Grease Revival Will End Broadway Run in January 2009
The Tony-nominated Broadway revival of the ’50s-set musical Grease will play its final performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre Jan. 4, 2009.
When it closes, the production ‘ directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall ‘ will have played 31 previews and 554 regular performances.
The current cast includes Ashley Spencer as Sandy and Derek Keeling as Danny with “American Idol” finalist Ace Young as Kenickie, Ryan Patrick Binder as Doody, Susan Blommaert as Miss Lynch, Stephen Buntrock as Teen Angel, Todd Buonopane as Roger, Xavier Cano as Sonny, Janine DiVita as Rizzo, Allison Fischer as Patty, Mike McGowan as Vince, Lindsay Mendez as Jan, Jamison Scott as Eugene, Kirsten Wyatt as Frenchy and Helene York as Marty
ABC Sets ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Return
On the heels of announcing three new dramas for its spring lineup, ABC has also booked the return of its biggest show — which will presumably help deliver viewers to a couple of those new shows.
The network says that the next cycle of “Dancing with the Stars” will premiere Monday, March 9. The results show will come back on Tuesday, March 17, allowing for two performances before the first celeb is eliminated.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
See David Cook’s Fav Spin on Light On
For the last month weve been asking you guys to send in clips of yourselves performing David Cook hit, …Light On. We got lots of entertaining submissions. Watch them and comment on them right here. But the end date has arrived, and the …Light On Challenge is over. David has checked out lots of the clips himself (see him assess a few right here) and he wanted to comment on one that really impressed him. Check the video above for his reaction.
New David Cook Photos!
No, see, I said …new, NOT …nude, potty brain! Anyway, here are eight more reasons to love David Cook (as if you needed more), eight more sides of the man, all of them good, obviously.
+ Check out brand-new MTV photos of David Cook (who showed up EARLY to the shoot!) and (re-)watch his Buzzworthy video interview, to find out what goes on in his talented mind when he staring down the lens ‘ in this case photographer Candice Lawler camera.
SIRIUS XM’s Martha Stewart Living Radio to Auction Celebrity Signed Christmas Ornaments for Charity on eBay
Martha Stewart Living Radio is kicking off a holiday-themed charity auction this week benefiting Taste of the NFL, an organization that raises money and awareness for hunger organizations. Participants can bid on ornaments from the Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy’s signed by a wide array of celebrities. New autographed ornaments are expected to be available daily through December 12, 2008.
SIRIUS XM Radio personalities, celebrities, musicians and chefs have supported the cause by signing the ornaments, which were donated by Macy’s, for Taste of the NFL. Participants include: Howard Stern; Martha Stewart; Gayle King; Dr. Maya Angelou; David Archuleta; Tom Arnold; Jacqueline Bisset; David Cook; Gary Dell’Abate; Derek & Romaine; Dido; Mitzi Gaynor; Bob Greene; Patti, Nona and Sarah LaBelle; Emeril Lagasse; Artie Lange; Isaac Mizrahi; Naughty by Nature; Nickelback; Fred Norris; Jamie Oliver; Dr. Oz; Chef Charlie Palmer; Pink; Robin Quivers; Carolyne Roehm; Rabbi Shmuley; Michelangelo Signorile; Joss Stone; James Taylor; Peter Walsh; The Wiggles; Marianne Williamson and Lee Ann Womack.
Lil Wayne, Coldplay Lead Grammy Nominee Field
Already on track to have the best-selling album of 2008, rapper Lil Wayne leads the nominations for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards with eight, including album of the year and best rap album for “Tha Carter III, ” best rap song for “Lollipop” and best rap/sung collaboration for “Got Money” featuring T-Pain.
Other leading artists are Coldplay, who earned seven nominations, and Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kane West, who each scored six.
In album of the year, the nominees were: Coldplay for “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, ” Lil Wayne for “Tha Carter III, ” Ne-Yo for “Year of the Gentlemen, ” Robert Plant and Alison Krauss for “Raising Sand” and Radiohead for “In Rainbows.”
Constantine Maroulis Presents BC/EFA With $25, 000 Check
On Thursday, November 20, “American Idol” finalist Constantine Maroulis presented BC/EFA with a check for $25, 000, representing the versatile performer’s winnings from an appearance earlier this year on Fox Network’s popular game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics.”
Constantine made the presentation immediately after his performance as “Drew” in Rock of Ages, now playing at New World Stages. He was joined onstage by cast and crew members from the musical, which features songs by Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx and other 1980s rock bands.
Suspect in Hudson murders has long rap sheet
CHICAGO (AP) ‘ The man charged with murdering Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew was a high-school dropout and street gang member with a long rap sheet for drug offenses and stealing cars.
William Balfour’s estranged wife, Hudson’s sister, knew he was trouble ‘ listing him on her MySpace page as the person she knew who was most likely to get arrested.
“He was always doing crazy (things), trying to carjack people, like that, ” said Kevin Bennett, who grew up across the street from the Hudson home in the city’s Englewood neighborhood and knew Balfour. “He was always asking for money.”
‘Grease’ still gets your toes tapping
PROVIDENCE, R.I. ‘ “Grease” opens with DJ Vince Fontaine (Dominic Fortuna) leading the audience in a singalong ‘ and dance-along ‘ to oldies and goodies, such as Dion’s “Run Around Sue” and Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire.”
