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Winona Ryder Is Back At Last, Will Headline New David Hare Film

Roger Friedman
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Winona Ryder Is Back At Last, Will Headline New David Hare Film

Exclusive: If you’d asked in 1995, I would have said that the young actress most likely to conquer Hollywood, the Oscars, everything would be Winona Ryder. But life and events unwound her trajectory. We needn’t rake it all over now.

“I’m 41 now,” Winona said last night at the Soho House party for “The Iceman,” the movie that could bring her back. (She said after someone suggested she could have played Daisy Buchanan in the new “Gatsby.”) She looks the same as she did at 31, maybe better. She’s still a precise actress with a great gift. In “The Iceman” she plays Deborah the clueless wife of real life hit man and mobster Richard Kuklinski. Michael Shannon is absolutely chilling (and oddly endearing) as the crazy killer. Ryder is his ethereal partner, mother of his children, who maybe gets an inkling of what her husband really does for a living too late in the game.

At last night’s premiere, Shannon and Ryder were joined by co-star Ray Liotta (who’s almost a second lead, and damn good), as well as James Franco– who has a short, moving cameo. Also featured in the film are two well known Hollywood guys — David Schwimmer and Chris Evans–whose looks are so altered that you almost don’t recognize them. They’re terrific, as if the ever-evil Robert Davi.

After a bit, Justin Long stopped by the party to say hello. He, France and Ryder are trying to make a film of “The Beard” together. It’s one of Franco’s many projects.

And Winona? I can tell you she’s just signed to star in David Hare’s sequel to his British film, “Page Eight.” This is a big deal. Hare may use some of the “Page Eight” cast too, like Bill Nighy and Rachel Weisz. But it’s Winona’s turn. There’s an Oscar in her future. You can feel it.

By the way, it’s nice to know that Ryder is living full time in her home town of San Francisco. She’s also got a very boyfriend, her age. and they seem very happy. She tells me she’s very involved with literary doings at City Lights, and is still close to legendary poet, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, age 94. “He still rides his bike to the store,” Winona said and her famous eyes grew even wider with glee.

Flashback Exclusive: Candice Bergen Memoir Headed to Silver Screen

Roger Friedman
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Flashback Exclusive: Candice Bergen Memoir Headed to Silver Screen

Candice Bergen’s 1983 autobiography, “Knock on Wood,” is coming to the big screen. I reported this exclusively on February 14th– ten weeks ago. Today, Deadline.com says it’s their exclusive. There’s nothing I can do but call them out on it. Nikki Finke was suing The Hollywood Reporter over stolen stories. And yet this just goes on and on. All it takes is a quick Google search to see if a story you’re working on has already been written. Then you just say, first reported in….It’s so easy. Anyway, “Knock on Wood” will make a great film. I wish Bergen would write a Part 2 and take us through the rest of her life.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/02/14/candice-bergen-bringing-her-memoir-knock-wood-to-the-big-screen

Steven Tyler Story in Page Six Today is “Hogwash”: Say Sources

Roger Friedman
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Steven Tyler Story in Page Six Today is “Hogwash”: Say Sources

I love my pals at Page Six, but someone fed them a load of bull today about rocker Steven Tyler and his management situation. Tyler was not “fired” by Simon Fuller, former owner of “American Idol” and manager of many music stars over the years. Fuller was part-time managing Tyler with Tyler’s lawyer, Dina LaPlot, for the last year. This arrangement was arrived at as a compromise after Tyler had a roller coaster ride with another manager and that guy’s successor–a man who went over the fence, shall we say, never to be seen again. Fuller was chosen by Tyler, but it turns out that this Simon doesn’t actually do hands on day to day management. So he teamed with LaPolt, who helped get Tyler’s anti-paparazzi law passed in Hawaii this winter.

For a moment last month, Tyler was almost managed by Larry Rudolph, who also manages Britney Spears. But that deal didn’t get signed thanks to internal politics that are too boring to describe here. Instead, Tyler has gone to Red Light Management with Fuller and LaPolt’s blessing. LaPolt continues to represent Tyler as his attorney only. Tyler. Howard Kaufman and Trudy Green managed Aerosmith. And everyone’s making money.

