Ken Russell News

According to published reports, 'Tommy' director Ken Russell died in his sleep yesterday, November 27. He was 84 years old.

Pete Townshend and the Who's seminal rock opera classic TOMMY comes to the stage of the Tower Grove Abbey courtesy of Stray Dog Theatre adorned in steam punk fashion and scenic design. It's an exhilarating show powered by solid performances, a tight band, and engaging direction that never lets the pace slow for a moment. This is one of the few evenings of theatre that left me feeling goosebumps up my spine as the cast took their bows. A definite must see experience!

In honor of this Sunday's once-in-a-lifetime worldwide live movie theater showing of the 25th anniversary celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by Fathom - the same company who recently brought us LES MISERABLES, Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, and Shakespeare's Globe Series, among others - today we are going to take a look at many of the various aspects of the world's most successful entertainment as it swings like a wonton chandelier into cinemas worldwide direct from the Royal Albert Hall for the next two weeks. By going back and revisiting the hallowed origins of the haunting operatic musical - Hal Prince, Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman included - as well as a look at the various iterations of the show since its inception - such as the 2004 film version, PHANTOM VEGAS and the musical sequel, LOVE NEVER DIES - perhaps we, too, can bring back the music and memories and magical moments of so many years ago - 25 to be exact - with this special spotlight of illumination on all aspects of what makes PHANTOM a sensation, now and forever.

The Art Directors Guild (ADG) Film Society and American Cinematheque will screen the original widescreen color 'directors cut' of Ken Russell's 'The Boy Friend' (1971), an all but lost treasure with few surviving prints, on Sunday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica).

With some theatres already reporting that Midnight Tango is their fastest selling show of 2011, the producers of Midnight Tango have responded by adding further performances at certain venues on the nationwide tour, which begins in Southampton at the Mayflower Theatre on 6 April.

ohn Lithgow's 'Stories by Heart,' a special one-man theatrical memoir at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, opened January 5, and continues through February 13, 2011.

John Lithgow's 'Stories by Heart,' a special one-man theatrical memoir at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, opened last ight, January 5, and continues through February 13, 2011.

John Lithgow's 'Stories by Heart,' a special one-man theatrical memoir at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, opens tonight, January 5, and continues through February 13, 2011.

The Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum's 2011 season opens with John Lithgow's 'Stories by Heart,' a special one-man theatrical memoir, January 4 through February 13, 2011. The opening is January 5.

The 13th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, presented PR legend Bobby Zarem with a Lifetime Achievement Award on Wednesday, November 3.

Who has more style? More flair? More imagination? More sheer visual power in each and every frame of every single one of his films than the master of the modern movie musical - and director of the greatest Shakespeare film adaptation ever created, bar none - the fabulously talented and extremely entertaining film genius otherwise known as Baz Luhrmann. In this BWW World Premiere Exclusive InDepth InterView we talk everything from Broadway to Hollywood to Oz - with chairing this year's NYMF, Blu-Rays of his previous films, WICKED onstage and onscreen, GLEE, (the other) Oz, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Beyonce, Andrew Lloyd Webber and much, much more in-between - so follow the digital yellow brick road to the cyber emerald kingdom in the wonderful world of Baz.

The city of Loudon, unlike most of the country, is at peace. While religious wars swept the country and kept the Protestants and the Catholics at each others' throats, the sects live and have lived together without incident in the city for years, primarily due to the charismatic priest Father Urbain Grandier, who acts as a kind of second Governor of the town, loved and respected (despite his frequent and well-known personal transgressions, mostly involving the women of Loudon), but also due to its secure battlements, which keep the city separate and self-sustaining (and whose security has been guaranteed by King Louis the XIII).

The 2011 Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum season was announced today by Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. Stellar actors such as Jane Fonda, John Lithgow and Olympia Dukakis will be featured in plays by Moisés Kaufman, John Lithgow and Morris Panych, respectively, plus works by Lanford Wilson and Theresa Rebeck will be presented in the Taper's 44th season at the Los Angeles Music Center.

The Brick Theater, Inc. presents a Gemini CollisionWorks production of Spacemen from Space, An Exciting New Serial for the Stage in 6 Thrill Packed Episodes! written, designed and directed by Ian W. Hill

The city of Loudon, unlike most of the country, is at peace. While religious wars swept the country and kept the Protestants and the Catholics at each others' throats, the sects live and have lived together without incident in the city for years, primarily due to the charismatic priest Father Urbain Grandier, who acts as a kind of second Governor of the town, loved and respected (despite his frequent and well-known personal transgressions, mostly involving the women of Loudon), but also due to its secure battlements, which keep the city separate and self-sustaining (and whose security has been guaranteed by King Louis the XIII).

The Brick Theater, Inc. presents a Gemini CollisionWorks production of Spacemen from Space, An Exciting New Serial for the Stage in 6 Thrill Packed Episodes! written, designed and directed by Ian W. Hill

The Brick Theater, Inc. presents a Gemini CollisionWorks production of Spacemen from Space, An Exciting New Serial for the Stage in 6 Thrill Packed Episodes! written, designed and directed by Ian W. Hill

The city of Loudon, unlike most of the country, is at peace. While religious wars swept the country and kept the Protestants and the Catholics at each others' throats, the sects live and have lived together without incident in the city for years, primarily due to the charismatic priest Father Urbain Grandier, who acts as a kind of second Governor of the town, loved and respected (despite his frequent and well-known personal transgressions, mostly involving the women of Loudon), but also due to its secure battlements, which keep the city separate and self-sustaining (and whose security has been guaranteed by King Louis the XIII).

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Who's electrifying rock opera 'Tommy' on Friday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Who's electrifying rock opera 'Tommy' on Friday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.