Eddie Varley - Page 198

Ben Vereen earned a Tony Award for his singing and dancing in Pippin, and while his vast and celebrated career has taken him far beyond those early days of that Fosse hit, his heart will always belong to the stage. Vereen was there for the opening night of the CTG and Deaf West Theatre production of Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum. He spoke to the Los Angeles Time about performing in the original Broadway mounting, and how much the show still matters to the audience...and him. Vereen explained to the LA Times that 'Pippin' holds an undeniably central spot in his heart. 'Well, first of all, it got me a Tony,' he said with a loud laugh that echoed outside the theater minutes before the opening night curtain. 'It was also an honor to work with Bob Fosse. There was nothing more rewarding.'

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs. Created by The Civilians, written by Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a provocative new play with music about the growth of the evangelical movement in Colorado Springs, created by the documentary theatre company The Civilians. While conducting interviews with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement, scandal broke about New Life Church pastor Ted Haggard and shook the entire city of Colorado Springs, providing the play's creators with an unprecedented opportunity to capture an important event as it was taking place, and providing the people of Colorado Springs the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns as those events unfolded. THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a fascinating and timely look at faith and how it affects the American landscape.

Variety reports that John Patrick Shanley has been chosen to receive the Writers Guild of America East's Ian McLellan Hunter Award for lifetime achievement in Writing. He will be presented with his award at the 61st annual Writers Guild Awards ceremony on February 7th at the Hudson Theater. Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright-director John Patrick Shanley has brought his searing drama Doubt to the silver screen. Shanley wrote the screenplay and directs the film adaptation of his Tony winning hit.

Beloved screen legend Dick Van Dyke discussed Walt Disney's MARY POPPINS with CNN in celebration of the classic film's 45th Anniversary Edition DVD release. He reveals the true reason for his casting and the staying power of the Disney classic. The Walt Disney Studios celebrates the 45th Anniversary of the 1964 classic film, Mary Poppins, with a 2-disc special edition DVD featuring brand new bonus materials from the hit stage production based on the popular film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and on the P.L. Travers books.

Desire Under the Elms at the Goodman Theater just opened last night, Monday January 26th, 2009, but the New York Times is reporting plans for a Broadway mounting are already being worked out. The Times' Arts Beat column has revealed that producer Jeffrey Richards announced today, Tuesday January 27th that he was hoping to transfer a major new production to New York - a revival of the Eugene O'Neill classic 'Desire Under the Elms' - despite the current grip of fearful economics of the Rialto. The show has been extended at the Goodman and will now play through March 1. Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls and renowned actor Brian Dennehy bring their artistic partnership to new heights with Eugene O'Neill's haunting drama, Desire Under the Elms-marking their fifth collaboration on O'Neill's work over two decades. Falls' cast includes stage and screen stars Carla Gugino (Entourage, Spy Kids, Sin City) Pablo Schreiber (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Awake and Sing!), Boris McGiver (The Wire) and Daniel Stewart Sherman (Broadway's Cyrano de Bergerac). The centerpiece production of Goodman Theatre's two-month 'A Global Exploration: Eugene O'Neill in the 21st Century,' Desire Under the Elms appears January 17 - March 1 in the Goodman's 856-seat Albert Ivar Theatre. Tickets are $25 - 82; a full Exploration calendar, including dates, times and ticket prices, appears at the end of the release. Allstate is the Corporate Sponsor Partner of Desire Under the Elms and The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation is the Sponsor Partner. UBS is the Lead Corporate Sponsor for 'A Global Exploration: Eugene O'Neill in the 21st Century' and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is the Sponsor Partner. Motorola Foundation is the Corporate Sponsor Partner. American Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Goodman Theatre.

