‘Gypsy’: Ben Brantley Eats His Hat

‘Gypsy’: Ben Brantley Eats His Hat
Even the wig is better!
Photo: Paul Kolnik
The producers of the new Broadway revival of Gypsy must have been sweating yesterday in anticipation of their all-important New York Times review. It's not often that you go into opening night already knowing that both critics for the Times are already on record as disliking your show, but since Gypsy was an Encores! production before it was a Broadway extravaganza — and because it was a bona fide event, casting Patti LuPone in the role everyone assumed she was born to play — both Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood had weighed in on the show last summer, and neither one of them was really pleased. "Alas," Isherwood wrote, he was "entertained but also disappointed." Brantley led his review, "Marriages made in heaven don’t always translate to earth," and called the production "enjoyable but unenthralling."
That's why it must be such sweet delight for the cast and producers of Gypsy to read the Times's over-the-top rave for the Broadway remount, which might as well be headlined "Ben Brantley Eats His Hat."

We're not kidding — "Yes," Brantley writes, "that quiet crunching sound you hear is me eating my hat." Brantley declares everything about the show pretty much perfect: LuPone, "truly focused," like "a laser"; the supporting cast, including Laura Benanti ("the performance of her career") and Boyd Gaines (who Brantley calls the best Herbie ever); even LuPone's new wig "a vast improvement on her blunt bowl cut of last summer."

It's not just a review, it's a coronation, and it's remarkable in that it's rare to read a critic so bluntly changing his mind. The show's "raw power," Brantley writes, "should be enough to silence any naysayers (myself included), who thought that 2008 was way too early for yet another Broadway revival of Gypsy."

Curtain Up! It’s Patti’s Turn at ‘Gypsy’ [NYT]

Related: Jeremy McCarter reviews Gypsy in New York.

More: Ranters and Ravers »ben brantley, critics, gypsy, new york times, patti lupone, theater

Review: Patti LuPone stars as Mama Rose in 'Gypsy'

Newsday.com
Review: Patti LuPone stars as Mama Rose in 'Gypsy'
BY LINDA WINER

linda.winer@newsday.com

March 28, 2008

When "Gypsy" had a three-week run as part of City Center's "Encores!" series last summer, the reason was Patti LuPone. Finally, we had the chance to see this singular force of nature become Mama Rose, arguably the greatest musical-female role in probably the most satisfying backstage musical of American theater's golden age.

Much the same production, directed again by author Arthur Laurents, opened last night at the St. James Theatre. "Gypsy" - with its wrenching and brilliant lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and its brassy-bravura music by Jule Styne - belongs on Broadway for as long as people need musicals.

If LuPone was the original justification for yet another staging of the 1959 masterwork, the revival also has turned out to be a showcase for Boyd Gaines, as shattering an embodiment of Herbie, Rose's loving doormat and agent, as I've ever seen. And Laura Benanti continues to be an emotional and musical revelation as Louise, the lesser daughter in the vaudeville sister act - the one who transforms into the famously elegant stripper.

Laurents' production, his third staging of his own script, often seems committed to digging for ever more psychological clarity and urgency.

If I seem to be backing into a description of LuPone, you're right. At Tuesday's press preview, at least, her performance felt rushed, tightly wound and overdone. She is in wonderful multicolored voice, even when she indulges the impulse to croon and swoop into some of the big notes in an otherwise harrowing "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

What defined her Rose last summer, however, was a marvelous new vulnerability and charm. This was a stage mother/monster who, along with the ruthlessness, had a deep playfulness. Missing now, inexplicably, is that sense of fun, an allure that went a long way toward explaining why Herbie and all the unpaid kids in her pathetic act would put up with her.

We still get the ferocity of Rose's restless hunger, but LuPone has toughened her earlier uninhibited sexuality into something harder and less interesting. She allows us a tender glimpse, now and then, into the soul behind the steamroller. Too often, alas, she batters the sweet spot into submission. She turns her big finale, "Rose's Turn," into an operatic mad scene.

