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Harold Prince Talks Phantom's Lasting Emotional Power to Las Vegas Review Journal

28 November 2009 3:06 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular hosted the first annual Phantom Fans Week through Sunday, September 16th through 20th. This unprecedented gathering of all things Phantom gave fans from around the globe insider access to the show like never before. The culmination of Phantom Fans Week was a keynote address from Tony Award-winning director of Phantom, Hal Prince. Prince talked about his life in theatre, his work with Andrew Lloyd Webber and his reasons for revisiting his classic Phantom 20 years later and adapting it for Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Journal Review chatted with the famed director as he shared his thoughts about the event.

"I'd forgotten how much I'd changed it," he remarked to the Journal/Review, to read the full article click here.

Having directed and produced over 50 Broadway productions, Hal Prince has left an indelible mark in the New York theatre history books. He set foot on »

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This Week on Stage: 'Fela!' rocks, Matthew Broderick disappoints

27 November 2009 6:00 AM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

Former American Idol contestant Syesha Mercado may be the biggest known name in the revival of Dreamgirls that kicked off its national tour at Harlem's famed Apollo Theatre this week, but it's an unknown named Moya Angela who's generating all the buzz as Effie "I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" White, according to EW's Tanner Stransky. Also this week, the booty-shaking biographical Afrobeat musical Fela! (pictured at left) opened on Broadway to widespread raves (including a B+ from EW), while a fine cast headed by a lifeless Matthew Broderick struggled in director/playwright Kenneth Lonergan's disappointing new Off Broadway comic drama, »

- Thom Geier

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Jose Gives Thanks.

26 November 2009 1:30 PM, PST | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »

Jose here.

Although we don't have anything resembling Thanksgiving in my culture (Penélope Cruz was talking about that on Letterman the other day) I have a special place in my heart (and stomach) for turkey, gravy and pumpkin pie.

I also feel very grateful for the following: Technicolor, Woody Allen banter, Judy Garland's smile, the millisecond of suspense between normal talking and spontaneous singing in the musicals, post-Volver Penélope, the Truffaut/Hitchcock book, still being thrilled by the sepia-to-color switch in The Wizard of Oz, Nino Rota and La Strada, Julia Roberts' laugh, Scarlett and Rhett, Bette Davis' eyes, Ingrid Bergman's Italian phase, Jett Rink, Jacques Tourneur horror flicks, The Blob, pre-supermom Gwyneth, Wall-e, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Anne Hathaway at award shows, Brando as Kowalski, Meryl!, Gene Kelly's butt, subtitles...

Audrey Hepburn's weird morning eating habits circa '61, Nathaniel letting me write all of this, »

- Jose

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This Week on Stage: 'Ragtime,' 'Equivocation' in L.A., and vibrators!

21 November 2009 6:00 AM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

It was a busy week on the boards. Sunday saw the opening of a Broadway revival of the musical Ragtime (pictured right), which EW's Melissa Rose Bernardo calls "dazzling" and gives an A. Also on Broadway, Sarah Ruhl's provocatively titled comic play In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play opened to a decidedly lukewarm review from yours truly: "Ruhl's play could have benefited from a broader, farcical touch." Elsewhere on Broadway, the Julia Stiles-Bill Pullman revival of David Mamet's Oleanna announced plans to close on Jan. 3. Off Broadway, we raved about both Alan Ayckbourn's My »

- Thom Geier

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Help us save Nicolas Cage

19 November 2009 3:15 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »

If we all pitch in, we'll have enough money to make our very own Nicolas Cage movie and save him from the trauma of having to sell his Bahamian island. But what film?

You have to feel a little bit sorry for Nicolas Cage at the moment. A few unfortunate financial mishaps have left him just as affected by the recession as many others before him. And just like those people, Cage knows there's only one way to get out of this pickle – to sell off several homes worth a total of almost $95m, as well as his private Bahamian island. We've all been there.

