Heathers: The Musical

I was looking through Entertainment Weekly's news stories online when I came across the most awesome theater news I've heard in awhile: a musical version of Heathers.

It gets better. In the table reads they're already doing, guess who's stepping in for Winona Ryder? None other than Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell.

Now, I don't mean to hype this too much. Kristen Bell will only actually follow the role to Broadway if her schedule allows it, and since she's only a few movies away from superstardom, that could be unlikely.

But come on, who doesn't want to see songs about faking suicide notes and poisoning your classmates with drano? And with the writers of Reefer Madness behind it, I'm sure the show will do the movie justice.

On the other hand, I'm starting to worry about Iron Man 2. With the announcement that Scarlett Johansson has now been cast, the cast now stands at: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, and now ScarJo. Is this going to be the next Spider-Man 3? Or will the others know to stay out of Robert Downey Jr.'s way? We can only hope.

Guys and Dolls Makes Nice Musical Nostalgia

A few weeks ago, I caught the new revival of Guys and Dolls on its last day of previews. Now, I'm no theater critic, as should be obvious by my disagreeing with the mostly negative reviews the show has gotten. Is it one of the best productions of Guys and Dolls ever done? Of course not. But that doesn't keep it from being thoroughly entertaining from start to end.

You see, unlike many recent revivals, Guys and Dolls doesn't do much to try to spice up its source (don't expect any actors playing instruments a la Sweeney Todd). But when it comes to a classic like Guys and Dolls, I'd say that's a good thing. Having grown up listening to all of the show's many famous songs, I had the pleasure of reexperiencing music I hadn't thought about in years. And I'm sure as a kid I didn't realize just how funny the show is, which needed no modernization to keep getting laughs.

Of course, what makes this revival of particular interest is the Broadway debut of Lauren Graham, perhaps better known as Lorelai Gilmore. If you're going just to see her, you won't be disappointed. With her known comic timing and unexpectedly good voice, she's one of the show's stand-outs. Craig Bierko as well brings the charm and charisma necessary for Sky Masterson.

I wish I could say the same for Oliver Platt as Nathan Detroit, who's always on theatrical mode and never seems quite comfortable in the part. And a computerized backdrop was definitely a bad idea. But Guys and Dolls is the kind of classic worth revisiting from time to time, and this revival makes a great argument for doing so.