Billy Crudup News

BIG FISH, a new musical based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the 2003 Columbia Pictures film written by John August, will star Norbert Leo Butz as Edward Bloom, and have its pre-Broadway world premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph Street) in a limited 5-week engagement beginning performances Tuesday, April 2, 2013, opening Sunday, April 21, 2013, and playing through Sunday, May 5, 2013. Tickets on sale Monday, February 4, 2013.

Members of the Naughton Family - two-time Tony Award winner and Weston, Connecticut resident James Naughton, daughter Keira Naughton, son Greg Naughton, and Greg's wife Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara - plus Blythe Danner, Jordan Coughtry, Edward Herrmann, Chad Kinsman, Jake Robards, Mark Shanahan, and Dana Steingold are cast in Westport Country Playhouse's Script in Hand playreading of "The Philadelphia Story," the romantic comedy classic by Philip Barry, set for one-night-only tonight, December 10, 7 p.m. Director is Anne Keefe, Playhouse artistic advisor.

Today we are talking to one of Broadway's most remarkable breakout stars to have crossed over into Hollywood with an impressive film career following his superlative work in the Mike Nichols-directed HBO production of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning ANGELS IN AMERICA in 2002, the affable and incredibly talented Patrick Wilson. While looking ahead to Monday's BROADWAY BLOWS BACK benefit concert in aid of Hurricane Sandy relief, Wilson and I take a look back at his career onstage and onscreen thus far, with an emphasis on the diverse range and commendable dedication to character he has displayed since his memorable first starring roles on Broadway - from BRIGHT LIGHTS< BIG CITY to OKLAHOMA! to THE FULL MONTY, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK and ALL MY SONS onstage to his aforementioned Joe Pitt in ANGELS to roles in HARD CANDY with Ellen Page, LITTLE CHILDREN with Kate Winslet, WATCHMEN with fellow recent InDepth InterView participant Carla Gugino to last year's YOUNG ADULT and this year's PROMETHEUS, Wilson can clearly do it all. Additionally, Wilson reflects on his work with Andrew Lloyd Webber on THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as well as shares thoughts on other roles he would enjoy playing someday (Joe Gillis in SUNSET BOULEVARD perhaps?) and shares stories from the set of GLEE and AMERICAN HORROR STORY creator Ryan Murphy's first feature film, RUNNING WITH SCISSORS. Plus, thoughts on how Broadway has changed thus far in the new century, immediate plans for the future and much, much more!

Tony award-winner Billy Crudup (The Coast of Utopia) teams up with Broadway performer Susan Blackwell ([title of show]), Tony nominee Maria Dizzia (In the Next Room), television, theater and film actor Peter Jacobson (House, M.D.) and Broadway performer and director Jessica Stone (Match) for a one-day acting intensive today, November 17th at the Manhattan Theatre Club.

Labyrinth Theater Company (Co-Artistic Directors Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell, Yul Vazquez and Managing Director, Danny Feldman), the award-winning, downtown ensemble, announced today the new date for its annual signature benefit Celebrity Charades 2012, which will now take place on Monday, January 14, 2013 at Capitale. Labyrinth Theater Company's annual star-studded fundraising event remains one of the most popular 'happenings' of the year in New York City and was rescheduled from its original date due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Members of the Naughton Family - two-time Tony Award winner and Weston, Connecticut resident James Naughton, daughter Keira Naughton, son Greg Naughton, and Greg's wife Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara - plus Blythe Danner, Jordan Coughtry, Edward Herrmann, Chad Kinsman, Jake Robards, Mark Shanahan, and Dana Steingold are cast in Westport Country Playhouse's Script in Hand playreading of "The Philadelphia Story," the romantic comedy classic by Philip Barry, set for one-night-only on Monday, December 10, 7 p.m. Director is Anne Keefe, Playhouse artistic advisor.

Tony award-winner Billy Crudup (The Coast of Utopia) teams up with Broadway performer Susan Blackwell ([title of show]), Tony nominee Maria Dizzia (In the Next Room), television, theater and film actor Peter Jacobson (House, M.D.) and Broadway performer and director Jessica Stone (Match) for a one-day acting intensive on November 17th at the Manhattan Theatre Club.

Broadway producer Dede Harris has optioned the music catalogue of Diane Warren, one of the most popular and successful contemporary songwriters of our time, to create a new musical for the Broadway stage.

