Nikki M. James News

Today we are talking to one of Broadway's most recent stars to make a big impression in Hollywood with his many recent TV and film appearances - from GLEE, 30 ROCK and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM to the forthcoming HBO Liberace biopic BEHIND THE CANDELABRA as well as the new NBC series MOCKINGBIRD LANE - following his stints on the Great White Way in the lead roles of musicals such as ALL SHOOK UP, XANADU and FINIAN'S RAINBOW - the convivial, exceedingly talented Cheyenne Jackson. Giving us an all-access pass to his new role as songwriter, crafting two pop gems - "Drive" and "Before You" - and creating accompanying music videos for them as a preview of his forthcoming EP, which will also include collaborations with Sia and more. In addition to his recording career and songwriting responsibilities, Jackson also has a number of high profile film and TV projects coming up and he gives us the 411 on his role opposite Michael Douglas in the new Steven Soderbergh HBO film BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, as well as shares his experiences filming the new Bryan Fuller-created NBC reboot of THE MUNSTERS titled MOCKINGBIRD LANE. Also, will he be returning to 30 ROCK for its final season? What about a GLEE reprise? Plus, Jackson fills us in on the newest member of his family, as well as recollections of working on Dustin Lance Black's remarkable landmark PROP 8 live multi-media presentation, his involvement with Neil LaBute's THE HEART OF THE MATTER, his new film MUTUAL FRIENDS, participating in BARACK ON BROADWAY duetting with SMASH star Megan Hilty and what we can expect from his appearance in the new Christopher Ashley-directed movie musical adaptation of Ahrens & Flaherty's LUCKY STIFF. All of that and much, much more!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) will present more than 110 of the of the region's most talented young performing artists from Paper Mill Playhouse's Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory in a fully produced, original concert on the Paper Mill mainstage titled New Voices of 2012: It's Our Time.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to present "In Full Bloom," a benefit concert for The Wishing Kids Foundation. The event will be produced by Ryan Murray, a graduate of NYU-Tisch, Cap 21, and an Avenue Q cast alumni.

Cale Krise joins the Broadway cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON tonight starring in the role of Elder Cunningham. THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

Original Broadway cast member Jared Gertner will star as Elder Cunningham in the First National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, launching in Denver from August 14-September 2 at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Gertner will join previously announced Gavin Creel as Elder Price. Samantha Marie Ware joins as Nabulungi, as well as Grey Henson as Elder McKinley and Kevin Mambo as Mafala Hatimbi.

Today we are concluding our two-part look at the life and career of legendary stage and screen icon Christopher Plummer by focusing on some of the finest films, television and filmed stage performances of his career thus far, as we anticipate the nationwide release of his newest stage and screen venture, the cinematic presentation of his recent turn as Prospero at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Des McAnuff's THE TEMPEST, presented by Fathom-equipped movie theaters on June 13, followed by a Q&A with Plummer. From his stage debut in the late-1940s through to his spectacular screen career begun with Sidney Lumet's STAGE STRUCK in 1958, in this career-spanning clip collection we will be sampling many of the most memorable and most notable projects from a rich resume ranging from almost every major male role in the canon of Shakespeare - AS YOU LIKE IT to THE WINTER'S TALE - to the work of Lilian Hellman, Bertolt Brecht, Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov and Peter Shaffer to Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC on film to the Tony Award-winning Anthony Burgess musical adaptation of CYRANO onstage, to TV's THE THORN BIRDS and ON GOLDEN POND all the way to last year's double-header of brilliance in both David Fincher's THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGTON TATTOO and BEGINNERS, the latter being the part for which Plummer finally received a Best Actor Academy Award. Of course, besides his well-earned Oscar, Plummer has amassed many other top honors over the course of his sixty-year-career, as well - two Tony Awards (for CYRANO, a musical, and BARRYMORE, a two-person mostly monologue); a Golden Globe; two Emmy Awards; a SAG Award; a Genie; the list goes on and on… as does Christopher Plummer's reputable and riveting career.

