Broadway Archives

ONE-MAN SHOW :: Jay Johnson: The Two and Only is a Broadway show like no other. For starters, it really is a one-man show unlike Martin Short’s “one-man show,” Fame Becomes Me. Well, sort of. Johnson is an extremely gifted ventriloquist that brings his audience into a hilarious reality he so deftly creates. He magically brings to life about a dozen inanimate co-stars including a nutcracker, a decapitated head, a tennis ball, a vulture puppet named Nethermore, and a gorilla puppet named Darwin.

THE LOWDOWN :: Jay Johnson not only covers his own history but the nitty gritty history of ventriloquism (it does drag on for a tad too long). But believe me when I say that Johnson was born to be a ventriloquist. The show really will blow you away from start to finish, leaving you wondering, did he really just do that? The Two and Only is, for the most part, kid-appropriate fun and something for the whole family to enjoy. After the jump is a summary of what other reviewers are saying…

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The film version of Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys premiered yesterday in London. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker-Bowles were both present. If the The History Boys on Broadway is any indication, the movie will score straight A’s from critics and viewers alike.

Top right: Sacha Dhawan, Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey, James Corden, and Playwright Alan Bennett. Bottom right: Andrew Knott, Samuel Barnett, Jamie Parker, and Sam Anderson. The History Boys also stars Frances de la Tour and Richard Griffiths (they played Madame Olympe Maxime and Uncle Vernon, respectively in the Harry Potter film series).

The History Boys will open in limited platform release on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Ashlee Simpson made her debut last night in the musical Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre. According to reports, she pulled off a flawless performance in the role of femme fatale Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger in the film verson). Ashlee said, “The play absolutely is all about celebrity and wanting to be famous and have your name in the papers. In that sense, it’s been kind of cool because I’ve really got to connect to that because I’ve seen that world and been in that world… Doing theatre has been extremely humbling because it’s not about who you are. You are not a celebrity when you come here. Everyone is equal – everyone has to work together.” The muscal number that riled up the crowd the most was “Roxie” because Ashlee poked fun at the nose job talk in tabloids. Lyrics as follows:

The name on everybody’s lips
Is gonna be Roxie
The lady raking in the chips
Is gonna be Roxie

I’m gonna be a celebrity
That means
Somebody everyone knows
They’re gonna recognize my eyes
My hair my teeth my boobs my nose

• Scarlett Johansson on the cover of Vogue Magazine
  

  I’m curvy. I’m never going to be 5′11′ and 120 pounds. But I feel lucky to have what I’ve got.

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• Clay Aiken To Come Out On Tomorrow’s Good Morning America
• Johnny Depp Loves Ladies’ Underwear
• Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) Enjoys The Sights of Hollywood

• Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Rosie O’Donnell are just some of the celebrities Stephen Baldwin says he prays for. Baldwin claims “the spirit of God has put [Cruise] in my heart,” and that he prays Pitt, who he says comes from Christian roots, “will do the right thing and marry [Angelina Jolie].” About O’Donnell, he hopes that she will one day experience the “true loving spirit of Jesus Christ.” Lastly, Baldwin said: “On the Hollywood list of people I pray for often, Tom Cruise is probably number one. I’d love to break bread with him and pray with him, and I’d love for the Holy Spirit of God to reveal the truth to him.”
• Justin Timberlake will host the European MTV Video Music Awards on November 2 in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
• Bono shouted out a “Happy Birthday” to Lindsay Lohan’s mom, Dina, the other night at the Hudson Hotel where he celebrated the launch of T-shirts to benefit the One campaign. Lindsay, who a day earlier had a screaming match with Dina, skipped the event.
• No murder or homicide was apparently involved in the death of Anna Nicole Smith’s son, Daniel. But he was on prescription anti-depression medication when he died Sept 10, pathologist Cyril Wecht said Monday. Wecht, who ordered drug and chemical analyses that could take weeks, said he learned about the prescription medication after the autopsy from Daniel’s psychiatrist in the United States. The depression apparently “had to do with a girlfriend,” he said.
• Nick Lachey has been ignored by Access Hollywood and ET because his dating ET’s Vanessa Minnillo makes coverage tricky for both shows.

