Issue #94: September 1, 2002

• Chad Lowe, brother of Rob (West Wing) and husband to Hilary Swank, will be taking to the stage for a limited run in the military-themed drama Burning Blue. The D.M.W. Greer play previews September 28 at the Samuel Beckett Theater and runs through to December 15.

• Revival time again! Nine is slated for a return to Broadway with Jane Krakowski (Ally McBeal), Chita Revera, Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice) and Antonio Banderas! I wonder how Melanie feels about her Antonio playing with these dynamic women eight times a week? No date or theatre confirmed yet

• As you can see, many familiar faces from the small and large screens are doing their thing on stage this season. Add another screen vet – Sally Field the former Flying Nun - who will be making her Broadway debut in Edward Albee’s Tony-winning The Goat. Field and actor Bill Irwin will replace Mercedes Ruehl and Bill Pullman starting September 13 at the Golden Theater.

• Baz Luhrmann’s (Moulin Rouge) production of La Boheme will try out at San Francisco’s Curran Theater from October 1 – November 10 before heading to Broadway for a December 8 opening.
  

• It might get a bit confusing during rehearsal of the upcoming Lyttelton production of A Streetcar Named Desire. The stars are Glenn Close and Iain Glen – Glen squared!!! The Tennessee Williams revival previews September 28 with an opening of October 8 running through to November 23. Iain Glen is no stranger to working with high profile leading ladies – he starred opposite Nicole Kidman in the West End production of The Blue Room – but who knew since the ex Mrs. Cruise dropped her laundry! Other sightings on stage by Glen were Martin Guerre and a Royal Shakespeare Co. production of Henry V. Now let’s not forget Miss Close is no stranger to the stage – remember Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard!

• It’s hard to believe, but one of the sorriest excuses for a musical is finding an enthusiastic audience. Fame has hit the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. It is sad to note that this is the first western musical to play in this part of world. I guess there’s no accounting for taste and since the audiences have nothing to compare it to I guess they’re happy to hang onto anything “western.” Hopefully a notable producer will stage something of substance so the Malaysian theatre goers will be able to measure just how bad this production really is.

• We are still in the throes of putting together the On The Boards and In The Wings new look. As mentioned there will be a forum to which readers of the column can post reviews of shows they’ve recently seen either in their hometown or in the theatre centres of the world. There will also be the Green Room where everyone is invited to engage in lively theatre conversation. Next column I will have for you an official launch date, so stay tuned.