Bullets Over Broadway

Bullets Over Broadway is playing at the St. James theatre located at 246 West 44th Street. It runs two hours thirty-three minutes with one intermission. The musical closes August 24, 2014.

The musical is based on the 1994 movie written by Woody Allen. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Diane Wiest won for Best Supporting Actress.

The musical was nominated for six 2014 Tony Awards. Best Book of a Musical (Doug McGrath), Best Actor (Nick Cordera), Best Scenic Design (Santo Loquesto), Best Costume (William Ivey) Best Choreography (Susan Stroman) and Best Orchestration (Doug Besterman).

Woody Allen wrote the book. He is an actor, director, screenwriter, comedian and movie playwright. Woody has been nominated for twenty four Academy Awards. He won four, two for Annie Hall (1978), Hannah & Her Sisters (1987) and Midnight in Paris (2011).

Susan Stroman is the director and choreographer. She has won five Tony Awards for The Producers Director and Choreographer (2001), Contact (2000), Showboat (1995) and Crazy For You (1992). Susan was nominated for nine other Tony Awards, they are The Scottsboro Boys (2011), Oklahoma (2002), Contact (director 2000), The Music Man (director 2000), Steel Pier (choreographer 1997) and Big (choreographer 1996). She has been nominated for other awards to many to mention.

Santo Loquasto is the set designer. He has won three Tony Awards for Grand Hotel: The Musical (1990), Café Crown (1989) and The Cherry Orchard (1997).

Karen Ziemba won a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle Awards in 2000 for Contact.

Marin Mazzie has been nominated for three Tony Awards, Kiss Me Kate (2000), Ragtime (1998) and Passion (1994).

Vincent Pastore is known his role “Big Pussy” in the television series “The Sopranos”.

Brooks Ashmanstas was nominated for a Tony Award for Martin Short: Fame Becomes (2006).

Zach Braff is known for his role in “Scrubs” (2001-2010).

Nick Cordera as nominated for a Tony Award for this role.

The musical takes place in the 1929 in New York City

Cheech (Nick Cordero) comes out and shoots at the stage curtain, the bullet holes say “Bullets Over Broadway”. He works for Nick Valenti (Vincent Pestore), a gangster. Nick’s nightclub has performing showgirls. One of the girls is his mistress Olive Neal (Helene Yorkee). She wants to be an actress on Broadway. However she has no talent, brass and loud squeaky voice.

David Shayne (Zach Broff) is a playwright. He has just written a new play. The two other plays he has written were flops. Ellen (Betsy Wolpe) his girlfriend has traveled with him from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They have live together in Greenwich Village in New York City. She wants to get married but he’s not ready.

Julian Max (Lenny Wolfe) finds a backer for David’s play, Nick Valenti. The stipulation is that Olive gets a part in the play. Olive wants the lead role. David has other ideas who in wants in the role. He wants Helen Sinclair (Marin Mazzie).

The other people in the play written by David are Eden Brent (Karen Ziemba) who carries her dog every were. Warner Parcell (Brooks Ashmanskas) gets nervous as he gets into a role and just keeps eating till he is as big as a house.

Cheech helps with the script making it more down to earth. The cast loves the new changes.

This was a great show. The time went by so fast. You have to see the show to fill in gaps.

The stage setting, direction, choreography and costume were excellent.

Nick Cordera is fantastic as the gangster body guard. He deserves his Tony nomination.

Zack Braff is great as the playwright. His facial expressions are the best.

The cast works well together, making a very enjoyable show.

The show was an opened show but now it will close August 24, 2014.

Don’t miss a nice evening at the theatre.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click recent photos for this and other shows.