Ian Wen News

My mother in law, Rebecca, and I were talking about this thing we are calling 'the post-show happy buzz'. It's the palpable energy felt after a musical that keeps you, as the performer, hungry for more even when you're spent. It keeps the audiences coming back with that indescribable 'I just love theatre' feeling. It keeps producers investing, marketing, promoting even when it may be risky. It's the silent but mutual agreement that what we are creating, seeing, experiencing is real and connecting us all when it's very easy to feel disconnected. That we can laugh together, confer on topics normally untouched, and shamelessly lavish ourselves in song and dance for the sake of itself. And in this world of joyful theatrical drunkenness, we take all kinds! It's a big ol' open invitation to humanity. I mean, the fact that I was at the doctors office the other day and the quirky consulting physician went from talking to me about the whooping cough vaccine to how much he and his wife are wild about seeing shows should be indication enough. He spoke to me longer about Phantom of the Opera then about my ear infection. (Side note: he also said I was a spitting image for Mindy from 'Mork and Mindy'. I really don't see it. I did say he was quirky...)

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards.

Style Media announces broad development slate for 2013-2014 with the addition of nine new concepts which focus on the network's key pillars of beauty and fashion as well as home design and entertaining.

Style Media announces broad development slate for 2013-2014 with the addition of nine new concepts which focus on the network's key pillars of beauty and fashion as well as home design and entertaining. These series in development join previously announced competition series 'Glam Squad' (working title) from executive producer and Academy Award winner Charlize Theron. Additionally, the network is teaming up with Selita Ebanks to follow her as she transitions from supermodel to fashion mogul and with Jack Osbourne who serves as executive producer of a comedic look at outrageous, fashion-obsessed divas.

Tonight on American Idol the male finalists showed their stuff to kick off Hollywood week. The ladies will compete next week, meaning guys vs. guys tonight and tomorrow night.

AMC is set to add to its signature lineup of period pieces with the upcoming Colonial comedy, WE HATE PAUL REVERE. Deadline first reported the news late this afternoon.

Karen Kondazian's novel THE WHIP just won the 2012 USA Book News Award for Historical Fiction. The book was also runner-up in the Western Fiction category.

Ripe, a new play written and starring actress and comedian Wendy Hammers (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, Oprah, Craig Ferguson) and directed by Karen Aschenbach, is a fast paced romp; a hilarious and moving story that chronicles the precious and fleeting nature of life itself. Part stand up confessional; part booty shakin' biography, RIPE is an examination of life re-invented midstream, and a reminder that the time to celebrate our bodies...and our lives... is right now.

Ripe, a new play written and starring actress and comedian Wendy Hammers (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, Oprah, Craig Ferguson) and directed by Karen Aschenbach, is a fast paced romp; a hilarious and moving story that chronicles the precious and fleeting nature of life itself. Part stand up confessional; part booty shakin' biography, RIPE is an examination of life re-invented midstream, and a reminder that the time to celebrate our bodies...and our lives... is right now.

Russell Grant, Mary Byrne and RhydIan Roberts are the new stars of Grease for the next leg of its hugely successful UK tour. They will all don the sparkly suit to play the role of 'Teen Angel' in the smash hit musical and will leave audiences hopelessly devoted to their charms from this month.

Russell Grant, Mary Byrne and Rhydian Roberts will be the new stars of Grease for the next leg of its hugely successful UK tour. They will all don the sparkly suit to play the role of 'Teen Angel' in the smash hit musical and will leave audiences hopelessly devoted to their charms from this July.

After an epic, eight-episode competition of culinary greats, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian was crowned winner in last night's action-packed finale of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. New York-based Zakarian went up against San Francisco Chef Elizabeth Falkner in the season's final holiday-themed showdown in Kitchen Stadium, where Iron Chefs Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto joined the judging panel to determine who would join their elite culinary society. Zakarian's first Iron Chef America battle will air on Sunday, December 25th at 9pm ET/PT.

The Children's Playhouse of MD (CPM), in residence at the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex, announces its first musical production of the 2011-2012 season, Meredith Willson's 'The Music Man, Jr.'

The Children's Playhouse of MD (CPM), in residence at the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex, announces its first musical production of the 2011-2012 season, Meredith Willson's 'The Music Man, Jr.'

Blonde baritone Rhydian Roberts will bring some added X Factor to Grease when he joins the smash hit musical to guest star as ‘Teen Angel' for a limited 6 week season later this year. The singing sensation will leave audiences hopelessly devoted to his charms when Grease rocks into Blackpool (17- 22 October), Sunderland (24 October- 5 November), Liverpool (8- 19 November) and Norwich (22 November-3 December) where he will play 1 week only of the show's 2 week run at the Theatre Royal.

Columbus, Ohio native Chrystian has inked a deal with brand new record label, NZ Beersa and is working on his debut album with famed production duo Midi Mafia. The 19 year old R&B pop and dance artist initially met the Grammy winning duo when he won an online music competition which awarded him studio time with them in Los Angeles. During the recording process, not only was an incredible song created, but even more rewarding was the musical kinship that formed between Chrystian and Midi Mafia, who have subsequently described him as 'the total package'.

Amongst the winners were several with Broadway backgrounds: Bill Sherman (composer) and Chris Jackson (lyricist) for Sesame Street's original song 'What I Am' and Willie Reale as a co-executive producer of The Electric Company on PBS.