FIRST LOOK: YOUR ROOM IS ALMOST READY!!! One of the most highly anticipated productions set to head to the Great Bright Way this season is the long awaited revival of Neil Simon’s legendary comedy Plaza Suite.
This new revival of PLAZA SUITE is set to begin previews on February 25th, 2022 and have its official night set on March 28th, 2022 at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre. It will run for a strictly limited engagement through June 12th, 2022.
To get us excited on what to expect, here is B-Roll footage of this production in action during its initial out-of-town tryout in Boston at the Emerson Colonial Theatre back in February of last year 2020 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This revival of PLAZA SUITE was initially scheduled to begin March 13th, 2020. However the day before was when Broadway got shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The run was delayed twice due to the ongoing 18 1/2 months of Broadway being shutdown. However, it is finally happening stronger than ever.
For those who may not know, PLAZA SUITE is a 3 act play Each act centers on 3 sets of visitors in Suite 719 of New York City’s Plaza Hotel.
Following its world premiere run in Boston, the show originally made its Broadway debut in 1968 at the Plymouth Theatre (now the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre) where it ran for only 2 previews and 1,097 regular performances. Under the direction of Mike Nichols, the cast originally featured….
George C. Scott,
Maureen Stapleton,
and
Bob Balaban.
The original production was nominated for 3 Tony Awards in 1968. However, it took home only 1 for BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY (for Mike Nichols).
It was later captured on film 3 times. The original film was released in 1971. starring Walter Matthau, Maureen Stapleton reprising her role from the stage production, Barbara Harris, and Lee Grant.
However, Neil Simon himself was not happy with the final product.
The 2nd filmed version was filmed for HBO in 1982. Filmed in front of a live audience, this version starred Lee Grant and Jerry Orbach.
The most recent version was released as a TV film led by Carol Burnett alongside Hal Holbrook, Dabney Coleman, and Richard Crenna.
Tickets are on sale now for this highly anticipated new production!! All those who held tickets for performances initially set for March 2020 and its pushed to March 2021 engagement, they will have the ability to exchange their tickets for a new performance by contacting the original point of sale.
So excited to finally experience this classic Neil Simon comedy back on Broadway!!
PLAZA SUITE itself continues to be performed in schools, community, and regional theaters around the world.
For every Broadway fan out, we all grow up belting out our favorite showtunes thanks to the legacy of cast albums. However, most people do NOT know how much hard work and dedication it takes for all those involved with your favorite musicals in bringing the magic of 8 times a week onto a CD. Right now, we’re about to take you on the ultimate throwback journey.
Back in 2001, PBS‘ Award winning series Great Performances teamed up with the cast, crew, musicians, and creative team of Mel Brooks‘ Award winning musical comedy The Producers following their journey as they head into the recording studio to make their Original Broadway Cast Recording. The 90 minute documentary entitled RECORDING THE PRODUCERS was captured at New York City’s Edison Recording Studio. You will be front row center watch showstopping performances from its Award winning stars Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Cady Huffman, Brad Oscar, Roger Bart, the late Gary Beach, and more laying down tracks of your favorite songs from the musical adaptation of Brooks’ 1967 film of the same name including….
KING OF BROADWAY,
WE CAN DO IT,
I WANNA BE A PRODUCER,
WHEN YOU GOT IT, FLAUNT IT,
ALONG CAME BAILEY,
and
of course…… SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER.
It will also feature interviews with both the cast and creative team (including Brooks and director/choreographer Susan Stroman).
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of THE PRODUCERS was recorded on March 11th, 2001…. just a week and a half before they actually began preview performances on Broadway. The company had a full day off from tech rehearsals. and went straight into the studio.
The cast album was released a month after it was recorded and just 2 days before THE PRODUCERS actually had its official Opening Night. It went on to become a successful BOTH show and cast album.
Along with winning its recording breaking 12 Tony Awards, the cast album won a 2002 Grammy Award for BEST MUSICAL SHOW ALBUM.
The original Broadway production of THE PRODUCERS ran for 6 years playing 2,502 performances at the St. James Theatre.
How amazing was this documentary?
Any THE PRODUCERS fans?
Who has that original cast album of THE PRODUCERS?!!!
WAKE UP BROADWAY FANS. We are your alarm clock getting you out of bed with New York Broadway Tours‘ Top 30 Tony Awards Countdown playing you the best toe-tapping performances from the past telecasts with Broadway’s biggest night only 24 days away.
At #24 today on our countdown, we take a trip to River City, Iowa where a superstitious salesman is playing a game of hit and run trying to organize an all boys marching band leader and selling instruments until he meets the woman that turns his world upside down. The superstitious man I am talking about Harold Hill, better known as THE MUSIC MAN, written by the incredible Meredith Wilson.
From the 2000 telecast, Tony nominees Craig Berko, Rebecca Luker, and the company of that same year’s revival perform the show’s toe-tapping marching number and the show’s signature song 76 TROMBONES.
THE MUSIC MAN first premiered in 1975 at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre starring Tony winners Robert Preston and Barbara Cook Official running for a total of 1,375 performances. It was nominated for 9 Tony Awards that same year winning 5 including Best Musical. In 1962, Preston went on to reprise his role in the Warner Brothers film adaptation (which he co-starred?Shirley Jones). In 1965, the show was brought back for a 2 week engagement revival at New York City Center starring Stage and Screen legend Dick Van Dyke and Meg Bussert. The most recent revival happened in 2000 at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre starring Craig Berko and Rebecca Luker running for a total of 721 performances. That musical would later be remade on screen in the 2003 TV Movie for Disney and ABC Television Network starring Tony winners and Broadway favorites Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth
Doesn’t this show make you want to get up and join the parade?!
