Oh, Brother! 1981 - Articles Page 22

Imagine being trapped high above Manhattan with eight strangers: a crooked Wall Street executive and his cronies, a Muslim security guard, a Jew who does not trust Muslims, a woman whose son was killed in Iraq, an ambitious TV reporter, a philandering playboy and the pregnant woman he dumped. And, oh yes, someone has a bomb.

Today we are continuing the male-centric portion of our ongoing series of interviews with the stars of Lifetime's DROP DEAD DIVA with the boss of the legal practice on the show and the main love interest for Kate Levering's character, Kim: the affable and charming stage and screen star Josh Stamberg. In addition to dishing all about Season 3 of DROP DEAD DIVA and the future for Parker, Kim and company at the legal firm, Stamberg and I also discuss many of the various guest stars on the show this season and seasons past - Liza Minnelli, Sharon Lawrence and Faith Prince included - as well as how he sees Parker himself, his own insights into the complex character and what he feels the future holds for his relationships on the show - Kim, Jane and beyond. In addition to all things DIVA-related, Stamberg and I also discuss his many past stage and screen appearances, including: his unforgettable work as Sarge on SIX FEET UNDER and what it was like working with creator Alan Ball, as well as his role on the Aaron Sorkin-scripted series STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, plus: working at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Atlantic Theatre Company, doing the workshop of A STEADY RAIN (and eventually getting replaced by Hugh Jackman), doing FRACTURED with Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins, acting alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Watts in Clint Eastwood's forthcoming film J. EDGAR, his favorite work experiences so far, roles he is yearning to essay in the future both near and far and much, much more! Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and stalwart supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everybody else in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer along the way, as well. Season Three picked up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. Questions and posed and answered so far: What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? Indeed, all of these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered come the next two Sunday nights! Plus, as always, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned - such as last month's BroadwayWorld exclusive world premiere of "Lean On Me"! Will there be a musical grand finale after all? We shall soon see! Also, don't forget to check out the past interviews in this BRIDGING TV & THEATRE series - Margaret Cho, Kate Levering, April Bowlby, Sharon Lawrence, Faith Prince and Jackson Hurst included! There are only a few episodes of Season Three left - airing Sundays at 9 PM on Lifetime, as always, throughout September until the finale on September 25 - so be sure to check back here in coming weeks for chats with Ben Feldman and the titular diva herself, plus maybe even a surprise or two, too!

The development of Phil Spector's magnificent Wall Of Sound productions, 'Tomorrow's Sound Today,' is given its most expansive display ever on the new box set, Phil Spector Presents The Philles Album Collection.

Today we are talking to an international recording superstar who ushered in the new era of rock and roll with her songs and performance style in France in the early 1960s and created an unparalleled entertainment legacy reaching its apotheosis in 2010 with the release of her finest album to date, SOLEIL BLEU - the one and only celebrated chanteuse herself, Sylvie Vartan. Predominantly performing material from this stupendous recent album as well as from her vaunted back catalogue, Vartan will take the stage of Feinstein's At The Regency for two nights next week - Tuesday, July 26 and Wednesday, July 27, both at 8:30 PM. Be sure to take a listen to SOLEIL BLEU if you have not heard it and if you cannot manage to score a ticket to either of Sylvie's sold-out shows at Feinstein‘s, well... c'est la vie! In this career-spanning conversation we touch on working extensively with everyone from The Beatles to Carla Bruni to Charles Aznavour to what's next for her and much, much more! Playing to a gigantic arena for a three-week engagement sharing the stage with The Beatles themselves was Sylvie Vartan's entrée into the entertainment industry - and what an introduction! Bringing a sexy, swingin' style and hip dance moves to go along with her funky, rock n roll swagger and smoky vocals, Vartan virtually created the modern day pop/rock diva in the later mold of Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar and many of the great lady rock icons we have known since. Through countless stage shows, concert spectaculars, albums, films, television appearances and magazine cover stories, Vartan has firmly established herself as one of the foremost women in the French entertainment realm. Case in point: the First Lady of France herself, Carla Bruni, even contributed songs to Sylvie's newest album, the career-defining SOLEIL BLEU. Tacking on all of these topics as well as many more - most importantly: what we can expect to hear from her at Feinstein's next week and the charity closest to her heart - Vartan and I shed some light on her impossibly accomplished and fascinating career - such as selling 40 million records, committing 1200+ songs to record and giving more than 2500 onstage performances in her five-decade-spanning career - and, we also take a look ahead to her very bright future.

