Forest Whitaker News

According to Deadline, Netflix set initial casting on its first ever original musical JINGLE JANGLE. Keegan-Michael Key, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, and Madalen Mills have joined Forest Whitaker in the cast. The film is set to be written and directed by David E. Talbert. the film will be set for release in 2020. 

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Get over the hump today by catching up on the latest Broadway news!

After performing last year at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Joan Ryan, winner of BroadwayWorld's Top Cabaret Artist Award and star of the hit cult favorite musical Ruthless! is thrilled to bring her acclaimed one woman show Joan Ryan Live! to Birdland Jazz on May 16 at 7pm.

EPIX has released the first trailer for its original series Godfather of Harlem – starring Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito, Paul Sorvino, Nigel Thatch, and Ilfenesh Hadera.

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today unveiled its feature film lineup. Continuing its tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling rooted in today's global film communities, the 18th annual Festival will showcase debut works from emerging talent and new works from notable filmmakers. The program includes discoveries, comedies, music-centered, political and social films. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.  

Premium network EPIX today announced that season 2 of the espionage drama Deep State will premiere on April 28 at 9 PM ET/PT. Viewers can catch up on the first season of Deep State before the season 2 premiere via EPIX NOW, the network's new streaming service available for download in the App store for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV and in Google Play for Android phones and tablets.

This summer, Drama Studio London's first cohort of BA graduates will enter the theatre industry. DSL was founded 50 years ago with its courses designed to give aspiring actors the best grounding in skills to prepare for a professional career. With past alumni including Olivia Vinall, Emily Watson, Forest Whitaker, Enzo Cilenti and Cory English, there can be no doubt of the talent nurtured by this illustrious school. The Class of 2019 will graduate with the new Bachelor of Arts in Professional Acting course, in conjunction with De Montfort University.

St. Peter's Foot, is an UP Theater production, written by award-winning playwright Anna Theresa Cascio, 2019 Writers Guild Awards recipient, and opens on March 20 - April 6, as part of UP theater's 2019 season.

Arts patrons will come together on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 for The Kennedy Center Gala Celebrating the Human Spirit, honoring philanthropists Patrick G. Ryan and Shirley W. Ryan of Chicago, and actor, producer, and humanitarian Forest Whitaker, the recipients of the 2019 Kennedy Center Award for the Human Spirit. The evening features an intimate dinner and awards presentation, a Gala Performance by Tony Award-winning icon Idina Menzel, and an after-party. Carol Melton and Jodie W. McLean are the co-chairs of the 2019 Kennedy Center Gala. Sponsorship and package options vary and concert-only tickets may be available; attire for the evening is cocktail; please see below for more information.

Premium network EPIX® has greenlit Slow Burn, a six-episode docuseries based on the hit podcast of the same name.  From Nixon and Watergate to Clinton's impeachment, host Leon Neyfakh excavates the strange subplots and forgotten characters involved in the downfall of a president—flashing back to politically tumultuous times not so far removed from today.  Slow Burn, winner of Best Podcast at the first iHeartRadio Podcast Awards, is produced by Slate. The docuseries will be produced in partnership between Left/Right, a Red Arrow Studios company, and Slate.

EPIX, the premium TV network owned by Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), today announced the launch of EPIX NOW, the network's new streaming service available through partner app stores, featuring its full library of critically acclaimed original programming and blockbuster movies. The app is available for download today in the App store for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV and in Google Play for Android phones and tablets. It will also be coming soon to Roku®devices and Amazon Fire TV. The service will continue rolling out across additional devices over the course of the year. 

Indian Ranch announced Dwight Yoakam will return to Webster, MA on Sunday, August 18th for the 2019 Summer Concert Series. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 8th at 10:00 AM; an Insiders Club Presale will take place Thursday, February 7th at 10:00 AM at www.indianranch.com.

"The Favourite" was the favorite film of more than 2,500 users who voted for the 17th Annual Gold Derby Film Awards nominations. It scored 12 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Actress (Olivia Colman), Best Supporting Actress (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) and Best Ensemble. Scroll down to see the complete list of contenders in all 22 categories, watch our complete video announcement above, and vote for the winners right here and now.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is proud to announce country and bluegrass singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakam will play the Fox Cities P.A.C. Friday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Disney announced today that Academy Award®-nominated and SAG® winner “Black Panther” will return to the big screen to celebrate Black History Month for a one-week engagement, February 1-7, at 250 participating AMC Theatres locations. To ensure that the movie is accessible to all, tickets are free for everyone, and there will be two showings per day at each participating theater.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards® presented its coveted Actor® statuettes for the outstanding motion picture and television performances of 2018 at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, hosted by Megan Mullally, held Sunday, Jan. 27 at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium Expo Hall.

Producers Anita Greenspan and Tony Hawk with Executive producer Adam Zotovich announced today that a new musical adaptation of the 2007 Nick Hornby novel, SLAM, is in development. This new project will feature a book by Tony Award Nominee Kyle Jarrow (SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical) with music and lyrics by Mark Mothersbaugh (prolific film composer, co-founder of new wave band Devo). Pro-skater Tony Hawk, who is featured as a character in the novel, is a producer on the project and is slated to develop skate choreography.

Kathrine Narducci is set for a recurring role on Godfather of Harlem, according to Deadline. Narducci will star opposite Vincent D'Onofrio in Epix's straight-to-series crime drama from Narcos co-creator Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein and ABC Signature Studios.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupes's Black Nativity A Must See Sarasota Holiday Tradition

Premium network EPIX has greenlit Punk, a four-part docuseries from executive producer John Varvatos.  Varvatos brings his passion and deep connection to the roots of the PUNK movement to the series, partnering with filmmaker Derik Murray's Network Entertainment to produce the quintessential story of punk.  The series is currently in production, and will premiere on EPIX on March 11, 2019 at 10 PM.