William H. Macy News

The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival concluded its 10-day festival of can't miss events with a sold-out screening of hillbilly. On Friday, May 18, the highly-anticipated announcement of the 2018 Feature Award Winners were announced. Winning films were selected from a jury from industry representatives from across the country.

2018 Nashville Film Festival Opening Weekend Included 2018 Short Award Recipients Announcement

The Actors' Gang presents Angels, Devils and Other Things, an evening of eleven original short plays written and directed by The Actors' Gang ensemble that begins previews on Thursday, May 17, has its world premiere on Saturday, May 19 and runs through Saturday, June 16, 2018.

The 49th annual Nashville Film Festival will be the last for Ted Crockett serving as its CEO. With creative and business opportunities ahead of him, Crockett plans to exit his role effective May 31, 2018 after fifteen years at the festival. The Nashville Film Festival Board has begun an executive search for the Executive Director who will lead the festival into its 50th year in 2019 and beyond. A detailed job description and opportunity to apply can be found on Indeed.com as well as other career search websites.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) announces a one-week extension of the New York premiere production of The Great Leap, written by Lauren Yee and directed by Taibi Magar. The production, which opens on Monday, June 4th, will now play through Sunday, June 24th, 2018 Off-Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company's Stage 2 (330 West 16th Street).

In two weeks, the 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival will commence with 10 days of can't miss screenings and events. In addition to the previously announced films being shown, the following have been added to the lineup:

The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival continues its announcement of incredible star-power participation with acclaimed actor and director Colin Hanks confirmed to attend a special screening of his acclaimed 2015 Tower Records documentary All Things Must Pass followed by an intimate Q&A. This marks the Nashville premiere of the documentary which explores the rise and fall of Tower Records and its legacy forged by its founder Russ Solomon and its place in the music industry. The special screening will take place at on Thursday, May 17 (7 pm) at Regal Hollywood 27, tickets will be available for individual purchase to NashFilm members on Monday, April 16 and to the public on Wednesday, April 18. General Admission tickets will be $15.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce casting for the New York premiere production of The Great Leap, written by Lauren Yee and directed by Taibi Magar.

KRYSTAL is an ensemble comedic drama about Taylor Ogburn, a young sheltered man from the South with a strange heart condition. Because of his ailment, he can't go to college - let alone drink or do drugs or experience life in any real way. Upon meeting the woman of his dreams - an ex-hooker-stripper-junkie-alcoholic with a sixteen year old son in a wheelchair - Taylor pretends to be in AA to try and woo her. His fabulously talented family (who perhaps actually belong in AA) not surprisingly have a thing or two to say about Taylor falling for this beguiling and unpredictable woman. Past transgressions smash head on with young love, causing complications for everyone involved but In order to have even a hint of a chance to come out the other side, Taylor must face his own demons and learn what it means to live without fear and finally become a man.

The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival continues its rollout of film announcements with the seven selected Documentary Special Presentations that include the World Premiere of James Keach's Turning Point. Music journeys will also be depicted in The King, starring Alec Baldwin, Tony Brown, Chuck D, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke and Radney Foster, It All Begins with a Song and Sammy Davis Jr.: I've Got To Be Me, starring Sammy Davis Jr., Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Billy Crystal and Quincy Jones. The 2018 Documentary Special Presentations will also include the Tennessee Premiere of Hal, starring Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Jon Voight, Judd Apatow and Rosanna Arquette and the Southeast US Premiere of One Vote starring Warren Buffett.

The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival continues its expansion of film screenings with an international roster of twenty-eight Special Presentations, Animated Feature, Spectrum and Spectrum Q films including the world premiere of BENCHED, produced by Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, ON CHESIL BEACH, starring Saoirse Ronan, fresh off her award winning role in Lady Bird, HOT SUMMER NIGHTS, starring Timothée Chalamet, whose role in Call Me By Your Name was critically acclaimed, BRAMPTON'S OWN, starring Rose McIver, Spencer Grammer and Jean Smart, as well as the 50th anniversary screening of ROSEMARY'S BABY, starring Mia Farrow, and a special screening of JURASSIC PARK, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong and Samuel L. Jackson. Other leading talent include Daveed Diggs, Alexander McQueen, John C. McGinley and many more.

 On the heels of announcing that Steven Tyler's documentary OUT ON A LIMB would open the 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival, the festival continued its lineup of major talent participation with today's announcement of the Music Films/Music City Selections for the 2018 Festival (May 10-19, 2018). Films featuring artists as diverse as David Letterman, Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant, Brian “Head” Welch of KoRn, The Edge and Al Sharpton are included in this competition of films about music, musicians and the impact music has on our lives.

The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival continues its rollout of film announcements with the seven selected Tennessee First films that include the World Premiere of Other Versions of You and Straight Up: Kentucky Bourbon as well as the Southeast US Premiere of Triumph starring and narrated by Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker.

KRYSTAL is an ensemble comedic drama about Taylor Ogburn, a young sheltered man from the South with a strange heart condition. Because of his ailment, he can't go to college - let alone drink or do drugs or experience life in any real way. Upon meeting the woman of his dreams - an ex-hooker-stripper-junkie-alcoholic with a sixteen year old son in a wheelchair - Taylor pretends to be in AA to try and woo her. His fabulously talented family (who perhaps actually belong in AA) not surprisingly have a thing or two to say about Taylor falling for this beguiling and unpredictable woman. Past transgressions smash head on with young love, causing complications for everyone involved but In order to have even a hint of a chance to come out the other side, Taylor must face his own demons and learn what it means to live without fear and finally become a man.

GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter, philanthropist, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, and iconic music legend Steven Tyler will be taking over Nashville starting Thursday, May 10, as Nashville Mayor David Briley proclaims the day "Steven Tyler Day" in Music City. The honor will be bestowed upon Tyler prior to the World Premiere of the new documentary film Steven Tyler: Out on a Limb, which opens the 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival that night.

Today, Jelani Alladin speaks exclusively with BWW about making his Broadway debut in FROZEN and bringing new twists and turns to this beloved story.

The Actors' Gang has announced an extension of "The New Colossus" due to strong ticket sales. The production will now continue through May 12 at The Actors' Gang Theater. Directed by Tim Robbins and written The Actors' Gang ensemble and The Actors' Gang's Artistic Director, Tim Robbins. The world premiere of The New Colossus began previews on February 8 and opened on February 17, 2018. Six new performances have been added on Saturday nights at 8:00pm - April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, and closing night, May 12.

Award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director David Mamet tackles America's most controversial topic in a provocative tale of sex, guilt, and bold accusations. Two lawyers find themselves defending a wealthy white executive charged with raping a black woman. When a female legal assistant gets involved in the case, the opinions that boil beneath explode to the surface. When David Mamet (Pulitzer Prize winning author of Glengarry Glenn Ross), turns the spotlight on what we think but can't say, dangerous truths are revealed, and no punches are pulled.

Since establishing Sarafina Magazine in 2016, South African blogger and actress Candice Bernstein has featured over 150 womxn, drawing readers from over 90 countries. She took some time out from preparing for her upcoming Sarafina Magazine: Live event to take part in this week's edition of 'Five on Friday' for BroadwayWorld South Africa.

CBC and SundanceTV today announced casting for the dramatic eight-part miniseries UNSPEAKABLE, which chronicles the tainted blood scandal beginning in the 1980's. Acclaimed actors Sarah Wayne Callies (Colony, The Walking Dead), Shawn Doyle (Bellevue, Big Love), Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1, Saving Hope) and Camille Sullivan (The Disappearance, The Man in the High Castle) will lead the series. Production on UNSPEAKABLE begins spring 2018 in Vancouver, BC, for broadcast on CBC in Canada and SundanceTV in the U.S.