Broadway Sees Shows Go Dark, but There's Still Hope for the White Way

By Lauren Yarger
"Black Sunday" as last Sunday has come to be known in theater circles, saw the closing of a number of Broadway shows including 13, Boeing, Boeing, Dividing the Estate, Grease, Hairspray, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Slava's Snowshow and Young Frankenstein. In addition, Gypsy, Spamalot, All My Sons and Spring Awakening will close this month. Some had been scheduled to finish their runs; others, facing a tough economy, posted closing notices.

January and February usually are slow periods for Broadway. Some producers have put together some deals to make theater affordable during this time to entice theatergoers to fill seats. The "20 at 20" program offers $20 tickets to more than 20 participating off-Broadway shows at 20 minutes before the curtain. In addition, folks who see seven of the shows receive a free dinner. The program runs Jan. 26- Feb. 8. For details, go to http://www.20at20.com. Disney Theatricals also had offered a brief sale that offered free children's tickets with the purchase of adult tickets for The Little Mermaid; The Lion King and Mary Poppins.

Some shows have gone dark, but others wait in the wings with openings scheduled this month for Hedda Gabler, starring Mary-Louise Parker and Michael Cerveris, which begins previews today; Soul of Shaolin, a martial arts musical from China playing a limited run with previews beginning Jan. 13; The American Plan with Mercedes Ruehl, already in previews; and You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush starring comedian Will Ferrell opening previews Jan. 20.

Other shows, some with with star power, will open by the beginning of April including The Story of My Life; 33 Variations, starring Jane Fonda; Blithe Spirit with Christine Ebersole, Rupert Everett and Angela Lansbury, Guys and Dolls with Oliver Platt among others; and Impressionism starring Joan Allen, Jeremy Irons and Marsha Mason. Also on tap are West Side Story, Hair; Irena's Vow and Reasons to be Pretty.

Meanwhile, James Barbour's popular concert at Sardi's has been extended. The star of A Tale of Two Cities will morph his holiday offering into a concert of love songs on Saturdays Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 14, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28 as well as Friday, Feb. 13 and Sunday Feb. 15 to extend Valentine's Day celebrations. Dinner is at 8:30pm with the concert at 9:30pm at Sardi's, Tickets may be purchased by calling 212-868-4444 or by visiting www.SmartTix.com.