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“Spider Man” on Broadway: Taymor Has No Deal Yet, “Arachne” Got “Bumped”

Roger Friedman
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“Spider Man” on Broadway: Taymor Has No Deal Yet, “Arachne” Got “Bumped”

And more: “Spider Man,” which I’ve defended right along on Broadway, is having bigger problems than ever. Creator Julie Taymor still has no deal to leave the show, even though she’s not working on it right now. No one knows why the producers don’t have a deal, since they wanted to get her out so fast. What else: they seem to have fired Taymor’s choreographer, Daniel Ezralow, whose work everyone liked. The word is he’ll be replaced by a young guy with no Broadway credits. Meanwhile. TV Carpio, who’s been playing Arachne, is out for two weeks. I’ve been told she actually hurt herself at the March 16th matinee, getting “bumped” backstage during the matinee by Spider Man. Her publicist Adam Kersh tells me she’s ok, doesn’t need a neck brace, but is taking precautions.

That’s not what happened to her predecessor, Natalie Mendoza, at the very first performance last November. Mendoza actually got a concussion. Now America Olivo, who succeeded Mendoza, will fill in for Carpio. Yes, today is March 22, 2011 and this show first started performances on November 28, 2010. Since that time, the mid east has broken out into civil wars, Japan has had earthquakes and tsunamis, and Justin Bieber has had a hair cut.

A little more: I was told last week that the major script revisions are following pretty much what I’ve suggested all along: stop the first act at the point of a cliffhanger, pick up after intermission with more of the first act, combine in elements of the second act. Also, reduce Arachne’s time and move her into the second act. We’ll see what happens.

“Mad Men” Aims for Late Summer Launch of 5th Season

Roger Friedman
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“Mad Men” Aims for Late Summer Launch of 5th Season

As you know, I’ve been telling you for weeks (and apparently Deadline Yesterday has been reading it) that “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner still has no contract with Lions Gate or AMC. The show has been in limbo. For all intents and purposes it missed its possible July 25th premiere date because the companies couldn’t come to terms with Weiner. Well now it seems there’s some movement. Weiner’s been telling friends he feels “something good” is happening. By Friday there may be an announcement of a new agreement for season 5 and maybe even season 6. Weiner needs four months minimum to get scripts written and revised, as well as a good 30 days to think through the following season and how the series might end. We left the “Mad Men” crowd in late 1965 when Don and Megan were engaged, and Betty and her husband were moving to Rye, New York. Weiner could pick up in 1966 or even early ’67. Two things are certain: the series will not go past the end of 1969. And Don and Megan, as I reported long before, will marry. The main thing is that “Mad Men” could be on the air by mid to late August, which would make the dog days of summer so much more tolerable.

Will Ricky Gervais Make Will Arnett Head of “The Office”?

Roger Friedman
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Will Ricky Gervais Make Will Arnett Head of “The Office”?

In January I told you two things that Ricky Gervais told me after he came off the stage at the Golden Globes: that his January 27th appearance on “The Office” would signal who the new boss might be, succeeding Michael Scott (Steve Carell). And that he, Gervais, really wanted Will Arnett to be the new office manager of Dunder Mifflin.

Now, hmmm, EW and other outlets are reporting that both Gervais and Arnett will be on the season finale of “The Office” on May 19th. Gervais will likely reprise his January 17th role of the man Michael Scott met at the elevators who was looking for a job. Arnett? Maybe it’s just a red herring. But he’d be perfect as the new chief.

Gervais owns “The Office”with producing partner Stephen Merchant. Three weeks ago, Merchant was seen at “The Office” offices and at the studio. So whatever the deal for the next season of “The Office” it definitely has something to do with one of these two guys. And either or both of them would be welcome.

Bush 41 Tribute: Cool Rock Show, the Carlyle Group, Big Tobacco, & Qatar

Roger Friedman
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Bush 41 Tribute: Cool Rock Show, the Carlyle Group, Big Tobacco, & Qatar

So it was: last night’s Points of Light Foundation show at the Kennedy Center honored President Bush 41, and featured a “reunion” of living presidents: Clinton, Carter, and the two Bushes. “All Together Now” was taped as a variety show about volunteerism that will air on NBC March 28th. The intentions were good, but tt was nevertheless a strange affair, given the heavy involvement of the Carlyle Group and –according to the program–“an extraordinary gift by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Amir of of the State of Qatar.” I felt like I needed Michael Moore to come sit beside me and explain what the heck was going on.

