Michael Riedel

Michael Riedel

Theater

Cyndi Lauper to Carole King: Go see your show

Cyndi Lauper knows a thing or two about Broadway. She won a Tony for her score to “Kinky Boots,” and Sunday night picked up a Grammy for it as well.

So when she gives Carole King advice about navigating the Great White Way, King should listen. And Lauper’s advice was this: “Go see your show!”

That show is “Beautiful,” which deals with the breakup of King’s marriage to Gerry Goffin. Nearly 50 years later, sources say, she still finds that period of her life painful, and refuses to see it.

The producers of “Beautiful” — including her daughter Sherry Goffin Kondor — begged her to attend the opening of the show, if only to appear onstage after the performance to congratulate the cast.

No dice. While her daughter was celebrating with Woody Allen, Clive Davis, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, King was holed up at her Idaho ranch.

But backstage at the Grammys Sunday night, Lauper told her it’s time to enter the fray. Sources say she even offered to attend the show with her so she’ll have a shoulder to cry on.

Lauper knows how the Broadway game is played, having learned from the theater world’s best political operator, Harvey Fierstein, who wrote the book to “Kinky Boots.” Fierstein escorted Lauper all over town last spring, charming everybody who had a Tony vote. The result: “Kinky Boots” crushed “Matilda,” picking up the all-important Best Musical award.

King is never going to be as outgoing as they were, but she’ll have to be on the scene at some point to keep her show above the fray.

Despite mixed reviews, “Beautiful” is doing fine at the box office, with weekly grosses of nearly $900,000. King’s Grammy appearance boosted ticket sales, and the show continues to generate strong word of mouth. But come spring, “Beautiful” is going to face some steep competition from a raft of new shows, including “If/Then,” “Rocky” and “Bullets Over Broadway.” And that’s when it’s going to need King’s help.

The producers of “Beautiful” are starting to gently pressure her to help out the home team. While it’s likely to be nominated for Best Musical, winning that award won’t be easy. The best shot it has for a Tony is its star, the terrific Jessie Mueller. The producers’ dream is to have Mueller and King on the Tony circuit together in the spring. And if they sing together on such shows as “The View” and “Today,” you can bet “Beautiful” will join the $1 million-a-week club.

It’s yours for the asking, Carole. So listen to Cyndi. And if you do go with her to the show, I’ll come along as well. You can cry on my shoulder when Goffin leaves you, and I’ll cry on yours when Mueller sings “So Far Away.”


I got some snippy e-mails from a couple of agents who represent the children in “Matilda.” The agents were upset that I named the kids in my column last week about associate director Tom Caruso’s alleged bullying backstage. Dave Doan of CESD talent agency and Dave McKeown of Shirley Grant Management said I was “disgusting” and “insensitive” because I “publicly humiliated” the children.

Listen up, bozos: The kids are on Broadway. They’re seeking the limelight. It wasn’t all fun and games for Shirley Temple, either.

My question for Dave and Dave is: Why did you allow this situation to fester until it came to my attention? Did you simply look the other way and collect your 10 percent?