Image Credit: Joan MarcusThe theater world was buzzy—and busy!—this past week: The choir-happy musical Leap of Faith, starring Brooke Shields and Raúl Esparza, opened in Los Angeles; Sister Act announced its opening dates in New York City (April 20, 2011!); Billie Joe Armstrong boosted the American Idiot box office big time; and Jersey Boys got the greenlight to doo-wop onto the big screen. And, of course, shows opened in NYC, including the re-opening of Broadway hit Time Stands Still (now with Christina Ricci, pictured here with costar Eric Bogosian), and Gatz and Tigers Be Still Off Broadway, all of which were reviewed by Melissa Rose Bernardo here on EW.com. The highlights:
Gatz: Bernardo loved the eight-hour show, which is a word-for-word production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. Showering the show with praise, Bernardo awarded Gatz an A and said: “It’s not unlike spending the day on the sofa curled up with a really, really good book.” (Opened 10/6)
Tigers Be Still: Of Kim Rosenstock’s NYC debut play, Bernardo says, “There’s a lot of angst packed into this appealingly dark comedy.” Bernardo ultimately awarded the show a B+, saying that Tigers is “overstuffed” at times but ultimately makes “hanging out with despondent, angry, wayward people fun.” (Opened 10/6)
Time Stands Still: The play, which went on hiatus and moved theaters while star Laura Linney shot her Showtime series The Big C, returns with Christina Ricci in the role that Alicia Silverstone originated. After originally awarding Time a n A–, Bernardo thought the reopening also deserved an A– and said: “In her stage debut, the doe-eyed Ricci holds her own with her three costars, theatrical heavyweights all. And in her second go at the role, Linney has zoomed in on little bits of warmth in the detached, screwed-up woman who lives her life, unapologetically, behind the lens.”(Opened 10/7)
Tanner on Twitter: @EWTanStransky
More Stage coverage from EW.com:
‘Leap of Faith’: Hollywood comes out in force to see Brooke Shields and Raúl Esparza in the new musical
Excess Hollywood: ‘Sister Act’ to open on Broadway
Billie Joe Armstrong boosts ‘American Idiot’ box office: Can it hold?
‘Glee’ duets: Yay for more ‘Chorus Line’
Cherry Jones and Sally Hawkins star in sluggish revival of ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ on Broadway
‘Jersey Boys’ heading to the big screen
Makes me wanna do a NYC weekend right now, for the theatre nights! I missed Denzel in “Fences” and some other good ones, maybe I’ll catch one of these gems.
sorry. i dont get it. ‘holding her own?’
ricci has been acting since she was nine and has more serious credentials than most 50 yr old actors. so how clueless [pun intended] do you have to be to not think she would excel in the theater? i mean black snake moan was essentially a stage produstion shot on film as were several of her other movies. i just dont get the context [or lack of it] in this article.
It makes sense bc she is the replacement.
Heavy weights? C.R is unquestionably the greatest and most beautiful actress of our times. From Wendy Adams to the Gathering outside of a couple of poor choices in roles Christina has attained immortality. She will be remembered eternally while untold numbers of, “Heavy weights,” shall long be forgoten. We the lonely, poor and disabled love her with the hope and love she has given us and the world for decades. Christina you are the great star. Thank you for your gifts you have graciously shared with us. Ted
Mr. Magee…if I were Ricci, I would make sure she gets a restraining order…
I saw the reopening while in NYC a couple of weeks ago. All four actors were fantastic!!