The Page Six story is “hogwash,” say my sources.

I sort of knew this anyway because as I prepared to interview Tyler earlier this month for ASCAP, I got to know all of his team. There’s no doubt that Tyler is high maintenance, but which rock star isn’t? Aerosmith is on tour in Australia and New Zealand right now, playing to sold out audiences and rocking arenas with Van Halen. Tyler and Joe Perry will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 13th in New York at a star studded dinner and show at the Marriott Marquis.

What Did Alec Baldwin Say This Morning about Broadway or Basketball?

Roger Friedman
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What Did Alec Baldwin Say This Morning about Broadway or Basketball?

Alec Baldwin said something this morning that pissed off pregnant wife Hilaria. It either had to do with NBA player Jason Collins’ announcement that he’s gay, or it was something about Broadway, the Tony nominations and Nathan Lane as “The Nance,” David Hyde Pierce in “Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike.” They’re the two gay nominees in a category that Baldwin didn’t get cited in– Best Actor in a Play. Certainly it wasn’t about his fellow cast member Tom Sturridge, who was nominated in Lead Actor from Baldwin’s “Orphans.” Sturridge has a nine month old daughter with fiancee actress Sienna Miller. And another day begins!

Maria Shriver Returning to NBC News to Report on Modern Life and Women’s Issues

Roger Friedman
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It took long enough. But Maria Shriver is finally returning to NBC News, where she’ll report on women’s issues and modern life. She’ll also have a series of Shriver Reports on NBC News which delve more deeply into these matters. Even though NBC’s press release says she’ll continue to be based in Los Angeles, I wouldn’t be surprised if Shriver turned up on the “Today” show rather sooner than later. Before her, uh, adventures with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shriver was a welcome presence on NBC. She will be again, very quickly.

Here’s the press release:

NEW YORK –April 30, 2013 — Maria Shriver, the Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist, producer and best-selling author, joins NBC News as a special anchor reporting on the shifting roles, emerging power and evolving needs of women in modern life.

Through a series of special projects, prime-time reports and appearances across multiple NBCUniversal properties – including NBC News, CNBC, MSNBC and NBC Sports — Shriver will examine the profound impact that women’s rising influence and leadership has had on all aspects of American culture and society.

In addition, she will serve as an Editor at Large for women’s issues across the NBC News Digital properties, working with the teams to expand on editorial content and news programming that touches on women’s multi-faceted lives. Overall, the partnership with Shriver represents one of the largest commitments NBC News has made to coverage of women’s issues.

“I’ve always believed that television can inspire and elevate humanity, and that’s my mission with this new partnership,” said Maria Shriver. “I look forward to shining a light on all areas of a woman’s experience – from faith and finances, wellness and work, to relationships and the new realities of modern life– and exploring these issues in a way that brings the voices of men into these critically important conversations.”

NBC News will also have exclusive broadcast access to Shriver’s award-winning series of Shriver Reports, multiplatform investigations into the status of American women and their central role in the key issues facing our nation. The next Shriver Report, to be released in early 2014, will address the alarming financial insecurity among American women and families.

“Through her reports, her books, her events, her activism and the powerful social community that she has built, Maria Shriver has become a leading voice for empowering women and inspiring all of us to be architects of change in our lives,” said Pat Fili-Krushel, Chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group. “We are delighted that Maria will play such a key role in our efforts to examine this important topic, and all of us at the NBC family are excited to welcome her home.”

Shriver previously served as an anchor and correspondent for NBC News from 1986 until 2004. She won a Peabody Award for a Dateline special report on single mothers and welfare.

Shriver’s new role at the network will build upon her pioneering work as First Lady of California when, from 2003-2011, she championed a number of women’s-focused initiatives, created the prestigious Minerva Awards honoring remarkable women, and produced the annual Women’s Conference, which under her leadership became the nation’s preeminent live forum for news-making conversations and interviews about women today.

