Hicks Hits Broadway

May 16, 2008

In a long string of ex-Idol contestants and finalists to find a place on the Great White Way, American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks is slated to join the cast of the musical “Grease”.  In the role of the “Teen Angel” (played in the movie version by one of the first teen idols ever, Frankie Avalon – check out those old “Beach Party” movies!), he’ll have a chance to hold the stage in the middle of a huge musical number with oohing and aahing showgirls.  It’s a plumb role, and a great way to make an entrance onto Broadway!  Other Idol finalists who have gone on to star in Broadway roles are Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple), Clay Aiken (Spamalot), Diana DiGarmo (Hairspray), Constantine Maroulis (The Wedding Singer) and though it wasn’t on Broadway, Jennifer Hudson did take home an Academy Award for her role in the movie version of “Dreamgirls”, a Broadway classic.  Can’t wait to see who’ll hit Broadway next from this latest crop of Idols!

(photo: pr photos) 

Jonas Gets Idolized

May 16, 2008

It’s just been announced that the Jonas Brothers will perform on the season finale of American Idol next week!  So tune in to watch the Davids battle it out on Tuesday, and complete the boy-fest with a performance from the JoBro on Wednesday!  Thursday Indy opens with Shia…okay, having trouble breathing here!  And if you aren’t seeing this weekend’s boyfest “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” with Ben Barnes, William Mosely  and Skandar Keynes, you can add it to next weekend and complete the swoon into a total dead faint!  Did we just get a little of subject?  Oh, yeah – Watch American Idol next week!

(photo:pr photos) 

Everything Old…

May 15, 2008

Is new again!  The 80’s are officially back with a vengeance, as the old standby TV hit “Beverly Hills, 90210” is back!  There’s even a whole cast picture available, so whereas we all thought things were just in the rumor stages, Hollywood has been keeping quite the secret!  As in the original, the story will center around the students at Beverly Hills High, and a little bit about their families, who just happen to be the now grown-up kids from the original series!  Even Jennie Garth has agreed to return as a school counselor, though the way we remember it, no one was in more need of counseling than her character!  We guess that’s what growing up can do?  Hope so!  You can look for the show this fall on the CW.

(photo: courtesy of the CW) 

Bye, Bye, Syesha!

May 15, 2008

Last night, despite huge advances in her performances, Syesha Mercado was, as expected, sent home from American Idol.  Expectations for the two Davids as the Idol top 2 have long been a topic of conversation, and now it is a reality.  At the end of the show, as is tradition, the guys tossed a coin to see who would sing first on next week’s final night of competition.  The coin was a specially made one, with “David A.” on one side and “David C.” on the other!  David A. won the toss, but chose to sing second – is this some new strategy he has up his sleeve?  Some people think it’s harder to start first, while other performers prefer to start the show – we’ll see how his plan pays off next week!  Can’t wait to see what they’ll sing next!

(photo: pr photo) 

Happy Birthday, Miranda!

May 14, 2008

Miranda is turning 15 today! This iCarly star is all smiles as her career keeps getting bigger and bigger. With her iTalent, where will she go next? How about New York? Drake & Josh in New York! Maybe iCarly will continue? One thing we know we can look forward to is the new iCarly album with songs from the star herself!  Enjoy your day to the fullest, Miranda!

 

 

 

(photo: pr photos) 

Three TV Sets

May 14, 2008

That’s what you’ll need if you want to watch “Camp Rock” on all three stations it will be showing on June 20^th!  No matter what your hook-up, you’ve got a choice that should reach every household in America: Disney Channel, ABC and ABC Family!  The soundtrack is set to street on June 17^th  The only downside?  Well, maybe there are two: It’s still a month until then (!), and you can’t own a copy of your very own until August 19^th!  This is a true lesson in patience! – so we’re sure most of you will have the whole thing memorized in time for the DVD release.

(photo: pr photos) 

Miley’s New Single

May 13, 2008

Today, Miley Cyrus debuted her new single “7 Things” on the syndicated radio show Elvis Duran and the Zoo (do you get it where you live?).  She says the song is about a recent break-up, and lists what she hates about her ex…are we talking a certain Jonas Brother, here?!?  But she also sings about the 7 things she loves, so at least it’s not a crazy ex rant!  Her next album is due on July 22^nd, and you can check the new single  here!

(photo: pr photos) 

Tony Awards

May 13, 2008

So you like musicals? Well the Tony Awards are like the Academy Awards for live musicals, as well as for plays on Broadway, which is in New York City. Tonys go to best musicals, plays, playwrights, actors, choreographers, directors, costumers, and set designers. Theatre celebrates its big night in style, and though some of the names might not be as famous as TV or film stars, they represent some of the most talented people in American Theatre today.  The nominees were announced in a press conference by two actors who have been as successful on Broadway as they have been on television: David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) and Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy). You like doing musicals? Well, memorize these names! The nominees for the Tony Awards this year are:

 

Best Play

August: Osage County

Rock 'n' Roll

The Seafarer

The 39 Steps

 

Best Musical

Cry-Baby

In The Heights

Passing Strange

Xanadu

 

Best Book of a Musical

Cry-Baby

In The Heights

Passing Strange

Xanadu

 

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

Cry-Baby

In The Heights

The Little Mermaid

Passing Strange

 

Best Revival of a Play

Boeing-Boeing

The Homecoming

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Macbeth

 

Best Revival of a Musical

Grease

Gypsy

Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Sunday in the Park with George

 

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood

Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing

Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll

Patrick Stewart, Macbeth

 

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Eve Best, The Homecoming

Deanna Dunagan, August:  Osage County

Kate Fleetwood, Macbeth

S. Epatha Merkerson, Come Back, Little Sheba

Amy Morton, August:  Osage County

 

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George

Lin-Manuel Miranda, In The Heights

Stew, Passing Strange

Paulo Szot, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

 

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

Kerry Butler, Xanadu

Patti LuPone, Gypsy

Kelli O'Hara, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Faith Prince, A Catered Affair

Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

 

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

Bobby Cannavale, Mauritius

Raul Esparza, The Homecoming

Conleth Hill, The Seafarer

Jim Norton, The Seafarer

David Pittu, Is He Dead?

