New York City Theater

2.5 out of 4 Stars

“Do you remember when I used to sit down during the second act? Now I do it during the first act,” says 62-year-old Liza Minnelli, who is making her first Broadway appearance in a decade at the Palace Theatre, where her mother Judy Garland once triumphed.

Backed by a 12-piece orchestra, four chorus boys, several costume changes and a huge Broadway stage, Liza certainly has more production values at her disposal than you’d find in a typical cabaret act.

Whether you like her or not, Liza is extremely fascinating to watch. Her combination of fierce vocal belting, giddy personality, and occasional meltdowns defines the allure of show business celebrity.

So let’s cut to the chase. In her new show, is Liza the toast or the train wreck of Broadway? She’s kind of both. At Wednesday’s opening night performance, not only did Act One and Act Two feel like completely different shows, they also displayed different versions of Liza.

Act One was pretty problematic. In between forced, mostly spoke-through performances of “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret,” Liza appeared like a marionette on strings on the verge of falling down. In between songs, she panted desperately for breath and her hands shook. We couldn’t understand a single lyric she uttered in any song.

But Act Two was fantastic. For the most part, Minnelli reconstructed the 1948 cabaret act of vocal arranger and actress Kay Thompson, who was her godmother. Though it probably helped that a male chorus literally provided shoulders to lean on, Minnelli’s tribute to Thompson was well focused and tight. She then proceeded to bring the house to its knees with sparkling renditions of “New York, New York” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Though her performance varies throughout the two-and-a-half hour show, her desperate energy and proudly vulnerable emotions never weaken or waiver. It should also be noted that in spite of all our criticisms, a loyal entourage of fans stood and applauded at the end of every single song. Now that’s loyalty!

Palace Theater, 1554 Broadway, 212-307-4100, $55-125. Tues-Wed, Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sun 3pm. Thru Dec 28.

It's PROP - 8 the musical starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly and more. Written by Marc Shaiman of HAIRSPRAY.

BOEING-BOEING, the 2008 Tony Award Winning Best Play Revival, will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, January 4, 2009, when the current cast's contracts end. Upon closing, it will have played 280 performances and 17 previews. The critically acclaimed comedy, which recouped its entire $2.65 million investment this September, will launch a 45-week national tour this fall.

"Not only was BOEING-BOEING a critical and financial success, returning a significant profit to its investors, but it reintroduced a forgotten contemporary comedy, brilliantly re-imagined by Matthew Warchus, to a new generation of theatregoers," states Producer Sonia Friedman. "We chose to close the show when the current cast members' contracts all expired and to end on a high note rather than forge through the challenges of January and February in a weak economy. I am extremely proud of this production and join my producing partners in congratulating the immensely talented cast and outstanding creative team who brought it all to hysterical life."

Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as "Sky Masterson" and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as "Sarah Brown" in the new Broadway production of the musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS. They join Oliver Platt as "Nathan Detroit" and Lauren Graham as "Miss Adelaide". Directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys), GUYS AND DOLLS will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre.

Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally and Bebe Neuwirth have reportedly joined the cast of the forthcoming movie remake of FAME. Directed and choreographed by Kevin Tancharoen, it is set ot be released on September 25, 2009.

2 out of 4 Stars

Probably on the advice of legal counsel, the following disclaimer is prominently placed in every Playbill of the Off-Broadway play “Back Back Back” at Manhattan Theater Club: “This baseball drama is fictional and does not depict any actual person, incident or events.” Yeah right!

It doesn’t take long to realize that “Back Back Back,” a fictional documentary exploring the 2005 steroid scandal that rocked the national pastime, is about Jose Canseco, who gleefully confessed to using steroids to enhance his athletic performance; Mark McGuire, who denied accusations of steroid use; and Walt Weiss, another supposed abstainer. From 1986-88, these three men were the Oakland Athletics’ rookies of the year.

The title “Back Back Back” refers to the expression used by sports announcers when a home run is hit. Just as there are nine innings in baseball, the 90-minute drama consists of nine scenes from the “greed is good” 1980s to the present day in private locker rooms – and then finally outside of a congressional hearing. An electronic scoreboard above the stage keeps track of the dates.