Singer/actress Nikki Blonsky truly embodies that notion of overnight success. Plucked from obscurity at age 17, then-newcomer Blonsky beat out hundreds of young girls from a nationwide open casting call to land the coveted lead role in the big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical HAIRSPRAY. On July 15-16, she will be slipping back into familiar territory as she joins MEN ALIVE: The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus for their 10th Anniversary Concert 'GREASY HAIRSPRAY' at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce the performers for its fifth and final show of their second season, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', starring vocal powerhouse JAKE SIMPSON (2x 'Star Search' Grand Champion, Oprah Winfrey Favorite), Broadway sensation JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN (Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Marie Christine, Big River, Regional: Having It All, The Buddy Holly Story, Diamonds Are Forvever, Cinderella - a Modern Musical Extravaganza), JULIE GARNYE, NATHAN SHRAKE and BROOKE TANSLEY, performing the music of The Mamas and The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce the performers for its fifth and final show of their second season, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', starring vocal powerhouse JAKE SIMPSON (2x 'Star Search' Grand Champion, Oprah Winfrey Favorite), Broadway sensation JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN (Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Marie Christine, Big River, Regional: Having It All, The Buddy Holly Story, Diamonds Are Forvever, Cinderella - a Modern Musical Extravaganza), JULIE GARNYE, NATHAN SHRAKE and BROOKE TANSLEY, performing the music of The Mamas and The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce the performers for its fifth and final show of their second season, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', starring vocal powerhouse JAKE SIMPSON (2x 'Star Search' Grand Champion, Oprah Winfrey Favorite), Broadway sensation JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN (Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Marie Christine, Big River, Regional: Having It All, The Buddy Holly Story, Diamonds Are Forvever, Cinderella - a Modern Musical Extravaganza), JULIE GARNYE, NATHAN SHRAKE and BROOKE TANSLEY, performing the music of The Mamas and The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles.

Producers Julian Schlossberg and Letty Aronson have announced that Caroline Aaron, Bill Army, Lisa Emery, Ari Graynor, Steve Guttenberg, Danny Hoch, Julie Kavner, Fred Melamed, Grant Shaud and Marlo Thomas will star in the ensemble cast of the world premiere production of RELATIVELY SPEAKING, three one-act comedies by the prolific writing trio of Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, and directed by John Turturro.

SketchFest NYC is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year's seventh anniversary Festival. SketchFest NYC will run from June 8 - 11, 2011 at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 307 West 26th Street.

SketchFest NYC starts TODAY, running from Wednesday June 8th, to Saturday June 11th at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

SketchFest NYC is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year's seventh anniversary Festival. SketchFest NYC will run from June 8 - 11, 2011 at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 307 West 26th Street.

Culled from as A-list a list as you are ever likely to acquire - Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Michael Mayer, Theresa Rebeck and Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman onwards - SMASH is the adult answer to riveting dramatic musical entertainment coming with heart, laughs, unforgettable characters and some of the biggest twists this side of the starry stages on the Great White Way. Oh, yeah, and those hallowed Broadway halls, too. Plus, SMASH provides a great new opportunity to showcase the unbelievable talent on display on the stages of Broadway and Off-Broadway and beyond, particularly given the fact that it is shot in New York and it is being cast by the biggest casting director on Broadway, Bernie Telsey. Consider the theatre-centric casting LAW & ORDER times seventy six (trombones). All of New York is the talent pool from which the stage of SMASH shall be set. And, what exactly is SMASH about, anyway? Well, SMASH is all about Broadway and what makes a musical tick - from the very inception of the show's idea by the songwriters, through writing, rehearsals and the road; all the way to the big Broadway opening where dreams are made - and nightmares born - on one magnificent, momentous night. As viewers, we are taken inside the ticking clock of the show and we experience each and every one of the multitude of machinations enacted by everyone from the stars - Marilyn Monroe, and the actress playing her, Ivy; and, more importantly, her alternative, Karen - to the overworked director (Derek), harried songwriters Tom and Julia, and the speculative and cutthroat producer behind it all, Eileen.

Producers Julian Schlossberg and Letty Aronson are proud to announce that the world premiere production of RELATIVELY SPEAKING, three one-act comedies by the prolific writing trio of Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, directed by John Turturro, will arrive on Broadway this fall.