Today, Tony Sunday, June 10, "60 Minutes" will re-air an interview with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the four-time Emmy Award winning creators of "South Park" and the Tony Award-winning co-authors of THE BOOK OF MORMON. The interview originally aired in September, 2011. "60 Minutes" airs at 7:00 PM (ET) on CBS-TV.

The London production of THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of Nine 2011 Tony Awards including Best Musical of the Year, will begin preview performances in the West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 25 February 2013 with tickets released for general sale on 13 September 2012.

According to the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye, Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON, is set to begin performances in the UK at the Prince of Wales Theatre, February 25, 2013, with an official opening later in March.

THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, just yesterday gave a free fan performance for entrants of the show's wildly popular ticket lottery. The performance also marked the final show for Josh Gad, who has been replaced Jared Gertner as Elder Cunningham. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special event below!

On Tony Sunday, June 10, "60 Minutes" will re-air an interview with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the four-time Emmy Award winning creators of "South Park" and the Tony Award-winning co-authors of THE BOOK OF MORMON. The interview originally aired in September, 2011. "60 Minutes" airs at 7:00 PM (ET) on CBS-TV.

With oddly still no official word on who would be taking over as the new leads in the Tony-winning THE BOOK OF MORMON for departing stars (and former Tony nominees) Josh Gad (June 6) and Andrew Rannells (June 10), BWW reached out to a source in the production who confirmed that standby Jared Gertner would be taking over for Gad as Elder Cunningham and standby Nic Rouleau will be taking over for Rannells as Elder Price.

The 2012 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards ceremony took place today, June 5th at the Millburn theater. Schools nominated for Outstanding Overall Musical and Leading Actor/Actress nominees performed at the event and award recipients were presented with an engraved crystal award from Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards partner, Tiffany & Co.

Tony Award nominee Josh Gad has confirmed on Twitter that his final performance in Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON will be tomorrow afternoon's fan performance, June 6.

THE BOOK OF MORMON, the new Broadway musical from the creators of "South Park" and the co-creator of Avenue Q announces an updated performance schedule beginning the week of June 4 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

Musical Mondays Los Angeles (Ryan O'Connor and Scott Nevins, Co-Producers/Hosts) previously announced that they would host an LA Gay Pride kick-off event Eleven Nightclub in West Hollywood. Featuring performances by Tony Award Winner LILLIAS WHITE (BROADWAY'S THE LIFE, H2$, DREAMGIRLS, FELA!, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, CHICAGO) plus cast members from the Broadway bound production HANDS ON A HARDBODY; ALLISON CASE (Broadway's HAIR, MAMMA MIA) KEALA SETTLE (Broadway's PRISCILA QUEEN OF THE DESRT/ HAIRSPRAY National Tour)) and JAY ARMSTRONG JOHNSON (Broadway's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HAIR, National Tour of A CHORUS LINE).

Musical Mondays Los Angeles (Ryan O'Connor and Scott Nevins, Co-Producers/Hosts) have announced that they will host an LA Gay Pride kick-off event Eleven Nightclub in West Hollywood. Featuring performances by Tony Award Winner LILLIAS WHITE (BROADWAY'S THE LIFE, H2$, DREAMGIRLS, FELA!, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, CHICAGO) plus cast members from the Broadway bound production HANDS ON A HARDBODY; ALLISON CASE (Broadway's HAIR, MAMMA MIA) KEALA SETTLE (Broadway's PRISCILA QUEEN OF THE DESRT/ HAIRSPRAY National Tour)) and JAY ARMSTRONG JOHNSON (Broadway's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HAIR, National Tour of A CHORUS LINE).

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation presented its annual Born for Broadway benefit, which will take place at the American Airlines Theatre, last night, May 21, 2012. Tony nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime) directed alongside Lawrence Yurman (On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Grey Gardens), who musical directed. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the red carpet and brings you photo coverage below.