Maggie Smith News

Aux Dog Theatre Nob Hill presents The Regional Premiere of Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, a new version by Brian Friel. Directed by Jessica Osbourne. Opens August 9th - September 1st, 2013. Friday & Saturday's at 8pm, Sunday's at 6pm. Advanced Purchase Tickets $18/ $16 online ($22 at door). Call (505) 254-7716. Buy your tickets today at www.auxdog.com

THE PRIVATE EAR and THE PUBLIC EYE, by the acclaimed and multi-award winning British playwright Sir Peter Shaffer, will have their first major revival in 50 years, when they begin a nationwide tour from 29 August 2013, with a national press night at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on Friday 6 September.

One of the most talked about shows on television has an official premiere date: DOWNTON ABBEY Season 4 will begin on MASTERPIECE on PBS on Sunday, January 5, 2014.

Variety reports that Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Jane Birkin and Dominique Pinon are set to star in the comedy drama MY OLD LADY. The project will be a big screen adaptation of the stage play by Israel Horovitz, who will make his feature film directorial debut.

Variety reports that Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Jane Birkin and Dominique Pinon are set to star in the comedy drama MY OLD LADY. The project will be a big screen adaptation of the stage play by Israel Horovitz, who will make his feature film directorial debut.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of Red by John Logan on Friday, April 26, 2013 with a preview on April 25. The show will run through June 16 at Theatre Gym at Virginia Rep Center, 114 West Broad Street.

Cornelia Street Cafe presents Happy Birthday William Shakespeare!, an evening of sonnets and music in celebration of the Bard as part of its ongoing poetry series. The Shakespeare tribute features a fabulous all-star cast of Barbara Feldon, Roberta Maxwell, Tony Award winner Richard Easton and Paul Hecht, with music by soprano Jolle Greenleaf and lutenist, Hank Heijink.

Cornelia Street Cafe presents Happy Birthday William Shakespeare!, an evening of sonnets and music in celebration of the Bard as part of its ongoing poetry series. The Shakespeare tribute features a fabulous all-star cast of Barbara Feldon, Roberta Maxwell, Tony Award winner Richard Easton and Paul Hecht, with music by soprano Jolle Greenleaf and lutenist, Hank Heijink.

Some of today's hottest emerging and seasoned talent in film, television, fashion and music came together at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA on April 13 for the 'Logo NewNowNext Awards 2013.'

Academy Award-winning actress, dancer and author Shirley MacLaine combines a montage of memorable film moments with private relations about her extraordinary life, career, and spiritual journey.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of Red by John Logan on Friday, April 26, 2013 with a preview on April 25. The show will run through June 16 at Theatre Gym at Virginia Rep Center, 114 West Broad Street.

Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike opens tonight, March 14, at Broadway's Golden Theatre, on the heels of its sold-out premiere at Lincoln Center. Directed by Nicholas Martin, the Broadway production features the entire original company, which includes Sigourney Weaver, David Hyde Pierce, Kristine Nielsen, Genevieve Angelson, Shalita Grant, and Billy Magnussen. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The Stratford Festival held its annual general meeting on Saturday, celebrating the successes of its landmark 60th season, under the joint leadership of Artistic Director Des McAnuff and General Director Antoni Cimolino. This was Mr. McAnuff's final season as Artistic Director. Mr. Cimolino has now assumed that role, with Anita Gaffney becoming Executive Director.

Today we are talking to a veritable legend in her own time - arguably the most influential and recognizable female stand-up comedian of all time, the one and only Joan Rivers. Opening up and revealing her trademark, impossible-to-top wit all the while, Rivers and I discuss many aspects of her life and career, with a particular focus on her many current projects - most importantly, the third season of her smash hit reality series JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? on WE TV. What will happen when Joan, Melissa and company visit Colonial Williamsburg? What illicitness will they discover on Willie Nelson's former tour bus? Will Joan get arrested for protesting her book being banned at a big retailer? Answers to these questions all will be arrived up on Saturday. In addition to all about JOAN & MELISSA Season Three and the current series-high ratings run of FASHION POLICE, Rivers and I take a look back at many of the remarkable figures she has encountered and worked with over the course of her career - among them: Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Woody Allen and many more - and she generously shares candid backstage stories and remembrances as only she can. Of paramount interest to theatre fans may be the announcement of a revival of her one-woman play SALLY MARR… AND HER ESCORTS, which she will be reviving in a special weekly pop-up theatre space on Broadway later this year. Also, as if all of that were not enough, Joan gives us the 411 on her new uncensored web series, IN BED WITH JOAN, as well as her cute new pet lover's web project, MY FAT PET. Plus, her fashion forecast for 2013 and best current trends, favorite films of awards season, thoughts on Broadway today and her picks for the best shows to see as well as much, much more awaits in this career-spanning conversation!

In an interview on this morning's TODAY show on NBC Dame Maggie Smith, star of PBS's historic drama Downton Abbey says she anticipates that one day the show's writers will have to kill off Lady Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Check out her appearance below!

Today we are talking to a tremendously talented triple-threat who headlined the 2007 feature film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical HAIRSPRAY as Tracy Turnblad and who will be appearing in a recurring role on SMASH Season Two starting tonight - the spunky and adorable Nikki Blonsky. In this all-encompassing conversation, Blonsky and I dissect the HAIRSPRAY phenomenon and she reveals her affection for collaborators such as director Adam Shankman, co-stars John Travolta and Christopher Walken, as well as two more pairs of instrumental creative team members: songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman as well as producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, all four of whom serve the same roles on SMASH. Of course, Blonsky reveals details about her new SMASH character and what we can expect from her multi-episode arc, as well as her experiences sharing the small screen with Anjelica Huston, Christian Borle, Debra Messing and more. Additionally, Blonsky opens up about her exciting upcoming film projects, namely: THE ENGLISH TEACHER, co-starring Julianne Moore and Nathan Lane, as well as GEOGRAPHY CLUB, co-starring GLEE's Alex Newell. Plus, all about her collaboration in the recording studio with Duncan Sheik, her thoughts on HAIRSPRAY 2 and much, much more!

Amidst all the cast changes happening on DOWNTON ABBEY, fans can breathe a sigh of relief for the fate of one more character: PBS and Carnival films announced today that Shirley MacLaine will officially be back for season 4 as 'Martha Levinson.'

Surprise recent Brit hit THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is getting a sequel and screenwriter Ol Parker has confirmed that it is more than merely likely that multi-award-winning acting icon Maggie Smith will return in her role of Muriel Donnelly for the next chapter.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Lily James has officially been promoted to a series regular on DOWNTON ABBEY.

Comedian Richard Sandling has put together a video mashup featuring the cast of DOWNTON ABBEY covering One Directions' hit single 'What Makes You Beautiful.' Check it out below!