Whitney Houston News

It's another week of performances on Ammmerican Idol! This week, Gwen Stefani and No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal are the guest coaches, Tommy Hilfiger makes an inconspicuous disappearance from the show and Ryan reminds us that this week is eighties week with an old picture of Randy.

Carbonell nominated actress and acclaimed jazz artist Paulette Dozier will star as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, playwright Lanie Robertson's portrait of the legendary jazz singer in performance four months before her death. The play, which will be produced by the Boca Raton Theatre Guild, will run for four performances only - April 27-29th at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.

SPARKLE is set to be released in theaters on August 24th by Sony Pictures. The project marks the final film by the late, legendary singer and actress Whitney Houston. Houston died in February in her hotel room in Beverly Hills. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning. A trailer for the film debuted on this morning's TODAY show.

BET invites viewers to 'Rise Up! Renew! Rejoice!' on Palm Sunday, April 1st at 8 p.m.* for the 12th annual CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL.

On Sun, April 1st, 2012 at 7:30pm - Upright Cabaret and Chris Isaacson proudly present An Evening with YVETTE CASON starring Yvette Cason (Dreamgirls, Play On!) at the Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 West Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028.

BET invites viewers to 'Rise Up! Renew! Rejoice!' on Palm Sunday, April 1st at 8 p.m.* for the 12th annual CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL. The highly anticipated music special airs for the first time in its 12 year history during the Easter Season, further enriching the power, meaning and significance of the 'Celebration of Gospel.'

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron - executive producers of NBC TV's just-renewed series Smash, and currently represented on Broadway with the popular revival of the Frank Loesser musical How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - make their first appearance on THEATER TALK in an all-new interview premiering Friday, March 30 (2012) at 1 a.m. on Thirteen, followed by airings on CUNY TV Saturday (8:30 PM), Sunday (12:30 PM) and Monday (7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM).

WhatsOnStage.com reports that the musical version of Whitney Houston's film The Bodyguard will begin previews November 6 at West End's Adelphi Theatre. An official opening will likely occur in December. The musical will be directed by Thea Sharrock and will feature Tony Award winning actress Heather Headley as the leading lady. Michael Harrison and David Ian produce.

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron - executive producers of NBC TV's just-renewed series Smash, and currently represented on Broadway with the popular revival of the Frank Loesser musical How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - make their first appearance on THEATER TALK in an all-new interview premiering Friday, March 30 (2012) at 1 a.m. on Thirteen, followed by airings on CUNY TV Saturday (8:30 PM), Sunday (12:30 PM) and Monday (7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM).

Whitney Houston's THE BODYGUARD will be shown in U.S. theaters throughout the country on today in celebration of the film's 20th anniversary.

Fresh off of its Season 14 launch, Dancing with the Stars, ABC's leading entertainment show, produced by BBC Worldwide Productions, is bringing a production exclusively to the New Tropicana Las Vegas. The live show, directed by Amy Tinkham and choreographed by Australian sensation Jason Gilkison, kicks off a 12-week run beginning Saturday, April 14.

According to the star's official web site, Nederlander Presentations, Inc. will announce that Grammy® Nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox will star as Lucy in the international musical sensation JEKYLL & HYDE that returns to Broadway in April 2013 following a 25-week National Tour. The tour will launch at San Diego's Civic Theatre in San Diego, California on October 2, 2012. Cox will star alongside the previously announced Tony Award Nominee Constantine Maroulis in the title dual role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde.

Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and Bob Bartner are delighted to announce that 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL will have its UK Premiere at the Manchester Opera House on Friday 12 October 2012. Tickets will go on sale in all venues at 4.51pm (nine to five!) on Tuesday 27 March.

In the latest edition of Dolly's Video Diary, Dolly Parton Talks about her upcoming 9 to 5 UK Tour, the possibility of a new autobiographical musical, Dollywood, and what's she's been up to since her last tour. Watch the video below!

Texas Performing Arts celebrates the Butler School of Music's annual Longhorn Jazz Festival with a performance from the UT Jazz Orchestra joined by Grammy Award-winning bassist and composer John Clayton in the intimate and acoustically rich Bates Recital Hall.

People.com reports that the Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed today that the official cause of death of the late singer Whitney Houston was an 'accidental drowning'.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, producers Michael Harrison and David Ian will present THE BODYGUARD, a musical based on Whitney Houston's film of the same name. According to Baz Bamigboye for Daily Mail, the show is set to open in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre in November.

Mail Online reports that Dolly Parton will take her musical 9 to 5 on tour in the UK, kicking off October 12 at the Manchester Opera House.

Now back in Los Angeles where it all began, the five-time Tony Award nominated 80's musical ROCK OF AGES is once again rockin' the stage of the Pantages Theatre for a strictly limited one-week engagement through March 25. Right before the show's L.A. return, BroadwayWorld subjected ROCK OF AGES' leading lady Shannon Mullen to a series of silly, rapid-fire questions.

Singer, songwriter and activist Gavin Creel's newest solo album, Get Out, is now available on iTunes and Amazon.com. Last night, Creel previewed songs from the album at two sold-out concerts at Joe's Pub, streamed on LiveStream for fans across the country (http://new.livestream.com/joespub/gavincreel).