Paul Davis News

It's incredibly rare when I venture out to see a high school production, but Houston ISD's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) definitely piqued my interest when I saw they were producing AVENUE Q. First and foremost, I wanted to see how Jeff Whitty, Jeff Marx, and Robert Lopez's irreverent and controversial musical was adjusted for high school performers. Secondly, the kids at HSPVA are being trained to be professional theater's next generation of quality talent, so having the opportunity to see incredible kids perform is always intriguing as well. Needless to say, HSPVA's production of AVENUE Q is performed well, hysterical, and only mildly toned down from the original.

Stars and casts from the current Broadway line-up have been busy in the studio, recording for the 2013 Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 15. Singing traditional and original holiday songs, this annual holiday music CD benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photos from Newsies' recording session for 'Take Me to Manhattan in December' with castmembers Hogan Fulton, Tommy Martinez, Stuart Marland, Andy Richardson, Iain Young, John Michael Fiumara, Evan Kasprzak, Mark Aldrick, Joshua Colley, Luca Padovan, Joshua Colley, Luca Padovan, Liana Hunt, Kara Lindsay, Vanessa Brown and Julie Foldesi.

The world's most notorious band will be coming back to the world's most notorious city this fall, when Mötley Crüe returns to Las Vegas. The rockers best known for going to the extreme will once again take over the stage at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive twelve- show engagement tonight, September 18 through October 6. The band blew away fans and critics last February with twelve over-the-top, sold-out shows.

This weekend, dinosaurs were spotted in Chapel Hill. Wagon Wheel Arts' production of Triassic Parq played the Kenan Theatre from Thursday through Sunday. The show follows the same dinosaurs made famous by the film Jurassic Park, but explores the lives of those dinosaurs in a whole new way. These dinosaurs deal with religion, hormones, and the very notion of freedom itself - through song and dance, naturally.

This weekend, dinosaurs are taking over Chapel Hill. Presented by Wagon Wheel Arts, catch Triassic Parq at the Kenan Theatre at the Center for Dramatic Art in Chapel Hill. I had the chance to peek in on a rehearsal and talk to a few cast members to get a glimpse of what audiences will see this coming weekend.

The Casting Society of America (CSA) announced today the nominees for the organization's 29th Annual Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting, given in 22 categories including film, television and theater. The CSA will fete their own on Monday, November 18, 2013 with award ceremonies to be held simultaneously at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles (reception will commence at 6:00 p.m. PDT) and at XL Nightclub, Cabaret & Lounge (512 West 42nd Street) in New York (reception will commence at 6:00 p.m. EDT). Honorees for this year's Career Achievement Award, Hoyt Bowers Award and The New York Apple will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

The Casting Society of America (CSA) announced today the nominees for the organization's 29th Annual Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting, given in 22 categories including film, television and theater.

SAINT JANET stars Tony Award winner Kelly Bishop (Six Degrees of Separation, Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, Bunheads) in the title role

We are proud to announce the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge will be coming to the area in a few weeks. The event is being offered to promote the physical fitness of firefighters, and will be part of the 20-plus Challenge tour to be held throughout the United States in 2013.

Long Wharf Theatre concludes its 2012-13 season with Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris, and directed by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting. The play will take place on The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Mainstage from tonight, May 8, 2013 through June 2, 2013.

Long Wharf Theatre concludes its 2012-13 season with Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris, and directed by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting. The play will take place on The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Mainstage from May 8, 2013 through June 2, 2013.

In all honesty, there really is nothing more fun than seeing the next generation of musical theatre talent put on a great production of one of Broadway's mega-hits. Fortunately for Houston audiences, that's exactly what is happening in HSPVA's Black Box Theatre, as the school presents Jonathan Larson's RENT. Even with some altered lyrics and cut songs, the edgy production pushes envelopes as far as a public high school production can. Please note, the production is still recommended for mature audiences only.

The world's most notorious band will be coming back to the world's most notorious city this fall, when Mötley Crüe returns to Las Vegas. The rockers best known for going to the extreme will once again take over the stage at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive twelve- show engagement September 18 through October 6. The band blew away fans and critics last February with twelve over-the-top, sold-out shows.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino welcomed Andrew Dice Clay to his new home at Vinyl with a memorabilia case dedication on Tuesday, March 12.

Yoshi's San Francisco announces updated calendar for club and restaurant February 12 - March 11, 2013. For more information on these shows, go to yoshis.com/sanfrancisco.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) honors James McMullan-one of America's foremost illustrators-with the Masters Series Award and retrospective exhibition. Best known for his Lincoln Center Theater posters and his psychologically intense style of realism, he has also designed and illustrated many magazine articles, book and album covers, and advertisements. "The Masters Series: James McMullan" is on view from today, November 26 through December 15 at SVA Gallery, 209 East 23 Street, New York City.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) will honor James McMullan-one of America's foremost illustrators-with the Masters Series Award and retrospective exhibition. Best known for his Lincoln Center theater posters and his psychologically intense style of realism, he has also designed and illustrated many magazine articles, book and album covers, and advertisements. "The Masters Series: James McMullan" is on view from November 26 through December 15 at SVA Gallery, 209 East 23 Street, New York City.