On The Boards and In The Wings 2008

Issue #206: January 15, 2008

In April a production of Odet’s The Country Girl will grace the stage of a Shubert theater. The cast boasts Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand with Mike Nichols in the director’s chair.

David Morse is taking on the role of an Irish character in the all-Irish cast of The Seafarer currently at the Booth Theater. You may remember Morse from his television roles in St. Elsewhere, Hack or more recently as House’s nemesis as Detective Tritter in the hit series. Morse’s first stage gig was his Obie winning performance in 1997 in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play How I Learned to Drive.

Look for the road company of Wicked to return to Toronto in 2010 at the Canon Theatre.

Hitting the road in late 2008 will be a 30th anniversary tour of the Fats Waller revue Ain’t Misbehavin’ which will have American Idol alum Ruben Stoddard and Frenchie Davis headlining. Richard Maltby Jr., who wrote and staged the Tony Award winning original production, is on board to direct the tour.

The Mamma Mia! engagement at the Mandalay Bay Theatre has been extended to January 4, 2009. Originally booked until August 2008…it looks like the popularity of the musical has caught on in the gambling capital of the world!

Next month a new musical The Diary of a Young Girl based on Anne Frank’s diaries opens in Madrid at the Calderon Theatre.

Well we’re in the deep dark days of winter…..so let’s start thinking the sunny days of summer. Have you thought about where to send your musical theatre-loving youngster this summer? How about Camp Broadway! The dates for camp this year are July 7 – 11 in Toronto and we are taking applications for this year’s session. Campers 10 – 17 years of age are put through their paces during this action packed week. Check out the Camp Broadway link on this page for more information.