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

The Great Comet , Josh Groban Extend Josh Groban announced via a tweet that he is staying in Russia a little longer. The singer and actor is making his (impressive) Broadway debut in the the terrific new musical, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 , and will remain with the show through July 2, 2017. In a follow up tweet from the show's account , we learned that tickets are now on sale through Labor Day. No word on who will succeed Groban, though the current standby, Scott Stangland , played the role in the A.R.T. production, and went on last month when Groban was ill. Additionally, Groban will miss 10 performances this spring , and the show's creator and the original Pierre, Dave Malloy , will step into Pierre's salon, making his Broadway performing debut. Groban will be out and Malloy will be on May 4-9; May 16; June 13; June 20; and June 27. (By the way, in a menschy move, Groban committed to matching Colts owner Jim Irsay's $20,000 gift to BC/EFA . ...

Lazarus in London A London production of Lazarus will be mounted this fall. Featuring music from the late, great David Bowie 's catalog (and a few new tunes) and a book by Enda Walsh , Lazarus is inspired by and is a continuation of The Man Who Fell to Earth . Michael C. Hall , Michael Esper , and Sophia Anne Caruso , who starred in the off-Broadway run last year, will reprise their roles across the pond. Lazarus will begin previews at the Kings Cross Theatre on October 25. Opening night is set for November 8, and the limited engagement is scheduled to conclude January 22, 2017. Broadway.com has more. Casting News Oscar winner and Tony nominee Lupita Nyong'o ( 12 Years a Slave , Eclipsed ), Tony nominee Danai Gurira ( Eclipsed ), and the great Michael B. Jordan ( Fruitvale Station ) have joined the previously announced Chadwick Boseman in Ryan Coogler's Marvel flick, Black Panther . Deadline has details. Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth ( On the Twentieth...

Mourning David Bowie, Recording Lazarus We lost a legendary artist this week. David Bowie passed away on Sunday, January 10, just days after celebrating his 69th birthday and releasing his final (critically acclaimed) album, Blackstar . Tributes to the musician poured in from all over, including the theatre community , Hollywood , and the music world . On the heels of this news (but not necessarily because of it), the cast of Bowie's off-Broadway musical, Lazarus (which can now be interpreted as Bowie's farewell letter), headed into the studio to record a cast album. As Theater Mania reports, no release date has been announced. The cast is led by Michael C. Hall, and features Michael Esper and Cristin Milioti. Ensemble member Nicholas Christopher posted a photo of himself in the studio, saying, "Couldn't imagine a better way to spend today." HBO Premiere Dates HBO has announced premiere dates for several highly-anticipated shows and specials: Game of Th...

Lazarus is abstract and intriguingly weird, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Inspired by the Walter Tevis novel The Man Who Fell to Earth , Lazarus is about...well, that's open to interpretation, which is why this complex work is so worth seeing. As the novel's title suggests, the protagonist, Newton (Michael C. Hall), is not of this world. He lives in a sparse, beige space, punctuated by an oversize screen upstage center and two large windows on either side of the screen. (We can see the band through the windows.) Both the windows and the TV screen allow Newton to see out into the world, but they also allow others to look in on him. He's living in a fishbowl (designed and lit by Jan Versweyveld ), which can only make him feel more out of place. Indeed, throughout the show (written by David Bowie and Tony winner Enda Walsh ( Once , Hunger )), all I kept thinking was "alienation." These people—not just Newton but also Elly (Cristin Milioti), who is, ...

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Annoucned Nominees for the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class have been announced. Among the nominees are Janet Jackson , t he Smiths , N.W.A. , Chaka Khan , Nine Inch Nails  and more. Winners/inductees will be announced in December; they'll then be honored in a rocking ceremony in the spring, which will be edited and broadcast on HBO later in the year. Rolling Stone  has the full list of nominated artists. While you're there, you can vote for the artist you'd most like to see inducted into the Rock Hall. Hamilton News Go behind the scenes at Hamilton  on a two-show day, courtesy of featured player, Anthony Ramos , who plays John Laurens and Phillip Hamilton. Playbill has the photo essay. In other Hamilton  news, Andrew Rannells  will take on the role of King George III from October 27 through November 29 while current king, Jonathan Groff, films the concluding Looking  special. Groff will retake his throne on...