Jeff Dennhardt - Page 41

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is set to join the cast of 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' for its upcoming season. Mastrantonio will play the working-class captain of the show's Major Case Squad, replacing Eric Bogosian. The cast will feature several new members, as four of the current actors, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Julianne Nicholson and Eric Bogosian, have all chosen not to return.

Playwright Steven Soderbergh's newest play, TOT MOM, surrounding the disappearance and subsequent murder of Florida toddler Caylee Anthony, set to begin previews at the Sydney Theatre Company on December 18, has received considerable backlash from the public who have been uneasy about dramatizing such a controversial subject matter. Today, the shows producers, including Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director Cate Blanchett are pushing back, defending both the project and Soderbergh.

SEATTLE CELEBRATES BERNSTEIN, a Seattle based festival to celebrate the life and works of acclaimed composer Leonard Bernstein, has announced their full schedule for the 2010 season. The festival will be held April, 2010 through June, 2010 and will include performances of On the Town and Candide at the 5th Avenue Theatre. In addition, lyricist/director Martin Charnin will host a talk entitled 'WEST SIDE STORY Stories - Memories of Lenny,' where he will discuss his memories of the famed composer.

A STEADY RAIN, currently playing at The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, will dedicate the November 8th performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises at 7:00pm.

Jeff Madden, currently starring as music legend Frankie Valli in the Toronto production of JERSEY BOYS, was given the chance to sit down with the real Frankie Valli this past weekend, the Toronto Star reports. Madden questioned Valli on his views of success, family, and the like in their short conversation. Valli is in town to perform a concert at Massey Hall on November 6th, as previously reported.

Women's Project is set to resume performances of Liz Duffy's OR, beginning this weekend, November 5th. Performances have been cancelled since last weekend one of the show's actors Andy Paris, who plays multiple roles in this restoration-style, fast-paced comedy, suffered an injury, as previously reported.

The 55th Annual Evening Standards Theatre Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in London Theater, today has released their long list of 2009 nominees. The award ceremony, which will take place on November 23 at the Royal Opera House, will honor some of theater's biggest stars, including Ian McKellen, Kevin Spacey, Sam Mendes, and more. Sponsored by U.K'.s Evening Standard newspaper, with nominees selected by a panel of London theater critics, the shortlist of nominees will be sometime next week.

The life and works of playwright and director Alan Ayckbourn will be the focus of IN CONVERSATION WITH ALAN AYCKBOURN on November 15th. Howard Sherman will moderate the discussions to be held at the 59E59 Theaters.

According to a report in Variety, stage and screen star Ian McKellen will star in the new mockumentary series 'The Academy,' a new show surrounding a fictional drama academy with McKellen starring as his fictitious brother and academy headmaster, Murray McKellen.

International jazz sensation and Dutch singer Laura Fygi will star in the upcoming Singapore production of VICTOR/VICTORIA. The show will play at the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore from November 9th through 29th.

Enda Walsh, playwright of the critically acclaimed The Walworth Farce, premiered his new play, The New Electric Ballroom at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn last night to a full house. The play premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, winning the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe First Award. The production is brought to St. Ann's by the Irish theatre company Druid Ireland and is directed by Edna Walsh. It runs at St. Ann's Warehouse through November 22nd.

Kristin Chenoweth, who portrayed the role of April Rhodes on Glee recently, will be featured on the upcoming album, Glee: The Music, Volume 1. The Broadway star will be featured in the songs she performed on the show including Alone by Heart with the Glee regular Matthew Morrison, and Maybe This Time by Kander and Ebb featuring additional Broadway favorite Lea Michele.

Lincoln Center Theater's production of IN THE NEXT ROOM or the vibrator play, a new play by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Les Waters, will open on Thursday, November 19, at the Lyceum Theater. The cast features Laura Benanti, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Michael Cerveris, Maria Dizzia, Thomas Jay Ryan, Wendy Rich Stetson, and Chandler Williams. Previews started on October 22.

The Venue Ensemble Theatre will present Yasmina Reza's ART from November 6th through November 22nd. The cast features Steve DuMouchel, Eric Misener, and Mark Myers and is directed Michael Holden. Venue Theatre will donate a portion of each ticket sold to the Creative Clay organization.

Eight O'Clock Theatre will open their new production of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN beginning tonight, October 30th at the Largo Cultural Center in Tampa. The production stars Jonathon Pouliot as Don Lockwood and is directed by Rand Smith.

Kate Baldwin, currently starring in the Broadway revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW that took it's opening night bow last night, is set to perform in concert at Feinstein's at Loews Regency on December 13th. The show, 'Let's See What Happens,' will feature songs from her debut solo album of the same name, recently released.

Hugh Jackman, currently starring on Broadway opposite Daniel Craig in A STEAD RAIN, has declined the opportunity to host the Oscar telecast for a second straight year, Variety reports. Jackman was supposedly offered the job, but turned it down, as he begins preparing for his new role in the movie The Real Steel following his Broadway run, as previously reported.

Zoe Wanamaker and David Suchet will star in the Apollo Theatre's production of ALL MY SONS. The play, by Arthur Miller, will begin May 27th, 2010 and is directed by Olivier award winner Howard Davies. Davies won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director for his work on ALL MY SONS on the West End. Wanamaker will play Kate Keller, while Suchet will play the husband, Joe Keller. Additional casting is yet to be announced.

Utah's Pioneer Theatre Company will present their production of Mark Twain's IS HE DEAD? beginning tonight, October 30th. This will mark the Utah premiere of IS HE DEAD? The show is directed by Charles Morey and stars Michael Keyloun as Jean-François Millet.

On Sunday, November 22nd, Tony Award winner and Broadway star Andrea Martin will be live in the National Arts Centre Theatre in Ottawa to read aloud Mordecai Richler's classic children's story, 'Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang' for one special afternoon. The reading, abridged by David S. Craig and presented in association with TD Canadian Children's Book Week, is part of the NAC English Theatre's Family 3 series. An exciting event for families, as parents will take pleasure as they watch their children enthralled with Ms. Martin exciting reading as young Jacob is brought to life.