Ed Strong News

Stage plays customarily undergo long periods of development-though not as long as a half century. Yet such is the case for the opening presentation at the 31st annual William Inge Theatre Festival in Independence, Kansas.

"Now, there's a movie star!" quoth Eileen (Anjelica Huston) of Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman) following her breathy and spastic performance of a new Julia/Tom musical number for the Marilyn Monroe-based musical-within-the-show on SMASH - BOMBSHELL - titled "Dig Deep". While last night's "The Movie Star" episode of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH was light on the musical numbers - only Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Rebecca managed a musical moment - the drama was dense and delectable, with the rapport between the motley crew of characters comprising the enterprise improving by the week (and it started strong). Yet, despite the best efforts of Eileen, Tom (Christian Borle), Julia (Debra Messing) and Derek (Jack Davenport) in attempting to create a new version of the Marilyn musical that showcases her best (and limited) abilities. Rebecca is a tentative talent who lacks a lot in the vocal and dance departments - to say the least - yet it is undeniable that she also possesses a certain air of a star - perhaps because she is one; on SMASH (as in real life, given Thurman's A-list status), a big one. Portraying the movie star trying out a Broadway show for the first - and, most likely, last - time, Thurman brings a caustic, nutsy vibe to the seemingly bipolar screen siren - "36-ish", meaning more like 40-ish in actuality - and gives gravitas to the cartoonishly written role. Just as the Marilyn musical has shown its astonishing, chameleon-like adaptability in its iterations starring Karen and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) - not only in its star, but also in its style, sound, mood, conception and musical arrangements - now BOMBSHELL is being retrofitted for Rebecca. But, at what cost? Stripping the show of its big Broadway leading lady musical potential and showing off the supporting cast to take the focus off of the shaky star at the center, BOMBSHELL's "Dig Deep" yet again gave the simply astounding songwriting duo responsible for the songs of the shows-within-the-shows on SMASH (including all of the BOMBSHELL songstack heard and seen so far, as well as the glimpses at the previous Tom/Julia collaborations, HEAVEN & EARTH and THREE ON A MATCH) "Dig Deep" was a WEST SIDE STORY-esque hot jazz song complete with the syncopation and stylization implicit in the best songs of the Actors Studio era which the 50s-set scene set out to depict (Lee Strasberg and all).

Stage plays customarily undergo long periods of development-though not as long as a half century. Yet such is the case for the opening presentation at the 31st annual William Inge Theatre Festival in Independence, Kansas.

Boosted by another strong turnout for Dancing with the Stars and Castle, ABC qualified as the Monday's most-watched TV network for the 2nd week running, outdrawing runner-up NBC with The Voice and Smash by 5.8 million viewers.

BOMB PATROL: AFGHANISTAN, G4's ground-breaking unscripted series which gives viewers an extraordinary look at an elite, eight man U.S. Navy EOD platoon as they confront danger and put their lives on the line, is returning this spring with seven additional episodes featuring never-before-seen missions and behind-the-scenes footage.

Despite premiering to less than spectacular ratings last week, the new reality competition FASHION STAR generated strong retail sales of the show's winning designs, both in stores and online according to TVGuide.com. The retailers involved, Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue, claim they have been selling out of many of the show's winning outfits. Macy's spokesperson Holly Thomas commented, 'Sales of Fashion Star merchandise exceeded expectations.'

The highly-anticipated return of the NBC comedy series COMMUNITY (4.9 million, 2.2) earned a ratings win for the network last night and pulling in the best numbers for that time slot since January of 2011.

Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is set during the 17th century Salem Witch trials and written during the height of 1950s McCarthyism.

HUGO AND HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 each received 10 nominations as the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films today announced nominations for the 38th Annual Saturn Awards, which will be presented on Wednesday, June 20.

BOMB PATROL: AFGHANISTAN, G4's ground-breaking unscripted series which gives viewers an extraordinary look at an elite, eight man U.S. Navy EOD platoon as they confront danger and put their lives on the line, is returning this spring with seven additional episodes featuring never-before-seen missions and behind-the-scenes footage.

Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is set during the 17th century Salem Witch trials and written during the height of 1950s McCarthyism.

Victoria Theatre Association announced the 2012-2013 Premier Health Partners Broadway Series, Projects Unlimited Variety Series, Star Attractions, PNC Family Series, as well as the new National Geographic Live Series tonight at a special event for subscribers, donors and friends of Victoria Theatre Association.

Asia Society, as part of the 2012 spring season of its series "Creative Voices in Muslim Asia," is pleased to present one of the most outstanding Afghan rubab players of his generation, Homayun Sakhi, in concert with Switzerland-based sarod virtuoso Ken Zuckerman, a leading disciple of the late Ali Akbar Khan and a consummate master in his own right.

SPARC presents a unique concert event on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in Richmond's premiere Carpenter Theatre at CenterStage, featuring children of all abilities (with and without special needs), performing alongside some of Virginia's best professional musicians.

Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is set during the 17th century Salem Witch trials and written during the height of 1950s McCarthyism.

Chichester Festival Theatre celebrates its 50th birthday with an anniversary season that echoes and acknowledges the past while also looking to the future. Uncle Vanya was part of Chichester's very first season in 1962 and became a key part of its history and is revisited during Festival 2012. The Way of the World in 1984 has also become an emblematic production; the play will feature again this year.

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance concludes its 2011-2012 Family Series and celebrates Black History Month with Afro-Beats!, a festive and interactive performance perfect for the whole family onSaturday, February 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm. Join the Fulcrum Point New Music Project, dancer Idy Ciss, saxophonist Jim Gailloreto, Morikeba Kouyate on the kora, and students from the Fulcrum Point Sound Tracks program as they explore the rich rhythms, sounds and images of West Africa in this 75-minute multimedia performance. Children of all ages are invited to participate in drumming circles, traditional African dances, and soulful songs in this spirited performance which features works by Fela Kuti, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Steve Reich, and traditional music from Mandingo and African-American cultures.

Through 13 games of TNT's 2011-12 NBA regular-season schedule, the network continues to deliver double-digit gains versus last year's corresponding coverage.

Up against the 2-hour season premiere of Fox's American Idol, ABC posted a strong second-place finish on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49, beating out third-place CBS by 20% and fourth-place NBC by 100%.

IFC's second season debut of the network's hit comedy series, Portlandia, attracted strong audiences on Friday, January 6 (10-10:30 pm), according to Nielsen Media Live+3 Days.