Reading Jan. 10, 2003

©broadway.com
07/22/03


Stage Notes
by Paul Wontorek

Do You Taboo? That was the question that faced me as I opened up a large envelope messengered over to me from Barlow-Hartman PR, the firm handling the incoming Boy George musical. It contained a plastic binder with that talked-about urinal ad image on the front and the slogan, a take-off on Yahoo.com's famous campaign, emblazoned on the back. Inside the binder (which looked like a Trapper Keeper for the kids from Camp), was more information on the show: On one side, three-hole punched pages of historical facts about the show and its characters, bios of the cast and creative team, costume sketches and photos of Boy George and Euan Morton in Taboo drag. On the opposite side, an original cast recording of the show from London (which I haven't heard yet) and a DVD.

The 10-minute DVD was definitely the highlight of the package. It featured a montage of the same costume sketches set to the Taboo tune "Everything Taboo" (which can also be heard on the show's website) and a Boy George music video for another song called "Out of Fashion," which includes grainy black and white backstage footage from London. Best of all is a behind-the-scenes look into the life of Rosie O'Donnell, Broadway producer. Shot by the documentary crew that annoyingly follows her everywhere, the featurette observes O'Donnell at work during three days in the life of the Broadway Taboo: the January 10, 2003 reading of Charles Busch's first stab at the script, an April 26 visit to London to visit with Boy George and a set design meeting on May 6. O'Donnell also sings a parody of "I Wanna Be a Producer" from Mel Brooks' Broadway smash and reveals her motivation for becoming a producer ("After they didn't let me host the Tonys, I thought f*** it, I'll just win one!"). The thing that most intrigued me was the January reading, mostly because of the line-up of top-notch theater names who wound up not starring in the show. The reading featured: Kerry Butler (as Nicola), Chris Diamantopoulos (Philip Sallon), Lisa Kron (Big Sue), Orfeh (Jenny, a role no longer in the show), Jai Rodriguez (Marilyn), Christopher Sieber (Boy George) and, in smaller roles, Annie Golden, Michael Gruber, Kristen Lee Kelly, John Jeffrey Martin and Deven May.

O'Donnell also hints at one point that she intends to keep changing the Times Square Taboo billboard, saying, "We need to wow them." Theater insiders say the next image ad agency Serino Coyne has up its sleeve may just be an Annie spoof. In the in-the-works ad, drag star Leigh Bowery leans over the word "Taboo," spelled out in Annie font. On top is the slogan, "Your son will come out tomorrow." So much for making a poster to get those middle-aged matinee ladies in the seats!


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