At the Post Office, Praying for Delivery

Victor Kerlow

Dear Diary:

On a recent Monday morning, I rush to the post office on Roosevelt Island to send a birthday card to a friend in Argentina.

Worried that the card might not arrive on time for her birthday, I asked the employee: “Sir, do you know how long it takes for the card to get there? My friend’s birthday is on Friday.”

He thinks a minute and responds very seriously, “Well, since the pope is an Argentine and if you believe in God, there will be a miracle and the card will get there on time.”

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‘Rocky’ Musical Is Heading to Broadway

Morris Mac Matzen A scene from “Rocky the Musical” in Germany.

The new stage musical “Rocky,” an adaptation of the Oscar-winning film about a streetwise boxer from Philadelphia, is coming to Broadway next year, with preview performances set to begin in February at the Winter Garden Theater, the lead producers announced on Sunday.

The show - conceived by Sylvester Stallone, who wrote and starred in the original “Rocky” - had its world premiere opening in Hamburg in November and received positive reviews from German theater critics for its gritty realism and inventively staged boxing sequences. That production cost about $20 million, a sum that included years of development expenses; the Broadway version is expected to cost about $15 million, according to Bill Taylor of Stage Entertainment USA, which is producing “Rocky” on Broadway with Mr. Stallone.

Mr. Taylor denied a New York Post report that the Broadway production could cost nearly $30 million, which would have made “Rocky” one of the most expensive musicals in history.

“Because we’ve done the show in Hamburg, we’re not doing an out-of-town run in the U.S., and the creation and design of ‘Rocky’ are already done,” he said. “I’m confident we’ll come in under $15 million.”

Mr. Taylor said that no actors had been chosen for Rocky, Adrian, Apollo Creed or other characters in the musical, which generally follows the plot of the first “Rocky” movie. Asked if the show’s director, Alex Timbers, might choose Benjamin Walker - the star of Mr. Timbers’s earlier Broadway musical, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” - to play Rocky, Mr. Taylor repeated that the casting process had yet to begin.

“The title has very high recognition, so I’m sure tourists will want to see it, but we wouldn’t bring it to New York if we didn’t think it would appeal to traditional theatergoers,” said Mr. Taylor, chief executive officer and producer of Stage Entertainment USA. “I’m aware that ‘Rocky’ might be perceived as an odd choice for a musical, and there will be some raised eyebrows, but I think what people see will not be what they are expecting.”

The Broadway production is expected to be fairly similar to the one in Hamburg, Mr. Taylor said, including the finale - Rocky’s climatic fight against Apollo in a regulation-size boxing ring - and the use of music from the movies, like Bill Conti’s theme music and “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Rocky” has an original score, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Tony Award winners for “Ragtime”); a book by Thomas Meehan (a Tony winner for “Annie,” “The Producers” and “Hairspray”); and direction by Mr. Timbers, whose latest show is the critically acclaimed musical “Here Lies Love” at the Public Theater. The choreographer for “Rocky” is Kelly Devine, while the fight choreography is by Steven Hoggett (“Once,” “Black Watch”).

The current tenant of the Winter Garden, the long-running musical “Mamma Mia!,” is moving later this year to another Broadway house, the Broadhurst, making way for “Rocky.”

‘Rocky’ Musical Is Heading to Broadway

Morris Mac Matzen A scene from “Rocky the Musical” in Germany.

The new stage musical “Rocky,” an adaptation of the Oscar-winning film about a streetwise boxer from Philadelphia, is coming to Broadway next year, with preview performances set to begin in February at the Winter Garden Theater, the lead producers announced on Sunday.

The show - conceived by Sylvester Stallone, who wrote and starred in the original “Rocky” - had its world premiere opening in Hamburg in November and received positive reviews from German theater critics for its gritty realism and inventively staged boxing sequences. That production cost about $20 million, a sum that included years of development expenses; the Broadway version is expected to cost about $15 million, according to Bill Taylor of Stage Entertainment USA, which is producing “Rocky” on Broadway with Mr. Stallone.

Mr. Taylor denied a New York Post report that the Broadway production could cost nearly $30 million, which would have made “Rocky” one of the most expensive musicals in history.

