David Hyde Pierce on theatre and memory

You may recall my bond with Curtains, the first musical I saw on Broadway. Not only did I love the show but I had a great time meeting the gracious cast, including David Hyde Pierce, at the stage door afterward.

So I was thrilled that the American Theatre Wing honored Hyde Pierce with the Isabelle Stevenson Award, bestowed upon an individual from the theatre community who has volunteered time and effort on behalf of a charitable, humanitarian or social service organization.

Hyde Pierce was recognized for his work in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. His grandfather died of the disease and his father suffered from dementia. He's a board member of the Alzheimer's Association and has worked on the local and national level advocating for additional funding for research and care programs.

The award was presented to him during the pre-broadcast portion of the Tonys Sunday night. Here's part of what he said:

"We all say 'I'll never forget' and I think we say it in the theatre more than anyplace else because we're blessed to have so many unforgettable things happen in our world. I'll never forget Marian Seldes' curtain calls. I'll never forget Kelsey Grammer planting a big wet one on Douglas Hodge.

Well I don't use that phrase anymore. My work with the association has taught me that 'I'll never forget' is a phrase, it's a vow, that none of us can honestly make.

But I promise you in honor of my family, the Alzheimer's Association, my grandfather and my dad that I will be grateful for this honor, I will remember this night, as long as memory serves."

The evening at Curtains was one of many unforgettable theatre experiences I've had over the past three years. Rest assured that I will remember it as long as my memory serves.

Here's David Hyde Pierce talking about the award and his latest role, in La Bete, which he's currently rehearsing in London.

Three extra special 2010 Tony Awards

Awards season on Broadway is kicking into high gear and I'm thrilled with three that were announced today. Congratulations to Alan Ayckbourn and Marian Seldes, who will receive 2010 Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre and to David Hyde Pierce, this year's recipient of the Isabelle Stevenson Award.

The Isabelle Stevenson Award recognizes an individual from the theatre community who has volunteered time and effort on behalf of a charitable, humanitarian or social service organization.

I've enjoyed the work of all three on Broadway: British playwright Ayckbourn for his hilarious trilogy The Norman Conquests, Seldes as a retired tennis pro in Deuce, and Hyde Pierce in his Tony-winning performance in the musical Curtains.

I've also had a chance to meet Seldes and Hyde Pierce and they are incredibly gracious and generous with their time.

Hyde Pierce is being honored for his work in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, which claimed the lives of his father and grandfather. He's a board member of the Alzheimer's Association and has worked on the local and national level advocating for additional funding for research and care programs.

Ayckbourn, Seldes and Hyde Pierce have all been guests on the American Theatre Wing's Downstage Center program. If you'd like to learn more about their lives and their contributions to the theatre, those interviews are a great place to start.

When in Rome ... go to Curtains

The musical Curtains is being presented next week in upstate New York as part of Rome Capitol Theatre's SummerStage series. I've been eagerly following its progress through updates from my Twitter pal Chris Van Patten.

I used to live in Syracuse, only a short drive away on the New York State Thruway. And Curtains, with the talented and gracious Tony-winner David Hyde Pierce, was the first musical I ever saw on Broadway. It's funny and hugely entertaining and I still love listening to the cast recording.

Set in Boston in 1959 during the tryout of a Broadway musical, it has a backstage murder mystery plot, big production numbers and a memorable cast of characters, including a theatre-loving homicide detective who tries to catch the killer.

I've been hoping for a national tour of Curtains, with a stop in Boston, naturally, ever since the Kander and Ebb tuner closed on Broadway last year. Supposedly one is in the works beginning next March but that's an odd time to start a tour, so who knows!

Still, I'm happy to see that a show I enjoyed so much is finding a new life in regional and community theatre.

Plus, there's something so fitting about a community theatre putting on Curtains. Lt. Frank Cioffi, the detective who tries to solve the murder at the center of the story, lives to tread the boards himself every spring:

"Each year from May twenty-third to the twelfth of June when I turn my life over to the Swallow Street Players, that's more than a vacation for me. That's an overture of hope, it's the curtain rising on the greatest joy of my life."

While I don't miss the winters in Central New York, I am sorry I'll be missing this show. But if you live in the area, definitely go see it. Here's a great video that Chris has put together:



The Rome Capitol Theatre's production of Curtains will be presented Aug. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $14 for Capitol Theatre members and $12 for students. They're available by phone at (315) 337-6453 or at the door.

I'd like some lyrics with my CD please

I picked up the new Broadway cast recording of Hair yesterday at Borders. It was on sale for $14.99 but I got it for free by using three of my Borders Rewards Visa coupons! (Okay, almost free. I had to pay $1.04.)

When I got home, I tore off the shrink wrap and started flipping through the booklet. Lots of pictures. Introductory essays from Diane Paulus, director of the Broadway revival; and Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater. But sadly, no song lyrics.

