Very, very sad news today … unbeknownst to me, it has been recently announced that two of my favorite Broadway musicals will be closing within the next few weeks. Xanadu, it was previously announced, was scheduled to end its Broadway run on October 12 but has had their closing night moved up to this weekend! Legally Blonde is scheduled to close on October 19. Fortunately, both shows will live on in touring versions that will travel around the country but their respective runs on Broadway are, sadly, very close at hand:

Xanadu, the Tony-nominated musical based on the infamous flop film of the same name, will end its run two weeks earlier than recently announced. The producers of the musical had announced Sept. 16 that the musical comedy at the Helen Hayes Theatre would end its run Oct. 12. A new closing date was announced Sept. 23: Xanadu will now play its final Broadway performance Sept. 28 at 3 PM. The producers released a statement saying that the decision to close the show early was made to avoid losses in the current economic climate … Xanadu received four 2008 Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. The Xanadu cast recording is available on the PS Classics label. The national tour of Xanadu will kick off in November at the La Jolla Playhouse, followed by a six-month run at Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre. Additional tour dates will be announced at a later time. A foreign production recently opened in Seoul, Korea. Plans are underway for productions in London (co-produced with David Ian and John Gore), China, Australia and the Philippines.

After 595 performances and 30 previews, LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will play its final performance on Sunday, October 19, 2008. The show opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets) on April 29, 2007 following preview performances that began on April 3, 2007. The musical will continue to play across the country, in over 35 cities, on its first national tour. “Producing Legally Blonde has been one of the highlights of my career. Much like Elle Woods, the entire company, creative team and crew has worked with heart, wit, enthusiasm, integrity and style throughout the entire, thrilling run. I can’t wait for the rest of the country to be able to experience the show live,” said LEGALLY BLONDE’s lead producer Hal Luftig … The first national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE kicked off on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at Rhode Island’s PPAC.

I understand from Pink reader Jamie that another fun Broadway musical [title of show] (which I have not been able to see) is also closing after opening this past July (it is scheduled to give its final performance also on October 19). I gotta say … all these closings are really sad. There are many theater purists out there who are, I’m sure, not at all sad to see these “frivolous” shows close down but I, for one, really enjoy them and find them an invigorating and refreshing way to get young people excited about musical theater. I am heartened by the fact that both Xanadu and Legally Blonde will live on in touring versions but … there is something sad and finite about a show closing on Broadway. This morning, I purchased a ticket to see Xanadu one last time before it closes … I’ll be at the Friday night performance. I urge any of y’all who are able to come out to see these shows on the Great White Way while you still have the chance.

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The still joined-at-the-hip newlyweds Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon were spied taking in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical In The Heights in NYC this week … here are a couple pics of the couple in the Big Apple:

Now that Mimi is taking her acting career seriously again, I think it’s a great idea that she keep an eye on what other thespians in the Arts are up to in order to help her hone her own skills. And Nick, well, at least he’s taking advantage of the kiddie rates for Broadway shows. Good for him, too.

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Katie Holmes made her Broadway debut at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre here in NYC as the Arthur Miller play she is starring in, All My Sons, opened in previews last night. Pink reader Liz was in the hiz last night for Katie’s debut and offers a very positive review of her performance … here are a few pics of Katie on stage last night:

Liz writes: Just got home from the premier of All My Sons, and I was thoroughly impressed. First of all, John Lithgow blew me away, and Dianne Wiest was outstanding. Patrick Wilson was totally in his element on stage, of course. And Katie Holmes actually really amazed me. It’s not easy to keep up with thespians of this caliber, and she totally held her own. Also, the staging is really minimal, so the actors really had nothing to rely on but their chops. The play’s content is really fascinating, giving them great material, and they all did a fantastic job of bringing it to life. Now on to the gossip … As expected, there was a large Scientology protest outside the theatre beforehand, blah blah blah … Tommy Boy was there, sitting exactly four rows in front of me. He was very congenial and took pictures with a few people, and the audience erupted in applause as soon as he came in to take his seat. The performance went smoothly after the initial ooh’s and ahh’s and everyone respected his privacy. Dustin Hoffman was also there, and spoke with Tom for a bit. As soon as people realized he was in the house as well, he also got a round of applause and a few camera flashes. Katie definitely was looking at Tom during their curtain calls. It was pretty cute, actually. She seemed to be kind of shy about it,and just really hoping she got approval from the audience, which she most certainly did. All in all, a great show, true Arthur Miller style, and worth it to see!

