Sharon Lawrence News

The Piece Project and IAMA Theatre Company present an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Martin McDonagh's A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 8pm.

The Piece Project and IAMA Theatre Company present an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Martin McDonagh's A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 8pm.

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

Celebration Theatre will present a one night only benefit and readings in support of Celebration Theatre and its upcoming production of THE COLOR PURPLE. Scheduled to perform are John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), Nicholas Bishop, Matt Dallas, Keith David, Devon Gummersall, Sharon Lawrence, Peter Paige, Jason Ritter, Amy Smart Doug Spearman and from the cast of THE COLOR PURPLE - La Toya London (American Idol) & Cesili Williams!

Producer Daryl Roth announced today that the long-running Off Broadway favorite Love, Loss, and What I Wore will close on Sunday, March 25, 2012 after playing for two and a half years and 1,013 performances. (March 15th marks the show's landmark 1,000 performance.)

THE PIECE PROJECT and VS. THEATRE COMPANY present an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Blair Singer's THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND on Monday, December 5, 2011 at 8pm. Founded by Devon Gummersall and Andrew Carlberg, THE PIECE PROJECT is a celebrity-based theater ensemble.

THE PIECE PROJECT and VS. THEATRE COMPANY present an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Blair Singer's THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND on Monday, December 5, 2011 at 8pm. Founded by Devon Gummersall and Andrew Carlberg, THE PIECE PROJECT is a celebrity-based theater ensemble.

In just a few short years since his sensational debut in Lawrence Kasdan's MUMFORD, rising star Jason Ritter has carved out an impressive indie resume - including noted standouts such as THE EDUCATION OF CHARLIE BANKS, HAPPY ENDINGS and GOOD DICK - in addition to a successful TV career - having appeared in featured roles in JOAN OF ARCADIA and THE CLASS before his leading role on THE EVENT last season - but theatre fans are certainly aware of considerable stage skills, as well, having performed in plays for many esteemed directors and premiering works by the likes of Neil LaBute and Wendy Wasserstein. While there has been the occasional big budget vehicle, too - SWIMFAN and FREDDY VS. JASON included - it is Ritter's fierce commitment to fine storytelling and intriguing projects that make him truly one to watch. Discussing many aspects of his busy career from THE DREAMER OF OZ opposite his iconic father, John - now available on the WIZARD OF OZ Blu-ray box-set - all the way up to his forthcoming films such as THE PERFECT FAMILY co-starring two previous InDepth InterView participants, Kathleen Turner and Sharon Lawrence, plus THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF, FREE SAMPLES, an untilled Mark Webber project, I AM I and his new Disney animated series, GRAVITY FALLS. With an emphasis on his theatre background and insights into the currently running LA Theatreworks presentation of COMPLETENESS, Ritter and I shine some light on a career that, based on what we have already seen from him onstage and onscreen, clearly knows no bounds whatsoever. Some people can do it all and do it all brilliantly and Jason Ritter has clearly proven he is one of those select, special few.

A new theater initiative entitled THE PIECE PROJECT will kick off with an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Neil LaBute's REASONS TO BE PRETTY on Monday October 10, 2011 at 8pm.

Tonight's the night! Just in time for the season finale of DROP DEAD DIVA on Lifetime at 9 PM, we have an exclusive, extensive conversation with the show's stupendous star, Brooke Elliott, in which we talk all about the first three seasons of the hit Lifetime dramedy as well as what we can expect from tonight's highly-anticipated finale and the just-announced fourth season of the show coming in 2012, in addition to casting a look back at her favorite moments so far, backstage stories and guest star dish. Plus, Brooke shares reminiscences of her time starring in the Broadway production of TABOO and working with Rosie O'Donnell and Raul Esparza on it and some of her aspirations for the future as well as much, much more!

Lifetime has renewed its hit scripted series Drop Dead Diva for a fourth season, to premiere in 2012, with a 13 episode order. The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.

A new theater initiative entitled THE PIECE PROJECT will kick off with an exclusive Los Angeles reading of Neil LaBute's REASONS TO BE PRETTY on Monday October 10, 2011 at 8pm.

Like God of Carnage before it, ever ready to expose raw emotions to the very core, Poor Behavior, a world premiere by Theresa Rebeck is a starkly real, sometimes funny and thought-provoking play bound to create controversy. Morality, now there's the rub. Whether 'tis better to live one's life complacent and nice, or break free of goodness, just once, in the hopes of finding a viable alternative for happiness. Now onstage at the Mark Taper Forum, Poor Behavior is tautly directed, consummately acted theatre not to be missed.

