HOUDINI THE MUSICAL - A NEW SHOW BEING WORKED ON, STAGES ITS FIRST VIRTUAL READING

  

I just read something interesting about a new musical that is being worked on right now. The musical will be called Houdini which will be an original musical based on the life and career of Harry Houdini, the stunt performer and illusionist.  Houdini was most noted for his “escape” acts. 

Two seasoned actors recently performed a virtual reading for this new musical prospect. Laura Osnes, well known for playing in the Broadway revival of South Pacific, also played Bonnie Parker in the musical Bonnie and Clyde in its premier at La Jolla Playhouse. She later played in the same show on Broadway.  Additional Broadway credits include starring roles in the Broadway revival of Anything  Goes and Cinderella.  Ms. Osnes does a good amount of film and television work and has two solo music albums as well.  In this virtual reading Laura Osnes plays the role of Bess Houdini.

Playing opposite Laura Osnes in the reading was Ramin Karimloo, who would play the lead role of Harry Houdini.  On Broadway he played John Valjean in Les Miserables and he also appeared in Anastasia. His first professional acting role occurred when he joined the UK touring cast of the Pirates of Penzance in 2001. Later that year he played the role of Artie Green in Sunset Boulevard. After this role he made his West End debut when he joined the cast of Les Miserables. He also played various roles in London’s The Phantom of the Opera.  He was most recently seen on Broadway playing in Anastasia in 2017.

Houdini has not selected a show synopsis as of yet but the setting is expected to take place at Houdini‘s final performance in Detroit in 1926. Apparently his life will be told through a series of flashbacks that take place on stage.

The city of Detroit will hold the world premiere of this new musical. After that, it’s very likely that the show will move on to Broadway with hopes of then casting a theatre company to play in London’s West End.  No dates for the show's potential opening have been selected as it is too early in the creative process.

You never know what will become a hit in the theater world but I kind of like the chances for Houdini.

Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone.  

Regards,

Rich Gladstone                                                     

President

Applause-Tickets.com

Phone 212-307-7050

BROADWAY SHOWS PLAN A STAGGERED REOPENING, POSSIBLY BEGINNING IN SUMMER 2021

It seems like a lifetime ago when I saw my last Broadway Show, which I think was Hadestown at New York's Walter Kerr Theatre.  The show is fabulous and I'm looking forward to seeing it again not to mention so many others on my list.  That brings me to today's blog post topic, which could also be named Broadway Shows Plan To Reopen in Summer 2021, Maybe?

I believe The League of New York Theatres and Producers have announced 6 or 7 dates when they planned on Broadway's show reopening's since Broadway lights dimmed in March 2020.  I think they know better now and I'm pretty sure that the public doesn't really believe any of these announcements, since they've never come true.  The last date given the public is May 30, 2021 and a few shows are selling tickets with others simply staying more conservative saying they are choosing reopening dates of September through December 2021.  Most shows are adopting a wait and see attitude.

The word on the street is that some of the smaller productions might try to reopen with larger, more difficult to mount shows evaluating how their smaller colleagues are making out first.  Again, no one really knows for sure when the first shows can safely reopen right now.

In order to reopen, every show will need to prove they can limit the spread of the Covid 19 infection inside their theaters.  And realistically, in my own opinion, I would think that theatre staff as well as ticketholders will need to be vaccinated.  Without vaccination, it would be nearly impossible for a safe return.  It would be hard to limit infection spread seeing as how theaters have lots of tight spaces with rows and rows of seats that are all attached to one another.  Backstage, dressing rooms and orchestra pits are extremely tight and would be a problem for sure.  Again, vaccination makes the most sense to me, leaving little or no risk that people would get sick.

Even if everyone wore masks and gloves there would be no way to social distance unless capacity was cut severely, to somewhere between 25-50%.  Reducing capacity is not sustainable for Broadway as most shows need to sell around 80% of their seats to make a profit.  Again, it looks like we'll need everyone to get the vaccine before shows start again.  Thank goodness that the vaccinations have begun and that some medical experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci have said we may get to go to live events somewhere around September 2021, when the entire nation will have been inoculated.  

Although I like to write about Broadway Theatre, most of my posts are written about the actual productions.  What I like about them, the cast of actors that makeup the show as well as what the shows are about.  Most of the time, I write excitedly about the shows as I always try to find the redeeming characteristics a show has.  After all, I'm a ticket broker, a reseller of tickets, not a "critic".

Even though it looks like Broadway has a way to go until we get to see "live theatre" again, the vaccinations should give all of us hope that we are well on our way to putting this horrible pandemic behind us.  Cheers to that my friends.

As this will be my last blog post of 2020, I'd like to take this time to wish all of my family, friends, hotel & travel industry colleagues and everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year.  Please stay safe dear friends.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely

Rich Gladstone

President

Applause-Tickets.com /Phone 212 307 7050

Will the Broadway Theatre Return In June, 2021? Will Hamilton Steal The Show?

 

Will Broadway Shows Start Reopening In June 2021?

My friends, that may be the $64,000 question. Broadway shows last played on March 11, 2020, nearly 9 months ago.

Although New York’s Governor Cuomo last mentioned that he would like some theaters to begin to reopen in June 2021, it’s possible that limited capacity audiences might be introduced. Although the League of New York Theaters and Producers did say several times that selling tickets with limited capacity is not a sustainable model for the theater. This would only result in huge losses for Broadway. 

A few shows have gone on sale, starting May 30, 2021.. They are

Ain’t Too Proud, Chicago, Hadestown, Mrs. Doubtfire and Jagged Little Pill. The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman will start on December 20, 2021. For Off Broadway Theatre, Jersey Boys and The Play That Goes Wrong are now on sale for performances beginning May 30, 2021.

And if the above shows decide to push back their plans to start playing at the end of May, I recently found out that the producers of New York’s biggest hit show Hamilton, are starting to plan a possible “restart date” of July 4th. It would allow Hamilton the ability to tie its reopening to an end to Broadway’s “shutdown” and the celebration that surrounds the Declaration of Independence signing, something that is of major significance in the musical production.

Many other shows are planning to restart in September 2021, theoretically several months after the public has been vaccinated. Of course, it is also possible some may push up their restart plans depending on the success of the vaccines. Let’s hope so.

I’d love to hear from anyone on their thoughts about Broadway’s comeback or anything relating to the theatre. Cheers to everyone.

Stay well

Richard Gladstone

President

Applause-Tickets.com

Phone 212-307-7050

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