On Theater: 22 Broadway shows spring up
" Catch Me If You Can " directed by Jack O'Brien, will open on Broadway Sunday, April 10, 2011 at The Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd Street. This show is based on the book and hit 2002 DreamWorks film of the same name directed by Stephen Spielberg with screenplay by Jeff Nathanson and book by Frank Abagnale, Jr. Photo Courtesy of The Hartman Group Credit: The Hartman Group Photo/
Try to remember a time in December when 20 shows posted their closing notices, when clammy hands were wrung around the Theater District and everyone talked about how, just maybe, Broadway was really on the skids this time.
Indeed, it has been especially dark these tundra months of January and February. Also, just five offerings from the 18 that opened in the busy fall are still around - most significantly, Al Pacino in "The Merchant of Venice" and Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones in "Driving Miss Daisy."
But here comes a hearty, perhaps even happy spring season, with 22 attractions to fill every empty theater on Broadway. If you count "Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark," which, despite early reviews, is still scheduled to open officially March 15, we'll have eight new musicals, including "Catch Me If You Can," from many of the creators of "Hairspray," and "The Book of Mormon" by those witty "South Park" troublemakers Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Producers are backing eight provocative new plays, an encouraging sign after the quick burn of so many dramas in early autumn. We'll also get four play revivals, including Tom Stoppard's masterly "Arcadia" and John Guare's "House of Blue Leaves," starring Edie Falco, Ben Stiller and Jennifer Jason Leigh. In a break from Broadway's love affair with musical revivals, we'll have just two. But both promise to be major events - "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," with Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette, plus "Anything Goes," starring Sutton Foster and Joel Grey.
Here is a chronological list of the plays and musicals expected before the Tony Award cutoff April 28, because, you know, it might as well be spring.
GOOD PEOPLE (in previews for a March 3 opening, Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St.) - Frances McDormand and Estelle Parsons star in this new play about South Boston neighbors by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire ("Rabbit Hole"). Daniel Sullivan ("Merchant of Venice") directs.
THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON (in previews for a March 6 opening, Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St.) - Gregory Mosher ("A View From the Bridge") directs Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Noth and Jason Patric in a star-infused revival of Jason Miller's 1973 Pulitzer winner about the reunion of a high-school team.
SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK (in previews for a March 15 opening, Foxwoods Theatre, 213 W. 42nd St.) - The long-delayed work-in-progress megamusical finally declares itself completed. Maybe.
ARCADIA (begins previews Feb. 25, opens March 17, Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St.) - Tom Stoppard's brilliant and heartbreaking 1993 time-traveling masterwork stars Billy Crudup (who played a younger character in the Broadway production two years later) and Raúl Esparza. Director David Leveaux's celebrated British revival is being recast for America.
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSICAL (begins previews Feb. 28, opens March 20, Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway) - Will Swenson (Berger in "Hair") is one of the three Australian drag divas who travel to an outback gig in this adaptation of the 1994 movie comedy. The music of this British transfer is described as "dance-floor classics."
GHETTO KLOWN (begins previews Feb. 21, opens March 22, Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St.) - John Leguizamo returns to his autobiographical stage beginnings in this solo about his teen years in Queens and early days in the '80s avant-garde.
THE BOOK OF MORMON (begins previews Feb. 24, opens March 24, O'Neill Theatre, 230 W. 47th St.) - This is the wild card with the buzz, a road musical about Mormon boys with book, music and lyrics by the "South Park" guys and Robert Lopez from "Avenue Q."
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (begins previews Feb. 26, opens March 27, Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St.) - When Radcliffe was making his brave Broadway debut in "Equus" in 2008, the actor bonded forever to Harry Potter said he'd love to do a musical. Hey, he meant it.
BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO (begins previews March 11, opens March 31, Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St.) - Robin Williams plays the title feline in Rajiv Joseph's 2010 Pulitzer finalist, a dark satire about life during wartime.
ANYTHING GOES (begins previews March 10, opens April 7, Sondheim Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St.) - Sutton Foster plays Reno Sweeney, previously embodied by Ethel Merman and Patti LuPone, in Cole Porter's 1934 cruise-ship comedy.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (begins previews March 7, opens April 10, Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd St.) - Norbert Leo Butz stars in the musical adaptation of the 2002 caper comedy that featured Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio. Jack O'Brien directs, with much of the creative team and some of the cast from "Hairspray."
THE -- WITH THE HAT (begins previews March 22, opens April 11, Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St.) - Chris Rock makes his Broadway debut in this explosive play about the tribulations of longtime lovers. Stephen Adley Guirgus wrote the gritty drama with the season's least printable title. Anna D. Shapiro ("August: Osage County") directs.
WAR HORSE (begins previews March 17, opens April 14, Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center) - This much-loved emotional spectacular from England's National Theatre involves a boy whose horse is sold to the World War I cavalry.
WONDERLAND: A NEW ALICE. A NEW MUSICAL ADVENTURE (begins previews March 21, opens April 17, Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway) - Composer Frank Wildhorn is back with a musical update about Alice, grown up and not happy.
HIGH (begins previews March 25, opens April 19, Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St.) - Kathleen Turner plays a conflicted modern nun - picture it - in this drama by Matthew Lombardo.
SISTER ACT (begins previews March 24, opens April 20, Broadway Theatre, 53rd Street and Broadway) - A disco diva hides from the cops as a nun in this adaptation of the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg. This time Goldberg is the producer.
JERUSALEM (begins previews April 2, opens April 21, Music Box Theatre, 239 W. 45th St.) - England's amazing Mark Rylance, who starred in "La Bête" in the fall, competes against himself for another Tony in Jez Butterworth's acclaimed drama about a wanted man in the English woods.
BORN YESTERDAY (begins previews March 31, opens April 24, Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St.) - Nina Arianda, a breakout star Off-Broadway last season in "Venus in Fur," dares Judy Holliday's shadow in this revival of Garson Kanin's comedy. The cast also includes Jim Belushi and Robert Sean Leonard, much missed onstage since he became House's oncologist buddy.
THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES (begins previews April 4, opens April 25, Kerr Theatre, 219 W. 48th St.) - Wonderful director David Cromer ("Our Town") stages this revival of John Guare's woozy 1966 comedy about ambition, religion and madness. Ben Stiller plays a struggling songwriter, with Edie Falco as his disturbed wife and Jennifer Jason Leigh as his nutball girlfriend.
FAT PIG (begins previews April 12, opens April 26, Belasco Theatre, 111 W. 44th St.) - Julia Stiles, comic Dane Cook and Josh Hamilton star in Neil LaBute's dark satire about a guy who falls for a large woman. The playwright directs.
BABY IT'S YOU! (begins previews March 26, opens April 27, Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St.) - A musical biography of Florence Greenberg, the New Jersey housewife who discovered The Shirelles.
THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE (begins previews April 1, opens April 28, Roundabout's Studio 54, 254 W. 54th St.) - Donna Murphy plays a former star of the Yiddish theater in this musical about generations of a family legacy. Original music is by Mike Stoller ("Smokey Joe's Cafe").
