Lifetime Television News

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that actor Skeet Ulrich has been cast as the lead of CBS' drama pilot 'Back', executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Variety.com is reporting that New Line Cinema and the top notch producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have selected their next musical film project, a contemporized version of the classic musical Damn Yankees.

BroadwayWorld.com is proud to announce its newest addition to the BWW TV family - StageTube! 13 time Emmy Award winner Rosie O'Donnell stars in and executive produces the poignant new Lifetime Original Movie, 'America,' premiering, Saturday February, 28th 2009.

13 time Emmy Award winner Rosie O'Donnell stars in and executive produces the poignant new Lifetime Original Movie, 'America,' premiering, Saturday February, 28th 2009. Based on E.R. Frank's book of the same name, the film follows the story of a boy named America, an emotionally vacant sixteen-year-old, who spent his entire life shuffled through the foster care system.

ABC's small screen version of the Broadway hit, A Raisin in the Sun, which starred Sean Combs, Saana Lathan, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, and Sean Patrick Thomas was named Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-series or Special at this evening's NAACP Image Awards, and Combs and Rashad also won Image awards for their performances in the highly acclaimed telemovie.

Emmy winner Rosie O'Donnell has signed on to star in and executive produce the poignant new Lifetime Original Movie, 'America,' premiering in February 2009. Based on E.R. Frank's book of the same name, the film follows the story of a boy named America, an emotionally vacant sixteen-year-old, who spent his entire life shuffled through the foster care system. O'Donnell stars as a therapist who gives America the support he needs to deal with his troubled past and helps him find the courage to live.

Variety is reporting that CBS has greenlit a trio of drama pilots, including one executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. 'Back,' from Zadan and Meron's Storyline Entertainment, centers on a man 'who disappeared in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- but who suddenly shows up, eight years later. Project follows the man as he reconnects with his family and adjusts to a world that has dramatically changed'.

Lifetime Television today announced the pick up of Drop Dead Diva, a spirited new comedic drama series that puts a uniquely compelling twist on the age-old battle between brains and beauty. Drop Dead Diva tells the story of a shallow model-in-training who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney. Drop Dead Diva is produced by Sony Pictures Television and is set to premiere on Lifetime Television in the Summer 2009. 'I couldn't be more excited about Drop Dead Diva,' said JoAnn Alfano, Executive Vice President, Lifetime Networks. 'It's the type of show that truly enhances the Lifetime brand - the duality of emotionally compelling drama with an equal balance of humor.'

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for Michael Frayn's ingenious comedic masterpiece, Noises Off. Directed by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner Art Manke, Noises Off will run from Feb. 6 through March 8 on the Segerstrom Stage. Low-priced previews are available from Feb. 6 through Feb. 12. Opening night is Feb. 13. Press night is Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Noises Off may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office. Noises Off follows the on-and off-stage antics of an inept acting troupe as they stumble from bumbling dress rehearsal to disastrous closing night. Everything that can go wrong does, as actors desperately try to hang on to their lines, their performances and the furniture. Add a slippery plate of sardines and many slamming doors, and you have the most hilarious backstage farce ever written. Art Manke received his fifth Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for directing SCR's West Coast premiere of Bach at Leipzig in 2006. Other work with SCR includes last season's Taking Steps, the world premiere musical version of The Wind in the Willows and choreography for numerous productions. Elsewhere in Southern California, Manke has directed The Constant Wife, Private Lives and the American premiere of Noel Coward's Star Quality for Pasadena Playhouse and the world premiere of The Ice-Breaker at Laguna Playhouse. Manke was a co-founder and artistic director (1991-2001) of A Noise Within where he directed the works of Shakespeare, Moli?re, Wilde, Coward and Sophocles. Other credits include work with Denver Center Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, among others. The cast features Nancy Bell (Belinda Blair), Bill Brochtrup (Garry Lejeune), Kandis Chappell (Dotty Otley), Winslow Corbett (Poppy Norton-Taylor), Kaleo Griffith (Lloyd Dallas), Brian Hostenske (Tim Allgood), Timothy Landfield (Frederick Fellows), Jennifer Lyon (Brooke Ashton) and Nick Ullett (Selsdon Mowbray). The creative team for Noises Off includes John Iacvelli (Set Design), Angela Balogh Calin (Costume Design), York Kennedy (Lighting Design), Vincent Olivieri (Sound Design), Ken Merckx (Movement Consultant), David Newell (Dialect Coach), Linda Sullivan Baity (Dramaturg) and Jamie Tucker (Stage Manager). Dee and Larry Higby are the Honorary Producers of Noises Off. OC Metro is the Media Partner. Associated events taking place during the run of Noises Off include: POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Wednesday, Feb. 18 & Tuesday, Feb. 24 Discuss the play with members of the Noises Off cast during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team after the 7:30 p.m. performances on Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. INSIDE THE SEASON: Noises Off Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. $12 Inside the Season is a series of interactive classes that provide a comprehensive inside look at the theatrical production process. Each two-hour class is led by School and Community Programs Director Linda Sullivan Baity and features creative personnel from South Coast Repertory's current production. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (714) 708-5555. (Tickets to Noises Off are sold separately.) TICKETS to Noises Off can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin on Feb. 6 and continue through March 8. Ticket prices range from $20 to $64. Low-priced preview performances are available from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. Performance times: Previews: Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 8, Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8:00pm. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.; and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 15 or more. There will be a 'Pay-What-You-Will' performance on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. ($10 Minimum) and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

