Des McAnuff News

According to the Daily Mail, RAGTIME's Rosalie Craig will join the new stage musical Finding Neverland, about J.M. Barrie's encounter with the Lewelyn Davies family, which inspired him to write Peter Pan.

Today we are concluding our two-part look at the life and career of legendary stage and screen icon Christopher Plummer by focusing on some of the finest films, television and filmed stage performances of his career thus far, as we anticipate the nationwide release of his newest stage and screen venture, the cinematic presentation of his recent turn as Prospero at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Des McAnuff's THE TEMPEST, presented by Fathom-equipped movie theaters on June 13, followed by a Q&A with Plummer. From his stage debut in the late-1940s through to his spectacular screen career begun with Sidney Lumet's STAGE STRUCK in 1958, in this career-spanning clip collection we will be sampling many of the most memorable and most notable projects from a rich resume ranging from almost every major male role in the canon of Shakespeare - AS YOU LIKE IT to THE WINTER'S TALE - to the work of Lilian Hellman, Bertolt Brecht, Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov and Peter Shaffer to Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC on film to the Tony Award-winning Anthony Burgess musical adaptation of CYRANO onstage, to TV's THE THORN BIRDS and ON GOLDEN POND all the way to last year's double-header of brilliance in both David Fincher's THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGTON TATTOO and BEGINNERS, the latter being the part for which Plummer finally received a Best Actor Academy Award. Of course, besides his well-earned Oscar, Plummer has amassed many other top honors over the course of his sixty-year-career, as well - two Tony Awards (for CYRANO, a musical, and BARRYMORE, a two-person mostly monologue); a Golden Globe; two Emmy Awards; a SAG Award; a Genie; the list goes on and on… as does Christopher Plummer's reputable and riveting career.

The Winspear Opera House presents the National Tour of the Broadway hit JERSEY BOYS, playing tonight, June 12 through July 15, 2012.

Casting has been announced for the Providence engagement of the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) August 15 - September 2, 2012. The cast of JERSEY BOYS will be led by Brandon Andrus (Nick Massi), Colby Foytik (Tommy DeVito), Jason Kappus (Bob Gaudio), and Brad Weinstock (Frankie Valli) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella.

Overflowing with enthusiasm and energy, the true star of the 2012 Tony Awards was unquestionably three-time host and affable Broadway spokesman extraordinaire Neil Patrick Harris, doing what he does best - namely, being the host with the most. Whether web-slinging behind Angela Lansbury and Ted Chapin or leading a spectacular production number with Patti LuPone and a lawnmower, Harris proved yet again why is he is the best in the biz at this sort of thing - well, right up there along with Hugh Jackman, at least. Speaking of whom, in addition to a goosebump-inducing trailer for the forthcoming Tom Hooper-directed film adaptation of the Broadway sensation LES MISERABLES, Hugh Jackman was featured on the Tony Awards telecast and personally on hand to receive a well-earned special Tony Award for his many fundraising successes over the course of his three-show Broadway career, as was crossover superstar Bernadette Peters who took home a special Tony Award for her BC/EFA and Broadway Barks efforts. Adding to the star quotient of the night was Broadway/Hollywood super direct Mike Nichols, giving one of the classiest (despite the CBS-sanction bleep; on the same word as during Danny Burstein's FOLLIES turn, "godammit", incidentlly) and most profound acceptance speeches on the Tony Awards in recent memory - breaking the current record with, now, six Best Director statuettes, by the way. As far as musical performances go, in addition to Harris's triptych of showstoppers throughout the show - without even mentioning the many biting and sassy remarks, jokes and offhand commets; staged and otherwise - there were some seriously strong showings from almost all new musicals and revivals currently running, and even one or two terrific turns from productions already shuttered. The musical highlights of the night were Josh Young and the cast of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in a spirited and divine take on the title song from the celebrated Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera, as well as good showings from new musical head-to-head, nail-bite-worthy competitors, ONCE and NEWSIES, plus one or two other swoon-worthy moments, too. The 2011-2012 Broadway season may not have been a record-breaker insofar as outstanding content and memorable modern classics - while NEWSIES is certainly a smash, last year's THE BOOK OF MORMON is the type of hit we only see once a decade or so, and, therefore, is a bit eclipsed; and, ONCE won Best Musical, anyway - but Harris and the team of this year's show made it an unusually entertaining and unique Tony telecast, even when compared to the finest shows on the past - particularly those from the rightly lauded Cohen era. ONCE may have dominated the wins, but the many musical numbers showed that there is a lot of room for enjoyment whether or not your personal favorite show took home the prizes. Most of all, Neil Patrick Harris proved he was once, twice, three times a Tony triumph.

Last night, June 9, The Tony Awards Administration Committee hosted the annual Tony Eve Cocktail Party Tony at the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts to celebrate this year's Special Tony Award winners.

On Thursday, June 14, NCM Fathom and BY Experience present a one-time only movie theater showing of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's critically acclaimed production of THE TEMPEST, starring Academy Award® Winner Christopher Plummer. BroadwayWord brings you an exclusive conversation with Plummer, producer Barry Avrich and director Des McAnuff below!

