Films This Week 9/17/21
by Gary Palmucci | 17th September 2021 | Gary's Corner
Tuesday night outside the Richard Rodgers Theatre, celebrating the return of ‘Hamilton’ — along with ‘Lion King’ and ‘Wicked’ — to Broadway after an 18-month absence. The theatres were once again packed, as was another Broadway show I attended last month. The joy and electricity is palpable.
The recent documentary On Broadway serendipitously joins our Virtual Cinema lineup this week following its downtown theatrical premiere. In a NY Times ‘Critic’s Pick’ reviewer Maya Phillips enthused, ” ‘On Broadway’ sure knows how to work a theater-lover’s heart…[and] provides a fascinating textbook chronology…. The story of these theatres’ resilience and resurrection throughout the pandemic is already there in this film’s account of Broadway’s long history of failures and deathbed moments, from which it has always bounced back.”
Alec Baldwin, Christine Baranski, James Corden, Hugh Jackman, John Lithgow and other stage heroes bear witness in lively interviews. Filmmaker Oren Jacoby’s production company Storyville Films is also home to New Plaza friends and supporters Betsy West and Julie Cohen, whose RBG was one of our earliest hits; their new documentary on Julia Child is due for release later this year via Sony Classics – check out the spirited, saucy new trailer on the internet at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n85B2CcL4xg
Gary Palmucci, Film Curator
New Plaza Cinema