Personally, I find the absence of lyrics a disturbing trend. I first noticed it when I bought the cast recording of Curtains, produced by Manhattan Records and EMI, and it was very disappointing.

Yeah I know, most people get their music from iTunes and just download the booklet and cover art. I did go to a Web site and print the Curtains lyrics but it wasn't the same. They were too big and bulky to fit in the CD case.

A lot of people listen to their music on the go - in the car or on the subway or exercising or whatever. And obviously, reading while driving is not a good idea. But occasionally, I do listen to a CD at home, on my CD player, and I like to follow along. I even like to prop the booklet up on the treadmill while I'm at the gym.

I know there's a cost factor and cast recordings are a niche market to begin with. If you've got a single CD, there's only so much you can pack into the booklet. And maybe some people would rather have the photos and essays. Don't get me wrong, I like them.

But after producing a terrific 2-CD cast recording of In the Heights, with lyrics, I just wish that Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight could have accommodated them on the Hair CD, too.

Still youthful David Hyde Pierce

A belated happy birthday to Gratuitous Violins favorite David Hyde Pierce, who turned 50 on April 3.

Broadway.com has an interview with the very talented and gracious actor, whose play Accent on Youth opens Wednesday at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

I still remember jumping off the couch and cheering when he won the Tony award in 2007 as the singing and dancing detective in Curtains.

On winning the Tony:

"I had all those years in Frasier at awards ceremonies, where I’d gotten up because I’d won or stayed sitting because I didn’t. I’m used to all sides of that. But at the Tonys, there was just… Being back in the theater means so much to me, because Broadway means so much to me, because of the experience of doing that show and what we all had together. All that combined was overwhelming. And I was surprised to be overwhelmed because I thought I was an old hand at this stuff."

The difference between musicals and plays:

"Those [Curtains and Spamalot] were fairly large musicals, and you had a big orchestra underneath you, which is the engine that carries you and the audience along. In a play, the actors onstage are the engine, so I end up less physically tired, but slightly more brain fried."

Meeting fans of Frasier:

"People are really nice. They come up a lot on the streets of New York, and of course, more when there are tourists in town. But regardless, there’s such affection for the show. Now it’s in reruns, and people really appreciate it. So it’s not about screaming. More often, it’s a nice quiet conversation on the street. I’ve had a million of those, and I love it."

The final curtain

Sure, I love plays but let's face it, when you think of Broadway, what's the first word that comes to mind: musicals, of course! So today is kind of sad because Curtains, a tremendously entertaining backstage murder mystery, and the very first musical I ever saw on Broadway, is closing after 537 performances at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

I've written before about how this last work from the legendary team of John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, of Chicago and Cabaret fame, sang and danced its way into my heart on Friday, April 13, 2007.

It was a very lucky day and evening for me - seeing Curtains that night turned out to be the perfect ending to a wonderful, leisurely stroll around Manhattan. I made a big rectangle - I started out at Macy's on 34th Street, walked up to the Museum of Natural History, crossed Central Park, then walked down Fifth Avenue and stopped at Rockefeller Center before making my way to Times Square. Although I love cities, and I've lived in a couple of great ones, New York always intimidated me. But by the end of that day, I felt incredibly comfortable and at ease. You could say that was the day I fell in love with New York City.

My journey to Curtains began four months earlier, when I asked my new friend and soon-to-be brother, Steve on Broadway, which musical I should see during my trip to New York City the following spring. I mentioned some shows I'd read about, but Steve suggested one that I'd never heard of, a musical that he'd seen in Los Angeles in 2006. He described Curtains as "a good old-fashioned musical comedy of the first order," and "everything a Broadway musical should be." He was Steve on Broadway, after all, so I figured he should know.

Since then, I've had a chance to see most of the other musicals that I mentioned to Steve, and while I enjoyed them to varying degrees, Curtains absolutely was the perfect choice for my first musical on Broadway. It was everything I expected a Broadway musical would be - an entertaining story (by Rupert Holmes and the late Peter Stone), terrific choreography (by Rob Ashford), catchy songs (by Holmes, Kander and Ebb), and a wonderful cast that created truly memorable characters. After an evening like that, how could you not fall in love with the Great White Way?

My seat was in the center orchestra, second row, and right from the overture, it was thrilling. I had no idea the conductor would rise up from the orchestra pit at the beginning! I was afraid I'd be too close, but the view was perfect. I was smiling from the first strains of the overture until the final and hilarous last scene - David Hyde Pierce made an entrance that was so funny and inspired, I couldn't remember the last time I laughed so hard. (And I was sitting so close, I could see the sweat on his face!)

And the cast, wow - they were all wonderful. David Hyde Pierce brought such charm and wit to the role 0f 1950s-era Boston Police detective Frank Cioffi. He creates a very likable, sympathetic character. When he's called to the Colonial Theatre to investigate a murder, well the musical theatre fan inside him can barely conceal his excitement. I loved his song-and-dance routein with the ingenue Niki, played so sweetly by Jill Paice, in "A Tough Act to Follow." They looked just like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers! I was so happy when he won the Tony award as Best Actor in a Musical.