Laurents hasn't helped by having everyone hit the jokes too hard and by changing Rose's last moment into a grandstand that isn't quite grand enough to compensate for the lack of psychological intimacy. On the other hand, the tough-nut quality works neatly for Leigh Ann Larkin, who brings a dark edge to the kewpie-doll theatrics of Dainty June, Rose's favorite. And the strippers, especially Marilyn Caskey's catatonically decrepit Electra, are endearingly sleazy in "You Gotta Get a Gimmick."

One may certainly ask why the orchestra - no longer under the concert restrictions of "Encores!" - is onstage. But we buy it, as we buy the theatrical stylization of a stuffed lamb and a stuffed dog instead of live ones.

Less justifiable are James Youmans' modest sets, dominated by the image of a shabby end-of-vaudeville proscenium, which remain just a notch above summer stock. Martin Pakledinaz's costumes still have a dowdy standard-issue look. Couldn't someone find LuPone a less matronly wig?

And yet ... "Gypsy" makes a visceral connection to all our mothers who were "born too early and started too late." Jerome Robbins' iconic choreography still tells lifetimes of stories in the brief turn of a tumble. If only everyone would relax.

GYPSY. Directed by author Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St. Tickets, $42-$117; 212-239-6200. Seen at Tuesday preview.

We remember Mama

Patti LuPone joins a formidable list of bosomy actresses to have a turn at the almost indestructible Mama Rose. Some others:

Ethel Merman Broadway, 1959 Brassy belter was the first and, many still say, best Mama Rose.

Rosalind Russell Film, 1962 Russell took a hit from critics upset that Merman hadn't been allowed to re-create the role.

Angela Lansbury Broadway, 1974 One of two Roses to win a Tony.

Tyne Daly Broadway, 1989 The other Tony winner.

Bette Midler TV, 1993 Campy, but well-received "Gypsy" packed in all the Jerome Robbins choreography.

Bernadette Peters Broadway, 2003 Kewpie-doll actress was the most controversial "Rose," in the only Broadway "Gypsy" not directed by Arthur Laurents.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

The Little Mermaid on Broadway Tickets

'The Little Mermaid ' CD Debuts at #26 on Billboard Chart


The Little Mermaid on Broadway Tickets

Walt Disney Records' The Little Mermaid Original Broadway Cast Recording enters the Billboard 200 at #26 and #1 on the Cast Album Chart, the highest debut for a cast recording in 12 years (since Rent's 1996 debut at #19).

Walt Disney Records' marketing campaign for the cast recording included pre-order programs at iTunes, Amazon and in-theater (featuring a collectible picture disc) and digital card distribution featuring a free song download to multiple outlets including in theaters and Ticketmaster.

for Tickets to The Little Mermaid go to www.tixx.com

Through a comprehensive digital marketing promotion that included a Ticketmaster and iTunes partnership, the label offered a free The Little Mermaid song download ("She's in Love") as well as a special value offer for The Little Mermaid digital album. The album peaked at #9 on the iTunes overall album chart last week.

Based on one of the most beloved Disney films of all time and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid , presented by Disney Theatrical Productions, is Broadway's sparkling new musical.

Led by the award-winning director, Francesca Zambello, some of the theatre's most innovative artists have collaborated to create The Little Mermaid . The score features the classic songs: "Part of Your World," "Kiss the Girl" and the Academy Award-winning Best Original Song, "Under the Sea," composed by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, as well as 10 new songs by Mr. Menken and Glenn Slater. The book for the new musical is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Doug Wright.

The Little Mermaid stars Sierra Boggess as 'Ariel,' Sean Palmer as 'Prince Eric,' Norm Lewis as 'King Triton,' Tituss Burgess as 'Sebastian,' Eddie Korbich as 'Scuttle,' Jonathan Freeman as 'Grimsby,' Derrick Baskin as 'Jetsam,' Tyler Maynard as 'Flotsam,' John Treacy Egan as 'Chef Louis,' Trevor Braun and Brian D'Addario alternating as 'Flounder,' and Sherie Rene Scott as 'Ursula.'

The Little Mermaid is currently being performed on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street, NYC). For performance and ticket information, please visit www.DisneyOnBroadway.com.

