Issue #58: December 15, 2000
Holiday Edition - next issue January 15

• It would appear that the new musical The Rhythm Club has been shelved for this season. Originally set to open in March at the Virginia Theatre, the producers were unable to secure capitalization and are now looking at next fall to open. This is good news for producers of August Wilson’s new play King Hedley II — they now have taken over the theatre and are planning a spring opening.

• The Manhattan Theater Club’s newest musical A Class Act, based on the life of A Chorus Line lyricist, Edward Kleban, will take up residence at the Ambassador Theater in March.

• Finally, North American theatergoers will get to see the National Theater’s award-winning revival of Oklahoma! Under the direction of Trevor Nunn, Cameron Mackintosh’s Olivier Awarded gem will make its long awaited Broadway debut in January 2002. Although no one is going on record to confirm or deny we’ll just keep an eye on the Gershwin Theater schedule for next year.

• Not quite on Broadway, but close by, you’ll find the musical that parodies all musicals, Forbidden Broadway. Stardust Theatre at the corner of Broadway and 51st hosts the latest rendition Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey.

• The road company of Les Miserables, fondly known as Marius, is now in its 13th year busing and trucking around North America. Still the world’s most popular musical, Les Miserables will be coming to a city near you since it is fully booked through April 2002.

• Eve Ensler’s smash off-Broadway hit The Vagina Monologues has hit the road and appears to be breaking box office records wherever it goes. The celebrity-driven piece identifies local celebs in each market and capitalizes on their popularity to sell-out the show. Currently in Toronto for five weeks (until Jan. 7), the road company opened with Canadian Gloria Rubens, formerly of the hit television series ER. A different Canadian personality will perform each week and includes Shirley Douglas (ex Mrs. Donald Sutherland), actress Sonja Smits, songstress Chantal Kreviazuk and comedienne Mary Walsh. This has proven to be a successful formula for producer David Stone.

• A fixture since 1952 in London’s West End, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap reaches a milestone this month when it performs its 20,000^th performance. Three hundred and eighteen actors have performed in the cast of eight, most notably Richard Attenborough who originated the role of Detective Sergeant Trotter.

• Legendary actor Peter O’Toole is front-page news. Currently in Toronto shooting feature film Global Heresy, the 68 year old Irish actor is best know for his roles in such classic films as Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, Becket and My Favorite Year. It is, however, his stage career that launched him into the world of film. Classically trained in London his credits include a tour in the 70s of Uncle Vanya, the moving one-man play Jeffrey Barnard is Unwell in the 80s and other memorable roles too numerous to mention.