A mother of four, Shriver will remain based in Los Angeles and continue to produce outside television, film, book and live event projects under the auspices of her own production company.

In addition to her groundbreaking work on women’s issues, Shriver is one of the nation’s leading advocates for families struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2009, Shriver co-executive produced the Emmy Award-winning four-part HBO documentary series called The Alzheimer’s Project, which opened millions of people’s eyes to the devastating disease.

Shriver has also been a lifelong advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. She serves on the Board of Special Olympics International and is deeply involved in gaining friendship and employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities through Best Buddies. Shriver is an entrepreneur and investor in socially responsible companies such as Lovin’ Scoopful, which donates a significant portion of its profits to Special Olympics.

Tony Awards 2013 Nominations: Tom Hanks Is In, But Scarlett, Bette and Alec Are Snubbed

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards 2013 Nominations: Tom Hanks Is In, But Scarlett, Bette and Alec Are Snubbed

The Tony Awards nominees have just been announced. Among the Hollywood stars who came to Broadway, Tom Hanks is the sole winner. He was nominated for Best Actor in a play for “Lucky Guy,” the late Nora Ephron’s tribute to Mike McAlary. But Scarlett Johansson, Bette Midler and Alec Baldwin all got shut out. Baldwin was usurped by young Tom Sturridge in their play “Orphans.”

Otherwise, the big nominees are “Matilda” and “Kinky Boots,” as expected. The latter is quite a nod for Cyndi Lauper, the pop star who turned her talents to Broadway and hit a home run. Cicely Tyson, 88, is on her way to a Tony for “The Trip to Bountiful.” Richard Kind is looking good for Best Supporting Actor in “The Big Knife.”

Some nice nominees: Keala Settle for “Hands on A Hardbody,” and both Shalita Grant and Billy Magnussen for “Vanya and Sasha and Masha and Spike.” A little sad for Sigourney Weaver, who got caught in the spirit of the anti-Hollywood wave. She’s great in “Vanya,” but she’s the only main player not to get nominated. I disagree whole-heartedly.

Among the many solo shows by women this year, the Tonys also went for Holland Taylor as Texas governor Ann Richards in “Ann.” But they weren’t so impressed by Bette Midler, whom audiences love as Sue Mengers in “I’ll Eat You Last.”

Also not acknowledged: Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain in “The Heiress.” Plus the entire cast of “Grace” was ignored.

 

 Nominations for the 2013 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards®

Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

 


Best Play

 

The Assembled Parties

Author:  Richard Greenberg

Producers:  Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

 

Lucky Guy

Author:  Nora Ephron

Producers:  Colin Callender, Roy Furman, Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger & William Berlind, Stacey Mindich, Robert Cole & Frederick Zollo, David Mirvish, Daryl Roth, James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer, Scott & Brian Zeilinger, Sonia Friedman Productions, The Shubert Organization

 

The Testament of Mary

Author:  Colm Toíbín

Producers:  Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Jon B. Platt, Roger Berlind, Broadway Across America, Scott M. Delman, Jean Doumanian, Roy Furman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Sonia Friedman Productions/Tulchin Bartner Productions, The Araca Group, Heni Koenigsberg, Daryl Roth, Eli Bush

 

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Author:  Christopher Durang

Producers:  Joey Parnes, Larry Hirschhorn, Joan Raffe & Jhett Tolentino, Martin Platt & David Elliott, Pat Flicker Addiss, Catherine Adler, John O’Boyle, Joshua Goodman, Jamie deRoy/Richard Winkler, Cricket Hooper Jiranek/Michael Palitz, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Radio Mouse Entertainment, ShadowCatcher Entertainment, Mary Cossette/Barbara Manocherian, Megan Savage/Meredith Lynsey Schade, Hugh Hysell/Richard Jordan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Ron Simons, S.D. Wagner, John Johnson, MacCarter Theatre Center, Lincoln Center Theater

 

Best Musical

 

Bring It On: The Musical

Producers:  Universal Pictures Stage Productions/Glenn Ross, Beacon Communications/Armyan Bernstein & Charlie Lyons, Kristin Caskey & Mike Isaacson

 

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Producers:  Gerald Goehring, Roy Miller, Michael F. Mitri, Pat Flicker Addiss, Peter Billingsley, Timothy Laczynski, Mariano Tolentino, Jr., Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Alison Eckert, Bob Bartner, Michael Jenkins, Angela Milonas, Bradford W. Smith

 

Kinky Boots

Producers:  Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Independent Presenters Network, CJ E&M, Jayne Baron Sherman, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergère, Allan S. Gordon & Adam S. Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy & Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein & Dorsey Regal, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Michael DeSantis/Patrick Baugh, Brian Smith/Tom & Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp, Jujamcyn Theaters

 

Matilda The Musical

Producers:  The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers

 

Best Revival of a Play

 

Golden Boy

Producers:  Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

 

Orphans

Producers:  Frederick Zollo, Robert Cole, The Shubert Organization, Orin Wolf, Lucky VIII, Scott M. Delman, James P. MacGilvray, StylesFour Productions

 

The Trip to Bountiful

Producers:  Nelle Nugent, Kevin Liles, Paula Marie Black, David R. Weinreb, Stephen C. Byrd, Alia M. Jones, Kenneth Teaton, Carole L. Haber/Philip Geier, Wendy Federman/Carl Moellenberg/Ricardo Hornos, Fifty Church Street Productions/Hallie Foote/Tyson and Kimberly Chandler, Joseph Sirola, Howard and Janet Kagan/Charles Salameno, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia R. Klausner, Raymond Gaspard/Andréa M. Price, Willette Murphy Klausner/Reginald M. Browne

 

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Producers:  Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Susan Quint Gallin, Mary Lu Roffe, Kit Seidel, Amy Danis & Mark Johannes, Patty Baker, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Richard Gross, Jam Theatricals, Cheryl Lachowicz, Michael Palitz, Dramatic Forces/Angelina Fiordellisi, Luigi & Rose Caiola, Ken Greiner, Kathleen K. Johnson, Kirmser Ponturo Fund, Will Trice, GFour Productions, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 

Best Revival of a Musical

 

Annie

Producers:  Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger Horchow, Sally Horchow, Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Debbie Bisno, Stacey Mindich, James M. Nederlander, Jane Bergère/Daryl Roth, Eva Price/Christina Papagjika

 

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Producers:  Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

 

Pippin

Producers:  Barry and Fran Weissler, Howard and Janet Kagan, Lisa Matlin, Kyodo Tokyo, A&A Gordon/Brunish Trinchero, Tom Smedes/Peter Stern, Broadway Across America, Independent Presenters Network, Norton Herrick, Allen Spivak, Rebecca Gold, Joshua Goodman, Stephen E. McManus, David Robbins/Bryan S. Weingarten, Philip Hagemann/Murray Rosenthal, Jim Kierstead/Carlos Arana/Myla Lerner, Hugh Hayes/Jamie Cesa/Jonathan Reinis, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia R. Klausner, Ben Feldman, Square 1 Theatrics, Wendy Federman/Carl Moellenberg, Bruce Robert Harris/Jack W. Batman, Infinity Theatre Company/Michael Rubenstein, Michael A. Alden/Dale Badway/Ken Mahoney, American Repertory Theater

 

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Producers:  Robyn Goodman, Jill Furman, Stephen Kocis, Edward Walson, Venetian Glass Productions, The Araca Group, Luigi Caiola & Rose Caiola, Roy Furman, Walt Grossman, Peter May/Sanford Robertson, Glass Slipper Productions LLC/Eric Schmidt, Ted Liebowitz/James Spry, Blanket Fort Productions, Center Theatre Group

 

Best Book of a Musical

 

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Joseph Robinette

 

Kinky Boots

Harvey Fierstein

 

