Quincy Jones doesn’t have to but he takes back all the crazy fun stuff he said about Marlon Brando, Richard Pryor, the Beatles and so on. Too bad– it was so refreshing to hear the truth. But his kids freaked out, and so– well, never mind–Q is still my hero! And nothing he said negates his own genius.
— Quincy Jones (@QuincyDJones) February 22, 2018
It’s too bad they don’t give Tony Awards to replacement actors. Bernadette Peters and Victor Garber, opening tonight officially in the post-Bette Midler “Hello, Dolly!” would win hands down. Now that Bette is gone, everyone in this show has relaxed. You can feel them all exhaling. It’s no long “Hello, Bette!” We’ve got a new ballgame at the Shubert Theater.
No one looked at ease on stage during Bette Midler’s gazillion dollar run as “Dolly!” It was a Bette Midler spectacular set against the backdrop of Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s famous musical. Bette’s voice was great and she was…a superstar who’d dropped into her one and only Broadway show. Her performance was an Event.
Now comes Bernadette Peters, whose voice is sublime and soaring. She has never so looked so much at home or so much like’s at ease on stage as Dolly Gallagher Levi. More accustomed to a narrative performance than Midler, Peters doesn’t draw attention to herself. But the show draws attention to her. She builds Dolly’s character. You really feel the loss of Ephraim Levi this time, and what Dolly has done to survive– and her decision to stop living hand to mouth by marrying the supremely grumpy, friendless half a millionaire, Horace vanderGelder.
Victor Garber steps into David Hyde Pierce’s shoes with authority as Horace. Garber is just physically bigger, and he and Peters have chemistry that Hyde Pierce and Midler did not share. Horace actually seems amused and enthralled by Dolly, not disgusted and put off. And now Dolly pays attention to Horace and his possibilities. In Midler’s version, you were afraid that Dolly was going to marry him and kick him out of his house. Peters and Garber really look like they’re having fun.
Kate Baldwin continues, magnificently, as milliner Irene Molloy. What a voice! I hope she never leaves. Gavin Creel is leaving soon as Cornelius Hackl, and he skipped last night’s show. He’s being replaced on March 13th by Santino Fontana. But last night we saw a spectacular understudy–Christian Dante White. I liked him so much I wish he was in there permanently. White has a beautiful voice, and his comic timing is infectious. He has a nice rapport with Baldwin and also with the new Barnaby, Charlie Stemp, who’s quite the elegant hoofer. The new Minnie Fay, Molly Griggs, is a lot of fun.
The songs in “Hello, Dolly!” just seemed more integrated, deeper, richer. Peters brings texture from her character to the whole situation, and you believe more in this little episode from the Harmonia Gardens (Luchows) on 14th Street to a Yonkers that couldn’t possibly have existed. Peters is also physically more adept as Dolly– she moves with the dancers and Gower Champion’s choreography so that it all flows.
I’m thrilled– I saw “Dolly!” several times as a young person with Ethel Merman, Pearl Bailey, and then Carol Channing’s return. This edition reminded of those versions, which was thrilling. I’ve written that Peter’s box office has taken a hit. But after seeing her, I hope that changes fast. If you’re a real Broadway fan, and not just here for the stunts, this is the real thing.
These Oscars are going to have the most balanced look every in Academy history.
This morning the Academy added 10 more presenters to the March 4th show, and only two of them– Mark Hamill of “Star Wars” and Armie Hammer of “Call Me By Your Name” — are what we’d call regular white guys.
The balance of the presenters is pretty diverse, and thank goodness. They include a legend first of all– Eva Marie Saint, Oscar winner, 90 years old, and still as elegant and outstanding as ever.
Then they’ve got Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Wes Studi, Gina Rodriguez, Gal Gadot, Kelly Marie Tran (from “The Last Jedi”), and the king of all things– like “Hamilton”– Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Add that to the list announced from last week including “Black Panther” star, Chadwick Boseman and “Girls Trip” breakout Tiffany Haddish. This is a show I’d watch even if I didn’t have to!
Jimmy Kimmel hosts on March 4th on ABC.
“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, 31, is overwhelmed by the worldwide reaction to his movie. He broke records today and will continue to for days to come as “Black Panther” heads toward a billion dollars at the box office.
Here’s what he posted:
I am struggling to find the words to express my gratitude at this moment, but I will try.
Filmmaking is a team sport. And our team was made up [of] amazing people from all over the world who believed in this story. Deep down we all hoped that people would come to see a film about a fictional country on the continent of Africa, made up of a cast of people of African descent.
For the people who bought out theaters, who posted on social about how lit the film would be, bragged about our awesome cast, picked out outfits to wear, and who stood in line in theaters all over the world– all before seeing the film…
To the press who wrote about the film for folks who hadn’t yet seen it, and encouraged audiences to come out…
And to the young ones, who came out with their parents, with their mentors, and with their friends…
Thank you for giving our team of filmmakers the greatest gift: The opportunity to share this film, that we poured our hearts and souls into, with you.
Sincerely,
P.S. Wakanda Forever
This morning I reported first that George and Amal Clooney had donated $500,000 to the March for Our Lives, the gun control march set for March 24th in Washington DC. It’s being organized by teens– a youth movement.
