Michael McKean News

Academy Award nominated and Emmy winning actress Patricia Clarkson will receive the ShoWest Independent Award for Excellence in Acting, it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, co-managing director of the event, which will be held March 30-April 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. Clarkson will be presented with the ShoWest Independent Award for Excellence in Acting at a special luncheon 'Celebrating the Importance of Independent and Specialty Film' on Thursday, April 2, at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.

Magnolia by Regina Taylor and directed by Anna D. Shapiro opened March 14 and plays to April 19 at Goodman Theater. Atlanta, 1963. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires Atlanta's black citizens to fight passionately for their civil rights, the new mayor erects 'The Payton Wall' to restrict where they can live

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Goldfish, a life-affirming comedy about love lost and found written by John Kolvenbach. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Loretta Greco, Goldfish will run from March 15 through April 5, 2009 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Low-priced previews are available from March 15 through March 19. Opening night is March 20. Press night is Saturday, March 21 at 7:45 p.m. Tickets to Goldfish may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

Magnolia, Artistic Associate Regina Taylor's world premiere about possibility in the face of seismic social change, takes root at the Goodman this spring, March 14 - April 19, 2009. Directing for the first time at the Goodman, Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro helms a cast of 12 led by Academy Award nominee Annette O'Toole (Smallville, A Mighty Wind, 48 Hours) and Tony Award nominee John Earl Jelks (August Wilson's Radio Golf and Gem of the Ocean) in the leading roles of Lily and Thomas. Tickets to Magnolia are $25 - $70. A complete performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices appears at the end of this release. Target is the lead Corporate Sponsor Partner of Magnolia and Lead Diversity Night Sponsor.

Olympia Entertainment Announces Upcoming Events for Fox Theatre, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Arena, City Theatre, Comerica Park, Masonic Temple, Sound Board, Hockeytown Cafe. On Sale Friday! Friday, April 24 @ 11 p.m., Flight Of The Conchords with special guest Eugene Mirman (FOX): Tickets ($38.50) go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 13 and may be purchased at OlympiaEntertainment.com

Actors/Directors/Musicians and Comedy Icons Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are doing something they have never done before; performing a six week, 30 city multi-media acoustic tour without wigs and electric instruments, and are set to perform at Detroit?s Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday, May 29.

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Goldfish, a life-affirming comedy about love lost and found written by John Kolvenbach. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Loretta Greco, Goldfish will run from March 15 through April 5, 2009 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Low-priced previews are available from March 15 through March 19. Opening night is March 20. Press night is Saturday, March 21 at 7:45 p.m. Tickets to Goldfish may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

Magnolia, Artistic Associate Regina Taylor's world premiere about possibility in the face of seismic social change, takes root at the Goodman this spring, March 14 - April 19, 2009. Directing for the first time at the Goodman, Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro helms a cast of 12 led by Academy Award nominee Annette O'Toole (Smallville, A Mighty Wind, 48 Hours) and Tony Award nominee John Earl Jelks (August Wilson's Radio Golf and Gem of the Ocean) in the leading roles of Lily and Thomas. Tickets to Magnolia are $25 - $70. A complete performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices appears at the end of this release. Target is the lead Corporate Sponsor Partner of Magnolia and Lead Diversity Night Sponsor.

A performance of Celebrity Autobiography was part of the SF Sketchfest at Cobb's Comedy Club on Monday, January 19, with a cast that included Rachel Dratch, Will Forte, Michael McKean, Laraine Newman, Annette O'Toole, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Jason Sudeikis, and Scott Thompson. SF Sketchfest is a national comedy festival in San Francisco that mixes national headliners, local favorites, and the best up-and-coming groups from throughout North America for a month of sketch, improv, stand-up, and alternative comedy. The festival has featured performers from every major North American television comedy hit of the last 25 years including 'Saturday Night Live,' 'The Kids in the Hall,' 'Arrested Development,' 'The Upright Citizens Brigade,' 'The State,' 'Mystery Science Theatre 3000,' 'Strangers with Candy,' 'The Simpsons,' and 'The Daily Show.'

