John Leguizamo News

Dixon Place presents new work every month -- theater, puppetry, performance and visual art, music, dance and literature -- at all stages of development. This Fall, Dixon Place will present new-works-in-progress written and performed by current Artist-in-Residence David Cale.

From the time of its birth, the baby boomer generation (1946-1964) has significantly and uniquely changed our world. 2014 marks an important shift in American culture, as the last boomers turn 50. American Masters: The Boomer List, premiering nationwide Tuesday, September 23, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), tells the story of this influential generation through the lives of 19 iconic boomers-one born each year of the baby boom-including New Age guru Deepak Chopra (b. 1947), singer-songwriter Billy Joel (b. 1949), fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger (b. 1951), author Amy Tan (b. 1952), actor Kim Cattrall (b. 1956), environmentalist Erin Brockovich (b. 1960) and artist David LaChapelle (b. 1963). Click below for a sneak preview of the documentary!

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe's 40th anniversary season continues with the world premiere of Wesley Brown's play Dark Meat on a Funny Mind, which stars Tony nominee Anthony Chisholm as legendary comedian Richard Pryor. In Dark Meat, Pryor and his mischievous alter ego (played by actress Trish McCall) revisit the characters who shaped his life and inspired his career. The result is hilarious, surprising and memorable. A. Dean Irby directs the production, which opens today, July 31 and runs through August 24.

The world's largest solo theatre festival celebrates its fifth anniversary this upcoming season, with over 130 solo productions set to be presented at Theatre Row on 42nd Street between September 18 - November 23, 2014. In addition to its rich and diverse programming, the Festival recognizes artists of significant achievements in the solo theatre. This year's list of nominees for the United Solo Special Award includes:

Tonight, July 28 at 8 PM, John Leguizamo's Ghetto Klown, directed by Fisher Stevens in association with Westbeth Entertainment, will take the stage at Central Park and runs thorugh August 2, 2014 as part of this year's SummerStage lineup.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: PHOENIX, starring Julia Stiles and James Wirt, begins tonight at Cherry Lane, John Leguizamo's GHETTO KLOWN comes to Central Park, and three concerts highlight Broadway talent this evening at 42West, Joe's Pub and 54 Below!

Scandinavian American Theater Company (SATC) will present the World Premiere of BASTARDS OF STRINDBERG. This evening of short works inspired by Strindberg's iconic Miss Julie is written by four exciting contemporary playwrights: Dominique Morisseau (Detroit '67), David Bar Katz (Tony nominee for Freak), Andreas Boonstra (winner of Sweden's Thaliapriset award) and Lina Ekdahl (winner of Sweden's Werner Aspenstrom Award). Directed by Henning Hegland and Alicia Dhyan House, previews begin September 2 at Off-Broadway's The Lion Theater at Theatre Row. Opening night is set for September 5.

City Parks Foundation announces the 2014 season of SummerStage, New York's largest free performing arts festival, bringing over 100 free performances to 14 parks throughout the five boroughs. With performances ranging from American pop, Latin and World music to dance, comedy and theater, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City's summer arts festival landscape. Since its inception twenty-nine years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage. The festival runs now through August 24th.

The 23rd Annual HOT!, the NYC Celebration of Queer Culture, will run July 5th through August 2nd at Dixon Place. The world's longest-running LGBTQ Performance Festival, HOT! offers theater, music, dance, puppetry, performance art and homoeroticism for the whole family! HOT! is the pioneering celebration of queer performance and culture - and the oldest annual festival of its kind in the world. Dixon Place is proud that HOT! serves as the model for other queer festivals across the globe and has become a performance destination for emerging talent in the LGBTQ community.

Dixon Place (Ellie Covan, Artistic Director) presents the 23rd Annual HOT!, the NYC Celebration of Queer Culture. The world's longest-running LGBTQ Performance Festival, HOT! offers theater, music, dance, puppetry, performance art and homoeroticism for the whole family! HOT! is the pioneering festival of queer performance and culture - and the oldest annual festival of its kind in the world. Dixon Place is proud the HOT! serves as the model for other queer festivals across the globe and has become a performance destination for emerging talent in the LGBTQ community. This year's HOT!, featuring hundreds of participating artists presenting their newest creations, will run July 5th through August 2nd at Dixon Place, located at 161A Chrystie Street in New York City.

Following the success of their hit comedy Ride Along, which has earned just over $120 million worldwide since its release last month, Universal Pictures is bringing back Ice Cube and Kevin Hart for Ride Along 2.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that Jonah Rawitz of Buffalo Grove, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson High School), representing the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards, was awarded the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor on Monday, June 30, 2014 at Broadway's Minskoff Theater. The Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Jai'Len Josey, representing the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards -- Shuler Hensley Awards.

The 6th Annual National High School Musical Awards presented the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor on Monday, June 30 at Broadway's Minskoff Theater, to Jai' Len Josey representing the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards and Jonah Rawitz, representing the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards.

Hip hop, Indie-rock, punk and folk artists committed to social change will come together to honor musician and activist Pete Seeger. The program's hosts are Gina Belafonte, Harry Belafonte's daughter and Kitama Jackson, Pete Seeger's grandson. Mr. Seeger and Mr. Belafonte became international household names as singers who stood for change. For Belafonte that meant being involved in both the Civil Rights Movement in US and the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. For Seeger that meant getting people singing, and then using song to lead marches and rallies around the world. From the labor movement to the Civil Rights movement to the environmental movement, Pete Seeger was always on the front lines. Today's artists aren't that different from Seeger and Belafonte, they also use music as a means to give voice to the voiceless and inspire people to change the world for themselves, their communities and future generations.

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe's 40th anniversary season continues with the world premiere of Wesley Brown's play Dark Meat on a Funny Mind, which stars Tony nominee Anthony Chisholm as legendary comedian Richard Pryor. In Dark Meat, Pryor and his mischievous alter ego (played by actress Trish McCall) revisit the characters who shaped his life and inspired his career. The result is hilarious, surprising and memorable. A. Dean Irby directs the production, which opens July 31 and runs through August 24.

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) previously announced that 56 high school students from across America will compete for the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress, at the 6th annual presentation at the Minskoff Theatre tonight, June 30. Ryan McCartan, 2011 Jimmy Award winner, will host the 2-hour talent showcase that features dynamic ensemble and solo performances.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that Jason Bateman is joining forces again with Universal for an untitled FBI wedding comedy film, with a script from playwright David Bar Katz.

After more than five years, multiple awards, rave reviews, a sold out Off Broadway run, corporate and college tours, and a book deal with Parachute Publishing, Elaine Del Valle's autobiographical one woman play, BROWNSVILLE BRED, returns to where it all started -- Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street, between Avenues B & C, in the East Village). Directed by Pamela Moller Kareman, BROWNSVILLE BRED begins performances on Monday, July 7 at for a limited engagment through Monday, August 25. The performance schedule is Monday at 7:15 PM.