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Tony Awards 2018: Bruce Springsteen, John Leguizamo to Receive Special Awards, Multiple Nods for Current Shows

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards 2018: Bruce Springsteen, John Leguizamo to Receive Special Awards, Multiple Nods for Current Shows

Bruce Springsteen and John Leguizamo will each receive special Tony awards this year. The announcement came at the end of the exasperating nominees announcements in which presenter Katherine McPhee didn’t seem able to pronounce much of anything.

The Tony Awards gave multiple nods to shows like “Frozen” and “The Band’s Visit” and “Angels in America.” There were snubs. Most notably Jimmy Buffet’s “Escape to Margaritaville” got nothing. “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” got nods for its lead performers but nothing else.

There was no question beginning last winter that Springsteen would receive a special Tony Award for his unique one man show. The fact that he’s extended and extended it cinched the deal. Of course this means Springsteen will perform on the show– much needed since the Tony ratings fall year after year.

Leguizamo’s award is for his numerous one man shows and his dedication to Broadway– much deserved.

Bruce’s citation reads: “Bruce will receive his Special Tony Award for his still ongoing, year-long engagement in ‘Springsteen On Broadway,’ a once in a lifetime theater going experience of extraordinary dimensions he created specifically for the Broadway stage.”

full list coming…

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Tom Hollander, Travesties
Jamie Parker, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Mark Rylance, Farinelli and the King
Denzel Washington, The Iceman Cometh

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Condola Rashad, Saint Joan
Lauren Ridloff, Children of a Lesser God
Amy Schumer, Meteor Shower

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Tony Shalhoub, The Band’s Visit
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Best Revival of a Play

Angels in America
Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Lobby Hero
Travesties

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Lauren Ambrose, My Fair Lady
Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island
LaChanze, Summer
Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit
Taylor Louderman, Mean Girls
Jessie Mueller, Carousel

Best Musical

The Band’s Visit
Frozen
Mean Girls
SpongeBob SquarePants, The Broadway Musical

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Michael Cera, Lobby Hero
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
David Morse, Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh


Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Susan Brown, Angels in America
Noma Dumezweni, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Deborah Findlay, The Children
Denise Gough, Angels in America
Laurie Metcalf, Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women


Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady
Alexander Gemignani, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Grey Henson, Mean Girls
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Ari’el Stachel, The Band’s Visit


Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Renée Fleming, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Lindsay Mendez, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady

 

Kanye West Tells Rapper T.I. in Video of Creative Process: “Half the Sh*t Trump Does I Don’t Agree With”

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Tells Rapper T.I. in Video of Creative Process: “Half the Sh*t Trump Does I Don’t Agree With”

Kanye West (surely you’ve heard of him this week) has posted a video of his creative process. In the video, rapper T.I. asks what it is that Kanye likes about Trump. West’s answer: “Half the shit Trump does I don’t agree with…The ability to do the impossible is inspiring to me.”

What’s interesting to me about videos and pictures of Kanye’s home and studio is that there is no art on the walls. There is also no color. It’s all beige or earth tones. There’s not a single poster, photograph, nothing, forget about museum art. There’s nothing personal at all. There’s….nothing.

This video is a very instructive look into what a lot of people feel is a creative mind.

KANYE WEST

Feminist Lawyer Gloria Allred Celebrated Cosby Conviction at Friars Club, Where Receptionist Sued Over Sexual Harassment

Roger Friedman
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Feminist Lawyer Gloria Allred Celebrated Cosby Conviction at Friars Club, Where Receptionist Sued Over Sexual Harassment

Gloria Allred was very happy that Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual misconduct. Allred is a tireless advocate for women who’ve been pawed or preyed on by bad guys.

So where did she celebrate? According to the New York Daily News yesterday, Allred lunched at New York’s Friars Club.

It was an odd choice. The Friars Club has been under the cloud of a much publicized sexual harrassment lawsuit filed by its former receptionist, Rehanna Almestica. The woman named former Scribe and celebrity wrangler Bruce Charet in particular. Charet is still there at the Friars– in February he announced the club was going  to roast Allred at an upcoming event.

Almestica said in her lawsuit that Charet did a variety of gross things to her that don’t bear repeating here. He denied all of it.

Another former employee, Shea Zephir, quit and posted to Facebook that Charet had made sexist comments to her. Her tirade was also anti-Semitic in nature, but her basic point was clear.

