McDonald News

 Just ahead of 2020 Earth Day, Discovery Channel will air THE STORY OF PLASTIC, a look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people that inhabit it. Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash; rivers and seas clogged with waste; and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing.

CBS All Access today announced that the fourth season of its critically acclaimed original drama series THE GOOD FIGHT will premiere on Thursday, April 9. New episodes of THE GOOD FIGHT's 10-episode fourth season will be available on demand weekly on Thursdays exclusively for CBS All Access subscribers.

The Kennedy Center will hold its 2020 gala on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 5:30pm. Join The Kennedy Center for an intimate dinner and unforgettable Gala concert with Tony, Emmy, and Grammya?"winning artist Audra McDonald and Tony-winning artist Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Watching Philip Quast perform at Hamer Hall, accompanied by Anne-Maree McDonald, was an absolute treat. Quast is one of Australia's most well regarded and internationally successful theatre performers. During this performance of Morning Melodies, presented by Arts Centre Melbourne, Quast shares memorable and comical stories about his incredible life and career, spanning several decades performing on the stages of Australia, The West End and Broadway.

Caroline Foy Welch, who joined ABC11/WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham in July 2012 as president and general manager, will retire in March 2020, announced Wendy McMahon, president, ABC Owned Television Stations. WTVD will immediately commence a search for the role of general manager, and Welch will remain in her role during the transition

Producer Mark Cortale has announced that international chanteuse and drag superstar Varla Jean Merman will premiere her hilarious new comedy show A Star Is Bored in Los Angeles at Largo on Thursday, March 26 at 8:00 PM. After 25 years of giving over 75% of her best at every performance, Varla is well, tired.

Jake Shimabukuro has been redefining what the ukulele is capable of for the last 20 years, and on 14 February 2020, he returns with his new album 'Trio,' his first on Music Theories Recordings, a division of Mascot Label Group.

On Monday, February 10th The League of Professional Theatre Women (Shellen Lubin and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been championing women in the professional theatre for over three decades, hosted an Oral History Project event with renowned Broadway publicist Irene Gandy in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (111 Amsterdam Avenue at 65th Street). For the second installment of the Oral History Project's 2019-2020 season, publicist, producer, and PR maven Irene Gandy discussed her life and ground breaking career with producer Voza Rivers, Artistic Director of the New Heritage Theatre Group.

MGM has set Dee Rees is set to write and direct a feature film adaptation of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess for MGM, according to Deadline.

BroadwayWorld reported yesterday that a production of A Streetcar Named Desire is headed to Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer, starring Audra McDonald and Bobby Cannavale. Now, Artistic Director Mandy Greenfield has announced the complete 2020 summer season for Williamstown Theatre Festival, which includes four world premiere plays, a world premiere musical, and more.

Eisemann Center Presents the ArtsPower production of JUDY MOODY & STINK, on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 2:30 pm in the Hill Performance Hall. In ArtsPower's musical JUDY MOODY & STINK, which premiered in fall 2019, this dynamic sister and brother duo take audiences on a hilarious adventure. The musical is based on the books by Megan McDonald.

Today's top stories: Audra McDonald and Bobby Cannavale will lead A Streetcar Named Desire at Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer, and more!

Today, the Iowa-born, Nashville-based singer and songwriter Hailey Whitters shared a new song 'Happy People' ahead of her highly anticipated new album The Dream that will be released on February 28, 2020. The song was co-written with Grammy Award-winning songwriter Lori McKenna and was recorded by Little Big Town in 2017.

Five-time Tony Award-winner, Audra McDonald, will star opposite Bobby Cannavale in a revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

On the heels of a successful world tour to over 30 cities, Ailey II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's junior company that serves as a bridge between The Ailey School, will return to its home, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, for a highly anticipated two-week season featuring 14 exhilarating performances from March 25- April 5.

After 17 years of dreaming, the Diego Symphony has announced the inaugural season lineup and official name for the highly-anticipated permanent outdoor concert venue, The Shell. Opening in July, The Shell-a symbolic name inspired by the venue's dramatic shape and unique waterfront location-will be an acoustically superior and architecturally captivating structure within a newly upgraded public park. The Diego Symphony's first season at The Shell expands upon its wide range of musical genres -from classical concerts to Broadway, Jazz to R&B-that highlight the city's world-class orchestra, showcase the acoustical excellence of the venue, and will attract a wider range of audiences.

Next to Normal is not to be taken lightly but it's also not to be missed. The cast delivers pure emotion and the audience, in turn, is moved to new sensations. The show runs at Germantown Community Theatre until February 16th, making it the perfect addition to Valentine's Day weekend plans.

Direct from the Apollo Theater, A Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald will bring singing greats Patti Austin, Kurt Elling, Monica Mancini, Wé McDonald and Ledisi to the McCallum Theatre for a fantastic night of music by one of the most revered vocalists of our time, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 29. Each performer embodies a different era of the jazz legend's life, intertwined with stories from her debut as a teenager at New York's Apollo Theater to the peak of her fame. The music highlights Ella's greatest hits, including a?oeA Tisket a Tasket,a?? 'Blues in the Night,a?? a?oeMiss Otis Regrets,a?? a?oeYou'll Have to Swing Ita?? and more. The show features the Ella All-Star Band with Shelly Berg, Nathan East, Brian Nova and Gregg Field.

With Seth's Big Fat Broadway Vacations, you can cruise the seven seas with Broadway favorites Colin Donnell and Patti Murin, who will join in on the fun to Key West, Mexico, and Grand Cayman (February 13 - 20, 2021). Sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, onboard Celebrity Apex, and immerse yourself in all things Broadway on this seven-night journey.

The comedy 2 Pianos 4 Hands has been added to the current Olney Theatre Center schedule as a special event for a limited run on the Historic Stage, May 8 - 24, 2020. Written and originally performed by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt; Jefferson McDonald and Matt McGloin take the stage for this production to portray Ted and Richard from their very first piano lessons as they strive to become professional concert pianists. Directed by Tom Frey, each actor plays a piano in this comic look at what happens when we chase our dreams and come up short. Tickets are on sale today via olneytheatre.org and the box office (301-924-3400).