Media Morsels 9.24.10

• American Idiot in the Media
  After a fun week of talk back sessions, most of the Idiots had a low-key week – just the usual eight shows! But the American Theatre Wing has a new video on its site in which they go behind the scenes with Idiot’s musical director, Carmel Dean. Learn what a musical director does and how Carmel got involved in this rockin’ show.
  
  
• Bloody Bloody Bits
  Populists rejoice! Big Block of Cheese Day finally arrived on Broadway: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson began previews at the Jacobs theatre this Monday night and I was on hand to experience the rapturous revelry. It seems that little has changed from the Public to Broadway, which is good since it was so spectacular downtown this spring. I am very glad to report that designer Donyale Werle’s fantastic theatre dressings transferred to the Jacobs. Like at the Public, the feel of a local dive bar envelops you the moment you walk in. And with lighting rods shooting out and up into the balcony, it gives the feel of a small intimate space, despite actually being a tall, cavernous theatre. Broadway, get ready for some tight, tight pants ‘cause Bloody Bloody ain’t leaving any time soon!
  
  Missed out getting a Jackson for a Jackson? Well, the Bloody Bloody folks announced this week that there will be a lottery for discounted tickets. 90 minutes prior to curtain, Populists can enter their name in the lottery; half an hour later, lottery winners (about 20 seats will be made available) will be drawn at random. Winners can then purchase $20 tickets, located in the first two orchestra rows. Tickets may be purchased with cash only and each winner can purchase up to two tickets. Good luck!
  
  The Wall Street Journal recently caught up with Bloody Bloody Star Benjamin Walker, who spoke about his early exposure to Jackson and parallels between Jackson’s political environment and our own.
  
  
• Catch Me on Broadway
  Catch Me if You Can, the musical stage adaptation of the eponymous movie, is confirmed to begin performances on Broadway this spring. The show will fly in to a still to be determined theatre on March 7, 2011, with an official opening night of April 10. No casting has been announced yet, but in last year’s Seattle production, favorites Norbert Leo Butz and Aaron Tveit starred. I’ll keep you posted on the details.
  
  (And speaking of Tveit, his new movie, Howl, opens this weekend. He costars with James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm and Jeff Daniels, among others, in this biopic about Allen Ginsberg and the obscenity trial that ensued after “Howl” was published.)
  
  
• Things to Ruin
  You may remember that this winter I mentioned that Joe Iconis and his gang of incredibly talented misfits headed into the recording studio to lay down the wonderfully fun Things to Ruin, an Iconis songbook revue that played at The Zipper and later at Second Stage theatre (where I saw it). Well, the record has dropped, dear readers, and it’s not to be missed. If you’re looking for new musical theatre talent; if you’re looking for new musical talent; if you’re looking for good music you must pick this up. The record was released digitally on Tuesday and you can pre-order your hard copy, to be released October 20, from Sh-k-boom.com right now. (I’ve always likened the Iconis gang to The Muppets: They have a dream about singing and dancing and making people happy. And this record is most definitely a great example of that scrappy and raw passion.) This essential Iconis collection includes such gems as “Helen”, “Honey”, “Asleep on My Arm” and “Everybody’s at the Bar (Without Me)”, and boasts the talent of Iconis, Iconis regulars and standouts Katrina Rose Dideriksen, Lance Rubin and Jason “SweetTooth Williams”, as well as Nick Blaemire, Badia Farha, Sarah Glendening and Eric William Morris. Watch Playbill.com’s making-of video and then order your copy today!
  
  
• The Social Network
  Just one more week until Aaron Sorkin’s new movie, The Social Network, hits the big screen. (It will open the New York Film Festival tonight, though.) You’ll remember that The Social Network tells the conflicting stories of Facebook’s inception and the social rifts it begat. In this week’s New York magazine, Sorkin, director David Fincher and stars Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield talk about the experience of creating this film. Fincher said he was particularly drawn to the material and was sympathetic toward Facebook’s creator Mark Zuckerberg, (played here by Eisenberg) because he knows “what it’s like to be 21 years old and trying to direct and sitting in a room full of grown ups who think you’re just so cute but aren’t about to give you control of anything. …I know the anger that comes from when you just want to be allowed to do the things that you know you can do”.
  
  The article also elicited this zinger from Sorkin: “While everyone deserves a voice, not everyone deserves a microphone”. (Yes, I’m aware of the irony of reporting that on a blog…) And also this scoop: Sorkin is working on an undisclosed TV pilot and the book of an undisclosed Broadway-aimed musical. Could it be that my dream of a theatrical collaboration between Sorkin, Tom Kitt, Matthew Warchus and Raul Esparza might actually come true?!?
  
