Denzel Washington News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Gala Chair Patti Rueff just announced Expect the Unexpected!, A.C.T.'s 2012 Season Gala, starring A.C.T. Young Conservatory alumnus Darren Criss (TV's Glee, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway), two-time Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Scapin at A.C.T., Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway), A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program graduate Patrick Lane (Brian Hawkins in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City), and Betsy Wolfe (Mary Ann Singleton in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, 110 in the Shade and Everyday Rapture on Broadway). Proceeds from the Gala support A.C.T.'s acclaimed actor training and arts education programs. The Gala will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2012, at the historic Regency Center (1300 Van Ness Avenue) in San Francisco. Individual tickets range in price from $1,000 to $2,500, with patron levels ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. An extremely limited number of $500 tickets are available online only. For more information or to purchase tables or tickets, please visit www.act-sf.org/gala or contact Luz Perez, A.C.T. Special Events Manager, at 415.439.2470 or lperez@act-sf.org.

FELA!, the international sensation heralded on three continents, is a provocative hybrid of dance, theatre and music exploring the extravagant world of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. FELA!, comes to Boston for a limited engagement, playing at the Cutler Majestic Theatre Tuesday, April 24 through Sunday, May 6. The press opening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater announced the dates today for the 50th Anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. AS YOU LIKE IT, directed by Daniel Sullivan, will begin previews on Tuesday, June 5 and continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30. Joining the previously announced Lily Rabe (Rosalind) will be Macintyre Dixon (Adam); Renee Elise Goldsberry (Celia); and Omar Metwally (Oliver).

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company have announced the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition will take place on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.

Q'VIVA! THE CHOSEN, the first-of-its-kind docu-journey series showcasing Latin music and dance, and featuring entertainment icon Jennifer Lopez, international music star Marc Anthony and world-renowned concert director Jamie King, will premiere Saturday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, and will continue with two-hour episodes for five weeks until its grand finale Saturday, April 7 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

After completing their 40th anniversary year, highlighted by an all-star gala in May, New Federal Theatre will announce its 2011-'12 season.

CBS has announced it's schedule of upcoming guests on LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN for the weeks of February 28th to March 9. Among the guests will be How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris on Wednesday, February 29th.

MASKS is a buddy dramedy about two men growing up in the juvenile justice system, struggling to make it to manhood, battling with their past to shed their masks as they deal with crucial life issues that young people face.

Dick Anthony Williams, a veteran actor perhaps best known for his role as Pretty Tony in "The Mack," died Thursday in Los Angeles, said his family and friends. The cause was not announced.

Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.

Whitney Houston - GRAMMY(R) Award-winning artist, Emmy(R) Award-winning actress, philanthropist and global icon - will be remembered on ENCORE, Friday, February 17 beginning at 8:00 p.m. (et/pt).

Q'VIVA! THE CHOSEN, the first-of-its-kind docu-journey series showcasing Latin music and dance, and featuring entertainment icon Jennifer Lopez, international music star Marc Anthony and world-renowned concert director Jamie King, will premiere Saturday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, and will continue with two-hour episodes for five weeks until its grand finale Saturday, April 7 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

Whitney Houston - GRAMMY(R) Award-winning artist, Emmy(R) Award-winning actress, philanthropist and global icon - will be remembered on ENCORE, Friday, February 17 beginning at 8:00 p.m. (et/pt).

Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the upcoming world premiere of REGRETS by Matt Charman, directed by Carolyn Cantor.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 5, 2012 - Sunday, February 5, 2012.

Today, The Daily Telegraph indicated that negotiations may be back in motion, saying in an interview with Washington that the actor 'is showing no signs of slowing down, with talk of him starring in Othello with Al Pacino.'