Alan Ball News

The Hangar Theatre kicks off its second Pilot Reading Series in NYC with a great new play by Michael Elyanow, directed by the Hangar's Artistic Director, Peter Flynn.

Today we are continuing the male-centric portion of our ongoing series of interviews with the stars of Lifetime's DROP DEAD DIVA with the boss of the legal practice on the show and the main love interest for Kate Levering's character, Kim: the affable and charming stage and screen star Josh Stamberg. In addition to dishing all about Season 3 of DROP DEAD DIVA and the future for Parker, Kim and company at the legal firm, Stamberg and I also discuss many of the various guest stars on the show this season and seasons past - Liza Minnelli, Sharon Lawrence and Faith Prince included - as well as how he sees Parker himself, his own insights into the complex character and what he feels the future holds for his relationships on the show - Kim, Jane and beyond. In addition to all things DIVA-related, Stamberg and I also discuss his many past stage and screen appearances, including: his unforgettable work as Sarge on SIX FEET UNDER and what it was like working with creator Alan Ball, as well as his role on the Aaron Sorkin-scripted series STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, plus: working at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Atlantic Theatre Company, doing the workshop of A STEADY RAIN (and eventually getting replaced by Hugh Jackman), doing FRACTURED with Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins, acting alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Watts in Clint Eastwood's forthcoming film J. EDGAR, his favorite work experiences so far, roles he is yearning to essay in the future both near and far and much, much more! Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and stalwart supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everybody else in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer along the way, as well. Season Three picked up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. Questions and posed and answered so far: What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? Indeed, all of these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered come the next two Sunday nights! Plus, as always, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned - such as last month's BroadwayWorld exclusive world premiere of "Lean On Me"! Will there be a musical grand finale after all? We shall soon see! Also, don't forget to check out the past interviews in this BRIDGING TV & THEATRE series - Margaret Cho, Kate Levering, April Bowlby, Sharon Lawrence, Faith Prince and Jackson Hurst included! There are only a few episodes of Season Three left - airing Sundays at 9 PM on Lifetime, as always, throughout September until the finale on September 25 - so be sure to check back here in coming weeks for chats with Ben Feldman and the titular diva herself, plus maybe even a surprise or two, too!

PBS raises the curtain on a new fall season celebrating the arts, exploring America's 'Great Experiment' with PROHIBITION, and traveling to the edges of the universe with NOVA's 'The Fabric of the Cosmos.' Also on tap this season, PBS will premiere new shows from MASTERPIECE featuring award-winning actors including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy; a look at prolific director Woody Allen on AMERICAN MASTERS; and a special tribute event commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Off-Broadway's The New Group proudly announces that Lily Rabe will star in the company's world premiere of David Rabe's An Early History of Fire. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production opens in April 2012 at The New Group @ Theatre Row as part of the company's 2011-2012 Season.

The last time fans saw True Blood character Russell Edgington, Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) had sealed him in a cement grave, but he promised he'd return.

Alexander Skarsgard, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer all attended the True Blood Panel held on July 22nd at 2011 Comic Con in San Diego, Ca.

Today we are continuing our summer spotlight on the TV shows featuring some of the brightest and best talent onscreen and onstage with the third part of BroadwayWorld's series on USA's new primetime network drama NECESSARY ROUGHNESS focusing on leading player Mehcad Brooks, who essays the role of star football quarterback Terrance 'TK' King on the show. Featuring an impressive assortment of players known for roles on screens large and small and stages far and wide, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS was created by Craig Shapiro and Liz Kruger and features Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas, Scott Cohen, Mehcad Brooks and Andrea Anders. The show centers on therapist Dr. Dani Santino (Thorne) and her suddenly crumbling domestic life coming in the wake of her husband's (Craig Bierko) newly discovered affair, just as she enters a new area of expertise in her field and starts taking on the clients of her career - chief among them being star quarterback TK (Brooks). Will her newfound romance with Matthew (Blucas) and his relationship to the team lead to a fumble? And who exactly is the shadowy figure behind the scenes, Nico (Cohen)? Plus, how will Dr. Santino balance the roles of therapist, mother and newly-single woman approaching her forties? NECESSARY ROUGHNESS goes in for a touchdown by bringing together issues from all sides and taking them on play-by-play - because, after all, as the tagline goes: 'Everyone has issues to tackle.' Touchdown! Charismatic and charming featured player on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS Mehcad Brooks is known to TV fans for arcs on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, TRUE BLOOD, MY GENERATION and THE DEEP END - and to Times Square visitors for his Calvin Klein ad - but it is with the role of Terrance 'TK' King on this new USA series that he has solidified his star status - and, in only a handful of episodes, at that, since the show just began. Brooks was generous enough to field some questions about his experiences on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS on and off the field and screen yesterday, as well as working with show creator Craig Shapiro - plus, creators and show runners on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and TRUE BLOOD, Marc Cherry and Alan Ball - in addition to illustrating his palpable rapport with cast-mates Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas and Scott Cohen, who are all also a part of this special summer series on BroadwayWorld.

According to the Boston Globe, Tony nominee Lily Rabe will star in the New Group premiere of her father, David Rabe's new play- An Early History of Fire. The off-Broadway production will be directed by Jo Bonney and will run in thir 2011-12 season.

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that Academy® and Emmy®-Award winning writer/producer/director Alan Ball will be the featured subject of the next installment of Iconography, the series that honors the life, career, and impact of iconic personalities on SiriusXM's 24/7 LGBT channel OutQ, ch.108.

The Court Theatre's first production since the February earthquake is the perfect antidote to trying times.

PBS raises the curtain on a new fall season celebrating the arts, exploring America's 'Great Experiment' with PROHIBITION, and traveling to the edges of the universe with NOVA's 'The Fabric of the Cosmos.' Also on tap this season, PBS will premiere new shows from MASTERPIECE featuring award-winning actors including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy; a look at prolific director Woody Allen on AMERICAN MASTERS; and a special tribute event commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

In an interview with Film School Rejects, Denis O'Hare revealed that his character will be back for the fifth season of HBO's 'True Blood,' which will air in summer 2012. O'Hare joined the show last year as a 2,800 year old vampire king of Mississipi.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Broadway veteran Katherine Helmond is set to guest star on HBO's 'True Blood' in the fourth season. Helmond will play Caroline Bellefleur in two episodes.

The Court Theatre's first production since the February earthquake is the perfect antidote to trying times.

HBO(R) is giving fans a chance to watch the second episode of TRUE BLOOD(R) season 4, a full week early by logging on to HBO GO(R) from their desktop, iPad (R)or smartphone.

Off-Broadway's The New Group proudly announces the productions slated for its 2011-2012 season.

HBO is excited to announce that TRUE BLOOD will make its fourth consecutive appearance at Comic-Con in San Diego this July.