And Debra Monk was hilarious as the brash, tough-as-nails Carmen Bernstein, producer of the show-within-a-show. I still crack up when I listen to her on the cast recording singing "It's a Business." I loved watching Noah Racey dance as choreographer and leading man Bobby Pepper. I loved Karen Ziemba and Jason Danieley as the ex-spouses and ex-songwriting team Georgia Hendricks and Aaron Fox, who haven't quite gotten over each other. Really, I could go on and on. I loved the big ensemble numbers, like "Show People," and the tender "Coffee Shop Nights" and "I Miss the Music."

One thing I've learned over the past 18 months is that comedy is hard, and musical comedy is even harder. But Curtains pulled it off with such great style and ease. I think part of it was the awesome cast and part of it was the songs and part of it was simply telling a story really well. Whereas Young Frankenstein, for example, just felt kind of flat and tinny to me, with characters who never totally came alive, (well, with the exception of the monster, I guess) Curtains felt rich and vibrant, with engaging, outsized characters. It was just fun - pure enjoyment from start to finish.

I was a little startled at the end, when David Hyde Pierce broke the fourth wall, stepping out of character to ask for donations to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It was the first time I'd seen a performer do that. Being David Hyde Pierce, of course he did it in a way that was heartfelt, but also funny and endearing. Watching nearly everyone drop something in the buckets on the way out gave me a sense of the community that exists on Broadway - among actors and between actors and the audience.

At the stage door, everyone in the cast - David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba, Jason Danieley, Noah Racey, Jill Paice, Edward Hibbert, Megan Sikora, John Bolton, Ernie Sabella, Michael Martin, Michael McCormick and David Loud, among others, - walked down the line of fans, signing autographs, chatting, posing for pictures. I really loved all of them. If you want to get a great sense of the show, pick up the cast recording - it's one of my favorites.

Somehow, I got it into my head that I should tell each and every cast member that it was my first Broadway musical. To a person, they were incredibly gracious and excited for me, and so thrilled that I'd chosen to see their show. I can't say enough about them. They're a talented, hard-working group of actors whose names are largely unknown to the non-theatergoing public, but as Lt. Frank Cioffi says, they're all heroes to me. It was an honor and a privilege to see them on stage.

And meeting David Hyde Pierce was absolutely the best. When I told him that Curtains was my first musical and the night before, I'd seen my first play, he was genuinely interested, asking me what I saw and how I liked it. He posed for a picture, and then, a few months after that, Steve, my dear friend, brother and theatre guide, got me a souvenir book signed by the entire cast.

I wish Curtains had gotten a bigger audience, stayed around for awhile longer. It's sad that so many out-of-town visitors to Broadway passed up a chance to see a terrific show. But I know it'll have a great life on tour and in community productions. Hopefully, I'll get to see it performed somewhere else someday. But nothing will ever replace the thrill of seeing Curtains on Broadway, with its original cast. Here, some of the cast members reminisce about their favorite moments with the show.

I hope I can see David Hyde Pierce next spring, when he returns to Broadway in the play Accent on Youth. And I'll be looking forward to seeing the rest of the Curtains cast on stage again. They definitely made a fan. The Hirschfeld's next tenant will be the musical version of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Let me tell you, Curtains will be a tough act to follow.

Travel plans

Just as exciting as anticipating what's coming to Broadway next season is seeing which shows are going out on tour. And there are several bits of news this week that make me a very happy theatergoer.

First, Curtains, which, I'm sad to say, ends its Broadway run at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on June 29, will hit the road beginning in the fall of 2009.

And second, Gavin Lee, who created the role of Bert the chimneysweep in the London and Broadway production of Mary Poppins, will join his Broadway costar Ashley Brown on the musical's national tour, which begins March 11, 2009, at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre. Stops in Cleveland, St. Louis and Los Angeles also have been announced. It's not an everyday occurrence for the stars of a Broadway show to take it on tour, so this is great news.

Also on the touring front, the creative team behind the rock 'n' roll musical Passing Strange is considering taking their act on the road. I liked Passing Strange a great deal. It's really thought-provoking and the music has stayed with me. But I'm not sure how the story, about a young man's journey of self-discovery that takes him from Los Angeles to Amsterdam to Berlin, would play nationwide in theatres that can be double or triple the size of a Broadway house. There's not much in the way of a set, and in some ways it's kind of an intimate show.

Here's what Stew, who narrates the semiautobiographical story, had to say recently: "I personally spent a lot of my life touring, and I would love to take this play to anywhere and everywhere. That would be a dream. I don't know how it will all work contractually, but personally, I would love to do Passing Strange in all kinds of places. I would love it."

