John Waters News

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will continue its fourth season on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) announced today that it has selected soulful Scottish songstress Emeli Sandé to perform at this year's Academy Awards Viewing Party to be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at West Hollywood Park.

Almost twenty-five years to the day John Waters' iconic film was released, the Kean Department of Theatre will present the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Hairspray from Friday, February 22nd to Saturday, March 2nd in Kean University's Wilkins Theatre. Featuring music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mr. Shaiman, and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray is based on Mr. Waters' popular 1988 comedy of the same name, and received its Broadway premiere on August 15, 2002. Hairspray ran for nearly six-and-a-half years on Broadway (over 2,500 performances), and collected an unprecedented thirteen Tony Award nominations in 2003, going on to win in eight categories (including Best Musical), the most wins by any production nominated that year. It has subsequently toured throughout the United States and received several high-profile international productions, including a successful run in London's West End in 2008 that garnered a record eleven Laurence Olivier Award nominations, ultimately winning four awards (including Best New Musical). In 2007, a second feature film adaptation of Hairspray - based on the original film and Broadway musical - was released, starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.

It was a night to remember when John Waters narrated the story of Hairspray to a sold-out crowd at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.

John Waters' tale of hair hoppers and integrationists receives a workman-like production in Broad Brook.

Cynthia and David DiSavino direct a tight, funny, warm production of Jon Lonoff's SKIN DEEP under a Rainbow Dinner Theatre title

Starting today, more than 600 items can be previewed in The Baltimore Sun Auction for CENTERSTAGE-and in just 4 days, bidding goes live! Bidders can preview all the items by clicking through from www.centerstage.org/auction.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center celebrates Black History Month with two concurrent free events highlighting some of the cultural contributions African Americans have made to our society: A Tribute to African American Authors, in which renowned actors and singers perform selected works; and a reception for the new exhibit Ain't Just Paint: Works from the CCH Pounder Collection. Both events take place on Monday, Feb. 25, in the Renberg Theatre and Advocate & Gochis Galleries at the Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The Tribute will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed immediately by a reception in the Galleries.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY, Broadway's musical comedy based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will have its Australian premiere in Sydney on Saturday 23 March 2013 at Sydney's Capitol Theatre.

The brilliantly entertaining filmmaker, writer and shock auteur supremo, John Waters is coming to the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) tonight, February 2nd for one night only to perform his deviously funny one man show This Filthy World, in his first ever national tour.

Happy Birthday Marissa Jaret Winokur! She is best known for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in the highly successful Broadway musical adaptation of John Waters' film Hairspray, and won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. She recently reprised the role in the Hollywood Bowl production of Hairspray last summer.

?The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Winter Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, January 31 at 5:00PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

Early Monday evening, the Venice Theatre announced their 2013 to 2014 theatre season at a special Kickoff gathering at their theatre located at 140 West Tampa Avenue in Venice, Florida. Hosting the event were Exective/Artisitic Director Murray Chase and Producing Director Allan Kollar. Highlighted by performances from local actors, the duo revealed their exciting upcoming schedule:

Exciting news as CENTERSTAGE gears up for its annual auction-just two weeks away: The online fundraising site, BiddingForGood, has just released their listing of "10 Auctions That Rocked 2012," and in 2012 The Baltimore Sun Auction for CENTERSTAGE made the list.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Chita turns 80, STARCATCHER takes its final bow, ROCK OF AGES starts a party in Vegas, and so much more!

At a rehearsal this week, the media were treated to four impressive numbers from the show: 'Good Morning Baltimore', 'That's Where It's At', 'Big Blonde and Beautiful', and 'Your Timeless to Me'. Check out the photos below!

Marking the 25th anniversary of the John Waters' original film, Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly brought together an all-star cast of Broadway, film and TV stars for the full symphonic production of the Broadway musical, Hairspray. Hairspray: In Concert! premiered with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Jan. 11-13, 2013, and will premiere with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Jan. 24-27, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Today we are talking to the proud "Pope Of Trash" himself - the iconic writer/director of such seminal cinematic entries as cult classics PINK FLAMINGOS, FEMALE TROUBLE, DESPERATE LIVING, HAIRSPRAY, CRY BABY, SERIAL MOM, CECIL B. DEMENTED, A DIRTY SHAME and many more - the one and only John Waters. Packing a characteristically caustic conversation into a relatively brief time slot was no trouble for Waters, for he and I cover a wide range of topics, from his favorite 2012 films to his all-time favorite movie musicals and much more. Most importantly, Waters discusses his process in adapting the hit Tony Award-winning stage property HAIRSPRAY into concert form and what we can expect from his newly-penned narration and role as narrator in the live Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presentation of HAIRSPRAY: IN CONCERT on January 24. Additionally, Waters expounds on his experiences creating the original HAIRSPRAY film and how it compares to both its musical sister, as well as the hit 2007 feature film adaptation of it (in which he makes a cameo appearance as - what else? - "the flasher who lives next door"). Plus, Waters opens up about the plot and themes of HAIRSPRAY 2: WHITE LIPSTICK, a project he was commissioned to create a few years ago as a new film project but which is currently on hold indefinitely. All of that, filming the remarkable 2012 horror film EXCISION, memories of the recently deceased Patti Page and the unforgettable use of the Bob Merrill pop earworm "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window" at the grand finale of PINK FLAMINGOS, an update on his children's film project, FRUITCAKE, as well as details about his new book and what we can expect from Waters in 2013 insofar as personal speaking engagements go - and, how Justin Bieber is the new Shirley Temple. All of that and much, much more awaits!