Fortuna is one of several cast members who was a contestant on the NBC TV show, “You’re the One That I Want, ” in which the grand-prize winners earned a spot in the 2007 Broadway revival of “Grease” that spawned this national tour. It opened Tuesday at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Fortuna’s corny charm (he offered to meet a woman in the audience who said she was celebrating a divorce) and pulsating energy not only gave latecomers a chance to get seated Tuesday but also set the tone for a rollicking trip back to Rydell High in 1959
San Francisco turns ‘Gorgeous and Green’
The Bently Reserve turned green on Tuesday night ‘ …Gorgeous and Green that is. Global Green USA hosted their 4th annual benefit party complete with celebrities (Kate Bosworth!), organic cocktails (gotta love that VeeV!), eco-chic fashion (Del Forte Denim! Cari Borja! Sara Shepherd!) and, of course, an intense focus on green solutions that will aid the world economic, energy and environmental issues.
This year, Kate Bosworth, Daphne Zuniga and American Idol alum Elliott Yamin showed their support for the organization this year in San Francisco.
…Ive been more socially conscious since Ive been in the business, adds Yamin, who performed an acoustic set earlier in the evening for the ‹green V.I.P.S. …I have a better platform to do things like (Global Green). I try to do everything I can to contribute to this movement.
International twist to ‘Godspell’ succeeds in plot line, acting
Jesus and his disciples traveled around the world visiting various nations of Cuba, Haiti, South Africa, Sudan, India, China, Iraq and New Orleans.
Well, at least in Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj’s version of “Godspell” they did.
“Godspell” was originally written in 1970 by lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked, ” “Enchanted”) and playwright John-Michael Tebelak, but Syracuse Stage’s new and innovative production featured remixed versions of some of the original songs that were reworked to fit various cultures and genres of music.
The cast included SU Drama student performers Michael Howell, Nadine Malouf, Lauren Nolan, Tinuke Oyefule, Frank Paparone and Brendon Stimson.
Equity actors Brandi Chavonne Massey, Jasmin Walker, Timothy Ware and American Idol finalist Anwar Robinson were also featured in the production.
Underwood show has jokes, twists and spontaneity
If you don’t quite understand something that occurs during Carrie Underwood’s show Sunday at Sommet Center, there’s an easy explanation.
“The band and I always have running jokes on stage that if you ever see anybody do something kind of weird, it’s probably some inside joke that we’re messing with each other on, ” she said.
4 Days in the City
Many of the faithful fans who make American Idol television’s top-rated show each year often argue over which winner has enjoyed the greatest post-program success. Right now you could make a very good case for Carrie Underwood, currently both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music’s reigning Female Vocalist of the Year.
Underwood, who will headline Sunday night at the Sommet Center (7:30 p.m., 501 Broadway, 770-2000, $32.50-$52.50) along with Little Big Town, has enjoyed phenomenal success as a country singer immediately after winning Season 4 of American Idol. She’s only released two CDs as a performer, largely because each one has yielded so many chart hits and gotten so much airplay it hasn’t been necessary to cut any more.
Abdul Is Selling ‘Suicide’ Home
Singer Paula Abdul is selling her Los Angeles home, less than a month after a fan committed suicide outside her front gates.
Shortly after Paula Goodspeed took a suspected drug overdose in her car outside the Sherman Oaks, Calif., house on November 11, Abdul denied claims she was too scared to return to the house.
But just three weeks later, the star confirms she is selling up and hunting for a new super-secure home in the city.
A representative for the star tells Us Weekly magazine, “Paula simply feels she has outgrown her house, and given the recent public disclosure of her address, it seemed time that she move into a gated community.”
Gimme Noise remembers hip hop pioneer MC Skat Kat
In the storied history of hip hop, there are many unsung heroes. Visionaries like the The Cold Crush Brothers and the Treacherous Three collect dust in record bins, virtually unheard of beyond hip-hop’s most erudite inner sanctums. But in this shadowy otherworld, MC Skat Kat stands alone. First appearing in Paula Abdul’s seminal “Opposites Attract” video, the plucky animated feline boldly pioneered rights for cartoon creatures of all stripes by breaking the music industry’s long-standing Anthropomorphic Barrier, a gentleman’s agreement between coporate big wigs that kept cartoon creatures off the Billboard Charts for much of the 1980’s.
An ‘Idol’ Giving Back Glow
Chief “American Idol” makeup artist Mezhgan uses her makeup line “Me by {me}zhgan” to help cancer survivor Lauren Parks smile again.
Visit Mezhgan’s website www.mebymezhgan.com and you can receive 20% off with the discount code 20forme!
To support breast cancer research and education, visit savethetatas.com.
ETA:
‘Almost’ ANNIE Actress Pacitti ‘American Idol’ Bound
The New York Post is reporting that “almost Annie” Joanna Pacitti is getting another shot at fame by joining the upcoming members of American Idol’s Hollywood audition ticket holders.
The Post reveals that last summer, Pacitti, now 24, turned up at the auditions for the top-rated Fox talent show in Louisville, Ky., and was given a ticket to go to Hollywood. Her vocal style has been described as a cross between Pat Benatar and Kelly Clarkson.
Yesterday, Fox officials would not confirm to the Post the names of any of the new “Idol” contestants going to Hollywood, but insiders said Pacitti will definitely be on the hit show.
Joanna Pacitti was just 11 years old when she was chosen to star in the 20th Anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the well known department store Macy’s.