I saw Mary Poppins on Broadway last summer. While I liked the show and definitely recommend it, I thought it was a little long at nearly 3 hours and it didn't engage me emotionally as much as some other musicals. But I really enjoyed Matthew Bourne's choreography on the big musical numbers, and the many magical elements. Lee's performance was definitely a highlight. He is so charming and brings a great deal of warmth and humor to the role. I hope Disney will be able to include some of the magical touches on tour.

The Curtains tour will be produced by, among others, Atlanta's Theater of the Stars. I'm not at all familiar with Theater of the Stars, but apparently it brings Broadway shows to the city's fabulous Fox Theatre. (Fabulous doesn't actually seem to be part of its official name, but that's almost always how I see it mentioned). Since 1953, TOTS has produced or presented more than 700 productions around the world.

I've read some chatter on Broadway message boards speculating about how Curtains would do without David Hyde Pierce in the role of Boston police Lt. Frank Cioffi. While I absolutely adore the gracious and talented Mr. Hyde Pierce and I think he's wonderful in the role, I think it can be a popular show with someone else playing the part.

Sometimes, an actor gets so identified with a role it's hard to think of anyone else stepping into his or her shoes. I missed The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway, so I didn't get to see Bob Martin, who created the role of its main character, the musical-theatre loving Man in Chair. But I loved The Drowsy Chaperone on tour, and its Man in Chair, Jonathan Crombie, was terrific. And after all, most Broadway musicals tour with actors who aren't household names.

While Curtains doesn't have the recognition of a Wicked or Hairspray, hopefully it'll benefit from some good word of mouth. Plus, one thing I've noticed from going to see shows in Boston and Providence is that there's a large, loyal group of people who can't get to New York, but really want to see Broadway shows. I saw both Wicked and Hairspray on tour and they're two of my favorites.

And I think that Curtains, the final musical from the legendary team of John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, is a real crowd-pleaser. It's got memorable characters, lots of humor, big song-and-dance numbers and a backstage murder mystery plot. I love listening to the Broadway cast recording - it really gives you a good sense of what makes the show so entertaining.

Since Curtains unfolds backstage at Boston's Colonial Theatre, during the pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical, it seems like a natural for the national tour to kick off there. While no cities have been announced yet, I'm assuming that with an Atlanta-based producer, the tour will start in Atlanta. Still, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Stage door stories Part II

I've written before about some of the wonderful experiences I've had meeting performers after a Broadway show. Well, I don't want anyone to think that it's all smiles and puppies and kittens at the stage door. Last weekend I had the unique experience of being turned down for autographs by two Academy Award-winning actors in the space of less than 10 minutes.

On Saturday night, I saw The Country Girl at the Jacobs Theatre. It's a play about a washed-up, alcoholic actor, portrayed by Morgan Freeman, who's given a second chance at stardom. Frances McDormand plays his long-suffering wife and Peter Gallagher is the ambitious director who tries to keep Freeman's character from falling off the wagon.

Now, as I learned after Frost/Nixon, it's kind of tricky waiting for actors after a show at the Jacobs. While there is a stage door next to the entrance, most actors seem to leave through a service corridor next to the Golden Theatre, where Avenue Q is playing. So last spring, I missed Michael Sheen's quick exit that way, and Frank Langella apparently never came out at all. Maybe he's still there.

This time, I was prepared, leading my two theatergoing buddies, Steve on Broadway and the love of his life, to that spot. As we waited in line with a couple dozen eager fans, Oscar winner Morgan Freeman walked past us accompanied by a security person, who informed us that the actor wouldn't be signing autographs. Although he did deign to grace us with a smile.

Ok, I was 0 for 1.

Then a few minutes later, standing outside the Jacobs was Oscar winner Frances McDormand. My friends told me she wouldn't sign my Playbill either, but I approached her anyway. To her credit, Ms. McDormand was very polite. She was sorry, but told me, "I don't do press, I don't do photographs, I don't do autographs. I just work." (Hmmm, isn't doing press part of the work?)

I was 0 for 2, and I didn't even think about waiting to get turned down by Peter Gallagher. My tender ego couldn't stand any further rejection.

But as I've said before, the vast majority of Broadway performers are incredibly gracious, more than willing to sign autographs, pose for pictures and chat with their fans. Indeed, my first Broadway autograph was with two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey after seeing him in A Moon for the Misbegotten last year. (So take that, Frances McDormand and Morgan Freeman!)

After that episode, my friends and I walked over to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to say hello to the cast of the immensely enjoyable musical Curtains. I'm so glad we did, because my faith in humanity was soon gloriously restored.

Sadly, the show is closing on June 29, so these actors don't have much to gain in terms of goodwill by signing autographs, but they did it anyway, graciously greeting every fan who wanted to meet them. They were just as nice as they were last spring when I saw Curtains, my first-ever musical on Broadway.

I was so happy that I had a second chance to talk to the show's star, David Hyde Pierce. I congratulated him on winning a Tony award for his performance, thanked him for being so kind when I met him last year, and told him I hoped he'd be on Broadway again. If he's in a show, I definitely want to see it.

