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

Award Season Update As we head toward the Oscars , The Hollywood Reporter has nominees' secrets about their performances. They checked in with, among others, Leonardo DiCaprio ( The Wolf of Wall Street ), Amy Adams and Christian Bale ( American Hustle ) and Chiwetel Ejiofor ( 12 Years a Slave ). Academy Rescinds Nomination —In a rare move, the Academy's Board of Governors rescinded the Best Original Song nomination of "Alone Yet Not Alone," from the eponymous movie, leaving just four nominees in the category. You can get the whole story on the Oscars blog , but the bottom line is the songwriter improperly courted Academy nominators. Lupita Nyong'o , nominated for her riveting performance in 12 Years a Slave , spoke with Rolling Stone 's Peter Travers about the film...and her flawless fashion choices for the "prom-like events." Oscar Breakdown — The Hollywood Reporter 's Scott Feinberg assesses the Best Adapted Screenplay race , the n...

Bruce Springsteen: High Hopes Last week, Bruce Springsteen teased a new single and this week, details about the full album, including its January 14, 2014, release date, were announced. The eclectic album (Springsteen's 18th) will feature a combination of new songs, recordings of Springsteen favorites and covers. Read more on Rolling Stone and The Boss's website  (this post includes the track listing). The album is now available for pre-order. All the Way  to Broadway Joining Breaking Bad 's Bryan Cranston  for the limited Broadway engagement of All the Way , a new Robert Schennkan play about President Lyndon B. Johnson, will be Michael McKean  ( The Best Man ) and Brandon J. Dirden ( Clybourne Park ), who will play J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King, Jr., respectively. (Both appeared in the A.R.T. production. There's still no word regarding whether or not Reed Birney will reprise his role for the Broadway run.) Directed by Bill Rauch, All the Way  ...

If/Then Sitzprobe Go behind the scenes of the original Tom Kitt - Brian Yorkey musical, If/Then . The musical, now in previews in Washington, DC, is directed by Kitt and Yorkey's Next to Normal collaborator, Michael Greif , and stars Greif's Rent stars Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp (and others, of course). In this video, you can watch as the cast and the 13-piece band come together for the first time and go through the score, an event known at sitzprobe. It's a glorious look at the most anticipated show of spring, as it further solidifies what a genius Kitt is. (And look at Rapp's face as he watches Menzel sing.) If/Then is in DC through December 8. It comes to Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre beginning March 5, 2014, with opening night set for March 27. Visit the show's dynamic website to learn more. Big Fish to Conclude Broadway Run The wonderfully splashy new musical Big Fish will conclude its Broadway run on December 29. At the time...

Guys and Dolls is Back (for One Night) The beloved Frank Loesser musical will enjoy a one-night-only concert at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium on April 3, 2014.  Directed by Jack O'Brien ( Catch Me if You Can ), the concert will feature good old reliable Nathan Lane ( The Addams Family ), reprising the role of Nathan Detroit, whom he played in the 1992 revival, Patrick Wilson ( The Full Monty , Young Adult ) as Sky Masterson, Megan Mullally ( Will and Grace ) as Adelaide and Sierra Boggess ( The Little Mermaid ) as the missionary, Sarah Brown. Tickets are on sale now. Broadway.com has more. (Bonus: watch the video below to see Wilson singing the My Fair Lady tune, "On the Street Where You Live," during a Kennedy Center Honors performance honoring Julie Andrews.) Holiday Season Happenings The performers for the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade have been announced. (This is the parade that's televised on NBC.) The parade will feat...