Jessica Lewis - Page 54

The New York Post reports this morning that U2's Bono and Edge are in talks with producers at American Idol to perform songs from the newly revamped SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK on the show's finale. According to the report on Page Six, Bono is also attempting to arrange for Spidey's stars to perform with him on the Idol stage. The two nigh season finale airs next Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm EST on FOX.

Transport Group Theatre Company, the winner of a special Drama Desk Award and two OBIE Awards, began previews for the New York premiere of Lysistrata Jones, a new musical with a book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn, and directed and choreographed by Dan Knechtges on Sunday May 15 on the basketball court of the Judson Memorial Church Gymnasium. The show officially opens on Sunday, June 5.

This spring, Jump, the internationally-renowned live-action martial arts comedy created by Yegam, Inc. Productions, comes to New York in a new production featuring new music, new plot twists and a new cast of hilarious martial artists. Presented by Show & Arts USA, LLC., Jump, begans performances Off-Broadway at New World Stages on Wednesday, May 11. Opening night is Thursday, June 23. Click below for a performance preview of Jump!

Writer Damon Runyon invented Broadway - and Broadway invented the American Musical! Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will open its 2011 Nutmeg Summer Series with the classic American musical, Guys and Dolls based on Runyon's comic tales of Broadway running June 2-12 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre (Lower Jorgensen).

Rainbow Valley, a musical adaptation of the seventh book in L. M. Montgomery's beloved 'Anne of Green Gables' series, will have a staged reading of Act One on May 19 at 6:30pm as part of Emerging Artists Theatre's 7th Annual New Works Series.

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2011-2012 season with the premiere of a new Disney stage musical, Newsies. Featuring music by eight time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid), lyrics by Jack Feldman and a new book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), Newsies is adapted for the stage from the live-action Disney feature film musical. The production is being directed at Paper Mill by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun (The Will Rogers Follies, Grey Gardens). The show begins performances on Thursday, September 15. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, September 25. Recently, BroadwayWorld stopped by the Newsies open call in New York City and went inside the audition room. Click below to watch the men's dance call and hear from Calhoun and the show's choreographer, Christopher Gattelli!

Yesterday, May 18, CBS Television Network hosted its 2011 Upfront at Lincoln Center in New York City. The annual gathering reveals the shows that will continue in the upcoming season and introduces the new additions to the line up. Staples such as The Good Wife, Survivor, CSI and How I Met Your Mother return. New additions include Person Of Interest and Unforgettable.

Broadway and off Broadway producer Randall L. Wreghitt has passed away, according to his production company website. A message posted on the homepage reads: 'Hello friends, our beloved Randall passed away early this morning. All arrangements are pending as of now and we will keep you posted.'

On Monday, May 16, the FOX 2011 Upfront event was held at the Wollman Rink in Central Park in New York City. The event revealed which shows are returning, which are being cut from the network line-up and introduced the new upcoming series. Audiences can, of course, expect the return of GLEE and American Idol and will be seeing the premieres of The X Factor, and new comedies with Katie Finneran and more.

Yesterday, May 17, 'The Beaver' film, starring Jodi Foster and Mel Gibson premiered at the 64th Cannes Film Festival. BroadwayWorld brings you coverage of the photo call below.

The Associated Press has released a detail of the celebrity farewell to Oprah, which will air on May 23 and May 24, just before the last Oprah Winfrey Show airs on May 25. On hand to pay tribute to the queen of daytime talk was the segment's host, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld who performed a routine, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, Beyonce, John Legend, Patti LaBelle and mroe. Aretha Franklin sang Amazing Grace and stage and small screen favorite Kristin Chenoweth led a performance of Wicked's For Good. As she performed, nearly 300 Morehouse College scholarship students, endorced by Oprah in one of her many charity endeavors, walked the aisles of the United Center where the event was being filmed. Simon Cowell was also on hand and Rosie O'Donnell additionally performed a Broadway-inspired number.

In his column this morning, Michael Riedel suggests that Hugh Jackman, who just completed a two week run of his solo variety show at the Curran Theater in San Francisco is considering the starring role in an upcoming stage adaptation of Tim Burton's Big Fish. The new musical is being composed by Andrew Lippa. Jackman recently participated in a reading of the show with Laura Benanti.

In need of new headshots? New York City photographer Peter James Zielinski will be shooting in Chicago May 21st through June 4th. Student, group, and returning client rates are available.

Producers Julian Schlossberg and Letty Aronson are proud to announce that the world premiere production of RELATIVELY SPEAKING, three one-act comedies by the prolific writing trio of Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, directed by John Turturro, will arrive on Broadway this fall.

Born and raised in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, actress/songstress Kristin Chenoweth goes back to her country music roots with her new album Some Lessons Learned, to be released on SONY MASTERWORKS on Tuesday, September 13.

The St. Louis Muny has announced that Patti Murin, Paul Vogt and John Riddle will lead the theater's production of The Little Mermaid as Ariel, Ursula and Prince Eric, respectively. They will be joined by Lara Teeter (Scuttle), Elizabeth Teeter (Flounder), Francis Jue (Sebastian), Lee Roy Reams (Chef Louis), Gary Glasgow (Grimsby), and Ken Page (King Triton).

The Broadway League has released its seventh edition of the demographics report, The Audience for Touring Broadway 2009-2010. Updated on a biennial basis, it tracks profiles of audiences throughout the country, analyzes changes over time, and denotes the unique characteristics and theatergoing habits that distinguish 'road' audiences from Broadway theatergoers in New York.

As Broadway has previously reported, new ABC series for the 2011-12 season are 'Apartment 23,' 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Good Christian Belles,' 'Last Man Standing,' 'Man Up,' 'Missing,' 'Once Upon a Time,' 'Pan Am,' 'Revenge,' 'The River,' 'Scandal,' 'Suburgatory' and 'Work It.'

Whatsonstage.com reports today that Caroline O'Connor will lead a UK production of GYPSY at the Leicester Curve Theatre in from March 13 to April 14, 2012. Opening night is set for March 15, 2012. Curve Theatre Artistic Director Paul Kerryson directs.

ABC kicked off its 2011-12 season pickups with five comedies - 'Apartment 23,' 'Last Man Standing' (formerly 'Tim'), 'Man Up,' 'Suburgatory,' 'Work It' - and seven dramas - 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Good Christian Belles,' 'Pan Am,' 'Revenge,' 'Once Upon a Time,' 'The River,' 'Scandal' - receiving series commitments.