Last night in Beverly Hills, Monday January 26th, The Paley Center for Media saluted the work of award-winning composer Charles Strouse in the third of its concert & conversations series, PaleyAfterDark. The composer of such great Broadway hits including Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause, Annie, and Rags, Strouse with special guests Bonnie Franklin (who nominated for a Tony award for Applause) and cast members of Minsky's shared a rare evening of story and song which celebrated his illustrious career and the Los Angeles debut of his latest musical triumph, Minsky's. The program was illuminated by archival footage of rare Strouse material from the Paley Center's collection and finished with a musical performance by the composer singing an arrangement of favorites from 'Put on a Happy Face' to 'Tomorrow.'Minsky's is based on the Bud Yorkin-Norman Lear production of 'The Night They Raided Minsky's.' Charles Strouse has touched the life of almost every American in the last half century with his musical works. There may be no other living composer from America's popular songbook whose work is as integrated into the popular culture as that of Charles Strouse.His music has attracted top recording artists from the last half-century with covers of his songs recorded by such diverse pop artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Bobby Rydell, Jay Z, Vic Damone, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Grace Jones and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.Strouse has written the score to over 30 stage musicals, 14 scores for Broadway, four Hollywood films, two orchestral works and an opera.He has been inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theatre Hall of Fame.

The Covina Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to welcome Victoria Strong to the role of Margaret Johnson in The Light In The Piazza, beginning on Saturday, January 31, 2009 and continuing until the end of the scheduled run on February 15, 2009. Christopher Callen will play her final performance on Friday, January 30, 2009.Callen is leaving the production to join a major international tour of Menopause the Musical, the dates unfortunately conflict with the Piazza run, she will be leaving Piazza in the more than capable hands of Ms. Strong.

Now that her already legendary run in Gypsy is over, Patti LuPone is set for a number of concert dates throughout the year, in addition to the previously announced dates with Mandy Patinkin for 'An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin' she will make a concert stop in Las Vegas at the Orleans Casino & Hotel on June 20th and 21st. She can also be seen (and heard) at the Cincinnati May Festival in Kurt Weil's 'The Seven Deadly Sins', Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. James Conlon will be the Musical Director for the series of concerts. For her complete schedule visit her official website at, www.pattilupone.net. Patti LuPone swept the 2008 theatre awards winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Musical and the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance for her performance as Rose in the critically-acclaimed new Broadway production of the classic Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical Gypsy, directed by the show's author, Mr. Laurents, currently at the St. James Theatre.

Marvin Hamlisch returns to the Milwaukee Symphony with a program called 'My Favorite Things.' It refers to both the song of that name and to the entire output of the man who composed it, Richard Rodgers. Hamlisch, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and guest vocalists J. Mark McVey and Ann Ronnolfson will survey songs from some of Rodgers' biggest Broadway and Hollywood hits: 'Carousel,' 'The King and I,' 'Oklahoma!' 'The Sound of Music,' 'South Pacific' and 'State Fair.' As composer, Hamlisch has won virtually every major entertainment award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards; his groundbreaking show, A Chorus Line, received the Pulitzer Prize. He is the composer of more than forty motion picture scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of Scott Joplin's music for The Sting, for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films include original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie's Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and a Baby, Ice Castles, Take the Money and Run, Bananas and Save the Tiger.

Partial Comfort Productions will present the 4th annual BATTLE OF THE BARDS on Friday February 20, 2009 at The Canal Room (285 West Broadway at Canal Street). BATTLE OF THE BARDS is a one-night-only theater competition pitting New York City's hottest emerging theater companies against each other in a stage-fight to the finish. With an audience of nearly 1000 last year, this benefit for Partial Comfort Productions has rapidly become Off-Off Broadway's biggest annual event. The panel of judges for the event include Pulitzer Prize winning playwrights David Auburn (Proof) and Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog), actors John Slattery (Mad Men) and Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me), casting director Marcia Debonis (Bride Wars) and theater journalist David Cote (Time Out New York). This year, seven theater companies will compete in BATTLE OF THE BARDS: Naked Angels, Ma-Yi, EST's Youngblood, The Fire Department, Electric Pear, Flux and Partial Comfort. Each company assembles its own artistic team consisting of playwright, director and actors. On Feb 6th, each team will be given the parameters by which to write, cast, and rehearse a world premiere one-act play; all plays must incorporate the use of a prop that will be personally selected by William H. Macy (currently starring on Broadway in Speed the Plow). Two weeks later, on February 20th, these plays will be performed publicly at The Canal Room and the winner will be determined by a panel of celebrities and industry professionals. An audience favorite award will also be presented. Winning companies receive prize packages donated by area businesses that specialize in theater production (rehearsal spaces, lighting packages, sound rentals, etc.) that help offset costs of future productions.

