Look out 2016 Tony Awards. Jessica Lange and Gabriel Byrne are coming to Broadway in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” by, of course, Eugene O’Neill. Wow. John Gallagher Jr., of “The Newsroom” and “Spring Awakening” among other things, will co-star. Brit Jonathan Kent., who’s directed Ralph Fiennes twice on Broadway, is the director here. It’s a Roundabout Theater production, but it looks like Lange has gotten her “American Horror Story” pal Ryan Murphy to add his name as a producer, also. That will be a hot ticket. The last time “Long Day’s Journey” was on Broadway was in 2003 with Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Dennehy, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Sean Leonard. That was a stunning production, but the generations have changed. Time for a new take!
Broadway: Tony Awards Nominating Committee Members Announced
The American Theater Wing has announced the members of the nominating committee for this year’s Tony Awards. The show airs June 7th on CBS, and it’s a hot year.
A lot of these names are known to the public, some less well. But the committee includes Marsha Mason, Debra Monk, Jack Hofsiss, and Dick Latessa.
The 2015-2016 Nominating Committee includes:
- Douglas Aibel – Artistic Dir., The Vineyard Theatre
- Adrian Bailey – Actor**
- Victoria Bailey – Executive Director, Theatre Development Fund**
- Ira Bernstein – Former Producer/General Manager/Stage Manager/Casting Director
- Hope Clarke – Choreographer**
- Veronica Claypool – Arts Management Consultant, Full Circle Management Group/Former GM
- Paul Cremo – Dramaturg/Director of Opera Commissioning Program, The Metropolitan Opera
- Trip Cullman – Director**
- Harvey Evans – Actor
- Sean Patrick Flahaven – Writer/Composer/Orchestrator/Conductor/Producer**
- Paul Gallo – Lighting Designer
- Kent Gash – Director/Founding Dir., of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ New Studio on Broadway
- Jenny Gersten – Former Executive Director, Friends of the High Line
- Daniel Goldfarb – Playwright / Book writer**
- Sam Gonzalez – Dir. of Operations, Pfizer Medical/Board of Trustees Playwrights Horizons**
- Adam Gwon – Composer/Lyricist**
- Roy Harris – Production Stage Manager**
- Philip Himberg – Artistic Director, Sundance Institute Theatre Program
- Jack Hofsiss – Theatre/Film/Television Director
- Julie Hughes – Former Casting Director
- Lou Jacob – Director/Chair of the MFA Directing Program at the New School for Drama**
- Stephen Karam – Playwright
- Tom Kitt – Composer**
- Corby Kummer – Senior Editor, The Atlantic Magazine
- Fran Kumin – Consultant – Perf. Arts Organizations/Foundations/University Theatre Programs**
- Dick Latessa – Actor
- Kate Levin – Cultural Assets Management Principal, Bloomberg Associates
- Reynold Levy – Former President of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
- Sara Lukinson – Documentary Film Producer/Television Writer
- Patricia Marx – American Humorist and Writer/Former Television Writer
- Marsha Mason – Actor/Director
- Jim McLaughlin – Former Producer, CBS News
- Debra Monk – Actor
- Roger Morgan – Lighting Designer/Theatre Designer
- Laurence O’Keefe – Composer**
- Katherine Oliver – Media and Technology Principal, Bloomberg Associates
- Christian Parker – Chair, Graduate Theatre Program, Columbia University
- Paige Price – Actor/1st Vice President of AEA/Executive Artistic Director, Theatre Aspen**
- Ravi S. Rajan – Dean, School of the Arts – SUNY Purchase
- Nigel Redden – Gen. Dir., Spoleto Festival USA/Dir., Lincoln Center Festival
- Susan H. Schulman – Director/President, Stage Directors and Choreographers
- Scott Schwartz – Director
- Linda Shelton – Executive Dir., Joyce Theater Foundation
- Warner Shook – Director**
- Arlene Shuler – President & CEO, New York City Center
- Edward Strong – Producer**
- Wynn Thomas – Production Designer
- Jennifer von Mayrhauser – Costume Designer**
- Robin Wagner – Scenic Designer
- Tom Watson – Retired Executive-Television Advertising**
- Preston Whiteway – Executive Director, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
Bruce Springsteen Signed an Extraordinary $31 Million Contract with Sony Last Year
Bruce Springsteen is on a little bit of a work vacation right now. But he won’t be for long. I can tell you that last summer Springsteen signed a new deal with Sony Music for $31 million that will take him until 2027. The deal calls for a number of box sets and greatest hits packages, plus four new albums of material.
For all this, Sony agreed to $31 million total, with $13 million paid up front as an advance. Remember, this money doesn’t include Springsteen’s massive touring income, royalties for radio play, his publishing deal, and so on. This is just so Sony continues to own his catalog. They’re also betting that Springsteen has more classic new work in him. (It’s safe bet.)
