Nicole Rosky - Page 532

Playwrights Theatre has just announced the winners of the 29th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest. From the 261 plays submitted by young writers throughout the state, a panel of theatre professionals has selected four High School plays, three Junior High School plays and three Elementary Schools plays. In each category, plays were selected without knowledge of playwrights' schools or grade. Judges were not provided with any of the playwrights' information. The 29th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest Festival will be held on May 21 and May 22 as part of a partnership between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages at Kean University. Select plays from this festival will be reprised at Playwrights Theatre's nationally-recognized Forum Reading Series in December 2012. This reading series brings together writers from all over the United States.

Tony Award winning actress Jane Krakowski, fashion industry leader Susan Sokol and philanthropist Ann Levine will receive The Spirit of Life® Award at City of Hope's annual Spring luncheon on Monday, May 14, at The Plaza Hotel. City of Hope's East End Chapter/Jeanne Kaye League will present the three distinguished women with its top philanthropic honor in recognition of their professional achievements, charitable contributions and personal commitment to the fight against women's cancers.

Broadway Records will release an EP of Nick Jonas performing five tracks from the smash hit musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. The CD will be released Tuesday, May 8, 2012, and will be available in the Hirschfeld Theatre the week of May 1. Pre-orders are now being taken at amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007V3N0KG/ref=cm_sw_su_dp. Produced by six-time Grammy nominee Robert Sher who produced the Grammy nominated Daniel Radcliffe/John Larroquette HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUR REALLY TRYING cast album, the new Nick Jonas recording is executive produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard of Broadway Consortium (Executive producers of the Radcliffe/Larroquette album) and Ken Mahoney.

According to the New York Times, the American Guild of Musical Artists filed an 'unfair labor practice' complaint against the Dance Theater of Harlem. Though DTH has been closed since 2004, executive director, Laveen Naidu recently announced that it will return in December without union contracts.

Last night, Jim Caruso's Cast Party was once again packed with extraordinary talent from all segments of the entertainment scene! Ukulele sensation Jake Shimabukuro dazzled the audience after his in-store appearance in The Apple Store, Birdland regular Gabrielle Stravelli and legendary jazzer Lodi Carr both offered swinging tunes, Giles Terera (from the West End's Avenue Q and The Rat Pack: Live At The Sands) sang from the heart, and theater composer Micah Young debuted a new song performed by singers Matt Leisy and Whitney Basher, both currently in The Fantastiks off-Broadway.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced Broadway newcomer Raven-Symone (Sister Act) will join Drama League nominee Megan Hilty (9 To 5, "Smash") and Justin Long (Seminar) as co-host when they announce The 2012 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Sardi's. The nominations ceremony will be broadcast worldwide via live stream at www.broadwayworld.com.

On Monday, April 16, Natalie Douglas brought her new concert, 'Freedom Songs,' to the Broadway at Birdland stage. The show was a celebration of the union between music and civil rights activism, and highlighted songs from the fight for equality of all people, regardless of color, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.

York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), celebrating the legendary librettist and lyricist Tom Jones with Musicals in Mufti: The Tom Jones Festival, has announced the complete cast for the fourth musical in the spring series: Colette Collage, with Book & Lyrics by Tom Jones and Music by Harvey Schmidt. The limited engagement will play 5 performances April 27 - 29 at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

Next week on SMASH, Karen (Katharine McPhee) finds herself seduced by the glamorous life of new BFF Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman)- but can Rebecca be trusted? What will Karen's ascent mean to her relationship with Dev (Raza Jaffrey)? And will Rebecca drive Derek (Jack Davenport) insane? Eileen (Anjelica Huston) introduces new beau Nick (guest star Thorsten Kaye) to ex-husband Jerry (guest star Michael Cristofer), while Julia (Debra Messing) panics when her son Leo (Emory Cohen) goes missing. Check out a sneak peek of the eppisode below!

Today in 2008, A Catered Affair opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre, where it ran for 116 performances. A Catered Affair is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by John Bucchino. It is based on both the 1956 film The Catered Affair written by Gore Vidal and the original 1955 teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky, set in 1953 in the Bronx. John Doyle directed the production, which starred Fierstein, Faith Prince and Tom Wopat.

Last night on SMASH, 'Bombshell' was turned upside-down by the arrival of movie star Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman). Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) were drawn into an uneasy alliance against their new rival -- but could they overcome their history? The romance between Tom (Christian Borle) and Sam (Leslie Odom, Jr.) heated up, while Julia (Debra Messing) and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) had to put aside their differences to address a family crisis. Miss the episode? Catch up below!

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced 11 mainstage productions of the theater's 2012-2013 season. The theater's 50th season and seventh on the Mississippi River looks ahead to a vital future with highlights including three new commissioned plays and works that deal vigorously with themes of war, race and politics through history and contemporary times.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, stage and screen star T.R. Knight will star in Legendary Pictures' upcoming Jackie Robinson biopic-'42.' Knight will play 'Harold Parrott, the Dodgers traveling secretary who has to deal with the repercussions of housing once Robinson joins the team.'

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. In the video below, the audience got a special surprise when the cast welcomed a couple onstage for a heartwarming marriage propsal. Click below to check it out!

On May 3-6, 2012, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School will debut Life Of The Party: A Light Opera For Dark Times by Olivier Award winners and Tony nominees, Laurence O'Keefe (Legally Blonde, Bat Boy) and Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, Pirates!). For tickets, visit: laguardiahs.org

ABC Family has begun production on the new drama series, BUNHEADS, filming in Los Angeles. Set to premiere on Monday, June 11th at 9:00pm ET/PT, BUNHEADS is the tale of a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law's dance school. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kenny Ortega has signed on to direct the third episode, which will air June 25.

One Man, Two Guvnors, held its first Broadway preview, April 6, leading up to the show's Broadway opening at the Music Box Theatre on April 18, 2012. Directed by Nicholas Hynter and with songs by Grant Olding, One Man, Two Guvnors, showcases physical comedy director is Cal McCrystal, designs by Mark Thompson, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford. BroadwayWorld brings you new production shots below!

On tonight's episode of SMASH entitled 'The Movie Star', 'Bombshell' is turned upside-down by the arrival of movie star Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman). Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) are drawn into an uneasy alliance against their new rival -- but can they overcome their history? The romance between Tom (Christian Borle) and Sam (Leslie Odom, Jr.) heats up, while Julia (Debra Messing) and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) must put aside their differences to address a family crisis. The episode airs Monday, April 16 at 10:00 pm/ET on the NBC network.

On March 27, Raven-Symone took over the leading role of Deloris Van Cartier in Broadway's SISTER ACT. She is stepping into the high-heeled boots of Tony and Olivier Award nominee Patina Miller, who gave her final performance on Sunday, March 18. SISTER ACT, which will celebrate its one-year Anniversary on Broadway on April 20, is playing at the Broadway Theater. BroadwayWorld brings you just-released production shots of Raven in action below!

The Town Hall will present Lea Salonga: The Journey Continues. The Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress and recording artist will perform in concert on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 8pm. Tickets, priced at $55, $50 and $45, are now available via Ticketmaster.com (800-982-2787).