But if that doesn't balance things out for him, Cage can always work himself out of his mess, either by making films at a greater frequency or by forgetting about quality and agreeing to star in bad films purely for money. The obvious hitch is »

- Stuart Heritage

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Fantastic Mr. Fox | Review

18 November 2009 9:00 PM, PST | SmellsLikeScreenSpirit | See recent SmellsLikeScreenSpirit news »

Director: Wes Anderson Writer(s): Roald Dahl (book), Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach (screenplay) Starring: (voice) George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Jarvis Cocker, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Helen McCrory Once upon a time…we find Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) and Mrs. 'Felicity' Fox (voiced by Meryl Streep) as they prepare to raid a local farm. The heist (orchestrated beautifully to the Beach Boys’ “Heroes and Villains”) is successful – that is until Mr. Fox’s overconfidence causes him to trigger a trap and the two foxes find themselves caught in a cage. Felicity reveals that she is pregnant, and Mr. Fox promises to find much more respectable employment…if they survive! (They obviously do.) Two human years later (14 years in fox years)…Mr. Fox is now a respectable yet poor newspaper man; he and Felicity now have a grown son named Ash (voiced by Jason Schwartzman). The family lives, »

- Don Simpson

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Miley Cyrus Hates Twilight, Debuts New Trailer

18 November 2009 1:02 PM, PST | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news »

Teen icon Miley Cyrus can't do anything these days without causing a stir of some kind. The only thing I can't figure out is if she does it on purpose or just has a bad case of her mouth running away with her. During a recent backstage interview with the singer/actress, Cyrus was asked the defining question of our generation: "Team Edward or Team Jacob?" Well, it turns out the answer is neither, and she told journalists, "I've never seen [Twilight], nor will I. I don't believe in it. I don't like vampires, I don't like the wolf that pops out of the screen when I'm watching TV at night, I don't want anything to do with it." (Oh snap! There's going to be a tween-off. Just think, it will be like West Side Story but with glitter and blond wigs!) Personally, I think she was trying to make a joke, »

- Jessica Barnes

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Carrie - The Musical Casting Details

17 November 2009 6:04 AM, PST | DreadCentral.com | See recent Dread Central news »

We’re all ready to laugh at Carrie again as the clairvoyant teen gears up for her second go ‘round on the Broadway circuit. Will she have better luck with this outing than during the short-lived 1988 stage musical that was laughed off the stage? It’s looking like it if today’s casting details are any indication. Keep reading to find out who’ll be bathed in pig’s blood.

Playbill pulled down the details on the cast, which features Sutton Foster (Shrek, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as gym teacher Ms. Gardner, Marin Mazzie (Passion, Ragtime) as the crazed Margaret White, Molly Ranson (August: Osage County) as the titular telekinetic and Jennifer Damiano (Next to Normal, Spring Awakening) as Sue.

The Carrie ensemble includes Corey Boardman (Next to Normal, Altar Boyz), Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening), Katrina Rose Dideriksen (Things to Ruin), Benjamin Eakeley (Sweeney Todd), Emily Ferranti, Kyle Harris (The Cure »

- Masked Slasher

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Full Cast for Carrie: The Musical

16 November 2009 | shocktillyoudrop.com | See recent shocktillyoudrop news »

Last month we got wind that a new production of Carrie: The Musical was headed to Broadway with producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum (of Rent, Avenue Q, West Side Story) spearheading the project. Now, Playbill has announced the complete cast for the musical based upon Stephen King's novel and it looks like we have ourselves a new Carrie . Stafford Arima will direct the 29-hour Equity reading that will take place in Manhattan Nov. 20. The cast will feature Sutton Foster as gym teacher Ms. Gardner, Marin Mazzie as Margaret White, Molly Ranson as Carrie (pictured left) and Jennifer Damiano as Sue. Also revealed in the cast are " American Idol " finalist Diana DeGarmo (Hairspray, The Toxic Avenger) as Chris, Matt Doyle as Tommy and John Arthur Greene as Billy.... »

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This Week on Stage: Consult EW's handy guide

14 November 2009 5:00 AM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

Although nothing much opened on the Great White Way this week, never fear, stage fans! Next week, we'll be posting new reviews of Broadway's musical revival Ragtime (at left) and the comedy In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play as well as the Alan Ayckbourn play My Wonderful Day Off Broadway and the Los Angeles productions of Mary Poppins and the drama Equivocation. If you are looking for something fresh from EW this week, though, read up on Broadway's new Spider-Man, Reeve Carney. But in the meantime, you can enjoy all the other great Stage coverage. Check out the EW. »

