"Now, there's a movie star!" quoth Eileen (Anjelica Huston) of Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman) following her breathy and spastic performance of a new Julia/Tom musical number for the Marilyn Monroe-based musical-within-the-show on SMASH - BOMBSHELL - titled "Dig Deep". While last night's "The Movie Star" episode of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH was light on the musical numbers - only Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Rebecca managed a musical moment - the drama was dense and delectable, with the rapport between the motley crew of characters comprising the enterprise improving by the week (and it started strong). Yet, despite the best efforts of Eileen, Tom (Christian Borle), Julia (Debra Messing) and Derek (Jack Davenport) in attempting to create a new version of the Marilyn musical that showcases her best (and limited) abilities. Rebecca is a tentative talent who lacks a lot in the vocal and dance departments - to say the least - yet it is undeniable that she also possesses a certain air of a star - perhaps because she is one; on SMASH (as in real life, given Thurman's A-list status), a big one. Portraying the movie star trying out a Broadway show for the first - and, most likely, last - time, Thurman brings a caustic, nutsy vibe to the seemingly bipolar screen siren - "36-ish", meaning more like 40-ish in actuality - and gives gravitas to the cartoonishly written role. Just as the Marilyn musical has shown its astonishing, chameleon-like adaptability in its iterations starring Karen and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) - not only in its star, but also in its style, sound, mood, conception and musical arrangements - now BOMBSHELL is being retrofitted for Rebecca. But, at what cost? Stripping the show of its big Broadway leading lady musical potential and showing off the supporting cast to take the focus off of the shaky star at the center, BOMBSHELL's "Dig Deep" yet again gave the simply astounding songwriting duo responsible for the songs of the shows-within-the-shows on SMASH (including all of the BOMBSHELL songstack heard and seen so far, as well as the glimpses at the previous Tom/Julia collaborations, HEAVEN & EARTH and THREE ON A MATCH) "Dig Deep" was a WEST SIDE STORY-esque hot jazz song complete with the syncopation and stylization implicit in the best songs of the Actors Studio era which the 50s-set scene set out to depict (Lee Strasberg and all).
Viola Davis News
Trinity Repertory Company announced today that Rhode Island's own Academy Award-nominated actress, Viola Davis, will be honored with the 2012 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at the 16th annual Pell Awards next month.
The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced that the 57th Annual Obie Awards will take place on Monday, May 21, 2012, at Webster Hall in the East Village (125 East 11th Street). This year's awards will be presented by: Eric McCormack, Grace Gummer, Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce, Juliet Rylance, Justin Bartha, Lily Rabe, Michael McKean, Topher Grace, Tracee Chimo. Entertainment and co-hosts to be announced.
Jessica Alba, Owen Wilson, Liev Schreiber and John Leguizamo recite poetry set to classic Disney animation in new installments of the acclaimed short-form series A POEM IS... premiering during National Poetry Month, MONDAY, APRIL 2 through SATURDAY, APRIL 21 (8:25 a.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel's Disney Junior.
Disney Junior, a 24-hour basic cable/satellite channel expressly for kids age 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, will launch FRIDAY, MARCH 23 (12:00 midnight, ET/PT) in the U.S., joining 28 other Disney Junior channels around the world.
Disney Junior, a 24-hour basic cable/satellite channel expressly for kids age 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, will launch FRIDAY, MARCH 23 (12:00 midnight, ET/PT) in the U.S., joining 28 other Disney Junior channels around the world.
Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah has signed on to star in and executive produce the Lifetime Original Movie Event, Steel Magnolias, a television adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film of the same name, reuniting her with her producing duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, from the Oscar and Golden Globe winning Chicago and Hairspray. (Zadan and Meron also produce Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva and Smash.) She will take on the role of 'M'Lynn' and star alongside an all-star cast that includes Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad as 'Clairee,' Golden Globe and multiple Emmy winner Alfre Woodard as 'Ouiser,' Grammy winner Jill Scott as 'Truvy,' Adepero Oduye as 'Annelle,' and Condola Rashad as 'Shelby.' The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.
Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner David Strathairn (Dr. Austin Sloper) will join Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Catherine Sloper) in the Tony Award®-winning play The Heiress. Written by Ruth Goetz & Augustus Goetz, The Heiress will be directed by Tony Award® nominated playwright and director Moisés Kaufman and will open in the Fall of 2012 at a theatre to be announced.
The 84th Annual Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011, hosted by Billy Crystal were presented on February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation was televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide. Check out photos below of the red carpet - glitz, glamour and fashion!
The 84th Annual Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011, hosted by Billy Crystal were presented on February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation was televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide. Check out photos below of the winners in the press room!
En esta noche de cine, la edición número 84 de los Premios de la Academia, 'The Artist' y 'Hugo' se han alzado con cinco Oscars cada uno, en una gala presentada por Billy Crystal en la que se ha vuelto a un estilo más clásico de ceremonia lleno de fantasía y entretenimiento que en anteriores ediciones.
With the Academy Awards just days away, E! Entertainment, in collaboration with The Hollywood Reporter, presents a series of intimate round-table interviews with past and present Oscar winners and nominees.
In a city like Hollywood that can make or break dreams, the path to fame and an Oscar nomination is not always lined with gold. As the 84th annual Academy Awards ceremony draws near, ABC News' '20/20' will air a special Oscars-themed edition of the broadcast, 'Before They Were Famous,' highlighting the early lives and careers of this year's nominees.
Winners of the 43rd annual NAACP Image Awards were presented last Friday, February 17th in Los Angeles. The Awards showcase the best achievements and performances of people of color in the arts featuring a star-studded lineup of performers, winners and presenters. Nominations were announced on Thursday, January 19, and included contributions in television, film, music and literature.
Celebration Theatre announced today a special benefit performance of the second show of its 2011-2012 Season, Leslie Jordan starring in the World Premiere of FRUIT FLY, written and performed by Leslie Jordan and directed by David Galligan.
The 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards were held on Friday, February 17 at the Shrine Auditorium. The awards were hosted by Sanaa Latham and Anthony Mackie. According to Deadline.com, 'The Help' was the big winner of the night, taking home the award for Outstanding Motion Picture. The film's stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer won Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.
Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is the story of award-winning director Kenny Leon bringing aspiring teenage actors to a Broadway stage in an intense August Wilson monologue competition.
As the countdown to the 84th Annual Academy Awards continues, ABC Daytime will feature Oscar Sunday-themed programming across the Daytime Emmy Award-winning show 'The View,' 'The Chew' and 'The Revolution.'
In a city like Hollywood that can make or break dreams, the path to fame and an Oscar nomination is not always lined with gold. As the 84th annual Academy Awards ceremony draws near, ABC News' '20/20' will air a special Oscars-themed edition of the broadcast, 'Before They Were Famous,' highlighting the early lives and careers of this year's nominees.
CBS has announced it's schedule of upcoming guests on LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN for the weeks of February 13th to March 1st.
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