Donors listed over $1 million include big tobacco’s Altria Group (formerly known as Philip Morris) and Houston based oil machinery manufacturer Stewart and Stevenson LLC.

In the meantime: though Sheryl Crow came to rehearsals she dropped out at the last minute due to severe throat problems. George Stevens, Jr. and his son Michael, who also produce the Kennedy Center Honors, put this show on, and the music was eclectic but fine. Standouts included Cee Lo Green and Sam Moore on a spectacular medley of Moore’s “Hold On I’m Coming” and “Soul Man”; Mavis Staples and Jonny Lang doing good soul serivce to Bob Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody,” plus excellent  performances by Reba McEntire–who flew in after performing at Muhammad Ali’s Fight Night in Phoenix on Saturday night and also helped emcee–for free— plus Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Heather Headley and the as usual lively Kid Rock.

Underwood made an interesting choice in singing John Lennon’s “Instant Karma.” Good for her. Rucker did less mixing “Stand By Me” with one of his own tunes. Ouch. Reba did double duty as emcee with Miranda Cosgrove. Garth Brooks flew in at the last minute, skipped rehearsal and sound check, sort of tossed of Bill Wither’s “Lean on Me” with a big back up chorus.  Only Moore, Cee Lo, and Mavis Staples really looked like they were having fun. Everyone was backed up by Rob Mathes, currently Sting’s producer, who led an all star band.

As for the presidents: George HW and Barbara are plucky but elderly; I like Barbara because she tells it like it is. George 43 (Dubya) and Laura seemed out place. As one person attached to the show said: “They haven’t yet, uh, done anything for volunteerism. We’re waiting.” The Carters are still hanging in there with Habitat for Humanity. Biggest mystery: Bill  Clinton, who seems to have made the Bushes his surrogate family. He came to the event alone, made no mention of Hillary or Chelsea. The Carters seem absolutely perplexed by all the talk of the Bushes and Clinton being a family. It is weird.

There was also a tribute to the ambassador from Japan, which I’m sure will be cut for time. But the NBC show should be fun when it’s all put together. David Rubenstein, head of the Carlyle Group, announced from the podium that $30 million has been raised. I’m not sure for what, exactly. But thanks, Qatar, and thanks to the Moonie owned Washington Times Foundation, which donated over $100,000. So too did Bush 41, which was pretty nice.

PS President Obama sent a taped message. He was in Rio.

Charlie Sheen: No “Two and a Half Men” Clips for Live Show

Roger Friedman
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Charlie Sheen: No “Two and a Half Men” Clips for Live Show

So: now that Charlie Sheen has sold thousands of tickets to his concert tour, what will he be doing on stage? Unlike Conan O’Brien, who is an accomplished live performer and a decent musician, Sheen is simply an actor. And a movie actor at that. The number of things he can do live on stage is limited. One of those limits will be his ability to use clips from “Two and a Half Men” as part of any video demonstration.

Even thought Sheen thinks “Men” is “his,” it’s not. The show belongs to Warner Bros. and Chuck Lorre Productions both of which which Sheen is now in lawsuits. If Sheen or his team have any ideas about using clips from the show’s eight seasons, they’d best think again.

An insider involved in the whole ugly situation tells me: “It’s unlikely he’ll be able to use anything from the show.” Sheen woul then be reduced to showing clips from his movies–which is also not so likely–or making new videos like the ones he’s done already. Of course, he could feature bands or comedians, but they’d have to be paid–and that would eat into his profits.

Could “Violent Torpedo” just be him on stage for two hours, ranting about his dismissal? People might want their $750 back on those premium seats at Radio City.

PS I don’t know if Sheen knows this, but his “Men” co-star Jon Cryer will be in New York at exactly the same time. Cryer appears in Lincoln Center’s concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” beginning April 7th. Only Manhattan could be big enough to sustain this much tsuris.

