So, How�s It Going at �Tale of Two Cities� Previews?

Photo: Carol Rosegg

The producers of totally dull-sounding Broadway musical A Tale of Two Cities, which opens September 19, must be a little bit torn about this morning's Times story about the pleasures of seeing shows in previews. On the one hand, in a fall full of star-studded Broadway openings, this is definitely the most press Tale is ever going to get. On the other hand: How's the show going in its first week of previews? Everything running smoothly?

�Every time we see it, it�s so different,� said Adriana Devine, who describes herself as a �working actress, photographer, event planner, wife and mother of two� from Newark, Del. She was seeing �A Tale of Two Cities� for the third time�

Todd Michael Cook, an aspiring actor originally from Peoria, Ill., was standing next to Ms. Devine near the stage door after the performance. He had already attended five performances, even though the musical had been in previews for only a week. �I�ve never seen a show change so dramatically,� he said in a tone that made it clear that this did not displease him.

So � going great!

Preview Primer: Try Out the Tryouts [NYT]

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Bale will not face assault charges

'The Dark Knight'

Wolok

   
Artist: Wolok

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

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Discography:


   
 Universal Void

   Year: 2003   
Tracks: 7

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Qalandar

   
Artist: Qalandar

   Genre(s): 
Ambient
   

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Discography:


   
 Black Rose

   Year: 1999   
Tracks: 7

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DJ Mendez

Junior Varsity

   
Artist: Junior Varsity

   Genre(s): 
Indie
   Other
   

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Discography:


   
 Wide Eyed

   Year: 2005   
Tracks: 11


   
 The Playoff

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 13

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With their combination of 50's adolescent pop and cheerleader microscope stage presence, Junior Varsity could easily provide the soundtrack of whatever high school peppiness mass meeting. Originally consisting of Matt Murillo (drums/ vocals), Kim Hammond (bass/ vocals), DJ Butchie Cordell and Sean McManus (guitar/ vocals), this Houston triplet arrest the self-described effectual of "frat-hop" as they also portion a love for beach movies and three-chord strong-armer. A number of compilation contributions and singles eventually followed 'tween 1996 to 1998 earlier Junior Varsity's first full-length Bam Bam Bam came out in 1998. This acquittance featured the debut of new fellow member Rebecca Whitley, world Health Organization linked afterwards the exit of McManus.

Valery Gergiev

   
Artist: Valery Gergiev

   Genre(s): 
Folk
   

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Discography:


   
 Russian Album

   Year: 2007   
Tracks: 12

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Grey's Anatomy star cast by Irish director

Toadies expand tour plans

The Toadies [ tickets ], who are gearing up for their first full-blown US tour since disbanding in 2001, have rolled out a new batch of shows, most of which focus on the Texas-based group's home turf.The new additions to the group's schedule include several July dates in the Midwest, an early August appearance at Chicago's Lollapalooza festival, and a number of August and September dates around the Lone Star State. Details are included below.Among the new dates is an Aug. 31 event in Graham, TX, dubbed Dia De Los Toadies. In addition to a headlining set from the inaugural festival's namesake, the show will also include performances from Lions, Dove Hunter, The Backsliders and Tejas Brothers. More information is available at the event's website.The upcoming roadwork will couch the Aug. 19 release of "No Deliverance," the Toadies' first new album since 2001's "Hell Below/Stars Above." The Toadies rose to fame in the midst of the grunge era with their 1994 Interscope debut, "Rubberneck." The set spawned several hits, including "Possum Kingdom," "Away," "Tyler" and "I Come from the Water." Interscope reportedly spiked the band's planned 1998 follow-up, which the group eventually reworked for release in 2001 under the title "Hell Below/Stars Above." Five months after that album hit the street, frontman Todd Lewis announced that the group was breaking up, and cited bassist Lisa Umbarger's departure from the lineup as the catalyst for the split.The band--sans Umbarger, who remains detached from the group--eventually played a handful of well-received reunion shows in Texas between 2005 and 2007.The group's performance at 2007's St. Patrick's Day parade in Dallas surfaced later in the year in the form of a live album titled "Rock Show," and Lewis has left the door open to a possible new studio album, according to the band's online bio.