Issue #68: June 1, 2001

• The last ditch effort by Canadian pop singer Alanis Morissette to keep Jane Eyre running couldn’t save it. A good friend of composer Paul Gordon, Morissette wrote a cheque for $150,000 to keep it running another week. Alas, it was only a stay of execution.

• No such angel for the cash strapped Seussical production. The curtain fell on the $10 million plus production on May 20 totaling 197 performances. Reports suggest the production lost a record $11 million by the time the curtain fell. With the lack of enthusiasm and Tony-award nominations for the production it will be interesting to see if the producers can recoup any monies from the planned 2002 tour and foreign productions.

• Susan Stroman is the hottest property on Broadway these days. With the mega-hit The Producers, director-choreographer Stroman is being kept busy with her other current Broadway productions Contact and The Music Man. And if that isn’t enough to keep her on the go she will direct one of the most anticipated musicals of the 2001-02 season — Thou Shalt Not with Harry Connick Jr. heading the cast.

• My how time flies — the Toronto production of Mamma Mia! celebrated its first anniversary on Sunday, May 27. The Abba musical is still packing them in at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and as expected a new block of tickets went on sale to coincide with the anniversary. The production is now selling tickets through to December 23, 2001.

• Las Vegas will be the kick-off city for a national tour of the musical Some Like It Hot - remember that ‘50s movie with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. Well believe it or not they have signed Curtis to revival to play the role of Osgood. The scheduled opening is July 27, 2002 at the Aladdin Resort & Casino. No other cities have been mentioned so far.

• I want to thank you for forwarding your questions regarding productions and inquiries about theatre in general. Your input helps me to visualize those who read this column and gives me direction on what to focus on in future. Keep those inquiries coming.

• I’m sorry this is such a short column this time but the next one will be filled with all the Tony news and other interesting summer season happenings.