McDonald News

Tony winner Steve Kazee and Jenna Dewan, who just celebrated their engagement earlier this year, have announced the birth of their son, Callum Michael Rebel Kazee. The baby is Dewan's second child and Kazee's first.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE The Vote, a new four-hour, two-part documentary series, tells the dramatic story of the epic a?" and surprisingly unfamiliar a?" crusade waged by American women for the right to vote. Focusing primarily on the movement's militant and momentous final decade, the film charts American women's determined march to the ballot box, and illuminates the myriad social, political and cultural obstacles that stood in their path. The Vote delves deeply into the animating controversies that divided the nation in the early 20th century a?"a?" gender, race, state's rights, and political power a?"a?" and offers an absorbing lesson in the delicate, often fractious dynamics of social change. Timed to the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, The Vote is narrated by Kate Burton and features the voices of Mae Whitman (Alice Paul), Audra McDonald (Ida B. Wells), Laura Linney (Carrie Chapman Catt) and Patricia Clarkson (Harriot Stanton Blatch) portraying some of the unsung warriors of the movement. Written, directed and produced by Emmy Award-winner Michelle Ferrari and executive produced by Mark Samels and Susan Bellows, The Vote premieres Monday and Tuesday, July 6-7, 2020, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App. With funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, the documentary is part of the PBS Trailblazers summer programming lineup honoring the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.

This spring, the acclaimed Watermill Ensemble presents a bold, innovative all-female production of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, Hamlet. Underscored with live music, played by the cast, The Watermill's resident company applying their collaborative style to Shakespeare's most enduring play.

Today, Billboard chart-toppers Slightly Stoopid unveil the first round of dates for their annual summer tour. Dubbed Summer Traditions 2020 (a nod to the outdoor summer tour-circuit the band has done annually since 2006), Slightly Stoopid and fans alike will travel the states, sharing good times with one another through music and community as they have done since the band's inception 25 years ago. This 2020 edition of Slightly Stoopid's summer amphitheater tour kicks off in Eugene, OR on June 11th, 2020 and routes the beloved So-Cal band throughout North America, including two nights at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on August 15-16, 2020. Joining Slightly Stoopid for their Summer Traditions 2020 tour are special guests Pepper, Common Kings, and Don Carlos. All currently announced dates are listed below, with additional dates to be announced soon.

Last week, the brand-new stage production of Helen Forrester's By The Waters Of Liverpool opened at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton and now embarks on its 17-venue tour across the UK.

New Dramatists will honor Tony Award winners, Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori with its 2020 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 71st Annual Spring Luncheon Tribute on Thursday, May 21st at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Today, The Strokes announce three new shows in New Orleans, Austin and Houston this May. Tickets are on sale Friday, March 13 at 10a.m. CT. More information below.

En el Día Internacional de la Mujer celebramos y reivindicamos su figura en el Teatro Musical con este texto de Sara Pérez.

The Monmouth Community Players, along with marquis sponsor the Monmouth Federal Credit Union and show sponsor Optometric Associates, welcome you to experience the 'intoxicating smell of the graveyard' as you join them for their performance of Broadway's multi award-winning, upbeat musical-comedy, The Addams Family. At the helm of this production are Josie French as director and Josh Caron as Music Director. Rounding out the team are Phoebe Gouette as Choreographer, Leo Caron as Lighting Designer and Operator, Kyla Mahan as Sound Operator and Danny Gay as Producer.

The UHM Department of Theatre and Dance is partnering with the campus office of Student Equity and Excellence in Diversity and with the Hawai'i State Theatre Council to bring Claire Warden of Intimacy Directors International to Honolulu to give a talk and workshops about best practices in intimacy safety for theatre, television, and film.

Amazon today announced that the critically-acclaimed sketch comedy series, The Kids in the Hall, will be making a comeback on Prime Video. With the return of all of the original 'Kids,' the 8-episode Amazon Original series, which will be a continuation of the original show, will be available to Prime members in Canada and around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.

