Rialto Chatter - Page 11

PopEater.com is reporting that a musical inspired by the life and career of Cher is currently in the works. The mastermind behind the project is producer-director-writer Andy Fickman. Says Fickman of the project: 'We'll be making announcements about that project coming together shortly. She's a fairly phenomenal character, Cher -- as a human being I think she's one of the great icons of all time, a force to be reckoned with. The way she looked onstage with Lady Gaga, well, it's one for the books.'

New York Magazine is reporting that Robin Wright has pulled out of Broadway's TALLEY'S FOLLY. Reportedly, her would-be co-star Richard Schiff reportedly told the mag yesterday at fashion week: 'Robin just had to drop out right now for personal reasons.' Undeterred, Schiff has been hard at work trying to recruit Sally Hawkins, currently starring in Mrs. Warren's Profession. He says of his efforts: 'I'm trying to convince her to do Talley's Folly. I think she'd be great in it.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum, resurrected the infamous flop musical CARRIE for an Equity reading that had a notoriously short 3 night, 5 performance run on Broadway in 1988. The reading took place on November 20, 2009. The hope is to bring 'Carrie' and her supernatural powers back to the Broadway stage.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that Al Pacino's star power has earned The Merchant of Venice the winners spot for the fall's highest advance generating show. The production, which opens at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 7, 2010, has reportedly taken in approximately $4M, beating out all incoming fall plays and musicals.

WONDERLAND: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure will open on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on Sunday, April 17, 2011 and performances will begin Monday, March 21.Michael Musto reveals in The Village Voice today that Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Jekyll & Hyde) has been offered the role of the female Mad Hatter in Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland, opening at the Marquis Theatre on April 14, 2011 (previews begin March 21).

As BroadwayWorld previously speculated, Brendan Fraser, who's film career includes The Mummy, G.I. Joe, Encino Man, Journey to the Center of the Earth and other films will make his Broadway debut in the Simon Bent play - Elling, Variety reports. The play, which will begin previews at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on November 2, will open officially on November 21. The production will also star Denis O'Hare, Jennifer Coolidge, and Richard Easton and will be directed by Dough Hughes and produced by Howard Panter.

Michael Riedel reports this morning that stage and screen vet, Alec Baldwin, is undergoing a career 'rebirth' and is in search of a meatly Broadway show a means. He may have found one in a revival of Garson Kanin's Born Yesterday. According to the report, Baldwin led a reading on Monday of the piece alongside Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur). In the reading, Baldwin played Harry Brock, a weathly business man who bribes congressmen, while Arianda portrayed his blonde, airheaded lover, Billie Dawn. Josh Charles (The Good Wife) also partook in the reading. Doug Hughes (Doubt, The Royal Family, Oleanna) directed.

Rumors surrounding the possibility of GLEE representation on Broadway may in fact be true, if GLEE creator Ryan Murphy is to be understood correctly. At the Eat Pray Love premiere in New York City this Week Murphy revealed to the New York Daily News of a GLEE stage adaptation: it is 'definitely' happening. 'I'm auditioning people now.' As for a potential cast: 'I don't know just yet...You'll see.'

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that make no mistake about it - Robin and the 7 Hoods, which opened at San Deigo's Old Globe Theatre last Friday, July 30, is coming to town, at least if the widow of the show's lyricist has anything to do with it. Robin and the 7 Hoods, which garnered lukewarm reviews out west, features the music of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, including the songs 'My Kind of Town,' 'Call Me Irresponsible,' 'Ain't That a Kick in the Head,' 'All the Way' and more. Cahn was Frank Sinatra's preferred lyricist and member of the famed 'Rat Pack.'

TVNZ reports that Cheryl Crow may be at work on a Broadway score for a stage adaptaton of the film, Diner. The songstress recently contributed a strip-tease number to the New York stage show. Revealing few details, Crow remarked: 'A friend of mine has asked me to write the music for the Broadway musical version of the film 'Diner...' There's a scene where these three women do a striptease and I came up with the music for it. It's so good I could strip to it. And I'm 48.'

The New York Times reports that Neil Simon's THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, currently playing the West End's Vaudeville Theater through September 25, may see a Broadway transfer.

Variety reports today that the biographical musical about composer Florence Greenberg by Million Dollar Quartet producer and book writer Floyd Mutrux is being prepped for a 2011 Broadway opening. Entitled Baby, It's You, the musical is aiming to open in the winter of 2011, co- directed by Mutrux and Sheldon Epps. Mutrux and Epps also collaborated on the Pasadena Playhouse production in November of 2009. The show premiered at the Coast Playhouse in Los Angeles prior to its Pasadena run.

Le Journal de Montreal reports this morning that the musical, Mambo Italiano, may be headed to Broadway in 2013.

The New York Times has announced that The Public Theater is actively working on a Broadway transfer of it's production of Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, now playing at the Delacorte Theater. That production is scheduled to close August 1. The Public's Executive Director Andrew Hamingston tells the Times that a transfer is dependant upon the film and television filming conflicts amongst several of the cast members, including Lily Rabe, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Hamish Linklater.

At a press junket in New York for his upcoming movie The Extra Man, Kevin Kline suggested he may be back on the boards within a year. BWW's Adrienne Onofri attended the junket on Monday, and on behalf of Kline's theater fans asked if he'd be working on stage again anytime soon. 'There's something I might do this season on Broadway,' Kline commented, though he didn't provide further details.

According to Michael Riedel this morning, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith may be leading a production of Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway next year as Stanley and Stella, respectively. Reportedly, the pair have been approached by producers and are considering the possibility. Emily Mann will direct the production, which will be produced by Stephen Byrd. Click here for the full report.

American playwright Katori Hall's The Mountaintop was named Best Play at the 2010 Olivier Awards in London. Marking the first time a female African American playwright has received the honor in the Olivier Awards' 34-year history, Ms. Hall's play was nominated alongside such new works as Jerusalem, Enron and Red.

Whatsonstage.com is furthing speculation first reported by BroadwayWorld on May 4 that Sting may be bringing an autobiographical musical to Broadway in the near future. It was reported then that the singer/songwriter is collaborating with Next to Normal's Brian Yorkey on the project, which is believed that it is inspired by Sting's memoir, Broken Music. No word on whether or not the score would be original.

Michael Ridel reports in the New York Post this morning that the Tony Awards may be taking up shop in a surprising location next year: specifically, the United Palace Theatre at 175th and Broadway. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the Tony Awards will not be returning to its longtime home of 13 years at Radio City Music Hall come next year and have been in search of an appropriate replacement venue for some time. Radio City will be unavailable next year, as it will be housing a new Cirque du Soliel production.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post today that LOVE NEVER DIES may be getting a new leader before it makes the leap to Broadway - PHANTOM OF THE OPERA helmer Hal Prince, to be precise. According to the report, Prince recently had lunch with Andrew Lloyd Webber in London during which Webber asked Prince to take the reins on the project for Broadway.