Just about no one in the “senior” category of rock and roll has a deal like this. Also, no one else– with maybe the exception of Barbra Streisand– has been with the same record company for an entire career. Bob Dylan, also with Sony (like Bruce and Babs), wandered off the farm in 1976 briefly with a stint at Geffen Records. Tony Bennett and Johnny Mathis come close, but they have a few non-Sony/Columbia releases on their resumes.
But Bruce’s situation is unique in that he writes his own music and is not a cover artist. Among rock stars of his generation or even the older one, no one can claim this– not even Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger. For a while McCartney was very prolific, but even he fell behind Springsteen (he’s also a decade younger).
According to the Sony approval memo found in the Wikileaks papers (the Sony hack) Springsteen will also be delivering box sets of “The River,” “Nebraska,” “Born in the USA,” second box set of “Tracks,” as well as greatest hits. He retains the right to sell his downloads of his live concerts himself or through another party if he pays Columbia 12.5% of the gross receipts. And he owns his own master recordings.
Is there a lot that hasn’t been released or officially made available? Oh yes. Just think of how many times Bruce has performed for charity events or as a guest on other artists’ recordings.
The sweetest part? Sony is writing off around $25 million of the unearned balance of Springsteen’s last deal.
Altogether, Sony expects to earn $35 million in worldwide profits from this deal.
In case you were wondering, Bruce will be 78 years old when his entire deal with Sony is over. And still rocking like crazy.
Box Office: If You Thought This Weekend Was Bad, What’s Coming This Friday Is Worse
I hate to be a killjoy (or a buzzkill). But if you thought this weekend at the box office was bad, wait til Friday. Things are about to get worse.
Friday brings only two new films to wide release, and each are dogs you wouldn’t want at Best in Show.
“San Andreas” stars The Rock and no one else, basically. It could have been called “Earthquake” or “2012” or “The Day After Tomorrow.” It’s a lot of special effects detailing the world exploding, imploding, etc. A few decent actors were thrown in to divert attention from Dwayne Johnson– Carla Gugino, Paul Giamatti, Ioan Fruffud. But basically, UK pop star Kylie Minogue is in this.
Also come Friday is Cameron Crowe’s “Aloha.” Aloha means goodbye. In the hacked Sony emails, there was plenty of discussion about this movie having no script. Now there are protests about having an all white cast in a modern movie set in Hawaii. Cameron Crowe made four of the best movies ever– Say Anything, Singles, Jerry Maguire, and Almost Famous. But the buzz on this is bad. Crowe has got to get back to making personal statements. Even with Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, and Emma Stone, this may go down as a mistake.
Well, I await June 3rd and “Entourage” like it’s the second coming. And Pixar’s “Inside Out” comes June 12th. Hope springs eternal!
Anne Meara, Gifted Comedian, Actress and Playwright, Is Dead at 85
Anne Meara died today at age 85. She’d been living in the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale for some time, after a serious stroke a couple of years ago. She was the other half of the celebrated comedy team Stiller and Meara with husband Jerry; they were an absolutely brilliant and legendary. Meara was also a gifted playwright and director, as well as writer of Stiller and Meara’s many beloved (and kooky) commercials. She leaves her son Ben, the actor, and daughter Amy, who’d been taking care of her on a daily basis according to sources.
Here they are from the Ed Sullivan show, where they were the contemporaries of Joan Rivers, Alan King and so many legends:
Their Blue Nun radio commercials are burned into my head:
Here they are from “What’s My Line”:
Jerry Stiller, of course, is still alive. During more recent years he became famous in a whole new way thanks to “Seinfeld,” where played George Costanza’s father, and “The King of Queens.” But before that Anne Meara had countless roles in TV and film including playing a pal of “Rhoda” and “Archie Bunker,” appearing in key movies like “Lovers and Others Strangers,” “The Out of Towners” and “Fame.”
She also wrote a hit off Broadway play titled “After-Play.” Vincent Canby, in The New York Times, wrote that it was “the perfect New York comedy to attend before going out to dine with dear old friends from Los Angeles.”
As well, from 1992-99 Meara had a recurring role on “All My Children.”
I was lucky enough to know Anne; we talked a lot over the years. She was so funny, and had such a big heart. She was one of a kind. This is one of those times when you saw someone will be sorely missed, and it’s really true. Condolences to her family and friends.
Cannes Winners Announced: Grand Prize Goes to Holocaust Drama Son of Saul; Palme D’or to Refugee Film;Tie for Best Actress Rooney Mara, Emmanuelle Bercot
The awards are being announced now. As I predicted on Twitter, Vincent Lindon won Best Actor, Emmanuelle Bercot won Best Actress (tied with Rooney Mara).
#Cannes Excl. French actors Vincent London and Emmanuelle Bercot are tipped to win Best Actor and Best Actress tonight. Awards begin soon
— Showbiz 411 (@showbiz411) May 24, 2015
“The Lobster” has won the Jury Prize. Rooney Mara, from “Carol” and Emmanuelle Bercot, have tied for Best Actress. Mara co-stars in “Carol” with Cate Blanchett. It’s a Weinstein movie set for December release. Bercot stars in “Mon Roi.” Screenplay to Chronic; First Feature to Colombian Film; Short Film is Waves 98.
