Leonardo News

Variety has an informative little interview that sheds new light on the upcoming musical adaptation of 'Catch Me if You Can,' by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the team behind 'Hairspray.'

The Arabian Nights has sold out. It was already extended for two weeks, but on january 19 the production must start its journey to Kansas City, Chicago, and beyond. As of yesterday, all tickets for the final 14 performances have been sold. As always, there may be a few last-minute cancellations, so theatregoers eager to see it can still try calling the box office - but tickets will be harder to come by than water in the desert. Berkeley Rep is extremely grateful to the critics and audiences who made this show such a success.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) continues its 30th Anniversary Season with the New York premiere of Gina Gionfriddo's play, BECKY SHAW, directed by Peter DuBois.

The 2009 Arts & Leisure Weekend will take place January 8 to 11. The Times's signature event is a four-day international celebration of the arts with a wide range of activities, from interviews between Times journalists and celebrated guests from the arts, film, music, media and politics, to special offers at cultural institutions around the world.

Melvillapalooza Metropolitan's Fourth Annual Living Literature Festival presents Ten New Works Inspired by Herman Melville January 12 - 25, 2009

Sam Mendes directs a transatlantic company of actors in a double-bill of classic works for The Bridge Project's inaugural 2009 season, which pairs a new version of The Cherry Orchard by Tom Stoppard with The Winter's Tale. A formidable transatlantic company and creative team will mount these two new productions for seven internationally renowned theaters. Simon Russell Beale leads the British/American cast, playing Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard and Leontes in The Winter's Tale. He is joined by Sin?ad Cusack as Madame Ranevskaya and Paulina, Richard Easton as Firs and Old Shepherd, Rebecca Hall as Varya and Hermione, Josh Hamilton as Yasha and Polixenes, Ethan Hawke as Trofimov and Autolycus, and Paul Jesson as Gaev and Camilo.

Philip Howard's sell-out Traverse Theatre Company production of David Greig's Damascus is to be presented at the Tricycle Theatre by Michael Edwards and Carole Winter for MJE Productions. Damascus will run from 3 February - 7 March 2009 with press night on Monday 9 February. Designs are by Anthony Macllwaine, lighting is by Chahine Yavroyan, the composer/arranger is Jon Beales and sound is by Graham Sutherland.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will continue its 30th Anniversary Season with the New York premiere of Gina Gionfriddo's play, BECKY SHAW, directed by Peter DuBois.

The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will take place Sunday, January 11, 2009 at The Beverly Hilton with a live telecast airing on NBC at 8 PM (EST) and produced by Dick Clark Productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Three-time Tony Award Winner Glenn Close, Tony Award winner Whoopie Goldberg, Tony nominee Kathy Bates, Galt Macdermot, Oskar Eustis, and cast members from Hair are among the TimesTalk participants scheduled to appear at the New York Times Ninth Annual Arts & Leisure Weekend, January 8 - 11 at the Times Center.

The 2009 Arts & Leisure Weekend will take place January 8 to 11. The Times's signature event is a four-day international celebration of the arts with a wide range of activities, from interviews between Times journalists and celebrated guests from the arts, film, music, media and politics, to special offers at cultural institutions around the world.

As David Frost moved the role to film, however, he grew even more comfortable in Frost's skin. 'I've lived with this character for over a year, and the basics of the way I see him didn't really change from stage to film,' he notes.

Three-time Tony Award winner Frank Langella is among the American theater world's greatest living actors. Though he gained recognition as a film star in the 1970s, the stage has always been his first love.

The International Press Academy has announced the nominees for the 13th Annual Satellite Awards. The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The awards, given by the Intl. Press Academy, will take place Dec. 14 at Century City's InterContinental Hotel.

IMDB.com is reporting that direct Baz Luhrmann has been sized to direct the feature film adaption of the Broadway hit WICKED. Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book for the musical is said to write the screenplay as well. Variety recently reported that the film was in its early development stages, and clearly the next step has been reached. No schedule for filming or production has been officially announced.

Next month, Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre with an alluring adaptation of The Arabian Nights. This is Zimmerman's sixth trip to Berkeley Rep, and for the first time she works her magic on the intimate Thrust Stage. The Arabian Nights runs from November 13 through January 4 with the official press night on November 19.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will continue its 30th Anniversary Season with the New York premiere of Gina Gionfriddo's play, BECKY SHAW, directed by Peter DuBois.

Dance Into Unity Productions presents the World Premiere of 'TANGO ADAMOR.' Critically acclaimed Broadway star, Miriam Larici, the face and star of Luis Bravo's hit Broadway and London productions of 'Forever Tango,' leads a cast of world-renowned Argentinean Tango dancers and musicians in this sensuous evening of dance. Performances will be given on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills; 8440 Wilshire Boulevard; Beverly Hills, CA 90211 and on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Alex Theatre; 216 N. Brand Boulevard; Glendale, CA 91203.

Shakespeare Festival/LA, an arts education organization that builds communities around the appreciation and production of Shakespeare, will present Baz Luhrmann, Mark Gordon and Steven Seidel with Crystal Quill Awards, acknowledging their enduring contribution to arts education.

Ten days before Mary Zimmerman unveils THE ARABIAN NIGHTS at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, fans of her work will have an opportunity to peek inside the process of creating a play with this Tony Award-winning director. Zimmerman will be interviewed on November 3 during Page to Stage - the second installment in Berkeley Rep's annual trio of talks with eminent theatre artists.