Ryan Murphy News

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is set to present its 3rd annual GARAGE REP, featuring three productions in rotating repertory by some of Chicago's most innovative storefront companies: LiveWire Chicago, Theatre Zarko and The Inconvenience.

According to reports from Fox News, Toby Keith's latest hit, 'Red Solo Cup' will be featured on an upcoming episode of GLEE in early December. 'Red Solo Cup' has had over 3 million online views and is off of Keith's latest album 'Clancy's Tavern.'

Today we are talking to one of the brightest stars on Broadway whose career has virtually exploded over the last few years with recurring roles on Fox's hit musical dramedy series GLEE, as well as NBC's multi-award-winning 30 ROCK - in addition to his newly minted classic character in the canon of unforgettable personalities on Larry David's HBO series CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM - the astonishingly gifted Cheyenne Jackson. Talking all about his Broadway roots and starring in musicals such as XANADU, FINIAN'S RAINBOW, ALL SHOOK UP and more, Jackson and I also discuss some of his favorite performers and co-stars and he shares fond remembrances of musicals and appearances past, as well as looks ahead to what he would like to do in the future, both near and far. Jackson also reveals what the next few months hold - the early 2012 return of 30 ROCK; the release of his new film THE GREEN - and describes what audiences can expect from his 50s and 60s-themed Carnegie Hall concert on November 18, CHEYENNE JACKSON'S COCKTAIL HOUR: MUSIC OF THE MAD MEN ERA. Plus, first news on his self-penned solo album with collaborator/muse Sia, as well as his upcoming film appearances - and much, much more!

Tony Award winner Idina Menzel will take the stage in Kansas City at the Kauffman Center on November 12, 2011. Tickets are now on sale HERE, ranging from $49.50 - $95.00. As previously reported by BWW, Menzel had to cancel several of her November concert engagements to accommodate her GLEE filming schedule. Menzel was given a 12 episode arc in the upcoming third season of the show and will be filming throughout the fall. For a complete list of Menzel's still scheduled tour dates, visit www.idinamenzel.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to present its 3rd annual GARAGE REP, featuring three productions in rotating repertory by some of Chicago's most innovative storefront companies: LiveWire Chicago, Theatre Zarko and The Inconvenience.

Today we are talking to a Broadway stalwart with a string of hit shows on his resume - CATS, A CHORUS LINE, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, THE WHO'S TOMMY, CHICAGO and more included - as well as hit solo albums of his own, such as his new release CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME; the one and only Matt Zarley. He also shares all about the shoot for the three music videos for the songs on his new dance album - "WTF" and "Forgive Me" included. Additionally, he shares his thoughts on Broadway now versus when he started out in the late-80s, Gillian Lynne versus Michael Bennett, as well as opinions on GLEE, his own favorite shows and scores, co-stars' careers and much, much more!

Actress Tanya Clarke been cast in the part of Sam's mother on GLEE, reports TV Guide. Clarke is likely best known for her role on 'Guiding Light' in addition to being featured in 2002's I'M NOT RAPPAPORT on Broadway. This season's eighth episode will be her first appearance on GLEE; the episode is also the first that Chord Overstreet has reprised his role as Sam since departing as a series regular.

Stage and screen star John Schneider is set to appear on the eighth episode of FOX's Glee, according to TVLine.com. He will play the father of Sam.

'Smallville' actor John Schneider has landed the part of Sam's father on GLEE, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The first episode for the actor (this season's eighth episode) will also mark the first episode that Chord Overstreet has reprised his role as Sam.

While GLEE's Ryan Murphy's is working on a big screen adaptation of 'The Normal Heart', Larry Kramer is still looking to spread the message of the play on stage. Kramer told Metro Weekly: 'Daryl Roth has been the most amazing producer anyone could ever work with. She's just in love with this play, and she pledged to me that she would take it on tour and that she would get it done in England. And she's working toward both of those.

