James will play Officer Lockstock in Urinetown June 13 through July 6, filling in for a vacationing Jeff McCarthy. Officer Lockstock is the narrator of the offbeat musical comedy, which won three 2002 Tony Awards. James previously played Lockstock in a workshop.
What is Urinetown about? Playbill offers the following synposis:
A terrible water shortage has crippled the Gotham-like town that is the setting for Urinetown The Musical. In an attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets. The citizenry must use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company, a malevolent corporation run by the corrupt Caldwell B. Cladwell.
Rex Reed of The New York Observer describes Urinetown as "A fresh, unique, original, impudent, colorful, exciting, irreverent, surprising and wonderful musical, that's all! A strange, macabre, eccentric, improbable and wildly indescribable entertainment. Urinetown follows only one rule: expect the unexpected. You've never experienced anything quite like it."
Visit Urinetown.com
for more information and to buy tickets.
Jane Eyre fans, take note: Don Richard (Mr. Brocklehurst) is a standby for five roles in Urinetown and often plays Caldwell B. Cladwell at Saturday matinees.
The Back from Broadwaycast recording is now on sale!
The CD is a professional live recording of the Boston production and costs $20.
Other Back from Broadway items are also available in limited quantities:
November 27, 2002 Eight Crazy Nights, Adam Sandler's musical Hanukkah animated movie, opens in theaters everywhere.
James provides the singing voice of the mayor; he sings a line toward the beginning of the film and a line in "Long Ago" (track 4 on the soundtrack).
(Thank you to Becky at the Jane Eyre forum for this information!)
November 7, 2002 Back from Broadway officially opens at the Stuart Street Playhouse in Boston.
November 1, 2002 Back from Broadway begins previews at the Stuart Street Playhouse in Boston.
July 10–20, 2002
James stars as Mitch in the world premiere of Adrift in Macao at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater. The musical, with book and lyrics by Christopher Durang and music by Peter Melnick, is a hilarious musical parody of film noir.
June 17, 2002, 7:30 p.m. Back from Broadway makes its New York debut at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre (Lincoln Center) in a one-night benefit for the Actor's Fund of America. All proceeds benefit The Actors’ Fund, which assists entertainment professionals throughout the country in their time of need.
April 22, 2002
The 23rd annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards ceremony is held at the Los Angeles Theater Center. James receives a special commendation for a musical performance for Back from Broadway.
February 1, 2002
The L.A. Weekly Theater Awards
nominations are announced.
James receives a special commendation for a musical performance, and the Tiffany Theatre production of Back from Broadway is nominated for Musical of the Year. The awards ceremony will be held at the Tom Bradley Theater in the Los Angeles Theater Center on Monday, April 22. For more information, visit L.A. Weekly'sevent information page.
February 24, 2002 Back from Broadway closes at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in Palm Beach, Florida. Rumor
has it there may be a tour in the works...
January 20, 2002 Back from Broadway, originally scheduled to close today, extends through February 24 at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in Palm Beach, Florida.
January 4, 2002 Back from Broadway opens at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in Palm Beach, Florida.
December 30, 2001 Back from Broadway ends its run at the Tiffany Theatre in Los Angeles.
November 24, 2001 Back from Broadway, a new show starring James and Hershey Felder, begins previews at
the Tiffany Theatre in Los Angeles.
Please email comments, questions, or suggestions to JBarbourFan(at)gmail.com.
