . Instead, as the authors of the new musical note in the Playbill, Bonnie & Clyde: A New Musical aims to tell a love story, albeit one between two eventual outlaws. This telling of Bonnie Parker (Laura Osnes) and Clyde Barrow’s (Jeremy Jordan) relationship and rampage really focuses on their love, passion and motives, rather than on the heists and body counts. (That stuff’s in there, too, but it’s not the focus.) I liked this take. I recently watched the Beatty-Dunaway film and was thoroughly bored. That movie didn’t delve into the relationships or try to explain where Bonnie and Clyde came from, what drove them to a life on the run. As I’m always more interested in the human condition than bullets, I liked Bonnie & Clyde ’s point of view. That’s not to say that this new musical is without its flaws, one of which – a major one – is fata...

More Muppet Moments Continuing the countdown they began last week, this week Broadway.com brought us more Broadway-Muppet crossover moments , including Ethel Merman . Below, Ms. Merman and the Muppets perform a Broadway medley, including some of her signature Anything Goes songs. (Did you see the Muppets perform "Mahna Mahna" on Good Morning America this week? If not, watch online .) Even More Muppets Jason Segel , who (you should know by now) co-wrote and is starring in The Muppets , which hits theaters on Wednesday, November 23, recently spoke to Indie Wire about the film and its possible sequels (and a possible The Muppet Show revival); what non-Muppet excitement is next for him, like Sex Tape with Reese Witherspoon; and the possibility of his Forgetting Sarah Marshall Dracula musical being fully realized. In the meantime, the funny man will host SNL this Saturday. Seasons of Regis : On a Clear Day You Can See Michael Mayer The visionary director (who was at the he...

Jason Segel Makes Rolling Stone 's Hot List The talented and very funny puppet lover makes Rolling Stone 's annual Hot List as the magazine (and I!) anticipate the release of The Muppets . (It opens November 23. Get thee to a theater.) In the short profile, Segel says he "just really appreciates puppetry as an art form," which, if you ask me, makes him the perfect choice to return the Muppets to their former glory. I can't wait to see the movie!!! Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade On the heels of Thespis's special day comes Thanksgiving, and with it the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I don't know about you, dear readers, but snuggling on the couch with loved ones is my favorite way to start my favorite holiday. Of course, my favorite part about the parade is the slate of performances from Broadway shows. This year, we'll see performances from How to Succeed , Priscilla , Sister Act and Spider-Man , in addition, of course, to the Rockette...

Watch The Nutcracker on Your TV! As part of the Live from Lincoln Center series, PBS will bring George Balanchine's The Nutcracker into you homes on December 14 at 8pm. The live performance of City Ballet's The Nutcracker will be filmed (from eight different camera locations, according to the announcement ) and broadcast to your living rooms (or wherever your TV is!) This performance will, of course, feature New York City Ballet principal dancers as well as 50 children from the School of American Ballet. Seeing a performance of The Nutcracker is a nice, family-friendly winter tradition, and now PBS is making it easier to enjoy! (NOTE: If you are in New York, and want to see the dancing snowflakes and Sugarplum Fairy live on stage, head over to the State Theatre between November 25 and December 31. Visit nycballet.com for more information and to purchase tickets.) In other City Ballet news, check out these gorgeous photos of the beautiful dancers making up the company . Ph...