Jeff Dennhardt - Page 9

When 'Idol' gets down to the top six, each week is a shocker. With so few contestants left, it is nearly impossible to predict who will head home each week and, at this point in the competition, it really feels as though it's anyone's game. Tonight featured a slew of performances and was the first real reminder of how close we are to finding a winner of 'American Idol' season nine.

Tonight, 'Idol' saw the return of Shania Twain, who joined the audition process in Chicago, as the contestants sang from her vast catalog of songs. Twain is primarily a country artist, which resulted in a marked change for some of the contestants. The majority of the themes thus far have fit nicely into the pop genre and, while Twain's songs are definitely pop, the country influence allowed us to see the versatility of the performers as they tackled a new challenge.

With funding from the Station North Arts and Entertainment District Second Saturdays, the Strand Theater Company will produce an evening of staged readings of six 10-minute plays written by members of the Playwrights Group of Baltimore and performed by local actors on Saturday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis; donations are accepted.

The San Francisco production of the smash hit musical WICKED will play its final performance on Sunday, September 5, 2010, ending its record-breaking run at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are now on sale for all performances through September 5th. Upon closing, WICKED will have played 660 performances and 12 previews.

The campy comedy 'Psycho Beach Party' by Charles Busch will be performed at the Newnan Community Theatre Company this summer. The play is a fun spoof of 1960s beach movies with a slight Hitchcock twist.

Edmund Gaynes has announced the new comedy Hebrew School Dropout, Or: How I Converted from Judaism to Catholicism and Back to Judaism AND Lost Those Stubborn Last 10 Pounds!, by Dave Konig, the three-time Emmy Award winning comedian. Performances will begin April 24th at Actors Temple Theatre (339 West 47th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Opening Night is set for May 19th. Pamela Hall directs.

Mr. Broadway 2008, Marty Thomas (Wicked, Xanadu) has joined the lineup of readers for Mark Brennan Rosenberg's book launch at The Snapple Theatre on May 19th for his new memior Blackouts and Breakdowns.

Pro-Arts, Inc. presents CINDERELLA, a new "fractured fairy tale" musical adaptation of the classic story, this May. The production features Arielle Lehua Simon, Rose Roselinsky, Cat Hayes, Dale Button, Vinnie Linares, Bill Schnitzer, Caleb Rhodes, Kristi Scott, and Tom Althouse.

PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT star Ben Richards is making a big change from his current job to the drag-filled show. Before returning to the stage, Richards played police officer Bruno Mulligan on the hit British television show 'Footballers' Wives.'

During a recent interview, Broadway star Alicia Silverstone discussed the challenges of bringing the role from LA to Broadway. Notably, Silverstone said she attempted to wipe the slate clean for the role, as if she had never performed the role before.

Michael C. Hall, star of the hit Showtime television show 'Dexter,' has been cured of cancer according to a recent report from BBC News. Hall's wife and costar Jennifer Carpenter said that, as of his most recent doctor's visit, Hall is no longer suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma.

During a recent interview with the LA Times, Kristen Chenoweth, star of the Broadway musical PROMISES, PROMISES, that she was initially tepid to take on the role, since the majority of the roles in her past were strictly comedy.

UCB's monthly improv/acting extravaganza returns this Monday, April 26th, at 8 p.m. with The Miracle Worker's Alison Pill, 30 Rock's Scott Adsit, Our Town's Jennifer Grace and Lori Myers, The Office's Zach Woods, and many, many more--all for $5.

The 21st annual Dusty Film and Animation Festival and Awards will highlight over 100 films by students graduating from the BFA Film, Video and Animation Department at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). The program includes screenings of short films, videos and animations; and an awards ceremony and gala with notable presenters from the film industry. All festival events take place at the SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Many events are FREE and open to the general public.

According to a recent Twitter post from the official Wicked the Musical Twitter account, the hit show will end its San Francisco run on September 5th. The production opened at the Orpheum Theatre on February 6, 2009.