  
• Glee Scoop
  So, what’d you think of the season two premiere? I think the season’s off to a great start; I especially loved the cold open, during which Jacob Ben Israel helped to catch us up on how the Gleeks spent their summer vacation. (Tina and Mike Chang met as Asian camp? Hilarious!) I also liked how it allowed, a la Lemon Lyman, Ryan Murphy to respond to bloggers and critics – nice touch. I’m not yet sure of how I feel about the new students, though I do like Cheyenne Jackson as Vocal Adrenaline’s new coach. I can’t wait for him to sing.
  
  Did anyone else think Rachel (Lea Michele) was an eerie combination of Eve Harrington and Alex Forrest (Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction) in this episode? Regardless, I loved her rendition of “What I Did for Love”. It was a wonderful execution of a great Broadway standard. Can’t wait to see what else is in store this season! (Bonus from Broadway.com: Vote for your favorite new Gleek.)
  
  In other Glee news, E! Online is reporting that Gwyneth Paltrow may appear in two episodes this November. The report says that she would play a substitute teacher (filling in for Mr. Schuester) and that the kids, and possibly Will, will love her. I say “blech”. Sorry, but I just don’t like Gwyneth Paltrow. Well, I don’t like her in interviews; she’s palatable – sometimes – on screen. So this might not be a total failure, afterall. But suffice to say that I’d rather not have to watch her.
  
  
• Next to Kyle Dean
  As you may know by now, dear readers, from time to time Broadway.com is invited backstage to give readers a peek into Broadway stars’ dressing rooms. This week, the affable Kyle Dean Massey, currently thrilling as Gabe in Next to Normal, shows off his theatre domicile, complete with fan mail, photos and fixes for those vocal chords.
  
  
• Theater Talk
  The long-running series Theater Talk, which airs on CUNY TV in New York and can be accessed on their online You Tube channel (http://www.youtube.com/theatertalk) will welcome some notable guests in the coming weeks. This weekend we’ll see an episode featuring Time Stands Still (which is back for a return engagement on Broadway) author Donald Margulies and co-star Eric Bogosian. The first weekend in October we’ll be treated to chats with the creative duo behind Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Alex Timbers and Michael friedman. Check your local listings for exact air dates and times.
  
  
• Are We Run by A**holes?
  This week on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, our fearless leader asked, “Are we run by a**holes” after a defense spending bill with an amendment to repeal the abhorrent Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was filibustered and therefore not even brought to a vote. Check it out: (And don't forget to log on to rallytorestoresanity.com for more info about the 10.30.10 rally on the Mall.)

  The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
  Are We Run by A**holes?
  http://www.thedailyshow.com/
  Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

• God of Carnage in Celluloid
  You may remember that many months ago it was announced that the hit Tony Award-winning play God of Carnage would be adapted for the screen, with Roman Polanski in the director’s chair. This week, we learned who the stellar cast will be: Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and Matt Dillon, (Oscar winners all, except for Dillon). I haven’t heard word yet as to how the coupling will go but here’s my hunch: Jodie Foster and Christoph Waltz will pair up, taking on the characters originated on Broadway by Marcia Gay Harden (who won the Tony for her performance) and James Gandolfini. Kate Winslet and Matt Dillon will pair up, taking on the characters originated on Broadway by Hope Davis and Jeff Daniels. I’ll keep you posted on any updates.
  
  
• Hippies Hit the Road
  There hasn’t been any official announcement regarding the touring cast of Hair, set to kick off the North American tour this October in DC, but I do have this scoop to report: My high school classmate Mike Evariste will be one of the Hippies! Mike has appeared on Broadway in Les Mis and South Pacific, and is just coming off the South Pacific tour. But the really fun part about this is that in high school, Mike starred in a local production of Hair as Hud. So, when the Hair bus and truck comes to a town near you, show a little love to the Hippies and say “hi” to Mike!
  
  
• SNL on Netflix
  Great news for Saturday Night Live fans: Every single episode – ever – of SNL will now be available for instant viewing on Netflix. Want to see what Alec Baldwin did the first time he hosted on the show? Fire up your Netflix account. Feel like reliving one of the great “living in a van down by the river” Chris Farley sketches? Fire up that Netflix account. It’ll all be there. And, episodes from the current season (which begins this Saturday, hosted by Amy Poehler) will be available for instant viewing just days after airing on NBC. Just another reason to sign up for Netflix!