On B'way, Everything New Is Old and Vice Versa

Leslie Caron in the 1958 film version of Gigi

Three new shows with Broadway plans aren't exactly new. Two are old properties with refashioned books and one was originally produced off-Broadway. The two really old shows are Can-Can and Gigi, coincidentally both set in an idealized, romantic Paris, and the previous off-Broadway production is Always, Patsy Cline.

Smash Episode 208: The Bells and Whistles

Jimmy keeps it simple at the Hit List rehearsal

So the whole Marilyn's mother thing was just a ploy to get Bernadette Peters as Ivy's mother, Tony winner Lee Conroy, back on the show and singing. Quel surprise. You'll recall that last week there was some minor chit-chat between Julia and Tom about restoring that role to the Bombshell script--although which script? The workshop? The Boston edition? The new dramaturge-approved, sex-in-the Berkshires, Follies-Ragtime-money-losing one? Anyway, last week new director Tom agreed with Julia to restore the role which was never in any of those scripts as far as I could tell. This week they kept talking about casting the Gladys role and mentioning Patti LuPone. I had to look up Gladys in a Monroe bio to find out this was MM's mom which Julia suddenly thinks is the crucial role of the whole show. To get some much-needed positive press, Eileen casts Lee in the part, setting the stage for future fireworks between mother and daughter.

Theater Award Season Starting Soon

I've barely recovered from film awards season and now it's time for NYC theater award madness to start. April is the really crazy time when all the shows open to make the Tony Award cut-off date. Here's a rundown of this mad month and the subsequent pertinent dates:

April 1--Lucky Guy opens
April 3--Lortel Award nominations for Off-Broadway announced
April 4--Kinky Boots opens
April 11-Matilda opens
April 14--Motown the Musical opens
April 15--The Nance opens
April 16--The Big Knife opens
April 17--The Assembled Parties opens
April 18--Jekyll & Hyde opens; Orphans opens (yes, two openings on one night because Shia LaBeouf left/quit/was fired from Orphans, delaying rehearsals)
April 21--Macbeth opens
April 22--Outer Critics Circle Awards nominations announced by Laila Robbins and Robert Cuccioli at the Friars Club press conference; Lortel nominees reception; The Testament of Mary opens.
April 23--The Trip to Bountiful opens
April 24--I'll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers opens
April 25--Pippin opens
April 26--Drama Desk Award nominees announced by Jan Maxwell and John Lloyd Young at 54 Below
April 30--Tony Award nominees announced, hosts and place TBA
May 1--Tony nominees press event
May 5--Lortel Awards at NYU Skirball Center
May 13--OCC winners announced by press release
May 19--Drama Desk Awards at Town Hall
May 20--Obie Awards at Webster Hall
May 23--OCC Awards presented at Sardi's
June 9--Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall

The Amazing Race 22: Episode 6: Max and Katie's Enormous Brains

Max demonstrating his huge intellect
on The Amazing Race

We were almost rid of another hated pair this week on The Amazing Race. Max and Katie were a whisper away from joining pathological John and Jessica in oblivion, but as luck would have it, this was a non-elimination leg. This was really too bad because they made themselves truly obnoxious this time. Last week, they weren't so bad because they mocked John and Jessica's stupidity in getting eliminated while holding an Express Pass. But now, beginning in Hanoi, Max and Katie boasted about how big their brains were. Katie confided to us that she was hiding her doctorate from the other contestants so they wouldn't be intimidated by her awesome intelligence. Max said she had big brains to go with her big hair. (How do they fit in taxicabs with these huge heads of theirs?) Then they proceeded to show just how smart they were by insulting the bushmen assigned to help them dig up a scorpion.

Rape Culture/Bullying Culture

Their coverage of the rape conviction of two Steubenville, Ohio high-school football players has landed CNN in a world of trouble. Because they had footage of the two young men bursting into tears and no such shots of the victim, whose identity has been shielded, the network decided to play for sympathy for the criminals. Anchor Candy Crowley said how moving and emotional it must have been for these two with such promising careers ahead of them to have it all ruined. America's reaction was swift and sure, Candy and the reporter at the trial--female also--were lambasted by viewers for seeming to show sympathy for the rapists and none for the victim. To be cynical, it was because they had no pictures of the victim, so in order to be warm and fuzzy, the CNN crew worked with what they had.

Smash 207: Musical Chairs

One of the more exciting scenes on this week's Smash

Did I call it or what? Karen has followed Derek out of Bombshell and into Hit List. Liaisons has closed and Ivy is now free to take over Marilyn. Hit List has a berth Off-Broadway. Jerry is out of the picture (OK, I didn't predict that last one, but still, pretty good, huh?)

The only question now is how are they going to stretch the story out and create conflict for another ten episodes. Yes, America, ten freakin' episodes are left of Smash's sorry existence. Despite winning a GLAAD Media Award for Best Drama Series last week, NBC announced the show will be transferred from Tuesday nights to Saturdays, the traditional hospice for dying TV programs. As if to offer morphine to the expiring patient, the Peacock Network did say it would air all 17 episodes of this, the series' second season.

The Amazing Race 22: Episode 5: A Huge Ball of Fiery Righteousness

Wynona and Chuck without the banjo music for once.

This set of Amazing Racers are way too sneaky and strategical. Instead of everyone running their own race as The Fabulous Beekman Boys did last season, and won, there are all these alliances and counteralliances. In the very first leg, the now departed John and Jessica tried to split the pack in two by forming their Express Pass group on the first plane. Now this week, the remnant of the JJ League--the YouTubers and the Roller Derby Moms--were made the target of the Max-and-Katie crowd.

Just like last week, the whole first segment was devoted to plotting and scheming in airports and travel agencies as everyone made their plans to fly from Bali to Hanoi. After learning that Dave and Connor are leaving the race because of Dave's bum leg, Pam, Winnie, Max, and Katie vow to U-turn any of the leftover JJs because they perceive them as a threat. I would have U-turned the hockey players because they are much more of a danger to everyone else, but the Max gang are still hung up on how evil John is, even when they find out he's been eliminated.