Alicia Keys’ new musical ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ is Broadway’s next big hope
Keys sets Public on ‘Fire’
Broadway? It’s become Shrinkway.
“Hamilton,” “Book of Mormon,” “Lion King” — surviving. BUT: the Booth’s newie “Kimberly Akimbo”?
Grabbed five Tonys (not least for Best Musical).
New Yorker mag called it “howlingly funny.”
Drama Desk and Drama Critics’ Circle awards.
Gift-wrapped as “critically acclaimed.”
Wall Street Journal — “Best new musical.”
Times? “Best theater of the year.”
Hollywood Reporter: “Don’t miss it.”
So? Tickets are already being heavily discounted. Its producers are buying up their own tickets to juice the weekly gross.
Ads urge coming to the box office where buying seats “saves on fees.”
“Spamalot” is coming in. But “Spamalot” ain’t spending a lot. Its national tour was Year 2000. Its new show’s recycling old costumes from those ancient days.
Life upon now’s wicked stage is lousy. Everything’s costing more. Migrants don’t buy seats. Locals aren’t going out. Tourists ain’t coming in. Behinds are not in seats.
Hope is for incoming musical “Hell’s Kitchen.”
About, by, into, around, all over 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys’ own life. Growing up here in that very neighborhood.
Father, African American. Mother, Italian Irish Scottish. Raised her on her own.
A love letter to New York City. Coming-of-age story not unlike Keys’ own. Previews start at off-Broadway’s Public Theater Oct. 24.
Another grumble is cost. Rework the model, they say. A London production could cost $3 million. NYC — $8 million.
Everyone, give more than your regards to our theaters. Fill the seats. Broadway is New York.
People keep talking
Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure calls electronic coverage — photographing and broadcasting — expressly prohibited in federal courtrooms.
On Donald’s behalf no witnesses are testifying. Conspirators could face their own troubles. Others already flipped.
Wanting television to show the misery, Democrats are petitioning the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile ask — again — where’s Roger Stone? We may find out soon.
Which is better? Spend effort on this or on Biden & Co. selling out America to other countries?
China’s buying farmland near to our military bases. Very high rate. Why? To spy. Take over the USA. What’s our government doing about that?
OK, you don’t like Donald Trump? So what? It’s your right. So don’t like him. So don’t vote for him. So pick somebody else.
That’s why we live in the Land of the Free — the United States of America.
Voters who like him say: “His talk is about his promise for America. Where our loyalties should lie. To America. Not to this new wave of progressives who want laws changed, rules removed, flags burned and the selling out of our nation.”
His-story lesson
One more thing and then I’ll shut up.
DeSantis has said “Slaves benefited from learning skills” and cites the example of Ned Cobb.
But Cobb, born 20 years after the Civil War and one of the first members of the Sharecroppers’ Union, was never a slave.
NY historian Theodore Rosengarten wrote a book based on Cobb. Cleavon Little played him in a one-man show.
DeSantis can’t cope with Mickey Mouse — or history.
NYC is also having real estate problems. So here’s a rental tip: Best way to push the landlord into painting the apartment? Move out.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.
