Shirley MacLaine News

On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, FOUR THINGS PRODUCTIONS in association with L.A. WORKS will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, "Steel Magnolias" at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, FOUR THINGS PRODUCTIONS is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harling's sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature multiple Emmy nominee and Golden Globe-winning actress Frances Conroy, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins, Jennifer Coolidge and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts, along with additional cast members to be announced shortly. Conroy is replacing the previously-announced Kathy Bates in the role of Ouiser due to a scheduling conflict.

Dale Olson, One of the entertainment industry's greatest Publicists passed away this morning, August 9, 2012, at the Burbank Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.

The great Cole Porter's Can- Can, hits the Westchester Broadway Theatre stage this Fall. Written by Caleb Porter and Abe Burrows, the story revolves around 'the lovely Pistache, who owns the only café that features the sexy and provocative Can-Can. She spars with Aristide Forestier, a self-righteous judge, determined to close all Parisian dance halls. The show features the provocativly delightful Can-Can, the high-energy and physically demanding music hall dance which is a hybrid of the Polka and The Quadrille. First danced in circa 1822, it was outlawed for a number of years as immoral and prohibited by the police! How times have changed!'

Lake Worth Playhouse seeks 'an innovative selection across a variety of genres from music videos, shorts and documentaries to full length features. Our mission is to celebrate the art of filmmaking, provide industry collaboration opportunities and outlets for filmmakers to present their work and gain recognition from their peers, the public and industry professionals.'

On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, FOUR THINGS PRODUCTIONS in association with L.A. WORKS will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, "Steel Magnolias" at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, FOUR THINGS PRODUCTIONS is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harling's sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts along with additional cast members to be announced shortly.

Cole Porter's Can-Can hits the Westchester Broadway Theatre stage this Fall. Written by Caleb Porter and Abe Burrows, the story revolves around t'he lovely Pistache, who owns the only café that features the sexy and provocative Can-Can. She spars with Aristide Forestier, a self-righteous judge, determined to close all Parisian dance halls. The show features the provocativly delightful Can-Can, the high-energy and physically demanding music hall dance which is a hybrid of the Polka and The Quadrille. First danced in circa 1822, it was outlawed for a number of years as immoral and prohibited by the police! How times have changed!'

Living in the South, there is an undeniable general cultural familiarity with the iconic film adaptation of STEEL MAGNOLIAS. With the utterance of those two words, images of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts spring to mind along with many of the movie's most quoted and loved lines. While others may be afraid to compete with the cultural memory, Stages Repertory Theatre, without trepidation and imitation, is housing a stellar, must see production of the beloved modern classic.

In light of this week's news of the passing of noted author, playwright, producer and director Nora Ephron, today we are highlighting some of the most memorable moments from her accomplished and versatile career onscreen and onstage. Ephron's artistic output consisted of collections of essays, memoirs, novels, screenplays, feature films, plays and producing duties on projects close to her heart, as well as a considerable amount of awareness raising for women's causes and general charitable work for the arts. While perhaps best known for her much-loved trio of romantic comedies WHEN HARRY MET SALLY…, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and YOU'VE GOT MAIL, Ephron also penned the screenplay for the Mike Nichols biopic SILKWOOD about whistleblower Karen Silkwood, as well as wrote and directed the recent hit comedy JULIE & JULIA, re-teaming with her friend and consistent collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. Incidentally, Streep actually played Ephron - or at least a thinly-veiled version of her - in the 1986 Mike Nichols film HEARTBURN, based on her novel of the same name. While BEWITCHED, LUCKY NUMBERS and HANGING UP may have failed to ignite, Ephron created fine films with the angelically-themed John Travolta starrer MICHAEL and the Julie Kavner vehicle THIS IS YOUR LIFE, as well as crafted indelible characters in screenplays such as COOKIE, MIXED NUTS and MY BLUE HEAVEN. Closing out her career, Ephron showcased Streep once again and rising star Amy Adams shone brightly in the fun and frothy JULIE & JULIA, ending Ephron's film output with a hit to go along with her successful early beginnings as an essayist, humorist and cultural commentator - having penned essay collections in the 1970s such as WALLFLOWER AT THE ORGY, CRAZY SALAD: SOME THINGS ABOUT WOMEN, SCRIBBLE, SCRIBBLE: NOTES ON THE MEDIA, and, more recently, I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK: AND OTHER THOUGHTS ON BEING A WOMAN and I REMEMBER NOTHING: AND OTHER REFLECTIONS - who famously parlayed those skills into TV writing, and, then, her Oscar-nominated work on SILKWOOD - arguably her finest dramatic work of all in film. As far as Ephron's stage ventures are concerned, besides the forthcoming musical adaptation of SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE currently being developed under director Lonny Price and her writing of next season's purportedly Tom Hanks-headlining Broadway bow in LUCKY GUY, Ephron penned the 2002 Jack O'Brien play with music (by no less than Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia) IMAGINARY FRIENDS, starring Cherry Jones and Swoozie Kurtz, as well as the recently-closed Off Broadway smash, LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE, co-written with her sister, Delia Ephron. JFK White House intern to New York Post columnist to celebrated essayist to Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and producer, Ephron left a significant mark on society and also crafted some heartwarming - or, should that be: heartburning - stories along the way.

Art Project Los Angeles, an exclusive art auction and VIP cocktail event benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), will return to world-renowned auction house Bonhams from June 29 through July 1. The three-day event will offer a dazzling array of art up for bid, along with a star-studded, red-carpet cocktail party on Saturday evening, June 30.

Last night, Shirley MacLaine was honored at the American Film Institute's 40th Life Achievement Award ceremony. During the ceremony, TV Land debuted the first clip of the Oscar winning actress portraying Lady Cora's feisty mother Martha in the upcoming season of PBS's DOWNTOWN ABBEY. Get a first look below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 24, 2012 - Sunday, June 24, 2012.

AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Meryl Streep presented Shirley MacLaine with the American Film Institute's 40th Life Achievement Award - America's highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala was held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City on June 7 and will air on TV Land tonight, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

According to the Daily Mail, RAGTIME's Rosalie Craig will join the new stage musical Finding Neverland, about J.M. Barrie's encounter with the Lewelyn Davies family, which inspired him to write Peter Pan.

Coming off a successful Cannes Film Market, Hyde Park International has announced a new executive structure with the hiring of Eric Christenson as President, overseeing the international division for Chairman and CEO Ashok Amritraj's Los Angeles-based operation.

Check out these pictures of Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine and more at the AFI Life Achievement Awards Honouring Shirley MacLaine yesterday (June 7) in Los Angeles.

The DVD collectors set that fans of classic TV have been waiting for is finally coming out as Time Life will now start taking pre-orders for THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION. The 22-DVD set contains 50 episodes from the award-winning and influential TV series, featuring the funniest and most beloved characters and sketches, including:

McCarter Theatre Center has announced that the 2012 Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat will take place from June 7through June 16.

The annual 'TV Land Presents: AFI Life Achievement Award,' will be presented to Academy Award(R)-winner Shirley MacLaine by fellow Academy Award(R)-winner Meryl Streep, her co-star in 'Postcards From The Edge.'

AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Meryl Streep will present Shirley MacLaine with the American Film Institute's 40th Life Achievement Award - America's highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City on June 7 and will air on TV Land on Sunday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.