Barry Levinson News

Actress Susan Sarandon and Filmmakers Thomas Morgan and Jonathan Bricklin announced the launch of their film company, Reframed Pictures, at the Sedona International Film festival today. Reframed Pictures mission is to create and support films that are not only entertaining, but also raise awareness about human rights and social justice issues. But Reframed Pictures plans to take awareness raising one step further by creating opportunities for action associated with each film.

Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi have officially boarded the Barry Levinson directed drama “The Humbling,” starring Al Pacino, Mandy Patinkin, Kyra Sedgwick, Charles Grodin, Dianne Wiest, Greta Gerwig and Louise Trenner. Iervolino and Bacardi are co-producers – producing alongside Al Pacino, Jason Sosnoff and Ged Dickersin.

According to Deadline, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, Bruce Willis and Shia LaBeouf have all signed on to join Bill Murray in the film from QED, set to be directed by Levinson.

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented twosome who have found success sharing the stage both in entertainment endeavors and in life itself - real-life triple-threat couple Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo. Discussing many details of their two upcoming major musical productions - first, a special live concert presentation of the new musical SAMSON & DELILAH at cool NYC cabaret venue 54 Below, followed by the release of the concept album; as well as the upcoming new national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's classic family-friendly Biblically-themed musical JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, kicking off in a few short weeks - Young and DeGarmo share their passion for the arts and their unwavering commitment to their craft. Furthermore, the attractive and fit duo share how they are preparing for their upcoming Biblical roles and how they first became involved with the respective projects themselves. Additionally, both shed some light on their notable AMERICAN IDOL heydays, sharing backstage stories from the intriguing list of credits on their impressive resumes thus far. Plus, DeGarmo shares thoughts on the many in-development musicals she has had a hand in developing, from Sheryl Crow's forthcoming DINER to the similarly screen-to-stage adaptation of JAWBREAKER, not to mention her memorable work in the recent revisal version of CARRIE and more. As if all of that were not enough, Young and DeGarmo also recount memories of starring on Broadway together in HAIR as well as reflect on their turns in GREASE and HAIRSPRAY, while also casting a glance back at some favorite early roles, as well. Everything mentioned plus first news on the couple's new self-penned EP titled YOUNG & FREE as well as much more awaits in this career-spanning conversation with two of musical theatre's most popular and affable modern stars!

Last night, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced this year's winning motion picture and television productions at the 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Machinal, starring Rebecca Hall, written by Sophie Treadwell and directed by Lyndsey Turner, began previews on December 20, 2013 ahead of an official opening on January 16, 2014 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway. Machinal is a limited engagement through March 2. Scroll down to learn more about the cast!

Acclaimed screenwriter-director-actor Paul Mazursky is set to receive the Writers Guild of America, West's 2014 Screen Laurel Award, honoring lifetime achievement in outstanding writing for motion pictures.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today the motion picture and long-form television nominations for the 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today the motion picture and long-form television nominations for the 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards.

It's time to close up CSC's third annual Black Box Festival with the show that played to sold out audiences in last year's New York Fringe Festival. The Essence: A Yiddish Theatre Dim Sum is a rollicking comedy that lets audiences in on the best kept secret-Yiddish is actually cool-and it's playing November 21-24 in the Kutz Theatre of the Lackland Center. The Essence… is a fast-moving revue for people who know nothing about Yiddish and couldn't imagine attending a show with Yiddish in it. It's about the most expressive and theatrical language in the world, with scenes, sketches, songs, and oddball diversions with an irreverent introduction to all things Yiddish.

Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall for a 9-week-only limited engagement of his Tony Award-winning, record-breaking play 700 Sundays. This will mark the final engagement of this production. Previews began Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street) with opening night scheduled for tonight, November 13, 2013 and a final performance set for Sunday, January 5, 2014. 700 Sundays is performed and written by Mr. Crystal with additional content by Alan Zweibel and direction by Des McAnuff.

According to an Equity casting notice, a New York City workshop will soon be held for DINER, a new musical inspired by the critically acclaimed 1982 film. With a book by Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Barry Levinson and music & lyrics by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, the project will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall. The workshop will be held December 2-13 at Pearl Studios.

Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall for a 9-week-only limited engagement of his Tony Award-winning, record-breaking play 700 Sundays. This will mark the final engagement of this production. Previews begin tonight, November 5, 2013 at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street) with opening night scheduled for Wednesday, November 13, 2013 and a final performance set for Sunday, January 5, 2014. 700 Sundaysis performed and written by Mr. Crystal with additional content by Alan Zweibel and direction by Des McAnuff.

According to Deadline, Tony winner Billy Porter is currently in talks to join Barry Levinson's The Humbling. The film features a script by Buck Henry, Michal Zebede and Levinson, and will star Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig, Diane Wiest and Mandy Patinkin. It will focus on ' a famous stage actor in decline who is revived when he retires to his upstate New York farmhouse and takes up with a much younger woman.'

Three-time Grammy Award-winning musical artist and actor T.I. (T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle, Boss) will guest star in multiple episodes of the third season of the hit SHOWTIME comedy series HOUSE OF LIES.

HBO Films presents in association with SAF Films West MUHAMMAD ALI'S GREATEST FIGHT, starring Academy Award(R) winner Christopher Plummer ('Beginners'), Academy Award(R) nominee Frank Langella ('Frost/Nixon') and Benjamin Walker ('Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'); directed by Academy Award(R) nominee Stephen Frears ('The Queen') from a script by Shawn Slovo ('A World Apart'); and executive produced by Emmy(R) winner Frank Doelger (HBO's 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Gathering Storm'), Emmy(R) winner Tracey Scoffield (HBO's 'The Gathering Storm'), Jonathan Cameron and Stephen Frears.

'ALL THAT GLITTERS', an unauthorized biography of a ground-breaking legend, an opulent musical event about the greatest showman on earth is on its way to Broadway for the 2014-15 season, directed and choreographed by Alexander DeJong. The show features Music and Lyrics by Mr. DeJong, Book by Mr. DeJong and James A. Walsh, and Additional Music by Tom Nelson. The show will star Richard Kline as Wladziu Valentino Liberace.

The film, written by SCROOGED's Mitch Glazer, is officially billed as: 'the story of a burned-out music manager who goes to Afghanistan on the USO tour with his last remaining client. When he finds himself abandoned, penniless and without his passport, he discovers a young girl with an extraordinary voice, who stows away with him back to Kabul to compete on the popular television show The Afghan Star, Afghanistan's equivalent of American Idol.'

HBO Films new drama Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight from director Stephen Frears is coming to the cable network on Saturday, October 5th at 8 pm.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, 20th Century Fox recently formed a joint venture with top Broadway producer and Tony Award winner Kevin McCollum (Motown, Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights), prolific film producer John Davis (Predator, The Firm, Grumpy Old Men, I Robot, Chronicle) and leading industry executive Tom McGrath, to develop live stage productions based upon the studio's vast library of films. Now according to the New York Times, Fox won't be the only major film studio with movie-based musicals in the woks in the coming years.