Today, Austra aka Katie Austra Stelmanis announces her fourth album, HiRUDiN, out on May 1st via Domino. While Austra's third album, 2017's Future Politics, was concerned with the external power structures that shape society, HiRUDiN points inward, tracing a deeply personal journey towards regeneration, dealing with the fallout of toxic relationships, queer shame, and insecurity along the way. Named after the peptide released by leeches that is the most potent anticoagulant in the world, HiRUDiN is about the importance of healing the self, letting go of harmful influences, and finding the power to rebuild. Working in a studio in the Spanish countryside in early 2018, Stelmanis, who has been the sole producer for Austra in the past, was joined by co-producers Rodaidh McDonald and Joseph Shabason for the first time. The resulting album reaps the rewards of Austra's leap into the unknown, in her most introspective yet inventive statement to date.

Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) has announced that Sanaz Toossi is the 2020 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award recipient for her play English. Sanaz receives the $10,000 award as well as the $10,000 Jay Harris Commission to write a new play.

The New York Pops will additionally honor Nicola M. Heryet, Principal of Avison Young; June Freemanzon, founding board member of The New York Pops; and Ron Schaefer, Founder of French Woods Festival for the Performing Arts, at its 37th Birthday Gala, Into the Unknown! The Songs of Kristen & Bobby Lopez, on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, presented by The New York Pops.

The 19th annual Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced its 2020 Shorts Program lineup. Setting a record with over 6,100 submissions, the final program roster includes 64 diverse and captivating short films from 20 countries around the globe, and features 46 world premieres, including DreamWorks Animation's new animated short, To Gerard. The short films will be presented in 10 distinct competition programs which include five narrative, four documentary, and one animation program. For the fourth consecutive year, 40 percent of the selections are directed by female filmmakers. Queen Collective by Procter & Gamble in partnership with Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment and Tribeca Studios is back, a program dedicated to supporting gender and racial equality behind the camera. The 2020 shorts lineup is programmed by Sharon Badal and Ben Thompson. The 2020 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 15 - April 26.

Patchogue Theatre's newest edition in its Broadway Spotlight Series, a?oeBroadway Blockbusters,a?? is an all-new concert event created exclusively for the venue on Saturday evening, March 21st at 8 PM. Produced and hosted by New York Casting Director Stephen DeAngelis, Broadway's finest performers recreate their most memorable musical career highlights. Catch up with Stephen DeAngelis in this Q & A.

Canvasback Music and Atlantic Records are proud to announce the latest single from the acclaimed rock group Grouplove, “Youth.” The track arrives today alongside a nostalgic companion video, which premiered via PAPER and stars Grace Zabriskie (Twin Peaks, Seinfeld) - watch it below. “Youth” is the latest track to arrive off the eagerly awaited album Healer, out everywhere Friday, March 13th; pre-order now HERE. Following the release of their forthcoming album, Grouplove will perform on the outdoor stage at Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 16th.

For the droves of fans who block off dates months in advance, repeatedly caravan with friends to North Plains, Oregon, and grow their festival families year after year, Northwest String Summit continues to add world-class entertainment to their already stacked lineup for their 19th annual event. Bringing fans of bluegrass, rock and roll, and everything in between to the beautiful Horning's Hideout on the weekend of July 16-19, 2020, Northwest String Summit saved more than a few extra surprises for their final lineup announcement. 

Third Man Records is excited to announce reissues of Redd Kross' two beloved 1990s albums, Phaseshifter (1993) and Show World (1997). The 180-gram vinyl-only reissues, which come on the heels of their amazing 2019 album Beyond The Door and after 40 years as a band, will mark the first-ever North American vinyl pressings of either album. Look out for the reissues via Third Man and in indie record stores on March 27. Pre-order Phaseshifter HERE and Show World HERE.

Stoney's Rockin' Country, Las Vegas' #1 nightclub and country venue, is pleased to be presenting a special concert with John Rich, of the superstar duo Big & Rich and maker of Redneck Rivera Whiskey, on April 24, 2020 at 7:00 pm PST. All proceeds from this show will go to benefit Folds of Honor and the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Tickets are available at stoneysrockincountry.com.