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BROADWAY BONANZA from page 91
At the Dodger Stages Theatre 4, 340
West 50th St. (212) 239-6200.
The cast of "Lennon," which opens in previews June 28
Katz, who is married to Detroiter Dan
Moses Schreier, is the lighting director.
Previews begin June 28; the show
opens July 28.
At the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West
44th St. (212) 239-6200.
The Pillowman
This dark comedy-drama is a
macabre tale about a fiction writer
who is interrogated about the grue-
some content of his horrific short sto-
ries and how they have led to copycat
murders. Jewish veteran actor Jeff
Goldblum stars as a sinister, bullying
detective. The Pillowman has been
receiving rave reviews.
At the Booth Theatre, 222 West
45th St. (212) 239-6200.
Spamalot
This must-see Monty Python block-
buster musical — the hottest ticket on
Broadway — is about King Arthur,
the Knights of the Round Table and
their quest for the Holy Grail. Filled
with sight gags, the high-energy show
is infectious, allowing for an evening
of fun and laughs.
Directed by Mike Nichols, the cast
includes Tim Curry and Jewish actors
Hank Azaria and Steve Rosen (see side-
bar). One of the show-stopping song-
and-dance numbers is "You Won't
Succeed on Broadway" ... if you don't
have any Jews!
At the Shubert Theater, 225 West
44th St. (212) 239-6200.
Sweet Charity
A revival of the 1966 Broadway clas-
sic, this musical centers on the misad-
ventures of Charity Hope Valentine, a
dance-hall hostess. Charity, who is
unlucky in love, always seems to pick
the wrong man. With book by Neil
Simon and music by Cy Coleman,
Beast on the Moon
Louis Zorich stars in this story
about a young couple soon to wed;
both are survivors of the Armenian
genocide. Zorich, whose credits
include Death of A Salesman with
Dustin Hoffman, the film version of
Fiddler On The Roof and the TV series
Mad About You, is Jewish, as is the
play's director, Larry Moss, an acting
coach to Leonardo DiCaprio in The
Aviator, Hank Azaria in Tuesdays With
Morrie and Jim Garrey in The
Majestic.
At the Century Center for the
Performing Arts, 111 East 15th St.
(212) 239-6200.
Sweet Charity stars Christina
Applegate.
At the Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West
45th St. (212) 239-6200.
The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee
In this musical comedy, 10 preco-
cious middle school students (played
by adults) participate in the spelling
competition of the title. Audience
members are brought up on stage to
participate in the spelling bee. One of
the words guaranteed to baffle: phylac-
tery (one of two small black leather
boxes that contain pieces of parch-
ment on which passages of the Torah
are written and fastened with a leather
thong to the forehead or left arm dur-
ing prayer by pious Jews).
Many of the words used are chosen
by Jay Reiss, who is Jewish and plays
the vice principal in the show ( ( phy-
lactery" was one of Reiss' contribu-
tions). Natasha Katz again does the
lighting, and Dan Moses Schreier the
sound.
At the Circle in the Square Theatre,
1633 Broadway, entrance on 50th St.
between Eighth Avenue and Broadway.
(212) 239 6200.
OffBroadway
Altar Boyz
This musical comedy tells the story
of a struggling Christian boys band —
and its one Jewish member. Touring
the country, the band sings and
spreads the "good word of the Lord,"
but when they hit New York City, can
they make it big? Abraham, the
Jewish member, sings right along with
the group as they belt out such snappy
numbers as "Jesus Called Me On My
Cell Phone."
Picon Pie
A musical biography about the life
and times of Molly Picon and how she
became the biggest Yiddish star of her
era, Picon Pie is a tribute to Yiddish
theater as it depicts the
era of its heyday. Written
by Rose Leiman
Goldenberg ( The Burning
Bed), the show stars June
Gable, who played Joey's
agent, Estelle, on NBC's
Friends.
At the Lambs Theater,
130 West 44th St. (212)
239-6200.
all three of the one-acts. Opens June 1
and closes July 3.
At the Biltmore Theatre, 261 West
47th St. (212) 239-6200.
Hurlyburly
Starring Ethan Hawke, Jewish actor
Wallace Shawn, Josh Hamilton and
Parker Posey, this revival, about the
life and times of a casting director and
his friends, is set in the mid 1980s in
the Hollywood Hills. It is co-produced
by Oak Park's Jeffrey Seller (Rent,
Avenue Q) and runs through July 2.
At 37 Arts Theater, 450 West 37th St.
between Ninth and 10th Avenues. (212)
307-4100.
A Picasso
Set in 1941 during the German
occupation of Paris, this play depicts
a confrontation between the famed
artist and Miss Fischer, a Nazi inter-
rogator. Several of Picasso's works have
been confiscated, and he plays a cat
and mouse game with Fischer so the
Nazis won't burn his
paintings.
Jill Eikenberry stars.
The show closes May
29.
At New York City
Center Stage, 131 West
55th St. (212) 581-
1212.
Flight
This drama chroni-
cles aviator Charles
Limited Runs
Lindbergh's life, from
the time of his historic
Jeff
Goldblum
in
the
criti-
After the Night and the
flight to Paris to the
cally
acclaimed
"Pillowman"
Music
kidnapping of his son
Written by Elaine
to his move to Europe
May, these three comical
and the anti-Semitic
one-act plays depict life
remarks he made at the
in the new millennium.
beginning of World
In Curtain Raiser, a
War II.
chubby former chorus
Gregg Edelman
boy persuades a reserved
(Wonderful Town, Into
lesbian to dance in pub-
the Woods), Brian d'Arcy
lic. In Giving Up
James and Adam Heller
Smoking, singles explore
star. The show closes
their sexuality. In Swing
June 19.
Time, two middle-aged
At the Lucille Lortel
married couples want to
Theatre, 121 Christopher
try a sexual foursome.
St. (212) 279-4200.
May, whose father
Glengarry Glen Ross
was a Yiddish theater
This is the first
A scene from "The 25th •
director, was once
• Broadway revival of
Annual Putnam County
teamed in a comedy act
Jewish playwright
Spelling Bee"• How do you
with now famed direc-
David Mamet's Pulitzer
spell "phylactery"?
tor Mike Nichols; she
Prize-winning play
has starred in several
about five cutthroat
films, including A New
salesmen competing to get leads for
Leaf with Walter Matthau. Jeannie
prime real estate at the cost of being
Berlin, who is May's daughter, stars in
BROADWAY BONANZA on page 96
5/19
2005
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