Walt Disney Records presents The Little Mermaid Original Cast Album, available in stores now, at a suggested price of $18.98 wherever music is sold. All Walt Disney Records audio products also can be ordered by visiting www.DisneyRecords.com.





The Little Mermaid

Gypsy return to Broadway with Patti Lupone for tickets go to www.tixx.com

The Encores! Summer Stars production of Gypsy — starring Tony and Olivier Award winner Patti LuPone — was the hottest ticket in town in the summer of 2007. The very limited run began July 9th, and played its final performance at City Center on July 29th.

It seemed only a matter of time before LuPone — the Juilliard-trained actress whose powerful belt easily scaled the dangerously high sections of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita — would tackle what is arguably the most demanding female role in the musical theatre canon: that stage mother of all stage mothers, Rose, in the classic musical Gypsy.

LuPone's journey with the role began last summer when she played a weekend of performances in a semi-staged concert version of the Jule Styne-Arthur Laurents-Stephen Sondheim musical at the Ravinia Festival in Illinois. Positive reviews, a buzz that echoed all the way to Manhattan and a reported phone call to co-creator Laurents helped cement the run at New York's City Center. LuPone received nearly unanimous raves for her performance in the role created by Ethel Merman.

Directed by Laurents, who wrote the book to what is considered one of the finest American musicals, the cast also boasted Boyd Gaines as Herbie, Laura Benanti as Louise, Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June, Tony Yazbeck as Tulsa, Alison Fraser as Tessie Tura, Nancy Opel as Mazeppa/Miss Cratchitt, Marilyn Caskey as Electra, Sami Gayle as Baby June, Emma Rowley as Baby Louise, Jim Bracchita as Uncle Jocko/Pastey, Bill Bateman as George/Mr. Goldstone/Bougeron-Cochon, Bill Raymond as Pop/Cigar and Brian Reddy as Weber/Phil.

The creative team included Patrick Vaccariello (music direction), Bonnie Walker (reproducing Jerome Robbins' original choreography), James Youmans (set design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound design).

Gypsy features a score by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and a book by Arthur Laurents. The musical bowed on Broadway in May 1959 at the Broadway Theatre, playing 702 performances before closing at the Imperial Theatre, where it later transferred, on March 25, 1961. Ethel Merman created the role of Rose in the original production; subsequent Broadway Roses include Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters. Merman and Peters were Tony-nominated for their performances; Lansbury and Daly won the coveted award.

A Tony Award winner for her work in Evita, Patti LuPone also earned an Olivier Award for her performances in the West End productions of Lés Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock. Her other theatrical credits include Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes, Oliver!, Working, The Old Neighborhood, Master Class and Pal Joey. LuPone also headlined two solo Broadway concerts, Patti LuPone On Broadway and Matters of the Heart, and received glowing notices for her performance as Mrs. Lovett in the Lincoln Center concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and a Tony nomination for her performance in the recent revival of that Sondheim work. She was seen in the Kennedy Center's staging of Marc Blitzstein's Regina and recently joined Audra McDonald for Los Angeles Opera's production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.






Curtain Up! Patti LuPone Gypsy Is Headed to Broadway in 2008


for tickets go to https://www.wwwtixx.com/information/gypsy-tickets.html or call 1-800-688-4000


After a limited engagement this past summer at City Center — the inaugural production of the Encores! Summer Stars series — the acclaimed mounting of Gypsy starring Tony and Olivier Award winner Patti LuPone will arrive on Broadway in 2008.

According to a casting notice, the classic musical will open at a Broadway theatre-to-be-announced March 27, 2008. Rehearsals will begin Jan. 27, 2008.

Gypsy co-creator Arthur Laurents, who helmed the City Center run, will direct on Broadway as well. The casting notice says that the entire cast of the Encores! production have been offered the chance to repeat their roles on Broadway, but only LuPone has currently been cast.

The creative team will also include Patrick Vaccariello (music director) and Bonnie Walker (reproducing Jerome Robbins' original choreography).

The Encores! Summer Stars production of Gypsy played its final performance at City Center July 29. The limited run began previews July 9 with an official opening July 14.

