Billie Jean News

100,000 extra Thriller - Live tickets are to go on sale on Monday May 4 as the West?End box office smash celebrates becoming the highest grossing weekly show in the history of the?Lyric Theatre. Thriller - Live is extending its acclaimed run due to phenomenal public demand to Sunday January 3 - the first anniversary of its opening in the West End.

The producers of 'Thriller - Live' have announced the production will extend its West End run by four months due to by phenomenal public demand. Its booking period at the Lyric Theatre will be extended by 24 weeks to Sunday September 27.

Broadway producer James L. Nederlander says he's hopeful the 'Thriller' legal battle over the musical rights for the project can be resolved. In a statement today Thursday, January 29th, Nederlander expressed hope that the issue could be settled,'I'm confident that these past differences can be worked out.' Landis' lawyer said Wednesday the director will sue to stop the production if necessary.

Acclaimed Hollywood director John Landis, who co-wrote and shot the 1983 Michael Jackson Thriller music video, filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Jackson in Los Angeles Superior Court on January 21st, just days five days before James L. Nederlander announced he had bought the rights to adapt the video for the Broadway stage.

THRILLER LIVE is a spectacular, high-octane show that is moonwalking into the West End after three acclaimed UK tours and standing ovations across Germany, Holland and Scandanavia. In a phenomenal, unparallelled career, Michael Jackson has to date sold more than 750 million records, had 13 number one singles - more than any other male artist - and is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. His numerous other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records, including one for 'Thriller' as the world's best-selling album of all time - 100 million copies and counting. In Thriller - Live, the non-stop hits just keep on coming from 'I Want You Back', 'I'll Be There', 'Show You The Way To Go', 'Can You Feel It', 'Rock With You', 'She's Out Of My Life', 'Thriller', 'Beat It', 'Ben', 'ABC', 'Man in the Mirror', 'Dirty Diana', 'Billie Jean', 'Earth Song', and many, many more.

Former 5 Star lead vocalist, songwriter and Brit Award-winner Denise Pearson is to make her West End debut in Thriller - Live, the spectacular, high-octane show specially created to celebrate the career of the world's greatest entertainer and undisputed King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Liza's at the Palace...! opened on Broadway on December 3rd and the raves reviews and cheering hasn't stopped! What also hasn't stopped is the steady stream of starry well wishers who've caught the show and stepped backstage to share in the excitement that is Liza's at the Palace...!

Thriller - Live, billed as the UK's 'next big musical', and featuring the mega-hit songs of Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, has found their 'Young Michael', actually three of them reports UK theatre website WhatsOnStage. Layton Williams, Sterling Williams, and Kieran Alleyne have been cast in the musical and will rotate as the young Michael Jackson

Billy Elliot The Musical officially opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre last night, Thursday, November 13th. With music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry, this joyful musical lit up Broadway as the starry audience made their in to enjoy the opening night performance!

Last night in New York, Thursday 13 November, Stephen Daldry's production of Billy Elliot The Musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre to rave reviews. Haydn Gwynne, who created the role on stage in London of Billy Elliot's dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson, made her Broadway debut and playing the title role of Billy Elliot was 13 year old Trent Kowalik from New York.

Thriller - Live, billed as the West End's next big musical, which features the mega-hit songs of Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, is going to make one young boy's dreams come true - a starring role in the West End. In connection with West End transfer of the Thriller-Live tour producers  are launching a major hunt to find an young undiscovered talent to sing the songs of the young Michael Jackson in the show, which will open on January 2 at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.

The New York Post's PAGE SIX is reporting that James Nederlander is producing a musical version of Michael Jackson's video for his hit song ‘THRILLER'. Jackson's album of the same name is the best-selling record of all time. It spawned such hits as ‘Billie Jean', ‘Beat It', ‘The Girl Is Mine' and of course ‘Thriller'. Not much else is known other than a production is being planned.

The USTA today announced that the Opening Night Ceremony of the 2008 US Open on Monday, August 25, will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of tennis' Open Era with a parade of more than twenty-five former US Open singles champions. The on-court ceremony will be hosted by the Oscar-winning actor/director Forest Whitaker and will feature special musical performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind & Fire and the Tony® Award winning Jersey Boys.

The USTA today announced that the Opening Night Ceremony of the 2008 US Open on Monday, August 25, will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of tennis' Open Era with a parade of more than twenty-five former US Open singles champions. The on-court ceremony will be hosted by the Oscar-winning actor/director Forest Whitaker and will feature special musical performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind & Fire and the Tony® Award winning Jersey Boys.

Terrence McNally's Deuce, starring stage legends Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes, opened on Sunday, May 6th at the Music Box Theatre, and BroadwayWorld was there!

The GLAAD Media Awards, honoring positive depictions of gays and lesbians in film, theatre and TV, were held on March 26th and BroadwayWorld was there!

The Falcon Theatre has announced the cast for the American premiere of Balancing Act, written by Emmy Award-winner Frank Salisbury. Balancing Act, the fifth and final show in the Falcon's 2006-07 subscription season, opens Friday, April 20th at 8pm.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that Whoopi Goldberg will open the 18th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York.

The GLAAD Media Awards, which recognize and honor mainstream media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, will hold the GLAAD Media Awards on Monday, March 26th at the Marriot Marquis

Erich Bergen stars as Bob Gaudio in the first national tour of 'Jersey Boys.' Only 21 years-old, Erich already has his foot deep in the door of the theatre business! Before his big-break with 'Jersey Boys,' he played at the NYMF, sold Broadway merchandise, and hosted an original podcast interviewing theatre celebs.