Phylicia Rashad News

Five powerful productions have been scheduled for Center Theatre Group's 2013 season at the Mark Taper Forum, it was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Connecticut residents have a unique opportunity to see two plays examining America's complex issues with race, produced by Long Wharf Theatre and Westport Country Playhouse, while paying one low price. Long Wharf Theatre and Westport Country Playhouse are offering an $80 ticket package for their respective productions: the 1959 classic A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and the 2012 Tony Award-winner it inspired, Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris.

A new trailer for Lifetime's all-African-American remake of STEEL MAGNOLIAS has just been released by the cable network. Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah has signed on to star in and executive produce the television adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film of the same name, reuniting her with her producing duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, from the Oscar and Golden Globe winning Chicago and Hairspray. (Zadan and Meron also produce Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva and Smash.) She will take on the role of 'M'Lynn' and star alongside an all-star cast that includes Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad as 'Clairee,' Golden Globe and multiple Emmy winner Alfre Woodard as 'Ouiser,' Grammy winner Jill Scott as 'Truvy,' Adepero Oduye as 'Annelle,' and Condola Rashad as 'Shelby.' Get a first look at the upcoming film below!

On hiatus from the AMC smash hit Mad Men, Vincent Kartheiser comes to the Bay Area to lead a vibrant cast in San Jose Rep's world premiere of the Jonathan Marc Feldman drama The Death of the Novel, directed by Rick Lombardo.The cast also includes Vaishnavi Sharma (Sheba), Patrick Jones, Zarah Mahler and Amy Pietz. Pietz is well-known to TV audiences for her roles in The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Burn Notice, Nip/Tuck, The Closer and Private Practice.

According to an Equity casting notice, Rob Ashord is set to helm the upcoming Broadway revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in the Spring 2013. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Scarlett Johansson, who won a 2010 Tony Award for her Broadway debut in A View From The Bridge, is rumored to play Maggie in the production. Those in the running to play Brick are Star Trek's Chris Pine and Johansson's The Avenger's co-star Jeremy Renner. Casting options for the remainder of the cast remain unknown.

Westport Country Playhouse announces that due to ticket demand for its current production of Moliere's timeless comedy, "Tartuffe," an extra performance has been added today, August 5, at 3 p.m.

According to Deadline.com, Broadway and Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron of Storyline Entertainment have just signed a two-year contract with Sony Pictures Television to produce several TV movies and miniseries.

Westport Country Playhouse announces that due to ticket demand for its current production of Moliere's timeless comedy, "Tartuffe," an extra performance has been added on Sunday, August 5, at 3 p.m.

John L. Locke, Ph.D., author of books on gossip, eavesdropping, and other aspects of human communication, will speak at "Books Worth Talking About," tonight, July 24, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the Lucille Lortel White Barn Center at Westport Country Playhouse, followed by an 8 p.m. performance of Moliere's timeless comedy, "Tartuffe."

The acclaimed Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Emily Man, takes its final Broadway bows on its original closing date, today, July 22, 2012. The show is aiming to open on London's West End this fall.

The Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire was awarded the Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity on Broadway Award for the 2011-2012 Season from Actors' Equity Association (AEA) on Tuesday. The show, produced by Front Row Productions (Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones-Harvey), received the honor at a presentation at Equity headquarters. Christine Toy Johnson and Julia Breanetta Simpson (AEA Co-chairs Eastern Regional Equal Employment Opportunity Committee) presented the award, which turns the spotlight onto those doing exemplary work to promote the goals of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity in theatre. Check out photos from the big event below!

The first trailer for Lifetime's all-African-American remake of STEEL MAGNOLIAS has just been released by the cable network. Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah has signed on to star in and executive produce the television adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film. Get a first look below!

NBC is partnering with the acclaimed 'Smash' producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (film versions of 'Chicago' and 'Hairspray') to present a live broadcast of 'The Sound of Music,' based on the original Broadway musical, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

John L. Locke, Ph.D., author of books on gossip, eavesdropping, and other aspects of human communication, will speak at "Books Worth Talking About," on Tuesday, July 24, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the Lucille Lortel White Barn Center at Westport Country Playhouse, followed by an 8 p.m. performance of Moliere's timeless comedy, "Tartuffe."

Today we are talking to an iconic Tony Award-winning star who made her name as a teenager singing on TV variety shows - THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW and SING ALONG WITH MITCH included - and then went on to a multimedia career in film and theatre, conquering Broadway with her Tony-winning turn in the Jule Styne/Arthur Laurents musical HALLELUJAH, BABY! in 1967 and returning to the stage in the subsequent decades in a host of Broadway productions, such as BLUES IN THE NIGHT, JERRY'S GIRLS, ANYTHING GOES, August Wilson's KING HEDLEY II and her celebrated Muzzy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - a role she reprises in the new Muny production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical beginning this week - the one and only Leslie Uggams. Taking a thorough look back at her career thus far, Uggams opens up about her many successes and how she has endured for fifty years in show business and shares recollections of many of her most noted co-stars and collaborators, all the way up to the recent 2012 Encores! PIPE DREAM. Additionally, Uggams comments on her film and TV appearances over the years, speaking about her work in INHERIT THE WIND, TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, ROOTS and beyond. Plus, she shares her candid opinions on GLEE, SMASH, Broadway then versus now, future plans for her Lena Horne solo show and thoughts on other roles she would enjoy pursuing - and much, much more!

The Public Theater presented Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET last night on the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Check out BroadwayWorld.com's exclusive pictures of the after party below, featuring Jesse L. Martin, David Pittu, Julia Stiles and many more familar faces.

The Public Theater presented Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET last night on the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Check out BroadwayWorld.com's exclusive pictures of the curtain call below.

The Public Theater today presents Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET - the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The cast will also feature F. Murray Abraham (Friar Laurence); Christine Baranski (Nurse); John Cullum (Capulet); Raul Esparza (Sampson, Apothecary, Watchman 1); David Harbour (Abraham, Capulet Servant, Paris' Page); Bill Irwin (Montague); Jesse L. Martin (Gregory, Friar John, Watchman 2); Sandra Oh (Lady Montague); Phylicia Rashad (Lady Capulet); Jerry Stiller (Peter); Michael Stuhlbarg (Paris); Christopher Walken (Mercutio); Sharon Washington (Stage Directions); Sam Waterston (Benvolio); and Jeffrey Wright (Tybalt).

Joan Didion will be a guest at a Westport Country Playhouse Sunday Symposium today, June 17, following the 3 p.m. matinee performance of Ms. Didion's play, "The Year of Magical Thinking," based on her 2005 National Book Award-winning memoir. She will converse on the Playhouse stage with David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director. Following the symposium, Ms. Didion will sign copies of her books which will be available for purchase.

The acclaimed Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Emily Man has cancelled its previously announced summer extension, and will now take its final Broadway bow on its original closing date- July 22. BroadwayWorld has learned that the show might be moving to London, aiming for a Fall 2012 opening.