James Earl Jones News

Casting has been announced for the upcoming national tour of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT, the explosive Broadway hit, which makes its Washington premiere February 18 - 23 at National Theatre as part of the Broadway at the National subscription series.

Grammy award-winning South African a cappella group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, will perform traditional songs and gospel inspired music of peace, love and harmony, at the Byham Theater on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.

The most recent version of the famous and often controversial opera, PORGY AND BESS by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin, re-titled as THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, is now playing at DC's National Theatre through Dec. 29, 2013. The opera, which has garnered scores of awards since its first performance in 1935, has been re-mounted by the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge with a creative team including Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, who adapted the book, and Dierdre L. Murray, who adapted the musical score. THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS opened on Broadway in 2011.

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!

Tickets for The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, are now on sale. Part of the BROADWAY PHILADELPHIA season, presented by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Shubert Organization, THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS arrives at the Academy of Music for a limited engagement beginning Feb. 18 - 23. The official press opening is Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director) is proud to announce that the acclaimed THE APPLE FAMILY PLAYS: SCENES FROM LIFE IN THE COUNTRY, written and directed by Richard Nelson, will be recorded for television by THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET the week of December 16, following the end of the epic run at The Public Theater on Sunday, December 15. All four plays will be captured for posterity and broadcast at a future date. Fans of THE APPLE FAMILY PLAYS can attend a taping of one or all four of the plays by visiting www.publictheater.org.

The Little Orchestra Society presents Music Under the Big Top, an evening of entertainment and musical acrobatics for audiences of all ages at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center on December 10, 2013. This first of its kind program for The Little Orchestra Society, conducted and co-hosted by new Music Director James Judd, will feature the Orchestra performing an eclectic array of classic and contemporary pieces in the ring of the Big Apple Circus joined by the talented violinist and composer Daniel Roumain. See Judd andRoumain discuss the upcoming concert on The Little Orchestra Society's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/LittleOrchestraSoc.

Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT - Founder/Producer Wren T. Brown) announced today that they will present Phillip Hayes Dean's (Drama Desk-winner for The Sty of the Blind Pig) powerful and moving play PAUL ROBESON. Dean will also stage the ERT production, which will mark his Los Angeles directorial debut. Mr. Brown further announced that two-time Emmy Award-winner Keith David (Fox's upcoming new series Enlisted) will star in this one-man play, with music. Performances will run March 12 - 30, 2014 with an official press opening on March 14 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 West Washington Boulevard) in Los Angeles.

The Little Orchestra Society presents Music Under the Big Top, an evening of entertainment and musical acrobatics for audiences of all ages at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center on December 10, 2013. This first of its kind program for The Little Orchestra Society, conducted and co-hosted by new Music Director James Judd, will feature the Orchestra performing an eclectic array of classic and contemporary pieces in the ring of the Big Apple Circus joined by the talented violinist and composer Daniel Roumain. See Judd andRoumain discuss the upcoming concert on The Little Orchestra Society's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/LittleOrchestraSoc.

Cherry Lane Theatre, under the direction of Angelina Fiodellisi, presents the world premiere of Fist In Mouth, a new play written and directed by Dan Hasse.

The first trailer for GIMME SHELTER from filmmaker Ronald Krauss (AMEXICA), and starring Vanessa Hudgens, Brendan Fraser, Rosario Dawson, James Earl Jones and Ann Dowd, has been released. The film will hit theaters on January 24, 2014. Check out the trailer below!

Oscar Micheaux: A Self-Made Man, a new release from The Hollywood Press, brings the story of America's greatest African American filmmakers to life. The book is designed for everyone who loves movies and would like to introduce young audiences to the history of film. The illustrated soft cover book provides insightful glimpses into the lives and work of African American filmmakers, memorable screen icons and less familiar figures.

In today's People.com, Tony-winning actress Angela Lansbury, who starred in the original TV series, revealed that though she is a fan of Spencer, she believes a reboot of the popular CBS series is a mistake.

Charles Newell, Artistic Director of Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, is the 2013 recipient of The Zelda Fichandler Award, an award to recognize an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through imaginative, brave work in theatre. The $5,000 award, given by Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, heralds both accomplishment to date and promise for the future, and lauds deep commitment to a community.

Broadway and Hollywood icon Angela Lansbury discusses her history with the Bucks County Playhouse in honor of her starry salute tonight at the vaunted theatrical venue and also shares some stories about her legendary career onstage and onscreen as part of a new interview.

The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, announces the complete cast for the tour launch at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre this November with rehearsals having starting Monday, October 14 in New York City. The tour, accompanied by a 23-piece orchestra, will begin performances Sunday, November 10 with an official opening on Wednesday, November 13. The national touring production will make its Philadelphia premiere February 18 - 23 at the Academy of Music. Single tickets will go on sale at a later date.

Charles Newell, Artistic Director of Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, is the 2013 recipient of The Zelda Fichandler Award, an award to recognize an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through imaginative, brave work in theatre. The $5,000 award, given by Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, heralds both accomplishment to date and promise for the future, and lauds deep commitment to a community.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announces that Artistic Director Charles Newell of Court Theatre is the recipient of the 2013 Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through singular creativity and artistry in theatre. The award heralds accomplishment to date and promise for the future, artistic vision, and deep commitment to a region outside of New York. It carries an unrestricted grant of $5000 to the individual recipient. The award will be presented to Mr. Newell on Monday, November 4, 2013 at a reception at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

As BroadwayWorld.com continues to celebrate the site's landmark 10th anniversary, with a variety of special features, today we're turning our spotlight on the wonderful photography of Linda Lenzi.