An all-star cast of Ana Gasteyer (Wicked, 'Saturday Night Live'), Carolee Carmello (Mamma, Mia!, Parade), Tony? Award-winner Adriane Lenox (Doubt, Caroline, Or Change), Brad Oscar (The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde), Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King, Ragtime), John Dossett (The Constant Wife, Gypsy), Sam Harris (The Producers, The Life) and Sara Chase (Godspell at Paper Mill Playhouse) will star in a reading of the eagerly anticipated Broadway-bound musical FIRST WIVES CLUB this Monday, February 2 in New York City. FIRST WIVES CLUB will have its premiere at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego July 15 through August 23, 2009. The cast for the fully staged production will be announced soon. FIRST WIVES CLUB marks the once-in-a-lifetime reunion of the famous Motown songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland), who created such monumental hits as 'Where Did Our Love Go?,' 'Baby Love' and 'Stop! In The Name of Love' for The Supremes and 'How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved By You)' for Marvin Gaye. These chart-topping legends, who had more airplay than the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Elvis combined, have reunited for this one production.

Grammy and Tony award-winning songwriter and composer Duncan Sheik returns with his new album Whisper House, which hits stores today January 27 on the Victor Records/Sony label. BWW TV is excited to bring you the first music video from Whisper House, 'Earthbound Starlight'.

La Jolla Playhouse productions heading for national exposure fared well as the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, presented the annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, honoring the best local stage work of 2008. Noel, the 93-year-old founding director of the Old Globe Theatre, was in attendance for his namesake awards, which were presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla, attended by some 350 theater industry members and supporters. Moises Kaufman's '33 Variations,' about to open on Broadway with Jane Fonda in the lead role, was honored for David Lander's lighting and Derek McLane's set. The Playhouse's premiere of Joe DiPietro and David Bryan's 'Memphis' (now in production at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theatre) was honored as outstanding new musical and for Chad Kimball's lead performance. A fresh staging of 'Xanadu,' which Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley first directed on Broadway, was named outstanding resident musical, and Bill T. Jones won for his choreography in the Playhouse's hip-hop musical 'The Seven.' Old Globe productions garnered four mentions, including Steven Drukman's boxing-themed drama about Joe Louis, 'In This Corner,' which was named outstanding new play. 'Dancing in the Dark,' a debut musical with Broadway aspirations (based on the classic film 'The Band Wagon'), won for Patrick Page's featured performance and Larry Hochman's orchestrations. A revival of 'The Women,' directed by Old Globe resident artistic director Darko Tresnjak, was honored for Anna Oliver's costumes. And the national touring production of 'Spring Awakening,' produced by Broadway/San Diego, a Nederlander Organization, won for best touring show.

Variety is reporting that Neil LaBute has signed a two-picture deal with Screen Gems. The first project will be to reunite with his 'Nurse Betty' star Chris Rock for a remake of 2007 British comedy 'Death at a Funeral.' LaBute, who most recently directed the Samuel L. Jackson film 'Lakeview Terrace' and will also head up the romantic comedy 'Here Comes the Sun' for Screen Gems.

Rosie's Broadway Kids officially celebrated its new home on Monday January 26th as the Maravel Arts Center had a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the re-modeled facility to the press. Located in the heart of the Broadway community, on 45th Street, Rosie O'Donnell's 'Rosie's For All Kids Foundation will now have two dance studios, a music studio, library, dressing rooms and much more in its new location. Rosie's Kids provided the entertainment at the event, which drew such starry guest as Chita Rivera, Linda Dano and Broadway couple Orfeh and Andy Karl. One of many highlights was the 'Kids' performing Arthur Schwartz's classic tune 'Rhode Island Is Famous for You'-but they changed the words to 'Long Island' for Rosie, which the crowd just loved. The Maravel Arts Center is named for O'Donnell's teacher, Pat Maravel, who she said was an 'inspirational force' in her formative years.

Celebrity news website is featuring some new images from the set of the film Nine, the pictures show the first glimpse of Daniel Day-Lewis as 'Guido Contini', the film is currently in production in Rome. To see the Nine images click here. Daniel Day-Lewis replaced the previously attached Javier Bardem in the leading role of Guido Contini, Bardem left the project citing exhaustion. Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Stacy 'Fergie' Ferguson, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench star in the film as well. Nine is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and is based off of Fredrico Fellini's movie 8 1/2. The play tells the story of a young film maker living in Venice trying to juggle all of the women in his life.