The Friars Club is in a sensitive position regarding #MeToo complaints. They had to cancel a planned roast of KISS rocker Gene Simmons after he was sued for sexual battery and banned from Fox News after alleged sexual misbehavior toward their female staff.

Another planned roast, of Harvey Weinstein, was canceled for similar issues.

The Friars Club was raided by federal Postal Inspectors in February 2017 after news of the Charet lawsuit and allegations of financial misconduct surfaced. Inspectors spent the day going through the East 55th St. townhouse that functions as the clubhouse, and took away boxes of material. The case is still open.

Allred’s choice, then, seems somewhat bizarre.

Meantime, I’m hearing that Friars Club members are resigning, in numbers, because of a huge fee hike. “They need the money to pay their lawyers,” says an insider.

 

Broadway: April is a Cruel Month with Declining Receipts and “Margaritaville” Headed for the Drink

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: April is a Cruel Month with Declining Receipts and “Margaritaville” Headed for the Drink

April has not been a great month for Broadway, which announces the Tony nominees tomorrow morning.

After increases since the end of February, the box office has been in decline steadily all month. The week that just ended had a total of $35 million, down from $42.5 million the week ending April 8th. That’s not good because new shows are opening and there are more good choices– and positively reviewed shows– than ever.

The one show that all the critics hated was Jimmy Buffet’s “Escape to Margaritaville.” Is it to or from? No one’s going. Parked in the cavernous Marriott Marquis, the Parrothead party only partly fills the space. Last week, producers only took in $626,378.50. Their total possible take was $1,752,864.00. Without Tony attention, they will soon have to batten down the ship.

The biggest drop last week was most curious: “Hamilton.” Even though this powerhouse flirts with $3 million weeks, they were off last week by $258,398.00. “Wicked” took a big drop last week, and even “Frozen,” which is new and supposedly hot, was off.

The big defense for a drop in ticket sales is usually, well, Tony voters came, or the show had one less performance last week. There’s always a good rationale. But none of those things apply here. So, who knows? But tomorrow morning will change a lot of fortunes. Wait for Tony noms at 8:30am right here.

Off Broadway: Carey Mulligan Will Bring UK Play to Tiny Greenwich Village Theater for 5 Weeks This Summer

Roger Friedman
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Off Broadway: Carey Mulligan Will Bring UK Play to Tiny Greenwich Village Theater for 5 Weeks This Summer

Tony and Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan is coming to off Broadway.

Mulligan will bring the play “Boys & Girls” to the tiny Minetta Lane Theater for five weeks beginning June 12th. Audible, the people who make the audio books and so much more, are the producers, which means they’re really getting into new projects. Good news!

Mulligan received a Tony nomination for the play “Skylight” and an Oscar nomination for “An Education.” She’s one of our top, top, top younger actresses. But wow– the Minetta only has 391 seats. There are going to be long lines up that alley!

Audible is also the producer of an extraordinary one man show that’s there right now– a play called “Harry Clarke” starring Billy Crudup. It’s been held over a few times. I hope someone has filmed it. Crudup is extraordinary.

Audible also produced a one woman show with Judith Light last year at the Lucille Lortel Theater. All of this news should prick our ears up– they’re clearly moving into theater in a big way.

Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam Sued to Stop Showing of Film at Cannes– But Festival Laughs

Roger Friedman
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Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam Sued to Stop Showing of Film at Cannes– But Festival Laughs

The leaders of the Cannes Film Festival are unimpressed: a producer of Terry Gilliam’s “The Man Who Killed Dan Quixote” is trying to stop its showing there as the closing film on May 19th. Thierry Fremaux and Pierre Lescure are like, Go away (say it with an Inspector Clouseau accent, it’s better).

Gilliam has been working on this film project since 1998. Sounds like Paulo Branco is a trouble maker.

Here’s the statement from Cannes:

On April 25, Paulo Branco and his production company Alfama Films took legal action aimed at preventing the planned screening of Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote on Saturday, May 19 at the closing event of the 2018 Festival de Cannes.

The legal application will be considered at an urgent hearing next Monday, May 7: the day before the Festival opens.