Production for the movie version of Hairspray, which opens in 2007, is already well under way in Toronto, Canada.  Above is our very first look at Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingleton) and Zac Efron (Link Larkin) on the set of Hairspray pretty much looking the part of 1960’s Baltimore.  Nice lolly, Amanda!  Nice white kicks, Zac!

Allison Janney (The West Wing) was recently announced as joining the cast of  Hairspray. She will play Prudy Pingleton, the overbearing mother of Penny (Amanda)

Amanda, Zac, and Allison join the ridiculously all-star cast of John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, and newcomer Nikki Blonsky. More pictures in the gallery including James Marsden (Corny Collins) and Elijah Kelley (Seaweed J. Stubbs)!

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• Is Kate Hudson Rethinking her Marriage?
• Jessica Simpson’s Hair Extensions Ads
• Brittany Murphy & Fiance Call It Quits
• Kevin Federline Really is a Weasel
• Drew Barrymore Tries to Bring Back the Poncho
• Ashlee Simpson Offered Role in Broadway’s Chicago
• Superman Returns‘ Brandon Routh Engaged
• Zach Braff’s Pimped Out Ride

• Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures are parting ways. The studio will sever its 14-year relationship with Cruise’s film production company because "his recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount." "It’s nothing to do with his acting ability, he’s a terrific actor.  But we don’t think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot." Cruise’s partner, Paula Wagner said their company has already obtained commitments from two hedge funds, whose names would be announced soon.
• Star reports that George Clooney and Ellen Barkin are an item, saying the two got close while filming on the set of Ocean’s 13.
• Us Weekly reports that Eddie Murphy is about to pop the question to former Spice Girl Melanie Brown.  A source says, "They are already living together at Eddie’s house," and"Each got a tattoo of the other’s name."  Um, barf?
• Michael Angarano, aka Jack’s long-lost son on Will & Grace, joins the cast of 24.

Speaking of Dominic Cooper, Alan Bennett’s highly-acclaimed The History Boys is set to hit the silver screen November 24, 2006 in limited theaters nationwide.  It features the original cast of the play (Frances de la Tour, Richard Griffiths, Dominic Cooper, Samuel Barnett) and is directed by Nicholas Hytner. Check out the promo pictures in the gallery!

WATCH :: The History Boys Trailer
READ :: The History Boys Broadway Review

Spamalot is big, glitzy bundle of inside jokes that anyone can get into.

Its creamy center is comprised of crowd-pleasing, very faithful reproductions of scenes from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, with a dip into Life of Brian here and there. Added to this core material are playful nods to Broadway classics and melodramatic conventions — be on the lookout for  Phantom and Les Mis, among others.

Rabid Python fans will smile early and knowingly as those key scenes from The Grail are reenacted. Though the actors’ performances don’t match the originals (and what could?), they are still hilarious and gain an extra punch from being performed live with bouncy song and dance numbers tacked on.

(Continued after the jump)

Spamalot also benefits theatregoers new to Monty Python because, as a Broadway show, it draws those favorite parts from the movie (everything from the Knights Who Say "Ni" to the holy hand grenade to the random deus-ex-machina gestures-from-the-sky) into a more accessible frame of reference.

Meanwhile, both crowds will laugh at the showbiz gags, expanded diva role for the Lady in the Lake, and cleverly projected expository animations, and breaking of the fourth (stage) wall.

All in all, Spamalot’s many and disparate jokes, gags, and catchy tunes eventually work together to form a dysfunctional and funny whole. You’ll leave the theatre (after a rousing singalong) with a tune on your lips and a desire to go rent the movie again in your heart.

– Written by Audrey