Obamas find a way to do Broadway at home, hosting star-studded PBS taping [Updated]

During the administration of President George W. Bush, news that Tony was to be heavily represented at a fete in the East Room of the White House would have suggested a British theme to the evening, with emissaries of then-Prime Minister Blair in attendance.

Times have changed. On Monday, the dignitaries hosted by President and Mrs. Obama will bring their regards from Broadway, not 10 Downing Street, while sharing talents that collectively have won them 11 Tony Awards.

The public is invited to watch -- eventually -- on "A Broadway Celebration," which will be taped for broadcast Oct. 20 as an installment in the PBS series, "In Performance at the White House."

The Tony-winning performers are actor-singers Nathan Lane (two Tonys), Audra McDonald (four Tonys), Idina Menzel, Tonya Pinkins and Karen Olivo (one each, for "Wicked," "Jelly's Last Jam" and "West Side Story," respectively), and pianist Marvin Hamlisch, a Tony winner for his score to "A Chorus Line." Working behind the scenes is Jerry Mitchell, Tony-winning choreographer (for the 2004 revival of "La Cage aux Folles"), who will guide 20 Washington, D.C., dance students in a segment from "Hairspray," another show he choreographed.

Also performing are Brian d'Arcy James ("Shrek: The Musical"), Chad Kimball ("Memphis") and Assata Alston, a 12-year-old from Queens, N.Y., who recently debuted at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

[Update: The White House announced Friday that Elaine Stritch and "Hairspray" veterans Danielle Arci and Constantine Rousouli have been added to the show; Stritch is a Tony winner (for her one-woman show, "Elaine Stritch at Liberty"), bringing the ensemble's collective career Tony haul to 12.]

Presumably, critics who slammed the president and first lady last year for wasting taxpayer money when they flew to New York for dinner and a Broadway show (August Wilson's drama "Joe Turner's Come and Gone") won't complain about Broadway coming to them. Obama-watchers can catch the president's show-opening remarks live on Monday at 4 p.m. Pacific on the Internet at www.whitehouse.gov, but the public will have to wait until October for the performances.

As for those who got their hopes up when we mentioned a British theme in the East Room, PBS will oblige July 28 with the next "In Performance at the White House" broadcast, starring Paul McCartney with guests Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Jonas Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl, Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris, Lang Lang and Jack White. The show, celebrating Sir Paul's receiving this year's Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, was taped in the East Room on June 2.

-- Mike Boehm

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Photos: Nathan Lane in "The Producers"; the Obamas, dressed for a Broadway night out, walk on the White House lawn in 2009 en route to the presidential helicopter for first leg of their controversial trip to New York. Credits: Tina Fineberg / AP (Lane); Aude Guerrucci / Bloomberg News (Obamas).

Comments

[Michael Corleone]

Yet another fun filled time in Barry's house. Crisis be damned!

[Matt]

How Sweet, the unwashed unemployed masses are to feel complimented and privileged for getting an inside view of the party (right after the 7th vacation in a year and half) they THEY are paying for. How Quaint, Let them eat cake.

[SubjectofUSSA]

Good to see he's not doing any work these days. It's a lot better for the entire country when President Zero is missing in action.

[Dutra]

Hey people, it's just one long party.

[don pierson]

My kind of living, just back from vacation and now we need a break for another party. I would like to see the bill for all these parties the taxpayer has to pay for. One last thing please stop spending taxpayer money for fundraising trips. Most do not support the people for which the trip is planned.

[J. Nile Ambinder]

Obama has already lost whatever interest he had in being president.

He has spent 241 hours golfing..........5 weeks work.

Countless hours watching baseball and basketball games.

Dozens of nights sitting in the fron row for freebie concerts in and out of the White House.

Basically, Obama is a lazy person that got a job he did not expect to get and is now running out the clock so he can move on.

He will not run in 2012.

He found out its an actual job and wants no part of it.

[Helpful Field of Grass]

Does anyone know how much this is going to cost American Tax Payers?

[Buck N Farack]

Nero Fiddles ....

[Ben D.]

All the golf, the vacations, the jets, the dinners, the parties, and now this. It just looks bad.

[John Smith]

Perhaps the President knows the money and the credit are gone. So he is gonna party until he and the missus has to take that quick mid-night flight to Buneas Aires with a couple of Hundred Billion tucked in that funny looking handbag the missus is carrying. Oh, the kids will be on a seperate flight. Of course they pre-arranged sanctuary. "Good Bye, America, and thanks for all the money.."

[Neo Noircat]

Obama should changes his name--to NERO, the Emperor of Rome who fiddled while the city burned.

What a lazy, self-absorbed bum.

[Randall Kingston]

The US is crumbling economically, a nation-destroying, cancerous national debt is growing out of control, unemployment raging, two huge wars taking thousands of lives and billions in resources, a huge oil disaster off our coast, the enemies of the western world are getting stronger and what are our visions of our President?
Either golfing, on vacation, having a party in the White House or another TV interview.
History repeats itself...Nero is fiddling while Rome burns.

We do need a new President and Congress.

[bob]

Does that clown ever work ?

[Art Drexler]

All the golf, the vacations, the jets, the parties, the dinners, the concerts, and now this. It just looks bad.

[Jake]

Doesn't this man have anything to do but play and live like a king while the rest of us see and live socialism creeping into our lives.

Everytime we go to a doctor we see a difference...to the worse!
Everytime we need a medical specialist....we see caution, and indecision, and delay!
Everytime we renew our health care insurance.....we see manifold increases and less care!
Everytime we pay taxes.....we see an increase!
Everytime we work our business....we see more regulation and hassle!
Everytime we read the news....we see more control and less freedom!
Everytime we go vote....we worry about clubs and black Panthers!

I can't wait for November!

I WILL VOTE FOR CHANGE! BACK TO COMMON SENSE!

[steve]

While the country burns the Obama's party...

[ValJean Bethke]

Yes, Yes. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

[NHSparky]

I guess if they can't go to NYC for a "date night", us little people might not notice if they bring NYC to them. BTW--didn't they just have a vacation in Maine over the weekend?

[ValJean Bethke]

So if a liberal progressive moderator reads this comment and doesn't like it. It will not get posted. How's that for free speech?

[Robert Rodriguez]

What a waste! This is just more and more on the pile of reasons the revolution is coming.