BC Jean Survives Beyonce, Gets Her First Hit

Roger Friedman
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BC Jean Survives Beyonce, Gets Her First Hit

BC Jean–she’s 22, and we wrote about her first, in this column, last year. Beyonce tried to take her song, “If I Were a Boy,” for herself and claim authorship. In the end, this talented singer songwriter from Southern California got a $250,000 settlement and a deal with Clive Davis‘s team, which pursued her. Now BC has her first hit, “I’ll Survive You,” co-written and produced with the Max Martin team. Great hit, and I can’t help but keep hearing that tinkling toy piano reiterating the melody line in the background. BC has a great voice that’s unmistakably hers. The countdown is on her for her album. Good guys do finish first! Hear the new song in the video player on our front page.

Broadway: “Priscilla” Is Here, “Rebecca” Is Coming

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: “Priscilla” Is Here, “Rebecca” Is Coming

Sunday night will bring the opening night of the musical version of the Australian film, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” Because I’m in Washington on Sunday night, I caught Saturday night’s show. It’s vulgar and coarse, with retread teeth gritting disco songs for a score. The audience loved it. Of course, the audience was largely gay and/or female.

The movie is more like the famed disco flick, “Can’t Stop the Music,” than the film on which it is actually based. If it weren’t for Will Swenson and Tony Sheldon I would have abandoned all hope, but they were great. Also there are some beautiful girls in the chorus who are actually of the feminine persuasion. This brassy, Vegas like spectacle can be witty, but the vulgarities are unnecessary. No Tonys here, except maybe for costumes. There are life dancing whiskbrooms in this show! And gigantic whirling cupcakes for “MacArthur Park.” The character sport Elton John‘s cast off outfits circa 1976.

The sets themselves–aside from Priscilla, the bus–looked cheap. The show is doing good business in previews, but it’s going to be hard getting husbands and boyfriends into this theater without some major compromise at home. (Lots of Poker nights are in the offing.) Why is Australia — home of “The Boy from Oz” also–so interested in drag queens? Is it because they have a city named Sydney?

If you’re into it, “Priscilla” is a jukebox of songs by Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and other divas. There’s also, inexplicably, an opera number performed in drag atop the bus.

Meanwhile: “Rebecca,” the world famous Daphne DuMaurier novel, is coming to Broadway as a musical. Once an Alfred Hitchcock movie, “Rebecca” with all her dark secrets and melodrama, seems like a grand idea for the “Les Miz” and “Phantom” set. On Friday, an invited audience of Broadway elite got to see a special concert presentation of “Rebecca.” It won’t come to Broadway until next year some time, but from the looks of things it’s very polished and continues being tweaked. I can’t actually review a show on this basis, but I will tell you that Carolee Carmello, from “The Addams Family,” was stunning as spooky caretaker of Manderley, the famed estate from “Rebecca.” If this makes it to Broadway in 2012, Carmello will head straight to raves and a Tony nomination. She’s that good. So nice to know that next year’s shows are already shaping up!

“Lincoln Lawyer,” Even with $6 Groupon Coupons, Finishes in 5th Place

Roger Friedman
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“Lincoln Lawyer,” Even with $6 Groupon Coupons, Finishes in 5th Place

I guess the experiment didn’t work. Even though “The Lincoln Lawyer” sold $6 tickets through Groupon, it still finished in 5th place on Friday — and probably for the weekend. The film took in $4.1 million on Friday. It followed “Limitless,” “Battle: Los Angeles,” “Paul,” and “Rango” in that order. Granted, this is a miserable list of films in a dog like March when NCAA basketball and other diversions like the threat of a new Charlie Sheen video keep people away from the movie theaters.  But “The Lincoln Lawyer” got decent reviews, and Marisa Tomei is supposedly very good in it. (She is, always.) So I guess, too, that Bradley Cooper has usurped Matthew McConaughey at the box office. As for the others, for “Battle: Los Angeles.” every time I see the poster I start rooting for the aliens. “Rango” dropped quite a bit; it really made all its money in one week. As for “Lincoln,” it’s hard to say how many people used their $6 tickets on opening night, but you’d have to think most of the Groupon holders went last night or will go tonight. So that means something–either the discounted ticket didn’t help the box office, or attendance was really really bad. What it really did was send a signal that the movie wasn’t good and had to be assisted. Movies are not like CDs. They’re not the same kind of commodity. Lesson learned perhaps.