As Mr Branco has so far been very prominent in the media and legal spheres it seems necessary to state the reasons which led us to choose the film and risk action by the producer, whose lawyer, Juan Branco, likes to point out that his image and his credibility are essentially built on his numerous appearances at Cannes and by his closeness to the great auteurs honoured by the Festival. The latter is true, which adds to our bemusement.

During the winter, just as The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was presented to us by Terry Gilliam, by the sales company Kinology Films and by the distributor Océan Films, Mr Branco informed us of his legal action against the director, following the breakdown of relations between them after the film’s pre-production.

Such legal disputes are not unusual. The Festival is regularly informed of them, but it is not in its remit to take a position on these sorts of matters. Therefore, after careful consideration and because it seemed possible the film would be released at the same time, we decided to feature this work in the Official Selection.

The Festival de Cannes’ mission is to choose works purely on artistic grounds and the selection must, above all, be with the agreement of the film’s director. This is the case here. Past experience had made us aware of possible legal action and of the risks we were running, but as it happens, when we took our decision, there was no opposition to the screening of the film at the Festival.

We therefore did not act carelessly or in any way “force matters” as Mr Juan Branco has said in the press. Our entire profession knows that “forcing matters” has always been Mr Branco’s favourite method, and we should recall that he organised a press conference a few years ago where he denounced the Festival de Cannes because it had not kept a “promise to select” one of his films. This was an accusation which didn’t go anywhere, because the Festival does not make promises to select films: it either selects them or it does not. Today, Mr Branco has allowed his lawyer to use intimidation and defamatory statements, as derisory as they are ridiculous, one of which targets the former President of an event which he has made use of throughout his career to establish his own reputation.

The Festival de Cannes will respect the legal decision, whatever it may be, but we strongly affirm that we stand squarely on the side of filmmakers and in particular on the side of Terry Gilliam. We know how important this project, which has gone through so many trials and tribulations, is to him. The trouble were caused on this last occasion by the actions of a producer who has shown his true colours once and for all during this episode and who has threatened us, via his lawyer, with a “humiliating defeat”.

Defeat would be to succumb to threats. At a time when two filmmakers invited to take part in the Official Selection are under house arrest in their own countries, at a time when Wanuri Kahiu’s film Rafiki, which is part of the Official Selection, has just been struck by censorship in Kenya, the country where it was produced, it is more important than ever to remember that artists need us to support them, not attack them. That has always been the tradition of the Festival de Cannes and so it will remain.

The screening at the closing event of the Festival is subject to the decision of the judge at the hearing on May 7. The release of 300 copies of the film in France is currently scheduled for Saturday, May 19.

The Festival de Cannes calmly awaits the court’s decision.

Pierre Lescure, President, & Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate

Tom Hanks, Robert Zemeckis Circling “Forrest Gump”-“Cast Away” Reunion in “News of the World”

Roger Friedman
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Tom Hanks, Robert Zemeckis Circling “Forrest Gump”-“Cast Away” Reunion in “News of the World”

EXCLUSIVE
Tom Hanks has made three pretty good, fairly successful films with director Robert Zemeckis: “Forrest Gump,” “Cast Away,” and “Polar Express.” (This is called an understatement– they were HUGE.)

Now I’m told Zemeckis is circling (and may have signed) for Hanks’s latest project, “News of the World.”

The screenplay is from Luke Davies, who wrote the great (and last Weinstein hit) “Lion” based on Paulette Gilles’s book. Fox 2000 is the studio home for this idea.

Hanks would play a late 1870s sort of town crier who goes from Western locale to locale spreading news of the passing of the 15th amendment (voting rights– as it was then, for men only, but of all colors and races). Woven into this story, his character is transporting a 10 year old girl to her aunt and uncle after her parents are killed by American Indians. (If they don’t have the girl yet, I’d suggest Alyvia Alyn Lind if she’s not already booked.)

Hanks just starred in Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” as Ben Bradlee, but for some reason he bailed on the PR and didn’t get an Oscar nomination. His work was A plus, and he is in need of a third Oscar after killing it in movie after movie (like “Bridge of Spies”). Maybe this is the one. He and Zemeckis make magic together.

Sounds like this new character is a bit of a gossip columnist– Tom, you can call me for pointers!

