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

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...

Casting News Off-Broadway —This summer, Alicia Silverstone ( Time Stands Still , The Performers ) will return to the stage, along with recent Into the Woods stand out, Jennifer Mudge ( Rocky ), in MTC's production of Of Good Stock , the new play by Melissa Ross. Previews begin June 4, with opening night set for June 30. Broadway.com has full casting details. Broadway —Additional casting has been announced for An Act of God , a stage adaptation of The Last Testament: A Memoir by God . Joining the previously announced Jim Parsons ( The Normal Heart ) are two-time Tony nominee Christopher Fitzgerald ( Finian's Rainbow ) and 80s SNL er Tim Kazurunsky . Playing at Studio 54, An Act of God begins previews May 5, with opening night set for May 28. Broadway.com has more. Encores! —Initial casting has been announced for the Encores! one-weekend concert staging of the Kander and Ebb musical, Zorba! , which is to be directed by Walter Bobbie ( Venus in Fur ). The cast will...

Theatre Award Season Drama Desk Awards —Winners of the 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Laura Benanti, were announced and feted on Sunday night.As they should have, Twelfth Night and Hedwig and the Angry Inch won their respective revival categories. Neil Patrick Harris ( Hedwig ), Jessie Mueller ( Beautiful ), Reed Birney ( Casa Valentina ), Celia Keenan-Bolger ( The Glass Menagerie ), James Monroe Iglehart ( Aladdin ) and Anika Larsen ( Beautiful ) all took home performance awards. And because the Drama Desk splits the score into two awards, one for Outstanding Music and one for Outstanding Lyrics, Jason Robert Brown won for Outstanding Music for The Bridges of Madison County , while Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak won for Outstanding Lyrics for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder . (This is ridiculous—obviously JRB should have won both; he did win for Outstanding Orchestrations, though.) Visit Theater Mania for the full list of winners and visit ...

Coming to the Boards Broadway Casting —Full casting for Holler if Ya Hear Me , the non-biographical musical featuring Tupac 's music, has been announced. Leading the cast are Saul Williams , an acclaimed slam poet; Tonya Pinkins ( Milk Like Sugar ); and Christopher Jackson ( In the Heights ). They'll be joined by Saycon Sengbloh ( Hair , Fela! ), Ben Thompson ( American Idiot , Matilda ); John Earl Jelks and more. Directed by Kenny Leon ( Fences ) and written by Todd Kreidler , Holler if Ya Hear Me centers on young inner city dwellers who "struggle for peace against the daily challenges they face," according to press notes. The musical begins previews at the Palace theatre on May 29, with opening night set for June 19. Tickets are now on sale; the box office at the Palace opens May 8, and students can purchase $35 tickets in advance through tix4students.com . Off-Broadway Casting —Full casting has been announced for When We Were Young and Unafraid , a new...

The Normal Heart on HBO After a devastatingly beautiful and Tony-winning revival a few years ago, Larry Kramer 's The Normal Heart is coming to HBO. Directed by Ryan Murphy , the adaptation will premiere on Sunday, May 25 at 9pm, as previously reported . I was almost inconsolably moved by the recent Broadway iteration , and after watching the just-released trailer of the small screen version, starring Mark Ruffalo , Matt Bomer and Julia Roberts , I'm certain I'll need several boxes of tissues to get through this, too. Watch the teaser trailer and then mark your calendar for May 25. President Barack Obama Visits Zach Galifianakis on Between Two Ferns ...And the Internet rejoiced: (if the video below does not load, watch it on the Funny or Die website ) Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: President Barack Obama from President Barack Obama Frank While it should be illegal to hide Michael Fassbender 's face beneath a mask for the en...