The Hollywood stage roundup: Jeremy Irons, Chris Messina, ‘Pretty Woman,’ ‘Muriel’ and, yes, ‘Frozen’
For better or for worse, Hollywood is stitching itself more thoroughly into the fabric of theater. Here are some of the latest threads — casting news, opening-night announcements and more.
“Long Day’s Journey Into Night”: Many forget that before Jeremy Irons won his Oscar for “Reversal of Fortune” he won a Tony for “The Real Thing.” Now the actor is starring with Lesley Manville in this Eugene O’Neill classic, coming to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills for a three-week run in June — part of a tour with stops in London’s West End and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
“Pretty Woman: The Musical”: With a book credited to the late Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton and original music by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, the musical adaptation of the 1990 movie has set some key dates: March 13 for the start of a five-week run in Chicago, and July 20 for the beginning of previews on Broadway, with opening night scheduled for Aug. 16.
“Ironbound”: Chris Messina of “The Mindy Project” will star alongside “Hell or High Water” actress Marin Ireland in the West Coast premiere of Martyna Majok’s play about a Polish immigrant struggling to eke out a living for herself and her son in New Jersey. It’s at the Geffen Playhouse beginning Jan. 30.
“Frozen, the Musical”: The big question for the Broadway iteration of the Disney movie isn’t whether it will sell out when performances begin in late February, but how far in advance fans will have to buy tickets. The answer: Seats are sold out through May, and availability doesn’t get much better until August. Prices range from $93 to $193 for evening performances.
“SpongeBob SquarePants, the Broadway Musical”: The song-and-dance version of the Nickelodeon animated show began previews this month at the Palace Theater. Opening night is Dec. 4.
“Muriel’s Wedding, the Musical”: The cult movie about a sulky, ABBA-loving young woman chasing her romantic dream has been adapted for the stage, and reviews following the Sydney Theatre Company’s Nov. 18 opening in Australia were positive. The Sydney Morning Herald declared: “We have a winner. Of the three stage musicals spun off that trio of feel-good Australian films released between 1992 and 1994 — ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert,’ ‘Strictly Ballroom’ and ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ — this is by far the most nuanced and entertaining.” Alas, the production’s North American premiere, originally set for spring in Toronto, has been pushed back.
“Meteor Shower”: Can Amy Schumer brighten Steve Martin’s starry show? The tale of a volatile Ojai dinner party premiered at the Old Globe in San Diego to a less-than-stellar review. Now it hits Broadway, opening Nov. 29 with Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key making their Broadway debuts. Watch for Times critic Charles McNulty’s review.
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