Arts & Entertainment Springtime For Broadway It's our semiannual roundup of New York stages' newest offerings with a Jewish twist. Alice Burdick Schweiger Special to the Jewish News Photo by Jim Coy Photo by Joan Marcus Photo by Carol Rosegg A Catered Affair This funny new musical, with book by and starring Harvey Fierstein, tells the story of a 1950s Bronx mother's efforts to give her only daughter the elaborate wedding the mother never had. Fierstein is best known on Broadway for Tony-winning roles in the semiautobiographical Torch Song Trilogy (which he also wrote) and Hairpray (as Mama Edna). He also starred as Tevye in a recent revival of Fiddler on the Roof Now in previews, the show opens April 17. At the Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 West 48th St. (212) 239-6200. Boeing Boeing First performed in the 1960s, this corn- edy comes directly from a revival run in London, where it received rave reviews. Starring Christine Baranski and Gina Gershon, it's about an archited in Paris who juggles three flight attendant fiancées as they fly in and out of town.. Previews begin April 19; the show opens May 4. At the Longacre Theatre, 220 West 48th St. (212) 239-6200. - Cry Baby Set in 1954 Baltimore at the beginning of rock 'n' roll, this musical about teenage rebellion tells the story of a "good" girl who falls for a "bad" boy. Songs are by David Javerbaum, former head writer of the Daily Show with John Stewart, and Adam Schlesinger of alt-rock group Fountains of Wayne, who was Oscar-nomi- nated for the song "That Thing You Do" from the film of the same name. Now in previews; the show opens April 24. At the Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway. (212) 307-4100. - Gypsy Returning to Broadway, this landmark musical set in the vaudeville era and based on the memoirs of burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee, is about a stage mother (played by the critically acclaimed Patti Prior Tony winner Harvey Fierstein in A Catered Affair Lupone) and her efforts to catapult her daughters into stardom. Book by Arthur Laurents (who, at 90, directs this produc- tion), music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. At the St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th St. (212) 239-6200. Jackie Mason: The Ultimate Jew Once again Jackie Mason presents a one- man stand-up comedy show combining political satire with insightful observa- tions. A limited engagement, the show runs through June 29. At the New World Stages/Stage 1, 340 West 50th St. (212) 239-6200. Marcy in the Galaxy Former Detroiter Nancy Shayne wrote the music, lyrics and book for this poi- gnant "psychological" comedy, based on a story by Shayne and Michael Patrick King, writer-producer-director of Sex and the City. Marcy, a struggling Michigan-born Jewish artist in midlife is living in New York and sitting in the Galaxy Diner try- ing to figure out her life when her family appears. "Anyone who lives in the Detroit area will clearly pick up local references:' says Victor Hawks, Danny Burstein and Noah Weisberg in South Pacific David Rossner as Shlomo Carlebach in Shlomo Shayne, who grew up in Oak Park, gradu- ated from Berkley High School, earned a degree at the University of Detroit and was one of three co-founders of the Attic Theatre in Detroit. After college, she moved to Chicago and became musical director of the touring company of Second City. She now resides in New York City. This Off-Broadway show closes April 20. At the Connelly Theatre, 220 East Fourth St. (212) 352-3101. tells the story of two couples whose hap- piness is threatened by the realities of war and prejudice during World War II. First performed in 1949, South Pacific is con- sidered to be one of the greatest Broadway shows ever written. Danny Burstein (The Drowsy Chaperone, Titanic, Company) plays Seabee Luther Billis, who has cor- nered the market in everything from grass skirts to shrunken heads. At the Vivian Beaumont Theater, 150 West 65th St. (212) 239-6200. Shlomo This musical celebrates the life of singer- songwriter Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who revolutionized modern Jewish music. After escaping from the Nazis in Europe, Carlebach traveled to America, became the first emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and emerged in the 1960s folk scene as a "rabbi rock star" sharing the stage with the likes of Bob Dylan. This limited engagement runs April 22- May 9. At the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Edmund J. Safra Hall, 36 Battery Place. (212) 279-4200. South Pacific Set on a tropical island during World War 11, this beloved musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II The Country Girl Directed by Mike Nichols, this Clifford Odets play about a once famous down- on-his- luck alcoholic actor whose wife tries to help him make a comeback stars Morgan Freeman, Frances McDormand (wife of recent Oscar winner Joel Coen) and Peter Gallagher. One of Odets' last plays, it earned great acclaim on Broadway in 1950 and was a box-office film success in 1954. A limited engagement, it runs through July 20. At the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th St. (212) 239-6200.111 April 10 • 2008 B15