Leslie Fazin - Page 4

Michael Urie, series' standout from ABC's 'Ugly Betty,' has landed a new gig post-season closing on TBS's new TV pilot 'Brain Trust.' Brain Trust features D.B. Sweeney in the lead role of police detective Billy Doyle who struggles and triumphs by teaming up with an ultra-geeky trio: Professor Nelson Kirby (Jed Rees), Professor Franklin Gordon (Urie) and Professor Monica Ashton (Lindy Booth). Urie has starred off-Broadway in THE TEMPERMENTALS and ANGELS IN AMERICA. Urie isn't the only one gaining promising new gigs; Wynn Everett, William Ragsdale and Suzy Nakamura have all landed supporting roles on TNT's new TV pilot, 'Bird Dog.' Bird Dog features actress Eliza Dushku as police officer Gail McGrath, who partners up with her father, a NYC cop. Everett will play a journalist, Ragdale a local deputy, and Nakamura a local Medical Examiner and Chief of Staff of the local hospital.

Reports are circulating that some Glee members will face the axe by 2012. GLEE creator Ryan Murphy has vowed to keep the show as true to traditional high school as possible, by planning to phase out characters who will graduate McKinley High, move on, and be replaced by new freshmen faces. He has nominated the end of the 2012 season as the likely start for cast exits.'Every year we're going to populate a new group,' Murphy says. 'There's nothing more depressing than a high schooler with a bald spot.

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) hosted its 19th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre on Monday, November 22, 2010, honoring Tony Award-winning librettist Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray, Elf). The evening was directed by Tony-winning director/lyricist/librettist Richard Maltby and the award was presented by Alice Hammerstein Mathias, daughter of Oscar Hammerstein II.

This Holiday Season, TheatreWorks New Milford will debut ALMOST, MAINE by John Cariani, a warm romantic comedy set under the frigid northern lights. The play opens December 3 at 8:00 p.m. for a five-week run. ALMOST, MAINE is the name of the mythical town in which this delightful romantic comedy takes place, creatively delving into the vast mysteries of the human heart with laughter, heartbreak, and hope. On a cold, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above Almost. Residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. Love is lost, found, and confounded. But The Bruises heal and the hearts mend - almost - in this enchanting midwinter night's dream.

This year's holiday musical of A Christmas Carol, Wayside Theatre's Shenandoah Valley holiday tradition, continues with the familiar tale adapted by Warner Crocker and Steve Przybylski and lyrics and music by Steve Przybylski. The production of 'A Christmas Carol' is sponsored by McDonalds and Country Inn and Suites and Alamo Cinema Drafthouse. The holiday extravaganza will run through December 24. This year's cast will be highlighted by Wayside audience favorite Eddie Staver III, as everyone's favorite Christmas curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr. Staver will share the role with another audience favorite actor and Winchester local, James Laster, most recently seen in The Gin Game and Miracle on 34th Street.

The cast of RAIN performed a re-enactment of The Beatles' famous 1969 rooftop performance at the 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Click the video below to watch a video uploaded by a fan of the performance! RAIN is currently performing to packed houses at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52 Street now through January 9th. Together longer than The Beatles themselves, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that's as infectious as it is transporting. From the early hits to later classics that The Beatles never got the chance to play live, this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends! For tickets go to www.ticketmaster.com or call 877-250-2929.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS: The Morrisville-based Actors' NET of Bucks County continues its fifteenth season with a special holiday season presentation of the family favorite musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress. Starring Cheryl Mazzarini of Philadelphia as 'Princess Winnifred the Woebegone,' the role that made Carol Burnett a star! Also starring Scott Lutz of Philadelphia as 'Prince Dauntless,' Pam Jorgensen of Franklin Park, NJ as 'Queen Aggravain,' Ed Patton of Fairless Hills as 'King Sextimus,' Katie Skelly of Bordentown, NJ as 'Lady Larken,' and John Bergeron of Morrisville as 'Sir Harry.' Costarring Marco Newton of Yardley as 'The Wizard,' Dennis McGuire of Levittown as 'The Jester,' Tim Johnson of Yardley as 'The Minstrel' and John Helmke of Yardville as 'Sir Studley.'

The Collegiate Chorale has announced casting for their upcoming production of Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson's 'Knickerbocker Holiday,' a romantic musical concert set to debut at Alice Tully Hall on January 25 and 26 at 8 PM. The company will feature Broadway veterans Victor Garber (Stuyvesant), Ben Davis (Brom), Kelli O'Hara (Tina) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Tenpin), along with Bryce Pinkham (Washington Irving), David Garrison (Tienhoven), The Collegiate Chorale and the American Symphony Orchestra.

Larson-award winning composer Mark Allen ('Band Geeks!,' 'Tinyard Hill') has penned an original 10-minute musical for the comedy web series 30/2010. The musical, entitled 'Call Us,' will be the 19th episode in the 30-episode web series, and will officially be unveiled on Tuesday, November 30. The series was created by and stars Joe Beuerlein, Thomas DeMarcus, and Kelly Strandemo. The new musical episode can be found on the show's website: www.thirtytwentyten.com.

In next week's episode of FOX's hit show GLEE, New Directions goes to sectionals! Click below to watch a preview of November 30th's 'Special Education' episode, where Darren Criss leads The Dalton Academy Warblers in their version of Train's hit single 'Hey, Soul Sister.'

Leonard Bernstein: The Symphony Edition, a limited edition 60-CD set that includes all of Bernstein's definitive symphonic recordings from 1953 to 1976 -- 57 of them with the New York Philharmonic -- has been released by Sony Classical in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his death.

