Norman Lear News

The star-studded Broadway production of the backstage comedy It's Only A Play, by 4-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally, just opened and BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the festivities of the evening. Below, Check out photos from the red carpet below!

'Downton Abbey' stars Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore), Matt Milne (Alfred Nugent), Nigel Harman (Mr. Green) and Robert Bathurst (Sir Anthony Strallan) are among the guest-star voice cast in a special episode of Disney Junior's Emmy-nominated animated series

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord begins previews tonight, October 7 with the press opening on October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that prolific television and film producer Mark Gordon will be honored with the 2015 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television. The award will be presented to Gordon at the 26th Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

'Doc McStuffins: School of Medicine,' a programming event featuring back-to-back episodes of the hit series and interstitials with real-life health professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry and emergency response will air TODAY, SEPTEMBER 22 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord begins previews on October 7 with the press opening on October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

'Doc McStuffins: School of Medicine,' a programming event featuring back-to-back episodes of the hit series and interstitials with real-life health professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry and emergency response will air MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

The Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is now accepting entries for the 2015 Walter Cronkite Award For Excellence in Television Political Journalism.

Hands on a Hardbody is a new rock musical about 10 Texans whose new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end and armed with nothing but hope and ambition, they'll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. In this hard-fought contest, only one winner can drive away with the American dream.

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce will join the critically acclaimed drama THE GOOD WIFE in a recurring role during the show's upcoming sixth season. Pierce will play a highly respected cable news legal commentator who is so disgusted by the corruption and murder rate in Chicago that he decides to run for office in order to affect change. The role will mark Pierce's first appearance in a television series since "Frasier" ended its run in 2004.

Hands on a Hardbody is a new rock musical about 10 Texans whose new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end and armed with nothing but hope and ambition, they'll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. In this hard-fought contest, only one winner can drive away with the American dream.

mun2, the modern general entertainment cable channel for Latinos, won two Imagen Awards for “Combate Americas” and “Larry Hernandez: El Presidente” at the 29th Annual Imagen Awards last Friday night.

The Imagen Awards were presented at a gala black-tie dinner on Friday evening, August 1st, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom and will air as a one hour special on PBS SoCaL on Saturday, September 27th at 10pm PT. The Imagen (pronounced ee-mah-hen) Awards program was established in 1985 from a suggestion by veteran television producer Norman Lear to encourage and recognize the positive portrayals of Latinos in the media. Later, as The Imagen Foundation, it expanded its programs and initiatives to further its mission to serve as a bridge between the Latino community and the entertainment industry in providing access, education, and resources for Latinos in the industry, as well as those seeking careers in entertainment. More information on the organization as well as details of the event can be found online at www.imagen.org.

Late casting director Marion Dougherty - known for discovering All in the Family's Archie Bunker, will receive the 2014 Governors Award at the 66th Creative Arts Emmys.

In 'Voices of Swords' by Kari Floren, the late thirties son of a woman facing heart surgery hires a forty-something personal organizer to minister to his lonely yet indomitable mother. The organizer is already struggling unsuccessfully to reunite her own family. As she is sorely tested by this job, her growing toward the light is an object lesson to Baby Boomers, whose struggles to care for dependent parents are a preoccupation of our age. The comedic drama will be presented August 15 to September 7 by Right Down Broadway Productions at Walkerspace, 46 Walker Street. Eve Brandstein directs a cast of mostly Broadway regulars including Loni Ackerman, Bob Ari, Phillip Christian, Gillien Goll, Michael McKenzie and Celia Schaefer.

Emmy Award winner and Executive Director, Elliot Shoenman, and his son Artistic Director, Daniel Shoenman, founded the Inkwell Theater ten years ago, subsequently establishing national critical acclaim for the company with such productions as the Ovation Award nominated AfterMath, starring Annie Potts. On July 18th they will launch Louise Munson's (Liam Rector Scholar in Fiction) play Luigi, offering Los Angeles audiences a first look at her work when this World Premiere opens at the VS Theatre.

Jazz Vocalist/storyteller Shoshana Bush will appear at The Cornelia Street Cafe, on Friday June 27th at 6pm, singing the adventurous mix of jazz and American Songbook standards and not so standards for which she's popular on both coasts. Shoshana will be accompanied by Isamu McGregor on piano and Brian Holtz on Bass. Call 212.989.9319. It is her first appearance at this legendary Greenwich Village venue. She has appeared previously at Birdland and Blue Note, where she opened for Jane Monheit as a participant in the Emerging Artist Series in 2013.

The biggest superstars in comedy will come together on Spike TV to celebrate the legendary career of one of their most beloved icons - Don Rickles.

Pivot, Participant Media's TV network targeting Millennials, today announced the upcoming joint premiere of an original two-part documentary special, STAND UP PLANET.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are thrilled to present screen legend Leslie Caron, in her first Southern California theatrical performance in over 25 years! SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, written by Richard Alfieri, with choreography by Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) and directed by Michael Arabian (Waiting for Godot). SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will also feature 6-time Ovation Award-winning actor David Engel. 'What an honor to have on our stage the incomparable Leslie Caron and the multi-talented David Engel,' remarks Wood. 'It's a dream cast and a dream come true. With Michael Arabian and Donna McKechnie directing and choreographing, this has to be one of the most anticipated productions in the Playhouse's storied history,' adds Wareham. SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will begin previews tonight, April 26 and will open on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.