Kanye West’s New “Songs”: One Features the Four Tops, the Other is Based on 1973 Soul Hit That Was A Lot Better

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West’s New “Songs”: One Features the Four Tops, the Other is Based on 1973 Soul Hit That Was A Lot Better

Kanye West’s “music” is all sampled. He doesn’t write music, you know. He samples it from existing sources. His new release this weekend, “Lift Yourself,” is a cover of a 1973 soul hit called “Liberty” by the group Amnesty. Their music is 100 % better than anything Kanye has ever cobbled onto a digital file. Let’s hope Kanye paid them handsomely for their sample. If he didn’t, let’s hear about it at showbiz411@gmail.com

The other song references the Sunken Place from “Get Out” which as Jordan Peele’s idea, Not Kanye’s. In the background you can hear the great Levi Stubbs from the Four Tops singing a sample of “Seven Rooms of Gloom.”

This is all LAME.

“Liberty” by Amnesty

“Avengers: Infinity War” UPDATE: Weekend Total Was More Than Thought: $258.2 US, $640.8 Mil Worldwide

Roger Friedman
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“Avengers: Infinity War” UPDATE: Weekend Total Was More Than Thought: $258.2 US, $640.8 Mil Worldwide

It was a really MARVEL-ous weekend more than anyone thought.

Not only did “Infinity War” break records and have the biggest opening weekend ever…

The Marvel super hero extravaganza took in $8.2 million more than estimated.

The total US was $258.2 million, with a total worldwide of $640.8 million. Yowza!

Now all Marvel has to figure out is how to un-dead all those franchise characters. Maybe they can make it like Bobby Ewing’s dream on “Dallas.” Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye– not in this movie– will wake up, turn to Scarlett Johansson, and tell her last night’s pepperoni pizza didn’t agree with him! Nightmare!

 

Daytime Emmys: “Days of Our Lives” Wins Best Drama, Writing, Directing, and Actor for James Reynolds

Roger Friedman
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Daytime Emmys: “Days of Our Lives” Wins Best Drama, Writing, Directing, and Actor for James Reynolds

It was a big night for “Days of Our Lives,” the last NBC soap opera. After years of decline the show won Best Drama at the Daytime Emmys. This was thanks to new headwriter Ron Carlivati, whose team picked up Best Writing. The “Days” directing team also won, and so did actor Greg Vaughn for Best Supporting Actor.

But the nicest news is that James Reynolds won Best Actor. He’s 71 and has been playing Abe Carver on that show since 1981. That’s a whopping 37 years. He was on that show when I was still in college. Amazing. He’s also likely the only African American actor on the lily white soaps who can boast any of that.

Susan Seaforth Hayes and husband Bill Hayes, also of “Days of Our Lives,” won the Lifetime Achievement Award. They were on the cover of TIME in 1976.

Vernee Watson won a guest acting award. I know her name because she was a key witness in the defense of Michael Jackson in his 2005 trial. Good for her.

 

 

 

Outstanding Drama Series:
Days of Our Lives, NBC

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Eileen Davidson, as Ashley Abbott, The Young and the Restless       

Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Hosts:
Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Co-Hosts, The Rea

Outstanding Entertainment News Program:
 Entertainment Tonight

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
James Reynolds, as Abe Carver, Days of Our Lives

Outstanding Culinary Program:
A Chef’s Life

Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host
Steve Harvey, Host, Steve Harvey

Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment:
The Talk   
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Greg Vaughan, as Eric Brady, Days of Our Lives

Outstanding Morning Program:
Good Morning America       

Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series
The Bay The Series

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Camryn Grimes, as Mariah Copeland, The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Writing Team, Drama Series:
Days of Our Lives

 

Outstanding Game Show:
The Price Is Right
   

Outstanding Game Show Host:
Wayne Brady, Host, Let’s Make a Deal

Outstanding Daytime Talent in a Spanish Language Program
 Lili Estefan, Host, El Gordo y la Flaca

Outstanding Morning Program in Spanish
Despierta America


Outstanding Entertainment Program in Spanish:
*WINNER* Destinos

Outstanding Culinary Host
 Lidia Bastianich, Host, Lidia’s Kitchen

Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series:
Rome Flynn, as Zende Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful

Outstanding Directing Team, Drama Series:
Days of Our Lives              
Outstanding Talk Show/Informative:
The Dr. Oz Show

Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series:
Vernee Watson, as Stella Henry, General Hospital       

Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
Judge Mathis

Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series:
Chloe Lanier, as Nelle Benson, General Hospital 

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