James Brown News

EW revealed yesterday a first look at Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in the upcoming biopic, directed by Tate Taylor (The Help). Check it out below!

SUPER BOWL'S GREATEST COMMERCIALS 2014 is an interactive countdown special where viewers will be able to vote LIVE on CBS.com for their favorite Super Bowl Commercials. The special, hosted by Boomer Esiason, Analyst for CBS Sports' NFL pre-game show THE NFL TODAY, and Sarah Shahi, star of the CBS drama PERSON OF INTEREST, will be broadcast Wednesday, Jan. 29 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Sundance Institute announced today the members of the six juries awarding prizes at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, January 16-26 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Short Film Awards will be announced at a ceremony on January 21 at Park City's Jupiter Bowl. Feature film awards will be announced at a separate ceremony on January 25 in Park City, hosted by husband-and-wife duo Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally and livestreamed at www.sundance.org/live. Offerman headlines the film Nick Offerman: American Ham in the Festival's Premieres section. Mullally voices a character in the English-language version of Ernest and Celestine, which will have its world premiere in the Festival's new Sundance Kids section.

On January 29 & 30, the creators of the international musical sensations LES MISERABLES and Miss Saigon will present a special concert celebrating their work at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre in Manila to raise funds to offer humanitarian relief and assist the rebuilding efforts after parts of the Philippines were left devastated in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

World Music Institute presents with The Town Hall the Beninese vocalist, songwriter, and social activist Angélique Kidjo on Saturday, February 15 at 8:00 p.m. at The Town Hall. Named 'Africa's premier diva' by TIME magazine, Kidjo has cultivated an international following through her uplifting music, which seamlessly integrates her West African heritage with rhythms and textures from around the world.

DONNA VIVINO, the rising Broadway and vocal star, will celebrate the release of Beautiful Dreamer - her debut solo album from Ghostlight Records - with a special performance at 54 Below on Thursday, January 23 at 9:30 PM. The veteran of Broadway's "Wicked" and "Les Miserables," Vivino will reprise her solo concert "It's Not Easy Being Green" with special numbers from the new recording. She will be joined by Musical Director Ken Levinsky on piano and Jeff Ganz on bass. The album was released in stores and via online outlets December 10, 2013.

Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its slate of performances for this week, Jan. 6-12, including BEST OF CRAIGSLIST, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY, JEFF SLATE, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH SHOW, CHAMPAGNE JERRY, TRIBECASTAN, SUN RA VISITATION SERIES, THE HOT SARDINES, MEKLIT HADERO/LEIF VOLLEBEKK, FREDERICKS BROWN, FEDERICO AUBELE/KEREN ANN/DOM LA NENA, RED BARAAT/METAL TONGUES/PATTEN, REVEREND BILLY, BRENDA RUSSELL, and JOEY ARIAS.

Following the record-breaking attendance of Festival 2013, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces the 2014 Festival schedule. Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Noted dance writer Jennifer Dunning has called the Pillow "the dance center of the nation, possibly the world."

On January 29 & 30, the creators of the international musical sensations Les Miserables and Miss Saigon will present a special concert celebrating their work at theNewport Performing Arts Theatre in Manila to raise funds to offer humanitarian relief and assist the rebuilding efforts after parts of the Philippines were left devastated in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces the world premiere of The House that will not Stand, a historical comedic drama commissioned from award-winning poet-playwright and Oakland native Marcus Gardley. Sensuous, witty, heartbreaking, and uplifting - The House that will not Stand unearths a story about free women of color in 1836 New Orleans, where black Creole women entered into common-law marriages with affluent white men. When her wealthy lover mysteriously dies, Beartrice Albans' foundation of security hangs precariously by a thread. She is left to fend for her three unwed daughters in a world where freedom must be carefully negotiated. Told in a rich and lyrical river of words, this new play was developed through The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. It's helmed by Patricia McGregor, whose many credits include the celebrated production of Spunk at California Shakespeare Theater. The House that will not Stand begins previews on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage on Friday, January 31, opens on Wednesday, February 5 and runs through Sunday, March 16, 2014.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced the vibrant programming planned for this year's New Year's Eve celebration, scheduled to take place in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh's Cultural District today, December 31, 2013. Perennial Pittsburgh favorites, in addition to a few new and exciting events, are intended to highlight the history of Highmark First Night Pittsburgh and commemorate 20 years of the family-friendly community celebration.

ON KENTUCKY AVENUE, a musical revue based loosely on fact and mostly fiction about the people and performers who took the stage and filled the tables at the majestic Club Harlem 'on Kentucky Avenue' in the north section of Atlantic City from the 1930s until the late 1980s, will make its NYC commercial stage debut at STAGE72/THE TRIAD, 158 West 72nd Street, on Sunday, February 2, with performances at 3pm and 7pm and Monday, February 3 at 7pm in honor of Black History Month.

Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, and recording artist Leslie Uggams (Roots, King Headley II, Hallelujah, Baby!) is ringing in the holidays with the release of a new single 'Wishing You a Happy New Year' written by renowned film, television, and concert composer-orchestrator Curtis McKonly. Available online at iTunes, Amazon.com, CD Baby and other major digital music outlets, this elegant new tune features the 41-piece Curtis McKonly Orchestra. Click below to watch a behind-the-scenes video of Uggams in the recording studio!

The full schedule of classes and instructors has been announced for the new Performing Arts Conservatory at Manatee Performing Arts Center. The semester starts January 6th and runs through May 31st. Instructors include Cynthia Ashford, Teri Booth, Wendy James Brown, Michael DeMocko, Kyle Ann Lacertosa, Martine Moore, Geena Ravella, Holly Rizzo, Carlo Thomas and Katie Zanders.

A first look at the Winter Garden Theater's stage, now being prepped for Broadway's ROCKY, has been unveiled via the show's official Twitter page. Check out the original image here!

Sylvester Stallone stopped by last night's TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO to talk about the new Broadway adaptation of 'Rocky,' which begins previews at the Winter Garden Theater on February 11

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is delighted to announce its spring schedule of major events. The largest single source of performing arts events in the state of Ohio, CCM presents nearly 150 major public performances from Jan. 12 through May 18, ranging from faculty and guest artist concerts to fully supported opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

The box office at the historic Winter Garden theatre (1634 Broadway) opens today, December 20th at 10am for the upcoming musical, Rocky.

Today in 1981, Dreamgirls opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 1521 performances. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams', who become music superstars. It was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. It was later adapted into a motion picture from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures in 2006.

Classic rock fans can once again “travel down a dark desert highway and feel the cool wind in their hair” when Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles” reproduces the Grammy Award-winning sounds of the legendary band at the Suncoast Showroom, January 4 and 5.