Labyrinth Theater Company (Co-Artistic Directors Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell, Yul Vazquez and Managing Director, Danny Feldman), the award-winning, downtown ensemble, announced today its annual signature benefit Celebrity Charades 2012 will be postponed due the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy. A new date has not yet been selected but is expected to be announced in the coming days. Labyrinth Theater Company's annual star-studded fundraising event remains one of the most popular 'happenings' of the year in New York City and was originally scheduled for Monday, November 5th at Capitale.

The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, presented by the Los Angeles Times, previously announced that Academy Award winning actress Marion Cotillard will receive the 'Hollywood Actress Award' for her distinguished performance in Jacques Audiard's 'Rust and Bone,' a Sony Pictures Classics release, at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala ceremony tonight, October 22.

According to the NY Post, the cast for the annual 24 Hour Plays on Broadway has just been announced. Participants will include: Seth Green, Sam Rockwell, Brooklyn Decker, Brooke Shields, Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Anthony Mackie, Billy Crudup, Carla Gugino, Diane Neal, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Fisher Stevens, Gabourey Sidibe, Jack McBrayer, Kathy Najimy, Liev Schreiber, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Trachtenberg, Rachel Dratch, Rosie Perez and Zosia Mamet.

The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announce that Academy Award winning actress Marion Cotillard will receive the 'Hollywood Actress Award' for her distinguished performance in Jacques Audiard's 'Rust and Bone,' a Sony Pictures Classics release, at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala ceremony on October 22.

BIG FISH, a new musical based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the 2003 Columbia Pictures film written by John August, will star Norbert Leo Butz as Edward Bloom, and have its pre-Broadway world premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph Street) in a limited 5-week engagement beginning performances Tuesday, April 2, 2013, and playing through Sunday, May 5, 2013.

According to Variety, Ben Foster will star in the upcoming film adaptation of Adam Rapp's play Red Light Winter, replacing the previously announced Mark Ruffalo. Foster will be joined by Kirsten Dunst and Katherine Waterston.

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Broadway vet and Geffen alum Merle Dandridge (Spamalot, Rent, Aida) will take on the spicy role of Anna Mae, who fakes a Brazilian accent for a slice of fame, and former leading lady of ABC's Man Up, Amanda Detmer, will portray Gloria Mitchell, the white starlet dubbed "America's little sweetie pie" and Vera's first employer. Helmed by award-winning director Jo Bonney, the West Coast premiere cast also features Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Being John Malkovich), Spencer Garrett (Iron Man 3, Air Force One) and Geffen alum Mather Zickel (Extraordinary Chambers, Rachel Getting Married).

In 1976, Coal Miner's Daughter, country star Loretta Lynn's autobiography (written with journalist George Vecsey) became a New York Times Bestseller; in 1980 the book was made into an Academy Award-winning film starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones. Now, it's headed for Broadway, with actress Zooey Deschanel playing Loretta Lynn.

Like Clockwork: The 52nd Street Project's Party Time Benefit is set for this Monday, May 7, hosted by Tony Award nominee Bobby Cannavale at Ars Nova. The benefit will feature songs with lyrics by Project kids, set to music and performed by professional artists.

The American Theatre Wing (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Heather Hitchens, Executive Director) is now accepting applications for the 2012 SpringboardNYC summer program, being held June 5 - 16 in New York City. Limited to 35 participants, SpringboardNYC provides financial aid and multiple scholarship programs to students who qualify.

This July, many of Broadway's finest will head to North Carolina to participate in The Performing Arts Project Summer Intensive (www.performingartsproject.com). The Performing Arts Project was formed by a group of respected industry professionals to educate young performers in all aspects of the performing arts. Under the Artistic Direction of Jonathan Bernstein (Broadway: Chicago, The Iceman Cometh), The Performing Arts Project Summer Intensive artists include Tony winners Laura Benanti and Billy Crudup as well as Tony nominees Hunter Bell, John Ellison Conlee, Gavin Creel, Nancy Dussault, Christopher Gattelli, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Smash's Brian d'Arcy James as well as Broadway casting director Dave Clemmons, Dexter's Josh Cooke, The Good Wife's Monica Raymund and This Means War's Abigail Spencer, among many others.

On last night's 'Watch What Happens Live' on Bravo TV, guest Ryan Murphy confirmed to the talk show's host Andy Cohen that actress Jessica Lange would be returning for Season 2 of FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY.