All My Sons - The Reviews Are In!

While the show opens on October 16th, previews for the show began in September and the reviews are in for Broadway's Newest Play - "All My Sons" with an all star cast line up including Katie Holmes, John Lithgow, Dianne West and Patrick Wilson!

Most say “All My Sons” is Arthur Miller’s greatest play.
How was Tom Cruise at the play? Says reports, “Tom was first on his feet with wildly enthusiastic applause, too. He doesn’t seem to get that this isn’t one of his kids’ soccer games, but hey, at least he’s a present and loyal husband.” The direction is reportedly great. And Holmes is reportedly was good herself in the non major role. And for theatre buffs, you might like this tidbit : “Lithgow and Wiest didn’t take separate star curtain calls.

Our Vote: The all star cast makes this a must see Broadway Play. And you never know who'll turn up in the crowd!

About All My Sons

Arthur Miller's second Broadway play, All My Sons, was his first great success, winning 1947 Tony Awards® for both Mr. Miller and director Elia Kazan in the first ever Tony Awards ceremony. The original production, starring Ed Begley and Karl Malden, ran for 328 performances on Broadway, and was adapted for the screen in 1948 with a cast featuring Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster. In 1987, Richard Kiley starred in a Broadway revival, which won the Tony Award that year as well.

As timely today as the day it was written, the play was inspired by a true story about a successful businessman who knowingly sold the government defective airplane parts during World War II. A middle-class couple, Joe and Kate Keller, have lost their younger son in the war, but Kate cannot give up believing that he is still alive. Chris, their surviving son, falls in love with his brother's fiancée Ann and brings her home to tell them of their new relationship and their plans to marry. In the confrontations that follow, cracks begin to appear in everyone's stories, lies are exposed, and a secret is revealed that could destroy them all.

The greatly-anticipated 2008 production stars Tony Award winner JOHN LITHGOW, Academy Award® winner DIANNE WIEST, Tony Award nominee PATRICK WILSON, and KATIE HOLMES in her Broadway debut, and is directed by the world-renowned SIMON McBURNEY.

The Newest Cast Member of Chicago Jersey Boys

The open-ended run of Chicago's Jersey Boys that is currently playing the Bank of America Theatre welcomes a new star today - Cory Grant. This lead role as Frankie Vallie gives Grant the opportunity to shine on stage at the 8pm performance tonight.

A native of Winnetka, IL, Grant has appeared on Broadway in Jersey Boys and in the national tour of Romeo & Juliet. He has been seen in regional productions of The Who's Tommy, Floyd Collins, Little Shop of Horrors and My Fair Lady as well as in the FringeNYC productions of Broken Hands and The Lightning Field.

The musical, according to press notes, is "the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi . . . a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks who became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were 30."

King Mustafa, The Queen and Simba Go To Kansas

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more." - Dorothy in the Wizard Oz. Dorothy may not be in the Kansas but The Lion King on Broadway definitely is!! Next week, the show will begin its 54-show run at the Music Hall Kansas City from Oct. 2 through Nov. 16.

According to an article in RedOrbit by Blake Hannon - "When Nathan McCommon, business manager of convention and entertainment facilities in Kansas City, was talking contract negotiations with Live Nation's subsidiary theater organization, Broadway Across America, he found out the group would give people a chance to see the "King." They couldn't pass it up."

This Tony-Award winning musical is a smash hit anywhere!

For tickets and times of "The Lion King," go to www.broadwaymaster.com.

Broadway Shows - Economy Hit?

I often wonder the areas of luxury that are cut during this financial crisis. While we struggle to save gas, clip coupons and eat out less, can we stop the Broadway Mania? I don't think so!

While I think all industries are seeing a hit of some sort, I still find it amazing that some Broadway Shows are constantly selling out. Wicked, Lion King, The Little Mermaid, etc are all examples of shows that are still crowd pleasers. The big test will be the holiday season especially in New York, when travelers come from afar to see Rockefeller Center, Macy's and the grand entertainment that New York's Broadway has to offer.

Whats The Deal With Lion King?

The Lion King is one of the most popular Disney movies, the same reason perhaps why it was staged into The Lion King Broadway musical three years after the Disney release in 1994. Interestingly, this animated-movie turned The Lion King Broadway play into a phenomenal hit garnering Tony and Olivier awards. So what's all the hype about? Should you take your kids to see this Broadway Show spectacular! My Vote: YES!

The Lion King musical was directed by Julie Taymor and had its initial staging in 1997 in Minnesota at the Orpheum Theater. While Lion King tickets are typically hard to find, you can of course get them at BroadwayMaster.com. The Lion King tickets were literally sold out as it offered something new to the audience during that time.

The musical version of the Disney film showed new twists and was able to tap the interest of most of its audience. The animals in the production acted under well-thought costumes, which essentially spiced up the conduct of the whole play. For instance, walking stilts were creatively used in the portrayal of the giraffes. Mechanical headpieces were used, meanwhile, in portraying the main characters, Mufasa and Scar. These and more are just some of the things that the musical offered. Everything came in detail. There were life-size costumes, which spoke for the effort exerted in the production.

The Lion King musical has set new standards in theatrical technology during its staging. It actually attempted to stage the elements of the original setting where the story took place. The play has indeed exceeded the expectations of its audience by giving them what they do not usually watch during that time. The production team was successful in bringing in the film’s interesting plot into a unique and excellent version.

Up to this day, The Lion King musical remains as one of the much-talked about musicals of all time, mainly due to its impact when it was first staged in the late 1990s. It has undoubtedly been a yardstick to the modern musicals that we have today.