“Because we’ve done the show in Hamburg, we’re not doing an out-of-town run in the U.S., and the creation and design of ‘Rocky’ are already done,” he said. “I’m confident we’ll come in under $15 million.”

Mr. Taylor said that no actors had been chosen for Rocky, Adrian, Apollo Creed or other characters in the musical, which generally follows the plot of the first “Rocky” movie. Asked if the show’s director, Alex Timbers, might choose Benjamin Walker - the star of Mr. Timbers’s earlier Broadway musical, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” - to play Rocky, Mr. Taylor repeated that the casting process had yet to begin.

“The title has very high recognition, so I’m sure tourists will want to see it, but we wouldn’t bring it to New York if we didn’t think it would appeal to traditional theatergoers,” said Mr. Taylor, chief executive officer and producer of Stage Entertainment USA. “I’m aware that ‘Rocky’ might be perceived as an odd choice for a musical, and there will be some raised eyebrows, but I think what people see will not be what they are expecting.”

The Broadway production is expected to be fairly similar to the one in Hamburg, Mr. Taylor said, including the finale - Rocky’s climatic fight against Apollo in a regulation-size boxing ring - and the use of music from the movies, like Bill Conti’s theme music and “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Rocky” has an original score, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Tony Award winners for “Ragtime”); a book by Thomas Meehan (a Tony winner for “Annie,” “The Producers” and “Hairspray”); and direction by Mr. Timbers, whose latest show is the critically acclaimed musical “Here Lies Love” at the Public Theater. The choreographer for “Rocky” is Kelly Devine, while the fight choreography is by Steven Hoggett (“Once,” “Black Watch”).

The current tenant of the Winter Garden, the long-running musical “Mamma Mia!,” is moving later this year to another Broadway house, the Broadhurst, making way for “Rocky.”

‘Rocky’ Musical Is Heading to Broadway

Morris Mac Matzen A scene from “Rocky the Musical” in Germany.

The new stage musical “Rocky,” an adaptation of the Oscar-winning film about a streetwise boxer from Philadelphia, is coming to Broadway next year, with preview performances set to begin in February at the Winter Garden Theater, the lead producers announced on Sunday.

The show - conceived by Sylvester Stallone, who wrote and starred in the original “Rocky” - had its world premiere opening in Hamburg in November and received positive reviews from German theater critics for its gritty realism and inventively staged boxing sequences. That production cost about $20 million, a sum that included years of development expenses; the Broadway version is expected to cost about $15 million, according to Bill Taylor of Stage Entertainment USA, which is producing “Rocky” on Broadway with Mr. Stallone.

Mr. Taylor denied a New York Post report that the Broadway production could cost nearly $30 million, which would have made “Rocky” one of the most expensive musicals in history.

“Because we’ve done the show in Hamburg, we’re not doing an out-of-town run in the U.S., and the creation and design of ‘Rocky’ are already done,” he said. “I’m confident we’ll come in under $15 million.”

Mr. Taylor said that no actors had been chosen for Rocky, Adrian, Apollo Creed or other characters in the musical, which generally follows the plot of the first “Rocky” movie. Asked if the show’s director, Alex Timbers, might choose Benjamin Walker - the star of Mr. Timbers’s earlier Broadway musical, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” - to play Rocky, Mr. Taylor repeated that the casting process had yet to begin.

“The title has very high recognition, so I’m sure tourists will want to see it, but we wouldn’t bring it to New York if we didn’t think it would appeal to traditional theatergoers,” said Mr. Taylor, chief executive officer and producer of Stage Entertainment USA. “I’m aware that ‘Rocky’ might be perceived as an odd choice for a musical, and there will be some raised eyebrows, but I think what people see will not be what they are expecting.”

The Broadway production is expected to be fairly similar to the one in Hamburg, Mr. Taylor said, including the finale - Rocky’s climatic fight against Apollo in a regulation-size boxing ring - and the use of music from the movies, like Bill Conti’s theme music and “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Rocky” has an original score, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Tony Award winners for “Ragtime”); a book by Thomas Meehan (a Tony winner for “Annie,” “The Producers” and “Hairspray”); and direction by Mr. Timbers, whose latest show is the critically acclaimed musical “Here Lies Love” at the Public Theater. The choreographer for “Rocky” is Kelly Devine, while the fight choreography is by Steven Hoggett (“Once,” “Black Watch”).

