Rhys Ernst News

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced complete casting for the Special Benefit Concert Reading of The Pirates of Penzance. The concert will be taking place on Monday, October 17, 2022 at the American Airlines Theatre. 

Roundabout Theatre Company will present a special Benefit Concert Reading of The Pirates of Penzance, the Tony Award-winning musical adapted by Rupert Holmes, with music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W.S. Gilbert and direction by Scott Ellis. 

More than a dozen renowned filmmakers and industry veterans will be in attendance from the US and around the world. The inaugural Chandler Living Legacy Award will be presented to Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, producer and Penn State alumni Keegan-Michael Key.

Outfest has launched its 2020 Outfest Screenwriting Lab. The Lab has selected eight scripts that reflect Outfest's mission to advance the visibility of LGBTQIA+ stories and experiences in media.

Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC) presents The Body Electric, a major exhibition that looks at our fraught relationship to technology, particularly the increasingly inescapable interface between our bodies and screens.

Deadline has reported that Colton Ryan and Nik Dodani have joined the cast Universal's film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen. Dodani will play Jared and Ryan will play Connor.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center has announced the LA premiere of a new solo show, To T, or not To T?, written and performed by D'Lo, the acclaimed queer/transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan-American actor/writer/comedian. Directed by award-winning director/author/actress Adelina Anthony, opening is set for Friday, October 4, at 8pm. The run will continue through October 27 in the Davidson/Valentini Theatre.

Celebrate diversity in film achievement with the 11th annual Fort Lauderdale Edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a bi-annual film festival designed to inspire, entertain, educate and encourage a sense of community through international and culturally diverse media that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the LGBTQ+ experience. Presented by Gilead, Broward County, and Culture Builds Florida, this year's hotly anticipated film festival will spotlight 33 stirring, contemplative, comedic and creative full-length features plus 18 inventive shorts from 13 countries, panel discussions with filmmakers and talent, and various parties and special events.

The 11th annual Fort Lauderdale Edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a bi-annual film festival designed to inspire, entertain, educate and encourage a sense of community through international and culturally diverse media that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the LGBTQ+ experience, will take place October 10 a?" 20, 2019. Presented by Gilead, Broward County, and Culture Builds Florida, this year's hotly anticipated film festival will spotlight 33 stirring, contemplative, comedic and creative full-length features plus 18 inventive shorts from 13 countries, panel discussions with filmmakers and talent, and various parties and special events. Films will be screened at the Museum of Discovery & Science AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater (401 SW 2nd Street) the Classic Gateway Theatre (1820 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale) and Savor Cinema (503 Southeast 6th Street).

The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center has announced the LA premiere of a new solo show, To T, or not To T, written and performed by D'Lo, the acclaimed queer/transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan-American actor/writer/comedian. Directed by award-winning director/author/actress Adelina Anthony, there will be one preview performance on Thursday, October 3, at 8pm and opening is set for Friday, October 4, at 8pm. The run will continue through October 27 in the Davidson/Valentini Theatre.

Sundance Institute today announced Fellows and Advisors for the five-day 2019 Creative Producing Labs, as well as the three-day Creative Producing Summit which immediately follows; both take place at Utah's Sundance Mountain Resort. The Labs begins July 29, and the Summit August 2. These are the flagship convenings for the Institute's Creative Producing Program, which champions and develops current and rising generations of producers across fiction and nonfiction film.

Celebrating its 37th anniversary, Outfest - the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization promoting equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBTQ stories on the screen - today announced the complete programming lineup for the 2019 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, presented by HBO. The nation's leading LGBTQ festival will be held July 18-28, 2019.

Utah Film Center announced today the feature films selected for the 16th annual Damn These Heels Film Festival and new elements to the Festival for film lovers, filmmakers, and all storytellers. Damn These Heels will run July 12 - 14, 2019 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center and is a festival for all that explores LGBTQ issues, ideas, and art through independent, documentary, and foreign films from around the world. Passes and tickets are now on sale on the Utah Film Center's website. Additional titles will be announced on the website leading up to the Festival.

Outfest – the Los Angeles based non-profit organization promoting equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBTQ stories on the screen – today announced its 2019 Achievement Award recipient, Nisha Ganatra, and its galas, including Opening and Closing Night, for the 2019 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, presented by HBO. The nation's premiere LGBTQ festival will be held July 18-28, 2019.

The 29th annual Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival (Inside Out), championing innovative LGBTQ filmmakers from across the globe, revealed its full feature and short film lineup. The announcement was made today by Inside Out's Executive Director Andria Wilson and the festival's Director of Programming Andrew Murphy. Inside Out, which launched the first ever annual LGBTQ Film Finance Forum, has established itself as an international home and incubator for LGBTQ emerging and established filmmakers. This year's festival will take place May 23 to June 2, 2019.

The fourth annual FilmTwo Initiative launches today in LA to support the career sustainability of thirteen artists developing their second features. FilmTwo encompasses two days of focused programming, including a writing workshop (led by Joan Tewkesbury), industry mentoring sessions, and one-on-one story meetings, kicking off a year of tailored creative and tactical support as part of the Institute's continuum of support for artists at key inflection points in their careers. The FilmTwo Initiative is supported by Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.

The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the showcase of new independent feature films selected across all categories for the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival hosts screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, from January 24 - February 3, 2019.

Alex Poots, Artistic Director and CEO of The Shed, today announced that 52 emerging artists and collectives living or working in New York City have been commissioned to create new work as part of The Shed's inaugural Open Call program. Developed specifically for New York City artists who have not yet had opportunities to create new work with full support from a large cultural institution, Open Call is integral to The Shed's vision: to develop and present the full spectrum of performing arts, visual arts, and pop culture, under one roof, for all audiences. Open Call debuts in The Shed's 2019 season, with works continuing to be presented into 2020.

From the studio that produced the hit podcast, Missing Richard Simmons, Topic Studios today announced they are partnering with the award-winning John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, How to Talk to Girls at Parties) for a pioneering new podcast, "Anthem." This edgy anthology series will tell a unique American story though a distinct musical voice, with each season pairing an iconic songwriter with an experienced storyteller to bring audiences a fascinating tale from a neglected corner of the country. "Anthem" is currently in production and will be available to audiences later this year.

Point Foundation (Point) will honor innovative TV and film writer, director, and producer Jill Soloway with the Point Impact Award at the Point Honors Los Angeles gala October 7.