Bea Arthur News

Producers Daryl Roth and Eva Price announced today that Sebastian Arcelus, Fred Dalton Thompson (in his Broadway debut), and John Douglas Thompson will star in the new Broadway courtroom drama A Time to Kill, Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes' stage adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel. This new Broadway play holds the distinction of being the first-ever John Grisham property to be adapted for the stage. A Time to Kill is set to open on Broadway on October 20, 2013 at the John Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street). Previews begin September 28th. Ethan McSweeny will direct. The remainder of the high-powered ensemble cast of 13 will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.ATimeToKillOnBroadway.com.

Fresh from the success of Night of a Thousand Judys, The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will move to 54 BELOW for a six-month run starting on Wednesday, July 24 at 9:30 PM. Known for its signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between, The Meeting* is moving uptown after four seasons of packed houses in the West Village. Justin Sayre and The Meeting* were named one of the Top 10 nightclub shows of 2011 by Time Out New York, received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance.

Home After Dark: The Music of Sam Davis will feature performances by Nick Blaemire, Andrea Burns, Charles Busch, Liz Callaway, Sarah Corey, Drew Gehling, Edward Hibbert, Matthew Scott, Kirsten Scott, and David Hyde Pierce, plus cast members from Bunnincula the Musical: Ashley Campana, Abe Goldfarb, John Garry, Robert Anthony Jones, Prescott Seymour

Fresh from the success of Night of a Thousand Judys, The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show hailed as "rambunctious, uproarious and unpredictable" by The Wall Street Journal, "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post, and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice - will move to 54 BELOW for a six month run starting on July 24.

Dixon Place has announced the 22nd Annual HOT! Festival of Queer Culture, running today, July 2 - August 3, 2013.

Dixon Place has announced the 22nd Annual HOT! Festival of Queer Culture, running July 2 - August 3, 2013.

This month's Play Club offering was a reading of Ken Ludwig's masterful farce, LEND ME A TENOR, a play that is crafted explicitly for the purpose of entertainment, which was very much the order of the day at this reading of the play.

STAGES ST. LOUIS is thrilled to announce new staff appointments to STAGES' Turley Performing Arts Academy. Broadway Veteran, Vince Pesce will assume the position of Director of Education at STAGES Kent Center for Theatre Arts, the new state-of-the-art facility, effective immediately. Pesce replaces longtime Education Director Rob Grumich, who will remain during the transition through July. Also, Tali Allen Liddell will become the Manager of Community Programs and Partnerships.

David Rogers, Broadway playwright who also wrote for television, opera and night clubs, and authored novels and short stories, died on Wednesday, June 5th in Westport, Conn. He was 85.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on the Tony Awards broadcast from 39 years ago, all the way back in 1974!

As BWW previously reported, an anonymous bidder at a Christie's auction on May 15 paid $1.9 million for a nude painting of Bea Arthur from 1991. Turns out that 'someone' was Jimmy Kimmel.

Below, check out highlights from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE'S WEEKEND UPDATE with Seth Meyers, from May 18!

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of May 13!

Legendary Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Bea Arthur may be best remembered by fans around the globe for her unforgettable performances onstage and onscreen in MAME, MAUDE and GOLDEN GIRLS, yet to an annonymous bidder at an auction at famed Christie's auction house last night Bea Arthur in the altogether was worth nearly $2 million.

Below, check out THE 'LATE SHOW's TOP TEN - "Questions to Ask Yourself Before Spending $2 Million on a Painting of a Naked Bea Arthur" as presented on the Wednesday, May 15 broadcast of the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, seen weeknights (11:35 PM12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show - will conclude its Spring 2013 season tonight, May 16 at The Duplex in New York's West Village. After a sell-out year, The Meeting* has added a second performance each month due to popular demand; there are now shows at 7:000 PM and 9:30 PM.

LogoTV.com series "EastSiders" joins the relatively short list of programs in television history that have tackled the controversial topic of abortion. Since Bea Arthur's "Maude" became the first television character to have an abortion in 1972, only a handful of series including "Six Feet Under," "Friday Night Lights," and most recently "Parenthood" have had characters actually go through with the procedure. In the episode, which debuted yesterday, May 14th at 3pm ET, Kathy (Constance Wu) decides to terminate her pregnancy without notifying her boyfriend Ian (John Halbach). Click below to watch!

The greatest songwriters revered him. And his songs-from 'All the Things You Are' to 'The Way You Look Tonight'-remain a vital part of our cultural conversation. It is no accident that Jerome Kern is also known as 'The Dean.' Author and Lyrics & Lyricists series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Song is You: Jerome Kern Coast to Coast, tonight, May 4 and May 5, 6. Winer is joined by vocalists Karrin Allyson, Debby Boone, Jeffry Denman, bassist Jay Leonhart, Howard McGillin, Paula West and Karen Ziemba, with special guest Barbara Carroll.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show - will conclude its Spring 2013 season on Thursday, May 16 at The Duplex in New York's West Village. After a sell-out year, The Meeting* has added a second performance each month due to popular demand; there are now shows at 7:000 PM and 9:30 PM.

After sold-out performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Vancouver and at sea, Broadway Veteran Larry Blum's internationally acclaimed one-man show, BLINK & You Might Miss Me, directed by Stan Zimmerman, will have its one-night-only New York premiere Saturday, May 11, at 8:00pm at XL Nighclub, Cabaret & Lounge, 510 West 42nd Street.