The current tenant of the Winter Garden, the long-running musical “Mamma Mia!,” is moving later this year to another Broadway house, the Broadhurst, making way for “Rocky.”

‘Rocky’ Musical Is Heading to Broadway

Morris Mac Matzen A scene from “Rocky the Musical” in Germany.

The new stage musical “Rocky,” an adaptation of the Oscar-winning film about a streetwise boxer from Philadelphia, is coming to Broadway next year, with preview performances set to begin in February at the Winter Garden Theater, the lead producers announced on Sunday.

The show - conceived by Sylvester Stallone, who wrote and starred in the original “Rocky” - had its world premiere opening in Hamburg in November and received positive reviews from German theater critics for its gritty realism and inventively staged boxing sequences. That production cost about $20 million, a sum that included years of development expenses; the Broadway version is expected to cost about $15 million, according to Bill Taylor of Stage Entertainment USA, which is producing “Rocky” on Broadway with Mr. Stallone.

Mr. Taylor denied a New York Post report that the Broadway production could cost nearly $30 million, which would have made “Rocky” one of the most expensive musicals in history.

“Because we’ve done the show in Hamburg, we’re not doing an out-of-town run in the U.S., and the creation and design of ‘Rocky’ are already done,” he said. “I’m confident we’ll come in under $15 million.”

Mr. Taylor said that no actors had been chosen for Rocky, Adrian, Apollo Creed or other characters in the musical, which generally follows the plot of the first “Rocky” movie. Asked if the show’s director, Alex Timbers, might choose Benjamin Walker - the star of Mr. Timbers’s earlier Broadway musical, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” - to play Rocky, Mr. Taylor repeated that the casting process had yet to begin.

“The title has very high recognition, so I’m sure tourists will want to see it, but we wouldn’t bring it to New York if we didn’t think it would appeal to traditional theatergoers,” said Mr. Taylor, chief executive officer and producer of Stage Entertainment USA. “I’m aware that ‘Rocky’ might be perceived as an odd choice for a musical, and there will be some raised eyebrows, but I think what people see will not be what they are expecting.”

The Broadway production is expected to be fairly similar to the one in Hamburg, Mr. Taylor said, including the finale - Rocky’s climatic fight against Apollo in a regulation-size boxing ring - and the use of music from the movies, like Bill Conti’s theme music and “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Rocky” has an original score, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Tony Award winners for “Ragtime”); a book by Thomas Meehan (a Tony winner for “Annie,” “The Producers” and “Hairspray”); and direction by Mr. Timbers, whose latest show is the critically acclaimed musical “Here Lies Love” at the Public Theater. The choreographer for “Rocky” is Kelly Devine, while the fight choreography is by Steven Hoggett (“Once,” “Black Watch”).

The current tenant of the Winter Garden, the long-running musical “Mamma Mia!,” is moving later this year to another Broadway house, the Broadhurst, making way for “Rocky.”

‘Pain & Gain’ Leads Sluggish Box Office

Two new movies, Michael Bay’s “Pain & Gain” and the star-studded romantic comedy “The Big Wedding,” left audiences underwhelmed â€" both pictures received a C-plus score in exit polls â€" as an overall North American box-office slump continued over the weekend.

“Pain & Gain” (Paramount), produced for $26 million as part of an I-can-make-small-movies-too mission by Mr. Bay, was No. 1, taking in about $20 million, according to Hollywood.com, which compiles ticketing data. Tom Cruise’s “Oblivion” (Universal) was second, with an estimated $17.4 million in ticket sales, for a two-week total of $64.7 million. “42” (Warner) continued to perform well in third place, selling about $10.7 million in tickets, for a three-week total of $69.1 million. The fourth spot went to “The Big Wedding” (Lionsgate), with about $7.5 million in sales; starring Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried and others, it cost about $35 million to make. “The Croods” (20th Century Fox) was fifth, taking in $6.6 million, for a six-week total of about $163 million.

For the weekend, total box-office revenue in the United States and Canada was an estimated $110.5 million, an 18.5 percent decline from the same weekend last year. Hollywood is counting on the arrival of “Iron Man 3” on Friday to jump start ticket sales â€" a safe bet considering that the movie has already generated superheroic sales of $195.3 million in limited release overseas.

