Robert Benton News

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is thrilled to announce that due to overwhelming demand, the fifth show in its 97th season, Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner MELANIE GRIFFITH starring as Mrs. Robinson in THE GRADUATE, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, directed by Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews (Twelve Angry Men, Billy & Ray) is EXTENDING through SUNDAY, MARCH 25 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Drive in Laguna Beach. THE GRADUATE will begin previews on Wednesday, February 21 and will open on Sunday, March 4 at 5:30pm.

Ghostlight Records celebrates Hal Prince's historic 90th Birthday today with the announcement that the label will release PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording in physical, digital and streaming formats on Friday, April 20.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE just announced the fifth show in its 97th season, Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner MELANIE GRIFFITH starring as Mrs. Robinson in THE GRADUATE, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham and directed by Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews (Twelve Angry Men, Billy & Ray). Executive Director Ellen Richard comments, We are just thrilled to welcome Melanie Griffith to the Laguna Playhouse in one of the most iconic roles of all time Mrs. Robinson. Adds Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham. We have been trying to seduce Melanie to perform on our stage for quite some time. We are overjoyed that she has said yes and know our subscribers and audiences will be utterly mesmerized by her return to the stage under the inspired direction of Michael Matthews! THE GRADUATE will begin previews on Wednesday, February 21; will open on Sunday, March 4 at 5:30pm and perform through Sunday, March 18, 2018 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Drive in Laguna Beach.

The NAACP announced today that actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover will be presented with the NAACP President's Award at the 49th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS on Monday, January 15, 2018 LIVE at 9pm/8c on TV One.

Deadline reports that Grand Central Publishing has acquired Sally Field's upcoming memoir, In Pieces.

East West Players (EWP) and The Robey Theatre Company (RTC) welcome screen, stage, and television actor Danny Glover and Emmy Award-winning actress June Angela in the revival of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yohen.

Bruce Willis (Moonlighting, Die Hard, Misery on Broadway) and The Burgess Group have announced the limited engagement Off-Broadway run of MUST, a compelling new play about Billy the Kid and Pat Garret written by Charles Cissel and directed by Gabriel Vega Weissman, October 30th - November 19th at The Theater at St. Clements (423 W 46th St).

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, SWEENEY TODD, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, COMPANY, CABARET, FOLLIES. Each was directed and/or produced by Broadway legend Harold Prince. Each contributed to his record-high pile of Tony awards, and has been produced and acclaimed across the world.

East West Players (EWP) and The Robey Theatre Company (RTC) have announced that screen, stage, and television actor Danny Glover and Emmy Award-winning actress June Angela will star in the revival of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yohen. 

Due to overwhelming demand, Producer Rick Murray has added a second evening of conversation with award-winning actress Sally Field to the star-studded lineup of the 2017 Cabaret Series.

Laguna Playhouse announced today that Academy Award nominee Melanie Griffith will star as Mrs. Robinson in their upcoming production of THE GRADUATE, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham and directed by Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews.

Producer Rick Murray has added award-winning actress Sally Field to the star-studded lineup of the 2017 Cabaret Series.

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) announced that its largest graduating class was addressed by John Malkovich on Saturday, June 3.

Atlantic Theater Company has announced its 2017-18 season productions and one Atlantic for Kids production.

The Women's Media Center is proud to announce our host and honorees for the 2016 Women's Media Awards, to be held on September 29, 2016, at Capitale in New York City.

Wham! Pow! Boom! Up and away, it's Superman! Growing up in the 50s I couldn't wait for the next weekly adventure-filled installment of Supie and Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and the Daily Planet on the small television screen. It was thrilling to see a man go into a telephone booth and change from street clothes into tights - even if they were baggy - and fly off - imagine! - to save the world from crime and destruction. It didn't matter that it was pure fantasy and that he he was only a comic book hero. Superman brought lots of excitement into our young lives. In 1966, the same musical composers who wrote the successful Broadway hit Bye Bye Birdie, Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, penned It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman! The New Musical Comedy and in spite of the great reviews, it did not catch on with the public, so quickly fizzled. Now 50 years later, what a camp to look back and laugh at all the silliness and innocence of that era, for the Superman musical is loaded with clumsy, goofy, campy laughs. Now onstage in a rare revival ... It's Superman receives a terrifically entertaining production at the Grove Theatre in Upland.

Acclaimed comedy screenwriter-director-actress Elaine May (Heaven Can Wait, Primary Colors) is set to receive the Writers Guild of America, West's 2016 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement.

Broadway's new suspense thriller Misery, starring two-time Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe Award winner Bruce Willis and three-time Emmy Award winner Laurie Metcalf and written by two-time Academy Award winner William Goldman, opens tonight at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 W 44th Street), in a strictly limited 16-week engagement.

American actress and three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep will be Jury President of the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.

YPHIL - International Philharmonic Orchestra brings together 100 young talented musicians from 74 countries to represent their countries through music in Seven Epic Concerts, which will conclude with a concert for Global Peace on Isaac Stern Auditorium/Ronald O. Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall during United Nations week.