Directed by Laurents, who wrote the book to what is considered one of the finest American musicals, the cast also boasted Boyd Gaines as Herbie, Laura Benanti as Louise, Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June, Tony Yazbeck as Tulsa, Alison Fraser as Tessie Tura, Nancy Opel as Mazeppa/Miss Cratchitt, Marilyn Caskey as Electra, Sami Gayle as Baby June, Emma Rowley as Baby Louise, Jim Bracchita as Uncle Jocko/Pastey, Bill Bateman as George/Mr. Goldstone/Bougeron-Cochon, Bill Raymond as Pop/Cigar and Brian Reddy as Weber/Phil.

The creative team also included James Youmans (set design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound design).

Gypsy features a score by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and a book by Arthur Laurents. The musical bowed on Broadway in May 1959 at the Broadway Theatre, playing 702 performances before closing at the Imperial Theatre, where it later transferred, on March 25, 1961. Ethel Merman created the role of Rose in the original production; subsequent Broadway Roses include Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters. Merman and Peters were Tony-nominated for their performances; Lansbury and Daly won the coveted award.

A Tony Award winner for her work in Evita, Patti LuPone also earned an Olivier Award for her performances in the West End productions of Les Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock. Her other theatrical credits include Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes, Oliver!, Working, The Old Neighborhood, Master Class and Pal Joey. LuPone also headlined two solo Broadway concerts, Patti LuPone On Broadway and Matters of the Heart, and received glowing notices for her performance as Mrs. Lovett in the Lincoln Center concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and a Tony nomination for her performance in the recent revival of that Sondheim work. She was seen in the Kennedy Center's staging of Marc Blitzstein's Regina and recently joined Audra McDonald for Los Angeles Opera's production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Her screen and recording credits are numerous.

Now showing on Broadway

Now showing on Broadway

Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows as of March 3. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available at the theaters' box offices for the shows listed. Details about how to obtain tickets appear at the end.

• A Chorus Line. Michael Bennett's classic musical about dancers auditioning for a big Broadway show is back. Gerald Schoenfeld. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•August: Osage County. Tracy Letts' drama, a hit for Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, concerns a venomous mother and her dealings with three daughters. Imperial. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Avenue Q. Love blossoms among the 20-something set — a group that includes puppets — in this very funny, adult musical comedy. Golden. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Terrence Howard and Anika Non-i Rose star in a revival of the Tennessee Williams' classic. Broadhurst. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Come Back, Little Sheba. S. Epatha Merkerson and Kevin Anderson star in a Manhattan Theatre Club revival of William Inge's drama about a lonely woman and her unhappy marriage. Biltmore. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Closes March 16.

•Curtains. A murder-mystery musical comedy with a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb. David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk star. Al Hirschfeld. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Grease. A revival of the venerable musical celebrating 1950s high school and featuring stars chosen during the recent NBC television reality series. Brooks Atkinson. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Gypsy. Patti LuPone stars as the mother of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee in a revival of one of the greatest of all Broadway musicals. Now in previews. Opens March 27. St. James. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Hairspray. The cult John Waters movie set in 1960s Baltimore has been turned into a hilarious, tuneful musical. Neil Simon. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•In the Heights. The lively off-Broadway musical about Latino residents in an area of upper Manhattan called Washington Heights moves to Broadway. Richard Rodgers. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Is He Dead? David Ives has adapted a farce by Mark Twain about a painter who fakes his death to increase the price of his artwork. Norbert Leo Butz stars. Lyceum. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Closes March 9.

• Jersey Boys. The musical story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Winner of four 2006 Tonys including best musical. August Wilson. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Difficult.

•Legally Blonde. Laura Bell Bundy stars in this musical version of the Reese Witherspoon movie about a determined young woman who goes to Harvard Law School. Palace. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Mamma Mia! The London musical sensation featuring the pop songs of ABBA makes it to Broadway. Die-hard ABBA fans will like it best. Winter Garden. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Mary Poppins. The world's most famous nanny comes to the stage after her great success as a P.L. Travers book and a Disney movie. New Amsterdam. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000, a special Disney hotline, 212-307-4747.

