Publicists in the UK may soon be thinking twice before “editing” a dismal review into something more cheerful sounding.

From telegraph.co.uk: “[Beginning] next week, European legislation will crack down on the practice of promoters taking critics’ words out of context to advertise theatre productions, films and books. Arts critics often see promoters misquote carefully selected phrases from critical reviews, completely at odds with the tone of the article.”

“Recently, a West End revival of Guys And Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre was described as ‘hilarious.’”

“A more accurate extract from the review would have been: ‘Frank Loesser’s great musical from 1950 is hilarious … Grandage’s production often falls somewhat flat.’”

A similar stir was seen in the US when the poster for Grease featured the phrase “You’re the One that I Want” from a dozen or so mostly negative reviews which had merely mentioned the name of the reality show that spawned the show.

The new UK laws are to be enforced by the Office of Fair Trading. Those who break them could face fines of up to £5,000 if their case is heard in a magistrates court or a fine and two years in jail if the case is heard in the Crown Court.

From Backstage.com: Author, director, and Emmy-winning actor Alan Alda (M*A*S*H, The West Wing) will present a reading of his original play Dear Albert, a dramatic adaptation of letters written by Albert Einstein, at the first annual World Science Festival Sunday, June 1, 7 p.m., at Miller Theatre on the Columbia University campus. The production will star Tony award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia (A View From the Bridge) with direction by Tony award-winner Daniel Sullivan (The Homecoming).

On Saturday, May 31, Alda revisits his acclaimed performance as the Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman in Peter Parnell’s play QED. Reading from this exploration of Feynman’s work and life, Alda brings forth a moving portrayal of one of the most brilliant and colorful physicists of the 20th century.

General admission tickets for both events are $40 (or $20 for students) and can be purchased at www.worldsciencefestival.com.

The World Science Festival will take place throughout New York City, May 28-June 1, 2008. The festival will feature Nobel laureates, researchers, as well as creative artists, filmmakers and performers to conduct more than 40 science-themed events.

First up is Bebe Neuwirth, a two-time Tony Award winner for the roles of Velma in Chicago and Nickie in Sweet Charity, and an accomplished film and TV actress, who earned two Emmy Awards for playing Lilith on Cheers. In her new show Stories with Piano, she’ll sing songs by Kurt Weill, Kander & Ebb, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim and Tom Waits.

Her show will play Feinstein’s at Loews Regency Friday and Saturday, May 23, 24, 30 and 31. Tickets are normally $65.03, and here they are available for $32.51.

Half-Price tickets for Bebe Neuwirth

Secondly Emily Skinner, the versatile singing actress best known for her Tony-nominated performance as Daisy Hilton, the aforementioned cojoined twin, opposite Alice Ripley’s Violet in Side Show, will also make her solo New York cabaret debut at Feinstein’s.

Skinner, who is blessed with a powerful Broadway belt as well as a lush soprano and wonderful comic timing, has titled her show Broadway, Her Way. She says, “There’s no fantastic theme. It’s just me singing a bunch of Broadway music.”

Half priced tickets are availble Sunday, June 1 and 8 at the same savings as above.

Half-Price tickets for Emily Skinner

Two coming down, one going up.

It had already been announced that the Los Angeles production of Wicked (with Megan Hilty, pictured), currently playing at the Pantages Theatre, will be closing January 11, 2009, after 791 performances and 12 previews.

Now comes word that the Chicago sit-down production at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts will also close in January of 2009 and will have played exactly 1,500 performances and grossed over $200 million.

Now, though I was mocked soundly at a recent theatre blogger’s “round table” for my enthusiasm for Wicked, I am not ashamed to say that I was excited to hear the news that the Los Angeles production will immediately be moving to San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre for an open-ended run.

I first saw Wicked in its out of town tryout at that very theatre, and I was blown away by it. (I do find it odd that NO ONE mentions the fact that Robert Morse played the Wizard there, and then fell off the face of the earth when the show moved to Broadway. He wasn’t that bad).

So I am particularly appreciative of the fact that it’s coming full circle. I hope it enjoys a long and healthy run there as it settles in amidst the hoi polloi that is unique to the City by the Bay.

