Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will return to Broadway for the first time in 46 years. Fonda will star in “33 Variations,” a play by Moises Kaufman about a present-day musicologist and her study of Beethoven’s fascination with a particular piece of music. The play, which is being directed by Kaufman, will feature an on-stage pianist and is described as “a feast for the senses and the spirit.”
“I am very excited about being in Moises’ new play,” Fonda said in a statement. “I can’t wait to get back on stage with him in this role that I understand so well. It’s been 40-some years.”
Fonda made her Broadway debut in 1960 in the play “There Was a Little Girl,” for which she earned a Tony Award nomination. Her last appearance on Broadway was in the 1963 drama “Strange Interlude.”
“33 Variations” will open this winter at a theater and date to be determined.
Christine Ebersole will play ghostly Elvira in the spring 2009 Broadway revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit”. The Tony Award-winning actress, who played dual roles in the musical “Grey Gardens”, will be joined by four-time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury as psychic Madame Arcati and film star Rupert Everett, who will be making his Broadway debut playing the part of Elvira’s former husband, Charles Condomine.
In Blithe Spirit, one of Coward’s biggest successes, novelist Condomine, living with his second wife, Ruth, invites a local medium, Madame Arcati, to his house. His intention is to do some research into the spirit world for his new book. But he gets more than he bargained for when Arcati conjures up the ghost of Charles first wife, Elvira. Caught between one live wife and one dead wife — both jealous of the other — Charles thinks matters couldn’t be worse.
The original Broadway production starred Clifton Webb as Charles, Peggy Wood as wife Ruth and Leonora Corbett as Elvira. Mildred Natwick was eccentric medium Madame Arcati. The play originated in London, with Coward starring as Charles.
Michael Blakemore will direct “Blithe Spirit” which is scheduled to begin preview performances on February 26, 2009, with regular performances starting in March at the Shubert theater.
Controversial British film maker Ken Russell will make his New York stage debut this fall, when he directs the Off Broadway thriller “Mindgame.”
Russell (”Women in Love,” “Tommy,” “Altered States”) will stage a new production of Anthony Horowitz’s play, which premiered in London’s West End, in 2000.
“Mindgame” centers on a pulp crime novelist who visits an asylum to interview an infamous serial killer, “but when he arrives at the asylum, he finds nothing can be trusted, not even his own eyes. Through a series of lies, manipulations and memories, dark secrets are revealed”. Keith Carradine (”Deadwood”, “Dexter”) plays a doctor at the institution, with Lee Godart portraying the scribe.
In a statement director Russell said, “After reading Mindgame, I was convinced that I had to direct this play in New York. Anthony has written a fascinating thriller with a new surprise every five minutes. I am delighted and honored to have this intriguing play as my off-Broadway debut.”
“Mindgame” is set to open in previews at the SoHo Playhouse October 28 with a November 9th general opening.
Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live this past weekend to parody Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. SNL regular, Jason Sudeikis, steps in as Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and Queen Latifah cameos as debate moderator, Gwen Ifill.
In case you missed it, here’s Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on SNL this past Saturday night doing their all to truthful take on Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin.
Tuesday, September 23rd:
Danny Glover at Magnolia Bakery (on Bleeker Street), stocking up on sweets. The staff stood and watched him in awe…while we made off with an extra cupcake, gratis.
Matthew Broderick (minutes later) just outside Magnolia walking the family pooch. SJP’s real-life Mr. Big was not waiting for Mr. Glover, they just happened to be within seconds of each other on the same block. Only in New York.
Thursday, September 25th:
Dylan McDermott walking down University Place around 5:30pm, blending in with the mad rush of people and NYU students heading home. Looks just as hot (and tall) in person as on screen.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Tim Burton has chosen Australian actress Mia Wasikowska (pictured above with Xavier Samuel in “September”) to star in his big-screen adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” for Disney pictures.
Who watches the Watchmen? Plenty of people do and the buzz around the big-screen adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ popular, award-winning graphic novel has just been turned up a notch with a slew of Watchmen goodies hitting the net.
Great Britain’s Channel 4 has painstakingly recreated the set of Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece “The Shining”, complete with look-a-likes of the crew and cast members including Shelley Duvall, for a TV ad to promote a season of the director’s films.
The 65-second promotional spot has been filmed as a one-take tracking shot through the recreation of “The Shining” set. Click here to revisit the Overlook Hotel.
In related Kubrick news, Typographica has an article on Kubrick’s favorite font, Futura. The font, which Kubrick used for the posters and title sequences of “Eyes Wide Shut” and “2001″, is said to have been one of the master filmmaker’s favorite typefaces. The article quotes from an original story published at The Guardian.
