HIGHLIGHTS: Broadway Backwards 2013

Monday night I attended Broadway Backwards, the annual benefit show by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which was wonderfully led by Tony Sheldon and my pal Jim Brochu, who played lonely older gay men looking for love in a world where most of their peers are gone due to AIDS. (Brochu was really looking, Sheldon was in denial and still mourning his late partner from 20 years earlier.) Broadway Backwards features show tune standards performed by the opposite gender for whom they were written. From the producers:

Broadway Backwards, the once-a-year celebration of the LGBT community, brought down the house March 18, 2013, while raising a record-setting $347,060 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. The sold-out show left the audience cheering after unforgettable performances by an array of Broadway's best, including Brian Stokes Mitchell, Karen Ziemba, Josh Young, Stephanie J. Block, Anthony Warlow and Tituss Burgess, who delivered a stirring recreation from Dreamgirls.  This year's show included a recurring story about a man on a personal journey, ultimately finding love in an unexpected place. Featured throughout the show were Tony nominee Tony Sheldon and Jim Brochu.

The running gag between Sheldon and Brochu was in their greetings to each other in every scene.  Eve. Margot. Endora. Hagatha.  And so on. Tituss Burgess (30 Rock's D'Fwan and The Little Mermaid's original Sebastian) indeed brought down the house with his Effie White and I was lucky enough to gush to him in person after the show.  The full show should be available soon on DVD and I'll let you know when. The previous three years of Broadway Backwards are on sale here.

Jim Brochu Wins Drama Desk Award

JMG reader Jim Brochu won the Drama Desk Award last night for Outstanding Solo Performance for his stunning turn as Zero Mostel in the one-man show, Zero Hour. At the podium, Jim thanked his husband of 25 years, Steve Schalchlin (also a JMG reader!) Congrats to both! Watch Jim's funny and touching speech below.

RELATED: Other winners are here. Of note: The cast of The Temperamentals (the play about the formation of the Mattachine Society) won Best Ensemble. La Cage Aux Folles won Best Revival.

Jim Brochu Rings NASDAQ Closing Bell

Yesterday JMG reader Jim Brochu rang the closing bell at NASDAQ in recognition of his critically raved performance in his Off Broadway one man show tribute to Zero Mostel, Zero Hour, which is now running at the DR2 Theater. Jim's partner, Steve Schalchlin, recently had his show New World Waking! performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Get tickets to Zero Hour here.

Broadway Friday

-Rocker Reeve Carney has been named as the title lead for Spider-Man: The Musical. The lavish but troubled $40M production is scheduled to open sometime next year. Music by Bono and the Edge.

-Green Day's American Idiot musical is headed for Broadway after this weekend's close of its Berkeley debut. No theater or opening date has been announced.

-Dame Edna and Micheal Feinstein roped reporters into the oldest trick in the book - a staged celebrity feud - over their Broadway dueling shows with the same title, All About Me. Feinstein: "Titles are not copyrightable. I wish Ms. Edna well. I’ve heard of her." Dame Edna: "I’m sure Mrs. Feinstein is very proud of her son."

-Cheyenne Jackson is receiving rave reviews for his leading performance in Finian's Rainbow. Jackson, who debuted on 30 Rock last night, says he'd like to play Rock Hudson in a biopic about the late closeted star.

-"April Nixon, Jack Noseworthy, Marty Thomas, Lillias White, and Alyson Williams will perform at the launch party for Gay Life NYC, a non-profit AIDS Health Resources website. The event will be held at Splash Bar on Monday, November 16 at 11pm."

-Denzel Washington returns to Broadway this spring for a revival of August Wilson's Fences in the role originated 22 years ago by James Earl Jones.

-Friend of JMG: Jim Brochu opens his Ovation Award winning one-man show about Zero Mostel, Zero Hour, at St. Clement's Theatre this weekend. Highly recommended! Get tickets here. Limited engagement Nov.14th - Jan.31st.

Broadway Friday

- Spider-Man: The Musical, the most expensive spectacular in Broadway history, is in trouble. The NYT reports that opening day has been put on hold and that stars Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood have been released from their contracts. Producers insist the show will open as planned on February 25th once "cash flow problems have been resolved."

- Equity is looking into the case of the casting director who tweeted nasty comments during the auditions for The Gay Bride Of Frankenstein. Tony winner Marc Shaiman says he's appalled. A second audition has been scheduled to make up for it.

- My pal Jim Brochu (right) brings his one-man show about Zero Mostel, Zero Hour, to Off-Broadway for a limited run at the St. Clement's Theatre from November 14th - January 31st. The show will be directed by three-time Oscar nominee Piper Laurie and was cowritten by longtime JMG reader Steve Schalchlin, Brochu's husband.

- Martin McDonaugh's newest play, A Behanding In Spokane, is slated to open on Broadway in March. Chris Rock is in talks to headline.

- Sammy, the Broadway-bound musical about the life of Sammy Davis Jr., will see its world premier at San Diego's Old Globe on September 19th. Tony nominee Obba Babatunde headlines.