Alanis Morissette musical confirmed for Broadway
“Jagged Little Pill,” a new musical built around the songs of Alanis Morissette’s wildly popular 1995 album (including “You Oughta Know,” “Ironic” and “Hand in My Pocket”), will open on Broadway in the fall, following its world premiere last summer in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to a press release, the musical observes what happens to a “picture-perfect suburban family … when the cracks beneath the surface begin to show.” In a statement, Morissette referred to the show’s development process as “nothing short of a revelation, a balm and an arrival for me.” The musical has direction by Tony winner Diane Paulus (“Waitress,” “Hair”) and a book by Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Elizabeth Stanley (“On the Town,” “Million Dollar Quartet”) led the cast of the Cambridge production.
Tony Yazbeck will lead ‘Scarlet Pimpernel’
Tony Yazbeck (“On the Town”) will star as Percy in Manhattan Concert Productions’ upcoming one-night-only concert production of Frank Wildhorn’s 1998 swashbuckling adventure musical “The Scarlet Pimpernel” at David Geffen Hall on Feb. 18. The impressive cast also includes Laura Osnes (“Cinderella”), Norm Lewis (“Porgy and Bess”) and Corey Cott (“Bandstand”), who will be joined by a full orchestra and chorus. Past MCP productions at Lincoln Center (all of which, curiously, have been 1990s musicals) have included “Crazy for You,” “Parade,” “Titanic,” “Ragtime” and “The Secret Garden.”
York will bring back ‘Enter Laughing’
To mark its 50th anniversary, Off-Broadway’s York Theatre Company will bring back in May its acclaimed revival of the musical comedy “Enter Laughing” a decade since it played Off-Broadway and brought attention to Josh Grisetti, its nimble lead actor. (Full disclosure: I saw “Enter Laughing” six times. It was that good.) Based on Carl Reiner’s autobiographical novel of the same name about a clueless teenager who dreams about becoming an actor, “Enter Laughing” was turned into a 1963 play, a 1967 film and a 1976 musical under the original title “So Long, 174th Street” which starred Robert Morse. At one point, the York production was looking to transfer to Broadway, but plans fizzled out.
‘Oklahoma!’ revival adopts gun neutrality
The new Broadway revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” (an experimental production which recently played St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn) is now the first Broadway show to join the Gun Neutral Initiative. While firearms figure prominently in the plot of “Oklahoma!” and will still be used as part of this revival, the producers have announced that “for every visible gun that is seen onstage in ‘Oklahoma!,’ the production will make a donation to the nonprofit Gun Neutral 501c3 for the benefit of organizations working to destroy illegal firearms that should be out of circulation.”
‘Magic Mike’ musical sets its regional premiere
“Magic Mike,” a new musical inspired by the 2012 male stripper movie of the same name (and will apparently serve as a prequel to the film), will receive its premiere in November in Boston. The musical will have a score by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (“Next to Normal”) and direction by Trip Cullman (“Choir Boy”). Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh themselves are involved in the musical’s development. There is already a separate “Magic Mike Live” show in Las Vegas and London.
Spotted…
Hillary Clinton, Daniel Radcliffe, Katie Holmes and Barry Diller at “The Ferryman” … Ron Howard at “Waitress” … James Comey at “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
