Bette Midler's Gonna Get Baked, Mormon Boys Redecorate & More Lessons of the Week

As the sun sets on another jam-packed week on Broadway, we look back at the headlines that made us smile, gasp and question our very existence. Read on to get the scoop on Patti LuPone’s Sunset Boulevard run-in, a Fifty Shades of Grey spoof and what The Book of Mormon original stars are up to now.

Josh Gad Wants to Turn the White House Into White Castle
Former Mormon and 1600 Penn star Josh Gad just started in the political TV comedy, but he already has big presidential plans. Gad joked, if he were actually a member of the First Family, he would add “an In-N-Out Burger and Shake Shack inside the White House.” Michelle Obama, the anti-obesity crusader, would surely give you a major side eye for that, Josh. And it's terrifying.

Disney’s Aladdin Wastes No Time Moving In
“Goodnight and thank you, Ms. Poppins.” The magical nanny Mary Poppins hasn’t even vacated the premises, but that’s not stopping Disney’s next musical Aladdin from negotiating the lease and taking measurements in her theater. After reportedly making some renovations, Aladdin will fly into the New Amsterdam Theatre in 2014. Manhattan real estate is so cold-blooded.

Watch Out Pippin, Cinderella’s Got Magic To Do
We were already excited for Broadway’s Cinderella, starring Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana and Victoria Clark, but now we are expecting top-notch wizardry as well. The stars recently hinted at some of the magic that audiences will see on stage, including flying fairy godmothers, pumpkin transformations and jaw-dropping costume tricks. “All the magic that we know in the story...you’re going to see on stage,” Fontana told us. If all goes as planned, we'll be more than ready for Houdini in 2014.

Like the Kardashians, Fifty Shades of Grey Will Not Go Away
It seems that, like the omnipresent self-promoting Kardashians, the erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey just won’t go away. The sexy story is slated to hit the big screen in 2014, and now a spoof of the mommy porn novel will hit off-Broadway. Maybe we all read the Mayan calendar wrong. The end is definitely near.

Al Pacino Dreams of Cooking Up Omelets and Cheese Fries
If Al Pacino weren’t a Tony, Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor, he would probably be whipping up your blue plate special in the local greasy spoon. Pacino told his former co-star Seth Numrich that “if he weren’t an actor, he’d want to be a short order cook at a diner.” We must admit that a hairnet might compete with some of the legend's tress choices. Just kidding, Al. Love you! Call us! Hoo-ah!

Glenn Close and Patti LuPone Have Buried the Hatchet
Who knew Patti LuPone would ever thank Sunset Boulevard Tony winner Glenn Close for anything? La LuPone famously lost the Broadway role of Norma Desmond, which she originated in London, to the Fatal Attraction film star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard. But all of that is ancient history now. On her web series, Patti explains that thanks to Close, she was able to meet the President and First Lady. Aw, we smell a Broadway Besties in someone’s future!

Nick Adams Misses His Diva Status 
Broadway’s Priscilla Queen of the Desert may have closed in June 2012, but its star Nick Adams is still going through “withdrawal.” Adams was a crowd favorite, winning two Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards (Favorite Diva Performance and Favorite Breakthrough Performance). “I miss feeling like a superstar,” he said. “To go from that high to not having people go nuts every day in front of me was strange.” Oh, Nicky! Come over, we'll go nuts in front of you anytime. Even if you are wearing a shirt.

Andrew Rannells Gives Girls the Queer Eye Makeover 
The Book of Mormon Tony nominee turned TV star Andrew Rannells is returning as Elijah (Hannah’s gay ex-BF and current roommate) for season two of HBO’s acclaimed series Girls. Fans will notice Elijah’s positive effect over Hannah (Lena Dunham) pretty early on. “He gives [their apartment] a sort of Domino gay makeover,” Rannells said. “He gives it a good cleaning and a lot of Urban Outfitters furniture.” Well, someone had to give that apartment a good scrub. Now can you make us forget Hannah's last makeover? There's no way to unsee that.

Bette Midler Isn’t Afraid to Get High for Her Art
One of the most exciting news stories of the week was the announcement that superstar Bette Midler is returning to Broadway this spring in the one-woman-show I’ll Eat You Last. Midler will play famed Hollywood power player Sue Mengers. The first female "super agent," Mengers was known for her wit, charm, dinner parties and affinity for marijuana. We can hardly wait! Isn’t getting baked with Bette on everyone’s Broadway bucket list? 


We’re Kind of a Big Deal…On YouTube
You like us; you really like us! Well, like us or not, you're definitely watching. This week, the official Broadway.com YouTube channel reached over 10 million video views. We are so honored. We really have to thank theater geeks everywhere that have continually watched clips of Sutton dancing with sailors, Susan Blackwell licking Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff, Aaron Tveit bringing his Next to Normal smolder to the recording studio and Darren Criss doing…anything. Keep tuning in for more exclusive footage of your favorite divas, hunks and the adorable, lovable and always humble Broadway.com reporters.