Matilda The Musical

Dennis Kelly

 

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Douglas Carter Beane


Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

 

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

 

Hands on a Hardbody

Music: Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green
Lyrics: Amanda Green

 

Kinky Boots

Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

 

Matilda The Musical

Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin


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

Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans


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

Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful


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

Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical
Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots


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

Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella


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

Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy


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

Carrie Coon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful

 

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

Charl Brown, Motown The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Terrence Mann, Pippin


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

Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Lauren Ward, Matilda The Musical


Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Nance
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
David Rockwell, Lucky Guy
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy


Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Scott Pask, Pippin
David Rockwell, Kinky Boots


Best Costume Design of a Play

Soutra Gilmour, Cyrano de Bergerac
Ann Roth, The Nance
Albert Wolsky, The Heiress
Catherine Zuber, Golden Boy


Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Kinky Boots
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella


Best Lighting Design of a Play

Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Lucky Guy
Donald Holder, Golden Boy
Jennifer Tipton, The Testament of Mary
Japhy Weideman, The Nance

 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kenneth Posner, Kinky Boots
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Kenneth Posner, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical


Best Sound Design of a Play

John Gromada, The Trip to Bountiful
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary
Leon Rothenberg, The Nance
Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg, Golden Boy


Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm, Pippin
Peter Hylenski, Motown The Musical
John Shivers, Kinky Boots
Nevin Steinberg, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella


Best Direction of a Play

Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy


Best Direction of a Musical

Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical

 

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda The Musical
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Chet Walker, Pippin


Best Orchestrations

Chris Nightingale, Matilda The Musical
Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots
Ethan Popp & Bryan Crook, Motown The Musical

Danny Troob, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

 

 

* * *

 

 

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories

 

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Bernard Gersten

Paul Libin

Ming Cho Lee

 

Regional Theatre Award

Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, MA

 

Isabelle Stevenson Award

Larry Kramer

 

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre

Career Transition For Dancers

William Craver

Peter Lawrence

The Lost Colony

The four  actresses who created the title role of Matilda The Musical on Broadway – Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro

 

 

* * *

 

Tony Nominations by Production

Kinky Boots – 13

Matilda The Musical – 12

Pippin – 10

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – 9

Golden Boy – 8

Lucky Guy – 6

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike – 6

The Mystery of Edwin Drood – 5

The Nance – 5

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – 5

Motown The Musical – 4

The Trip to Bountiful – 4

The Assembled Parties – 3

A Christmas Story, The Musical – 3

Hands on a Hardbody – 3

The Testament of Mary – 3

Bring It On: The Musical – 2

The Heiress – 2

Orphans – 2

Ann – 1

Annie – 1

The Big Knife – 1

Chaplin – 1

Cyrano de Bergerac – 1

The Other Place – 1

Scandalous – 1

Rewind Exclusive: Sarah Jessica Parker, Blythe Danner Heading to Broadway

Roger Friedman
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Rewind Exclusive: Sarah Jessica Parker, Blythe Danner Heading to Broadway

We told you exclusively back on March 5th that Sarah Jessica Parker and Blythe Danner would appear this fall in a new Broadway play. http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/03/05/sarah-jessica-parker-looking-at-off-broadway-return-this-fall. The play is “The Commons of Pensacola,” written by actress Amanda Peet. Lynne Meadow will direct at her Manhattan Theater Club.

(Deadline.com decided to run the story today as their “exclusive,” which, of course, is funny and sad at the same time. They cannot seem to credit anyone else’s scoops but demand the credit for theirs.)

Nevertheless, we broke the story. Peet told me recently the play is about a Madoff like family who get into financial difficulties. Danner is the wife. Parker’s role is not known yet, although there’s a chance she’s the mistress of Danner’s husband.

Danner, by the way, just became a grandmother in real life for the third time. Her son, Jake Paltrow, a director, and his wife, Taryn Simon, welcome a baby girl just a couple of weeks ago. Her name is Whistler. Blythe’s other grandkids are Apple and Moses, from daughter Gwyneth. I met Whistler on the street over the weekend. She is very cute, and very alert, with a good grip. She’s a welcome addition to our downtown nabe!

