COME FLY AWAY
Come Fly Away is a new musical for Frank Sinatra fans, wholiked what Twyla Tharp did with Billy Joel's songs in Movin' Out. She won a Tony Award for that one, and here again she has conceived, choreographed and directed a dance musical with Ol' Blue Eyes' songs. The setting is an evening at a crowdednightclub, and the story line follows four couples as they fall in and out oflove. There'll be an onstage 19-piece big band and 15 world-classdancers.
Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, 877-250-2929. Previews Mar. 1,opens Mar. 25.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
"Blue Suede Shoes," "Great Balls of Fire,""I Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" -- what would it havebeen like to have been in the Sun Records recording studio in 1956 whenElvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins dropped into jam? Hunter Foster and Elizabeth Stanley join the four performers whoplayed the rock 'n' roll legends when this show was a big hit in Chicago. EricSchaeffer directed, with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. Themusical direction is by Chuck Mead.
Nederlander Theatre, 208 W. 41st St., (212) 307-4100. Previews Mar. 13,opens Apr. 11.
ALL ABOUT ME
At first, All About Me's two stars, the outrageous insult comedian, Dame Edna, and thesophisticated singer pianist, Michael Feinstein, were reportedly feuding. Over what, no one knew. They've apparently since reconciled, and have decidedto do a show together. It might have been the only way anyone could evenimagine them sharing a stage. But they are, and master satirist ChristopherDurang has helped write the script, along with the two principals. Casey Nicholaw(The Drowsy Chaperone) directs.
Henry Miller Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St., (212) 239-6200. Previews Feb. 22,opens Mar. 18.
LOOPED
I learned to love the inebriated zaniness of the old timemovie star,Tallulah Bankhead by watching The DuelingBankheads, a hilarious act performed downtown over the years by Clark Renderand David Ilku . Here, in a comedy written by Matthew Lombardo, and directed by Rob Ruggiero,ValerieHarper plays Tallulah, who reportedly would enter parties doingcartwheels, sans underwear. In 1965, Bankhead is called into a soundstudio to loop a single line of dialogue for her final film, Die, Die My Darling. It's not agood day for the sound engineer.
The Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St., (212) 239-6200. Previews Feb. 19, opensMar. 14.
NORTH ATLANTIC
I saw the Wooster Group's original production of this play byJames Strah in 1982. Steve Buscemi and Ron Vawter were in it, and it was a wonderfully funny dance and carrying-on romp, about the strange minds and peoplethat comprise our military leadership. It's set on an aircraft carrier during the finalyears of the Cold War. Theater sorcerer Elizabeth LeCompte directs acast of ten, which includes Wooster veterans, like Kate Valk, Scott Shepherd andFrances McDormand, as well as newcomers to the ensemble, like Jenny SeastoneStern and Paul Lazar.
Jerome Robbins Theater, Baryshnikov Arts Center, 420 W. 37th St., (212) 868-4444,Mar. 10 - 25.
