Hottest Articles on BWW from Wednesday, Jan. 7

1) BWW TV Exclusive: HAIRSPRAY The Final Bow on Broadway

BWW TV was on hand to bring you the most exclusive coverage of the powerhouse finale, "You Can't Stop The Beat", the joyful curtain call, Harvey's emotional farewell speech, and inteviews with the original cast members and creative team with a surprise or two! (more...)

2) Photo Coverage: Will Ferrell's 'You're Welcome America' Meets the Press

Film and television star Will Ferrell's upcoming Broadway debut in his new one-man show "You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush" will officially open on Thursday, February 5th, 2009, with previews starting on January 20th. The show will be directed by Adam McKay, Ferrell's longtime collaborator, and director of the comedy classics Anchorman, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and this summer's box office hit Step Brothers. The production met the press on January 6th and BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to meet Broadway's new 'commander in chief'. (more...)

3) U2's The Edge Reveals More on 'SPIDER-MAN' Musical

UK's The Sun spoke to U2's The Edge and he revealed new information on the upcoming 'SPIDER-MAN The Musical'. Along with his partner and U2 frontman Bono, The Edge discussed how the two have been working with Tony winning director Julie Taymor and scriptwriter Glenn Berger on the project. (more...)

4) MADtv's Nicole Parker Joins Wicked as Elphaba Beginning January 16

Beginning performances on Friday, January 16, NICOLE PARKER (from "MADtv" and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) will assume the role of Elphaba in the musical blockbuster WICKED. Nicole joins a cast which includes Alli Mauzey as Glinda, Jayne Houdyshell as Madame Morrible, P.J. Benjamin as The Wizard, Kevin Kern as Fiyero, Alex Brightman as Boq, Brynn O'Malley as Nessarose, and Timothy Britten Parker as Dr. Dillamond. Aaron Tveit will return to the role of Fiyero on Friday, January 23. The role of Elphaba is currently being played by Marcie Dodd. (more...)

5) Charlotte D'Amboise To Take A Lead Role On ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Broadway star Charlotte D'Amboise will be taking on the role of Principal Dickinson on One Life To Live. She will appear on January 16. (more...)

6) Photo Coverage: 'Talkback Tuesdays' at CHICAGO with Melora Hardin

The Broadway company of CHICAGO held the first January 2009 installment of "Talkback Tuesdays," the new monthly series offering a post-show discussion and audience Q&A session with members of the Broadway company of the record-breaking hit musical. Designed to provide theatergoers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of CHICAGO, the recent "Talkback Tuesdays" featured a post-show conversation with actress Melora Hardin. (more...)

7) 007 Star Craig Wants Stage Work...As Long As Its 'Uncomplicated'

WENN news service reports that current James Bond, Daniel Craig is eager to appear in a West End play - but is hoping to avoid classics which are too "complicated" or have "too many lines." (more...)

8) Newton-John Leads AUSTRALIA PLAYS BROADWAY At Carnegie Hall On 1/20

Australia Week 2009 proudly presents Australia Plays Broadway, a celebration of Australia's most acclaimed musical artists on Tuesday, January 20 at Carnegie Hall. The one-night-only concert event features Grammy award-winning star of stage and screen, Olivia Newton-John and performances by star of Melbourne's Wicked Amanda Harrison, acclaimed stage and screen performer Simon Burke (host), singer and chart sensation Lior, singer/songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, iconic rocker Jimmy Barnes, vocalist Ursula Yovich, crooner David Campbell, twin cellists Pei-Jee and Pei-Sian Ng and many more. (more...)

9) Queen Latifah Hosts the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards 1/7

Queen Latifah, who appeared in the "Hairspray" and "Chicago" movie musicals, will host the upcoming People's Choice Awards, reports Variety. (more...)

10) HBO Secures Rights to Inaugural Ceremony

The Hollywood Reporter is stating that HBO will provide coverage of Inauguration Week starting with an exclusive program on Sunday, Jan. 18th, 2009. (more...)

