John Waters News

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show - has announced its Spring 2013 season at The Duplex in New York's West Village. Each edition of The Meeting* honors a different gay icon; following the Elaine Stritch tribute in February, the rest of the season will honor Karen Carpenter (March 14), the movie 'Showgirls' (April 18) and Justin Vivian Bond (May 16). Special guests will be announced soon. After a sell-out year, The Meeting* will add a second performance each month due to popular demand; there are now shows at 7:000 PM and 9:30 PM.

The 21st annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish raised $6 million for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center celebrates Black History Month with two concurrent free events highlighting some of the cultural contributions African Americans have made to our society: A Tribute to African American Authors, in which renowned actors and singers perform selected works; and a reception for the new exhibit Ain't Just Paint: Works from the CCH Pounder Collection. Both events take place today, Feb. 25, in the Renberg Theatre and Advocate & Gochis Galleries at the Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The Tribute will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed immediately by a reception in the Galleries.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will continue its fourth season tonight, February 21, 2013 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will continue its fourth season on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) announced today that it has selected soulful Scottish songstress Emeli Sandé to perform at this year's Academy Awards Viewing Party to be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at West Hollywood Park.

Almost twenty-five years to the day John Waters' iconic film was released, the Kean Department of Theatre will present the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Hairspray from Friday, February 22nd to Saturday, March 2nd in Kean University's Wilkins Theatre. Featuring music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mr. Shaiman, and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray is based on Mr. Waters' popular 1988 comedy of the same name, and received its Broadway premiere on August 15, 2002. Hairspray ran for nearly six-and-a-half years on Broadway (over 2,500 performances), and collected an unprecedented thirteen Tony Award nominations in 2003, going on to win in eight categories (including Best Musical), the most wins by any production nominated that year. It has subsequently toured throughout the United States and received several high-profile international productions, including a successful run in London's West End in 2008 that garnered a record eleven Laurence Olivier Award nominations, ultimately winning four awards (including Best New Musical). In 2007, a second feature film adaptation of Hairspray - based on the original film and Broadway musical - was released, starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.

It was a night to remember when John Waters narrated the story of Hairspray to a sold-out crowd at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.

John Waters' tale of hair hoppers and integrationists receives a workman-like production in Broad Brook.

Cynthia and David DiSavino direct a tight, funny, warm production of Jon Lonoff's SKIN DEEP under a Rainbow Dinner Theatre title

Starting today, more than 600 items can be previewed in The Baltimore Sun Auction for CENTERSTAGE-and in just 4 days, bidding goes live! Bidders can preview all the items by clicking through from www.centerstage.org/auction.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center celebrates Black History Month with two concurrent free events highlighting some of the cultural contributions African Americans have made to our society: A Tribute to African American Authors, in which renowned actors and singers perform selected works; and a reception for the new exhibit Ain't Just Paint: Works from the CCH Pounder Collection. Both events take place on Monday, Feb. 25, in the Renberg Theatre and Advocate & Gochis Galleries at the Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The Tribute will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed immediately by a reception in the Galleries.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY, Broadway's musical comedy based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will have its Australian premiere in Sydney on Saturday 23 March 2013 at Sydney's Capitol Theatre.

The brilliantly entertaining filmmaker, writer and shock auteur supremo, John Waters is coming to the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) tonight, February 2nd for one night only to perform his deviously funny one man show This Filthy World, in his first ever national tour.

Happy Birthday Marissa Jaret Winokur! She is best known for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in the highly successful Broadway musical adaptation of John Waters' film Hairspray, and won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. She recently reprised the role in the Hollywood Bowl production of Hairspray last summer.

?The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Winter Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, January 31 at 5:00PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

Early Monday evening, the Venice Theatre announced their 2013 to 2014 theatre season at a special Kickoff gathering at their theatre located at 140 West Tampa Avenue in Venice, Florida. Hosting the event were Exective/Artisitic Director Murray Chase and Producing Director Allan Kollar. Highlighted by performances from local actors, the duo revealed their exciting upcoming schedule:

Exciting news as CENTERSTAGE gears up for its annual auction-just two weeks away: The online fundraising site, BiddingForGood, has just released their listing of "10 Auctions That Rocked 2012," and in 2012 The Baltimore Sun Auction for CENTERSTAGE made the list.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Chita turns 80, STARCATCHER takes its final bow, ROCK OF AGES starts a party in Vegas, and so much more!