But wait, it gets even better.

After that, my buddies and I waited outside the Music Box Theatre for August: Osage County to let out. We had a terrific conversation with Rondi Reed, now a Tony nominee for her wonderful performance as Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken.

My friends had met her before, and she greeted us so warmly. Let me tell you, standing there on the sidewalk for more than a half-hour, until they actually shut off the theatre lights, laughing and chatting with Ms. Reed will always be one of my most memorable stage-door experiences. What a great actress and what a genuinely warm and friendly human being.

Despite my experience at The Country Girl, it was a great weekend for celebrity sightings. I saw former heavyweight champion George Foreman and Grammy winner John Legend leave the MTV studios, and I just missed Chris Rock. His car pulled away as I was crossing the street.

At the stage door after A Catered Affair Harvey Fierstein and Faith Prince were wonderful. But a highlight for me was when eagle-eyed Steve spotted Scott Wittman, who was waiting for Harvey, standing off to the side. Wittman, and his writing and life partner of more than 25 years, Marc Shaiman, are the Tony-winning composers of Hairspray.

I was a little hesitant about approaching Scott Wittman, but Steve gently encouraged me, and I'm so glad he did. It was pretty thrilling. (And I never would have recognized him on my own). After I saw Hairspray on tour last year, it immediately became one of my favorite musicals. I listen to the Broadway cast recording all the time.

I was completely tongue-tied, had no idea what to say, but Mr. Wittman could not have been nicer when I told him how much I loved Hairspray. He smiled such a sweet smile, crossed his hands over his heart and said, "thank-you." Then he pointed to Harvey and said that he was a big part of Hairspray's success. I wish I'd replied, I'd love to have seen the show with its original cast, but honestly, the story and the music are timeless to me.

The curtain falls

I really didn't see this one coming. Curtains, the first musical I saw on Broadway, is closing June 29 after what will be a 16-month run at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

The last time I looked, the show was playing at 75 percent capacity, with an average ticket price of $65, which seems like a perfectly respectable number to me, especially since we're at the tail end of winter. And attendance is up 13 percent over the previous week. According to Variety, the show hasn't recouped its initial investment, so I guess that's probably a big part of it.

Yes, I know shows close all the time, but this one, like The Color Purple, is hitting me especially hard. Curtains plays a big role in what I wrote yesterday about the value of theatre. But it's also special to me for a few other reasons.

First of all, I saw it at the end of a wonderful day in New York City, in which I walked all the way from Macy's at Herald Square up to the Museum of Natural History, crossed Central Park, made my way down Fifth Avenue, visited the Top of the Rock, and had a delicious meal at The Blue Fin. And did I mention how friendly and helpful New Yorkers are?

You'd think I would have been pretty wiped out by 8 o'clock and in no shape to see a show, but I loved Curtains. The cast was terrific, especially David Hyde Pierce as the Boston detective sent to investigate a backstage murder and Debra Monk as the show's brassy producer. I loved the humor, the murder mystery plot and the dance numbers, especially the duet between Hyde Pierce and Jill Paice. The final scene is hilarious. And I'm constantly listening to the cast CD. It gives you a great taste for the show. I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Meeting the cast afterward and getting my picture taken with David Hyde Pierce just made it perfect. When I told everyone that I'd seen my first play on Broadway the night before, and Curtains was my first musical, they were beyond nice. Mr. Hyde Pierce especially won my heart when he asked me what play I'd seen the night before and whether I liked it. He was terrific when I ran back and asked for a picture. He is a great performer and a great gentleman.

While I'd love to see it again, in a way I'm glad I probably won't have a chance. I want to remember Curtains just the way it was the first and only time I saw it.

Way back in December 2006 (which seems like a very long time ago!) when my new friend, Steve on Broadway, was helping me plan my first trip to Broadway, I asked his advice on a musical to see. I'd never heard of Curtains, but Steve told me that he'd seen it in Los Angeles and it was fantastic, "everything a Broadway musical should be." And he was right.

But little did I know that seeing the show, on April 13, 2007, wasn't going to be the end. There was the thrill of David Hyde Pierce winning the Tony for best actor in a musical that June. I was so happy I jumped up from the couch and cheered!

Then, in July, I got a package from Steve. Even though he wasn't seeing Curtains, on a trip to New York he stopped by the stage door and had the entire cast sign a souvenir program. It came with a personal hello from David Hyde Pierce! A few weeks later I met Steve for the first time, and he brought me two gifts: an opening night Playbill from the show we were seeing that evening, The Color Purple, and a program from the 2006 premiere of Curtains.

In addition to being incredibly entertaining, and having a gracious and talented cast, Curtains is a memorable show for me because of a wonderful friend and brother who helped make it even more special.

In the pipeline for 2009

I'm looking forward to the first time I see a show on tour that I first saw on Broadway. It'll be fun to compare the two versions. I'm not sure when it'll happen or which one it'll be, but at least there's a starting date for the tour of my first Broadway musical, Curtains.

