Rita Moreno News

The Pyramid is back! As part of ABC's "Sunday Fun & Games," the Emmy® Award-winning pop-culture phenomenon is reimagined and better than ever. Featuring an all-star cast of celebrities who take center stage and partner with contestants from across the country competing against each other with hopes of making it to the winners' circle and the ultimate prize of $100,000, "The $100,000 Pyramid" premieres SUNDAY, JUNE 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Steven Spielberg's remake of WEST SIDE STORY is one of his next projects, and a casting notice that went out today confirms those rumors. Casting director Cindy Tolan is seeking actors to play the musical's four leading roles: Maria, Tony, Bernardo and Anita. All four actors must be able to sing, and Maria, Anita and Bernardo must be able to speak Spanish.

The Actors Fund - the national human services organization that that fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan - will celebrate Broadway's Biggest Night at the 22nd Annual Tony Awards® Viewing Party on Sunday, June 10, 2018 (3:30-8:00pm) at Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Emmy® and Tony Award® nominee Winnie Holzman will be honored with the Julie Harris Award for Artistic Achievement.

Hot off the heels of his triumphant performance as Judas in NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live, Tony Award nominee BRANDON VICTOR DIXON will be the headliner at TDF's 50th Anniversary Gala on Monday, June 18 at Manhattan's historic Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway @ 36th Street, NYC).

On Saturday, June 9 Berkeley Repertory Theatre invites guests to OVATION: 50 Years and Glowing, an evening to celebrate the organization's 50th anniversary by honoring the Theatre's past and toasting its future. The event will take place at 6PM at The Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.

One of the most beloved and captivating musicals in Hollywood history, 'West Side Story' will return to movie theaters for two days only this June as Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies expand the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series, which brings legendary motion pictures back to cinemas across the country every month. Further enhancing this big-screen presentation, TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz will introduce the film and present post-show commentary.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Steven Spielberg's remake of WEST SIDE STORY is one of his next projects, and a casting notice that went out today confirms those rumors. Casting director Cindy Tolan is seeking actors to play the musical's four leading roles: Maria, Tony, Bernardo and Anita. All four actors must be able to sing, and Maria, Anita and Bernardo must be able to speak Spanish.

King of Cuba, a new comedy by award-winning writer Cristina Garcia, opens with a press night on Saturday, July 21, and runs through August 19 (previews July 19 & 20) at the historic Berkeley City Club. The summer adventure of the Central Works 2018 season King of Cuba, is developed by Ms. Garcia in the Central Works Writers Workshop featuring the lesbian-gender-bending comedian Marga Gomez, and the Grammy-winning "bongocero" Carlos Caro. All are Cubanx celebrities living in the Bay Area. Directed by Gary Graves, the full cast includes Marco Aponte, Leticia Duarte, Elena Garrity, Marga Gomez*, Ben Ortega and Steve Ortiz.(*SAG)

George Street Playhouse has announced that its Annual Gala Benefit - a one-of-a-kind evening featuring stars of Broadway, film and television - will take place Sunday, May 6, 2018, 5 p.m., at The Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick. This year, George Street Playhouse celebrates the Arthur Laurents Centennial - a tribute to the playwright on what would have been his 100th birthday - and honors Dr. Penelope Lattimer, the Playhouse's current Board President, with the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award.

On this day in 1962, the groundbreaking screen adaptation of Jerome Robbin's West Side Story swept the Academy Awards, taking home a whopping ten wins, including Best Picture. Check out archived footage below to see Rita Moreno, George Charkiris, and the whole West Side Story team take home awards for this silver screen classic!

Every Act of Life, directed and written by Jeff Kaufman. Produced by Jeff Kaufman, Marcia Ross. Will have its world debut at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festical on April 23rd. Every Act of Life presents a revealing portrait of four-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally's groundbreaking life and work of 4-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally: a personal journey through 5-decades of the American theatre, the struggle for LGBT rights, triumph over addiction,  the power of the arts to shape society, and finding love and inspiration at all ages.

TDF, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone, which is celebrating 50 years of service to audiences and the performing arts community in 2018, has announced it will be honoring Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright TONY KUSHNER at its 50th Anniversary Gala on Monday, June 18 at Manhattan's historic Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway @ 36th Street, NYC). Mr. Kushner's masterwork, Angels in America, is currently receiving its first Broadway revival with the National Theatre production at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Maestro LUKE FRAZIER and THE AMERICAN POPS ORCHESTRA - Washington, DC's innovative hometown orchestra - has announced the winners of their first annual vocal competition, "NextGen: Finding The Voices of Tomorrow." The First Place female winner is Nia Savoy (Howard University) and the First Place male winner is Evan LaChance (The Catholic University of America).

Following the announcement of kicking off Opening Night with the world premiere of Steven Tyler's documentary OUT ON A LIMB, the Nashville Film Festival continues its lineup for the ten-day festival (May 10-19, 2018) with the announcement of 48 additional feature films in Narrative, Documentary, New Directors and Graveyard Shift competitions. Capturing the essence of today's most relevant social issues, historical stories and more, these 48 films hail from China, South Africa, Netherlands, Denmark, India, France and more, as well as 31 from the U.S. A jury of industry professionals will select the winning films that will take home up to $20,000 in cash and prizes.

One Day at a Time has been renewed for Season 3. Thirteen half-hour episodes, coming in 2019. Returning cast includes Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Todd Grinnell, Stephen Toblowsky, Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz. Executive Producers include Norman Lear, co-creators/co-showrunners Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce, Michael Garcia and Brent Miller. Produced by Sony Pictures Television for Netflix. 

Starting next month, Book-It Repertory Theatre is hosting Literature to Life/Young Audiences of New York to present a stage adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Junot Diaz was adapted and directed for the stage byElise Thoron and will be performed by Elvis Nolasco ("American Crime", "She's Gotta Have It"). This collaboration across the coasts is the first time Book-It has hosted another company in its 28-year history.

One Arm is Moises Kaufman's adaptation of a screenplay by Tennessee Williams, based on his short story of the same title. A navy veteran and boxer who lost his arm in a car accident must resort to hustling on Canal Street to make his living. When a john pushes him too far, though, he finds himself on death row. He escapes into the correspondence of his past clients for spiritual salvation until his number is up. Produced by The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans in conjunction with the TW/NOLF. Directed by Augustin J Correro. 

Academy Award and Golden Globe winning performer George Chakiris and acclaimed dancer, Barrie Chase have been named the honorees for the Professional Dancers Society's (PDS) annual Gypsy Awards Luncheon, it was announced by PDS President, Mitzi Gaynor and PDS Board Chairman, Joni Berry.  Emmy and Grammy nominated choreographer/director/singer Toni Basil will receive the organization's Choreographer's Award.  PDS' 31st Anniversary Luncheon will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (9876 Wilshire Blvd.) in Beverly Hills, CA.

NiCori Studios & Productions announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, 'Music at the Mansion", on Sunday, March 25, at 3pm at the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center in Bloomfield, NJ.  Performers include Jennylind Parris, Bob Diamond and Lisa Viggiano .  The Young Musician Moment will be Katherine Stelma.

REPRISE 2.0 is now announced, presenting a season of three classic American musicals at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, by Marcia Seligson, Producing Artistic Director of the new performing arts organization.  REPRISE 2.0 is partnering with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Department of Theater (UCLA TFT), chaired by Brian Kite.