Columbia Pictures News

Young Audiences New York (YANY) will recognize four preeminent honorees for their contributions to the arts and advocacy of children's arts education at its 8th annual Children's Arts Award Benefit, to be held Monday, March 9 at Cipriani - Wall Street. The 2009 Children's Arts Awards will be presented to: Artist Honoree Julianna Margulies, Emmy-award winning actor; Media Honoree Rino Scanzoni, chief investment officer, GroupM North America & chairman - Mediaedge:cia North America; and Humanitarian Honorees Kathy Eldon (CEO and co-founder) and Amy Eldon Turteltaub, (executive vice president and co-founder) of Creative Visions Foundation.

Young Audiences New York (YANY) will recognize four preeminent honorees for their contributions to the arts and advocacy of children's arts education at its 8th annual Children's Arts Award Benefit, to be held Monday, March 9 at Cipriani - Wall Street. The 2009 Children's Arts Awards will be presented to: Artist Honoree Julianna Margulies, Emmy-award winning actor; Media Honoree Rino Scanzoni, chief investment officer, GroupM North America & chairman - Mediaedge:cia North America; and Humanitarian Honorees Kathy Eldon (CEO and co-founder) and Amy Eldon Turteltaub, (executive vice president and co-founder) of Creative Visions Foundation.

Flicker House Productions, headed by Brian Purcell, in association with the Ricardo Montalban Foundation will present THE QUESTION, an Indie Rock Ballet based upon J.T. Horenstein's experience while serving on a jury for a first degree murder trial. It is a full length, story-driven theatre piece, entirely danced to a progressive, independent rock score. Horenstein is the director and choreographer of this dynamic, entirely original idea, leading twenty-six dancers through this dark journey of murder and intrigue.

Lust and loneliness meet love in this uncharacteristic coupling of characters. Lanford Wilson's 38th play first opened in Los Angeles in January 1987 and put John Malkovich on the ?international' road to stardom shortly afterwards. Garnering multiple awards in several categories, and written with a ?pas de quatre' style in mind, this contemporary and romantic story begins shortly after a funeral brings four self-distancing and comical characters together.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced today that their board of governors have voted to give Jerry Lewis the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Lewis is to be presented with the special Oscar statuette on February 22, 2009 during the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

Variety is reporting that stage and screen star Liev Schreiber is in talks to star opposite Angelina Jolie in the spy thriller 'SALT' for Columbia Pictures. Phillip Noyce will direct the film.

OBERON THEATRE ENSEMBLE is pleased to announce Winter Rep 2009, celebrating the company?s 12th Anniversary Repertory Season. The company will be presenting William Shakespeare?s Much About Nothing in conjunction with the series called, American Rapture, which includes Hello Out There by William Saroyan and world premiere plays by Alex Dinelaris (nominated Lucile Lortel/Drama Desks).

The 40th NAACP Image Awards nominees were announced today during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Corbin Bleu, Audra McDonald, Keke Palmer, Nate Parker and Regina Taylor joined NAACP Image Awards Committee Chair, Clayola Brown, and Vicangelo Bulluck, Executive Producer of the telecast, to announce the categories and nominees. The 40th NAACP Image Awards will air live on Thursday, February 12 (8:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT Tape-delayed) on FOX.

The nominations for the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards have been announced, BILLY ELLIOT and Road Show were among the New York theatre related show nominees. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also announced that Tyra Banks will receive the Excellence in Media Award and Suze Orman will be awarded the Vito Russo Award. GLAAD also give honors to comicbooks, advertising and journalism. Ceremonies will be held on March 28 in New York at the Marriott Maquis, April 18 in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre and on May 9 in San Francisco at the San Francisco Hilton.

OBERON THEATRE ENSEMBLE is pleased to announce their series AMERICAN RAPTURE, which includes Hello Out There by William Saroyan and world premiere plays by Alex Dinelaris (nominated Lucile Lortel/Drama Desks), directed by Alex Dinelaris. AMERICAN RAPTURE plays a three-week limited engagement at the Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St). Performances begin Saturday, February 14th and continue through Sunday, March, 1st. An evening of short plays, some humorous, some tragic, explore the unique mixture of loneliness and hope, which make up the American Experience. Playwright/director Alex Dinelaris, who was nominated for a Lucille Lortel (Best Musical) and two Drama Desk Awards (Book & Lyrics) for his work on the off-Broadway hit, ZANNA DON?T!, weaves his way through modern relationships, religious hypocrisy, love, loss and the endless cycle of violence that threatens to swallow our society whole. The evening culminates with William Saroyan?s Hello Out There, the powerful tale of two outcasts who find love at the most unlikely of times, in the most unlikely of places. AMERICAN RAPTURE will be presented in conjunction with William Shakespeare?s Much Ado About Nothing, as part of Oberon Theatre Ensemble?s Winter Rep 09. The production features scenic design by Kathryn Veillette and lighting design by Jessica Hinkle. Jenna Lazar is the stage manager. Plays by WILLIAM SAROYAN & ALEX DINELARIS

The 40th NAACP Image Awards nominees were announced today during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Corbin Bleu, Audra McDonald, Keke Palmer, Nate Parker and Regina Taylor joined NAACP Image Awards Committee Chair, Clayola Brown, and Vicangelo Bulluck, Executive Producer of the telecast, to announce the categories and nominees. The 40th NAACP Image Awards will air live on Thursday, February 12 (8:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT Tape-delayed) on FOX.

OBERON THEATRE ENSEMBLE is pleased to announce Winter Rep 2009, celebrating the company?s 12th Anniversary Repertory Season. The company will be presenting William Shakespeare?s Much About Nothing in conjunction with the series called, American Rapture, which includes Hello Out There by William Saroyan and world premiere plays by Alex Dinelaris (nominated Lucile Lortel/Drama Desks).

Adam Shankman has been signed on to develop and produce a remake of Bye Bye Birdie for Columbia Pictures. Shankman has directed Bedtime Stories and Hairspray. Producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon will join Shankman, while Jennifer Gibgot will executive produce.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced the complete cast and design team for the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS. The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, GUYS AND DOLLS will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Opening Night is March 1, 2009.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced today that their board of governors have voted to give Jerry Lewis the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Lewis is to be presented with the special Oscar statuette on February 22, 2009 during the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

The list of nominations has been announced for the 51st annual Grammy Awards. The Grammy Awards will be presented on February 8, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced today that Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as 'Sarah Brown' in the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS.

Sam Mendes will direct a bigscreen adaptation of the supernatural graphic novel 'Preacher' for Columbia Pictures.

LAUREN GRAHAM (Golden Globe Award nominee for 'Gilmore Girls') will appear as 'Miss Adelaide' opposite Oliver Platt's 'Nathan Detroit' in the new Broadway production of GUYS AND DOLLS.

A new production of GUYS AND DOLLS, directed by Tony-winner Des McAnuff will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre. Opening Night is March 1.