- Thom Geier

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Shelean Newman: One of Music City's Favorite Actresses May Become America's Favorite Chanteuse

12 November 2009 8:06 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

Shelean Newman, known to Nashville audiences from her storied performances on area stages in productions of such musicals as The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Evita and more, has recently released her second CD for GrandVista Music entitled Snowfall, a collection of some of the season's most apropos songs, along with some surprising selections that fit perfectly into our idea of what the winter holiday season is all about. Snowfall is a follow-up, if you will, to Newman's exquisitely sung first collection for the record label, titled appropriately enough Anything Goes, a collection of standards and showtunes from such composers as Cole Porter, Frank Loesser, Johnny Mercer and George and Ira Gershwins. »

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Adam Lambert Defends His Glittery Image: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

9 November 2009 1:47 PM, PST | MTV Newsroom | See recent MTV Newsroom news »

"People want to talk about whether I have rock cred, whether I'm selling out, the theatricality, the gay stuff. ... Chill out! And just enjoy yourself. It's not that deep. Sometimes it is deep. Some of the songs on the album are. Sometimes it's just, 'This is hot, I feel good, this song makes me want to go get a drink and flirt with somebody and have a good time.' Good energy is just as credible as the cathartic, dark, heavy stuff. It's just as important!"

-"American Idol" runner-up and budding glam icon Adam Lambert, who spoke to The Los Angeles Times about his debut album, his ever-evolving image and the public reaction to his work outside of "Idol." Lambert's first record For Your Entertainment drops in a few weeks, but he has already found himself defending his aesthetic choices — including his embrace of traditionally theatrical tropes. "People look at me and immediately say, »

- MTV News

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This Week on Stage: 'The Understudy,' 'Idiot Savant,' and 'Nightingale'

7 November 2009 5:00 AM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

This week saw the too-rapid close of the Neil Simon revival Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway, as well as the opening of three Off Broadway productions: The Understudy, starring Justin Kirk, Julie White, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (above); Idiot Savant with Willem Dafoe; and Nightingale with Lynn Redgrave. Melissa Bernardo gave a B+ to The Understudy but dinged it for the cast's somewhat mixed on-stage chemistry. Thom Geier calls Idiot Savant "one strange, head-scratching evening" and gives it a C+. As for Lynn Redgrave's one-woman show, Nightingale, I gave it a C and took issue with the production because "the »

- Tanner Stransky

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Bono’s troubled Broadway musical 'Spider-Man' has been saved! (IrishCentral)

6 November 2009 12:30 PM, PST | IrishCentral | See recent IrishCentral news »

Spider-Man’s been saved! That's the word from an inside source on the troubled Broadway musical which features music from Bono and The Edge. “Spider-Man, Turn Off The Dark” was originally set to preview at the Hilton Theater on February 25, 2010 and open in March, but production was stalled for nearly a month by financial difficulties. The show’s budget is reported to have soared to $52 million, in part because of theater renovations, and will cost about $1 million per week to produce, which is hundreds of thousands of dollars more than other elaborate Broadway shows such as “West Side Story.” However, our sources tell us that producers have met with Tony winning director Julie Taymor and other members of the creative team, and a deal has been reached to cover the estimated $24 million in budget overrun. “Spider-Man’s” opening date is expected to put pushed back to spring 2010. Bono’s name »

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The Fantasticks to Kick Off Long Wharf's 2009-10 Season Oct 7 - Nov 1

1 November 2009 1:30 AM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Ray Cullom, will present the beloved musical The Fantasticks, directed by Amanda Dehnert, from October 7 through November 1, 2009, on the Mainstage.

Press night is Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. Curtain times are Tuesdays at 7 p.m., Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3p.m. and 8p.m., and Sundays at 2p.m. and 7p.m. Tickets are $30-$70.

"I have loved The Fantasticks since I was a little kid," said Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein. "This will be so much fun for the entire family."

