Denzel Washington News

Whitney Houston - GRAMMY(R) Award-winning artist, Emmy(R) Award-winning actress, philanthropist and global icon - will be remembered on ENCORE, Friday, February 17 beginning at 8:00 p.m. (et/pt).

Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the upcoming world premiere of REGRETS by Matt Charman, directed by Carolyn Cantor.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 5, 2012 - Sunday, February 5, 2012.

Today, The Daily Telegraph indicated that negotiations may be back in motion, saying in an interview with Washington that the actor 'is showing no signs of slowing down, with talk of him starring in Othello with Al Pacino.'

The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program, which has trained such celebrated actors as Elizabeth Banks, Annette Bening, Anna Deavere Smith, and Denzel Washington, presents the sharp-witted, raunchy satire The Mandrake by Niccolò Machiavelli.

This Black History Month, BET and CENTRIC will showcase the range, richness and diversity of the African-American experience with an exciting lineup of programming highlighting the cultural contributions of black America.

Two-time Actor® recipient and nine-time SAG Award® nominee Don Cheadle will be a presenter at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis announced today.

THE PICTURE BOX by Cate Ryan that is being presented by The Negro Ensemble Company Off Broadway* at Theatre Row - Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street plays the final performances this weekend for the limited engagement.

BroadwayWorld.com reported the news exclusively on January 9, 2012 and now the The Public Theater has officially announced the line-up for the 50th Anniversary Shakespeare in the Park season at the Delacorte. Daniel Sullivan, who directed acclaimed productions of All's Well That Ends Well, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night in the Park, will return to direct AS YOU LIKE IT in June with Lily Rabe as Rosalind. The second show of the 50th Anniversary summer season will be Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. Based on the Olivier Award-winning Regent's Park Open Air Theatre London production in 2010, The Public Theater's INTO THE WOODS will be an all new production with an American cast and designers and will be staged in one of the most beautiful outdoor venues in the world-the Delacorte Theater. INTO THE WOODS will begin performances at the end of July.

Actor Jerry O'Connell will be a guest co-host on the February 9th and February 10th editions of ABC's LIVE! WITH KELLY. Guests will include actors Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson as well as O'Connell's wife, actress Rebecca Romijn.

Talk show host Regis Philbin will be a guest on tonight's LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN on CBS. John Fogerty will be the show's musical guest. LATE SHOW airs Monday through Friday from 11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) has announced its inaugural Conservatory Awards, which will annually recognize and honor A.C.T.'s award-winning actor training program's outstanding alumni and pay tribute to donors who have provided significant support to the M.F.A. Scholarship Fund.

MASKS is a buddy dramedy about two men growing up in the juvenile justice system, struggling to make it to manhood, battling with their past to shed their masks as they deal with crucial life issues that young people face.

Actor Idris Elba has confirmed to MTV News that he will reprise his role of the Norse god Heimdall in THOR 2, the sequel to the 2011 Marvel Comic's film. In an interview with MTV, the actor revealed, 'Thor 2 for sure. We're going at it again.'

MASKS is a buddy dramedy about two men growing up in the juvenile justice system, struggling to make it to manhood, battling with their past to shed their masks as they deal with crucial life issues that young people face.

The PICTURE BOX" by Cate Ryan will be presented by The Negro Ensemble Company Off Broadway* at Theatre Row - Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street.