Fame or Famine

picApp_publisherId = 668;picApp_imageId = 2461;picApp_imageWidth = 206;picApp_imageHeight = 302;picApp_configUrl = “http://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/FlashSite/GetConfig.aspx”;picApp_Picview=”http://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/FlashSite/en/picviewerv1_1.swf”;picapp_numberOfLine=2;ImageServe();Mark Cherry, the creator of the hit Fox TV show Desperate Houswives, is rumored to be considering taking it to Broadway as a musical.
“Mark has said that when he finishes his seven years at ABC he plans to go to Broadway and move into the musical world…” says star Kyle Maclachlan.
I have to say, while I can certainly see that it would be good material…unless you actually get some really, really cool musicians to create the songs, like the Lion King did with Tim Rice, Elton John, Lebo M and …read more

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I find it fascinating that “fine artists” – people with serious high-falutin’ credibility in the fine arts – are lending their talents to stage productions these days. Julie Taymor directing the Lion King is a good example. Latest case in point: Isabel Allende is directing, of all things, Zorro: the Musical.
“I am a serious writer!”
That’s what she said when she was approached by John Gertz and Sandra Curtis, from Zorro Productions, who asked her to write the story of how Diego de la Vega became Zorro.
Looking at the story, though, she fell in love with the tale all over again. …read more

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It’s getting scary.
I was fine – excited, even – when the Lion King came out. Even though it took until last month for me to actually see it, the fact that it was directed and designed by Julie Taymor was more than enough to make me forgive Disney for taking a cartoon and using up valuable stage space – space that could have been used by the next Neil Simon or Stephen Sondheim.
Then came Beauty and the Beast. Haven’t seen it, but I hear it’s impressive. The costume of the candlestick alone was pretty cool, and I raised four daughters …read more

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