Elton John News

The return engagement of Disney's THE LION KING opens this week in the Kennedy Center Opera House for a limited nine-week engagement through August 17. In Washington, D.C., THE LION KING plays Tuesdays through Sunday evenings at 7:30pm with 1:30pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. There will be 1:30pm matinees on Wednesday, July 2, Wednesday, July 30 and Wednesday, August 13. There will not be a performance on Friday, July 4.

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will air the 10-part documentary series 'Operation Change' premiering tonight, June 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

The East End of Long Island's own singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright, who released a 'Best Of' compilation earlier this year titled Vibrate, will perform his most popular hits in a solo show at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center tonight, June 20 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $60, $100, $140 and are available online at www.whbpac.org.

Another St. Louis tradition continues this summer with the start of the MUNY's 96th season. The opening show is BILLY ELLIOT the Musical, and there are some absolutely electric moments to be found here. Adapted from the excellent film of the same name, the story follows a young boy who would rather dance in the ballet than take boxing lessons, drawing the ire of a strict father who's coping with the loss of his wife, and the possible loss of his livelihood due to the current politics of the time. The story is set in the early 1980's during the time that union-busting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was in power, and personally orchestrating the swift decline of a once thriving British coal industry. Despite this rather dire backdrop, this is an inspirational show that's well worth seeing under the stars in Forest Park.

The Actors Fund, a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment, is pleased to announce that the producer, cast, and management of Disney's The Lion King have added a special performance to benefit The Fund on Wednesday, July 30 at 1:30pm in the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. The entire company will donate their time and talent for this performance that will directly benefit The Actors Fund.

The Television Academy today announced that Carson Daly (The Voice) and Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project) will join Television Academy Chairman and CEO, Bruce Rosenblum, to reveal the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations on Thursday, July 10th at 8:40 a.m. ET/5:40 a.m. PT.

Fiddlehead Theatre Company announces its 2nd season as the Resident Theatre Company of the historic Strand Theatre (543 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA) in partnership with Mayor Martin J. Wash and the City of Boston. Through expanded arts initiatives and new community partnerships in the Dorchester neighborhood Fiddlehead is reconfirming its mission of bringing Broadway to the Strand and building community through the arts.

Five-time Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall will release her new studio album on Verve Records on September 9.

The Muny is currently presenting the first show of its spectacular 96th season, Billy Elliot the Musical, directed by Steven Minning, choreographed by Alison Levenberg, with music direction by Colin Welford. Starring as Billy Elliot, and making his Muny debut, is 11 year-old Tade Biesinger. Co-starring are Emily Skinner as Mrs. Wilkinson, Daniel Oreskes as Dad, and Patti Perkins as Grandma. Joining them are Ben Nordstrom as Tony, Steve Isom as George,Michael Harp as Michael, and Maria Knasel as Debbie. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Carol Becker, Dean of Faculty of Columbia University School of the Arts, announced today the appointment of two acclaimed playwrights to the faculty of the Arts: David Henry Hwang, Associate Professor of Theatre in Playwriting and director of the Playwriting Concentration, and Lynn Nottage, Associate Professor of Theatre in Playwriting.

TouchTunes and Photo Finish Records are joining forces in search of America's next big talent.

The Muny is currently presenting the first show of its spectacular 96th season, Billy Elliot the Musical, directed by Steven Minning, choreographed by Alison Levenberg, with music direction by Colin Welford. Starring as Billy Elliot, and making his Muny debut, is 11 year-old Tade Biesinger. Co-starring are Emily Skinner as Mrs. Wilkinson, Daniel Oreskes as Dad, and Patti Perkins as Grandma. Joining them are Ben Nordstrom as Tony, Steve Isom as George, Michael Harp as Michael, and Maria Knasel as Debbie. Check out highlights from the production below!

Das Musical-Ereignis des Jahres: Disney THE LION KING kommt zum ersten Mal in die Schweiz. Tauchen Sie ein in die farbenfrohe Welt Afrikas und in eine beruhrende Geschichte, die die Herzen der Menschen bewegt wie keine andere. Lassen Sie sich verzaubern, von packenden afrikanischen Rhythmen, dem warmen Zauber der Serengeti und zeitlosen Hits wie „Circle of Life" und „Can You Feel the Love Tonight" von Elton John und Tim Rice. Der Musical-Welterfolg Disney THE LION KING in seiner prachtigen, englischsprachigen Originalproduktion zu erleben ab Marz 2015 im Musical Theater Basel.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre, is pleased to present the first installment of a new post-show discussion series featuring the dynamic creators of Billy Elliot the Musical following the Saturday matinee on June 28 at 6PM. The one-hour discussion from the stage, moderated by Associate Producer Jayme McDaniel, will shine the spotlight on director BT McNicholl and choreographer Adam Pelty.

Casting has been announced for the Washington, D.C. engagement of Disney's The Lion King. The stage production returns to the Kennedy Center from June 17 to August 17, 2014. The press opening night is Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. The show's nine-week premiere engagement in 2008 played a sold-out run in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Disney's THE LION KING continues to reign across North America with a sold-out engagement in Toronto, which concluded on Sunday, June 15 at The Princess of Wales Theatre. The triumphant seven-week return grossed over $11.75 million at the box office and entertained more than 100,000 patrons during 56 performances. The award-winning musical premiered in Toronto in April 2000 at the Princes of Wales Theatre, where it played 1,560 performances through January 2004 and returned in 2011 for an eight-week sold-out engagement.

Circle Theatre continues the 2014 season in June with the family Magic Circle production of A SLEEPING BEAUTY SOMEWHERE IN TIME, running June 25 through 29.