Craig Zadan News

Now, Deadline.com is reporting that 'American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee 'will play a beautiful struggling actress who goes to all lengths (including sexual favors for the producer) to book the role of Marilyn Monroe in the musical. Also recently cast in the pilot, written by Theresa Rebeck and to be directed by Michael Mayer, are Jack Davenport and Megan Hilty. McPhee, repped by Gersh and the Schiff Co., made her TV pilot debut last season with NBC's half-hour The Pink House. She will next be seen in the romantic comedy You May Not Kiss the Bride.'

From the Cast of ANYTHING GOES and SPIDER-MAN, to the Ladies of THE VIEW, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand, Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters, Susan Boyle, Kelsey Grammer, GLEE and everyone in between...it's the BroadwayWorld.com 2011 Valentine's Day Special! Its Biggest Ever!

Megan Hilty has nabbed the coveted lead role in Steven Spielberg's new NBC pilot Smash, an ambitious drama about the mounting of a Broadway musical alongside Debra Messing. The pilot, produced by DreamWorks TV and UMS, follows a cross section of characters who come together to put on a Marilyn Monroe musical on Broadway. TV writer/playwright Theresa Rebeck wrote the script for Smash and is executive producing with Spielberg, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of DreamWorks TV, Hairspray producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and Grammy and Tony-winning songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman who will pen original songs for the show. Michael Mayer (American Idiot) is directing. This has been a passion project for new NBC chief Bob Greenblatt who first developed it at Showtime.

TVLine is reporting that Will & Grace star Debra Messing has just been cast to co-star in the upcoming NBC pilot SMASH, in which she'll 'play Julia, the musical's good-natured cowriter who is slow to embrace the commercially-iffy subject matter.'

As previously reported by BroadwayWorld, NBC has picked up a new pilot entitled SMASH, which is about 'a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway musical.' New details have emerged about the show.

According to Variety, NBC has picked up a new pilot entitled SMASH, which is about 'a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway musical.' The series was developed by NBC's Robert Greenblatt, Steven Spielberg, and Broadway producing team Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Bryan Singer will direct HBO's upcoming film: Bye, Bye Life: The Loves and Deaths of Bob Fosse. While no writer has been announced for the project, the movie musical-famed production team, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, will executive produce the movie.

The producers of the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING are excited to announce that Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalistAnderson Cooper will make his Broadway debut as the voice of the narrator in the new production directed and choreographed byRob Ashford. Anderson Cooper follows in the footsteps of Walter Cronkite who was the voice of the narrator in the 1995 revival of the musical starring Matthew Broderick. Starring Daniel Radcliffeas J. Pierrepont Finch, John Larroquette as J. B. Biggley,Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump, Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones, Michael Park as Bert Bratt and introducing in her Broadway debut Rose Hemingway as Radcliffe's onstage romantic interest Rosemary Pilkington, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) and Opens Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5pm.

The producers of the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING are excited to announce that Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Anderson Cooper will make his Broadway debut as the voice of the narrator in the new production directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford. Anderson Cooper follows in the footsteps of Walter Cronkite who was the voice of the narrator in the 1995 revival of the musical starring Matthew Broderick. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch, John Larroquette as J. B. Biggley, Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump, Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones, Michael Park as Bert Bratt and introducing in her Broadway debut Rose Hemingway as Radcliffe's onstage romantic interest Rosemary Pilkington, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) and Opens Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5pm.

Opening at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5pm, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. The marquee went up and we were of course there!

The producers of the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING are excited to announce complete casting for the new Broadway production directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch, John Larroquette as J. B. Biggley, Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump, Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones, the newly cast Michael Park as Bert Bratt and introducing in her Broadway debut Rose Hemingway as Radcliffe's onstage romantic interest Rosemary Pilkington, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING welcomes a cast of 29 that includes Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Tanya Birl, Kevin Covert, Paige Faure, David Hull, Justin Keyes, Marty Lawson, Erica Mansfield, Barrett Martin, Nick Mayo, Sarah O'Gleby, Stephanie Rothenberg, Megan Sikora, Michaeljon Slinger, Joey Sorge, Matt Wall, Ryan Watkinson, Charlie Williams and Samantha Zack.

BroadwayWorld offers highlights of the several productions which will complete their Broadway runs in January.

Diane Sawyer's co-workers had no intention of letting her 65th Birthday slide by unnoticed.

Sean Hayes will not perform at the Tuesday, November 23, 2010 performance of PROMISES, PROMISES due to a sinus infection. He also did not perform at the matinee on Sunday, November 21. In a statement, Hayes said 'I wish I never had to miss a show. I'd sleep on the stage if the doorman didn't kick me out. I made it all the way to 271 performances but my doctor tells me that singing with a sinus infection just won't work, which kills my dream of never missing a performance for the whole run of Promises. I'm at home resting and hope to be back onstage tomorrow.'

Deadline.com is reporting that Paramount has moved the release date for its Footloose remake to October 14, 2011.

The producers of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS (WITHOUT REALLY TRYING) are proud to announce additional casting for the upcoming Broadway revival. Stars Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette will be joined by Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones and, in her Broadway debut, Rose Hemingway, as Radcliffe's onstage romantic interest, Rosemary Pilkington.

The New York Times is reporting that at last night's evening performance of PROMISES, PROMISES, star Kristin Chenoweth was reportedly feeling 'dizzy' and missed the show's curtain call. An ambulance was called for the star (said to be a standard procedure) and she was diagnosed with mild dehydration. The show's reps tell the Times that she will miss today's matinee, but is expected back in the show tonight.

Daniel Radcliffe will make his Broadway musical debut as J. Pierrepont Finch in a new production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING opening at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) Sunday, March 27, 2011, at 5pm. Radcliffe has just completed his decade-long, critically-acclaimed performance starring as Harry Potter in the largest grossing franchise in motion picture history. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award-winner Rob Ashford, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING has a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's satirical self-help book of the same name and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Further casting will be announced shortly. The 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, and is produced by Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Joseph Smith, Michael McCabe, and Candy Spelling.

According to Deadline.com, PROMISES, PROMISES' Molly Shannon will be joinning the cast of an HBO comedy by Simpsons' Tim Long after her Broadway run. The title of the series remains unknown; however, Shannon will play a nun who joined the convent after getting her heart broken at 18.

Five-time Emmy Award winner John Larroquette will make his Broadway debut as J.B. Biggley joining multi award-winning international film and stage actor Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in a new production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS (WITHOUT REALLY TRYING). Opening at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5pm, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS (WITHOUT REALLY TRYING) is directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award-winner Rob Ashford, has music and lyrics by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Frank Loesser, and a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on the book by Shepherd Mead. The 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS (WITHOUT REALLY TRYING) begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, and is produced by Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Joseph Smith, Michael McCabe, and Candy Spelling.