Jodie Foster’s “Beaver” Panned by Two Trades, Loved By One–And Scandal There

Roger Friedman
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7
Jodie Foster’s “Beaver” Panned by Two Trades, Loved By One–And Scandal There

Jodie Foster‘s “The Beaver.” starring Mel Gibson, opened at the South by Southwest Festival this week. Variety and IndieWire panned it, though praising Gibson’s performance. The sad Hollywood Reporter–which lifts stories as if it were the Artful Dodger–loved it. Of course, they sent in a second string reviewer than let their stars Kirk Honeycutt and Todd McCarthy get near it.

Now it turns out that Deadline.com is reporting the Reporter “horse traded” with “Beaver” distributor Summit Entertainment. The report claims that THR suppressed negative financial news about Summit in one story in order to get a big exclusive with Foster on the cover of its tepid weekly magazine. And so THR is full of glad tidings about Foster and “The Beaver” this week, which is completely embarrassing.

But no more embarrassing than the once plucky trade magazine’s constant repurposing of stories already on the internet, added to with the now meaningless word: Exclusive! Now, of course, I haven’t seen “The Beaver.” But it does sound like a pale recast of a very good movie, “Lars and the Real Girl.” Only now the blow up sex doll has been replaced by a hand puppet.

Foster is not a great director. Her one shot at the big time, called “Flora Plum,” with Russell Crowe, was cancelled before it began shooting. “Little Man Tate,” now 20 years old, was sweet but unimportant. “Home for the Holidays” (1995) was a good TV movie. That’s her directing resume. Her allegiance to Gibson is perplexing. He’s now pleaded no contest to a charge of domestic abuse, following his DUI, his anti-Semitic rants, etc.

What’s more, Foster is in for a shock if she thinks Gibson can promote this movie. There’s plenty of evidence on YouTube demonstrating his short temper during his “Edge of Darkness” publicity tour. Just ask Sam Rubin, the beloved Los Angeles TV entertainment reporter. Here’s a clip from that mess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10HfOmJhnEA

And let’s not forget the end of his famous Dean Richards interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZRfn2Rgqg&playnext=1&list=PL037D353555A5219B

Billy Crudup Steals Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” on Broadway

Roger Friedman
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0
Billy Crudup Steals Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” on Broadway

“Arcadia” is back after 15 years. Tom Stoppard‘s amazingly wonderful play, now directed by David Leveaux, is better than ever. It’s supposed to be on for three months, but they could extend the run. I hope they have to: Billy Crudup simply steals the show as Bernard, an egomaniac literary historian with a posh British accent. Crudup played another “Arcadia” character in 1995– Septimus, the “hero” of the play in the part that’s set in 1809. Suave, playboy Septimus is more sympathetic certainly than modern day Bernard–the play cuts back and forth between 1809 and the present on the same British estate. In the new version, Septimus is played by Brit actor Tom Riley, 29, a new sensation if he plays his cards right in New York. (He’s a star in the UK and soon to be here.) But it’s Crudup–he told me last night he preferred playing Septimus because “he’s the hero. Bernard is the bad ass.” Well, everyone loves the bad ass. Circle Billy Crudup for a Tony Award–probably as featured actor in a play, and “Arcadia” as Best Revival of a play. Also, Lia Williams–new to Broadway, as is Riley–could really be a Best Actress nominee. She’s sensational as Crudup’s foil. This is not to take anything away from Margaret Colin, Raul Esparza, Grace Gummer, Byron Jennings, and the rest of the cast. They were all applauded to a long standing ovation, by the way, from Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich, Kim Cattral, Josh Hamilton, Elaine Stritch, Hamish Linklater, Richard Kind, and Jim Dale, plus famous acting sisters Juliet and Hayley Mills, among others. Grace Gummer, one of Meryl Streep‘s acting daughters, brought her sisters and dad. Mom Meryl is in London making her Margaret Thatcher movie. But I was assured she’d be home in two weeks to see Grace light up the stage.

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