Broadway Friday

-Tony winner Christine Ebersole has been added to the cast of Rockers On Broadway: Salutes Motown, a benefit for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, which takes place on October 22th at B.B. Kings in Times Square. Others appearing include: Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard, and J. Robert Spencer, along with Darlene Love, Mickey Dolenz, Deborah Gibson, Will Chase, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tevin Campbell. Legendary Motown songwriters Holland/Dozier/Holland will also be there. The show will be hosted by Caroline Rhea.

-The possiblity of the work stoppage by the stagehands union remains unresolved, with negotiations at a standstill after the producers "final" offer was rejected. On Sunday, Broadway's musicians were told to begin taking their instruments home, in the event of a lock-out. As Broadway provides NYC with an estimated $5B in annual revenue, Mayor Bloomberg has offered to step into the negotiations, as he did in 2003 during the last strike.

-The film version of the long-running Off-Broadway musical Naked Boys Singing! opens today at the Quad Cinema in New York City, with upcoming engagements set for Los Angeles (October 19), Tempe, Arizona (November 9), Chicago (November 16), and Fort Lauderdale, Florida (November 23).

-The revival of Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner, begins previews today at the Richard Rodgers theatre.