SketchFest NYC is pleased to announce the full schedule for this year's seventh anniversary Festival, including the Whitest Kids U Know, Marvel Comics, and The Rejection Show. In addition, we're pleased to announce that Atom: Comedy Central Digital Shorts, The Onion News Network, and 101.9RXP will all be presenting shows at this year's Festival

With a 2011 Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor In A Play for his magnetic turn in the critically-hailed revival of Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART on Broadway and a leading role on Showtime's THE BIG C co-starring real-life close friend Laura Linney, as well as a busy film career that boats memorable turns in THE REF, ME & MY SHADOWS: LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, the recent remake of THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 and TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, John Benjamin Hickey is a very busy man. Nevertheless, he was kind enough to recently take some time out of his beyond busy schedule to talk all about his stage and screen career - including sharing some revealing anecdotes about starring in THE CRUCIBLE with Liam Neeson and Linney, as well as working with the esteemed playwright Arthur Miller himself, in addition to his work in Terrance McNally's LOVE, VALOUR, COMPASSION, Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall's revival of CABARET, and, of course, all about the George C. Wolfe/Joel Grey production of THE NORMAL HEART starring director/actor Joe Mantello that he is participating in now. Plus, we have his thoughts on his recent GOOD WIFE appearance, feelings on the place of political theatre in society today, what roles he would like to take on in the future, his affection for the work of Edward Albee - and much, much more.

Back in Season 3 of the Fox talent search juggernaut American Idol, then 16-year-old Diana DeGarmo narrowly missed the coveted title, walking away as the first runner up. Fast forward to 2011 and the now 23-year-old is currently starring as the iconic Doralee Rhodes in the national touring company of 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL, the Dolly Parton-scored Broadway musical adaptation of the cult 1980 film. The show performs a single-week run at the Segerstrom Center of the Arts in Costa Mesa from May 10 through May 15. DeGarmo recently chatted with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about Idol, early shows, and her Dolly-fied role.

Important lessons about family, friendship and forgiveness are taught in the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's production of LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes and adapted by Kevin Kling.

Today we are talking to one of the brightest lights in the Broadway galaxy who has wowed West End and Broadway audiences alike with her tour de force performances in MISS SAIGON and LES MISERABLES, sold out stadiums the world over with her acclaimed concert appearances - many of them also available on CD and DVD - and, now, Lea Salonga tells us all about her experiences with LES MISERABLES over the years - the star-studded 10th Anniversary Concert Dream Cast performance, to essaying the role of Fantine in the Broadway revival opposite Norm Lewis and Aaron Lazar, among others, to preserving her take on the show‘s most famous song, 'I Dreamed A Dream', and the role of Fantine, for all time in the stunning 25th Anniversary LES MISERABLES: LIVE IN CONCERT, available now on DVD and Blu-ray. In addition to all things LES MIZ, including some fantastic behind-the-scenes stories, Lea and I also discuss her favorite moments in the show, its themes, how she got into the role every night - and, again, anew, for the concert celebration - and the unmistakable power and sweep of the concert as presented in full HD on Blu-Ray. Additionally, we touch on her favorite cast-mates, future roles, preferred performers, current obsessions and, even, a little GLEE - including her cross-Pacific flight with new breakout star Darren Criss. Most importantly, she shares her most pressing political and moral concerns as they pertain to our thorough consideration and discussion of the prescient themes at the core of Victor Hugo's classic tragedy and what message the novel and the show have for audiences today around the world - as well as much, much more! And, just what did Lea think of Anne Hathaway's take on 'On My Own' from LES MIZ at this year's Oscars? The LES MISERABLES: LIVE IN CONCERT DVD and Blu-ray are available now to own and can be purchased here.

Staging one of the theatre's most unique and unclassifiable pieces, Brecht & Weill's THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS for the New York City Ballet, starting May 11 and running through May 16, is just the latest act in a career made up of anomalies, seemingly built upon always attempting to do the impossible - from her Broadway debut, trying to bring balletic bravado to Trevor Nunn's terminally troubled 1988 musical CHESS (a project begun under the guidance of Michael Bennett before his death), up through the trying-but-Tony-winning TITANIC in 1997 and, this century, SWING! starring Ann Hampton Callaway and Laura Benanti and a succession of successful regional ballets and theatre pieces - the gifted and dynamic director/choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett continues to challenge herself, her peers and audiences with each of her audacious new endeavors. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, starring two-time Tony-winning Broadway legend Patti LuPone as Anna I, is a particularly problematic play - or is it a musical? Or, is it a ballet? A song-spiel? - and in this revealing and engaging discussion, Ms. Taylor-Corbett and I attempt to deduce the themes, analyze the structure and look back at the authors' lives to gain insight into the perplexing America painted by Brecht and Weill in the forty-minute-long theatrical experiment. Also, in this complete conversation, Lynne and I take a look back at her long and varied career and she generously shares her thoughts on where the place of dance is in the twenty-first century, the exhilaration of working with a theatre artist like Patti LuPone, her own inspirations and formative experiences in the theatre, the legacy of Michael Powell and THE RED SHOES, the theatre versus the dance world, her son Shaun's career, and much, much more! Further information on THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS - including tickets - is available here.