•Monty Python's Spamalot. A musical inspired by that demented film comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Shubert. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•November. David Mamet's new comedy about a president facing a tough re-election campaign. Nathan Lane stars as the chief executive and the cast also includes Laurie Metcalf and Dylan Baker. Ethel Barrymore. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Passing Strange. A musical created by the singer-songwriter known as Stew. A hit off-Broadway last season, the show follows a young man's journey from Los Angeles to Europe in search of truth and meaning. Belasco. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Rent. Jonathan Larson's touching and now nostalgic look at struggling artists in New York's East Village. Loosely based on Puccini's opera La Boheme. Nederlander. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Closes June 1.

• Rock 'n' Roll. Tom Stoppard's play takes place over several decades, from 1968 to 1990, and juxtaposes events in Czechoslovakia during the Soviet occupation with the lives and loves of three generations of an academic family in Cambridge, England. Bernard B. Jacobs. Closes March 9.

•South Pacific. Kelli O'Hara is nurse Nellie Forbush and Paulo Szot is French plantation owner Emile de Becque in a revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical based on one of the short stories in James A. Michener's Tales of the South Pacific. Now in previews. Opens April 3. Vivian Beaumont. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Spring Awakening. A striking rock musical based on Frank Wedekind's classic drama about a dozen young people discovering their sexual identities. Music by Duncan Sheik. Book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Winner of the 2007 Tony for best musical. Eugene O'Neill. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Sunday in the Park With George. A Roundabout Theatre Company revival of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical about French painter Georges Seurat and the creation of his masterpiece. Studio 54. 212-719-1300. Closes June 15.

•The 39 Steps. A stage adaptation by Patrick Barlow of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 movie thriller about a man on the run. Four actors, including Charles Edwards (who starred in the hit London production) portray over 150 roles. American Airlines. 212-719-1300. Closes March 29.

• The Homecoming. A revival of Harold Pinter's Tony-winning play about a most unusual family. The cast includes Ian McShane, Eve Best and Raul Esparza. Cort. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Closes April 13.

•The Lion King. Director Julie Taymor is a modern-day Merlin, creating a stage version of the Disney animated hit that makes you truly believe in the magic of theater. Minskoff. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000, a special Disney hotline, 212-307-4747. Difficult on weekends.

•The Little Mermaid. Disney's stage version of its popular animated film about a sea maiden who longs to live on land. Lunt-Fontanne. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000, a special Disney hotline, 212-307-4747.

•The Phantom of the Opera. The one with the chandelier. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House is the prime, Grade A example of big Brit musical excess. But all the lavishness does have a purpose in Harold Prince's intelligent production, now the longest running show in Broadway history. Majestic. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•The Seafarer. Conor McPherson's play about two brothers and a couple of their buddies, whose boozy card game is interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious, vaguely satanic stranger. The cast includes Jim Norton and David Morse. Booth. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Closes March 30.

•Wicked. An ambitious, wildly popular musical about the witches in The Wizard of Oz as young women. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Gershwin. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000. Difficult.

• Xanadu. A fast, funny roller disco musical loosely adapted from the cult 1980s film. The cast features Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson and Tony Roberts. Helen Hayes. telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

•Young Frankenstein. Mel Brooks transfers his comedic monster mash of a movie from screen to stage — only with more song and dance. Hilton. ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000.

Ticket information

The telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 number is 212-239-6200 unless otherwise indicated. There is a $6.50 service charge per ticket, plus a handling fee per order that varies from $2.50 to $4.00 depending on method of delivery.

ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 is 212-307-4100. There is a $7 "convenience" charge per ticket, plus a handling fee per order that varies depending on method of delivery.

All theaters owned by Jujamcyn — the St. James, Martin Beck, Virginia, Eugene O'Neill and the Walter Kerr — have a $1.50 surcharge per ticket for theater restoration. Shows in Shubert theaters have a "facilities" surcharge of $1.25 per ticket.

Both telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 and ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 will provide information on specific seat locations. They also have toll-free numbers for theater ticket calls outside New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. For telecharge or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 call 800-432-7250; for ticketmaster or Www.wwwtixx.com 1-800-688-4000 call 800-755-4000.

