Glee Genius Ryan Murphy's a Big Softie, Rosie's Still a Cutie Patootie and Other Lessons of the Week

Any week that brings an earthquake and a hurricane to Broadway has to be one of the history books! Here’s our weekly round-up of the top lessons that this week’s news and features taught us. Enjoy...and stay dry this weekend!

We’ve Missed Rosie...A Lot!
She hasn’t really ever been out of our sight, with her entertaining stint behaving alongside the ladies of The View, attempting to revive the TV variety show and hosting her SiriusXM radio show (from home, presumably in her pajamas), but the recently released video promo for Rosie O’Donnell’s new OWN talk show got us giddy with excitement. Why? Cause O’Donnell seems full of vigor and vim, and we know she’s gonna bring out the pom-poms for Broadway. Bring it on, Rosie!

Russell Crowe Wants to Hunt Down Hugh
What’s even better news than Hugh Jackman playing Jean Valjean in the big screen version of Les Miserables? Learning that fellow Aussie Russell Crowe is considering hunting him down as lawman Javert. Actually, we'd prefer it if the two talents swapped roles, but it's of little concern. Crowe’s got a delicious dark side, a surprise musical theater past and we know he can nail it! Do it, Russell!

Santa Hooked Up With a Rockette!
Here’s something to think about next time you’re taking in the age-old family-friendly joys of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular: Santa might be lusting after one of those high-kicking Rockettes! At least that’s what David Abeles (Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet) was doing when he took to the road in the big red suit alongside his future wife Stacey Sund. He told us everything in this week’s Fresh Face.

They’re Creepy, Kooky and Closing
OK, it got snubbed at the Tonys and won't make it into 2012, but we fail to see The Addams Family as a bust. It’s still got four months left the run, and other hyped musicals of the 2009-2010 Broadway season (Hello, Fela!, American Idiot, Come Fly Away, Bye Bye Birdie, Promises, Promises, Finian’s Rainbow, Ragtime, A Little Night Music and La Cage aux Folles!) are long gone. Sure, those stiffies at The New York Times called it “ghastly” but audiences ate it up, even awarding it the Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Favorite Musical. Die with your heads held high, you crazy Addams!
They’re Not Always Looking for a Pretty Face
Ellen Harvey couldn’t have felt too cute walking into her final callback for the chance to play Miss Jones opposite Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with two black eyes and a “busted nose.” But obviously director Rob Ashford and his team saw something in the scene-stealing performer despite her condition! Find out more about this crazy audition story in this week’s First Person feature written by Harvey herself.

Daphne Rubin-Vega is Climbing Aboard Streetcar
Rent icon Daphne Rubin-Vega always manages to surprise with her career moves through dramas, musicals and movies, and this week’s announcement of her next Broadway gig was no different. Rubin-Vega is heading down to Elysian Fields to join the racially-refreshing new spin on A Streetcar Named Desire. No, she’s not playing Blanche DuBois (wouldn’t that be genius?), but sister Steeelllllaaaaa instead. We are mentally lined-up for this one!

Ghost Will Haunt Broadway
We already caught this one on opening night in London and, if you love the movie like us, you’re gonna love the musical, too! The heartbreaking love story of New Yorkers Sam and Molly ">will arrive on Broadway in the spring with a modern, sexy score (co-written by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics) and dazzling special effects. Oh, and don’t forget your hankie. This one promises to be one of the biggest weepies Broadway’s ever seen!

Ryan Murphy’s Got a Big Heart
Glee creator Murphy was a scary presence all season on Oxygen’s The Glee Project, staring down the contestants that had to perform last chance auditions for him at the end of each episode. Then he opened up the finale to four finalists instead of three and chose two winners... but ended up giving all four of them roles on the show! Yup, Glee is run by a big softie, but on second thought, that was pretty obvious from the get-go!

Broadway Brings Sports Rivals Together
Here’s a shocker: we don’t follow tennis. But from what we hear Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are fierce rivals in the tennis world. Still, there was nothing but “love” between them when we snapped them backstage taking in the Broadway blockbuster Mamma Mia! Do musicals bring people together or what?

Fans Want Adam Levine on Broadway
With Kara DioGuardi arriving in Chicago next month, we asked our readers last weekend which other reality TV judge should hit the boards. Now it’d be easy to drop runners-up Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez into a Broadway musical, but Maroon 5 rocker Adam Levine won the poll. Now what the heck can we do with him on Broadway? Billy Flynn in Chicago? Spider-Man’s The Green Goblin? Ooh...Tick/Mitzi in Priscilla Queen of the Desert?! Time for another poll!