Gold Derby Columnist Tom O'Neil spoke to Cherry Jones, the Tony Winning star of the stage version of DOUBT, the theater maverick had high praise for the big screen adaptation's ‘Sister Aloysius', Meryl Streep. Jones told O'Neil that she found Streep's take on the role, 'Fascinating'.

Lifetime Television announced the start of production of the Lifetime Original Movie Georgia O'Keeffe, starring three-time Academy Award, Golden Globe(R) and Emmy Award(R) nominee Joan Allen ('The Contender,' 'The Upside of Anger') and Academy Award(R), Golden Globe(R) and Emmy Award(R) winner Jeremy Irons ('Reversal of Fortune,' 'Elizabeth I').

Tony Award winner Cherry Jones will be appearing in the season premiere of the FOX drama '24' titled 'Redemption' on January 11th and 12th as President Allison Taylor.

The Lifetime Original Movie 'Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou,' starring Jerry O'Connell ('Crossing Jordan'), Lauren Stamile ('Grey's Anatomy') and Faye Dunaway ('Chinatown') is the second of the 2009 Nora Roberts' movie slate to begin production.

Emmy winner Rosie O'Donnell has signed on to star in and executive produce the poignant new Lifetime Original Movie, 'America,' premiering in February 2009. Based on E.R. Frank's book of the same name, the film follows the story of a boy named America, an emotionally vacant sixteen-year-old, who spent his entire life shuffled through the foster care system. O'Donnell stars as a therapist who gives America the support he needs to deal with his troubled past and helps him find the courage to live.

O.K. Gang! Get out the pink ribbons, grab a box of tissues and pull up a chair. I haven't done this much crying since the old days, when ABC used to air what we called 'disease of the week' movies! Zadan and Meron really know how to throw a cast together ... and this film is NO exception.

Lifetime's 'Living Proof' held its New York premiere on September 24th, 2008. The film features theater favorites Bernadette Peters, Swoosie Kurtz, Harry Connick, Jr., and more.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party presents MICHELE LEE in 'LIGHTS, BROADWAY, ACTION!,' a concert benefiting The Actors Fund, Monday, September 22, 2008 at 7:00p.m., as part of the long-running, Nightlife Award-winning concert series Broadway at Birdland.

Emmy and Grammy Award winner Harry Connick, Jr. ('Will & Grace,' 'Hope Floats') and Academy Award(R)-winning actress Renee Zellweger ('Cold Mountain,' 'Chicago') join forces on the new Lifetime Original Movie 'Living Proof,' the moving true story of Dr. Denny Slamon, the UCLA doctor who developed the life saving breast cancer drug, Herceptin 2, and his relentless battle to keep the drug trials afloat and save the lives of thousands of women.

This is not your mother's nursery rhyme. SpeakEasy Stage in Boston gives Douglas Carter Beane's twisted inside-Hollywood comedy its New England premiere.

Feinstein's at the Regency will conclude its 2007 season with the debut engagement of 'The Original Dreamgirl' Mary Wilson in an exclusive two week engagement from June 19 - 30