The League of American Theaters and Producers has a special telephone line called the Broadway Line for information on most Broadway shows (except The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast) and how to purchase tickets. Calls must be made on a touch-tone phone. The number is 1-888-BROADWAY. The line also will provide information on Broadway touring productions. Consumers in the New York tri-state area may call 212-302-4111.

The TKTS booth in Times Square is currently in a temporary location just outside the New York Marriott Marquis hotel on West 46th St., between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. It sells same-day discount tickets to Broadway, off-Broadway, music and dance productions. There is a $4 service charge per ticket. Cash or travelers checks only. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday evening performances, 3 p.m.-8 p.m.; matinees Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

The downtown TKTS booth is in the South Street Seaport at the corner of Front and John Streets. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sunday through the winter.

Tixx.com is a full service ticket broker able to obtain tickets to the best shows on Broadway the same day prices vary from below face value to above face value

Matinee tickets must be purchased at South Street Seaport the day before, meaning Wednesday matinee tickets are available Tuesday, Saturday matinee tickets are available Friday and Sunday matinee tickets are available Saturday.

Full-price tickets and information on Broadway and off-Broadway shows are available at the Broadway Ticket Center, located on the east side of Broadway between 46th Street and 47th Street. There is a $4.50 service charge per ticket.

Getting Theater ticket in New York City is easy

Getting great theater tickets doesn’t have to be a long and difficult process. With just a few clicks of your mouse you can get the tickets you want from Tixx.com. We have Wicked tickets, Spamalot tickets, Mary Poppins tickets, Jersey Boys tickets and more. In addition to a huge selection of Broadway show tickets for New York City, we also have theater tickets for Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and many other cities. Order your Broadway theater tickets today.Avenue Q Tickets Chicago - The Musical Chorus Line Tickets Grease Tickets Hairspray Tickets Jersey Boys Tickets Legally Blonde Les Miserables Mamma Mia Tickets Mary Poppins Tickets Monty Python Spamalot Phantom Of The Opera Radio City Christmas Spectacular Rent Tickets Shrek Tickets Spring Awakening The Color Purple Billy ElliotNew York The Lion King Tickets The Little Mermaid Wicked Tickets Young Frankenstein

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Fidelity Fined $8 Million in Probe of `Lavish' Gifts (Update3)

By David Scheer and Sree Vidya Bhaktavatsalam

March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Fidelity Investments will pay $8 million to settle U.S. regulatory claims that Vice Chairman Peter Lynch and a dozen employees accepted Super Bowl tickets, private-jet travel and other gifts from brokers.

The world's largest mutual-fund manager failed to seek the best terms for trades as employees took gifts and had ``romantic relationships'' with outside brokers, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said in a statement today. Lynch, former manager of the flagship Fidelity Magellan fund, former head trader Scott DeSano and 11 other current and former employees accepted more than $1.6 million in perks, the agency said.

``The broker-selection process on Fidelity's equity trading desk was compromised when gifts and lavish entertainment swayed the flow of brokerage business,'' Walter Ricciardi, the SEC's deputy enforcement director, said in the statement.

The settlement ends a three-year investigation that tainted the Boston-based money manager, which oversees $1.6 trillion for 24 million customers and is known for strict internal standards. The closely held company's independent trustees fined Fidelity $42 million in December 2006 after probing what Chairman Edward Johnson III called ``this improper behavior.''

Independent Probe

The trustees' 2006 investigation, released by the SEC today, shows the stakes involved. In one case, a trader used a broker to buy 8 million shares in Tyco International Ltd., days before the broker flew him on a private jet to the Super Bowl in Houston in 2002, the report says. The trades cost the funds $18 million, though that may have been partly due to unpredictable market events, it said.

``While no one can say that Fidelity could have obtained better execution from some other broker,'' the size of the costs show why traders should pick brokers objectively, it said.

Illicit drugs and luxury vacations were also listed among gifts in the SEC's 39-page order.

