The Broadway Show League begins playoffs July 18 and like a good Tony Awards night, who will take home the trophies is up for grabs. The first matches of the day, beginning on the Heckscher Fields at 10:45 AM, will set Into the Woods against Sweet Smell of Success, Thoroughly Modern Millie against Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! against Urinetown and The Goat/The Elephant Man against Aida.
From there, the scheduling becomes more complex with results from the 10:45 AM matches deciding who will play whom in the noon, 1:45 PM and 3 PM leagues. For futher information, visit http://Broadwayshowleague.com/2002%20Playoffs%20Wk.%201.htm.
Currently, The Producers is undefeated in their league, as is the Actor's Equity Association team. The Lion King leads their league with 7 wins and 1 loss.
In 2001, The Producers took home the Show Champions trophy, while the Shubert Organization were the Broadway champs. Bells Are Ringing won the consolation tournament.
2002 marks the 47th season of the Broadway Softball League, founded by John Effrat of the Actor's Fund. Each year, currently running Broadway shows and other theatrical organization linked to Broadway are eligible to play Thursdays from 11 AM on at the Heckscher Softball Fields in Central Park. Michelob Light, sponsoring the League in 2001, donated $50,000 to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids for the honor. The Heckscher Softball Fields are located at 63rd and Central Park West. The Broadway Show League is on the web at http://www.broadwayshowleague.com.
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The Broadway Show League held their annual All-Star game July 11. Instead of pitting the American League vs. the National League, the Plays battled against Musicals with Plays coming out on top, winning with 8 runs to Musical's 4. Celeb players included Oklahoma's Patrick Wilson in the outfield and Shuler Hensley as an alternate on the mound, pitcher Hunter Foster of Urinetown and Into the Woods' Adam Wylie at second base.
Jeremy Breisel of Playwrights Horizons received the MVP Award, named in honor of Steve Mercado, a firefighter who played on Les Miserables' team and was lost in the World Trade Center disaster.
