Broadway Friday

-The economy is taking its toll on Broadway with nine shows already closed in the new year, including Hairspray, Grease, Boeing-Boeing, Young Frankenstein, Spamalot, and 13. Seven more shows are slated to close by the end of February.

-Gavin Creel will star in the revival of Hair, set to open March 6th at the Al Hirschfeld.

-Bradford Louryk will star in Christine Jorgensen Reveals as the story of America's most famous transsexual returns to Off-Broadway at the Lion's Pub Theatre on February 26th. Via Playbill:

In the production, according to press notes, Louryk "morphs his six-foot frame into a completely convincing demure woman of the 1950s who stands no taller than 5-foot-6-inches in a size ten suit draped over an extremely petite 120-pound figure." Louryk lip-synchs Jorgensen's only recorded interview; his performance "is a one-man-tour-de-force-paintakingly-acurate-reincarnation of those searing and revolutionary 51 minutes."

-On Monday night the four North American casts of Wicked will give simultaneous performances of Defying Inequality which will "feature musical performances that support Wicked's theme of acceptance and illuminate the musical’s message that people should not be judged on first impressions." The shows benefit Empire State Pride Agenda, Garden State Equality, Equality California, and Vermont Freedom To Marry. The shows take place in NYC, Chicago, LA, and Louisville.

-Broadway Backwards, the gay gay gay tribute to show tunes in which performers sing songs written for the opposing gender, takes place Monday, February 9th at the American Airlines Theatre.

The show benefits the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. The event's creator, Robert Bartley, will direct. John Kander and Terrence McNally will serve as co-chairs. Confirmed performers for the event are Mario Cantone, Alan Cumming, Gina Gershon, Whoopi Goldberg, Aaron Lazar, Megan Mullally, Becki Newton, Jai Rodriguez, Christopher Sieber, John Tartaglia, Marty Thomas, and Michael Urie. Additional performers will be named in the coming weeks.

Tickets are $75-$250 and benefit the NYC LGBT Center. Get tickets here. I went last year and it was FANTASTIC.