Our characters include Kent (Jeremy Davidson), a major star who takes steroids but expresses some guilt over his actions; Raul (James Martinez), who zealously argues that steroid use is necessary for any athlete to compete; and Adam (Michael Mosley), a morally righteous youngster who looks down on the so-called “pre-game vitamins” of his teammates. To be extra safe, playwright Itmar Moses never actually uses the word “steroids” in the entire play.

Though it takes on some admittedly juicy current events, “Back Back Back” remains too undeveloped and devoid of action. The characters essentially remain mouthpieces to frame a debate about competition, loyalty and ethics.

David Aikin stages the play with careful ease, allowing all three actors to shine with effective performances. But as far as baseball lingo goes, “Back Back Back” is not a homerun, but not exactly a strikeout either. Let’s call it a bunt.

City Center, 131 West 55th St, 212-581-1212, $52. Tues 7:30pm, Wed 2:30 & 7:30pm, Thurs-Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2:30 & 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm. Thru Jan 4.

The American Musical Theatre of San Jose has shut down, canceling its upcoming productions of TARZAN and 42ND STREET. According to Playbill.com, the company plans to sue Atlanta's Theater of the Stars.

Michael Miller, the company's CEO gave the following statement: "We received a telephone call a few days ago from our co-producer for Tarzan, which was the Theater of the Stars in Atlanta, Georgia basically telling us that they had used all of the funds that we had paid them towards the production for other things. In essence, they cancelled the show without giving us any warning, and we discovered that the funds we had paid for Tarzan were spent on another production of theirs, which lost a significant amount of money."

Lincoln Center Theater has announced that it will present a new production of August Wilson’s JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, to be directed by Bartlett Sher this spring. Part of Mr. Wilson's ten-play Century Cycle, the play depicts the African American experience in each decade of the twentieth century, originally opened on Broadway in 1988. Set in 1911, it tells the story of Herald Loomis who, after serving seven years hard labor, has journeyed North with his young daughter and arrives at a Pittsburgh boarding house filled with memorable characters who aid Herald Loomis in his search for his inner freedom.

Though recently voted “Sexiest Man Alive” and starring in this week's movie blockbuster AUSTRALIA, what we're really waiting for is Hugh Jackman to finally return to Broadway. At one point, he was going to star in the current Broadway revival of PAL JOEY. Now word comes that Jackman may return in HOUDINI, a bio musical of musician Harry Houdini. It is to be directed by Jack O'Brien, with music by Danny Elfman and lyrics by David Yazbek.

2.5 out of 4 Stars

Queens-born and bred monologist Danny Hoch has a message for all the bar-hopping hipsters, career-obsessed yuppies, and “Sex and the City” groupies that are now moving to New York City in droves: “Get the f - - - out! Nobody wants you here.” So much for the Community Day banner that decorates the stage.

Hoch, a self-described “flag-waver for anti-gentrification,” has risen to hip-hop theater acclaim with one-man shows exploring cultural themes. He bravely crosses gender and ethic barriers to portray a wide variety of characters.

In “Taking Over,” a collection of monologues exploring the gentrification of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Hoch argues has forced longtime residents out of their homes due to higher rent costs as a younger, wealthier, all white crowd moves in.

It is certainly a topic that hits close to home. Though the show is excessively angry in attitude and unedited in raw content, Hoch remains highly provocative and entertaining in performance.

His collection of idiosyncratic characters include a Jewish landlord, a rap artist, a Michigan-born NYU dropout who sells trinkets on the street, a sleazy French real-estate agent, a 60-year-old African-American woman who feels ignored by the new community, and a Dominican taxi-dispatcher who must switch between speaking Spanish to the drivers and English to the customers.

While Hoch provides fully fleshed, sympathetic portraits of all the longtime Williamsburg residents, he portrays the newcomers to the community as gross, oversimplified caricatures.

Theatergoers are bound to disagree with Hoch’s opinions. At one point, Hoch actually shows nostalgia for the crack epidemic of the 1980s. In fact, Hoch ends the show by reading aloud his hate mail. Still, Hoch’s fiery, unapologetic opinions will certainly provoke discussion and debate. And in the end, that’s what political theater is supposed to do.

Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St, 212-967-7555, $20-70. Schedule varies. Thru Dec 14.

