Woody Allen News

The Hollywood Reporter reveals today that John Lithgow and Freida Pinto will join the previously announced James Franco in the Fox prequel to Planet of the Apes, Rise of the Apes, for the big screen. The film is being directed by Rupert Wyatt and centers on a scientist (Franco) who is using apes to test a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. Things go sour when the scientist brings the main subject, an ape named Caesar, home with him to keep him out of reach of other researchers who plan to harm him. In the film, Lithgow is set to portray Franco's father, stricken with Alzheimer's disease. Pinto will play a primatologist.

AVENTURA - Award-winning performer Avi Hoffman will infuse the new Aventura Arts & Cultural Center with the laughter, music and comedy routines that entertained generations of audiences in theatrical venues ranging from Yiddish Vaudeville houses to Catskills retreats to Carnegie Hall.

Academy Award-nominee Michael McKean is currently starring in the role of ‘The Stage Manager' in David Cromer's acclaimed production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, at the Barrow Street Theatre.

Offering something for everyone, the ninth annual River To River® Festival today unveiled a stellar line-up of free music, dance, and cultural events that firmly establishes Lower Manhattan as the city's summer arts capital.

This weekend, I had the exceptional privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with 2010 Tony-winning Best Featured Actress In A Play: the luminous and winsomely witty film and stage star Scarlett Johansson. We talked about her work in the theatre on this year's highly-praised revival of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, as well as her feelings on musicals, Sondheim, and growing up in New York, which then veered off into a considerable discussion of her film work and working with actors like Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, as well as directors like Woody Allen and Christopher Nolan. In this second sample portion of the forthcoming interview we talk about her love of musicals, her favorite shows, scores and cast albums, singing showtunes with Hugh Jackman, her thoughts on a Woody Allen musical, what Sondheim roles she would like to play, GLEE, and more. The complete InDepth InterView will be available next Friday, but here is another small sampling to curb your appetite until then. A special early-summer treat!

Tony, Grammy & Golden Globe Award winner Bernadette Peters and Tony & Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch will return to Broadway in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Tony Award-winning masterpiece A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Tony Award-winner Trevor Nunn.

What do Lucille Kallen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart, Mel Tolkin, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner and Selma Diamond have in common? Most are Jewish, and all were denizens of the famed 'Writer's Room' where they labored to create the comedy sketches for the live 90 minute weekly variety series, 'Your Show of Shows' starring the legendary Sid Caesar. Composites of these writers make up the characters in Neil Simon's raucous comedy,LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, set in 1953 during television's golden age.

DUSK RINGS A BELL, starring Kate Walsh ('Private Practice,' 'Grey's Anatomy') and Paul Sparks (Broadway's HEDDA GABLER) began previews Wednesday, May 19; and officially opened Thursday, May 27; it played a limited engagement and will close on Sunday, June 20 Off-Broadway at Atlantic Stage 2 (330 West 16 Street).

Tonight, I had the exceptional privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with 2010 Tony-winning Best Featured Actress In A Play: the luminous and winsomely witty Scarlett Johansson. We talked about her work in the theatre on this year's highly-praised revival of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, as well as her feelings on musicals, Sondheim, and growing up in New York, which then veered off into a considerable discussion of her film work and working with actors like Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, as well as directors like Woody Allen, Brian DePalma and Christopher Nolan. In this sample portion of the forthcoming interview, in addition to speaking eloquently about the acclaimed revival and winning the Tony, Ms. Johansson was also gracious enough to address the 'Give The Tonys Back To Broadway' Facebook campaign controversy and her response is reflected here, as well as in the e-mail follow-up and further explanation I received from her just moments ago. The complete interview will be available next week, here is a small sampling to whet your palette. Enjoy!

Producers Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian and Tom Wirtshafter announced today that Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt will join the cast of David Cromer's acclaimed production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, for four weeks only (Tuesday, July 6th to Sunday, August 1st), at the Barrow Street Theatre, succeeding Michael McKean, who will give his final performance on Sunday evening, July 4. Ms. Hunt becomes the sixth actor to assume the iconic role in this record-breaking production.

Called the 'the greatest cabaret star of her generation' by the International Herald Tribune, star of screen, stage, concert and recording star Andrea Marcovicci will be making a special return at Chicago's premier venue for music, Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago.

Shakespeare on the Sound, Connecticut's premier outdoor summer theater company presenting free Shakespeare in the park, today announced complete casting for their upcoming production of Othello, under the direction of Joanna Settle.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to announce that Caroline Aaron will star as Marjorie Taub opposite Marilu Henner who will star as Lee Green in Charles Busch's hilarious Broadway hit, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, opening October 1 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2010 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2010 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

After five weeks of packed houses and standing ovations, Toronto audiences couldn't seem to get enough of the touring production of Tony Award-winning musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, starring Harvey Fierstein. Due to popular demand, the production returned to Toronto's Canon Theatre for one week only, and will close on June 13, 2010.

Multi award winning playwright/lyricist Steven Sater has chosen LA's Rogue Machine to present the World premiere of his play New York Animals.

The Lyric Theatre is pleased to present a month of free movies, sponsored by Humana, Florida's largest Medicare health benefits company. The series will feature 10 classic films to be shown on weekends throughout the month of June.

The world premiere production of 'SWEET, SWEET MOTHERHOOD,' by Jeremy Kareken, in collaboration with Professor Lee M. Silver, a comedy with scientific issues and moral dilemmas, will begin previews on Thursday, July 8, at HERE (www.here.org ), 145 Sixth Avenue (enter on Dominick Street, one block south of Spring Street).

After five weeks of packed houses and standing ovations, Toronto audiences cannot seem to get enough of the touring production of TONY Award-winning musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, starring Harvey Fierstein. Due to popular demand, the production will return to Toronto's Canon Theatre for one week only, June 8 - 13, 2010. Tickets to this limited return engagement are now on sale.