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

[matt]

While the world implodes around us, the COMMUNITY AGITATOR in CHIEF, stuffs his pie hole with ice cream, golfs non-stop, parades entertainment into the Whitehouse non-stop, and then has the balls to tell Americans," Hey, unemplyment could be at 15%!" Suck it up Sheeple!

[Eric]

It is like the JFK Camelot days. The major difference is that the US economy is suffering. When JFK lived it up, their was great hope and people were working. Today we are in the middle of what could be a double dip or even quad dip recession. The US GDP and unemployment are so deep. When I see Washington living it up and the President living like he doesn't have a care in the world, it hurts me. I bet the 2 years that follow November will put a lot more gray hairs on his head. The democrats are all going to pay for his JFK lifestyle.

[David Smith]

What a moron...does even have a clue how insensitive he is. People are losing their homes and jobs and this jerk and his old lady have gala's. He must be happy about something maybe it’s his success at destroying the country.

[Jeff]

10% unemployment, oil trashing the Gulf and Barrack Obama ends his vacation, and hosts another party! My, oh, my!

The life of an affirmative action prez.

Can you imagine a Republican prez being able to pull this off? She'd/he'd be crucified by leftist media.

[Scarface]

Patriots:

We must boycott this broadcast to send a message to these free spending party goers and their rump swabs.... we will stand for this no longer!!!!!

[optiimist]

It is a slap in the face of those who are unemployed for the president to spend money on lavish parties. This past weekend, we paid for their dog to fly to Maine on a flight different from their own flight.

Can you all say "Gone in 2012?"

[Kevin]

Entertainer and chief

[Jeff]

I love the Arts and I'm all for art and humanity AND I'm ALL against this egomaniac Obama and his suck-up elitist buddies.

The Proletariat will RISE.

[JCKnows]

Nero Fiddles on while Rome burns.

[Juliana Leblanc]

Umm---- the ENTIRE show will be LIVE streamed on 7;00ET on whitehouse websit.

[Aunt Bee]

As Rome burns ....

[Sean patriot]

Yeah, there's another party there alright, The Communist Party

[Joseph Cabadas]

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...

Guess again. Yes We Can! And Yes We Will Criticize a guy who is out of touch with the economic reality of the nation.

Best Regards from Michigan, the nation's highest unemployment state.

J. Cabadas

[Elrod McLish]

It's about time the Obamas can let their hair down and enjoy a break. Not like Bus, who was in Texas (that great state of culture) all of the time.

[Dave Meute]

Meanwhile, community theatres and other non-profit arts organizations across the country are being forced by the ongoing (and worsening?) recession to close their doors or significantl;y scale back their programs. This WH and its allies in Congress need to come back to the center and truly work with the minority to get our economy back on a growth track. Peeling off one "Republican" vote now and then is not bipartisanship. With all due respect, the exorbitant and frequent parties and vacations can't help but leave us ordinary hard-working citizens thinking of the legend of emperor Nero "fiddling" while Rome burned.

[Captnron]

Nero plays while Rome burns….what a joke. The lunatics have taken over the asylum

[Rowdy Boots]

Yes, the arts do matter.

Except for the fact that only politically correct artists get money from the NEA.

In Philadelphia, the same husband and wife team has scored millions over the past 25 years for their politically correct theatre-Wilma--three blocks from City Hall--one of the historically corrupt City Halls in the country.

I, as a producer of theatre (and Conservative) have to compete with the NEA to earn a living. This is a travesty of justice.

Why is the taxpayer, you, funding an industry that creates hundreds of millions for a slight few actors, producers and others, while producing billions for film makers?

ONLY ONE ANSWER: AMERICAN DO NOT CARE HOW THEIR MONEY IS SPENT AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THEIR LOUSY ENTERTAINMENT.

KILL THE NEA AND ALLOW MY COMPANY TO COMPETE FREELY.

ROWDY BOOTS

[jopiper]

Gawd! We are a country of saps. How could so many people have been deceived by this... this... no word exists. I thought he would be bad, but I too was fooled. He is WAY worse than bad.

[Covert Koala]

It's good to be the king! Keep fiddling Obama while the rest of country burns.

[Justanaverageamerican]

No need to criticize Obama for his "evening at the Arts". The man is tired.
All average Americans know that flying on your personal plane and back to your vacation destination, having to wait for your dog who was flown on a separate plane, having someone pack/unpack for you, having to get in the back seat of you limo, listening to your wife complain about something, kids wanting ice cream....well, these things are tiring.
So let him enjoy the music (while America declines).