Alan Ball News

PBS raises the curtain on a new fall season celebrating the arts, exploring America's 'Great Experiment' with PROHIBITION, and traveling to the edges of the universe with NOVA's 'The Fabric of the Cosmos.' Also on tap this season, PBS will premiere new shows from MASTERPIECE featuring award-winning actors including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy; a look at prolific director Woody Allen on AMERICAN MASTERS; and a special tribute event commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Off-Broadway's The New Group proudly announces that Lily Rabe will star in the company's world premiere of David Rabe's An Early History of Fire. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production opens in April 2012 at The New Group @ Theatre Row as part of the company's 2011-2012 Season.

The last time fans saw True Blood character Russell Edgington, Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) had sealed him in a cement grave, but he promised he'd return.

Alexander Skarsgard, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer all attended the True Blood Panel held on July 22nd at 2011 Comic Con in San Diego, Ca.

Today we are continuing our summer spotlight on the TV shows featuring some of the brightest and best talent onscreen and onstage with the third part of BroadwayWorld's series on USA's new primetime network drama NECESSARY ROUGHNESS focusing on leading player Mehcad Brooks, who essays the role of star football quarterback Terrance 'TK' King on the show. Featuring an impressive assortment of players known for roles on screens large and small and stages far and wide, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS was created by Craig Shapiro and Liz Kruger and features Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas, Scott Cohen, Mehcad Brooks and Andrea Anders. The show centers on therapist Dr. Dani Santino (Thorne) and her suddenly crumbling domestic life coming in the wake of her husband's (Craig Bierko) newly discovered affair, just as she enters a new area of expertise in her field and starts taking on the clients of her career - chief among them being star quarterback TK (Brooks). Will her newfound romance with Matthew (Blucas) and his relationship to the team lead to a fumble? And who exactly is the shadowy figure behind the scenes, Nico (Cohen)? Plus, how will Dr. Santino balance the roles of therapist, mother and newly-single woman approaching her forties? NECESSARY ROUGHNESS goes in for a touchdown by bringing together issues from all sides and taking them on play-by-play - because, after all, as the tagline goes: 'Everyone has issues to tackle.' Touchdown! Charismatic and charming featured player on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS Mehcad Brooks is known to TV fans for arcs on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, TRUE BLOOD, MY GENERATION and THE DEEP END - and to Times Square visitors for his Calvin Klein ad - but it is with the role of Terrance 'TK' King on this new USA series that he has solidified his star status - and, in only a handful of episodes, at that, since the show just began. Brooks was generous enough to field some questions about his experiences on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS on and off the field and screen yesterday, as well as working with show creator Craig Shapiro - plus, creators and show runners on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and TRUE BLOOD, Marc Cherry and Alan Ball - in addition to illustrating his palpable rapport with cast-mates Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas and Scott Cohen, who are all also a part of this special summer series on BroadwayWorld.

According to the Boston Globe, Tony nominee Lily Rabe will star in the New Group premiere of her father, David Rabe's new play- An Early History of Fire. The off-Broadway production will be directed by Jo Bonney and will run in thir 2011-12 season.

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that Academy® and Emmy®-Award winning writer/producer/director Alan Ball will be the featured subject of the next installment of Iconography, the series that honors the life, career, and impact of iconic personalities on SiriusXM's 24/7 LGBT channel OutQ, ch.108.

The Court Theatre's first production since the February earthquake is the perfect antidote to trying times.

PBS raises the curtain on a new fall season celebrating the arts, exploring America's 'Great Experiment' with PROHIBITION, and traveling to the edges of the universe with NOVA's 'The Fabric of the Cosmos.' Also on tap this season, PBS will premiere new shows from MASTERPIECE featuring award-winning actors including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy; a look at prolific director Woody Allen on AMERICAN MASTERS; and a special tribute event commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

In an interview with Film School Rejects, Denis O'Hare revealed that his character will be back for the fifth season of HBO's 'True Blood,' which will air in summer 2012. O'Hare joined the show last year as a 2,800 year old vampire king of Mississipi.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Broadway veteran Katherine Helmond is set to guest star on HBO's 'True Blood' in the fourth season. Helmond will play Caroline Bellefleur in two episodes.

The Court Theatre's first production since the February earthquake is the perfect antidote to trying times.

HBO(R) is giving fans a chance to watch the second episode of TRUE BLOOD(R) season 4, a full week early by logging on to HBO GO(R) from their desktop, iPad (R)or smartphone.

Off-Broadway's The New Group proudly announces the productions slated for its 2011-2012 season.

HBO is excited to announce that TRUE BLOOD will make its fourth consecutive appearance at Comic-Con in San Diego this July.

According to Deadline.com, Broadway veterans John Gallagher Jr. and Thomas Sadoski are on board to join previously announced Jeff Daniels Sam Waterston and Olivia Munn in Aaron Sorkin's HBO series: MORE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS. Sorkin's long-developing drama, set behind the scenes at a nightly cable news show. 'Social Network' producer Scott Rudin will reunite with Sorkin for the project, which will be executive produced by both. Filming on the pilot will not begin until later in the year.

According to Deadline.com, Sam Waterston is on board to join previously announced Jeff Daniels and Olivia Munn in Aaron Sorkin's HBO series: MORE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS. Sorkin's long-developing drama, set behind the scenes at a nightly cable news show. 'Social Network' producer Scott Rudin will reunite with Sorkin for the project, which will be executive produced by both. Filming on the pilot will not begin until later in the year.