Coming after a nearly month-long mini-hiatus following the superb "Asian F" in early October, the gleeks of McKinley High on GLEE swept back onto the main stage last night with the hotly anticipated "Pot O' Gold" episode, which introduced new recurring cast members and THE GLEE PROJECT co-winner, Damian McGinty in the tailor-made role of sassy and offensive Rory Flanagan. While McGinty proved to be a winning addition to the roundly respectable line-up of GLEE Season Three, once again the musical performance highlight of the night goes to new GLEE regular Darren Criss - alongside show standout Lea Michele and the rest of the glee club - and their electrifying take on Katy Perry's campy anthem "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)". Much like with Lea Michele's emotionally shattering "Firework", once again a Katy Perry anthem has been rendered even better than the huge hit original by the gleeks of GLEE. Also, "Pot O' Gold" - directed by HAIRSPRAY movie musical helmer Adam Shankman - continued the season-long character arc of Tony-winning Broadway star Idina Menzel, in the role of rival McKinley glee club director Shelby Corcoran, and further developed her complex relationship with Quinn and Puck, played by sensitive Dianna Agron and imposingly forceful Mark Salling - the latter of whom contributed an emotionally charged and displayed his rarely seen softer side with his sensitive rendering of the 80s Foreigner power ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You". McGinty's two selections - Teddy Thompson's "Take Care Of Yourself" and Kermit The Frog's "Bein' Green" - were relatively lucky and charmed introductions to the foreign exchange student character. Additionally, Mercedes, Santana and Brittany also got a Christina Aguilera/BURLESQUE-esque moment in the spotlight with their sweet and sexy "Candyman" (written by Linda Perry) as the newly formed girl-group The Troubletones. So, as for the rest of "Pot O' Gold" and how the songs stacked up in their dramatic context - as well as virtually everything else? Read on! The rainbow certainly ends with a shiny, gleaming pot o' gold - and maybe a leprechaun or two to love, too! Thank goodness it's Tuesday (or was) - and thank St. Patrick it's GLEE! After all, we've been waiting for a GLEE like this all October!

On tonight's highly anticipated return of GLEE, the Glee Project co-winner Damian McGinty makes his debut as foreign-exchange student Rory Flanagan.

As previously reported, Damian McGinty, one of the season one THE GLEE PROJECT winners, will play an Irish exchange studunt this fall. According to TVGuide.com, McGinty willl star as 'Rory Flanagan' for at least seven episodes. McGinty commented: 'I am having the time of my life. Rory is living with Brittany [Heather Morris], who thinks he is her own personal leprechaun only she can see.'

Deadline reports that the FX Network President John Landgraf has announced the renewal of its series AMERICAN HORROR STORY for a second season with an order for 13 additional new episodes from Twentieth Century Fox Television.

FX will air a special Halloween marathon of the new hit drama American Horror Story featuring the first four episodes of the series on Monday, October 31 beginning at 10:00 PM E/P. In addition to the Halloween marathon, series Co-Creators and Executive Producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have produced a special two-part Halloween-themed episode in honor of the horror-filled holiday; the first hour airs Wednesday, October 26 at 10:00 PM ET/PT and the second airs Wednesday, November 2 at the same time. Feature film star Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) guest stars in both episodes as one of the house's former owners.

From Ryan Murphy, the creator and Emmy award-winning executive producer of 'Glee,' and executive producer of 'Glee' Dante di Loreto, 'The Glee Project' is a 10-episode competition series seeking to find the next star of 'Glee' and will award one winner with the ultimate prize of a seven-episode role in season three of the hit FOX show.

From the anthem hit 'Don't Stop Believin' to the iconic rendition of 'Vogue' to the pop phenomenon 'Teenage Dream,' GLEE has sold more than 36 million songs. Now GLEE has reached another impressive milestone: 300 musical performances. The 300th performance, a momentous mash-up of 'Rumor Has It - Someone Like You,' will debut in the upcoming all-new episode of GLEE airing Tuesday, Nov. 15 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, GLEE will celebrate its 300th musical performance on the November 15th episode when Amber Riley, Naya Rivera and Heather Morris, and other stars of the show perform Adele's 'Rumor Has It'/'Someone Like You'.

GLEE has had its fair share of Broadway guest stars on the musical FOX show, but one who likely won't be returning is Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth.

Chord Overstreet will return to GLEE's McKinley High as underdog SAM EVANS for a multi-episode arc beginning this December Fox officially announced today.