Ritz Crack-Ups

All the latest on our favorite stories to make the leap from screen to stage and back again:

- And that, my friends, is what you call a farce. The above picture is from the new revival of The Ritz on Broadway. Here are more pictures of Rosie Perez and Kevin Chamberlin in character as Googie Gomez and Gaetano Proclo, and you can see more of the very tall Terrence Riordan in Brooks Ashmanskas' hilariously self-deprecating backstage video tour of the show, now playing at Club 54. In addition to the gorgeous three-story set (you've never seen a bathhouse look so good), you'll also see cast members Patrick Kerr (who you'll remember as nerdy Noel on Frasier), the fabulous Seth Rudetsky and the pornolicious Ryan Idol in all their hirsute 70's glory.

- And if you're into Hairy guys, here's some pics from the recent 40th anniversary concert performance of that flower powerful musical starring Spring Awakening cutie Jonathan Groff.

- If you missed my update last week, the MTV presentation of Legally Blonde - The Musical will now premiere on Saturday, October 13. Meanwhile, the hard-working sorority gals and legal eagles of the show recently won the first ever "Outstanding Broadway Chorus" award from Actor's Equity.

- Elsewhere, the most famous Chorus Line ever will soon hit the road in a national tour.

- Chaka Khan, Bebe Winans and American Idol's LaKisha Jones are the latest pop divas to join The Color Purple, although don't expect Chaka to stick around for long.

- Another "famous book set in the South and turned into a movie" is now also being turned into a stage musical. Are you ready for ... Gone With the Wind: The Musical?

- In this week's Grease: You're the One That I Want update: "Emotional Sandy" Ashley Anderson has joined The Wedding Singer tour and "Ambitious Danny" Chad Doreck talks about becoming one of the Altar Boyz.

Speaking of boy bands, here's news of a show-tune singing one that just may be the gayest thing ever (and I mean that as a good thing).

And speaking of reality shows, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, the British program that cast the lead in The Sound of Music, is heading to North America. Don't get too excited though: it will land in Canada.

- Maybe those rumors of a Brokeback Mountain musical weren't too far off after all: Brokeback ... the opera?

- Another tearjerker making the transfer from page to screen to stage: The Joy Luck Club will have their first meeting Off-Broadway.

- Xanadu sweetie Kerry Butler talks about Penny, Audrey, Ariel and Clio-slash-Kira.

- Are you grumpy, old and a man? Then you too can be on Broadway in the upcoming Grumpy Old Men: The Musical.

- On the gay icon front: the first Off-Broadway performance of Charles Busch's Die Mommie Die! will benefit Live Out Loud, which provides gay youth with mentors and role models. On the other coast, get a look at Harvey Fierstein in A Catered Affair, now playing in San Diego.

And on the "he's not gay, but we love him anyway" front: Bobby Cannavale stars in Mauritius on Broadway.

- From the cast of Young Frankenstein, meet Christopher Fitzgerald (who plays "the peculiar Igor"), Fred Applegate (the Lonely Hermit) and Andrea Martin (as Frau Blücher [horses whinny]) in exclusive video interviews over at Broadway.com.

- Chicago still sizzles, as this new internet ad campaign proves.

- Paint Your Wagon hits the trail back to Broadway.

- QueerSighted says it all in the title: "High School Musical Even Gayer on Stage (as if That Were Possible)".

- You can learn all about The Last Starfighter musical, now performing at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, or at least check out Danny Binstock, the hottie they cast in the lead. I'd like to see how he handles a joystick ...

- And finally: To all the Keanu Reeves fans who blasted me last week, check out this article on the soon to hit LA Point Break LIVE! to see that he is, in fact, dispensable.

Links via Broadway.com, Playbill.com, BravoTV.com, AfterElton.com and QueerSighted.com.