Baltimore/Washington Backstage – March 8, 2007

What Broadway Shows Will Be Arriving Next Season?
 
Now is the time of the year when speculation is at its highest about what the Baltimore/Washington region can expect next season. 
 
Could we get a season like the Mark Taper Forum in LA? There "Avenue Q", "The Color Purple", "A Chorus Line", "Sweeney Todd", "My Fair Lady", and "The Drowsy Chaperone" are scheduled.
 
The Kennedy Center announced their season on March 6.  You can look forward to Cameron Mackintosh's version of Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" (Dec. 27 to January 20, 2008. (This could be a nice way to spend New Year's Eve.) This is directed by Trevor Nunn and choreography is by the great Matthew Bourne (who recently did "Scissorhands").
 
The biggest news for the DC area is FINALLY...Disney's "The Lion King" will debut at the Kennedy Center on June 28, 2008.
 
During this summer, look for "August Wilson's 20th Century". All ten of Wilson's plays will be given staged readings.
 
Next season Philadelphia will have "The Drowsy Chaperone", "My Fair Lady", "The Color Purple", "Avenue Q", "Wicked", and "Mamma Mia".
 
Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre will announce its season on March 29. My guess will be it will include a schedule similar to LA.  "Jersey Boys" will be the biggest cache. Who will get this Tony-winning musical? We'll have to wait and see.
 
Speaking of the Hippodrome…you'll see "Killer Rabbits", arm-less and leg-less knights, and other assorTed Mayhem as "Spamalot" has finally arrived and it's another blockbuster for Baltimore. Following record-breaker "Wicked" comes this Tony-winning "New Musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". You have until March 18…that is if you can snag a ticket…but do try. Call 410-547-SEAT. You can get a sample of the musical on MPT's "Artworks This Week" which features a nice interview with the star Michael Siberry. Catch this 30 minute show Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and Monday morning at 5:30 a.m. Siberry is terrific in the part immortalized by the great Tim Curry.  Interesting he played the role of Osbourne in the London production of "Journey's End" which is now on Broadway. And in the Playbill, there's a nice article about British actor Hugh Dancy making his Broadway debut in this World War I drama getting terrific reviews.
 
MPT's "Artworks This Week" next week features Tony-winner Cherry Jones who is recreating her starring role in "Doubt" which plays The National Theatre in DC from March 13-25 and then comes to Baltimore's Hippodrome May 1 for one week. You can save 10% on tickets for selected performances in DC by clicking on www.BroadwayOffers.com and enter code DTGNA74.
 
Coming next to the Hippodrome will be "Annie" (March 20-25). Want FREE tickets and have your adorable pet make a cameo for one performance? Well, head to the PETCO store in Timonium (1719 York Rd.) for the auditions. If you dog is the winner, he may not get an Equity card, but he will get 3 months of free dog food and two tickets to the show to anyone he or she wants to take. Qualifications: must be less than 35 pounds, bring updated rabies and vaccine paperwork, and must NOT be a barker. Auditions will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the winners announced at 1:45 p.m. Go to www.Petco.com.
Look for my cute black cocker-spaniel "Beau" giving this a shot. He's always wanted to be on Broadway!
 
Added to the Hippodrome schedule for one night is the incredible dance company "Pilobolus". You may have seen them perform on the Academy Awards. They'll be here for one night only, March 31 at 8 p.m. Call 410-547-SEAT.
 
For those Phantom Phanatics, check out "Breakfast with the Arts" on A&E, Sunday morning, March 10 to see a nice behind-the-scenes story on the Webber musical.
 
For those in the NY area (or have friends there), "The Pirate Queen: A New Musical –A Broadway Journey" will be televised on March 12 on LIW21, Channel 21. It is hosted by Gabriel Byrne and will relate how composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg have brought this musical into fruition. It opens at the Hilton Theatre on April 5 and concerns legendary Irish Chieftain Grace O'Malley.
 
The new Kander-Ebb musical "Curtains", now in previews, opens on March 22 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. See its star David Hyde-Pierce ALSO on March 12 on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien starting at 12:30 a.m.
 
DO NOT MISS Olney Theatre Center's "The Constant Wife" which ends is successful run on Sunday, March 11. There are TWO shows both Saturday and Sunday. I have always hated the term "chick flick" but if you do use it…this is certainly a "chick play". It is funny, powerful, and relevant. AND you will laugh. Call 301-924-3400.
 
Also, last change to see "Carnival" at the Kennedy Center. 800-444-1324. Ending this week-end is "Servant of Two Masters" at the Mobtown Players. 410-467-3057.
 
Two of my favorite "small" theaters are offering some great theater. Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins" continues at the Spotlighters with a just-added Thursday night, March 15 performance due to popular demand (410-752-1225) and "Picnic" plays until March 21 at the Bay Theatre Company in Annapolis. 410-268-1333.
 
I've never been to the Performance Workshop Theatre at 28 E. Ostend St. They are presenting "The Jewish Wife" and "The Informer" by Brecht through March 25. 410-659-7830.
 
You can do a double-header at the Arena Stage. "Gem of the Ocean" continues and with it is "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune". Do not miss "Gem". Treat yourself to some amazing theatrics and a superb cast. 202-488-3300.

One of the shows I am eager to see is "The Pillowman" which opens at the Studio Theatre in DC on March 14. This Martin McDonagh play will be directed by Joy Zinoman. 202-332-3300.

Running till March 18 at the Chesapeake Arts Center is "The Glass Menagerie". 410-636-6537.
 
Sunday afternoon, the Carver Center for Arts & Technology, has a few tickets left for their sold-out "Jekyll and Hyde". Showtime is at 2 p.m. It has the SRO sign up over the week-end…but if you want to see terrific high school performances, try it. I was one of the lucky few who witnessed this ambitious production Friday night. If there was any better reason to give this school a new theater, this would do it. What a terrific set design by Rose Ashe. It literally took up the entire black box theater. There was effective lighting by Clare Glenn. The impressive cast left it all on the stage. The women ensemble was especially terrific in the beautiful "Ladies of the Night". HAnna Miller was a superb "Lucy". Bobby Harris handled the incredible difficult task of both Jekyll and Hyde. The three piece orchestra was tremendous. Kudos to Andrew Steward, Chris Pieorazio, and Ian Rosenbaum. This was certainly an ambitious undertaking by Director Matthew j. Bowerman.  I don't know any other high school which could pull this off.
Coming March 17 to the Kennedy Center, the "DYNAMIC DUO"…Audra McDonald and Barbara Cook in concert at 4 p.m.  Tickets start at $40. 202-785-WPAS.
 
If you saw the Sunday Baltimore Sun and read the article about the Baltimore Symphony selling subscriptions where ALL seats are $25, yes, that was me getting my picture with Maestra Marin Alsop passing out donuts. If you missed it, check out the Baltimore Sun web site. And I really do suggest getting a subscription to the BSO. This could be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
 
Finally, I did not post a column last week due to my work as a chaperone at the Maryland Winter Special Olympics. What a great event. If you have never been involved in the Special Olympics, there is always a need for volunteers. I was, however, dismayed that NO local television coverage made the trek to the Wisp Ski resort to cover the great competition. There was so much coverage for the "Polar Bear Plunge" to raise money, but why not cover the athletes?
 
For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com