Beowulf Alley Theatre presents the 2007 Olivier Award-winner, BLACKBIRD by David Harrower. Performances will be held at the theatre, 11 South 6th Avenue, for three weekends only, December 3 - 19, 2010. Performance times are 7:30 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Directed by Laura Lippman, the cast includes Art Almquist, Elizabeth Leadon-Sonnenfelt and Chrissie Peterson.

American Stage Theatre Company continues its 'After Hours' series tradition of holiday productions with readings of the irreverent musical A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDREN'S SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT by Kyle Jarrow and Alex Timbers and famous author David Sedaris' THE SANTALAND DIARIES running in repertory with each other, Dec. 9 thru Dec. 22.

Stage and screen actress Nicole Kidman, who made her Broadway debut in the 1998 production of THE BLUE ROOM, will join her husband Keith Urban on the November 30 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Their appearance will be among other celebrity Aussies -- who have yet to be confirmed -- who will help whisk Oprah and 300 of her audience members off on an eight-day trip to Australia, 'Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure,' one week later. Kidman and Urban will discuss what audience members venturing on the trip can expect in the 'land down under.' The couple will reconvene with Oprah on the show's taping in Sydney on December 14.Theatre-enthusiasts can expect to see Kidman back on the Broadway stage next fall, when she stars in the revival of Tennessee Williams' SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH.

Amsterdam's mayor, Eberhard van der Laan, presented Joop van den Ende with the Gold Medal of the City of Amsterdam for his outstanding contributions in art and culture. He was presented this award on Monday evening, November 22, 2010. Most Gold Medals are designed to celebrate the accomplishments of mayors who have completed their terms in office. However, under certain circumstances, such as the case of Joop van den Ende, this award can be presented to those who have gone above and beyond, contributing positively to the city of Amsterdam. Joop van den Ende is known in the arts and culture spectrum for his musical productions extending from Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Russia, to the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and the United States. Award recipients are known nationally and internationally; Joop van den Ende shares the honor with Nelson Mandella, Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower, among others.

PROMISES star Kristin Chenoweth will host 'A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power' at the New York Public Library on Monday, December 6, 2010. The event is presented in conjuction with USA Network's Characters Unite Month, New York City's non-profit storytelling organization, Moth, and is part of a national series of five Character Unite Mainstage showcases, which launched its first tour in New Orleans this year. Denver, Seattle and Chicago are among the next stops.

Actor John Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston have a new bundle of joy just in time for the holidays. Benjamin Travolta, weighing in at over 8 lbs, was born on Tuesday evening, November 23, in a hospital in Florida, according to reports at People.com.

The Best of Broadway and Cabaret came out to support the Actors Temple (est. 1923) on Sunday, November 21, 2010. Located at 339 West 47th Street, this theater district landmark has fallen on hard times in recent years and so member, producer Randie Levine-Miller spoke to Rabbi Jill Hausman and said, 'Let's put on a musical -- benefit!' The rabbi was delighted, so Randie reached out to some of her theater and cabaret friends, and voila! The concert took place at the temple at 7:30 PM with 18 extraordinary (many award winning) performers: (in alphabetical order) Raissa Katona Bennett, Christina Bianco, Len Cariou, Douglas J. Cohen, Eric Comstock, Jamie deRoy, Barbara Fasano, Beth Fowler, Anita Gillette, Jackie Hoffman, George S. Irving, Alice Levine, Kurt Peterson, Wade Preston, Steve Ross, Cheryl Stern, Sal Viviano, Martin Vidnovic. Dennis Buck was the musical director. Producer Levine-Miller was the host the event. Legendary members of the congregation included: Joey Adams, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Red Buttons, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, Al Jolson, Sandy Koufax, Jack E. Leonard, Danny Lewis (Jerry's father), Joe E. Lewis, Tony Martin, Ritz Brothers, Edward G. Robinson, Sophie Tucker,William B. Williams, Shelly Winters, Henny Youngman.

Stage veteran David Pittsinger will reprise his role as Emile de Becque in the national tour of SOUTH PACIFIC, set to make its holiday run at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from December 14, 2010 through January 16, 2011. Pittsinger, a well-renowned opera singer, made his mark as Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center's revival of the production in 2008. He joins a cast that includes Anderson Davis (Lt. Cable), Timothy Gulan (Luther Billis), Jodi Kimura (Bloody Mary), Gerry Becker (Capt. Brackett), Peter Rini (Cmdr. Harbison), Sumie Maeda (Liat), Rusty Ross (Professor), Genson Blimline (Stewpot), Christina Carrera (Ngana) and CJ Palma (Jerome), and ensemble members Christopher Carl, Christian Carter, Eric L. Christian, Jacqueline Colmer, Alexis G.B. Holt, Rashaan James II, Chad Jennings, Christopher Johnstone, Kristie Kerwin, Joe Langworth, Cathy Newman, Julia Osborne, Diane Phelan, John Pinto Jr., Bret Shuford, Kristen J. Smith, Matt Stokes, Gregory Williams, Victor J. Wisehart and Amos Wolff.

GLEE: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers, was honored at this year's American Music Awards, which broadcast live from Los Angeles' NOKIA Theatre on Sunday, November 21 on ABC, as the favorite soundtrack album for 2010. Other names in the spotlight included Michael Buble, earning the title of favorite adult contemporary artist, CHICAGO stage veteran Usher, earning the title of favorite male R&B artist and favorite R&B album, Raymond v. Raymond, Carrie Underwood, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, among more. In 1973, Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to pay tribute to popular musicians from various genres of music and to put audiences in touch with the latest phenomena in American music. Since its founding, the AMAs have honored and showcased the talents of some of the biggest names in the music industry.