Former Fidelity trader Thomas Bruderman, 39, allegedly received ecstasy pills and marijuana from brokers ``on a number of occasions,'' the agency wrote. In 2003, his three-day bachelor party in Miami cost brokers $160,000, it said.

Former Fidelity trader David Donovan, 45, took 24 trips in which brokers covered most expenses, according to the complaint. Travel included at least two first-class flights on the supersonic Concorde airliner, it said.

Lynch, 64, received ``numerous'' free tickets to concerts, theater and sporting events via Fidelity's traders, according to the SEC. He agreed to forfeit more than $20,000, representing the value of the enticements, plus interest.

Romantic Relationships

DeSano knew some of the firm's traders steered transactions to brokers who provided entertainment, travel and gifts, or with whom they had family or romantic relationships, the SEC said.

The agency's claims are still pending against DeSano, Bruderman, Donovan and seven other past and current employees.

DeSano's attorney, Jeffrey Rudman in Washington, and Bruderman's attorney, Thomas Kiley in Boston, didn't return phone calls seeking comment. Donovan's lawyer, Raipher Pellegrino, declined to comment.

Fidelity and Lynch didn't admit or deny wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.

``We do recognize the seriousness of the misconduct,'' even though the SEC didn't find Fidelity harmed shareholders or its funds, the company said in a statement. ``The behavior that led to these settlements is not at all indicative of the ethical standards of our company.''

Fidelity disciplined employees involved and took other steps to prevent future misconduct, it said. Most of the employees cited by the SEC have left the company, and none remain on the trading desk.

`The Lion King'

Lynch said in a statement that he had asked the trading desk for ``occasional help locating tickets.'' Events included performances of ``The Nutcracker'' and the ``The Lion King.'' He also got 14 three-day passes to the Ryder Cup golf tournament at the Brookline Country Club in suburban Boston, where he had once been a caddy.

``I never intended to do anything inappropriate, and I regret having made those requests,'' Lynch said. He never worked at the trading desk, and has not placed trades on behalf of Fidelity for the past 17 years, he said.

Discount tickets for Jersey Boys on Broadway in New York City

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Gypsy on Broadway 2008 The St. James

Yes I saw the City Center summer production and yes I loved it then but had concerns about the physical production. The set is pretty much the same with some nice embellishments but it looks much more at home at The St. James than it did at City Center. The costumes and lighting too are much sharper. I’m still not crazy about the circa 1970’s projection technology that announces Gypsy’s strip tour cities or the use of a puppet and puppet master for the lamb. Does Rose have to take a walk in front of the curtain prior to beginning Roses Turn just to clear the scenery behind it from the previous scene? But those are small carps when considering what a great evening was presented.

Can I tell you the big surprise of the evening? Lenora Nemetz! What a welcome addition to the cast and how fabulous to have her back on Broadway; loved, loved, loved her in Working and Chicago, way back when. Her Miss Cratchitt was perfect but to hear her sing and start strutting her stuff as Mazeppa was a joy. At City Center “Gimmick” was missing that Broadway belt and Lenora has put all the pieces back. She is listed at Lu Pones stand by, wonder if Ms. Patti will throw her a bone and take a day off – would love to see Nemetz do the role.

Laura Benanti is the shimmering jewel in this production. Her blossomed Gypsy is gorgeous. Her strip tour across the country section could have benefited from some additional production values but she really was stunning; loved watching her every move in this production.

Patti LuPone is giving a very different performance at The St. James Theater than she did at City Center. Much more centered much more ferocious. This Gypsy laughs off her father’s not wanting to give her eighty eight cents as just one more rejection that she will plow through. She is very much aware of the lemons she is being given to make lemonade with. She is a tiger whose stripes can not be changed for all the mink in Gypsy’s closets. I sensed a change in costumes, wigs and make up that gave her just the right physical edge, she looked dowdy to me at City Center. Her Roses Turn was a perfect summary of her take on the role – the “Mama … mama?” section gave me goose bumps.

I can not wait until enough of you have seen the show to discuss the staging of the last scene. The new bit needs some tightening and pruning but we can all talk more about that at another time.

Overall a brilliant production has gotten tighter, deeper and more focused. City Center was the workshop and now we have the real deal.

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