11) RENT: Filmed Live On Broadway To Be Released On DVD 2/3

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway on Blu-ray DiscTM and DVD on February 3, 2009. The ground breaking Pulitzer and Tony? Award-winning musical thrived for an impressive 12 years on Broadway, and on Sunday, September 7, 2008, Sony Pictures Releasing's new alternative programming division THE HOT TICKET was there to capture the final Broadway performance. (more...)

12) 'OSCAR NIGHT AMERICA' Benefit Expands To 52 Cities

Oscar Night America (ONA), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' grassroots program that enables local charities to host glamorous Oscar viewing parties and raise money for their organizations, kicks off its 16th year in 2009. (more...)

13) DOG SEES GOD Makes UK Premiere, Opening 1/22

The kids from the Peanuts comic strip grow up in this multi-award-winning parody in its first UK production. When CB's dog dies, he contemplates what happens after death. With his friends too stoned, inebriated or institutionalised to provide any answers, a chance reunion with a childhood friend offers him the answers he seeks, plus some he never expected, changing his and his friends' lives forever. (more...)

14) IN THE HEIGHTS And Ghostlight Records Host Talkback Event

On Wednesday, January 14th, IN THE HEIGHTS and GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS will host a TALKBACK event for GRAMMY UNIVERSITY Students. The evening begins with an 8pm performance of the Tony Award Winning 'In The Heights' at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. (more...)

15) Photo Coverage: Broadway at Birdland Hosts Julie Halston

Monday night's Broadway at Birdland saw a sea of theater glitterati, cheering the hilarious rantings of Julie Halston. The star of Hairspray, Gypsy, The Women, Twentieth Century, and founding member of Charles Busch's Theater-in-Limbo, decided, for one night only, to throw caution to the wind and just go crazy with new material, old material and of course new clothes! Our BWW cameras were there, of course, to catch all the fun! (more...)

16) Photo Flash: The Light In The Piazza At The Covina Center

In its Los Angeles Regional Premiere, the Tony Award winning musical The Light In The Piazza will open at the Covina Center for the Performing Arts on January 23, 2009. The Covina Center for the Performing Arts is proud to present a brand new production of this Tony award winning musical, directed by Brady Schwind. (more...)

17) I LOVE A PIANO, Musical Revue Of Irving Berlin, Begins 1/29

I Love a Piano, an enchanting revue of the music and lyrics of Irving Berlin, spans over seven decades of American history and includes 64 of Berlin's most enduring and popular favorites. Under the direction and choreography of Ray Roderick (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang national tour), who co-created the show with Michael Berkeley, these show-stopping song and dance numbers performed by a cast of talented young actors bring fresh energy to Berlin's material. I Love a Piano runs January 29-February 15, 2009 at Arena at the Lincoln Theatre. (more...)

18) Glenn Close's DAMAGES Begins Second Season on FX 1/7

For her role on Damages, Ms. Close was honored with the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. The series second season begins January 7th, 2008. (more...)

19) Kline Led 'Cyrano de Bergerac' Airs on PBS January 7, 2009

The critically acclaimed production of Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand's 1897 romantic classic with a translation and adaptation by Anthony Burgess, was recorded live on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 for PBS "Great Performances." It's now going to be made available on DVD on January 6, 2009. It will also be seen on PBS stations beginning January 7th, 2009 from 8-10:30pm. (more...)

20) Blythe Sings Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice 'Orfeo' at MET

Director-choreographer Mark Morris's much-lauded 2007 production of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice returns to the repertoire, with Stephanie Blythe taking on one of the pinnacles of the mezzo-soprano repertory, the role of Orfeo, for the first time in her career. Soprano Danielle de Niese, an acclaimed singer of eighteenth-century music and a graduate of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, sings Euridice for the first time at the Met. Heidi Grant Murphy returns as Amor, which she performed at the production's premiere in 2007. (more...)