Lucille Ball News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards winners and 1/9/13 Celebration, 'Mormon' and 'Les Miz' reaction, 'Oliver!' opens, 'Lucy' extends, StarKid goes sketch, our unofficial Lloyd Webber festival and more!

BroadwayWorld Chicago is proud today to announce the winners of the third annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, the only comprehensive theater award in the Chicago area voted on by fans, and the only one to honor productions in both Equity and non-Equity categories simultaneously. And you, the fans, have spoken! Prominent local companies, famous names on a national level, and some new favorites on our theater scene are winners this year.

By all accounts, Amanda Bynes was a Hollywood success story. Born and raised in Southern California, she got her big break early, and enjoyed the support of a loving family. Amanda co-starred on Nickelodeon's hit series "All That" for three seasons, and then got her very own show on the network called "The Amanda Show," all while still in her teens. Movie roles followed, and it seemed like nothing would stand in her way. However, she has since "retired" from Hollywood and, after a slew of very public driving mishaps this year which landed her in the middle of a media frenzy, people are wondering what is next for this star. Find out the full story and what all the buzz is about when "THS: Amanda Bynes" premieres Sunday, December 16 at 10:30pm ET/PT on E!

The Crawley family's fate hangs in the balance when MASTERPIECE CLASSIC "Downton Abbey, Season 3" returns in January.

When I was a couch potato kid in the 70's I couldn't imagine anything more fun than being part of Lucy Ricardo's crazy schemes. During 'I Love Lucy's twice a day airings, I dreamed of stomping grapes in Italy, stuffing chocolates down my shirt, selling Vitameatavegamin, or disguising myself in crazy costumes to break into show business. I wanted to be friends with Lucy. Little did I know that on the other side of the country, Michael Stern was doing just that.

From the Bavarian beer houses of his native Germany to "Manhattan, America," to Hollywood - one day, and one lady, at a time - Andreas Beckett unfurls his heartfelt, candid life story with song and dance under the masterful hands of legendary Mitzie and Ken Welch in a special one night return engagement Friday, December 2, 2012.

An award-winning actress, Kirsten holds a unique distinction among Broadway performers.

According to an Equity casting notice, Broadway veteran Andrea McArdle will take on the title role in MAME twice this spring. The show will play at Pennsylvania's Media Theatre (4/17- 5/19) and Bucks County Playhouse (5/22-6/9).

MAME, winner of five Tony Awards, opened November 8, 2012, and plays through January 13, 2013, at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Based on Patrick Dennis' 1955 novel, "Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade," MAME features an award-winning score by Jerry Herman with such favorites as "Bosom Buddies," "We Need a Little Christmas" and, of course, "Mame."

With CHRISTMAS IN TINSELTOWN (HCI $14.95)- the follow-up to his international sensation The Dead Celebrity Cookbook - Frank DeCaro shows how to put the kitsch into your holiday kitchen as he salutes a quirky collection of celebrities who are gone, but fondly remembered every year at Christmastime.

"I Love Lucy," and "I Dream of Jeannie" are just samples of the television classics spotlighted in the "The Best of Television Memories" exhibit coming to The Hollywood Museum, the official Museum of Hollywood today, November 7.

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild (IATSE Local 706) will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with a special gala today, November 3 at The Hollywood Museum. MAC Cosmetics is the presenting sponsor and The Hollywood Reporter is the official media sponsor of the evening.

There have been few comedians capable of leaving an untouchable mark on pop culture and television - but if there is one who undoubtedly has, it was the indelible Lucille Ball. Sirena Irwin was the woman chosen to bring the legendary lady to life in I LOVE LUCY: LIVE ON THE STAGE, the woman chosen to don the fashionable 50s garb, to make the staple physicality and verbal comedy of Ball her own.

In an interview below, STEWART--the British singer, songwriter and guitarist who's also an author, entrepreneur, filmmaker and philanthropist--talks about the series which follows Reba as a woman whose rock-star husband cheats on her and leaves her broke.

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild (IATSE Local 706) will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with a special gala on Saturday, November 3 at The Hollywood Museum. MAC Cosmetics is the presenting sponsor and The Hollywood Reporter is the official media sponsor of the evening.

For anyone who loves Hollywood memorabilia, is an entertainment junkie, and loves to eat and cook - they will treasure Frank DeCaro's The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: A Resurrection of Recipes from More Than 145 Stars of Stage and Screen (HCI Books). Frank compiled favorite recipes from some of Hollywood's biggest names; including Lucille Ball, Elizabeth Taylor, Sonny Bono, Liberace, Michael Jackson, John Denver, Frank Sinatra, Rock Hudson, Humphrey Bogart, and Peter Falk, just to name a few.

Today, we're featuring Cy Coleman with Bob Fosse and Juliet Prowse in 1981. Fosse won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction. He was nominated for an Academy Award four times, winning for his direction of Cabaret. Amongst his many Broadway credits are The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin' and many more. Coleman's career as a Broadway composer began when he and Leigh collaborated on Wildcat (1960), which marked the Broadway debut of comedienne Lucille Ball. U's school songs, 'Hey, Fightin' Tigers.' When Ball became ill, she left the show, and it closed. Next for the two was Little Me, with a book by Neil Simon based on the novel of the same name by Patrick Dennis. Prowse starred in such films as including The Fiercest Heart (1961) and Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965) with Sal Mineo and Elaine Stritch.

"I Love Lucy," and "I Dream of Jeannie" are just samples of the television classics spotlighted in the "The Best of Television Memories" exhibit coming to The Hollywood Museum, the official Museum of Hollywood, on November 7.

Actress/writer/comedian NANCY REDMAN will once again join forces with director Austin Pendleton for the premiere of her one-woman show 'EMERGENCY A La Carte,' in which 'a comedian dies and finds that death is her toughest audience.' Two performances in the United Solo Theatre Festival, tonight, October 15 & November 17, both at 9 PM, at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd St.

Courtney Freed and Rebecca Johnson will star in The Coco & Ruby Variety Hour, a dazzling trip down memory lane and a peek into the hilarious and wacky lives of the these two ginger dames. Coco and Ruby mysteriously fell out of their humdrum lives in 1940's Newark, New Jersey and into modern day Hollywood to live the dream! These two characters from the hit web series, "Coco & Ruby," written by Rachel Roderman and directed by Steve Brian, will shuffle-ball-change right out of your computer screen on October 15th to bring you a LIVE show full of old-school comedy and musicianship reminiscent of Lucille Ball and Betty Hutton. The Coco & Ruby Variety Hour will include many of your favorite WWII era standards, as well as vintage takes on contemporary pop songs.