Central Park, Broadway Preview: Fall 2006

So, today I got up relatively early and went to Central Park. I sat around for a few hours, wrote a little, listened to some music, knitted a little bit of my current scarf project. It was generally a nice time, and I saw a lot of really cute dogs. Lately I've been taking a liking to dogs -- despite the fact that I don't know that I could own one, because I can barely take care of a plant let alone a living creature.

I also just wanted to post a little something about what I'm looking forward to as far as the New York theatre scene this fall.

First off, Meryl Streep is doing a production of Mother Courage and her Children by Bertolt Brecht off-Broadway at Shakespeare in the Park that I really want to see.

As far as original material, there's a new political play called The Vertical Hour by David Hare opening with Julianne Moore in the lead. Disney's Mary Poppins will also be opening this fall at the New Amsterdam Theatre after The Lion King shifts its production this summer to the Minskoff Theatre, where Fiddler played. Martin Short also has a new show called Fame Becomes Me opening during the summer months.

As far as revivals this fall on Broadway, we're also going to see the current production of The Pajama Game re-open with new leads in place of Harry Connick, Jr. and Kelli O'Hara. A Chorus Line will also see its first revival starring Charlotte D'Amboise, who came very close to opening in Sweet Charity after Christina Applegate sprained her ankle. Les Miserables will also prematurely return to Broadway for a limited engagement, rumored to star one of my absolute favorites, Norm Lewis, as Javert. I also almost forgot to mention the new John Doyle revival of Company starring Raul Esparza, which will doubtlessly be fantastic.

Not too much is known yet about the spring, but the adaptation of Legally Blonde will be opening, and A Tale of Two Cities will probably also open.

There is also a revival of The Wiz planned for next season directed by Des McAnuff. Surely, other things will be announced over time, but it seems like it's going to be a relatively exciting season, especially for revivals.