Rialto Chatter - Page 9

According to a recent casting notice, the upcoming revival of BORN YESTERDAY will open in mid-April in a Broaway theatre that has not yet been determined.

It looks like off-Broadway's DRACULA, playing at the Little Shubert might have a shorter run than originally announced. The show, which just opened on January 5, was originally scheduled to close on March 13. Now, after speculation in the NY Post this morning about an early end for the revival, Telecharge.com is only offering tickets for the show through January 9.

EW.com is reporting that Big Love's Chloe Sevigny is in talks to join Katie Holmes on Broadway in the near future with William Mastrosimone's Extremities. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Holmes has reportedly been tapped to play the role of a woman who 'turns the tables' on her attempted rapist and must decide how to handle the situation. Sevigny would play her opposite.

According to the NY Times, both Jim Belushi and Nina Arianda are currently in talks to star in the spring 2011 Broadway revival of Garson Kanin's BORN YESTERDAY.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Matthew Lombardo's High, starring movie and stage actress Kathleen Turner and directed by Rob Ruggiero. This riveting and powerful production will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, October 13 through November 7, 2010. After its St. Louis run, High will move to Broadway in early 2011.

BroadwayWorld has been hearing that SPIDER MAN's Natalie Mendoza, who has been out of the show since December 2 due to a concussion she received during the first preview, could be out of the show for as long as another week. A spokesperson for the production stated that Mendoza 'would be going back into the production very soon,' in response. Reportedly, Mendoza underwent medical testing this week.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS may return to Broadway in the Spring for a repeat run just before the Tony Awards. According to the report, once THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS shutters in on Sunday, the producers are 'planning to put together a national tour for the musical and [hope] to bring it back to Broadway for a limited run before the Tony Awards in the spring.'

According to a report on Billboard.com, the Portland-based rock group, The Decemberists, are considering the possibility of writing a Broadway musical. Says vocalist/guitarist Colin Meloy: 'I grew up doing theater, so in theory, I would love to write a musical. I don't know if I have the stuff -- I always end up just writing little pop songs that stand a better chance on a record than on stage...It happens that the director Michael Mayer, who directed Green Day's 'American Idiot' musical on Broadway, is the guy that got me going about doing a musical...We're still talking and there's potential for a musical down the line, for sure.'

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, the Manhattan Theater Club was in talks to bring the Kennedy Center production of MASTER CLASS, which ran this Spring, starring Tyne Daly to Broadway in the Summer of 2011. The play is aiming for the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in June. An Equity casting notice released today a new production of MASTER CLASS with Tyne Daly is one of the projects under consideration for MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre for the Spring of 2011.

CARRIE is back, according to an Equity casting notice that was just released a few moments ago. A 29-Hour reading is scheduled for February. Exact dates will be determined based on actor's schedules once cast. The notice specifically calls for submission for the roles of Carrie and Sue Snell. Auditions will take place in mid-December.

Deadline.com reports today that Precious mastermind Lee Daniels has his eye on a screen adaptation of Kander & Ebb's SCOTTSBORO BOYS, playing out its final performances at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. According to the report: 'While The Scottsboro Boys ends its Broadway run on December 12 at the Lyceum Theatre, there are flickers of hope that the last collaboration between songwriting legends John Kander and Fred Ebb will have a feature future. I'm told that Oscar-nominated Precious director Lee Daniels has seen the show several times and is in early conversations to develop it.'

According to Variety, UNCHAIN MY HEART might not move to Broadway this spring after all. The show, which was previously titled RAY CHARLES LIVE!, was to open at the Ethel Barrymore on November 7, but was postponed until spring. Now the production has been put on hold because a producer of the show is suing the show's primary investor. A rep for UNCHAIN MY HEART commented that he 'had no details about a new production timeline, but admitted a spring start doesn't seem viable.'

BwayGirlNYC has spotted a tweet from choreographer and Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin referencing an upcoming Broadway Pussycat Dolls musical! Antin's tweet reads 'Just got my tix for 'West Side Story' at Pantages! Can't wait, (doing my research for my Pussycat Dolls Musical on Broadway!)'

As LOVE NEVER DIES returns from its hiatus, what has changed? Don't read on if you don't want spoilers...

Already delayed because of safey issues regarding the many flying stunts in the show, SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK will get anoher visit from safety inspectors on Wednesday, according to the NY Times. Inspectors have so far been able to see only 13 of 27 flying stunts for the new show. All 27 must be approved before public performances can begin.

The New York Times reports today that Brittish film actor Matthew James Thomas will likely share the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man with Reeve Carney for the upcoming Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Thomas will take on the role twice a week due to the demanding nature of the part. The Times notes that Carney will play all of the production's preview performances. Thomas would step in twice a week beginning after the show's opening on January 11, 2011.

The New York Times reports this morning that Mark Rylance, currently starring in La Bete alongside David Hyde Pierce and Joanna Lumley at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, may be reprising his role as Johnny 'Rooster' Byron in Jez Butterworth's award-winning play, Jerusalem, on Broadway this season.

BroadwayWorld.com checked with the Driving Miss Daisy team to find out how Vanessa Redgrave who has been out of the show is feeling and have been told that 'Vanessa has the flu and hopes to return to Driving Miss Daisy tomorrow.'

According to Rosie Radio, in a recent interview with Avenue Q and Imaginocean's John Targaglia, Rosie O'Donnell may be filming her new talk show, which will premiere on Oprah's OWN, from Off-Broadway's New World Stages.

BroadwayWorld has learned that a new musical called INNOCENCE just did a low-key reading at The Banff Centre in Alberta last week and now the theatrical community around the world is nosing around. What is INNOCENCE? The days surrounding the assassination and funeral of President John F. Kennedy are the background for the new show, examining the hopes, expectations and emotional significance of that time through the eyes of several people who felt the loss deeply.