Playbill.com reports that SHREK THE MUSICAL has cancelled its Dec. 2 evening performance in order to "complete some final changes before the opening. There is not enough stage time during the current preview schedule to implement and rehearse the changes planned." That's pretty unusual. I've heard of shows delaying their first preview, but why cancel a show that's a week away?

Rumors indicate that Tutus Burgess, the talented young actor currently playing Sebastian the Crab in THE LITTLE MERMAID, is slated to play Nicely Nicely Johnson in the Broadway revival of GUYS AND DOLLS. Word of mouth also suggests that Craig Bierko will play Sky Masterson. I've heard different rumors that Sister Sarah could be played by Lauren Ambrose or Kate Jennings Grant. We know for a fact that Oliver Platt will play Nathan Detroit and Lauren Graham will play Adelaide.

The Public Theater announced today that A FREE MAN OF COLOR, the world premiere play by John Guare scheduled for late winter, has been postponed due to a loss of significant individual funding and a few key donations brought on by the current economic climate. The Public is still committed to producing the play and expects to be mounting it next season.

Gerald Schoenfeld, the longtime chairman of the Shubert Organization, and arguably the most powerful man on Broadway, died on Tues, Nov. 25 at 84 years old. He also produced and backed numerous shows, including most recently PASSING STRANGE. Four years ago, a Broadway theater was named after him on 45th Street. His death comes only one week after the passing of theater critic Clive Barnes, another powerful person of the old theater guard.

The self-distributed indie musical comedy WERE THE WORLD MINE got audiences in New York to come in from the cold and wet weather and sell out multiple shows this weekend to the tune of $12,205 at one theater – Cinema Village. The film stars my former theater camp friend Tanner Cohen as a struggling gay teen armed with a magical love-portion who turns his narrow-minded town gay and makes them walk a heartbreaking mile in his musical shoes. Think HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL meets A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM meets BOYS IN THE BAND.

It's so 42ND STREET... Christian Hoff has been forced to withdraw from the Broadway revival of PAL JOEY due to a foot injury that he sustained at Friday night's performance. Matthew Risch, his understudy, formerly a LEGALLY BLONDE ensemble member, will now take over the role of Joey Evans. The opening night will now move one week later to Dec. 18 at Studio 54.

I'm excited to attend FAMILY GUY SINGS!, a new stage show featuring the entire cast of "Family Guy" and a 40-person orchestra, on Monday night at Carnegie Hall. We spoke with Walter Murphy, the Emmy-winning composer of the television series.

Q: How did FAMILY GUY SINGS! come about?

A: We did an event like this in April in LA as a benefit and it went over really well. This show has the entire cast of FAMILY GUY doing a table reading of an episode. And instead of commercial breaks, we'll use songs from the show. I’ve just been working on the musical end.

Q: Which songs will be performed?

A: That's still being figured out. Probably "Prom Night Dumpster Baby," "Shipoopi," "Let's Hear It for the Friggen FCC," "Rocket Man," "Road to Rhode Island."

Q: What's it like to compose for FAMILY GUY?

A: It's one of the most fun compositional jobs I've ever had. Every episode is full of different kinds of music. When a script is written, I'll get a copy. And there are often musical interludes written into the script with a set of lyrics I'll need to set to music. And we'll have to record that right away. Or musical jokes are written in. Seth MacFarlane and I decide where background music should go. I go home, write it and orchestrate it. We are lucky to have a 50 piece orchestra to record it. I don't conduct it because of the time constraints of doing a TV show.

And another one bites the dust. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, Mel Brooks' much maligned follow-up to THE PRODUCERS, will shutter on January 4 at the Hilton Theatre. Do you remember when tickets to the show were $450? A national tour is tentatively planned.

THE STORY OF MY LIFE, the two-actor Canadian musical starring Will Chase and Malcolm Gets, will transfer to Broadway's Booth Theatre (currently occupied by DIVIDING THE ESTATE) in February 2009. Directed by Richard Maltby Jr. (produced by Mishkin, Dalgleish, Martin), this new musical tells the story of two childhood friends and how that friendship profoundly defined their lives.

Of course, I'm glad to hear news of any production moving forward to Broadway in this economic climate. But seriously - what is this show's appeal? Hopefully I'll find out in February.