Exciting Broadway Season

Club Member's News!
Fall brings much to be admired in New York City. A park alive with vibrant colors, city streets bustling with activity, stores beginning to decorate for the holiday season and, of course, a new and exciting Broadway season. This year Broadway shines more brightly then ever with a luminous season of new musicals, highly anticipated musical revivals, two new one-man shows and a nostalgic new drama.

NEW MUSICALS | MUSICAL REVIVALS | ONE-MAN SHOWS | DRAMA

NEW MUSICALS

The New York premier of the musical "Amour" opened in previews on September 17 at the Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45th Street, with an official opening of October 15. The play is based on a story by Marcel Ayme and takes place in 1950's Paris. When a self-professed, insignificant civil servant finds he has a magical ability to walk through walls life becomes much more interesting than he could have ever have imagined and a longing for true love becomes more than just a distant dream. This romantic fairy tale will capture your heart as the playšs stars, Malcolm Gets and Melissa Errico, charm you with all new melodies by Michel Legrand.

Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty reunited to create one of this season's most exciting new musicals "A Man of No Importance." The play opened for a limited run at Lincoln Center's Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, 66th Street and Columbus Avenue. Opening October 9, This new musical is based on the 1994 film by the same title. It tells the story of Alfie Byrne, a middle-aged Dublin bus conductor who lives with his sister. A modest and quiet man, Alfie has always found his greatest satisfaction and identity as the artistic director of St. Imelda's Players, an amateur theatrical group. But, it is 1964 and the world is changing. Alfie's little theatre is no longer a safe place from the tumultuous world outside. When his plans to produce Oscar Wilde's Salome get him in trouble with church authorities, Alfie wakes up to who he really is and realizes he must stand up and take his place in the world. Roger Rees stars as Alfie. The play is scheduled to run thorough December 29, 2002.

"Moving Out," the new Broadway musical based on the works of contemporary composer and performer Billy Joel opened in previews September 30 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street with and official opening October 24. The musical features 24 classic Joel songs with a story line conceived, choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp. This musical follows the lives of six lifelong friends through two turbulent decades.

The new Broadway musical "Dance of the Vampires" opens in previews October 14 at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street with an official opening November 21. This spoof on vampire movies stars the amazing Michael Crawford and is based on the Roman Polanski movie "The Fearless Vampire Killers" . The musical follows the adventures of Professor Abronsius, a rather intensely wacky vampire killer and his ardent assistant, Alfred, a hopeless romantic who falls instantly in love with Sarah. Sarah, already seduced by the vampire, Count Krolock is torn between Alfred and the Count. There are ecstatic love duets, close encounters, unbridled dancing, wild comedy and, of course, bats and a madman named Boris.

Golden Globe winner Baz Luhrmann brings Puccinišs "La Boheme" to Broadway. This new musical opens in previews November 22 at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway with an official opening December 8. The production, set in the 1950's, is sung in the original Italian with English subtitles. Puccini's melodies make this one of the most-requested operas of all time, and Baz Luhrmann's staging is designed to broaden its appeal even further. In the opera, Rodolfo, a starving artist in bohemian Paris, falls in love with a frail lace maker named Mimi and can do nothing to save her life.

MUSICAL REVIVALS

The revival of Rodgers and Hammersteinšs beloved musical "Flower Drum Song" opened in previews September 23 at the Virginia Theatre, 245 West 52nd Street with an official opening October 17. The story tells of the daughter of a Chinese opera master who travels to San Francisco and works at a swinging nightclub. In her new home, she witnesses the delicate balancing act between the older generation's struggle to hold on to traditional beliefs and the younger generation's desire to assimilate. She also finds herself falling in love. The daughter is played by Lea Salonga, who is best known for her Tony Award winning performance in Miss Saigon.

The Broadway revival of the lively musical "Man of La Mancha" starring Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Ernie Sabella opens in previews on November 19 at the Martin Beck Theatre, 302 West 45th Street. The musical features the classic tale of Don Quixote, knight-errant and his sidekick, Sancho. The show features a glorious score including, of course, "The Impossible Dream" and many other memorable songs.

ONE-MAN SHOWS
Join the master of comedy in his new one-man show "Jackie Mason: Prune Danish" which opened in previews on October 8th with an official opening on October 22. Enjoy this irreverent comedian at the Royale Theatre, 242 West 45th Street where he will delight his audiences with his witty humor and his insightful take on current events. Mr. Mason promises that "if it's in the news, itšs in the show!"

The new one-man show "Say Goodnight Gracie: The Love, Laughter and Life of George Burns" opened on October 10. Frank Gorshin plays Mr. Burns and takes us on a guided tour through the life of this comedic genius. The tour begins when Mr. Burns was an impoverished youth on the Lower East Side of New York City and then moves on to his career in Vaudeville. We also hear the heart warming story of his marriage to Gracie Allen, their rise to success on stage, screen, radio and TV, her tragic youthful demise, and finally, George's "second time around" as a solo raconteur and Academy Award winning actor.

DRAMA

Linda Lavin returns to the stage in "Hollywood Arms." This new play opened in previews on October 8th with an official opening of October 31 at the Cort Theatre, 138 West 18th Street. Written by Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton, the play is based on Burnett's book, One More Time. Hollywood Arms is a bittersweet story set in a less-than-glamorous Hollywood neighborhood in pre and post-World War II. The play follows the protagonist, Helen on her journey from childhood to young woman and depicts the difficult relationship she has with her family. The dysfunctional family dynamics prompt Helen to escape to a dream world she creates on the roof of her rundown apartment house overlooking the Hollywood Hills.

For more information on these shows and others we recommend two wonderful web sites, www.playbill.com and www.theatermania.com

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