Nice! I’m glad to hear from a real person that Katie was able to hold her on stage with the other very talented players. After the jump, check out couple pics of Tom Cruise’s arrival at the theater last night, hear what he had to say about his wife’s performance and check out a couple pics of those Scientology protesters that Liz mentioned above … (more…)

So … last night David and I had the great fortune to see Daniel Radcliffe, Richard Griffiths and Kate Mulgrew in the Broadway production of Equus which is currently in previews at the Broadhurst Theater here in NYC. I must admit, I wasn’t too familiar with the Equus plotline before seeing the show last night, other than the fact that the main character appears fully nude on stage at the end of the play. I really wanted to see the show as fresh as possible so as not to go in with any preconceived notions. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the show overall and was very, very impressed with the acting performances by all of the castmembers:

I suppose I had some vague notion of the sexual undertones of the play beforehand but I was not prepared for what was presented. I really want to keep my comments as vague as possible so as not to ruin the experience for anyone else choosing to see the show. The story is intense and the acting was superb. Richard Griffiths is truly a wonder on stage. I saw him in History Boys back in 2006 and he was just as riveting last night as he was in History Boys. Kate Mulgrew (who many of you may know as Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager) was a delight! In all honesty, I felt that she overacted a wee bit last night (and shades of Capt. Janeway showed thru as well) but I love her entirely and was thrilled to have her mere feet in front of me on stage. Daniel Radcliffe was a total revelation (pardon the pun). I’ve seen his non-Harry Potter acting style in the film December Boys and was very impressed with him then … in this show, he is just stunning. When it got down to the part where he and his young female co-star had to strip down BARE NEKKID on stage … the audience was enraptured. You could hear a pin drop, it was very intense. I will say that Daniel is very, very brave to take on this role night after night in front of sold out houses of people … and he never broke character once. And he doesn’t just stand there … he is all over the place, standing, laying, squatting — totally bare in front of the entire audience. He was totally believable as Alan Strang, horse whisper (well, okay … not quite a whisperer so much as a mutilator). Again, I was not prepared for the sexual nature of the show … but it was handled very well.

The staging, tho simple, was orchestrated expertly. There is basically nothing on stage and yet, the bare stage props were able to transform the stage into an office, a living room, a beach and a horse stable — just brilliant. As for the simple costuming, also brilliant! You really have to see the show to understand — and I urge those of you able to do so to see this show. I’d love to see it again. I’m utterly convinced that Equus will get many Tony nominations … the show is really top notch.

David and I were pleasantly surprised to learn that our 3rd row center seats actually turned out to be front row seats … totally unobstructed view of everything. And, cuz I’m sure many of you want to know, concerning Daniel’s nekkidness. I will say that, in his defense, it was really very cold in the theater … make of that what you will.

At the show, I got to meet Pink readers Heather and her sister Alysse (who share a pic of Daniel that Alysse took after the show last night) as well as Shannon and her friend Izzy (I got to take a pic with Shannon):

It was my pleasure meeting you all. I hope you enjoyed the show as much as I did.

After our night at the theater, we met up with David’s friends Issac, Shane, Trey, Marissa and her man Ryan at the New York Musical Theater Festival Opening Night Party in the theater district. I just love David’s friends … we had a blast …

… and then we came home and ate an entire NYC pizza :) ‘Twas a good night, indeed! Tonight we’re having dinner with David’s cousin Caren which should also be fun! There is also trip planning to take care of as well … bizzy bizzy bizzy.

The amazing, award-wining Jonathan Larson musical Rent ended its 12-year run on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre in NYC last night … bringing down the curtain one last time on one of my favorite Broadway musicals ever. Having seen the show upwards of 30 times both on Broadway and on tour, Rent will always have a special place in my heart … I am very sad that the show’s run on Broadway had to come to an end:

