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James Sims
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James Sims is an entertainment industry reporter and opinionated critic, currently based out of New York City. He works as a Senior Editor at BroadwayWorld.com and cultural critic on his own website SofaSnark.com. His digital media work can be viewed at SimsScoop.com. James previously worked for the Hollywood Reporter and "The Insider" on CBS.

Blog Entries by James Sims

Glee Teaches Bob Geldof a Lesson in Charity Work

1 Comments | Posted December 14, 2011 | 12:50:30 (EST)

Watching this week's episode of "Glee" and seeing its rendition of the classic '80s charity song, "Do They Know It's Christmas," brought to mind the debacle that was Bob Geldof's last attempt at re-creating his Band Aid group.

For those that grew up without access to MTV, VH1, or...

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Broadway's Fall Season Full of A-Listers, on Stage and Off

Posted September 20, 2011 | 17:31:11 (EST)

Looking around the Broadway scene these past few months, it appeared as though musicals were the only fare in town. But with the fall season approaching, straight plays are headed back to Times Square, and they've got a big list of stars in tow.

Some of the A-list talents headed...

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2011 Tony Awards Predictions

Posted June 9, 2011 | 01:09:41 (EST)

Tony Awards
It's that time of year again.  The Tony Awards are nearly upon the Broadway community, although this time they moved a bit uptown, to the Beacon Theatre. While the ceremony won't be in the grand Radio City Music Hall, the...
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Musicalizing Broadway's Catch Me If You Can With Shaiman and Wittman

Posted May 24, 2011 | 15:58:03 (EST)

During a recent performance of Broadway's new musical, Catch Me If You Can, audiences were treated to a special guest appearance, although it's likely that nobody watching the show had any idea who was stepping into a role for a one-night stint. As a handful of ensemble cast members situated...

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Nick Adams Keeps on the Drag for Broadway's Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Posted April 29, 2011 | 19:13:59 (EST)

As Nick Adams left the stage following a matinee performance of Broadway's La Cage aux Folles last year, he headed to his dressing room and discovered a voicemail message from his agent. He looked at one of his co-stars and said that he knew exactly what the message said. It...

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Peter Pan Crows Again With Disney Magic, Off-Broadway

Posted March 11, 2011 | 17:30:55 (EST)

Red hair. Green tights. Cap and feather. It's a getup every child could recognize and quickly pick out as belonging to Peter Pan, that mischievous youth that never seems to grow up. He might be an English character, penned by a Scottish writer, but Peter Pan embodies a timeless personality,...

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Ben Vereen Reflects on His Career Before Playing the Town Hall

Posted February 3, 2011 | 16:54:28 (EST)

It seems almost fitting that Ben Vereen's performance debut at New York's The Town Hall is taking place as lawmakers in Washington are debating the issue of federally funded arts programs. The stage veteran isn't just known for his legendary performances, but also a continuing effort to raise...

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The Future of Playbills Rests in the iPad

Posted January 7, 2011 | 13:41:22 (EST)

Publishers might be the ones mulling over the future of digital publishing, but the Broadway community has an opportunity take advantage of the new wave of digital consumption created by Apple's iPad. While 2010 might have been considered the "year of the tablet computer," -- Apple's iPad was the big...

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Sheryl Lee's Mind Blown by Twin Peaks Reunion on Psych

Posted December 1, 2010 | 16:20:45 (EST)

Actress Sheryl Lee hasn't watched an episode of Twin Peaks in two decades, yet despite her hesitation to revisit the David Lynch creation that turned her into a cult celebrity, she recently went back to the world of dancing dwarves and cherry pie thanks to USA Network's Psych.

"There's a...

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Stand-up Comedy Is the Reality Television of Broadway

Posted November 26, 2010 | 15:35:09 (EST)

So, this colonialist walks into a pizza joint and battles wit with an imperialist. It's ancient history, broken down into bite-sized nuggets of comical notes, delivered to audiences by comedian Colin Quinn. Such is the premise of Long Story Short, the former SNL cast-member's current starring vehicle on Broadway. Funny?...

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Broadway Gets One Elf of a Christmas Present

Posted November 15, 2010 | 17:13:17 (EST)

The perennial harbinger of the holiday season has already descended on Rockefeller Center and Starbucks is handing out the coveted red and white cups, so it should come as no surprise that Broadway has rolled out the red carpet for some temporary holiday flare in the form of short-run musicals...

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Broadway's Merchant of Venice Re-Ignites My Jewish Identity Crisis

Posted November 4, 2010 | 17:34:53 (EST)

"Intermission at Broadway's The Merchant of Venice. This play always stirs feelings of hatred in me. As a Jew it's often hard to sit through." I Tweeted this thought last week while sitting in the Broadhurst Theater during a break in the Broadway revival of Shakespeare's play, starring...

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Warren Spector Animates Walt Disney's Creations in 'Epic Mickey'

Posted October 19, 2010 | 13:51:35 (EST)

"How often does a company offer up the most recognizable icon in the world to be developed as a character?" That's the question Warren Spector contemplated after the Walt Disney Company approached him to create a dark and mysterious video game featuring Mickey Mouse.

After years of work, including...

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Christina Ricci Talks Nerves About Broadway Debut

Posted October 8, 2010 | 16:43:11 (EST)

Hollywood stunt casting remains a hot topic around the Broadway community, but with ticket sales typically proving healthy for A-listers, there is little monetary incentive for a producer to avoid the stars. But the creator of Time Stands Still wants audiences to know that Christina Ricci, the latest movie star...

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Daniel Beaty's 'Chosen Schizophrenia' Drives His Solo Playwriting

Posted October 5, 2010 | 14:25:00 (EST)

"Are you asking me if I'm a control freak?" Daniel Beaty asks me as I question his decision to turn a once ensemble play into a solo work.

New York theater productions have a long history of traveling out of town, often to work out kinks, re-write a musical number,...

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Talking with Ken Davenport About Democratizing Broadway

Posted September 23, 2010 | 15:07:53 (EST)

Ken Davenport wants to democratize the mostly elite inner circle of Broadway producers, and he's attempting to stir things up by reaching out to everyone for help in getting a new musical funded through the concept of crowd sourcing. Meaning, he wants you to invest a few bucks in his...

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Watch: Broadway's Stephen Sondheim Theatre Turns on Its Lights

Posted September 16, 2010 | 16:10:30 (EST)

There was perhaps no better way to kickoff the latest Broadway season than to usher in a new era in Times Square with a celebration of the preeminent composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The creator of such classic musicals as Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music and A Funny Thing...

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From YouTube to Broadway, Colleen Ballinger Talks Miranda

Posted August 30, 2010 | 14:40:57 (EST)

Breaking into show business can be a monumental task for entertainers, but as sites like YouTube provide unknown creative types with an outlet, and millions of viewers, the road to stardom is quickly being repaved. Now, people like Justin Bieber can skyrocket to superstardom by creating a homemade video presence...

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Broadway Needs a New Orleans Love Letter from Harry Connick Jr.

Posted August 2, 2010 | 18:20:06 (EST)

One man. A 20-member band. A single piano. And a Broadway stage. Quite a potent combination when that man happens to be Harry Connick Jr. The smooth singing star wrapped up a short concert run at the Neil Simon Theater this past weekend, with cameras rolling for a future release.

...
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Disney Hurts Hand-Drawn Animation With Beauty and the Beast 3D

Posted July 27, 2010 | 12:50:27 (EST)

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, a film that set the standard for not just animation, but for the art of musical storytelling, garnered such critical praise in its initial theatrical release that it received multiple Academy Award nominations. Had Walt Disney been alive, he would have surely been proud --...

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