Mike Nichols News

Since his appointment as Chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Broadway theatre producer Rocco Landesman has stirred up the status quo in the federal agency with his assertive style and outspoken nature. A feature story in the New York times taks a look at Landesman's tenure thus far, including his stance against a bureaucratic status quo, and his push to extend funding options for artistic programs.

The Actors Fund's annual gala on Monday, April 12, 2010 at the Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, will honor three stars of stage, screen and business: three-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening ('Being Julia,' 'American Beauty,' 'The Grifters'), four-time Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum ('Rent,' 'Avenue Q,' 'In the Heights,' 'Private Lives'), and Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels Jonathan Tisch.

The Public Theater has announced additional casting for the 2010 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring THE WINTER'S TALE, directed by Michael Greif, and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Daniel Sullivan, in repertory June 9-August 1.

TV Land kicks off the summer in a sizzling way with exciting new PRIME originals including the long-anticipated sitcom 'Hot in Cleveland,' an unforgettable tribute to director/producer Mike Nichols, the addition of the hilarious sitcom 'The Nanny' and unforgettable movies. It all kicks off on May 5th with the second season premiere of 'How'd You Get So Rich?' starring the hilarious Joan Rivers. Then, on June 16th, from the writer of 'Frasier' - Suzanne Martin - and produced by Sean Hayes ('Will & Grace'), TV Land debuts the first scripted sitcom for the network, 'Hot in Cleveland' starring Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves and Betty White. Shortly after, on June 27th, TV Land will air an exclusive celebrity-filled soiree honoring the career of legendary filmmaker Mike Nichols - who has worked with the likes of Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks - with the 'TV Land Presents The AFI Life Achievement Award: Mike Nichols.

On the heels of a phenomenal year of record breaking growth across every ratings and financial metric, and coming off its best quarter ever across all key demos, Oxygen Media announces a robust schedule increasing its programming slate by 35% in 2010 (vs. '09).

THE COMMON AIR, a new social comedy written by Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill, directed by Robert McCaskill and performed by Alex Lyras, will open at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Performances begin Wednesday, April 7

With summer right around the corner, Bay Street is in full swing with a schedule chock full of events. The season kicks off with a bang in May as Bay Street Theatre hosts a star-studded, jam-packed evening to dedicate its new second stage.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that the 2010 Summer Gala will honor Lincoln Center Theater Executive Producer and former Public Theater Associate Producer Bernard Gersten and Bank of America.

Rehearsals begin today, Monday, April 5 for the World Premiere production of PARADISE FOUND, a new musical under the combined direction of Theater legend and 21-time Tony Award winner Harold Prince (the original productions of Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera, Company, Follies, Evita) and 5-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (Crazy For You, Show Boat, The Producers, Contact). This is their first collaboration since the landmark, Tony Award-winning revival of Show Boat. Following the New York rehearsal period, the production will open at London's acclaimed Menier Chocolate Factory with performances running May 19 through June 26.

Reported first earlier today by BroadwayWorld.com's scoopster, Rialto Chatter, it's now been confirmed that the show will indeed close on April 4, 2010. The show has been struggling at the box office since it opened. The show will have played 27 previews and 20 regular performances.

The ghosts who have taken up residence with The Production Company are a restless lot, filled with a crackling, questing vitality rarely found even among the living. As embodied with disquieting fierceness by Sara Lilly, David Ross Paterson, and Skip Pipo in COPENHAGEN, this endlessly fascinating play by Michael Frayn is directed with surgical exactitude by August Viveirto to a fever pitch. These spectral presences just won't stop haunting one another with their questions and revisions and caveats. Give them the courtesy of your full attention, and you'll find them taking possession of your own imagination as well, probably raising your blood pressure in the process. They prove themselves electrifying companions.

Reported first earlier today by BroadwayWorld.com's scoopster, Rialto Chatter, it's now been confirmed that the show will indeed close on April 4, 2010. The show has been struggling at the box office since it opened. The show will have played 27 previews and 20 regular performances.

It seems Dame Edna and Michael Feinstein's ALL ABOUT ME will play its final performance on April 4, 2010 after opening on March 18, 2010. Telecharge.com, the show's official ticketing outlet, is only selling tickets through April 4, uncharacteristic of a new Broadway production that just opened. Tickets are usually available for purchase months out.

THE COMMON AIR, a new social comedy written by Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill, directed by Robert McCaskill and performed by Alex Lyras, will open at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Performances begin Wednesday, April 7

Glorious! is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the legendary New York heiress and socialite who wanted to be a great operatic diva despite having one of the worst singing voices in history.

As the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony on April 5th honors performances and productions from the past year, DC theatergoers will be hearing two gorgeous scores by Jason Robert Brown and Jeanine Tesori, and seeing a new opera about a boxer, a splashing pool on stage, Tyne Daley as diva Maria Callas, Maurice Hines tapping his way on the Lincoln Theatre stage, Mrs. Robinson seducing Benjamin, a red balloon thrilling young audiences, Harvey Fierstein wishing he was a rich man, tales and songs from a Scottish Jewish composer, a new children's show with lots of princesses, a little musical with the title in [ ], a triumphant mounting of a short-lived Broadway musical, and a wordless Kafka classic performed in Georgian style. The crocuses, cherry blossoms, and azaleas will be in full bloom, as the nation's capital will be awash in beautiful colors. It's the perfect time to visit and see some great shows in our DC area theatres.

'All About Me' star Dame Edna sat in as guest co-host of ABC's 'The View' on Thursday, March 25. Dame Edna spoke candidly on many topics including her love life and Madonna's adoption choices. She was also joined by Michael Feinstein, also starring in 'All About Me' for a musical performance of 'We Get Along Amazingly Well.'

Tony Kushner's Angels in America has evolved from a play to a film, a TV series and now an opera. Making its UK debut, composer Péter Eötvös sates, 'In the opera version, I put less emphasis on the political line than Kushner...I rather focus on the passionate relationships, on the highly dramatic suspense of the wonderful text, on the permanently uncertain state of the visions.'

Paul Rudd, Kelli O'Hara and Ben Taylor have been added to a star-studded line-up of participating artists, as Our Time fetes music legend Carly Simon at their 8th Annual Gala, April 19th, 2010, at NYU's Skirball Center & Rosenthal Pavilion.

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA is pleased to present Jules Feiffer in conversation with Danny Fingeroth Wednesday, March 24th, 6:30 PM Admissionis $5, and Free for MoCCA Members (Please note that this is at 6:30 PM rather than 7 PM as previously advertised.)