Sandra Bullock News

Bella Vita Entertainment in association with the Whitefire Theatre (which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary) will present a world premiere play, SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN, written and directed by Elizabeth Sarnoff ("Lost," "Deadwod," Alcatraz") and stars Don Swayze, Meredith Scott Lynn, Nick Stabile and Tricia Small. SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN will preview on Tuesday, April 3; Wednesday, April 4 & Thursday, April 5 at 8pm and will open on Friday, April 6 and run through Saturday, May 12 at the Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

The 84th Annual Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011, hosted by Billy Crystal were presented on February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation was televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide. Check out photos below of the red carpet - glitz, glamour and fashion!

Beginning at 11:00 a.m. plays to be read are Raising David Walker by Peter Snoad, followed at 1:00 p.m. by Lethal Injection by Michael Reimann, and at 3:00 p.m. by Our Lady of Sandwich by Mario Baldessari and Keith Bridges. After each reading there will be a discussion of the script with the playwright, director and actors. The event is free, and the general public is encouraged to attend.

92nd Street Y has announced that Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, continues the new season of his popular interview series, "Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth," with Harry Connick, Jr. (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) on Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00 p.m. and Nick Jonas (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) on Sunday, March 4th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are from $29 and are available at www.92Y.org/BroadwayTalks or by calling 212.415.5500.

Two familiar faces, conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, return to Walt Disney Concert Hall to join the Los Angeles Philharmonic in four performances, Thursday, January 5, at 8 pm; Friday, January 6, at 11 am; Saturday, January 7, at 8 pm; and Sunday, January 8, at 2 pm.

Two familiar faces, conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, return to Walt Disney Concert Hall to join the Los Angeles Philharmonic in four performances, Thursday, January 5, at 8 pm; Friday, January 6, at 11 am; Saturday, January 7, at 8 pm; and Sunday, January 8, at 2 pm.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has just announced that award-winning actress, Viola Davis with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award will appear on Friday, January 27, 2012, sponsored by Chumash Casino Resort. She will be honored with a Tribute celebrating her compelling performance in Tate Taylor's The Help at the 27th edition of the Festival which runs January 26 - February 5, 2012, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.

Last night, I spoke to two-time Tony-winner Katie Finneran all about her new Fox sitcom I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER, co-starring Jaime Pressly, which premiered yesterday at 9:30 PM. Additionally, Finneran and I discuss her recent role in the terrific live performance film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, co-starring Neil Patrick Harris and Patti LuPone, and we also take a look back at her two Tony-winning Broadway roles from earlier this decade - the lauded Jeremy Sams revival of the comedy NOISES OFF, as well as Rob Ashford's revival of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David/Neil Simon PROMISES, PROMISES. Also, Finneran describes the feeling of reaching a career peak such as she has achieved this year - a new Tony Award, the COMPANY film and headlining a sitcom of her own - and also relates how her role as a new mom has influenced her participation on the battle-of-the-generations comedy. All of that - plus, reminiscences of working on DAMAGES, OZ, roles she would like to play in the future (Dolly, Mame and The Baker's Wife included) and much, much more!

Having composed the musical scores for some of the biggest films of the century so far, Alexandre Desplat has displayed an uncanny ability to tap into the thoughts, emotions and even the very dramatic themes inherent in properties as diverse as - just to use his most recent projects as examples - TWILIGHT: NEW MOON, HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Roman Polanski's THE GHOST WRITER and CARNAGE, Stephen Daldry's upcoming EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH (another stage-to-screen adaptation like CARNAGE), Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE, as well as the main theme for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - performed on the soundtrack by noted pianist Lang Lang. Discussing all aspects of his compositional process as well as outlining his interactions with the respective directors of each entity - his ongoing collaboration with Roman Polanski, first and foremost - Desplat and I delve into the delicate art of film composing and how he has achieved such great success and international acclaim for his incredibly impressive work on a heady list of projects in a relatively short period of time - last year's Best Picture Oscar-winner THE KING'S SPEECH included. Desplat and I also touch on some of his own favorite film composers and he shares his opinions on Broadway and Hollywood music icons such as Bernstein, Sondheim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, fellow Modern Music Master Mark Isham and also sheds some light on his plans for the future - and much, much more!

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE is coming to theaters on December 25th from Warner Brothers Pictures. The drama is directed by Stephen Daldry, written by Eric Roth and stars Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, James Gandolfini, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright and Max von Sydow.

92nd Street Y has announced that Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, continues the new season of his popular interview series, "Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth," with Harry Connick, Jr. (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) on Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00 p.m. and Nick Jonas (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) on Sunday, March 4th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are from $29 and are available at www.92Y.org/BroadwayTalks or by calling 212.415.5500.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. announced today that in celebration of the Statue of Liberty's upcoming 125th Anniversary on October 28th, Macy's has committed the proceeds from the sale of its newly recorded song 'Gift of Light' to benefit the Foundation's non-profit mission for projects at Liberty and Ellis Islands, working in partnership with the National Park Service.

The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Starz Entertainment, have announced that the cast of DreamWorks Pictures and Participant Media's 'The Help' - Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O'Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson and Mike Vogel - will be recognized at the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony with the 'Hollywood Ensemble Acting Award.'