Following in the footsteps of the Metropolitan Opera, which has recently begun showing live performances of operas in cineplexes across the country, Sony Pictures announced their “Hot Ticket” program, a new digital cinema unit which will bring filmed presentations of Broadway shows, rock concerts and sports events to specially equipped movie theaters nationwide.

According to msnbc.com, the new venture will launch in August with a presentation of the final staging of the music and dance extravaganza Delirium from Cirque du Soleil, which closed its worldwide tour in London in April.

In September, the final performance in the 12-year Broadway run of the hit musical Rent will be presented.

Hot Ticket presentations will be shown in high-definition format for limited engagements, starting out on roughly 400 to 500 screens in theaters across the country, with audiences paying roughly $20 a seat.

I’m excited about the new program, though I’m sure there will be those who feel that filming live shows and doling them out to Mid-America with a super-sized popcorn might cheapen the art form. Thoughts anyone?

It pays to read the “Footnotes” section of the NY Times Arts and Leisure section. I found all sorts of tidbits the last couple of days including this…

From variety.com:

Rupert Goold, director of the current Broadway production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play, has been given the title of associate director at the Royal Shakespeare Company, alongside Paines Plough Theater Company artistic director Roxana Silbert and Lyric Theater, Hammersmith a.d. David Farr.

Goold will join the RSC full time from 2010, and Farr will join from 2009.

Other notable new members include Anthony Neilson, writer-director of the RSC’s God in the Ruins, who will serve as literary associate. Thesp-helmer Kathryn Hunter joins the RSC as Artistic Associate.

The company has also announced plans to reopen the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2010.

I’ve seen the show twice. Once in the late 80s when it was still fresh and funny, and once a few years ago when it seemed pretty tired and just plain mean. But after winning a Drama Desk for Best Review, I guess it’s still going strong.

Anyway, here are two pretty funny songs from the show.

First is “On My Phone,” poking fun at the amount of off-stage time Eponine has during Les Mis, which she spends texting her friends and finding out what their after-show plans are. There’s no video, really; it seems to be recorded from a live performance (Valerie Fagan in the most recent incarnation, Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening).

Second is “Wickeder” about the rivalry between Kristen Chenowith and Idina Menzel (Megan Lewis and Jennifer Simard from Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit). Again, not really a video, but the edits of images from the show are sometimes pretty cleverly done.

Despite the appointment of Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton as co-artistic directors, and Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani’s large cash donation, the Sydney Theatre Company yesterday announced a loss of $253,007 — its third consecutive deficit, and the last under the leadership of former artistic director Robyn Nevin.

From The Austrailian News:

The deficit occurred despite box office receipts of $11.2million last year, the second-highest figure in the company’s history, and a 9 percent increase in sponsorships and philanthropic donations, reaching a record total of $2.636 million.

The STC had sellout seasons of three main productions: Blackbird, which Blanchett directed, Upton’s play Riflemind, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman; and Patrick White’s The Season at Sarsaparilla, directed by Benedict Andrews. The STC is fortunate that it has been able to dip into its cash reserves of more than $1.6million to offset the deficit. Thanks to federal and state government subsidies, the STC now will receive about $500,000 a year from this year to 2010.

Wow, cash reserves of more than $1.6 million, plus $500,000 a year in government funding!?! Sounds like the new artistic directors are still performing over a pretty wide spread net. It’ll be interesting to see how the next annual report looks after the first year of their official leadership.

OMG…Guess what I’m waiting to finish downloading right now as I type this post…

Star Wars, The Musical !

Can’t wait to put it on my mp3 player and go running tomorrow.

I found this completely random little piece by way of an email from sarahb of Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment, who got it from Robert of Little Voice.

The URL for the site is http://www.thesingingstage.com and on it you will find a gazillion random concept albums, cast albums from around the planet (Norwegian cast of A Chorus Line, anyone?) and soundboards (an unreleased audio recording of a show made by connecting a recording device directly to the soundboard) from a zillion different shows.

Like most sites that allow downloads of huge files like these, you can either download them for free, with the drawback of having to wait two minutes for a “download ticket” and having to wait, like an hour and a half between downloads, or you can upgrade to a premium membership and get things done a lot faster.

I’ll let you know how Star Wars is, but in the mean time, get on over to The Singing Stage and start downloading!