Legends aren't born, or merely made - they are created; and, so very, very carefully crafted. In equal parts due to her incomparable stage work creating roles in musicals by Stephen Sondheim and Jerry Herman, to her film work encompassing John Frankenheimer and Vincente Minnelli, to name but two, as well as a smash-hit television series - MURDER SHE WROTE - and hosting duties at various Tony Awards and Academy Awards broadcasts over the last half century, have certainly cemented her place in our hearts, minds and entertainment history itself - I am speaking, of course, of the simply exquisite Ms. Angela Lansbury. In this enlightening discussion conducted yesterday we dissect many of her most treasured roles and performances, and Ms. Lansbury provides many warm and wonderful recollections of her astonishingly varied and accomplished tenure onstage and onscreen over the course of her sixty-year-plus career. ANYONE CAN WHISTLE to SWEENEY TODD; MAME to GYPSY; BEDKNOBS AND BROOM STICKS to SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE to the forthcoming MR. POPPER‘S PENGUINS co-starring Jim Carrey - plus, acting with Bette Davis in DEATH ON THE NILE - and much, much more in this special interview! This is all coming in anticipation of Ms. Lansbury's tribute to Bob Hope at the NY Pops gala on May 2, which will also feature performances by Kelli O'Hara and more - whom we continue our SPOTLIGHT ON NY POPS series with later next week. Don't miss them! Further information about the NY POPS event - including tickets - is available here.

Important lessons about family, friendship and forgiveness are taught in the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's production of LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes and adapted by Kevin Kling.

To accrue all the characters, characteristics and components of a career as diverse and varied as that of stage and screen star John Leguizamo would be near-impossible for even the most gifted performers in the galaxy. Having appeared in nearly ninety films so far in his twenty-five year career - including a musical, MOULIN ROUGE, and an adaptation of Shakespeare, ROMEO + JULIET, both for noted directed Baz Luhrmann - as well as five off-Broadway and Broadway solo shows - MAMBO MOUTH, SPIC-O-RAMA, FREAK, SEXAHOLIX and, now, GHETTO KLOWN - Leguizamo is consistently challenging himself and revealing new sides to his personality and skills as an actor and performer with his daring choices of roles and searing performances. In this comprehensive career retrospective, we cover Broadway, Hollywood and much more and we even have his first comments on his new feature film opening this weekend, THE LINCOLN LAWYER. From Todd Haynes' POISON to Brian DePalma's CASUALTIES OF WAR and CARLITO'S WAY, to Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM, to TO WONG FOO, SUPER MARIO BROS. and more; singing Sondheim's 'Send In The Clowns'; plus, stories on his recently departed co-stars Dennis Hopper (LAND OF THE DEAD) and Brittany Murphy (SPUN), and first news on the David Koresh biopic WACO co-starring Kurt Russell and Adrien Brody, and FUGLY with Radha Mitchell - Leguizamo‘s performances speak (and sing) for themselves. King, cartoon, criminal, artist, clown or klown - Leguizamo can play them all. And play them damn well, as well.

Important lessons about family, friendship and forgiveness are taught in the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's production of LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes and adapted by Kevin Kling.

Today, we are featuring an exclusive conversation with one of the most accomplished and respected stage and television actors of his generation, showing solid proof that a child actor can go on to have a wildly successful career as an adult onstage and onscreen if he has the talent to go with it - the star of the Public Theater's new production of William Shakespeare's TIMON OF ATHENS, Richard Thomas. From the seventies TV smash THE WALTONS to Stephen King's IT and NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES in the 90s and 00s, to Edward Albee's TINY ALICE and David Mamet‘s RACE onstage, we touch upon many of the memorable roles that have made Richard Thomas a household name over the course of his forty years in show business and what the work of William Shakespeare means not only to him and those involved with this avant garde production of the problematic play, but also the pertinent message the show carries with it in these tumultuous times we live in today and what we can learn from it.