Broadway Barks 11 is July 11th in Shubert Alley!

Eleven is the lucky number for Broadway Barks as it celebrates its 11th anniversary in Shubert Alley this Saturday, July 11th! Broadway Barks, founded by Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore, benefits New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies by raising money and awareness, as well as promoting adoption of shelter animals.

The celebration begins with Bernadette signing her delightful children's book, a New York Times Bestseller, Broadway Barks, at 1:00 in Shubert Alley.

At 3:30, an auction of cool stuff and celebrity-autographed memorabilia will begin.

At 5:30, presentations of pets from citywide animal shelters will begin. For the presentation of pets, Bernadette and Mary will be joined by a number of Broadway stars, including Ashanti, Elizabeth Ashley, Jayne Atkinson, Stephanie J. Block, Matt Cavanaugh, Michael Cerveris, Gavin Creel, Hope Davis, Christine Ebersole, Rupert Everett, Tovah Feldshuh, Sutton Foster, John Glover, Lauren Graham, Kate Jennings Grant, Haydn Gwynne, Ernie Hudson, Allison Janney, Gregory Jbara, Andy Karl, Marc Kudisch, Angela Lansbury, Michael Mastro, Audra McDonald, Judy McLane, Constantine Maroulis , Karen Olivo, David Hyde Pierce, Alice Ripley, Bryce Ryness, Christopher Siebert, J. Robert Spencer, Will Swenson, John Tartaglia, Harriet Walter, Chandler Williams, and famed Broadway animal trainer, Bill Berloni with his pal, Nigel (Toto in The Wiz at Encores!)

Baby June becomes a murderess

Last year I asked, "Whatever happened to Babies June and Louise?" Well, after 35 years, Bonnie Langford, who played "Baby June" in the 1973 West End production and the first Broadway revival of Gypsy returns to Broadway. As reported by Playbill, she stepped into the role of "Roxie Hart" at Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre yesterday. She previously played the role in the UK and in Canada on tour. She'll be the murderess until July 5th.

1973, AT THE PICADILLY THEATRE IN THE LONDON WEST END
























1974, AT THE WINTER GARDEN THEATRE ON BROADWAY

Tonight: A Reed in the Wind at the Sonnet Theatre

Tonight: A Reed in the Wind

Web Site Story

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

pointed out by Noah

Saturday in New York

I was a tour guide today for a lovely young lady named Elizabeth and her Dad from Wisconsin - we caught the International Immigrants Day Parade on 6th Avenue; took in the 42nd Street Library where we saw the McGraw Rotunda, the Rose Reading Room and the Declaration of Independence in Thomas Jefferson's handwriting; toured Rockefeller Plaza, saw part of a wedding at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and went to the Top of the Rock. The best part of the tour ends at the Shubert later when my payment comes in the form of a lovely ticket to Blithe Spirit. I'll never pass up the opportunity to see this play...plus the bonus pay is that Elizabeth is a huge fan of Angela Lansbury and this is her first time to see her perform live.

Coppery pink cotton ball sky over Broadway

And the work begins

I've started working on the preliminary Great Ticket Scramble for the 2009/10 season. I've told you before how very complicated this is. We can do Broadway whenever there's a wim, but in the classical, opera and concert world, the opportunities to experience great singers is oh so limited. Of course, we will supplement our season with rush tickets, especially at the Metropolitan Opera, and possibly at City Opera (I vow not to be an opera snob this year). These are most of my must-sees and some wish-to-sees (a couple are a done deal):

9/16 La Diva Renee opens NY Phil season, Avery Fisher (PBS broadcast)
9/21 Tosca – Opening Night, Met Opera - Plaza Cast?
9/26 Helen Mirren in Phedre,DC Shakespeare
10/1-5 Gone to London, something at Convent Garden or West End
10/13 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
10/14 Tosca, The Met
10/16 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
10/19 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
10/22 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
11/5 Thomas Hampson, Avery Fisher
11/14 Christine Ebersole, Kennedy Center
11/22 Richard Tucker Gala, Avery Fisher Hall
12/1 Il Trittico, The Met
12/10 Elektra,The Met
12/20 Stephanie Blithe, Met Orchestra,Carnegie Hall
1/6 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
1/9 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met – Live in HD Broadcast
1/15 Der Rosenkavalier, The Met
2/13 Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre, Arlington
2/23 Attila, The Met
3/6 Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre, Arlington
3/16 Hamlet, The Met
3/26 Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre, Arlington
4/3 Porgy & Bess, WNO – Kennedy Center
4/4 Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre, Arlington
4/5 Elijah – BSO (Brewer, Blithe), Carnegie Hall
4/19 Armida, The Met
4/22 Frederica von Stade, Carnegie Hall
4/28 Oedipus Rex(Meier, Griffey, Petrenko, Timchenko), Avery Fisher
5/6-8 Sondheim at 80, NSO Pops – Kennedy Center
5/8 Bernadette Peters, Minneapolis
5/16 Deborah Polaski, Met Orchestra,Carnegie Hall
6/3 Susan Graham & Saint-Saens’s Organ Symphony, Avery Fisher
6/18 Patti LuPone's Coulda Shoulda Woulda, Minneapolis
6/24 Beethoven’s Missa solemnis(Brewer, Blythe, Groves, Owens), Avery Fisher

Save the Date: 2009 Richard Tucker Gala

Set the DiVaR for Patricia Racette as Madama Butterfly

Patricia Racette's broadcast of Madama Butterfly at the Met is on Thirteen WNET this Thursday June 24th at 9:00 pm. Additional airdates in New York are Saturday, June 27th at 2:30am on Thirteen, Sunday, June 28th at 12pm on Thirteen, and Sunday, June 28th at 3pm on WLIW21.

I have seen this production by the late Anthony Minghella a number time - in an open dress rehearsal, a plaza cast on opening night, twice again in the house and again last season.

Patricia has performed Butterfly all over the world since 1988, more than any contemporary soprano. Last year, before Patricia took on the role in this particular Met production, I had the opportunity to visit with her for a few minutes. I conveyed to her my excitement of seeing her in this production. At the time, she hoped that she would get the Live in HD broadcast, even though she was splitting the role with Cristina Gallardo-Domâs.

After Mr. Minghella passed away suddenly, the Met announced that it would be Gallardo-Domâs for the broadcast. Crushing news. While I thought Gallardo-Domâs acted the role fine, her voice had a shredded sound. Nobody sounded better to me than Patricia (I've seen two other sopranos as well), nor could anybody act the role better. When the broadcast date came near, however, Gallardo-Domâs unfortunately took ill and fortunately for Patricia was able to step in. Perhaps it was fate.

Even if you're not an opera fan, you shouldn't miss this PBS broadcast. It's breathtaking, and with Patricia as Butterfly, it's even more unforgettable.

@nypl - The Declaration of Independence is Between the Lions

Here's another reason to go to the New York Public Library. This time, head to the 42nd Street Library, the one that's between the Lions on 5th Avenue, also known as the The New York Public Library's Humanities and Social Sciences Library. The NYPL's "fair copy of the Declaration of Independence in Thomas Jefferson's hand will be the centerpiece of a display that will include several other landmark versions of the document and early newspaper printings, as well as an autograph letter from Benjamin Franklin to George Washington." This Independence Day Celebration by the NYPL is on from June 25 through July 31 (closed July 3 through July 5).