Jessica Lewis - Page 245

CBS won its seventh consecutive week in viewers led by the continued ratings growth of BIG BROTHER and nine of the top 10 scripted series, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Aug. 8, week 46 of the 2009-2010 television year.

For the week of August 2, 2010: The premiere of 'Phineas and Ferb Summer Belongs To You' on Disney Channel was the week's No. 1 animated series in Kids 6-11 (1.53 million/6.2 rating) and cable's most-watched animated series in Total Viewers (3.86 million). This impressive performance comes after the episode's record-setting premiere on Disney XD, where it was the channel's No. 1 series telecast this year to date in Total Viewers and Boys 6-11.

Week four of Syfy's Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files (Thursdays 10-11 PM ET/PT) hit series highs for a second straight week with its August 5th episode, soaring +28% in adults 18-49s and +35% in adults 25-54s to average 683,000 in 18-49s and 733,000 in 25-54s.

CMT has ordered 12 episodes of its first scripted comedy, WORKING CLASS, a half-hour, family-oriented sitcom starring Melissa Peterman. Set to premiere on CMT in January 2011, WORKING CLASS follows the life of a single blue collar mom, who has recently moved her family to a rich suburban neighborhood to try and provide a better life for her kids, while proudly retaining her 'working class' roots.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, The Romantics, starring Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel, Elijah Wood, Anna Paquin and GLEE's Dianna Agron opens in theaters September 24, 2010. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the film's just-released trailer below!

Eric Rosen, artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre, has announced that a new production of the musical Saved, directed by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple-Broadway and national tour, Pacific Overtures--London), will open the Rep's 2010-11 season.

Shana Farr, who made her debut at Feinstein's last December with her show 'Pure Imagination,' returns tonight and tomorrow (August 10 and 11) at 8:30 PM to celebrate the early career of Julie Andrews in her brand new show 'Whistling Away The Dark,' which celebrates Julie Andrews' early life and career.

Lead producer Michael Cohl announced today that SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark will begin preview performances on Broadway on Sunday, November 14, 2010, at 3 p.m., with Opening Night set for Tuesday evening, December 21. Directed by Julie Taymor and featuring a book by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger, and new music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark will open at Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre (213 West 42nd Street).

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, GLEE will feature a Britney Spears tribute episode in its second season, premiering September 21, 2010 on FOX. Says GLEE star Lea Michele of the episode: it's '15 music videos inside this episode, very much like the Madonna [tribute episode].' Heather Morris, who plays 'Brittany' on the show, will be playing Britney Spears in a dream sequence. To date, however, GLEE execs were mum on whether or not Spears herself would be making a cameo in the episode. Series creator Ryan Murphy has finally spilled the beans and revealed on Ryan Seacrest's radio show today that - yes - Spears would be appearing on the show.

On August 8, the CBS Sunday morning show profiled performing arts breeding ground, Stagedoor Manor, and the recently released book that takes readers inside the camp, 'Theater Geek.' BroadwayWorld brings you the segment below.

Fresh off her stint in Hair, Annaleigh Ashford will lead the previously announced Heathers: The Musical concert at Joe's Pub alongside Jeremy Jordan on September 13, 2010. Ashford will protray Veronica Sawyer (played by Winona Ryder on screen), while Jeremy Jordan will play Jason Dean (played by Christian Slater in the film). Additional casting announcements are forthcoming.

Academy Award winning actor Adrien Brody stars in the lead role in Detachment with Academy Award winning actress, Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, William Peterson, Bryan Cranston, Tim Blake Nelson with Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner and James Caan.

Variety reports this morning that Love, Loss and What I Wore scribe Nora Ephron is teaming up with Reese Witherspoon, Marc Platt and Fox 2000 to bring a Peggy Lee biopic to the big screen. Ephron will be writing and directing the film, and it is expected that Witherspoon will star. The project is largely Witherspoon's brainchild (she secured the rights to the story from Lee's granddaughter, Holly Foster-Wells) and the details of her performance contract are currently in the works.

Arena Stage's inaugural season at the Mead Center for American Theater opens with three productions featuring three powerful leading ladies - E. Faye Butler in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! in the company's renovated, iconic Fichandler Stage; Phylicia Rashad in playwright Marcus Gardley's world premiere of Every Tongue Confess in the brand new 200-seat Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle; and Anna Deavere Smith in her one-woman play, Second Stage's production of Let Me Down Easy, which begins its national tour in the freshly refurbished Kreeger Theater.

The world of Cold War intrigue, forbidden love, and 1980s rock rules when the legendary musical Chess, by the composers of Mamma Mia!, opens at Signature Theatre tomorrow, August 10. The production will run through September 26. The first major American production in almost 20 years - and the Washington region's very first professional production - stars Broadway's Jill Paice (Curtains), Euan Morton (Boy George in Taboo), and Jeremy Kushnier (Footloose) in the Russian/American conflict made new again. Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet) and his creative team capture the gritty, sexy world of Chess' 1985 radio hit ‘One Night in Bangkok' in the amazing intimacy of Signature's 276-seat MAX Theatre. The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre has a national reputation for its work with musicals - polishing underappreciated gems, as well as producing world premieres and reinventing classics. In anticipation of this exciting opening, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the production with never-before-seen dress rehearsal shots! Check back tomorrow for official opening night photo coverage and video!

BroadwayWorld has just confirmed that comedian Wanda Sykes will be leading the Media Theatre's production of ANNIE as 'Miss Hannigan' this holiday season. Sykes will open the production on November 23 and close the production on January 16, 2011 following a Christmas absence. The theater today released an audition notice and are seeking all roles, including a cover for Sykes while the star fulfills her holiday commitments. The production will be directed by Media Artistic Director Jesse Cline and musical directed by Tom Fosnocht.

On Friday, August 6, Larry King and wife Shawn King attended a performance of JERSEY BOYS at the Palazzo in Las Vegas and stopped backstage thereafter to celebrate. BroadwayWorld brings you coverage of the Kings with the 'BOYS' below!

TV Guide reports that Ben Vereen and Wayne Brady will be guest starring on CBS' How I Met Your Mother next season. Both men will appear in the second episode of the sitcom's sixth season, airing on Monday, September 27, 2010. (Season six premieres on Monday, September 20). Brady returns as James Stinson, Barney's black, gay brother. Brady premiered the character in a 2006 and reprised the role again in 2007. Vereen will play Brady's father. No word on wether or not the episode will include a musical production. With the musical talents of Brady, Vereen and Neil Patrick Harris (who plays Barney), however, a musical addition to the stint seems likely.

The Flying Karamazov Brothers return in triumph to the Minetta Lane Theatre for an open-ended engagement in their hit show 4PLAY tonight Monday, August 9 at 7pm. Previews began on July 22. This follows the show's limited engagement that played the Minetta Lane February 8 through March 7 to popular success. In anticipation of opening night tonight, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the 'Brothers' in performance below!

Yesterday, August 8, Grammy-winning country music star Larry Gatlin took the stage of the Nederlander Theatre to join the cast of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET in a special performance of the song 'Johnny Cash is Dead and His House Burned Down,' a song written in tribute to Cash who was a friend of Gatlin's. In addition, Gatlin wrote songs that were recorded by Cash, Elvis Presley, and Carl Perkins, three of the members of the real Million Dollar Quartet. BroadwayWorld brings you a look at his cameo below!