Albert Finney News

Following a heartfelt and entertaining memorial for Sidney Lumet at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall with speakers and performers including Lauren Bacall, Walter Bernstein, Bobby Cannavale, Glenn Close, Jonathan Demme, James Gandolfini, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jenny Lumet, David Mamet, Phylilis Newman and Christopher Walken among others, the Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced the details today for a retrospective of the admired and beloved director's work, Prince of the City: Remembering Sidney Lumet which will screen at the Walter Reade Theater July 19 - 25.

The ever-popular Broadway musical Annie will light up Sydney's Lyric Theatre from 29 December in an exciting new production produced John Frost. Returning to the role of New York ‘zillionaire' Daddy Warbucks will be one of Australia's greatest theatrical talents, Anthony Warlow, fresh from his success in the title role of the World Premiere of Doctor Zhivago. Show business legend Nancye Hayes will play the tyrannical Miss Hannigan who runs the orphanage where Annie begins her journey. This is the third Australian production of Annie that Nancye has been involved with, having played Lily St Regis in the original production and been Assistant Choreographer for the second.

As previously reported, an Annie remake is in the works, produced by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jay-Z and partners, and starring the Smith's youngest, Willow. No other casting has been revealed (Willow has, however, expressed her wish for Brad Pitt to step into the shoes of Daddy Warbucks), and while for a time it seemed GLEE's Ryan Murphy was in talks to direct, it appears those talks are off, according to published reports. Today, New York Magazine reveals that Will Smith has called upon Emma Thompson, with whom he is currently starring in Men in Black III, to readapt John Huston's screenplay for the latest reincarnation of the famous story.

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2011 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

The New York Times reports today that Susan Stromen will direct a musical adaptation of Tim Burton's film, Big Fish. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Hugh Jackman and Laura Benanti recently participated in a reading of the show. The musical is aiming for a spring 2012 Broadway opening. No word from the Times if either Jackman or Benanti are confirmed for the project. Additional creative team members have yet to be announced.

'Love Who You Love', the haunting melody that is sung multiple times throughout A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, truly encompasses the message of this heartfelt production currently running at the 4th Wall Theater in Bloomfield.

4th Wall Theatre closes its 2010-2011 season with A Man of No Importance with a book Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Move over Victor Borge, it's "Ludwig Live!" at the Berkshires' newest performing arts venue, Seven Hills Inn Cabaret (40 Plunkett Street, Lenox, Mass).

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the World Premiere of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones. The cast features John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox. The Outgoing Tide runs May 12-June 19, 2011 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. The press opening is Saturday May 21, 2011.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the World Premiere of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones. The cast features John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox. The Outgoing Tide runs May 12-June 19, 2011 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. The press opening is Saturday May 21, 2011.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the World Premiere of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones. The cast features John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox. The Outgoing Tide runs May 12-June 19, 2011 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. The press opening is Saturday May 21, 2011.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 3, 2011 by Tony Award winning actor Matthew Broderick and Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose, at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement sponsored by IBM.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the World Premiere of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones. The cast features John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox. The Outgoing Tide runs May 12-June 19, 2011 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. The press opening is Saturday May 21, 2011.

4th Wall Theatre closes its 2010-2011 season with A Man of No Importance with a book Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the World Premiere of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones. The cast features John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox. The Outgoing Tide runs May 12-June 19, 2011 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. The press opening is Saturday May 21, 2011.

Today we lost one of the greats: the gentle giant of directors, Sidney Lumet. What a resume! Just to pick seven of perhaps the best known of the bunch, the bunch in question being over 100 titles strong: 12 ANGRY MEN, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, SERPICO, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK and BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD - the films spanning fifty years from MEN in 1957 and DEVIL in 2007 - it is clear to see why Lumet was one of the most cherished and celebrated directors in Hollywood, especially known for his tough, gritty New York stories and his pristine stage-to-screen transfers. For an excellent example of the latter (in addition to LONG DAY'S JOURNEY and the others) check out DEATHTRAP - based on Ira Levin's play, the longest-running thriller in Broadway history - featuring Michael Caine in one of his best roles and Christopher Reeve and Dyan Cannon in their finest performances on film. For an example of the former genre, look no further than NETWORK, containing one of the strongest screenplays ever penned, from the fiery and ferocious pen of Paddy Cheyefsky, and Faye Dunaway in her Oscar-winning performance for all the ages. As far as theatrical screenplays on screen, Lumet would be hard-pressed to even come close to the power, prescience and transformative brilliance at the core of the conceit of that film - yet he did just that; with his final, 2007 film no less. I am speaking, of course, of the underrated and riveting BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, with Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris. Taking an original screenplay that could just as well have been written for the stage - shades of 12 ANGRY MEN, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK and SERPICO, certainly - Lumet made a bristling, biting brilliant work of staggering craft and ingenuity - all with verve, energy and drive of a man a quarter of his age at the time (80). His films were classics in his own time and, now, in his passing, they are just as timeless - if not more so. With each passing year, new layers of truth, beauty, sadness and soulfulness can be found in the countless frames in the innumerable unforgettable scenes in his many masterpieces.

Catalyst Collaborative@MIT, a science theater collaboration between MIT and Underground Railway Theater, presents Hugh Whitemore's BREAKING THE CODE, an elegant, deeply moving portrait of mathematician Alan Turning, played by Allyn Burrows and directed by Adam Zahler. The press performance is April 10, 2011 at 2PM.

Although Ryan Murphy, creator of the smash hit GLEE, was reportedly one of the top contenders to direct, talks have ceased and Murphy has 'dropped out of contention' for the film.