Issue #116: September 15, 2003

• Canada's Stratford Festival will present their stunning production of Jonathan Miller's King Lear starring Christopher Plummer, in March at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts.  Another Canadian Broadway vet will also be part of the cast — look for Tony-winner Brent Carver in the role of Edgar.

• And so the revolving door begins — it looks as though Jane Krakowski and Antonio Banderas will be replaced in the Tony-winning Nine by Jenna Elfman and John Stamos on October 5.

• Among the many stars doing their thing on Broadway this season, watch for Natasha Richardson to star in A Streetcar Named Desire.  No date or theatre has been confirmed.

• A new play based on Chekhov's The Seagull will open February 19 at the Biltmore Theater.  Alfre Woodard is expected to make her Broadway debut in Regina Taylor's Drowning Crow.

• Never Gonna Dance opens at the Broadhurst Theater on December 4.  The new musical is based on the Astaire & Rogers movie Swing Time and stars Tony winner Karen Ziemba.

• Another new play, this time focussing on post-apartheid South Africa, launches the fall season at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Lincoln Centre.  Nothing but the Truth opens December 8 with playwright-actor John Kani front and center.

• Tony award-winning director Jack O'Brien has assembled quite a cast for his upcoming limited run of Shakespeare's Henry IV.  When the cast takes to the boards on October 28 at the Lincoln Center Theater you'll see Billy Crudup, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Kline and Audra McDonald just to name a few.

• Casting has been announced for the Canadian production of The Producers.  Comedian Sean Cullen has been anointed for the lead role of Max Bialystock, the role that Nathan Lane originated.  Previews begin November 21 at Toronto's Canon Theatre with the official opening set for December 11.

• John Waters is keeping the writers of his hit musical Hairspray off the unemployment line.  Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan are busily writing the book for Waters' latest musical, Cry-Baby, based on his 1990 comedy film.

• We knew it had to happen — a male Vagina Monologues.  Yes, Cock Tales will be hitting the road and landing in a town near you.  Although no date has been mentioned, there is talk of Denver's Center Theater as a first stop.  Similar to its female counterpart the production has 13 monologues written by men. Unlike the female version, however, a couple of them are fictional.  I wonder if this will encourage those in the male population who've never been to a theatre, take the plunge.