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Weekend Agenda: No News is Usually Bad News Edition

It’s Saturday. It’s 3:30. You’ve missed the matinee but you think you’ll probably make the evening show, if you can get yourself out of your pajamas at some point. Here’s what’s happening right now in theater. Or sort-of happening, as it were…

  • To File Under: Things His Royal Sondheim Says That Induce Rage Blackouts: This week, Mr. Sondheim gave an interview to the London Evening Standard. In said interview, he dropped the following bomb: That he sees plays in London because… wait for it… Broadway is “starved” for plays. Because apparently Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Motherfucker With the Hat, Other Desert Cities, Seminar, The Normal Heart, Wit and his buddy David Ives’ Venus in Fur are not plays that a have recently been/are currently open on Broadway. Because Broadway is the worst, most culture-deprived place ever and London is so much better. Or something. I get it, HRS, you’re crotchety and critical. But REALLY?! This is what we’ve sunk to? Maybe you should sometimes not talk at all. Or at least think first before you spew unfounded criticism.
  • Is it finally OK for us to talk about Jonathan Groff and Zach Quinto being an item and stuff? Because they were looking very together-ish at the Independent Spirit Awards this week. The fangirls have christened them either Quintoff (which sounds like a vodka brand) or Grinto (which sounds like Grimace’s Spanish cousin). We just call it cute.
  • Bonnie & Clyde’s original cast recording has just received an official release date: April 24. Which we think is kind of a shame. Or at least a big missed opportunity. With a 4/20 release date, they could have piggybacked on a big national holiday — one that would have worked to their advantage. We’re pretty sure that cast recording will sound MUCH more innovative and exciting when you’re sky high.
  • Because we’re pretty sure Julie Taymor is trying to entertain us at this point, she recently alleged — in a court of the law — that she was a victim of a huge Spider-Man conspiracy. I mean. This whole thing just gets better and better. Can they start filming and airing this trial, please? Seriously. We’re already popping the popcorn.
  • Ben Walker’s mother-in-law won an Oscar last Sunday. That was cool.
  • (Aside, from Lucky: The Mick asked me to write something snappy about Justin Long joining the cast of Seminar, but I think he can’t hold a stumpy overburned candle to Hamish Linklater, so I’m going to simply ignore the request. Carry on.)
  • The Roundabout will stage a revival of the deliciously fun Mystery of Edwin Drood in the fall, with Chita Rivera as Princess Puffer — a genius piece of casting if there ever was one. Our only vague concern: What happens when the audience chooses the Puffer’s ending every single night? That could get boring real quick. Our suggestion? Cast Aaron Tveit as a poised, creepy Jasper and give the show a robust $30 ticket lottery. His fans will undoubtedly succeed in swinging the vote at least once or twice.
  • Former teen idol Davy Jones passed away this week. We, naturally, spent most of it spinning “Cuddly Toy” and “Star Collector” in memory, but this performance from the Ed Sullivan Show is our fav. Here, Davy is shown as The Artful Dodger in Oliver! — a role that earned him a Tony Nomination at the age of 19. (Bonus: Check out the amazing Georgia Brown as Nancy.) Even crazier to consider? The Beatles were on the show that same night.
  • The interwebs blew up with news about The Life Café’s closing this week. Which is interesting because… its doors have been closed since September. So. This is old news? We’ll admit to being sad to hear that the For Rent signs went up officially this week. But. We kind of saw this coming.
  • Newsies has announced its pre-show lottery. Names will be pulled 2 hours before every show for pairs of $30 tickets, and anyone can enter. You don’t even need to be a student. So now you’ll know where to find us five days a week.

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