Roberts makes debut on Broadway

The A-list celebrity has drawn fans' interest.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Julia Roberts, Movies Star, officially becomes Julia Roberts, Stage Star, when the Oscar winner opens today on Broadway in a revival of Richard Greenberg's "Three Days of Rain."
Not that her marquee status was in doubt during the play's three weeks of sold-out preview performances at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
Each night, as the performance ends, fans gather behind barriers and across 45th Street from the Jacobs to catch a glimpse and get Playbills autographed. The theater's security team has set up an exclusive pen for ticket holders, who can line up on one side of the stage door.
Last Thursday, for example, a few hundred people had gathered on either side of the stage door and across the street. A half dozen police officers patrolled the area, shouting, "Off the streets! Everyone up on the sidewalks, now!" But the crowd grew as passers-by joined in. When traffic stopped a bus directly in front of the theater, the crowd across the street broke into loud boos and catcalls, which coincidentally greeted Roberts as she finally emerged from the theater.
Fairly quick exit
She signed a couple of programs in haste and jumped into a black SUV.
At least one fan forgave Roberts for her brevity. "To be honest, she would have been trampled had she stuck around since people were jumping in front of the bus to get a look," said Erin Rosa. "Julia waved from the van -- that's good enough for me."
Those demanding more than a quick look at Roberts have pretty much bought all the tickets for the play's entire run, which ends June 18. The show, which also stars Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, could possibly extend for a few more weeks. The theater's next tenant, "Martin Short Fame Becomes Me," begins previews July 22 and opens Aug. 10.
It's a blessing
For Broadway, Roberts' appearance during one of the theater's busiest springs in years, has been a huge event and a public-relations blessing.
"A major film or TV star appearing on Broadway, or in any theater for that matter, brings with them a number of assets," said Howard Sherman, executive director of the American Theatre Wing. "First and foremost, there's the talent that has lofted them into the position of being a star.
"But they also bring with them the often-staggering press attention afforded to celebrities in those other mediums, which is vastly greater than the time and space typically afforded to theater. And, of course, they bring a huge fan base which is national and even international, all of whom are eager to see their favorite star in the flesh."
Roberts herself has been relatively mum about her Broadway debut, turning down a parade of interview requests, including The Associated Press.
For Greenberg, the Tony-winning author of "Take Me Out," this new production is an opportunity for "Three Days of Rain" to reach a wider audience.
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