 

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll

Mary McCormack, Boeing-Boeing

Laurie Metcalf, November

Martha Plimpton, Top Girls

Rondi Reed, August: Osage County

 

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange

Danny Burstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Robin De Jesus, In The Heights

Christopher Fitzgerald, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

 

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

de'Adre Aziza, Passing Strange

Laura Benanti, Gypsy

Andrea Martin, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

Olga Merediz, In The Heights

Loretta Ables Sayre, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

 

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps

Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County

Anthony Ward, Macbeth

 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with George

Anna Louizos, In The Heights

Robin Wagner, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

Michael Yeargan, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

 

Best Costume Design of a Play

Gregory Gale, Cyrano de Bergerac

Rob Howell, Boeing-Boeing

Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps

 

Best Costume Design of a Musical

David Farley, Sunday in the Park with George

Martin Pakledinaz, Gypsy

Paul Tazewell, In The Heights

Catherine Zuber, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

 

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps

Howard Harrison, Macbeth

Donald Holder, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Ann G. Wrightson, August: Osage County

 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George

Howell Binkley, In The Heights

Donald Holder, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid

 

Best Sound Design of a Play

Simon Baker, Boeing-Boeing

Adam Cork, Macbeth

Ian Dickinson, Rock 'n' Roll

Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

 

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Acme Sound Partners, In The Heights

Sebastian Frost, Sunday in the Park with George

Scott Lehrer, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Dan Moses Schreier, Gypsy

 

Best Direction of a Play

Maria Aitken, The 39 Steps

Conor McPherson, The Seafarer

Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County

Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing

 

Best Direction of a Musical

Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George

Thomas Kail, In The Heights

Arthur Laurents, Gypsy

Bartlett Sher, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

 

Best Choreography

Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby

Andy Blankenbuehler, In The Heights

Christopher Gattelli, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Dan Knechtges, Xanadu

 

Best Orchestrations

Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George

Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In The Heights

Stew & Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange

Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair

 

 

*       *       *

 

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

 

Special Tony Award

Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific.

 

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Stephen Sondheim

Black Belt

May 12, 2008

Comedy star Jack Black is coming out with another family friendly movie this summer, and he’s also recorded a song to go with it!  This multi-talented funny man has been half of the comedy-rock duo Tenacious D since his pre-fame days, and can belt out a ballad like the best of them.  So when it came time to record a song for his animated feature “Kung Fu Panda”, what better song could he cover than the 1974 hit, “Kung Fu Fighting”?!?  If you don’t already know the song, you soon will!  It’s one heck of a dance track, and Mr. Black will be doing the song as a duo with Cee-Lo, who is one half of another famous music duo, Gnarls Barkley!  The song will come out digitally on May 27^th, the whole soundtrack to the movie on June 3^rd, and you can see the movie beginning June 6^th!  Just say,” Huh!  Hah!”

(photo: pr photos) 

Jazz Hands

May 12, 2008

All HSM hands were on deck at last night’s Utah Jazz game against the LA Lakers.  Zac and Vanessa have been spotted in the stands before, but this time they brought along castmate Ashley Tisdale to share in the fun and the fans as well.  All three were signing basketballs for fans and just enjoying the game, and Zac and Vanessa even obliged by kissing cutely for the ‘smooch-cam’.  They’ve got their head in the game.  The Lakers lost, but something tells us these two are becoming quite the Utah fans!

 

 

(photo: pr photos) 

Happy Birthday, Lindsey!

May 10, 2008

Lindsey is turning 19! Now that Lindsey has survived "James K. Polk Middle School", she's moved on to living with her "family" and their new foreign exchange student! Comedy is definitely Lindsey's forte.  We wish her all the best in the new year!

(photo: pr photos) 

Singing Selena?

May 9, 2008

Looks like Selena Gomez, star of Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” (and one of KEWL’s ten greenest teen celebs!) may be sharing her beautiful voice with us soon as well!  Hollywood Records, Disney’s music label, is trying to sign the young star, but that shouldn’t be too difficult – who wouldn’t want to sign with the record label that brought us Miley Cyrus AND the Jonas Brothers?!?  Hurry up and sign, Selena!  We’re all waiting to hear how sweet you sound! 

(photo: pr photos) 

Iron or Speed?

May 9, 2008

Which will it be?  Last week’s #1 opener “Iron Man” or this week’s newcomer on the scene “Speed Racer”?  There are high expectations for the family friendly fun of the Wachowski Brother’s new film based on the old Saturday morning cartoon show, but will it meet them?  Hollywood is placing it’s bets on the more mature comic-book tale of “Iron Man” to take the box office once again this weekend, but are they just underestimating the family and teen audiences?  We’ll see as the ‘summer’ movie season really kicks off tonight! 

Jordin Recovers!

May 6, 2008

American Idol Jordin Sparks is still working despite being on full vocal rest so that she can heal from her ‘acute vocal hemorrage’.  That means no talking, laughing, or singing for the bubbly performer. “Can I tell you how hard that is!?” she said, cheating just enough to send out her thanks to her fans. “Thank you for all the prayers and your concern. You guys are what keep me going, honestly. But not to worry! I’ll be better in no time!”  We all hope so, and hope to see her back in her opening spot for Alicia Keys tour soon! 

(photo: pr photos) 

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