Rita Moreno News

Deadline reports that Broadway, big and small screen vet Rita Moreno has signed on to co-star opposite Natasha Lyonne in NBC's OLD SOUL comedy pilot from Amy Poehler.

Craig Shemin, President of The Jim Henson Legacy and author of the lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched new Muppets Character Encyclopedia (2014, DK Publishing), will present a program featuring memorable moments from the biggest Muppet stars, as well as rare highlights of some lesser known characters featured in his book. The event, on Saturday, February 22, at 1:00 p.m., will include video clips and a Muppet trivia contest with prizes, followed by a book signing. Copies of the book are available for purchase in the Museum store.

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation has released its 2014 promo following its debut at the 20th Annual SAG Awards®. The entertaining teaser features an all-star cast of SAG Foundation supporters including Jake Gyllenhaal; Kerry Washington and the cast of 'Scandal'; John Goodman; Chiwetel Ejiofor; Bruce Dern; David Morrissey; Lizzy Caplan; Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews and the cast of 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'; Mindy Kaling and cast members of 'The Mindy Project'; SAG Life Achievement Recipient Rita Moreno; SAG Foundation Board Member Ron Perlman; and SAG Foundation President JoBeth Williams. Check it out below!

Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in the female version of Neil Simon's hilarious contemporary comic classic. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. And the Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same in director Mark Shepard's delightful production, February 14 through March 9 at the Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Drive in Novato.

Could Book of Mormon's Bobby Lopez be next in line to join the elite circle of entertainers?

Los cines Callao acogerán la sesión 'Hollywood Musical!' el próximo 2 de febrero. Se proyectarán las películas 'Siete novias para siete hermanos' y 'West Side Story'.

SAG-AFTRA presented its coveted Actor® statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2013 at the "20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" in ceremonies attended by film and television's leading actors, held Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. The "20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" was simulcast live coast-to-coast by TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (PT). A live stream of the SAG Awards® was also available for viewing online at sagawards.tntdrama.com and tbs.com, as well as through the Watch TBS and Watch TNT apps for iOS or Android. An encore presentation was telecast on TNT at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT).

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation has released the newest video to its children's literacy website Storyline Online (storylineonline.net): I Need My Monster, written by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam and read by legendary actress, singer and author Rita Moreno.

Today, we're featuring Rita Moreno, circa 1980. Moreno earned her Oscar in 1962 for her iconic portrayal of saucy Anita in 'West Side Story,' a role which drew on memories of the racial taunts she endured as a young Puerto Rican immigrant living in a Bronx 'barrio.' Her 1972 Grammy honored her performance on 'The Electric Company Album,' based on the long-running PBS children's literacy television series on which Moreno played multiple roles in a memorable cast that included Bill Cosby and Morgan Freeman. The Tony came for her 1975 satiric turn as flamboyant, talentless Puerto Rican bathhouse singer Googie Gomez in Broadway's 'The Ritz.' A six-time Emmy nominee, she won her first of the Television Academy's honors in 1977 for one of her many guest appearances on 'The Muppet Show.' The following year, she earned a second Emmy for her dramatic guest performance on 'The Rockford Files.'

The SAG Awards Ceremony Auction, the final auction in the online series benefiting the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, begins today, January 16 at 9 p.m. (ET) / 6 p.m. (PT) at sagawards.org/auction.

Morgan Freeman will present the SAG 50th Life Achievement Award to Rita Moreno at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Following the world premiere co-production at Kansas City Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse, playwright and performer Daniel Beaty brings The Tallest Tree in the Forest to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Beaty, whose work has been seen at Arena Stage as a playwright with his play Resurrection and as a performer in his award-winning solo play Emergency, channels close to 40 characters in The Tallest Tree in the Forest in a 'tour de force' (San Diego Reader) performance, giving audiences an intimate look at one of the most dynamic and controversial figures in history-artist and activist Paul Robeson. Tony Award nominee Moises Kaufman (playwright and director for Broadway's 33 Variations, which received its world premiere at Arena Stage in 2007) directs this music-infused new play that features 14 songs and an onstage band. Developed and produced by Tectonic Theater Project, The Tallest Tree in the Forest runs tonight, January 10-February 16, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater and will play the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles following the Arena Stage run.

Casting has been announced for the upcoming national tour of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT, the explosive Broadway hit, which makes its Washington premiere February 18 - 23 at National Theatre as part of the Broadway at the National subscription series.

The day Leonard Bernstein died, a sense of gut-wrenching loss pervaded the musical world. Anyone who had watched and listened to his extraordinary music making could not help but be affected by his passion and reverence for music. Those of us lucky enough to have known and worked with him and availed ourselves of his wisdom, still hold deep affection and respect for him, along with a feeling that we have been blessed many times over.

LA's Next Great Stage Star® 2014 sings in the New Year beginning Sunday, January 5 at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal, the most critically acclaimed concert supper club in the greater Los Angeles area.

While more than 50 InDepth InterViews were conducted in the 2013 calendar year and it is impossible to choose favorites, today we are highlighting some of the most uniquely arresting and singularly revealing conversations featured in BroadwayWorld's most popular and expansive interview series - including Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Josh Groban, Audra McDonald, Cameron Mackintosh, Stephen Sondheim, Joan Rivers, Jeremy Jordan, Megan Hilty, Bebe Neuwirth and many more!

On Saturday, January 11, 2014 the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) will host the organization's first Backyard Ball Performance and Gala to be held at the YoungArts Campus (2100 Biscayne Boulevard). The 2014 Arison Award Honorees are Pritzker Award Winning architect Zaha Hadid and Academy Award Winning singer, dancer, and actress, Rita Moreno. This year's Alumni Honoree is actor, singer and 1997 YoungArts Winner in Theater, Andrew Rannells. The celebratory evening of artistic immersion will bring together prominent artists, community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to recognize the 2014 YoungArts Winners. The gala is YoungArts' largest annual fundraiser and the culmination of YoungArts' signature program YoungArts Week which provides 171 of the nation's most outstanding young artists in the literary, performing, visual and design arts with life-changing experiences, including master classes, workshops, inter-disciplinary activities, performances and exhibitions.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are excited to welcome home San Francisco's own, legendary, award-winning, extraordinary performer Connie Champagne to Feinstein's at the Nikko for one performance only - tonight, December 18 at 8 p.m.

The National YoungArts Foundation today announced its 2014 YoungArts Winners. Out of approximately 11,000 applications, 687 young artists from 46 states have been recognized for their outstanding work and accomplishments in one of ten disciplines across the literary, performing, visual and design arts fields. A complete list of the Winners is available online at this link.

A new trailer for Twentieth Century Fox's RIO 2, featuring a flock of top actors and musical talents new to the franchise. Check out the trailer below!