This hit musical with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, the longest running Off-Broadway musical in history, tells the story of Luisa and Matt, a pair entering the bloom of their youth. Their fathers, scheming to encourage their budding love, hire »

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This week on stage: 'Brighton Beach Memoirs' and 'Finian's Rainbow'

30 October 2009 11:00 AM, PDT | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

This week saw the opening of two new Broadway productions, both revivals: The Neil Simon Plays: Brighton Beach Memoirs, a comedy-drama starring former Roseanne star Laurie Metcalf (left), which I described as "a fine revival, easily the best show of a young Broadway season," and the musical Finian's Rainbow, which Tanner Stransky called "an odd, farcical muscial" that is "well cast and smartly performed." Still hunting for something to see on stage? Check out the EW.com Stage hub for up-to-date news and reviews; or consult this handy guide below, which includes links to all of our stage reviews of current shows. »

- Thom Geier

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Carrie: The Musical Returns to Broadway

29 October 2009 | shocktillyoudrop.com | See recent shocktillyoudrop news »

"They're all gonna laugh at you!" Someone should have told that to the original producers of the '80s Broadway dud Carrie: The Musical . It would've spared them some pain. Alas, the show went on and after only five performances it fell harder than a bucket of pig's blood. When I worked in Manhattan, a recording of one performance landed in my lap. While interesting, none of it worked. Over two decades later, six figures are being pumped into a revitalized Carrie: The Musical . Behind this endeavor are Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum (of Rent , Avenue Q , West Side Story ). Why the fascination to try and tell Stephen King's '74 tome as a musical is beyond me. What - is no one interested in bringing Maximum Overdrive to the stage? I'd see that. For... »

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Audience Participation: Madonna Opens Her Catalog to "Glee", But Who Should Sing What?

23 October 2009 12:41 PM, PDT | AfterElton.com | See recent AfterElton.com news »

The Queen of Pop invades high school.Hide the children!

So the latest news to leak out of Entertainment Weekly’s upcoming Glee issue is that Madonna has granted Ryan Murphy’s baby full rights to use anything in her catalog for the show. And that the show plans on producing a full blown Madge episode.

I’ll wait for a minute while some of you finish squealing. Done? Because the rest of the class wants to hear the rest of the story, and I figure you do, too.

So we were just looking at the Material Girl’s catalog, and it includes a huge amount of content from over the years. There’s a sound for just about everyone, and the topics range from sex (Erotica) to politics (American Life). So we got to thinking about what song would be perfect for what character to sing in the all-Madonna episode. »

- lostinmiami

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This Week on Stage: 'Memphis,' 'After Miss Julie,' and EW's complete theater guide

23 October 2009 2:00 AM, PDT | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

This week saw the opening of two new Broadway productions: Memphis, an original musical from the creators of The Toxic Avenger Musical, and After Miss Julie, an adaptation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie starring Jonny Lee Miller and Sienna Miller (left). EW's Clark Collis calls Memphis "a mixed bag" and gives it a C+, while Jeff Labrecque gives After Miss Julie a C and remarks that "the actors' chemistry is surprisingly stagnant." Still hunting for something to see on stage? Check out the EW.com Stage hub for up-to-date news and reviews; or consult this handy guide below, which »

- Thom Geier

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South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Blu-ray Review

22 October 2009 8:16 AM, PDT | Collider.com | See recent Collider.com news »

South Park is now an institution. Something to take for granted. The show struggled early on after it became a breakout sensation, but now it’s there, always there. You know what Trey Parker and Matt Stone are going to do to a certain extent. Their comic rhythms are familiar, and they know how to tell a joke. The fun in revisiting the movie is that Trey Parker obviously loves musicals, and he made one with his film. My review of South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut after the jump.

The film concerns the four boys, Kyle, Stan, Cartman and Kenny as they get to see the Terrence and Phillip movie “Asses of Fire.” In it, the Canadian duo swear like sailors, with the hit single “Uncle Fucker.” Seeing the movie leads Cartman to challenge Kenny to light his farts on fire, and the act of doing so kills Kenny. »

- Andre Dellamorte

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2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2005 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000 | 1999 | 1997

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