Charlie Piane - Page 195

In keeping with its organizational vision of being a place 'where performing arts share center stage with education,' Starlight Theatre recently shone the spotlight on two highly dedicated and talented high school theatre students. Megan Herrera of Grandview, Mo., and Kent Reynolds of Kansas City, Kan., were announced as the 2009 Rising Star Scholarship recipients during Starlight's seventh annual Blue Star Ceremony at the theatre on May 21.

Billboard's Top Cast Albums chart for week ending 6/7/2009.

THE WIZARD OF OZ 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition will be released September 29, 2009 in Blu-Ray and DVD formats.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to present The Full Monty at the Millburn theatre from June 10 through July 12, 2009. The Full Monty will be directed by Mark S. Hoebee and choreographed by Denis Jones.

The Broadway revival of 'A Little Night Music' is expected to go into a Jujamcyn theater this fall, according to a NY Times story. The paper reports that an announcement will soon be released with details of the production.

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) announced Thursday that it has instituted a series of staff cutbacks and budgetary reductions to offset a projected $3.4 million budget shortfall in the next fiscal year. Staff members were made aware of the decision at a staff meeting on Wednesday.

Jane Fonda, star of the recent Broadway production 33 Variations, has taken to her blog to graciously speak about her Tony loss and the experience of returning to the stage.

While the world's eyes were focused on the TONY Awards in New York on Sunday June 7th, a crowd of almost 500 theatre patrons gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate by watching the ceremony live via satellite and to honor seven time nominee and two time TONY Award-winner Chita Rivera at the 13th Annual TONY Awards® Benefit presented by The Actors Fund.

Jill Paice (Curtains, The Woman in White, A Little Night Music) recently joined the cast of Alfred Hitchcock's THE 39 STEPS, Broadway's longest running comedy, playing the roles of Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret. Now in its second smash year, the Tony Award-winning quick change comedy version of Hitchcock's classic film thriller is playing at the Helen Hayes Theatre (240 West 44th Street). The production also recently played its 500th performance on Broadway.

Representatives for POISON singer, and reality tv star, Bret Michaels have issued a statement regarding the on-going story of his collision with a piece scenery at the 2009 Tony Awards.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will hold General Auditions for Equity and Non-Equity Actors. Open auditions for Non-Equity performers will be held on Thursday, June 25, and Equity auditions will be held Friday, June 26.

Infinity Entertainment and Falcon Entertainment Group have announced the upcoming release of The Judy Garland Show on DVD. Restored and digitally remastered from the original masters, the 26-show variety special is being released in 13 volumes, each featuring two of the hour-long shows. Volume One of The Judy Garland Show will be released on July 28.

Popular Dance show BURN THE FLOOR will play Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street) for a limited run beginning July 25, with an opening night set for August 2. Notice of the upcoming run was posted on the show's website, however no official announcement has yet been made. The production will run through Sunday, October 18.

Hollywood Sheet Music, an essential source of material for working performers, has been resusciated with a new online store. The popular business was recently forced to close its doors due to the economy, but customer demand has resulted in a move online.

A Broadway revival of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's BABES IN ARMS is in the works, according to Variety. The production will be directed and choreographed by Randy Skinner (recently Tony nominated Choreographer of 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas') and will utilize a new book by Joe DiPietro ('I Love You, You're Perfect...Now Change!', 'The Toxic Avenger' and 'Memphis'). The production will star Rosie O'Donnell.

Upcoming Broadway musical 'SPIDER-MAN, Turn Off the Dark' has begin a 'pre-pre-sale' for tickets. The show has announced that pre-sale code 'SPIDEY' can be used at Ticketmaster ahead of the American Express pre-sale, which begins June 24. While the code allows you to purchase tickets prior to the pre-sale, you must still purchase the tickets with an AmEx card. Tickets may be purchased with the code through June 23.

The AP is reporting that the death of Singer-Impressionist Danny Gans, a staple on the Las Vegas Strip, was accidental, according to a coroner's statement released today. Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said Gans' passing was caused by prescription painkiller Dilaudid.

British actor Hugh Laurie has vowed he will never return to the stage, for fear of losing his mind. The star of TVs HOUSE has only stage credit, a production of Gasping in the West End in the 1990s, states that he 'couldn't do it again. I actually started to have out-of-body experiences and it was really very frightening. I would sort of lean my body and float around the upper circle and sit next to people and eat their crisps. It was really strange.' adding 'It was actually quite frightening. I really did think I was losing my mind. I just thought this is what stage actors do - this is something you have to go through. It isn't normal - it can't be normal.'

The Showboat Majestic will continue the 87th summer season with a brilliant musical about musicals called The Musical of Musicals - The Musical! Performances run July 8 - July 26, 2009.

2009 Tony Award host Neil Patrick Harris will appear in two upcoming films; 'Beastly' and 'The Best and the Brightest' according to the Hollywood Reporter. Harris will film the two pictures during the summer hiatus from his CBS comedy 'How I Met Your Mother'.