Emeli Sande Breaks A Beatles UK Chart Record With Debut CD

Roger Friedman
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Emeli Sande Breaks A Beatles UK Chart Record With Debut CD

I’ve been telling you about Emeli Sande, raving about her, since February when she rocked the Grammys, a Universal Music showcase, and Elton John’s charity fundraiser. Now she’s broken a record held by the Beatles for 50 years. Her debut album, “Our Version of Events,” has spent 63 weeks in the top 10 in Britain. That’s the longest any debut album by an artist has spent consecutive weeks in the top 10 since the Beatles “Please Please Me” in 1963. Emeli is the Adele of 2013, but you wouldn’t know it in the U.S. Why is America always the last to grab hold of a star? That album should be the biggest thing on our charts. too. Who do we have pay at radio to get her over the top? (Not kidding really when you look at rest of the charts.) Wait– next year she’ll have a second album that will take off like crazy, and U.S. radio will say they “broke” her. That’s what happened with Adele’s “19” album which preceded her hit, “21.” The following spring Emeli will be featured in Clear Channel’s I Heart Radio, and they’ll lay claim to her too. Why not do i tnow and get it all over with?

 

The Soaps Are Back, Susan Lucci is AWOL and Now There’s Bad Language

Roger Friedman
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The Soaps Are Back, Susan Lucci is AWOL and Now There’s Bad Language

Lawsuits aside, the ABC soaps are back today on Hulu.com and other web outlets. “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” have returned in 30 minute form via Prospect Park Productions. For the most part they are the same. The biggest difference: the language. A couple of characters say “shit” and one said the word “asshole.” Nice. Did we need that? I don’t think so.

Of the two shows, “One Life to Live” is in better shape. But that’s no surprise. They weren’t decimated by ABC the way “AMC” was in its last couple of years. But Susan Lucci is still AWOL and you do feel it. Though it’s very rewarding to see David Canary, Julia Barr, and Jill Larson, Erica Kane is the white elephant in the room. It was a nice touch though to see the old All My Children scrapbook from the show’s original opening credits in the first scene. “AMC” may take some to build up steam.

“One Life” has a big reveal in its opening episode– the return of a character everyone thought was killed off before the original show ended. So there’s already a mystery and a sense of purpose.  “One Life” also had a more even pace to it. And as soaps go, the pudgy little girl who was Destiny, a teen mom, is now a slinky model type. Life is good in soaps, although I miss that original girl. She had a lot of charm.

Snoop Dogg “wrote” the music that’s the new theme for “One Life.” It’s not very good, but the dancing was cute. And all the older actorrs look refreshed and ready to go. Now it’s just a matter of all the old fans finding them on Hulu and iTunes.

By the way, so far in the half hour format you get 25 minutes of show–that’s a lot. In the hour format, “General Hospital” is sometimes as short as 35 minutes. And you know what? That’s plenty.

New Movie from “The Artist” Director Set in Chechnya, But Will Film Elsewhere

Roger Friedman
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0
New Movie from “The Artist” Director Set in Chechnya, But Will Film Elsewhere

Exclusive: So much talk about Chechnya these days because of the Boston bombings: the next movie to be directed Michel Hazanvicius, Oscar winner for “The Artist,” is set in the troubled country. It’s a remake of Fred Zinneman’s “The Search,” a 1948 movie about the Holocaust  that starred Montgomery Clift. There’s been talk that the new “Search” might be in trouble because of the Chechnya political situation. But producer Thomas Langmann, who also produced “The Artist,” says everything is on track to begin production this fall. “The Search,” which stars Oscar nominated Berenice Bejo, will shoot not in Chechya but in Georgia, he told me. Gossip that Warner Bros. might change its mind are unfounded. Bejo plays an NGO worker who reunites an orphan with his family. The Clift role hasn’t been cast yet.

more to come…

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