The Sept. 3 conference — held at Manhattan's Cyber Café on West 49th Street — will kick off the largest internet marketing campaign in Broadway history, which will include an e-mail blast to over three million people. That day, tickets for the Broadway musical set in a London club called Taboo will go on sale as well. The cyber event, scheduled from 11 AM to 1 PM will allow O'Donnell and Boy George to meet the online media and discuss the show's online outreach. The conference will also include an on-line fan chat to be hosted by WPLJ's Race Taylor.
In a statement, former talk-show host O'Donnell said, "I love the web. I live on the web. I surf the web. My show is on the web.” Taboo's associate producer Daniel McDonald added, “The Internet enables us to get news and information about Taboo directly to consumers and create a dynamic relationship with the show's fans. Our strategy also recognizes the importance of the Internet as a sales channel for theatre tickets.”
Those sites participating in the event include AOL.com, Rolling Stone.com, WPLJ.com, Planetout.com, Advocate/Out.com, Gay.com, Rosie.com, VillageVoice.com, TimeOutNY.com, PaperMag.com, TheatreMania.com, NewYorkMagazine.com, Playbill.com, NJ.com, NYPost.com, NYTimes.com, Newsday.com, WSJ.com, the newsmarket.com, AmericanExpress.com and Telecharge.com.
Taboo begins performances at the Plymouth Theatre Oct. 24 with an official opening scheduled for Nov. 13. The box office at the Plymouth will open Sept. 22.
The cast of Taboo features Sarah Uriarte Berry, Raúl Esparza, Liz McCartney, Euan Morton (as Boy George), George O’Dowd (as Leigh Bowery) and Cary Shields. The company comprises Jennifer Cody, Dioni Michelle Collins, Brooke Elliott, Lisa Gajda, Bob Gaynor, Curtis Holbrook, Lori Holmes, Jennifer Mrozik, Nathan Peck, Alexander Quiroga, Asa Somers, Denise Summerford, Jody Reynard, James Tabeek and Gregory Treco. Christopher Renshaw directs the musical, which began life at London’s Venue in January 2002. That production played its final performance April 26. Mark Dendy will choreograph the Broadway mounting, and the remainder of the creative team comprises John McDaniel (musical supervision), Tim Goodchild (scenic design), Mike Nicholls and Bobby Pearce (costume design), Natasha Katz (lighting design), Jonathan Deans (sound design) and make-up and hair design (Christine Bateman). Charles Busch has written a new book for the Broadway production based on material by Mark Davies.
Set in London in the early eighties, Taboo focuses on two young men: anarchic performance artist-designer Leigh Bowery and a young, rough-edged boy who becomes a surprising crossover star, Boy George. The stories of Bowery and George are told against the background of the London club Taboo.
The Plymouth Theatre is located at 236 West 45th Street. Tickets, priced between $80 and $100, will be available through Telecharge, (212) 239-6200. For more information about the musical, visit www.tabooonbroadway.com.
