Eddie Varley - Page 212

The New York Times is reporting that President Obama and his wife, Michelle, plan to visit New York City tomorrow, Saturday, May 30th and take in a Broadway show, the August Wilson play 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone' at the Belasco Theater on West 44th Street. The news of the First Couple's visit was revealed to The Times by three theater executives who had been informed of the First Family's plans.

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights).

Two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera graces the stage of Walt Disney Concert Hall for the first time in Chita Rivera: The Secret of Life, Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m. The triple-threat - singer/actress/dancer - accompanied by her longtime musical trio, performs songs from her legendary Broadway career, including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays'), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye Birdie and The Rink.

The UK Sun reports that Susan Boyle is ready for the final of 'Britain's Got Talent' and has insisted she will beat the pressureas the countdown begins declaring, 'This is my moment, it's all that I've dreamed of.'

Academy and Tony Award-Winning actor and photographer Joel Grey celebrated the release of his new book, titled 1.3 - Images from My Phone, at Barnes at Noble Tribeca (97 Warren St. at Greenwich St.) on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. The book, published by powerHouse, is Grey's third published book of photographs and will be available in stores nationwide June 2.

PBS's Great Performances will air the spectacular London concert revival of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' 1986 cult musical Chess, featuring Reprise Records' Josh Groban and Idina Menzel as Chess in Concert on Wednesday, June 17th at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings).

2009 Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote (Dividing the Estate) will be featured in the cast of THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, the nine-play three part theatrical event by her late father, the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winning playwright Horton Foote, which will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director) and Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director).

amfAR's tenth annual Honoring with Pride celebration will be held during Lesbian and Gay Pride Month in New York on Thursday, June 11, 2009 at the Edison Ballroom, 240 West 47th Street, New York City

BROADWAY BARES 19.0 'CLICK IT!' will be held on Sunday, June 21 with two performances only (9:30 PM & Midnight) at Roseland Ballroom (239 West 52nd Street). BROADWAY BARES 19.0 'CLICK IT!' is produced by and benefits Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.

Jean Cheever and Tom Polum, producers of The Toxic Avenger - named the 'Best New Off-Broadway Musical' by the Outer Critics Circle - announce a new hire in the town library of Tromaville, New Jersey! Celina Carvajal will assume the role of Sarah, the sexy, blind librarian on Monday, June 15th. Original cast member Sara Chase is leaving the production to create three roles in the musical The First Wives Club premiering at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.

The Tom Kitt Band, led by Next to Normal's Tony-nominated composer Kitt and featuring Damien Bassman, Michael Aarons, and Dan Grennes, will appear at The Bitter End on Monday, June 1 at 10:15 pm. The concert will also feature guest performances from Broadway performers Will Chase, Jenn Colella and Rachel Stern who all starred in Kitt's first Broadway musical, High Fidelity.

Actor David Tennant has signed on to reprise the title role he played on stage in 'Hamlet' in a BBC television production of the drama.

Mr. Herman composed the scores for such Broadway musicals as Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage aux Folles. He is a five-time Tony Award nominee and two time Tony Award winner, for La Cage aux Folles and Hello, Dolly!

Susan Boyle has officially denied she will leave Britain's Got Talent. An ITV spokesperson confirmed that she will see her 'Talent' through to the end, in spite of the pressures ahead. The Scottish singer will remain in the show, continue with rehearsals, and perform on Saturday's big Grand Final, the show spokesperson said tonight.

After a 48 year absence, Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the first new Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie as the inaugural production of the new Henry Miller's Theatre (124 West 43rd Street) beginning Thursday, September 10th, 2009 with an official opening on Thursday, October 15th, 2009. This will be a limited engagement through January 10th, 2010.

American Idol winner Kris Allen and star powered runner-up Adam Lambert both performed this morning on The TODAY show this morning, Thursday, May 28th and BroadwayWorld was there!

Broadway's brightest gathered this morning, Thursday, May 28th, 2009 to officially open the 55th Season of the Broadway Softball League with the singing of the National Anthem and the ceremonial first pitches of the season.

The UK Sun reports that Britain's Got Talent songster Susan Boyle has threatened to quit the show - because she can't handle the pressures of fame. The 48-year-old singer is struggling to cope with life in the public eye and publicly went into meltdown twice this week reveals the Sun, launching four-letter rants at cops and fellow contestants' families. Boyle was interviewed by police yesterday after she went beserk in the lobby of north London's Wembley Plaza Hotel at two strangers she claimed were out to 'wind her up'.

The Associated Press reveals that Barbra Streisand has finished building her dream house and has started to think about her life in terms of a potential memoir. The singer, director and actress has reached an agreement with Viking for 'A Passion for Design,' an illustrated book scheduled for fall 2010 that includes photos of the Malibu, Calif., oceanfront compound she worked on for more than five years, and of other residences, back to her early years in New York.

EXIT THE KING's Tony nominated Geoffrey Rush is currently featured in The New Yorker's new video series, Conversations with John Lahr.