The Music Man Previews: April 5th 2000 Opened: April 27th 2000
Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd St. (212-307-4100), 800-755-4000. $40-$90. Tue-Sat 8 PM; Wed, Sat 2 PM; Sun 3 PM. 2 Hours 50 min. Susan Stroman is Director and Choreographer.  Eric McCormack is Harold Hill and Rebecca Luker as Marian the Librarian. Also casted: Max Casella, Paul Benedict and Ruth Williamson. The original 1957 production ran 173 weeks and won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Sleepy River City Iowa residents meet the charming con man Harold Hill who sings and dances his way into the lives of these country folk.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Opened April 8th 2001
Royale Theatre, 242 W. 45th St., Between Broadway and 8th Ave. (212-239-6200). $30 - $75. Tue-Sat 8 PM; Wed, Sat 2:30 PM;  Sun 3 PM; This play is based on Ken Kesey's novel about an inmate of a mental institution and the struggles and rebellion he has with Nurse Ratched and institutional authority. Directed by Terry Kinney. Starring Gary Sinise and Amy Morton. This Steppenwolf Theater Company's new production of the play by Dale Wasserman, originally opened at the Cort Theatre in 1963 and had starred Kirk Douglas, Joan Tetzel, Ed Ames, William Daniels, and Gene Wilder.
Won 2001 TONY Award for Best Revival of a Play.

The Phantom of the Opera Opened January 26th 1988
Majestic Theater, 247 W. 44th St., Between Broadway and 8th Ave. (212-239-6200). $20 - $80. Mon-Sat 8 PM; Wed, Sat 2 PM;  2 hrs. 30 min. One intermission. Polydor, original London Cast Album. Gaston Leroux's novel, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical set in 19th century Paris. Romance - novel operetta. 11 years running. Directed by Harold Prince. Howard McGillin - 11th Phantom.

The Producers Opened April 19th 2001
St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St., Between Broadway and 8th Ave. (212-239-6200). $30 - $90. Tue-Fri 8 PM; Sat 2 PM; Sun 2 & 7:30 PM;  Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane star in this musical comedy which was a film originally written and produced by Mel Brooks in 1968 (starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel). Director and Choreographer: Susan Stroman. Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks. A downtrodden theatrical producer and his accountant scheme to raise extra cash for a Broadway flop and plan to split the difference.
"The Producers" was the winner of 12 TONY Awards in 2001; Most ever since "Hello, Dolly!" (which won 10 TONY Awards in 1964).  Most ever TONY Award nominations, 15, since "Company" in 1971. Awards included for 2001 - Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor for Nathan Lane, Best Direction of a Musical for Susan Stroman, Best Choreography for a Musical for Susan Stroman (She won that award last year, "Contact", ranking her with Bob Fosse and Tommy Tune for consecutive year choreography winner in the history of Broadway), Best Performance by a Featured Actor for Gary Beach, Best Original Score for Mel Brooks, Best Book for Mel Brooks, Best Scenic Design for Robin Wagner, Best Costumes for William Ivey Long, Best Lighting for Peter Kaczorowski, Best Orchestrations for Doug Bestermen, Best Performance by a Featured Actress for Cady Huffman. Most ever tickets sold the day after it opened on Broadway, 3 Million dollars worth.

Proof Opened October 24th 2000
Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 West 48th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue.  (212-239-6200). $24 - $69. Mon-Sat 8 PM; Wed, Sat 2 PM;  Sun 3 PM; Produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Mary-Louise Parker plays the lead in a new play about a young woman, her sister, her Father and a new suitor. The grad attempts to find the truth behind a lost mysterious mathematical proof. Directed by Daniel Sullivan. Lighting Pat Collins, Settings John Lee Beatty, Jess Goldstein does the costumes, and the sound by John Gromada. Also starring Larry Bryggman, Johanna Day and Ben Shenkman.
2001 TONY Award for Best Play. Daniel Sullivan won 2001 for TONY Best Direction of a play. Mary-Louise Parker won 2001 TONY for Best leading actress of a play.

Rent Opened April 29th 1996
Nederlander Theatre, 208 W. 41st. St. Between 7th and 8th Ave. (212-307-4100).$35-$80. Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 PM; Sat 2, 8 PM, Sun 2, 7 PM. 2 Hours 45 min. One intermission. Dream Works Records cast album. Based on Puccini's La Boheme, rock musical tragedy. Set in Lower East Side. Directed by Michael Greif.

Riverdance Opened March 16th 2000
Gershwin Theatre, 222 W. 51st St. Between Broadway and 8th Ave. (212-307-4100), $25-$80.  Tue-Sat 8 PM; Wed, Sat 2 PM; Sun 3 PM; 2 Hours 35 min. One Intermission. 80 members of Traditional Irish dancing, singing and music with the voice of Liam Neeson.