Hou Hsiao-Hsien wins #Cannes Best Director Palme for THE ASSASSIN
Grand Prize goes to Son of Saul, a Holocaust drama that will be released in the US by Sony Pictures Classics.
Palme D’or to “Deephan” by Jacques Audiard, a Cannes favorite, for a film about Sri Lankan refugees in Paris.
Box Office: Worst Memorial Day Take Since 2001 as “Tomorrowland” Bodes Ill for Future
This weekend’s box office will be the worst for a Memorial Day since 2001. “Tomorrowland,” a bad movie, narrowly edged out hold over “Pitch Perfect 2.” An unnecessary remake of “Poltergeist” was a close third. Surprisingly, “Mad Max: Fury Road” has not proven to be a blockbuster, although it’s doing ok. Theaters are living on the dribs and drabs of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Furious 7” for audiences.
The movie business is now consumed with Marvel and DC comics movies. And sequels to things no one liked in the first place. Instead of the potentially great new filmmakers being encouraged to make new films, brave new worlds, the money is entrapping them in this stuff. What a shame. What happened to originality? The studios are too scared to get involved in it. And the movie audience has other things to do, apparently.
Fun fact: “Tomorrowland” is the 44th highest ranking number 1 movie for Memorial Day in history. It ranks between “Dinosaur” (2000) and “Beverly Hills Cop 2” (1987).
“Beautiful Mind” Subject John Forbes Nash and Wife Dead in Car Accident: “The economy will recycle itself”
John Forbes Nash, 86, and his wife, Alicia, 82, died yesterday on the New Jersey Turnpike in a taxi accident. Nash was the brilliant award winning subject of Ron Howard’s Oscar winning movie “A Beautiful Mind.” What an ignominious end for such a celebrated genius and a lovely couple.
I had the pleasure of meeting the Nashes in October 2012 during the Hamptons Film Festival. At a reception at the home of Silver Cup Studios’ chief Stuart Match Suna, the Nashes were low key but extremely engaging. As I wrote then, Nash was like a “low talker” from Seinfeld. You had to get up close to hear him.
At the time, the economy was dire straits. But Nash told me “the economy will recycle itself. That’s what it does.” He was certainly right. He also said that his wife was a fan of Mitt Romney, but at the time he had not yet decided between Romney and Obama for president.
Sylvia Nasar wrote the book upon which the movie about Nash was based. The Nashes had divorced, which was not in the movie, but eventually found each other again. They remarried in 1970. What I remember about Alicia was that she was also soft spoken and lovely. What a tragic end for them. Condolences to their family.
Box Office: “Tomorrowland” Will Not Be Setting Any Records with a $9.7 Mil Friday
“Tomorrowland” fell short last night at the box office. Disney was hoping for a $12 million opening. All they got was $9.7 million. The four day holiday will score less than $40 million, absolutely. “Tomorrowland” word of mouth has to be terrible– it’s a bad movie.
“Tomorrowland” is no “Lone Ranger,” but it’s a bust on many levels. Luckily, Disney is booming right now with the “Avengers Ultron” followed by “Inside Out” from Pixar. No one’s going to lose sleep over this. But it’s a blow because the movie from Brad Bird, the celebrated filmmaker behind “”The Incredibles,” “Iron Giant” and even “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.”
Everything about “Tomorrowland” is sort of wrong. George Clooney looks terrible, first of all. Then, he’s saddled wuth two scene partners who are — at least in the movie– children. (Britt Robertson is 25 but looks and acts 16 in this movie.) There’s a lot of talk– so much talk– and nothing happens. A lot of the movie is hard to understand. Physical production is good, however. I particularly liked the re-creation of the 1964 World’s Fair. Really, in the end, I think kids will wonder what this was all about. I certainly did.
Neil Young’s First Single from His anti-Monsanto album Attacks Starbucks Over Food Labeling
Neil Young, god bless him. He’s a rebel. His new album come June 16th is called “The Monsanto Years.” The first video is called “Rock Starbucks.” Since last November Young has accused Starbucks of being in cahoots with Monsanto over food labeling. Starbucks denies it.
Here are some lyrics: “If you don’t like to rock Starbucks, a coffee shop
Well, you better change your station ’cause that ain’t all that we got
Yeah, I want a cup of coffee, but I don’t want a GMO
I like to start my day off without helping Monsanto.”
You see, while Bob Dylan is mooing old songs from the 40s, Neil Young is really singing protest music. Remember his song for George W. Bush, “Let’s Impeach the President.”
Neil has a heart– and a brain– of gold. The single and the album will be available on Ponomusic.com so the lyrics will be very, very clear.
I guess the CD will not be sold at Starbucks.
Neil Young “Rock Starbucks” was first introduced in April. Can’t wait to hear the other songs