4th of July on the Great White Way

If you're thinking of getting tickets for a Broadway show over the Independence Day weekend, be aware that most Broadway shows are altering their schedules for the holiday. Many shows are eliminating one performance (and in some cases both) on Saturday, July 4. A few shows are also adding an extra performance on Sunday, July 5. If you aren't yet thinking of seeing a Broadway show this weekend, then you may want to consider it. Almost every Broadway musical and play is discounting tickets for the weekend because the 4th of July tends to be a slow time on the Great White Way. A number of shows are even offering the ticket discounts through next week too. It's a great week to be an American and a Broadway fan!

Still Stuff To See On Broadway

Remember that, the stagehands' strike notwithstanding, Broadway is far from being closed. The re-opening of How the Grinch Stole Christmas makes for a total of nine shows still gracing the theaters of Broadway. Those other eight plays and musicals are The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cymbeline, Mary Poppins, Mauritius, Pygmalion, The Ritz, Xanadu, and Young Frankenstein. Although Poppins and Frankenstein are probably pretty full, the other shows all have seats to spare. With Spelling Bee set to close very soon, now would be a great time to catch that charming musical while you still have the chance. Mauritius and Pygmalion are both intelligent and funny plays (one brand new, and the other a classic revival) worth seeing, and The Ritz is a silly, fun farce. So get out there and support Broadway in its time of need!

The Pirate Queen Jumps Ship on June 17

Usually it isn't until after the Tony Awards that Broadway shows start biting the dust left and right, but this year a lot of shows can't even hold out that long. Coram Boy has already shuttered, Journey's End closes this Sunday, and now The Pirate Queen announces it will walk the plank on June 17. Who could be next?

Not One, but TWO Ties at the Drama Desks!

Last night at the Drama Desk Awards, which celebrate everything from Broadway to Off-Off Broadway, it was no surprise when The Coast of Utopia took Best Play and Spring Awakening took Best Musical. Nor did anyone raise any eyebrow when Journey's End and Company snagged Best Play and Musical Revival, respectively. What was unusual was the fact that there were two ties: Beloved Broadway divas Audra McDonald (110 in the Shade) and Donna Murphy (LoveMusik) shared the Best Actress in a Musical award. Even more interesting, Company revival orchestrator Mary-Mitchell Campbell shared the award with the man who wrote the orchestrations for the original Broadway production of that show, Jonathan Tunick (he won for LoveMusik).