Jessica Lewis News

E! News reported earlier this month that Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson will be joining the cast of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series '30 Rock' as a regularly recurring character or even potentially as a future permanent fixture.

On Saturday, November 14, 2009, the internationally acclaimed revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning, smash-hit musical CHICAGO will celebrate its 13th anniversary on The Great White Way.

Sydney Theatre Company's A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, directed by Liv Ullmann, has embarked on its U.S. Tour. The production, which played the Sydney Theatre from 1 September to 10 October 2009, featuring STC Co-Artistic Director Cate Blanchett as Blanche DuBois, is now in previews at run at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington from October 29th to November 21st 2009 - with an opening night of October 31 - and Brooklyn Academy Of Music (BAM), New York from November 27th to December 20th 2009. The Washington D.C. engagement is now completely sold out.

In the great tradition of multitalented stars, Broadway's newest diva Ashley Brown will make her solo record debut with her jazz vocal album, 'Speak Low'. Speak Low will be released nationwide on January 12, 2010 via Ghostlight Records and Sony distribution. Speak Low is the title track on a thoughtfully curated collection of American Songbook standards that also includes a sexy and imaginative medley of two great standards, 'Smile' and 'Make Someone Happy'. The album is filled with passionate, seductive interpretations of a wide range of songs covering jazz and Broadway standards. Speak Low is a collection of Ashley's personal favorites and will consist of new arrangements of such well known classics as 'My Funny Valentine', 'I'll Be Seeing You', 'My Only Love' and 'The Very Thought of You.'

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre (Mark Brokaw, Artistic Director; Beth Morrison, Producer) will select three original music theatre works to receive two-week workshops in New Haven June 13-27, 2010. Submissions will be accepted November 1, 2009 through January 11, 2010.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, Nov. 6 for the Charlotte premiere engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing the Belk Theater March 31 - April 18, 2010.

Sydney Theatre Company's A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, directed by Liv Ullmann, has embarked on its U.S. Tour. The production, which played the Sydney Theatre from 1 September to 10 October 2009, featuring STC Co-Artistic Director Cate Blanchett as Blanche DuBois, is now in previews at run at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington from October 29th to November 21st 2009 - with an opening night of October 31 - and Brooklyn Academy Of Music (BAM), New York from November 27th to December 20th 2009. The Washington D.C. engagement is now completely sold out.

Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brother/Sister Plays have officially launched at the Public Theater. The series Part 2, The Brothers Size and Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet, directed by Robert O'Hara, began previews on October 21. Tonight Part 1, In the red and Brown Water, hits the stage. Tina Landau directs. McCraney, one of America's most acclaimed young writers, returns to The Public to complete his trilogy following the success of The Brothers Size in 2007. Official opening night it November 17. Performances will run through December 13.

CALENDAR GIRLS, the new stage play by Tim Firth, adapted from his own screenplay for the 2003 film, will undertake a second national tour opening at the Chichester Festival Theatre for two weeks on 25 January 2010.

Whatsonstage.com is reporting that the Donmar Warehouse will be celebrating 80 years of Sondheim with a special production of the legend's 1994 Passion in the Spring of 2010.

The Brick Theater, in association with Art Meets Commerce will present Fight Fest from December 1 through December 20 at The Brick. A possible extensions is scheduled through January 10.

Variety reports that screen star and Drama Desk-winning actor Anthony Hopkins will star in Thor, the Kenneth Branagh helmed film for Marvel Studios. Production begins in January and Paramount Pictures will distribute the film on May 20, 2011.

Billboard's Top Cast Albums chart for week ending 10/31/2009.

On Tuesday, Kyle Beltran, Rogelio Douglas Jr., Natalie Toro and Shaun Taylor-Corbett kicked off the National Tour of IN THE HEIGHTS in Tampa, Floria at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center with a bang. Though most shows try desperately to keep the critics out during the first preview performances to work out any kinks, IN THE HEIGHTS was an exception, according to Tampa Bay Online. And boy, were they pleased.

The New Conservatory Theatre Center's Pride Season 15 presents Beautiful Thing by Jonathan Harvey, directed by Andrew Nance. The show previews November 6 -13, opens November 14th and runs through January 3, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. All performances will take place at The New Conservatory Theatre Center's Walker Theatre.

As previously reported, Seattle's Taproot Theatre was devastated by a neighborhood fire. The local community rallied in support, allowing the theater company to finish out its run of Enchanted April at the Seattle Children's Theatre last weekend. Taproot has just announced that as investigators search for clues in last Friday?s fire in Greenwood, which is being called arson, they are renewing its commitment to the neighborhood.

The Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation today named ten recipients of the 2009 Whiting Writers' Awards. The awards, which are $50,000 each, totaling $500,000, have been given annually since 1985 to writers of fiction, non fiction and plays exceptional talent and promise in early career. This years recipient of the Whiting Award for playwriting went to Rajiv Joseph. His productions include Animals out of Paper, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and the forthcoming Gruesome Playground Injuries.

NYMF has just announced the winners of their Best of Fest awards. Set to perform at this year's gala are the casts of the winning shows, as well as Sh-K-Boom's own Sherie Rene Scott, Alice Ripley, Gavin Creel, and Kelli O'Hara. The event will take place on Sunday, November 22nd, at 6:30pm at the Edison Ballroom.

Tony Award and Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Jane Alexander, Robert Cuccioli (GSP's The Seafarer) and Gareth Saxe (Broadway's The Homecoming), will reunite in their roles of Thom Thomas' A Moon to Dance By at the George Street Playhouse from November 17 - December 13. The three previously collaborated on the production at the REP in Pittsburgh.

Las Vegas Legend Wayne Newton celebrated the Opening Night of his all-new show, Once Before I Go, with a star-studded red carpet and gala last night, October 28 at Tropicana Las Vegas. Newton's limited engagement production is in honor of his 50 years as an entertainment icon on the Las Vegas Strip.