The ‘Honeymoon’ is over on Sunday
The Broadway musical “Honeymoon in Vegas,” which has struggled mightily to build an audience since starting previews back in November, will close on Sunday, its producers announced on Tuesday evening. Given the likelihood that it will receive a Tony nomination for Best Musical, it was assumed that the show would run until at least June. Based on the 1992 film, it stars Tony Danza and has songs by Jason Robert Brown (“The Last Five Years”). “I could not be prouder of what we all accomplished together, nor more disappointed that we couldn’t share this delightful lunacy of this work with more audiences,” Brown wrote on Facebook.
‘Hurlyburly’ cast to reunite for one-night reading
Cast members of the New Group’s acclaimed 2005 Off-Broadway revival of “Hurlyburly” — including Bobby Cannavale, Ethan Hawke, Wallace Shawn, Parker Posey and Josh Hamilton — will reunite for a one-night benefit reading on April 26 at the Signature Center. David Rabe’s gritty drama explores a group of men in 1980s Hollywood as they binge on sex and drugs.
Bartha and Reaser will ask for ‘Permission’
Justin Bartha (“The Hangover”) and Elizabeth Reaser (“Grey’s Anatomy”) will appear in “Permission,” a new play by Robert Askins about a directionless couple that gets involved with the controversial practice of Christian Domestic Discipline. It will be produced Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre by MCC Theater and directed by Alex Timbers. Last year, MCC presented Askins’ comedy “Hand to God,” which has now transferred to Broadway.
‘Fun Home’ starts digital lottery for cheap tix
The Broadway discount ticket app TodayTix, which has hosted the daily digital lottery for cheap tickets to “On the Town” since the fall, will also run a digital lottery for $32 tickets to the musical “Fun Home,” which is now in previews at Circle in the Square. More than 1,400 people entered the lottery for tickets to the first preview performance last Friday night.
Tommy Tune to receive Lifetime Achievement Tony
Tommy Tune — who directed and choreographed such musicals as “Nine,” “Grand Hotel” and “The Will Roger Follies,” in addition to being a consummate song-and-dance man — will be awarded a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at this year’s Tony Awards on June 7. Tune recently appeared in the City Center Encores! production of “Lady, Be Good,” marking his first performance in a musical in New York in years.
Public to bring ‘Macbeth’ around the city
The Public Theater’s Mobile Shakespeare Unit, which has brought stripped-down Shakespeare productions to correctional facilities, homeless shelters and community centers across all five boroughs, will return with a new production of “Macbeth” later this month. It will then play the Public Theater in May.
Linda Lavin coming back to Broadway for a ‘Brief Affair’
Linda Lavin will return to Broadway next season in Richard Greenberg’s new play “Our Mother’s Brief Affair,” about a woman who confesses to her adult children about an affair she once had — leaving the kids to wonder whether she’s telling the truth. It will be produced by Manhattan Theatre Club.
NBC picks ‘The Wiz’ as its next TV musical
Despite initial speculation that NBC would pick “The Music Man” as the next musical to be staged live for television, the network confirmed Monday that “The Wiz,” the 1970s African-American retelling of “The Wizard of Oz,” will be produced instead. It will be directed by Kenny Leon (“Fences”), with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein and stage effects by Cirque du Soleil. It is hoped that the production will play Broadway afterward.
New Billie Joe Armstrong musical to play Off-Broadway
“These Paper Bullets!,” a new musical based on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” with music by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, will be seen Off-Broadway next season at Atlantic Theater Company. The theater’s upcoming season will also include “The Band’s Visit,” a new musical to be directed by Harold Prince, and a revival of Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud Nine.”
Writer of ‘Three’s Company’ stage parody wins court victory
“3C,” a parody of the television sitcom “Three’s Company” that played Off-Broadway back in 2012, can now be performed by other theater companies. As reported by blogger Howard Sherman, playwright David Adjmi won a major court victory against the copyright holders of “Three’s Company,” who had alleged that “3C” infringed on their copyrights.
Spotted …
Jimmy Fallon and Julia Roberts at “Hamilton” …? Katy Perry and Allison Williams at “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” …? Bernadette Peters and Dan Stevens at “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
