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News
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February 2003
Page 4
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Razzle Dazzler
back up
Source: The New York Post
By: CLIVE BARNES
Kevin Richardson is the slickest, shiftiest Billy Flynn "Chicago" has
ever had.
At the Ambassador Theater, 219 W. 49th St. Call TeleCharge (212) 239-6200.
'CHICAGO" has played more than 2,500 performances, but it's as fresh as a
show that opened last week.
Clearly, its box office has also gotten a massive jolt of adrenaline from
the acclaimed movie version.
With its leggy, trashy nightclub glamour, the stage show is far harsher
and more wickedly cynical than the movie.
As the new Roxie Hart, Belle Calaway is outrageously confident, tough but
also pixie-cute, resembing that wondrous and very first Roxie, Gwen Verdon.
Australian star Caroline O'Connor ("Moulin Rouge"), making her Broadway
debut, is quite the funniest Velma I have seen, and she and Calaway make
one of the most formidable pairings since Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth.
Yet the big surprise is another Broadway newcomer, Kevin Richardson,
replacing the all-too-bland and colorless Billy Zane as the sleazy Chicago
lawyer, Billy Flynn.
Richardson, a member of the pop group Backstreet Boys (five albums, 71
million sold worldwide), might seem a classic case of shamelessly
opportunistic casting. Wrong!
Wonder of wonders, Richardson, as slick as his oiled-down hair, as shifty
as a tiny earthquake, and singing with justifiable zest, is in like Flynn.
He's the best of them all - from Jerry Orbach in the original 1975 version
to James Naughton in the encore revival.
Rob Bartlett proves seedy, decrepit and delightful as Roxie's cuckolded
and all but invisible husband Amos, while a raunchy and bluesy Roz Ryan is
simply marvelous as Mama Morton, the intimidating, accommodating matron of
Chicago's most corrupt prison.
Now that you've seen the movie, see what started it - plus the naughty
bits the film left out. You'll agree the show has more drop-dead
brilliance than its lauded Hollywood (watch me win the Oscar!) spin-off.
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BSB Fans Get
Lucky Break At Bob Hope Classic
back up
Source: The Desert Sun
LA QUINTA -- They spotted their prey lurking behind the 18th
green and quickly closed in. Sara Alderete on one side, Julie Mugallanez
on the other, faithful Fabby Vasquez behind the point-and-shoot. This
was the prized catch they had waited for since morning.
"A.J.! A.J.! A.J.!"
There he was. A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys. At last.
Sara and Julie quickly posed with their idol as Fabby tried to squeeze
off a few frames.
Then the course marshal came by. "No photos," he huffed. "No cameras."
They begged, they pleaded. Even Julie's dad, Basilio, chimed in.
Then the boy in the raspberry beret broke in.
"They can take one of me," McLean said quietly. "I don't mind."
Fans: 1. Marshals: 0.
This was the other game played Thursday at La Quinta Country Club on the
second day of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
While Aaron Baddeley was tearing up the back nine -- only a bogey on No.
18 cooled him off -- star seekers were hard at work staking out the best
holes to grab a glimpse, or, if they were lucky, a clandestine photo of
their favorite star.
The hunt started early for our girls from Palm Desert, and their
patience was rewarded. Sara couldn't wait to tell the tale.
"In the morning, we saw him practice," Sara said, "and we said, `Can we
take a picture?' He said, `Not now, but toward the end.' He's really
nice. He's the best."
Better than Trevor?
O-Town's Trevor Penick had his share of fans, too.
"Trevor's the coolest person ever," Fabby said.
There was a lot of cool to go around at the celebrity course Thursday:
Staind's Aaron Lewis, McLean, Penick, BMX'er Dave Mirra, baseball star
Ken Griffey Jr., retired Los Angeles Laker Ron Harper, Kevin Sorbo of
TV's Hercules.
And don't forget Andy Williams. He's still got it, Classic spokesman
Jordan Miller said.
"The athletes have their people," Miller said, "But Andy Williams? I
think he's still the man here."
Tell that to Jan Popp and Jill Slinkard of Redlands. For the sisters in
matching tie-dye and visors -- even their binoculars matched -- their
man for years has been singer Michael Bolton.
They've gotten Bolton's autograph. They've seen Bolton's concerts. They
drove to the Monterey Peninsula to watch Bolton at Pebble Beach. They've
seen Bolton before at the Hope -- this is the sisters' fourth year at
the tourney.
And now, in the lush grass off the fairway, they had their lenses
trained on Bolton as he walked the green at No. 12.
"I like Michael Bolton," Popp said.
Really?
Back to No. 18. Antonia Velasquez, sister Carmen, and friends Valerie
Perez and Janet Villegas, all of La Quinta, had just surrounded Hercules
star Sorbo, picked up an autograph and some small talk with the star.
"I can go home and say, `Yeah, Kevin Sorbo. Hercu-leees!' " said
Valerie, 17. But like Sara, Julie and Fabby, these girls had their
sights set on A.J.
They had heard the three girls had a photo taken with the Backstreet
Boy, and now Antonia and her crew were parked in front of the clubhouse
hoping for their chance.
"This is the only exit, right?" Carmen asked with a smile.
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A.J.: Backstreet Boys
"Together Forever"
back up
Source: Much Music
A.J. McLean attended the Daredevil premiere in Los Angeles this week,
where he told a MuchMusic correspondent that the Backstreet Boys would
be recording soon. "We're going back into the studio either next month
or the month after," said McLean. "We're a family. We've made a
conscious promise that we're going to be together forever." AJ went on
to talk about his continued sobriety, saying, "I'm still going to
meetings and plugging in. Sober living is much better than partying." Of
his delayed nuptials to singer Sarah Martin, AJ said, "We actually
postponed the wedding because there's so much crazy stuff going on. But
it's going to be great. She's a wonderful woman and I'm really looking
forward to it."
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Nick Carter's
Solo Tour Postponed By Blizzard
back up
Source: Launch Media
The first date of Nick Carter's solo tour in support of his debut album,
Now Or Never, was postponed due to the blizzard that blanketed much of
the East Coast with snow on Monday (February 17).
"I hope the weather hasn't affected anyone too badly," said Carter. "I'm
really excited about getting on the road to perform for my fans."
Carter was to perform in Pittston, Pennsylvania, on Monday, but was
forced to cancel the scheduled performance. The second date of Carter's
tour--scheduled for the Vanderbilt in Plainview, New York--was postponed
from Tuesday (February 18) to Saturday (February 22). Opening for Carter
on tour are 3LW and Justincase.
Carter's Backstreet Boys bandmate Howie Dorough will also be in Long
Island on Saturday. Dorough is hosting a private benefit breakfast for
his Dorough Lupus Foundation at Jillian's in Farmingdale from 9 a.m. to
1 p.m. ET that day. Tickets for the breakfast with Dorough cost $200,
and are available via his organization's official website (doroughlupusfoundation.org).
Nick Carter's updated tour schedule (subject to change):
February 20 - Sayerville, NJ - Hunka Bunka Ballroom
February 22 - Plainview NY - The Vanderbilt
February 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre Of Living Arts
February 25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Metropol
February 26 - Toronto, ON - Kool Haus
February 27 - Pontiac, MI - Clutch Cargo
February 28 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
March 1 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave/Eagles Ballroom
March 3 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
March 5 - Phoenix, AZ - Alice Cooper'stown
March 6 - West Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues
March 7 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues
March 8 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
March 9 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
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