THE official word from Transylvania is that Roger Bart, the ailing star of “Young Frankenstein” who’s been MIA all week, will return to the show Saturday night.
But Deep Abby Normal, my source at the Hilton Theatre, says Bart’s back problem is a lot more serious than we’ve been led to believe.
So serious, in fact, that Mel Brooks and Co. are starting to panic. Word’s going around Broadway that a temporary replacement may have to step in for Bart at some point.
The actor is suffering from a herniated disc. He was at a photo call Wednesday, standing “ramrod straight,” smiling through his pain.
“He didn’t look like someone who’s going to be dancing around a Broadway stage anytime soon,” one person says.
“Young Frankenstein” opens Nov. 8, but critics’ previews start next weekend. Bart, who’s a trouper, insists he’s coming back. And one scenario has his doctor pumping him with cortisone so he can play the critics’ performances and opening night, then take time off to heal.
But that, as any dancer will tell you, is extremely risky.
Bart’s understudy is Matthew LaBanca, a newcomer to Broadway. He’s popular with the cast, but some hard-nosed industry insiders who saw the show this week said it would be foolish to put the kid out in front of the critics.
There was a rumor early this week that Eddie Izzard might jump in, but he’s shooting a TV show until February.
Hugh Jackman, who was once on director Susan Stroman‘s wish list, is available now that his TV show “Viva Laughlin” has been yanked. But he may take off for London to star in “Gone With the Wind” for director Trevor Nunn in April.
And then, of course, there’s Matthew Broderick, who was Brooks’ first choice to play Dr. Frankenstein until Mel saw his hapless performance in “The Odd Couple.”
I bet Matthew’s sitting by the phone right now, waiting to pick it up so he can say: “NO!!”
A spokesman for the show says, “Roger Bart is healing well, and we expect him back at the next few preview performances. He worked in a dance rehearsal today with Susan Stroman, and both she and Roger’s doctors have given him an all-clear to resume a full playing schedule.”
THOSE cranky cobras at the New York Drama Critics Circle are spitting venom at producers for wrenching their quotes out of context in advertisements.
Newsday’s Linda Winer was especially annoyed that the producers of “Walmartopia” took her largely negative review and made it look like a ringing endorsement.
Other critics were ticked off with a “Grease” ad that made a whole bunch of negative reviews read like raves.
Circle president Adam Feldman of Time Out has appointed the Daily News’ Howard Kissel to head up a committee – shall we call it The Kissel Commission? – to see what can be done about this terrible ethical breach.
“We are examining the documents, re: Linda Winer,” says Kissel. “In the old days, you could call the consumer affairs commissioner if you were aggrieved, and they would look into it. I don’t know if there’s much more we can do.”
Kissel himself was once the victim of an egregious misuse of quotations. In 1974, he interviewed Larry Spangler about his movie “The Life and Times of the Happy Hooker.”
Kissel quoted Spangler as saying, “I cast a happy hooker Middle America could identify with.”
Ads for the show soon appeared in the papers – “A Happy Hooker Middle America Can Identify With!” – Howard Kissel, Women’s Wear Daily.
“The Kissel Commission would have stopped that in its tracks,” Kissel jokes.
WHILE we’re on the subject of critics, here’s a fun little item:
What prominent member of the New York Drama Critics Circle recently caused a fuss at a cabaret show because they charged him for his dinner? The critic stood up and started singing “The Impossible Dream” – in French.
(The critic is not – repeat not – French.)
Seulement a New York, les enfants, seulement a New York.