The New York Post's PAGE SIX is revealing that Jennifer Lopez 'insiders' say Lopez is interested in starring in 'In the Heights,' the musical about Washington Heights. She went to the show twice last week and accompanied the producer, Meryl Poster, to dinner Friday evening at Nobu 57, where they discussed roles. Another insider quotes PAGE SIX says Lopez might be more interested in a movie version, as Broadway shows are exhausting and time consuming, and Poster also produced the screen version of 'Chicago.' A rep for Lopez said, 'She loves the play but is not Broadway bound.' There has been other unconfirmed information that she would like to direct the film version. Back in October 2008, at the REVIVAL: Broadway's Next Act panel discussion at Carnegie Hall, Hairspray movie director Adam Shankman revealed that Jennifer Lopez is very interested in guiding In The Heights to the silver screen. The diplomatic answer from 'Heights' star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda was that while he'd be leaving the show in February 2009, he hopes the musical will continue to thrive without him, but did not comment directly on a film version. Lopez spent a very public evening at a performance of In The Heights with her husband, Marc Anthony last year to celebrate her 39th birthday and is a very vocal fan of the show. Universal Pictures announced in November 2008 that it had acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on In The Heights, a multi-generational and multi-ethnic musical by Tony Award winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes.

The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2008 were hosted on January 27th, by its new Chairman Mark Shenton - theatre critic for the Sunday Express, daily blogger for The Stage website, and a regular contributor to The Guardian online - at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London. For the fifth year, the awards were presented in association with Nyman Libson Paul Chartered Accountants, leading entertainment industry specialists; and supported by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and lastminute.com. Media Partner, What's On In Theatre / TV London. As ever, the ceremony was an informal gathering of award recipients, the drama critics, theatre practitioners, and the media, convivially coming together to celebrate the critics' personal choice of the best in theatre, from throughout the UK, during the last calendar year. In contrast with other theatre awards during this jam-packed trophy season, the Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners are always decided by the independent votes of Drama Section members, with no panel discussions or public/industry influence exerted.

The nominations for the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards have been announced, BILLY ELLIOT and Road Show were among the New York theatre related show nominees. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also announced that Tyra Banks will receive the Excellence in Media Award and Suze Orman will be awarded the Vito Russo Award. GLAAD also give honors to comicbooks, advertising and journalism. Ceremonies will be held on March 28 in New York at the Marriott Maquis, April 18 in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre and on May 9 in San Francisco at the San Francisco Hilton.

Recording and stage star Sam Harris has revealed via his 'vlog' that he has joined the workshop for the upcoming musical version of the hit film THE FIRST WIVES CLUB. he'll be playing a new character not found in the movie, he begins rehearsals this week in NYC for the reading. He also hinted that after the Old Globe run of the musical the production team was aiming for an October 2009 bow on Broadway. Sam Harris first shot into the public eye as the 'Star Search' icon and has found success as a Tony-nominated Broadway star for THE LIFE and also as an acclaimed replacement in THE PRODUCERS, a multi-million selling recording artist, a concert touring sell-out in venues all over the country including Carnegie Hall and on television in last years CBS series, 'The Class,' where he was touted by Liz Smith as 'the comedy breakout character of the television season.' Based on the best-selling novel and Hollywood blockbuster of the same name, FIRST WIVES CLUB features music & lyrics by the famous songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland and a book by Tony winner Rupert Holmes (Curtains!, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Say Goodnight Gracie). The production will be directed by award winning opera and theatrical director Francesca Zambello (The Little Mermaid for Disney on Broadway, Little House on the Prairie for the Guthrie Theatre, Rebecca at the Vienna Raimund Theatre and Porgy and Bess and the Wagner Ring Cycle at the San Francisco Opera). The popular 1996 Paramount film The First Wives Club - about three divorced women who seek revenge on their former husbands - was based on Olivia Goldsmith's novel and featured a screenplay by Robert Harling. The motion picture grossed over $130 million and boasted a star-studded cast comprising Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton.