Lisa Lampanelli News

Shuler Hensley, SILENCE! The Musical's newest Hannibal Lecter, took his first look at the show this past Saturday evening, May 19th and he visited his new friends afterward. Hensley is set to star in Off-Broadway's smash hit for four weeks only June 1st through the 24th. See the photos below!

Host and Executive Producer, Donald J. Trump, named legendary late-night talk show host Arsenio Hall as the next Celebrity Apprentice in last night's live season finale, concluding a controversial and closely watched fifth season of THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE (Sunday, 9-11pm ET.)

Country comedian Bill Engvall will bring his trademark blue collar comedy back to the Treasure Island Theatre, June 22 at 8 p.m.

XL Cabaret has announced its upcoming shows for May and June 2012, featuring RuPaul's Drag Race Winner Bebe Zarah Benet, a work by Seth Rudetsky and more. See the full schedule below.

Beginning Friday, June 1st, Shuler Hensley will star as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in Off-Broadway's SILENCE! The Musical through June 24th, filling in for the vacationing David Garrison.

Erin Cummings, star of TV's 'Spartacus' and 'Pan Am,' attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 this past Friday, April 27th, joining a long list of luminaries who have turned up in the audience at the hit show over the past few months including Jodie Foster, Neil Simon, James Earl Jones, Kelly Ripa, Josh Groban, Lisa Lampanelli, Jonathan Demme, Matt Bomer (twice!), Joan Rivers, Chita Rivera, Jeremy Jordan, Stephen Schwartz, John Kander, James Lapine, Jonathan Groff, Justin Kirk, Corbin Bleu, Mario Cantone, David LaChapelle, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, TR Knight, Willie Garson, Seth Rudetsky, Steven Pasquale, John Rando, Telly Leung, Christian Campbell, John McDaniel, Eden Espinosa, Charlotte d'Amboise, Carol Woods, Anika Larsen, and Anthony Heald.

Tony Award-winning director John Rando attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 on April 19th, joining a long list of luminaries who have turned up in the audience at the hit show over the past few months including Jodie Foster, Neil Simon, James Earl Jones, Kelly Ripa, Josh Groban, Lisa Lampanelli, Jonathan Demme, Matt Bomer, Joan Rivers, Chita Rivera, Jeremy Jordan, Stephen Schwartz, John Kander, James Lapine, Jonathan Groff, Justin Kirk, Corbin Bleu, Mario Cantone, David LaChapelle, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, TR Knight, Willie Garson, Seth Rudetsky, Steven Pasquale, Telly Leung, Christian Campbell, John McDaniel, Eden Espinosa, Charlotte d'Amboise, Carol Woods, Anika Larsen, and Anthony Heald. See the photo below!

The producers of the Off-Broadway smash SILENCE! The Musical, launched an exciting new website today, April 26th. At the newly revamped and redesigned SilenceTheMusical.com, visitors will now find loads of reviews and updated news about the show, in addition to constantly changing interactive features. There's a direct link to the SilenceTheMusicalNYC YouTube Channel, as well as to their Facebook page and Twitter feed. Click here to check it out.

Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere production of THE COLUMNIST by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner David Auburn, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan currently opened last night, April 25, at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The production, which recently announced an extension, is scheduled to run though June 24, 2012. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage from the opening night pre-show and post-show red carpets below!

The 26th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised $3,677,855, the result of six weeks of intensive fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by 51 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies.

On April 13th, SILENCE! The Musical received the 2012 Telly Award for Use of Humor in a Television Commercial. The hit Off-Broadway show's new commercial won the prestigious honor at the 33rd Annual Telly Awards over nearly 11,000 entries from around the world. 'The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,' said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. SILENCE! The Musical's TV commercial illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.' See the award-winning commercial below!

The line-up of presenters, judges, and participants for the 26th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition will include a four-time Tony Award winner, eight Tony Award nominees and more than 200 of Broadway and Off-Broadway's most talented performers. This year's Easter Bonnet Competition presented by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, will be held Monday, April 23 and Tuesday, April 24 at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street.

Lisa Lampanelli, Comedy's Loveable Queen of Mean, will release Equal Opportunity Offender: The Best of Lisa Lampanelli, her first greatest hits compilation, on April 17th, 2012. The album, which is available now for pre-order, collects all-time favorite riffs from the woman Howard Stern calls 'a true original and a brilliant comedy mind.' Lampanelli, who is starring alongside Adam Carolla, Arsenio Hall and others on the current season of The Celebrity Apprentice (airing Sundays at 9/8c on NBC), will also be on tour across the country beginning this weekend and continuing through the summer.

On last night's episode of NBC's THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE entitled 'Puppet Up!', the teams had to create their own puppets and perform in front of a live audience for Henson Alternative's "Stuffed and Unstrung" improv show.

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER opened last night, April 15th and BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the star filled red carpet on their way in to see the show. Get out your 'Stache' and scroll on down!

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, by Rick Elice, directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers began preview performances on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Wednesday, March 28 and opened last night, April 15th. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the cast at their fun filled opening night party.

On last night's CELEBRITY APPRENTICE on NBC entitled 'Ad Hawk', the contestants were still reeling from last week's dramatic Boardroom, where one Celebrity went on an emotional tirade against a teammate.

America's most prolific playwright, Neil Simon, attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 this past Wednesday, April 4th accompanied by his wife, Elaine Joyce. View photos below!

SILENCE! The Musical, currently nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards including Best Musical, will celebrate its 200th performance tonight, April 6th at The 9th Space Theatre at Performance Space 122, 150 First Avenue (at 9th St.) SILENCE! The Musical is the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs, with book by Hunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Christopher Gattelli. After opening on July 9, 2011 the show immediately became a sold-out phenomenon and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the year's Top 5 Musicals. Due to overwhelming ticket demand, the producers recently put a new block of seats on sale through September 2nd.

CMT has picked up two new series, including the network's first-ever animated project, it was announced today by Jayson Dinsmore, EVP, Programming and Development, during the network's annual upfront presentation. Executive producers Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy will voice characters on the animated series BOUNTY HUNTERS, scheduled to debut on CMT in 2013.