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its sit-down, open-ended run at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street, tonight Monday, January 19, at 7:30pm, with a cast that includes Scott Adsit, Jackie Hoffman, Cheyenne Jackson, Kristen Johnston, Richard Kind, Seth Rudetsky, and Sherri Shepherd. The comedy sensation Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words features a line-up of rotating performers who interpret the actual words and stories written by the famous and the infamous, in both solo and ensemble 'chamber' pieces. Some of the 'authors' that are featured include Ivana Trump, Vanna White, Mr. T, Star Jones, Kenny Loggins, Tommy Lee, Sylvester Stallone, 'N Sync, Zsa Zsa Gabor, David Cassidy, Neil Sedaka, Britney Spears, Madonna, Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson, as well as the infamous memoirs of Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds, which are edited together to create a Rashomon-esque playlet in the participants' own words.

A performance of Celebrity Autobiography will be part of SF Sketchfest on Monday, January 19, with a cast that includes Rachel Dratch, Will Forte, Michael McKean, Laraine Newman, Annette O'Toole, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Jason Sudeikis, and Scott Thompson.

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its sit-down, open-ended run at the Triad Thea ter, 158 West 72 Street, tonight Monday, January 12, at 7:30pm, with a cast that includes Scott Adsit, Richard Kind, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Sherri Shepherd, Tony Award winner Julie White, and New York Post reporter Michael Riedel.

A performance of Celebrity Autobiography will be part of SF Sketchfest on Monday, January 19, with a cast that includes Rachel Dratch, Will Forte, Michael McKean, Laraine Newman, Annette O'Toole, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Jason Sudeikis, and Scott Thompson.

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its sit-down, open-ended at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street, on Monday, January 5, at 7:30pm, with a cast that includes Scott Adsit, Will Forte, Richard Kind, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Sherri Shepherd, and Kristen Wiig.

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its sit-down, open-ended at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street, on Monday, January 5, at 7:30pm, with a cast that includes Scott Adsit, Will Forte, Richard Kind, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Sherri Shepherd, and Kristen Wiig.

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its sit-down, open-ended at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street, on Monday, January 5, at 7:30pm, with a cast that includes Scott Adsit, Will Forte, Richard Kind, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Sherri Shepherd, and Kristen Wiig.

Fresh on the heels of its 18 Ovation Award nominations (the most by any Southern California theatre company), Cabrillo Music Theatre continues the 2008-2009 season with the West Coast Premiere of the new musical sensation, BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, featuring a book by Erik Jackson and Ben H. Winters, and lyrics by Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield and Cody Philip.

Rock-It Science Records presents Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure, Volume 10. Featuring highlights from the Volumes 1-9, as well as the incredible talents of stars from the 2008 Broadway season, the annual holiday CD benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA). This two-disc set offers 36 original and traditional holiday songs recorded especially for this benefit CD, and features the cast of Billy Elliot with the premiere of an original song by Elton John, 'Cold Christmas.' Included are the voices of Antonio Banderas, Harvey Fierstein, Idina Menzel, Bernadette Peters, and Andréa Burns, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nick Jonas and American Idol's Constantine Maroulis and Ace Young, plus new recordings with performances by stars from In the Heights, South Pacific, Wicked plus many more! Also performing on this year's CD are Rosie's Broadway Kids, young students in the performing arts program founded by Rosie O'Donnell.

The Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills, 8440 Wilshire Boulevard; Beverly Hills, CA 90211, will open its doors to the general public on Sunday, September 21, 2008, after being closed for several months for completion of Phase I of the historic venue's Revitalization Project. Corky Hale Productions will present a star-studded musical event, entitled, 'It's Magic! A Tribute to Sammy Cahn' celebrating the life and lyrics of one of Hollywood's greatest Academy Awardâ-winning songwriters.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has launched a free, bi-weekly podcast featuring unique interviews with Steppenwolf artists about their work on-stage and behind-the-scenes, hosted by Associate Artistic Director David New. New podcast episodes are available every other Wednesday on Steppenwolf's website and iTunes.