Media Morsels 1.22.10

• Meryl Streep Eyes Broadway Return
  After winning her Golden Globe for Julie & Julia on Sunday night, Ms. Streep told reporters she is thinking about returning to the boards, now that her children are all off to college or otherwise out of the house. She said that she doesn’t have anything lined up but is interested in finding a project. On behalf of the Broadway community, I’d like to say that Meryl Streep is welcome on the great white way anytime!
  


• Glee Scoop
  Fresh off their Golden Globe win, Glee creators let slip that Neil Patrick Harris may be guesting on an episode set to air in May. In addition to the multitalented Harris, Glee masterminds are also hoping to land J-Lo and The Boss. Now, I don’t know if their intention is to land the rights to their music or the people in the flesh, but either way, that’s pretty boss. [Update: Creator Ryan Murphy says he’s hoping Lopez will play the lunch lady. Very Jenny from the block.]
  
  Bringing Glee to a Town Near You
  As has been previously announced, the Glee cast will spend their summer vacation touring the country, putting on glee-tastic shows across America. While no dates or venues have been confirmed, it has been confirmed (and leaked) that the tour will include stops in Orlando, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and Portland, among others to be announced later, of course. Stayed tuned to the Reviewing the Drama for more info as it released… or leaked!
  


• Next to Normal Soon to be Next to You
  Next to Normal’s book writer and lyricist, Brian Yorkey, revealed to Playbill.com that a tour and international production of Next to Normal are in the works. No official announcements have been made, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted.
  


• Inside Alice Ripley’s Dressing Room
  Speaking of Next to Normal, check out pictures from Alice Ripley’s dressing room. The fierce Ripley reveals some of the things around her space that keep her happy and balanced. One item is a book of Beatles quotes. While I’m sure those are great, might I also suggest my favorite book, It’s Not Easy Being Green and Other Things to Consider, which contains life lessons from the Muppets. Now those are quotes to live by.
  


• It’s Showtime
  As has been previously reported, Steven Spielberg and Showtime are collaborating to create a scripted television series about putting on a Broadway musical. It sounds kind of meta and very [title of show]. (“Well Blank Paper, I’m writing a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical!”) But, it also sounds very interesting. So as I understand it, the characters on the show will be trying to write a musical. The series (or season, if it’s successful) will end and immediately thereafter the actual show “they” wrote will bow on Broadway. On board to write the score of the show within the show are Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (who collaborated previously on Hairspray and Catch Me if You Can) and Theresa Rebeck, who penned the current off-Broadway hit The Understudy, will write the book. I think I just might have to start subscribing to Showtime…
  


• (500) Days of Spidey?
  While Spider Man may be slow to come to Broadway, he will be swinging into multiplexes sometime within the next year and (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb is set to direct this fourth installment. Still not set, though, is just who will play Peter Parker, as Tobey Maguire is not down with more web slinging.
  


• Peace Out, NBC, says Conan
  Conan O’Brien and NBC have reached a settlement; (reportedly) Conan will leave NBC, receive about $32 million and be able to return to TV in eight months. Fox has already expressed interest in welcoming Conan for a late night show on their network. We’ll see what happens… (Last week, Maureen Dowd offered her take on the NBC debacle.) An update from EW places the settlement at upwards of $40 million, and specifies that Conan’s last Tonight Show will be January 22, he can’t return to TV until after September 1 and Leno will resume his role as Tonight Show host on March 1. Of the six late night gabbers, (David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel) Leno has always been my least favorite but, again, I really only watch when there is a guest I like. Who’s you’re favorite late night guy? (Fun fact: Joan Rivers was the lady who broke the late-night glass ceiling.)
  


• The Law is Reason Free from Passion
  In her Sunday editorial, Maureen Dowd profiled Ted Olson and David Boies, the two lead counsels for the marriage equality trial currently underway in California. For those who don’t know, in 2008 Californians passed Prop 8, which disgustingly banned marriage equality. The constitutionality of that proposition is now being challenged in a San Francisco federal district court. While Olson and Boies make compelling emotional arguments, they must remember they're trying a case in a court of law, which means they need to focus on the legal argument: Anti-equality laws blatantly disregard the 14th amendment. (Go to prop8trialtracker.com to follow the trial, and visit Broadwayimpact.com to learn how you can get involved in marriage equality efforts in your area.)
  


• The Bard, The Dude and the Boards
  A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that someone took the time to Shakespeare-ify the entire script of The Big Lebowski. That adaptation, Two Gentlemen of Lebowski, will soon play off-Broadway at The Kraine Theatre. Tickets are only $20 so I just may have a report for you on this limited run that plays until from March 18–April 4.
  


• 39 More Steps
  The very funny farce, The 39 Steps, which recently closed on Broadway (after inhabiting three different Broadway homes) will reopen off-Broadway, a la Avenue Q, on March 25. When it closed at the Helen Hayes theatre on January 10, The 39 Steps was the longest running play, 771 performances, to have played the board in seven years. This fun caper is sure to be just as pleasing off-Broadway as it was on.
  


• Greetings, from Park City
  So technically I’m not in Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival, but I am trying to stay on top of developments and buzz. I’m excited that Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets to set up a REC room, in which he and his fellow Hit RECorders will collaborate in normal Hit RECord fashion and then screen a finished product at the festival. Check out Hit RECord.org for more info. I’m also looking forward to hearing what folks have to say about Howl, a new movie biopic about Allen Ginsberg that stars James Franco (as Ginsberg) and Broadway fave Aaron Tveit. E! Online is offering their top 25 buzz-generating films, including Howl, the Joseph Gordon-Levitt–Natalie Portman flick Hesher, Ryan Gosling’s latest Blue Valentine and the Marisa Tomei–John C. Riley awkward dramedy, Cyrus. And IFC is offering a consummate cheat sheet to guide you through all 113 films to be screened in the next two weeks.
  


• BAFTA – Awards, British Style
  In my ongoing award show season coverage, I bring you the BAFTA nominations. (BAFTA stands for British Academy of Film and Television Arts, though there are no awards for television at the BAFTAs.) Nothing too shocking to note. Since it is the BAFTAs, though, there is the best picture category and then a separate best British film category. An Education makes both lists. Missing from the best actress list is recent Golden Globe winner Sandra Bullock. Her film, The Blind Side, was about American football and we all know how the Brits are snobby about their futbol and rugby. Check out The Guardian’s report for the full list of nominees.
  


• Supercalifracgilsticexpeali-Daily Show
  Julie Andrews was a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart this week and the interview was quite fun to watch. Jon Stewart seemed enamored of the one time Mary Poppins and Ms. Andrews seemed enamored of The Rock, her costar in her latest film. Visit thedailyshow.com and watch the interview for a little weekend treat that’s “practically perfect in every way.”