They cheered, they cried and gave the show a standing ovation even before the first note was sung. Broadway said goodbye Sunday to “Rent,” 12 years and 5,124 performances after it first became a rock musical with a message for theatergoers of all ages. “Like we did when we opened, we dedicate this performance to Jonathan Larson,” said actor Adam Kantor, referring to the man who wrote the show’s book, music and lyrics. Then “Rent” was off and running toward its final curtain that had the last cast as well as members of its original company together on stage at the end of the evening to sing an electric version of “Seasons of Love,” one of the show’s best-known songs. “There’s mixed emotions, but it’s time,” said Allan S. Gordon, one of its producers, talking about the closing. The show, book was born off-Broadway in triumph and tragedy. Larson died of an aortic aneurism after its final dress rehearsal in January 1996. He was 35. “It was the most shocking thing,” Gordon recalled. “I still can’t believe Jonathan is dead. All you need is one (big hit), and he had that. I don’t miss what he didn’t write. I feel bad that he isn’t here to enjoy what he did.” Larson’s tale of free-spirited artists and street people in a gritty drug- and AIDS-plagued East Village of the early 1990s touched several generations. Rave reviews propelled “Rent” to Broadway where the musical opened the following April at the Nederlander Theatre, a house often shunned by producers because it was on the wrong side of 42nd Street. The show, inspired by Puccini’s “La Boheme,” found a ready-made audience in young people. Its fanatical supporters were nicknamed “Rentheads,” and many of them saw the show after the musical instituted a same-day, front-row ticket price of $20. The plan proved so popular that it was changed to a lottery format to accommodate the demand. Yet the show’s fans were more than just young theatergoers. “It’s 80 percent the traditional audience,” Gordon explained. “‘Rent’ was not defined by age. It attracted a wide spectrum of people. People of all ages love it. That’s why it survived.” Survived and thrived — winning Tonys, Obies and the Pulitzer Prize for drama as well as grossing more than $280 million during its Broadway run. Millions more were made from national tours and foreign productions that performed on six continents. A film version, using much of the original cast, was released in 2005.

Even tho I am VERY SAD that Rent ended its Broadway run, I am comforted by the fact that a new touring version of the show starring Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in the roles of Mark and Roger (which they originated when the show opened on Broadway in 1996) will begin next year:

Another tour starts in January for some 30 weeks with several members of the original cast. Plus a new cinecast of “Rent,” filmed in High-Definition video by Sony Pictures during the musical’s last performances, will be shown in movie theaters in the United States and Canada for four days (Sept. 24-25 and Sept. 27-28). Click HERE for locations. “‘Rent’ is recorded for history, so it’s not like it’s disappearing off the map,” Gordon said. “Hmmm, maybe I should bring back a revival next year.”

It is truly the end of an era. Rent changed Broadway forever … it will be missed on the Great White Way, I’m sure. I am looking forward to seeing Rent again on tour but nothing will ever replace seeing the show at the Nederlander on 41st St. in NYC. Nothing.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Daniel Radcliffe made his Broadway debut yesterday as his new play Equus opened in previews at the Broadhurst Theatre in NYC. As you may recall, Dan stunned his Harry Potter fans last year when he premiered his Equus role in the UK … a role that requires full-frontal nudity on stage. Equus officially opens on Broadway on September 25 but last night was the show’s first preview performance. According to reports, Daniel gave a riveting performance:

Some might even say it was a magical evening. Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe appeared in his first preview performance of the Broadway drama Equus … earning raves from fans. “I thought that he was terrific,” Mandy Menaker, a college student who attended the performance at New York’s Broadhurst Theater, told PEOPLE. “He had a lot to offer. So I thought it was great.” Danielle Manente from New Jersey agreed that Radcliffe was wonderful. “He was really good. He captured the character [and] he was so into it. He never broke character. I believed everything he said.” In the revival of the 1973 Peter Shaffer play, which was also staged last year in London, Radcliffe stars as Alan Strang, a distressed and hostile teen who commits the horrifying act of blinding six horses, while a psychiatrist (played by Radcliffe’s Harry Potter costar Richard Griffiths) tries to get to the heart of why he did it. Radcliffe first entered stage embracing an actor playing a horse … His very emotional performance, which reveals Strang’s anger and fear, was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience. Not to mention wowing the crowd with the nude scene, which comes toward the end of Equus. “Oh my God! That was nice,” said Manente of Radcliffe’s character fully undressed himself in an attempt at lovemaking with a young woman. “I’m not gonna lie. He looked pretty good.” “By that point he was so in the character,” Menaker added, “that you don’t think of it as Harry Potter naked. He’s naked as a character emotionally, so you’re not at all thinking that he’s physically naked. You’re so involved in the scene by that point that you don’t even notice.”

Yeah, I don’t care how “in character” he gets in this performance, I think I’d notice his nekkidness. Throughout the entire West End run of Equus last year no nude frontal photos of Daniel Radcliffe managed to make their way out of the theater (altho, a few pics of the very nekkid Alfie Allen hit the InterWeb earlier this year when he took over the role after Dan’s run ended). After the jump, check out a few grainy pics of Daniel Radcliffe’s NSFW nude scene in the first preview performance of Equus last night … (more…)