Jessica Lewis - Page 195

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that FOX has ordered three more seasons of American Idol. FOX's current deal with American Idol producers, FremantleMedia and 19 Productions, runs through 2011 but the new deal guarantees three additional seasons of the show.

In a special feature with the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, powerhouse producer Sonia Friedman, the force behind the West End's Legally Blonde, talks the record-breaking production, feminism and her upcoming ventures. Included on this impressive list is a January West End transfer of Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem, one of the season's most successful productions that played the Royal Court, and developing a musical adaptation of the blockbuster Shakespeare in Love. And this after just opening A Little Night Music with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury on Broadway and preparing to open the Liev Schreiber/Scarlett Jonhansson-led A View from the Bridge on Broadway in January. In fact, Friedman has no fewer than 56 projects on her 'to-do list.'

GLEE has gone global, evidenced by this Rome flash mob dancing to the hits from the GLEE at a mall during a busy holiday shopping hour.

Cabaret singer and 'Judy's' Cabaret owner Judy Kreston died on December 23 in New York City of cancer. She was 76 years old.

Grammy nominated song writer Barbara Hart and Cheryl Gimbel have joined forces to create a world premiere musical debuting in Los Angeles, with the incomparable Kay Cole at the helm. In the musical, a low-life building inspector tries to bring down the decades old Rose Bowl bowling alley. As justice is being sought, Cupid's arrow is launched...but the Rose Bowl Queens may not survive. Ain't likely ta git much funner en this.

Broadway songbird and small screen star Sara Ramirez will perform a special rendition of the holiday classic 'Silent Night' a capella on tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy, according a tweet from Grey's head writer and producer, Shonda Rhimes. Grey's airs Thursdays on ABC at 9pm EST.

Susan Boyle's winning streak has yet to be broken, as the unlikely Scottish singing sensation takes the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for the fourth consecutive week, Variety reports. Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream sold 661,000 copies (a 14% week-to-week gain) this past week (ending December 20), according to a tally from Nielsen SoundScan. Boyle's American sales have now exceeded 2.4 million within a month.

The show universally applauded for its originality, deep emotional resonance, and powerful, high-octane score, makes its broadcast debut on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS. Passing Strange, the Spike Lee-directed film featuring the award-winning Broadway rock musical of the same title, will air in primetime on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 9 p.m. EST (check local listings).

Amy Winehouse attended a performance of Cinderella at the Milton Keynes Theatre in England Saturday night, but she did not sit idly by and watch. As reported by the Daily Mail, Winehouse repeatedly disrupted the performance and rattled the actors by yelling out obscenities and saying things including 'F*** Cinders, Prince Charming, marry me.'

Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' global hit musical MAMMA MIA!, currently playing on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre has had quite a big year. BroadwayWorld brings you the highlights:

Legendary Broadway star, actress/singer Betty Buckley will continue her successful Song Interpretation Workshop in January 2010. The Fort Worth native will assist aspiring young artists and experienced performers and educators in the craft of singing, acting and storytelling.

American Idol is set to return for its much-anticipated ninth season with a two-night premiere featuring talent and outrageous new auditions from Boston Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Atlanta Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, starring Tony® Award-winner Liev Schreiber and Golden Globe nominee Scarlett Johansson will begin previews Monday, December 28. Directed by directed by Gregory Mosher, the production will play on Broadway at the Cort Theatre.

Golden Globe winners Jennifer Aniston, Mickey Rourke and Julia Roberts have been set as presenters at 'The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards' on Sunday, January 17. The show, hosted by Ricky Gervais, will be broadcast live coast to coast on NBC (5 to 8 pm PT, 8 to 11 pm ET) from The Beverly Hilton.

Broadway favorite Jennifer Cody, who voices Charlotte LaBouff in the current Disney hit The Princess and the Frog, has been named one of the top performers of 2009 by New York Magazine.

Signature Theatre presents Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife, winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®, starring Helen Hayes Award-winner Andrew Long and directed by Alan Paul, January 12 through March 7, 2010 in the company's intimate ARK Theatre.

Current GRAMMY Award nominees Beyoncé, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, and Taylor Swift are the first performers announced for the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast.

FOX has announced that it will be giving the inaugural week of American Idol's new season a few extra minutes - 15 to be exact. The show's Wednesday, January 13 installment will now run 75 minutes, pushing the launch of Our Little Genius to 9:15/8:15c. Genius however will only run for 45 minutes on that night.

The Women's Project will welcome Laurie Anderson, Joan Osborne, and Suzanne Vega in a one-night-only engagement concert in their Julia Miles Theater. The concert is intended to raise funds for the organization and will take place on March 8.

Whatsonstage.com is reporting that Legally Blonde is poised to be this season's monster hit in the West End, 'reporting £2million advance ticket sales and a 'Beatlemania'-like atmosphere' at the Savoy Theatre, where the production is currently in previews.