Rushing to Replace What a Storm Took From the Beaches

Uli Seit for The New York Times A finished picnic table in Fort Totten, Queens, outside the shop where carpenters assemble picnic tables and lifeguard stands for New York City parks and beaches. The workers are making many more tables and stands to replace those destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

This spring has been no picnic for Chris Gruber and his staff of carpenters, who work for New York City and make much of the equipment used at its parks and beaches.

Hurricane Sandy damaged or ruined hundreds of picnic tables, and now Mr. Gruber and his crew are rushing to assemble 500 tables by Memorial Day, about twice the normal number they make each spring. They are also making about 150 lifeguard stands, also twice the normal number, said Mr. Gruber, 42, the supervisor of carpenters for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

Many stands and tables were damaged at beaches, even though they were removed from the shoreline and put in storage areas, he said.

“There were places in Staten Island, we couldn’t even find them â€" they were just gone, washed away,” Mr. Gruber said last week, as he stood inside the department’s carpentry shop in Fort Totten, in Queens, where he had to bring on four extra carpenters in recent months to supplement his existing staff of six. The shop was furnished with various table saws and other woodworking equipment. The morning sun streamed in through the doorway, and classic rock pumped over a tinny radio.

After a dozen years of working for the department, Mr. Gruber, a lifelong resident of Glendale, Queens, has supervised the construction of several thousand picnic tables shipped to parks all over the city.

All the department’s tables are made according to one model, albeit one that has been revised over the years. For example, Mr. Gruber can guess a table’s age by its screws.

“The older ones have the regular screw heads, because we started using Phillips-head screws about 12 years ago,” he said. Also, the current design calls for cantilevered or A-frame legs, while the older tables have more vertical legs.

“If I see straight legs, I know the table is more than 20 years old,” he said, adding that picnic tables are prone to damage from graffiti or carvings.

“We had one table from Manhattan Beach that came back with this really ornate carving in it, an animal face,” he said. “The person must have spent two or three days doing it. It was a piece of art. We actually hung it up in the shop.”

Uli Seit for The New York Times Chris Gruber, left, is the supervisor of carpenters for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

The small grills that many picnickers place on the tables can burn through the wood completely, Mr. Gruber said, adding that the most chronic cause of injury to city-constructed tables is unintentional.

“The most damage comes from people dragging them, to put two or three tables together,” he said. “The table skipping along puts a lot of pressure on the joints and loosens them.”

So to fortify the legs, Mr. Gruber now uses metal brackets made at the agency’s citywide metal shop, which he also oversees, on Randalls Island.

Over the decades, wood and metal workers at the parks department have made roughly 23,000 picnic tables, not to mention more than 1,100 barbecue grills, nearly 4,500 basketball hoops and nearly 1,500 lifeguard stands, he said. Among the beaches, Orchard Beach in the Bronx has a high demand for lifeguard stands, while the vast Pelham Bay Park, also in the Bronx, consumes many picnic tables.

The tables are made with Douglas fir. The wood comes in 16-foot-long planks, which are cut in half, into eight-foot-long boards. Five of these are fitted together to make a tabletop, and the edges are rounded off to minimize the potential for unpleasant splinters.

Each table is held together by about 130 screws and bolts, Mr. Gruber said. Typically, before the legs are attached, the partially assembled tables are shipped out to other shops for staining (chestnut brown) and final assembly. But for demonstration, Mr. Gruber asked two workers to assemble a table at the shop.

Mr. Gruber watched the hammers and screw guns in action and sang along with Tom Petty’s “American Girl” on the radio. Within about 15 minutes, the workers plunked the table onto the shop floor.

“The last step is to drop it hard on the floor,” Mr. Gruber said. “Anything that’s uneven, it tends to straighten out.”

Cantilevered legs help prevent the table from tipping from too much weight on one side, he said, hopping up on a bench and bouncing to show its stability.

“To test it, we take the heaviest guys in the shop - and I’m the first guy getting on,” said Mr. Gruber, who tips the scales at more than 300 pounds. “We sit on one side to see if it tips.”

Several years ago, the table design was tweaked to include a short overhang on one side, so that wheelchair users could pull up close.

“It’s a simple design, but it’s a good one,” Mr. Gruber said as another table went out the door. “I’ll put our tables against any in the world.”