Issue #11: November 9, 1998

• The one-woman show, Stand-Up Opera, has been postponed until March. Starring B. J. Ward, the show was to open on Oct. 18^th at the Lyceum Theatre. It seems philosophical differences were cited for the pullout of the original producers. We’ll keep you posted.

• Discussions are underway for The Circle in the Square Theater to host the newly discovered Tennessee Williams play, Not About Nightingales. The production would be modeled after the recent Houston and London productions which were directed by Trevor Nunn and co-produced by Houston’s Alley Theater, the UK’s Royal National Theatre and Vanessa Redgrave’s Moving Theater Co.

• Academy award winner Holly Hunter returns to the stage this month in Beth Henley’s off-Broadway play, Impossible Marriage.Ms. Hunter, best known for her leading film roles in The Piano and Broadcast News, is also appearing on the big screen in her latest film Living Out Loud with Danny DeVito. Holly made her off-Broadway stage debut in 1984 in Henley’s play The Miss Firecracker Contest.

• John Wood’s compelling performance as A.E. Houseman in Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love during the National Theatre run will be recreated when the production reopens at the Haymarket Theatre Nov. 3. Based on poet and classics scholar A.E. Houseman’s unrequited love for a friend, the critically acclaimed play may be Broadway bound. This is, however, if the producers can iron out an agreement with the protective American Actor’s Equity Union.

• There’s no question, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats has many more than nine lives. The Really Useful Co. (Lloyd Webber’s production company) is co-producing downunder a big top touring version of the musical. Obviously taking a page out of Cirque de Soleil’s book, the $7 million (Australian) production will run for a minimum of 118 weeks playing over 60 locations in Australia and New Zealand. The state of the art tent will feature the famous Cats logo, and will seat 2,000 people in air-conditioned or heated comfort. They also have their sights on taking this latest incarnation to the Middle East, Taiwan and possibly mainland China. Will there be anyone in the world who can’t hum Memory?

• Also in the southern hemisphere there is a new alliance between eight performing arts venues in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The consortium will encourage Australian based producers and promoters to tour their shows in New Zealand. In the next two years the Kiwis may see the likes of Rent, Chicago, The Sound of Music and Oliver!

• Nicole Kidman is not the only Australian beauty to dazzle stage and screen. Cate Blanchett, currently starring in the big screen’s Elizabeth, made her stage debut in Sydney in Oleanna opposite Geoffrey Rush. It must seem like deja vu all over again since Mr. Rush also stars in Elizabeth. At 28, the Melbourne native has been kept quite busy with Oscar And Lucinda, Pushing Tin, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband already under her belt.