Ken Ludwig

NEW YORK -- If the average Broadway producer was walking around two months ago with total panic on his face, that expression has changed in recent weeks to one of nervous delight.Nervous, because nothing on Broadway is sure. But the delight is real, and it can be felt these days all through New York's theater district as crowds line up to buy tickets for what promises to be the biggest Broadway season in years.In the 11 busy weeks between Feb. 13 and the 1991-92 Tony Award deadline April 29, 21 plays and musicals are opening on Broadway -- compared with 28 shows in the entire 1990-91 season.

In the richest Broadway season in recent years, the two biggest new musical hits predictably roared off with the lion's share of Tony Award nominations -- 11 for "Jelly's Last Jam" and nine for "Crazy for You."But the nominations, announced yesterday in New York, also snubbed several new plays, bypassing such established playwrights as Herb Gardner, Alan Ayckbourn and Neil Simon in favor of two short-lived shows -- Richard Nelson's "Two Shakespearean Actors," a historical account of a rivalry between 19th century actors, and John Guare's "Four Baboons Adoring the Sun," a family drama set at an archaeological dig.Of course, since these two are no longer available for viewing, their chances would appear to be slim.

"Crazy For You," at Washington's National Theater, is a little shaky at start, but by the time the Broadway showgirls arrive the show finds its rhythm. From there on, it is consistently amusing.The score is one of its greatest assets. The costumes, dance and scenery are others."Crazy For You" was intended to be a revival of the 1930 "Girl Crazy," in which Ethel Merman starred on Broadway.You may have seen the 1943 movie version starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Rooney played a New Yorker who journeyed to Arizona where he turned a dude ranch into a major attraction.

The Fudo Myoh-oh, a 33-foot-tall, 7-ton sculpture carved at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, will find a permanent home at Becton Dickinson's corporate headquarters in Franklin Lakes, N.J., according to the college.The Alaskan cedar sculpture, which was carved by three Japanese sculptors -- Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Jinichi Itoh and Isao Yanaguimoto -- is the largest Fudo Myoh-oh in the world. The Fudo Myoh-oh, or "immovable God of Light" is a reincarnation of the Cosmic Buddha, an angry warrior-like Buddha that represents the Buddha's power against evil.

Since "Lend Me a Tenor" -- the opera-based farce by Washington attorney Ken Ludwig -- tried out for Broadway at the Mechanic Theatre four years ago, the show has found fame and fortune not only in New York, where it garnered seven Tony nominations, but in more than 25 foreign countries.Ludwig has written the screenplay for Columbia Pictures, and the stage play has been translated into 16 languages. By now "Tenor" is fair game for community theaters (Spotlighters produced it last season) and summer stock.

Just as Edna Garrett used to dispense advice as the housemother in the long-running NBC TV series The Facts of Life, Charlotte Rae, the actress who played Mrs. Garrett, tries to offer guidance to her Washington cab driver. The driver is lost. After making several references to traffic circles and Connecticut Avenue, Rae finally says: "Now we're getting there." Then, with her destination in sight, she decides she's close enough and asks the driver to simply let her out. Rae is in Washington appearing in the East Coast premiere of Leading Ladies, a new comedy at Ford's Theatre by D.C. lawyer-turned-playwright Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor)

Return of `A Tenor' When Lend Me a Tenor -- a comedy about a provincial opera company that imports a world-class Italian star -- begins performances at Olney Theatre Center on Tuesday, the production will be a homecoming in several respects. Olney first staged Ken Ludwig's opera-themed farce in 1993. That production set a box-office record (not broken until 2002), and its director, John Going, is repeating his duties. Cast members Halo Wines and Valerie Leonard are also returning to the show, and designer James Kronzer is re-creating his stunning art deco set. In addition, Ludwig is a Washington resident, so the show is almost on his home turf.

The Vagabond Players. "Moon Over Buffalo," comedy by Ken Ludwig. 7: 30 p.m. Jan. 25-26 at the Vagabond Theatre, 806 S. Broadway. Needed are men and women in their 20s and mid-40s to mid-50s. Call 410-435-7697. F. Scott Black's Dinner Theatre. "My Fair Lady." 6: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 27 at the theater, 100 E. Chesapeake Ave., Towson. Also "Sleeping Beauty," to be presented by the theater's Young Peoples Players. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 1-2. Call 410-321-6595. York Little Theatre.

New York -- "Dancing at Lughnasa," Brian Friel's play about five unmarried sisters in the Ireland of 1936, won the Outer Critics Circle award yesterday for best Broadway play of the 1991-92 season. "Crazy for You," with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin and book by Ken Ludwig, was named outstanding Broadway musical.Scott McPherson, author of "Marvin's Room," was given the John Gassner Award for an American playwright; his play also won the award for best off-Broadway play. "Song of Singapore" was chosen best off-Broadway musical and also won awards for its book, music and lyrics.