|  NO matter how many times they get out, it keeps dragging them back in. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, the original – and the best – Leo and Max in "The Producers," have been asked to reprise their roles one last time before the show ends its seven-year run in June, The Post has learned. They haven’t accepted the offer yet, but production sources say the plan is for Broderick and Lane to rejoin "The Producers" at the St. James Theatre in May and send the show off with a bang on June 24. Mel Brooks, the creator of "The Producers," is planning to open his next musical, "Young Frankenstein," at the St. James in October. A spokesman for "The Producers" yesterday declined to comment on the offer, but said: "Nathan and Matthew have always had a standing invitation to come back to the show whenever they would like to. They’re family, we love them, and the show will always be their home should they wish to come here." Since the holidays, "The Producers" has weakened at the box office, with weekly grosses dropping from $1 million to $600,000. Tony Danza was brought in as Max to boost ticket sales during the winter doldrums, but the general sense on Broadway is that "The Producers" has run its course. Its advance stands at slightly more than $1 million, and last fall the show posted a couple of money-losing weeks. Broderick and Lane would certainly lift the box office. Industry insiders speculate premium seats could go as high as $400, and ticket scalpers say they could get as much as $1,000 a ticket for Broderick and Lane’s final hurrah. "The sky’s the limit," says one broker. "Everybody knows this is the last time you’ll see these two guys in their greatest roles." Production sources say the two actors could command huge salaries to close out the "The Producers." When they stepped back into the show three years ago, they each earned about $120,000 a week. This time, they could get as much as $175,000 a week for their six-week stint. But will they do it?
NY Post
I hope they do because then the show could go out in style and not saying that Tony Danza killed the show.
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|  Looks like "Evil Dead The Musical" won’t survive in New York much longer: The Gotham tuner shutters Feb. 17. Although it attracted a small cult of fans of the camp-horror 1980s Sam Raimi pics on which it is based, the comically bloody "Evil Dead" stage show never attracted large enough crowds to sustain a long life. The show began perfs Oct. 2 and opened Nov. 1. Still, original cast recording is on tract for release this spring. And producers say they plan to roll out a tour as well as sit-down productions in other cities. When it closes, "Evil Dead" will have played 126 regular perfs and 34 previews at New World Stages.
Variety
I guess it didn’t take eating brains to figure out this was destined to fail. I am shocked it lasted as long as it did.
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|  Newton-john Thrilled With Xanadu Revival On Broadway…. Olivia Newton-John is celebrating after learning two of her movie musicals will hit Broadway this year (07). Just months learning about the Grease revival, the singer/actress is thrilled to hear her 1980 roller-skating musical Xanadu is also heading for the stage. She says, "I think it’s great to see the movie have a new life. The songs are all so amazing from that film, and I am so happy for my dear friend John FARRAR, who wrote so many of those songs for Xanadu, including Magic and Suddenly." Newton-John played a Greek muse, who comes to earth to guide the career of an artist, in the original film, which also starred song-and-dance man Gene Kelly.
Female First
She probaly found out she can gets residuals from it. I tried watching this movie several times and I have never been able to get through it.
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E! Online reports that Fantasia Barrino may be the latest "American Idol" veteran to find work on Broadway. Barrino may be joining the cast of The Color Purple in the spring. She would play Celie, the role originated by Tony Award-winner LaChanze and now played by Jeannette Bayardelle. A four-time Grammy Award-nominee, Barrino won the third season of "American Idol." She is believed to have been a frontrunner for the role of Effie in the Dreamgirls film (the part ultimately went to fellow "American Idol" star Jennifer Hudson"). "Fantasia" is the 22 year-old's debut album.
Broadway World (story) and Dlisted (photo)
Seriously they will put anyone on Broadway these days. Just like that purple outfit she is wearing it is a very bad idea.
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