James Earl Jones News

Beginning on June 4, 2011, with Placido Domingo in concert, and with such renowned artists as James Taylor, Diana Krall, Tony Bennett, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones and the London Symphony Orchestra to follow, the new BlackCreek Summer Music Festival will launch its inaugural season at the Rexall Centre on the grounds of York University in Toronto.

John Leguizamo returns to Broadway with his new solo play GHETTO KLOWN for a 12-week engagement beginning previews today, February 21 and opening on Tuesday March 22 at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street).

Kean University in Union, NJ is hosting three exceptional music programs during the month of February.

Today we are presenting a correlative conversation to our weekend feature interview with Richard Thomas, the star of the Public Theater Shakespeare LAB's new production of William Shakespeare's TIMON OF ATHENS, with the director of that innovative new take on the troublesome tragedy, Barry Edelstein. Having directed the lauded Public productions of JULIUS CAESER starring Jeffrey Wright and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE starring Ron Leibman, in addition to producing this season's smash hit Broadway revival starring Al Pacino and all of his notable work at the Classic Stage Company, Edelstein is one of the foremost American Shakespeare directors in the twenty-first century. Discussing what makes TIMON tick, what makes Shakespeare always relevant to modern audiences and the power of the poetry implicit in each and every Shakespeare play - no matter how obscure - Edelstein was generous enough to impart his vast knowledge and acute understanding of the greatest dramatist the English language has ever known.

This week, in honor of our InDepth Interview series of articles on the Public Theater Shakespeare LAB production of TIMON OF ATHENS featuring Richard Thomas and Barry Edelstein, we are setting out to prove that all the world's a stage and we are, indeed, merely its players with a collection of clips featuring the work of William Shakespeare. Leonardo Dicaprio to Anthony Hopkins to Russell Brand; Ian McKellen & Judi Dench and more await with many marvelous visions for weary eyes and ears to behold and be bequeathed. TITUS, ROMEO & JULIET, THE TEMPEST and MACBETH are merely a taste of the grand banquet!

Driving Miss Daisy's talkback series continued last night, when former United States congressman and frequent 'Morning Joe' contributor Harold Ford Jr. and NYU professor Jennifer Morgan took the stage at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45 Street) for a post-performance discussion immediately following the evening performance. Driving Miss Daisy producer Jed Bernstein moderated the conversation.

On a recent episode of OWN's Gayle King Show, DRIVING MISS DAISY's James Earl Jones performs Justin Bieber's 'Baby' as a dramatic monologue. Click below to see the hilarious clip!

A unique album featuring great poems recited by great voices-- from Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Ruby Dee, and Amber Rose Johnson to James Earl Jones , Garrison Keillor, Terence Stamp and Meryl Streep--and set to classical music arrives just in time for April's National Poetry Month. Words For You (Mighty Village/Universal/UMe), released April 12, 2011, brings together the emotional words of the likes of Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Edgar Allen Poe and Maya Angelou with the powerful music of classical giants such as Chopin, Debussy, Grieg and Mahler as well as others.

Brutus Jones, an African American train porter and ex-con, has taken control of an island in the Caribbean.

In honor of the show's 100th Broadway performance last night, February 10, original Driving Miss Daisy star Morgan Freeman took in a production of the current Broadway show starring James Earl Jones. The pair, along with playwright Alfred Uhry, met backstage following the performance and BroadwayWorld was on hand for the photo op!

Tony Award nominated actress Debbie Allen will direct the new musical TWIST at the Alliance Theatre from September 1 through October 3 as a part of the 2010-2011 season.

The Village Voice, the nation's first and largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced the judges for the 56th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards. The Voice's chief theater critic, Michael Feingold, will again chair the Obie Awards committee. Joining him will be Voice critic Alexis Soloski and four guest judges: Critic Hilton Als of The New Yorker; playwright David Henry Hwang, a three-time Obie Award winner for his plays F.O.B., Golden Child, and Yellow Face; director Evan Yionoulis, an Obie award winner for her production of Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain; and critic Andy Propst, of TheaterMania AmericanTheaterWeb.com (and also a frequent Voice contributor), who will again serve as secretary to the committee.

Producers Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich announced today that former NYC Mayor David Dinkins will participate in Driving Miss Daisy's series of Wednesday night post-performance talk-backs, celebrating Black History Month. Dinkins will join the line-up for the post-show discussion tomorrow (Wednesday, February 9), which also includes CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, and NYU Professor Martha Hodes. Driving Miss Daisy producer Jed Bernstein will moderate the conversation, which will center around the issues of race brought up in the play. As previously announced, this series continues throughout the month, with talk-backs following all Wednesday evening performances. Upcoming guests include Harold Ford Jr. (February 16), Kathryn Stockett (February 23) and more. See below for a full schedule of participants.

Last night, Driving Miss Daisy star and original 'Darth Vader' James Earl Jones met six year-old Max Page, star of Volkswagen's Darth Vader-themed Super Bowl commercial. For 'Little Darth Vader' Max Page, fulfills a lifelong dream of appearing on a Broadway stage. Click below to meet Max and go behind the scenes of his introduction to James Earl Jones.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will honor legendary playwright Edward Albee with the American Artist Award at the Arena Stage Benefit for Community Engagement Monday, March 14, 2011. An Evening with Edward Albee will include cocktails, a presentation and dinner at the Mead Center (1101 Sixth St., SW).

The Broadway company of 'Driving Miss Daisy' has announced that they will add a ninth performance to their already scheduled eight-show week in order to perform a benefit performance on Monday, February 7 at 8 pm. All proceeds will go to The Actors Fund.

Having appeared on Broadway in FOOTLOOSE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF co-starring James Earl Jones and Phylicia Rashad, and snagging a Tony Award for her work on Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner's CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, Anika Noni Rose cites the stage as her first love.

Yesterday, Driving Miss Daisy star James Earl Jones visited Kathie Lee and Hoda during the fourth hour of the Today Show. Click below for the spot.

Today, I want to introduce you to an organization I've known about for years but didn't fully understand until I learned about it through -- what else -- Twitter. It's simultaneously one of the most visible theatrical organizations, and yet one whose scope is seldom fully grasped. I'm talking about the American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator and managing organization of the Tony Awards. But you may not know how much else they do for the theatrical arts, in New York and beyond.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents August Wilson's THE PIANO LESSON, directed by Liesl Tommy, at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) January 28-February 19, 2011.