Eddie Varley - Page 244

The 23rd ANNUAL EASTER BONNET COMPETITION was a great success with $3,402,147 being raised this year by the participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Since it began in 1987, 23 editions of the Annual Easter Bonnet Competition have raised nearly $38 million for BC/EFA.

Legendary producer/director Harold Prince speaks to the Hartford Courant about the current state of Broadway, the need for creative producing and the lasting power of his massive hit, The Phantom of the Opera.

The producers of the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production of' Thornton Wilder's Our Town staged by Obie award-winner David Cromer, have announced that Scott Parkinson will temporarily assume the central role of 'Stage Manager' in this staging of Wilder's timeless play beginning Friday, May 1st. Mr. Comer departs the company for a 5-week hiatus to honor a prior commitment with plans to return in mid-June.

Industry circles have buzzed that actress Evan Rachel Wood has been set for the role of 'Mary Jane' in the upcoming 'SPIDER-MAN:Turn Off The Dark' musical, but the young actress and star of the new Woody Allen release, 'Whatever Works' and the recent Oscar nominated The Wrestler revealed to MTV News that all is not set in 'comic book' stone.

E! Online News reports that while attending the Wonderful World premiere Monday during the Tribeca Film Festival, Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed to E! News that Mr. Big, stage and screen star Chris Noth has signed on for 'Sex and the City 2'.

Star of stage and screen, Cynthia Nixon, has joined the cast of The Pink Campaign on Broadway - an inspirational Broadway benefit performance filling the stage with original music and theatre that explores the ways in which breast cancer touches people's lives. Other new additions to the evening include actors Will Rogers ('Gossip Girl,' From Up Here) and Charles Shaughnessy (Urinetown, 'The Nanny') and directors Michael Berresse ([title of show]) and Marc Bruni (White Christmas).

Seth Rudetsky-multi-talented actor, comedian, musician, radio host and published author has embarked on a breathless musical mission, his inspired new YouTube project: 30 Deconstructions in 30 Days!

Variety reports that the leaders of WMA and Endeavor have agreed to a merger, forming a true powerhouse, WME Entertainment, that promises to change the landscape of the talent business.

Katie Holmes enjoyed the success of her Broadway debut in All My Sons and proved skeptics wrong by handling the pressures of performing on the Great White Way with passion and ease, proving she was a natural for the New York stage.

HERE'S A STORY ... Shirley Jones and Florence Henderson have cornered the market as AMERICAN FAMILY ICONS. Arriving on Broadway back in the 50's, they were both discovered in the hit works of Rodgers & Hammerstein as well as a host of other musical vehicles that were to carve out two industry perennials.

Stephen Sondheim, whose musical, A Little Night Music is currently playing in the West End at the Garrick Theatre in a production directed by Trevor Nunn, spoke to the UK's Times Online. The legendary composer spoke on a variety of subjects, including his celebrated body of work, his personal regrets and his joy at finding love, it is a candid interview and a must read for fans of musical theater.

BroadwayWorld has gotten the news that Rialto favorite Barrett Foa has been cast in the pilot of 'NCIS: Legend,' playing Tech Operator, Eric Beal. The two-part pilot for the new series will air as two episodes of the hit CBS show, 'NCIS: Navy Criminal Investigative Service.'

The Associated Press spoke to comedy legend Mel Brooks about bringing his hit musical 'The Producers' to Berlin and the comic key to mining the Third Reich for laughs in the German capital.

ctress Elizabeth Berkley's appearance at 'Peepshow' Thursday is raised eyebrows reports Norm Clarke in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The mystery is whether Berkley, who played a stripper-turned-showgirl in the cult dud 'Showgirls,' is being considered for a role in the show. Last week Lindsay Lohan attended the premiere and discussed a co-lead role with the show's creator, Jerry Mitchell.

Barbra News is reporting that Saturday night's CBS TV special STREISAND: LIVE IN CONCERT hit a solid rating, winning the time slot and the 'Barbra Streisand The Concerts' DVD set nabbed the #1 spot on Sunday at Amazon.com.

Following an extremely successful off Broadway run and the sale of the film rights to New Line Cinema, ROCK OF AGES opened on Broadway, Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 W. 47th Street). Previews began on Tuesday, March 17, 2009.

Sarah Paulson and Bobby Cannavale wrapped the first season of ABC's Cupid and almost immediately jumped into the play The Gingerbread House, the two very busy stars spoke to New York Magazine about their wild and creative ride from the ABC studios to the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.

Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. They were joined for the announcement by William Wolf, Drama Desk President, Barbara Siegel, Chairperson of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee, Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and Randie Levine-Miller, Director of Special Events for the Drama Desk.

The New York Times reports that the Public Theater is set to undergo major renovations including a mezzanine balcony that projects over the lobby and for the famed outside, a new gradual staircase leading up to the entrance and a glass canopy to shield people from the rain.

In a broadcast first, GLEE, the new one-hour musical comedy series from Ryan Murphy ('Nip/Tuck'), will get a special preview following AMERICAN IDOL Tuesday, May 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The show will then premiere in the fall in a regular time slot as of yet unannounced. Variety reports on the planned roll out for the new series.