Names and faces

Arsenio Hall is eager to get back in the late-night talk show game, minus the big hair and shoulder pads that marked his initial foray nearly 20 years ago. Joking to the Television Critics Association in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Monday that he’s “been away making turkey bacon,” Hall said the challenges are much bigger now than when he was a pop-culture tastemaker on his old show that ran from 1989-94. Back then, there were fewer channels and Johnny Carson was the dominant late-night host of The Tonight Show. “It’s a huge challenge this time to bring people to the television,” Hall said. “Your biggest fan doesn’t watch you every night. You hope to get a guy three nights to check you out, the other nights they’ll be catching someone else.” Hall isn’t focused on going after fans of Jay Leno or Chelsea Handler, for example. “I’m trying to be in the game,” he said. “I just got to be better than one guy that’s there.” He offered few details on the format and style of the new Arsenio Hall Show other than the old theme song is coming back with the addition of a new bit of music that Hall wrote. Hall said no guests have yet been booked for the syndicated show debuting Sept. 9. More than 200 outlets have signed up to carry it.

The hit Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is losing its longtime superhero, but producers are holding open casting calls for anyone who wants to don the red and blue suit. Reeve Carney, who has been playing the musical’s title character and his alter ego Peter Parker since the show began previews in late 2010, is leaving Sept. 15, and two casting calls will be held to find his replacement as well as a future Mary Jane. The casting calls will be in New York on Aug. 19 at Stage 48 & Sky-Lounge and in Los Angeles on Aug. 12 at Hollywood United Methodist Church. Those auditioning are asked to sing a rock song a capella that shows their range. “Hopefuls should be males in their late teens to early 20s of any ethnicity. They must have a great rock singing voice. They can be nerdy with an understated sex appeal and a good sense of humor,” producers said in a statement Tuesday. Carney endured a turbulent musical inauguration with the show, withstanding six delays in its opening night, injuries to fellow actors, a shake-up that led to the firing of director Julie Taymor and critical drubbing. When the show finally opened, it quickly became one of Broadway’s biggest hits.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 07/31/2013

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