Thanks to a link on the Broadway World message boards, which I check regularly throughout the day, I found the site for the Avid Touring Group. It lists the North American tour as beginning in September 2009. No word yet as to where it'll kick off, but I'm hoping it'll be Boston's Colonial Theatre, where the backstage murder mystery takes place.

Other touring productions on Avid's fall 2009 roster are two current Broadway comedies: The 39 Steps and Is He Dead? It'll be interesting to see how they do, because they're not musicals and they're not plays that are terribly well known.

I saw The 39 Steps last fall, during its pre-Broadway tryout in Boston, and I loved it. But I'm not sure how well it'll do on tour. A large part of the humor comes from knowing the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie that it re-creates. On the other hand, the show is pretty inspired. It does a lot with four actors and a few props. There's a lot of physical, slapstick humor that I think would be pretty hilarious even if you've never seen the movie.

I haven't seen Is He Dead?, a long-lost play by Mark Twain about a struggling artist who fakes his death to drive up the price of its paintings. It's gotten good reviews, but I think a lot of those are based on the comedic talents of its star, Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz. Avid lists the show as being "in the pipeline."

One show that I'm hoping will come my way this fall needs no introduction. It's the musical Happy Days, based on the hit tv series. Happy Days begins its 1950s nostalgia-laden tour on Oct. 31 at Southern California's La Mirada Theatre. Shouldn't it be launching in Milwaukee?

Empty seats

Chris Caggiano at Everything I Know I Learned from Musicals follows the Broadway box office the way baseball fans follow box scores, so I can count on him to keep me updated on the latest trends.

I was shocked to read on Chris' blog that attendance at my beloved Curtains fell below 50 percent last week. David Hyde Pierce playing in a half-filled theater? Oh the unfairness! What happened to the other half of the audience? Even more puzzling was the fact that the same week, Mamma Mia! played to nearly 70 percent capacity. Sounds like a case for the character he plays in Curtains, Boston police Lt. Frank Cioffi.

On one level, I guess I understand. As Chris points out, February is the cruelest month on Broadway. It's not a great month for tourism, and tourists fill most of the theater seats. Mamma Mia! has an international reach. It's played all over the world, so the story and music are more familiar to visitors who come from other countries.

I loved Mamma Mia! but Curtains stars Hyde Pierce in his Tony-winning role, and the show still has most of its terrific original cast. It's got a fun murder mystery plot, memorable characters, wonderful songs and great choreography. It deserves a bigger audience, even in the depths of winter.

So to get you in the mood, here's a sweet video interview of David Hyde Pierce answering questions from fans, including the one on everyone's mind: which musical would be the perfect vehicle for him and his Frasier costars Kelsey Grammer and John Mahoney?

One hundred posts

This is my 100th post since I started Gratuitous Violins on Sept. 30, 2007. The number 100 is considered a milestone in the school year, in Congress and in presidential administrations, so why not in blogging?

When I check my statcounter, I'm amazed to see the places readers have come from - all over the United States and all over the world. Unfortunately, I haven't always been able to answer the question that brought them to my blog. So, to mark my 100th post, I'll try to answer some of them.

Which Broadway plays have stage doors?
I think they all do. The actors have to leave the theater somehow. Although sometimes they have ways of slipping out unnoticed. I never did see Frank Langella or Michael Sheen after Frost/Nixon. Sometimes the stage door is right next to the theater entrance, other times, it's around the corner in the back. If you're unsure, ask an usher, or just look for the metal barricade and a crowd of people clutching Playbills and Sharpies.

Broadway meeting the cast stage doors
If you have the time, you can and should go to the stage door after the show. Most of the actors will stop and sign autographs, pose for pictures and chat with you for a minute as you express your admiration for their performance.

Easy to meet David Hyde Pierce at the stage door?
Yes, it's very easy. I met him in April after a Friday night performance. He was very nice, signing my autograph and posing for a picture. I told him that Curtains was my first Broadway musical, and the previous evening, I'd seen my first Broadway play. He seemed genuinely interested and talked to me for a few minutes about the experience. In fact, the entire cast of Curtains is friendly and gracious and I loved the show. So definitely stop by, and tell David Hyde Pierce I said hello. He'll be in the show through Aug. 31.

Are jacket and tie required for going to the theatre in New York?
No, a jacket and tie are not required to see a show on Broadway. Sure, some people will be dressed up, especially if it's a weeknight and they've come from work. But generally, it's pretty casual. A nice shirt and pants are fine. You can wear whatever you want - some people come in jeans, sneakers, t-shirt. It doesn't matter. Nowadays, people dress for the theater pretty much like they dress for a movie. Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad, I don't know. But that's the way it is.

Swordfighting in Cyrano
Yes, there was swordfighting in Cyrano. It was my first time seeing swordfighting on stage, and it was great. Unfortunately, the show, with Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner, has closed. But don't despair: it was taped for airing on the PBS series Great Performances. There's no air date yet.

