Remember when I predicted Betty Gilpin’s run in Oh, Mary! would be disastrous at the box office?  I’m not saying this is disastrous, but the show you couldn’t get a ticket to is currently running at about 86% capacity.  Sure, that’s still commendable, but it’s a precipitous drop.  With Titus Burgess coming in for three weeks starting on March 18^th, things should pick up a bit.  And then?  Cole Escola and the entire original cast return on April 8^th – which is a perfect time to remind Tony Award voters why this was such a hit in the first place.

By the by, Cole’s absence wasn’t the only one to adversely affect the Broadway box office.  Audra McDonald was out for five performances of Gypsy due to a death of husband Will Swenson’s father.  Predictably, the box office suffered with attendance dropping from 85% to 58%.  Ouch!  That was a loss of roughly $600K in revenue.  Someone better remember that when it’s time to renegotiate!

I want to give credit where it’s due.  When Audra was out of Gypsy, her standby Tryphena Wade went on, and had a great success of her own.  A spy sent us a video of her “Rose’s Turn”.  She makes it her own – helped, in no small part, but eliminating the awkward key transposition put in for Audra.  You can check her out on our website.

The return of the original cast of Oh, Mary! will obviously include Conrad Ricamora, who will once again slip into Abraham Lincoln’s britches (which I suspect they’d both enjoy immensely).  But before that, Connie and his hubby Pete Wesley dashed off to Gay Paree – which was gayer than ever, if their Instagram photos are to be believed.  Snaps from their sojourn by the Seine can be found on social media…or on BillyMasters.com.

I recently told you about the cancellation of the national tour of Finn, a children’s musical which began at The Kennedy Center.  There will be a special performance of the show on March 17^th at New York’s Town Hall.  Obviously original cast members will be performing alongside numerous luminaries, such as Andrea Martin, Andrew Rannells, Kelli O’Hara, Jessie Mueller, Lea Salonga, and even the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus – a group which was also banished from The Kennedy Center.  Not surprisingly, this evening has been spearheaded by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley along with Finn creators Chris Nee, Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond.  If you can’t make it in person, have no fear – the night will also be livestreamed as part of the fifth anniversary celebration of Stars in the House.  Obviously proceeds must be going to a good cause, right?  The beneficiary will be The Trevor Project.  You can watch and donate at StarsInTheHouse.com.

I missed the Carnegie Hall debut of Jinkx Monsoon, which took place on Valentine’s Day – a holiday I’m somewhat unfamiliar with…perhaps because it happens hot on the heels of my birthday.  Fun fact – I’ve had many, many beaus on my birthdays.  I’ve also had many, many beaus on Valentine’s Day.  But I’ve not had the same beau on both.  While you ponder that, let me tell you Jinkx at Carnegie Hall was a triumph.  I guess she practiced!