Today we are shining a light on one of the most respected and revered stage and screen stars of the last several decades who is known the world over for not only his stirring and commanding dramatic performances and touching and rib-tickling comedies on film, but also for his iconic roles on the stage playing Shakespeare, and, perhaps most of all, for his essaying of Captain Von Trapp in the celebrated Robert Wise film adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning THE SOUND OF MUSIC - the elegant, graceful and eminently gifted Christopher Plummer. Looking back at a career spanning nearly seven decades, today we will focus on Plummer's most important and most fondly remembered roles to date - ranging from Sidney Lumet's STAGE STRUCK in 1958 to his Shakespeare stage work, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER, TV's THE THORN BIRDS, and, of course, his Academy Award-winning turn in last year's BEGINNERS - with a look ahead to the exceptionally enticing new Fathom in-cinema presentation of Des McAnuff's Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of THE TEMPEST starring Plummer as Prospero, in movie theaters nationwide on June 14 - what the 83-year-old actor has promised will be his final Shakespeare performance onstage. So, if there were ever a time to take a look back at one of the most remarkable Broadway/Hollywood crossover stars of the last century or the current one as he reaches yet another peek in a career populated with many highs, now is certainly the time! After all, as the oldest Oscar-winner to date, a midsummer night's dream has evidently quite quickly turned to a winter's tale - but with sound and fury signifying much, as we will see.

ANNIE, the new production of the classic Tony Award®-winning musical, goes on sale today to American Express cardholders. For tickets, call 877-250-2929 or visit Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be available to the general public on Monday, June 25. ANNIE will star two-time Tony Award® winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie, with Brynn O'Malley (Wicked, Hairspray) as Grace Farrell, Daddy Warbucks' devoted personal secretary, Clarke Thorell (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan's ne'er-do-well brother and J. Elaine Marcos (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line) as Lily St. Regis, Rooster's floozy girlfriend. The orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie, Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly and Jaidyn Young as standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe and Ryan VanDenBoom.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, JERSEY BOYS is headed to the silver screen, adapted by RED scribe John Logan. Today, Variety reports that IRON MAN director Jon Favreau is a frontrunner to helm the film.

Today we are talking to the Tony Award-nominated Best Featured Actor In A Musical who has set Broadway ablaze with his much-talked-about portrayal of Judas in Des McAnuff's spectacular revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's seminal rock opera, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - the electric and charismatic Josh Young. Tracing his journey with the Biblically-themed musical from the hallowed grounds of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada - where he first made his mark on the theatre world with his acting of another iconic Lloyd Webber/Rice anti-hero, Che in EVITA; as well as THE GRAPES OF WRATH - all the way to La Jolla in California, and, now, to eight performances a week on the Great White Way, Young shares his overflowing enthusiasm for the theatrical form and details his life as a performer; a veritable dream come true for the self-proclaimed Broadway baby. In addition to all about his perspective on Judas and his thoughts on the daring and innovative SUPERSTAR, Young also describes working with Tony-winning director Des McAnuff and how his training at the Royal Shakespeare Festival has prepared him for the rigors of a Broadway hit. Plus, Young looks back on past performances and his favorite roles to date as well as shines a light on some of the parts he would consider taking on in the future, both near and far. Plus, Young reacts to his Tony Award nomination, fills us in on genesis of the many new lyrics for the heavenly SUPERSTAR revival, shares thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and much, much more!

JERSEY BOYS, the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical, surpasses My Fair Lady with 2,718 performances, becoming the 19th longest-running show in Broadway history, following the performance on Sunday, June 3.

Dame Maggie Smith will be the 2012 recipient of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Legacy Award and will be honoured at a gala at Toronto's new Four Seasons Hotel on Monday, September 10.

The 60th Season of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival opened last night with Much Ado About Nothing, but there was definitely something special happening in this gorgeous town. BWW was on hand for all the festivities, and we are thrilled to bring our readers photos from opening night.

From the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Bravo! will present its coverage of the 20th Anniversary of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Gala this weekend.

Last night, the Paley Center celebrated Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award-winner Christopher Plummer's television work (including Hamlet at Elsinore, Little Moon of Alban, and The Thorn Birds). Plummer appeard at the event, moderated by David Edelstein (Film Critic, New York Magazine and CBS Sunday Morning). Check out the photos below!

Fans have rallied in an effort to show their support for a JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR cast recording. An online petition was launched earlier this week with the tagline 'We want a JCS 2012 Broadway Cast Recording!'

On Twitter Watch, Adam Shankman wrote ' '@louieee__ @adamshankman what is your next movie musical that you want to direct?' Jersey boys'

The Paley Center will celebrate Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award-winner Christopher Plummer's television work (including Hamlet at Elsinore, Little Moon of Alban, and The Thorn Birds) on May 29 at 6pm.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival launches its 60th season on Monday, May 28, with a gala performance of Much Ado About Nothing. This is the final season under the artistic directorship of Des McAnuff, and one that promises an array of wonderful theatre for every taste and age group.