Lower East Side NYC dangerous
Hmmm, I don't know. I do know that crime is way, way down in New York City and I felt very safe and comfortable everywhere I went in Manhattan. As always, avoid unfamiliar, deserted places, especially at night, and especially if you're alone. But generally, the places where tourists venture in New York are safe, the subway is fine, and the people are incredibly friendly and helpful. As in any big city, or small town for that matter, just use common sense and keep your wits about you. So go, and have a great time.

Theme from Ice Castles
I guess this 1978 movie has lots of fans, because I've gotten a number of searches about it, including one for "hot sexy Lynn-Holly Johnson," who plays teenage figure skater Alexis Winston. Someone else wanted to know how the movie ends, but I don't want to give it away for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. The theme song is "Through the Eyes of Love." It was written by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch, and garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Song. In the movie, it's sung by Melissa Manchester.

The 25h Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Vanessa Ray
Vanessa Ray plays Olive Ostrovsky in the touring production, which I saw in November. I loved the show, and I thought she was great as the shy and vulnerable Olive, waiting in vain for her father to come watch her at the spelling bee. Here's a short video of Ray talking about the role, and here's an interview.

Who invented the violin?
No one knows for sure. The violin owes its origins to many instruments, dating back to the ancient lyre. The violin emerged in its present form in northern Italy in the 16th century. According to this site, some theories hold that it could have been invented around 1520 A.D., since that was when the first painting including a violin was created, Madonna of the Orange Trees by Gaudenzio Ferrari.

Happy birthday on the violin?
I'm not sure about this one, since I don't actually play the violin, or any other musical instrument for that matter. But this might help. Click on the "play" button if you want to hear how it sounds.

Jerusalem food
Since so many Israelis trace their roots back to Middle Eastern countries, the food is much more kubbe, and not so much knishes. When I lived in Israel 10 years ago, it was hard to find a good bagel. If you want to learn more, Joan Nathan has written some great cookbooks on Jewish and Israeli food, including The Flavor of Jerusalem and The Foods of Israel Today. If you're planning a trip, here's a list of restaurants to check out. I'm not sure if it's there anymore, but one place I liked is The Yemenite Step.

Shalom Chaver
This is the phrase that former President Bill Clinton memorably uttered to eulogize Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995. It's Hebrew for "goodbye friend." The phrase, and variations, such as "friend, you are missed," and "friend, I remember," became popular ways for Israelis to remember Rabin. It's also the name of CD from a memorial concert held in Rabin's memory in Jerusalem and featuring many well-known Israeli musicians.

Some of the questions stumped me: sentimental ideas for a 40th birthday party, (I can't think of any off the top of my head) using the musical Wicked in wedding speeches, (I guess it's ok. My suggestion would be to check out the "For Good" lyrics) and the length of Debra Monk's contract in Curtains. (I have no idea).

However you found my blog, thanks for stopping by. Hopefully, the first 100 posts are only the beginning.

A perfect double feature

I just want to kvell a bit over some good news this week about two of my favorite Broadway shows.

Playbill quotes a Variety story that "August: Osage County," Tracy Letts' masterful family drama, has taken in more than $3 million in advance sales. Producer Jeffrey Richards says that's "one of the largest advances of a straight play in recent history — and it's playing in one of the largest houses." The play is at the Imperial Theatre, which seats nearly 1,500, and it has an amazing cast from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

I can't say enough how deeply this play resonated with me. And, more good news on the "August" front, Letts' play will come out in paperback on April 1. I can't wait to laugh again over some of his witty, biting dialogue.

Also, "Curtains," one of my favorite musicals, hit its 300th performance at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Dec. 28. This show is the final one from the legendary team of John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, the pair responsible for "Chicago," and "Cabaret." It's got a fun backstage murder mystery to solve, great music, great dance numbers and a wonderful cast, led by Tony winner David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk. I've listened to the cast CD over and over.

If you're planning a trip to New York and you only have space for one musical and one play, "Curtains" and "August: Osage County" would make a perfect double feature.

The Curtain won't fall yet

David Hyde Pierce, who won a Tony award for his role in "Curtains," has extended his stay with the show until Aug. 31. Here's what he told Playbill: "I just couldn't say goodbye yet — to this company, to this part, to this great show. Singing and dancing eight times a week may kill me, but I'll die happy."

Personally, I'm thrilled that Broadway audiences will have a chance to see this talented comic actor, who's also become a terrific song-and-dance man, through the summer. (Not to mention a very gracious gentleman. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the stage door afterward.) I loved the show and I loved his performance. I literally leaped up from the couch and cheered when he won the Tony as best actor in a musical!

"Curtains" was the first musical I saw on Broadway, so it'll always hold a very special place in my theatergoing heart. It's got humor, a murder mystery to be solved, intricately choreographed dance routines, a score that's alternately rousing and tender, and characters who are memorable, outsized personalities. It's just wonderfully entertaining from the thrilling opening notes of the overture, to a very dramatic start, to an unbelievably hilarious finish.