Today, BroadwayWorld has the distinct privilege of premiering an exclusive world premiere clip from the Season Three finale of Liftime's hit original dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA. Click below to check out Brooke Eliott as the titular lady in action and legal eagle in charge breaking down the classic Rosemary Clooney rouser "Mambo Italiano", penned by the theatre's own Bob Merrill (of FUNNY GIRL and CARNIVAL fame) - with some generous assistance from Thunder Down Under, no less - and bringing down the house with her big, bright Broadway belt. As is clear to see in this clip and in the rest of the musical numbers on the show, DROP DEAD DIVA delivers the goods for Broadway babies and perhaps that is because DROP DEAD DIVA boasts the same executive producers as CHICAGO, HAIRSPRAY, the forthcoming FOOTLOOSE remake, as well as a string of hit television musical theatre adaptations (such as ANNIE, THE MUSIC MAN, GYPSY and LIZA'S AT THE PALACE) - the esteemed Craig Zadan and Neil Meron - so, the production values are truly top-most and they deserve a huge tip of the top hat for their continued excellence in bringing theatre-themed entertainment to an international audience time and time again.

Today we have the penultimate entry in our twelve-part series dedicated to Lifetime's hit dramedy DROP DEAD DIVA with an all-encompassing chat with the show's heavenly agent himself, Fred, portrayed by stage and screen star Ben Feldman! In this illuminating conversation we talk all about his three years on DROP DEAD DIVA and what the future holds for Fred, Jane, Stacey and company, as well as his favorite guest stars and memories so far. Additionally, Ben and I discuss his training for the stage and his work on Broadway, opposite Kathleen Turner in THE GRADUATE, as well as his performances in the recent remake of FRIDAY THE 13th and shooting the avant garde thriller CLOVERFIELD, in addition to his thoughts on various pilots with the likes of Christine Ebersole, Fran Drescher, Marc Blucas, Amy Smart and more!

Today we are continuing the male-centric portion of our ongoing series of interviews with the stars of Lifetime's DROP DEAD DIVA with the boss of the legal practice on the show and the main love interest for Kate Levering's character, Kim: the affable and charming stage and screen star Josh Stamberg. In addition to dishing all about Season 3 of DROP DEAD DIVA and the future for Parker, Kim and company at the legal firm, Stamberg and I also discuss many of the various guest stars on the show this season and seasons past - Liza Minnelli, Sharon Lawrence and Faith Prince included - as well as how he sees Parker himself, his own insights into the complex character and what he feels the future holds for his relationships on the show - Kim, Jane and beyond. In addition to all things DIVA-related, Stamberg and I also discuss his many past stage and screen appearances, including: his unforgettable work as Sarge on SIX FEET UNDER and what it was like working with creator Alan Ball, as well as his role on the Aaron Sorkin-scripted series STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, plus: working at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Atlantic Theatre Company, doing the workshop of A STEADY RAIN (and eventually getting replaced by Hugh Jackman), doing FRACTURED with Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins, acting alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Watts in Clint Eastwood's forthcoming film J. EDGAR, his favorite work experiences so far, roles he is yearning to essay in the future both near and far and much, much more! Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and stalwart supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everybody else in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer along the way, as well. Season Three picked up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. Questions and posed and answered so far: What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? Indeed, all of these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered come the next two Sunday nights! Plus, as always, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned - such as last month's BroadwayWorld exclusive world premiere of "Lean On Me"! Will there be a musical grand finale after all? We shall soon see! Also, don't forget to check out the past interviews in this BRIDGING TV & THEATRE series - Margaret Cho, Kate Levering, April Bowlby, Sharon Lawrence, Faith Prince and Jackson Hurst included! There are only a few episodes of Season Three left - airing Sundays at 9 PM on Lifetime, as always, throughout September until the finale on September 25 - so be sure to check back here in coming weeks for chats with Ben Feldman and the titular diva herself, plus maybe even a surprise or two, too!

Today we are kicking off the male-centric portion of our ongoing series of interviews with the stars of Lifetime's DROP DEAD DIVA with the heartthrob of the show and Jane's former fiancee in her past life, legal eagle Grayson, played by the dashing and suave Jackson Hurst. In addition to talking all about Season 3 of DROP DEAD DIVA and the future for Jane and Grayson - as well as the hiccups and roadblocks in his relationship with Deb, before, and, now, Jane, that have cropped up so precipitously along the way - we also analyze the various guest stars on the show over the seasons - everyone from Kathy Griffin to Samuel L. Jackson to Elliot Gould to Liza Minnelli and more! In addition, Hurst and I also discuss his past and future stage and screen roles and his experiences on sets and backstage - including a thorough discussion of working with director Terrence Malick on THE TREE OF LIFE and his starring role in the forthcoming September release, A BIRD OF THE AIR, by CHINATOWN scribe Robert Towne - as well as Hurst's own favorite films and ultimate career aspirations - plus much, much more!