The New York Drama Critics Circle, compromised of roughly two dozen theater critics (including myself), met on Monday afternoon to vote for its annual slate of awards. While “Fun Home” easily took the prize for Best Musical, Conor McPherson’s “The Night Alive,” which received an Off-Broadway run during the winter, received Best Play after multiple rounds of divided voting. Robert Schenkkan’s political drama “All the Way,” which stars Bryan Cranston as LBJ, was voted Best American Play. Special Citations were awarded to the Globe’s all-male “Twelfth Night” and “Richard III” and “The Apple Family Plays” at the Public Theater.
‘Me Nobody Knows’ revival in the works
A new commercial production of “The Me Nobody Knows,” a 1970 rock musical about inner-city teens, is being developed by director Stafford Arima and actor Taye Diggs, who will choreograph. An industry reading will be held on May 14 and 15 with a cast made up of students. “Choreography has always been a passion of mine,” Diggs said in a statement. “To create movement on this scale, and for a project I was so moved by as a young artist, is an opportunity that I could not pass up.”
‘My Fair Lady’ remake axed
A film remake of “My Fair Lady,” which was to have a new screenplay by Emma Thompson and be produced by Cameron Mackintosh (“Les Miz”), has been called off, as per a BBC interview with Mackintosh. In recent months, Mackintosh has also expressed interest in producing film versions of “Oliver!” and “Miss Saigon.” At present, he is about to revive “Miss Saigon” in London.
‘Kinky Boots’ calls off a week of performances
The Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” has canceled an entire week of performances from May 8 to 13 so that the Al Hirschfeld Theatre can be used by the television network Univision for its annual upfront meeting. According to Playbill.com, Univision had to buy out eight performances of the Tony-winning show.
Lewis to Host free Broadway concert in Shubert Alley
Norm Lewis, who is about to take over as the Phantom of the Opera, will host the Broadway League’s free “Stars in the Alley” concert on May 21 at 11 a.m. in Shubert Alley. It will feature performances from over 20 shows including all four nominees for Best New Musical (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Beautiful,” “Aladdin,” “After Midnight”).
‘Bridges’ to close on Broadway
“The Bridges of Madison County,” which received four Tony nominations last week but not one in the crucial field of Best New Musical, will close on May 18 after a run of just 137 performances. The show, which stars Kelli O’Hara and has a score by Jason Robert Brown, has fared poorly at the box office since opening.
Spotted…
Stephen Sondheim, Ethan Coen, Victor Garber, Barbara Walters and Barry Diller at “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”…Hugh Jackman at “If/Then”…Jessica Lange at “The Cripple of Inishmaan”… Liza Minnelli at “The Bridges of Madison County.”