I also love the way that the show, the final one from the legendary songwriting team of John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, celebrates the theater. (For more on the cast of characters, check out the show's very complete Web site, which also has interviews, reviews, audio and video clips, and a great collection of e-cards suitable for any occasion).

David Hyde Pierce is funny and sweet as Boston police detective Frank Cioffi, called on to investigate the murder of an actress in a troubled Broadway-bound musical. Cioffi also happens to be a huge musical theater fan, and you can tell from the very moment he walks on stage that he's starstruck, as he tries to fix the show and solve the crime.

Having seen nine other Broadway musicals since "Curtains," I'm even more impressed by his skill in holding the show together. I had a great seat, second row in the center orchestra, and I was so close, I could see the sweat on his face. It's hard to explain, but he was a commanding presence in a way that I didn't always feel, for example, when I watched Roger Bart in "Young Frankenstein." (Of course, I was also sitting much farther away for "Young Frankensten.")

While I don't know whether anyone else in the cast will extend their stay, it's a great ensemble. I especially love Debra Monk as tough-talking producer Carmen Bernstein. Given Broadway's recent labor troubles, her big number, "It's a Business," certainly takes on new meaning. I have to admit, every time I hear on the cast CD that line about the theater being a temple, and Monk responds, "What, so it should only be open on Shabbos?" I laugh. Yes, it's silly, but her delivery is so perfect!

When I first came home, I didn't have the cast CD to listen to, and the show faded from my memory a bit. But since it came out, I've been listening repeatedly, and gaining even more appreciation for the humor and the music. I love the poignancy of "I Miss the Music," and the showstopping "Show People."

My friend Steve recommended "Curtains" to me on the strength of seeing it in Los Angeles during its pre-Broadway tryout. He gave it another rave after revisiting the show at New York's Al Hirschfeld Theatre. As he told me, "Curtains" is everything a Broadway musical should be. I can't say it any better than that.

Broadway, a blog and a brother

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason."

Sometimes, you just instantly connect with a song. I started to cry as soon as I heard that line from "For Good." I knew that there was one reason why I was sitting in a theater early in 2007 watching "Wicked" on tour and planning my first trip to Broadway - because one particular blogger had come into my life.

A few months before, I'd found Steve on Broadway while searching for information about "A Moon for the Misbegotten." (Regular readers of SOB will recognize those eyes!) Steve posted an item on the upcoming Broadway production and I sent him an e-mail asking a few questions. I told Steve that Kevin Spacey was one of my favorite actors, and I really wanted to see him in that play. "I'm delighted you found me," he wrote back.

Steve has never stopped being delighted to hear from me, whether it's through comments on his blog or numerous, sometimes lengthy, e-mails. Whenever I need to talk, and whatever I need to talk about, he's always there to listen and click on the reply button.

Like many bloggers, Steve writes about a topic that's not connected with what he does for a living. But he brings great skill, insight, dedication, enthusiasm and wit to the job, whether he's writing about his love for the theater, his love for this country and commitment to freedom of speech, or about the love of his life.

Steve on Broadway's comments section has been an outlet for my writing even when, as a novice theatergoer, I didn't have much to say. I've caught his enthusiasm for the unique power and emotion of a live performance, whether it's on Broadway, a local production or a national tour. Now, I have quite a bit to say!

Without Steve, this blog wouldn't exist. No matter how many times I told him I wasn't interested in starting one, he never stopped encouraging me, because he knew how much I loved to write. When I told him I'd finally decided to take the plunge, he even came up with the name, Gratuitous Violins. After I turned down his first half-dozen or so suggestions, most people would have given up and told me to find my own blog name. But not Steve.

When I started reading his blog, I'd never been to New York City for longer than an overnight stay, and I'd never seen a show on Broadway. Now, I can't get enough of the city. This fall, I'm planning my third trip there in six months. I've been in a Broadway audience 13 times, with more to come! One of those times was an unforgettable evening at "The Color Purple" with Steve by my side. We bought our tickets months apart, but fate was incredibly kind, and our seats ended up being right next to each other. Personally, I like to think it was the unseen hand of Oprah at work!

I've learned a lot about the theater over the past year, not just from Steve on Broadway, but from all the blogs on his list of daily reads. They each have their own distinctive voice and way of doing things. Some are just about the theater, and others delve into a variety of topics. I enjoy them all, and I'm glad to be among them. As Lt. Frank Cioffi, played by the talented and gracious David Hyde Pierce, says in "Curtains," it's an honor.

So Steve, thank-you for letting me borrow a song that I know holds a special place in your life. You've become my theater guide, my blogging mentor, my loyal friend, and best of all, my brother. And I am happy and fortunate and very proud to be your sister. Thank-you for welcoming me into your life. I'm here for good.