Next, Oprah Winfrey announced she’d kick in another $500,000 and match the Clooneys.
By the end of the day came pledges of $500,000 apiece from Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, and Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg.
March for Our Lives now has $2 million more than it did last night.
Can David Geffen be far behind?
Stay tuned. The question is, who gets the movie rights?
Oprah Winfrey now joins George and Amal Clooney. She’s tweeted:
“George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’ These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.”
Now look for more celebrities with lots of dough to come forward, I hope. I won’t say who they should be, but they know their names.
George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’ These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) February 20, 2018
Director Ava Duvernay says Sade has recorded a new song for the soundtrack of “A Wrinkle in Time.” Yay!
Duvernay posted to Twitter: “I never thought she’d say yes, but asked anyway. She was kind + giving. A goddess. We began a journey together that I’ll never forget. Proud to announce that Sade has created an original song for WRINKLE IN TIME. It’s entitled “Flower of the Universe.” And it’s a dream come true.”
Best known for “Smooth Operator,” Nigerian born Helen Folasade Adu keeps a low profile life and doesn’t record that much these says. She remains wildly popular however. Sade has many hits including the very successful “Paradise.”
What a coup for Duvernay. Her “A Wrinkle in Time,” coming next month, stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, and more stars. Sade is the topping on the dessert!
“Black Panther” surprised everyone with Monday’s box office results. The Ryan Coogler hit did $7 mil more than expected and beat “The Force Awakens” for all time Monday box office champ.
With that extra $7 million, “Panther” established itself as the second highest four day weekend champ, beating “The Last Jedi” and finishing only behind “The Force Awakens.”
That brings “Black Panther to $242 million in just four days– and now we’ve got four more days to finish out the week. A $300 million first week doesn’t sound bad, does it?
I remember when Coogler told me he had to seek out Forest Whitaker’s help at school so he could get “Fruitvale Station” made (a Weinstein company movie, by the way). Whitaker makes an extended cameo in “Black Panther,” which is nice. He should be in all of Ryan’s movies!
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o is having fun with Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman’s recent racy magazine cover. See what she posted on Instagram. Hilarious. She writes:
“I admire your quiet, confident, regal nature. You brought the wealth of all your knowledge, wisdom and physicality to T’Challa. You led us into the land of Wakanda without ego, without pretense, without fear. We reap the benefits now squarely because of your courage, your fierce dedication, your intense passion, and your grueling workout regimen. And I will never get enough of the way you say the word “because.” We celebrate BREAKING BOX OFFICE RECORDS with @blackpanther for many reasons, but chief among them is because we had you as our king. Enkosi Kumkani!! And congratulations on your @rollingstone cover. From someone who loves you.”
read all today’s headlines from Showbiz411 click here
George Clooney continues his charitable giving– now half a million dollars to the March for Our Lives. He and wife Amal will make an appearance at the gun control rally. Clooney is an ardent supporter of civil rights in places like Sudan with the still-going Not On Our Watch (They are still giving hundreds of thousands of dollars there to protect the South Sudan). But this may signal a new political move by him by actual going to Washington DC on March 24th.
Oprah Winfrey has just tweeted that she will join the Clooneys in their donation.
Clooney– thanks to the sale of his Casamigas Tequila company for $1 billion– now has the money to put behind causes he and Amal believe in. So this is a big deal but not uncommon for an actor who is passionate about the right causes.They gave $1 million last year to the Southern Poverty Law Center. And they’ve said that in total they will donate $21 million to various causes.
George and Amal’s appearance at March for Our Lives will be key to this movement. He won’t be speaking, however: his rep says only “kids” will be speaking at this event, no adults.
Will Clooney run for president? Last fall when he was promoting “Suburbicon,” Clooney said this: “Would I like to be the next president? Oh, that sounds like fun. Can I just say that I’d like anybody to be the next president of the United States. Right away, please,” he joked.
Clooney, by the way, took in an Iraqi refugee last September in Kentucky. The refugee is now a student at the University of Chicago. Clooney said at the time: “He was on this bus to Mosul, and ISIS shot the two bus drivers and said, ‘Anybody who wants to go to college, we will shoot them,’ ” says Clooney. “He survived and came to America. He got through all the checks, and once he got through those, it was like, ‘Listen, we got your back. You want to get an education? You want to move your life forward? This is something that we can do.’ ”
Here’s the mission statement: March For Our Lives is created by, inspired by, and led by students across the country who will no longer risk their lives waiting for someone else to take action to stop the epidemic of mass school shootings that has become all too familiar. In the tragic wake of the seventeen lives brutally cut short in Florida, politicians are telling us that now is not the time to talk about guns. March For Our Lives believes the time is now.
The March For Our Lives statement from George Clooney
“Amal and I are so inspired by the courage and eloquence of these young men and women from Stoneman Douglas High School.
Our family will be there on March 24 to stand side by side with this incredible generation of young people from all over the country, and in the name of our children Ella and Alexander, we’re donating 500,000 dollars to help pay for this groundbreaking event.
Our children’s lives depend on it.”