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Updated with Kennedy Center’s response: With a storied stage and screen career behind him, Harvey Fierstein is denouncing Donald Trump‘s takeover of the Kennedy Center.

The 4x Tony winner, who has starred in several Kennedy Center productions over the years, called out the Trump administration with an impassioned statement on Instagram after more than 20 shows were canceled or postponed.

“A few folks have written to ask how I feel about Trump’s takeover of The Kennedy Center. How do you think I feel?” wrote Fierstein in the post. “The shows I’ve written are now banned from being performed in our premiere American theater. Those shows, most of which have been performed there in the past, include, Kinky Boots, LA Cage Aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy, Hairspray, Safe Sex, Casa Valentina, Spookhouse, A Catered Affair, The Sissy Duckling, Bella Bella and more.

“I have been in the struggle...

Jung Hyun-joo, the former CEO of Korean film company Acemaker, is joining Parasite studio Cj Enm.

Jung will join as Head of Film Business with immediate effect, bringing with her experience in helming films such as Boon Joon-ho’s The Host.

She joins Cj Enm as it turns 30 this year, during which time it has produced and distributed the likes of Oscar winner Parasite and Tony-winning musicals including Kinky Boots. The appointment of Jung is expected to strengthen its film team and accelerate global ambitions.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in Korean film, with The Host becoming one of the country’s top-grossing films ever under her production management and marketing guidance while she was at Chungeorahm Film.

She has also overseen distribution of the likes of The Lord of the Rings, Shaolin Soccer and Kill Bill in Korea through a role in Taewon Entertainment’s acquisitions team.

Cj...

Entertainment powerhouse Cj Enm has recruited seasoned executive Jung Hyun-joo as its head of film business. Jung, who previously served as CEO of Korean film company Acemaker, steps into the role effective immediately.

The appointment brings a heavyweight industry player to Cj Enm’s film operations. Jung’s resume includes her pivotal role behind Bong Joon Ho’s monster hit “The Host” during her tenure at Chungeorahm Film, where she managed production and marketing for what became one of Korea’s highest-grossing films.

Jung brings more than two decades of experience across production, financing and distribution. Her background includes spearheading Korean distribution for international blockbusters like “The Lord of the Rings,” “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kill Bill” while working at Taewon Entertainment, where she helped introduce over 100 international titles to Korean audiences.

During her stint at Showbox in the 2010s, Jung guided investment and production for commercial and critical successes including...

Going into this year’s Grammys, each of the six nominees for Best Musical Theater Album has its own distinct advantages, from involvement of previous nominees/winners to encouraging statistics. So let’s consider the possibilities.

The frontrunner to win based on the official Gold Derby odds is Hell’s Kitchen. It’s a jukebox musical mining the song catalog of Alicia Keys, who also wrote a few original tunes for the show. Jukebox musicals in general tend to be catnip for voters in this category as they contain material voters are familiar with. Previous champs include Jersey Boys, which used the songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons; American Idiot, an adaptation of Green Day‘s eponymous 2004 concept album; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which featured Carole King‘s song catalog; and Jagged Little Pill, an adaptation of Alanis Morissette‘s 1995 album.

Keys has plenty of bona fides.

Stephen Schwartz will see you now. The worthier wizard of “Wicked” is the one who wrote one of Broadway’s all-time top song scores and now, a little over two decades later, has overseen the transition of that music into a film that is almost certainly on the fast track for Best Picture contention. He is not the only veteran of the seminal Broadway team on board for the music, either, as the soundtrack finds him rejoined by the stage production’s original arranger and music supervisor, Stephen Oremus.

It’s a world-class Team of Stephens. Beyond having been the primary instigator behind turning “Wicked” into a stage musical (drawn from Gregory Maguire’s book), Schwartz is renowned for winning six Tonys and three Oscars as the composer and/or lyricist of the shows “Pippin” and “Godspell” and films like “Enchanted.” Oremus, meanwhile, is a Tony winner for his orchestrations...

With over 300 recorded performances, BroadwayHD offers something for every theater fan.

The first time I went to a Broadway show was about a decade ago when my mom and I saw “Wicked” in New York City. I remember being totally transfixed – I had never seen theater like that before… the vocals, sets, and performances are the best in the world. And now, there’s a streaming service that will bring that magic straight to your screen: BroadwayHD. This unique streaming service captures the thrill of Broadway with its deep library of live-capture performances, from timeless classics to more recent hits. Whether you’re a regular theatergoer or new to the stage, BroadwayHD makes it easier than ever to experience the best of live theater without leaving the house. If you’ve ever dreamed of front-row seats to Broadway’s finest, here’s everything you need to know about BroadwayHD.

7-Day...

Dancing With the Stars' devoted fans were elated to see veteran dancer Mark Ballas back on the show for Season 33. However, Mark didn't return as a pro dancer, but was given a seat on the judges' panel as a guest judge for the very first time. Mark's performance as a judge was well-received.

Mark returned to perform alongside pro-turned-judge Derek Hough during the season finale. They wowed both the live audience and viewers at home with their Argentine Tango. It was also amazing to see Mark on the ballroom floor. The DWTS alum has performed for 20 seasons, but fans will recall that he took a lengthy hiatus after he competed in Season 25. He wouldn't return until Season 31, which ended up being his very last.

Related An Exclusive Interview With Dancing With The Stars Semi-Finalist Witney Carson

The longtime pro dished about her partnership with Danny Amendola and more while speaking to TheThings.

“Weekend Update” took rapid-fire aim at President-elect Donald Trump and those in his orbit, from Rfk Jr. to Elon Musk to Matt Gaetz.

But of course, “Saturday Night Live’s” faux newscast opened with a bit about the healthcare CEO killer story that has rivited the nation since United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson was brazenly shot in Midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4. “Weekend Update” anchor Colin Jost noted that the country has been engaged “in the delicate, sensitive debate over who will play this guy in the Netflix miniseries.”

Jost also noted that the while the accused shooter, Luigi Mangione, is suspected of harboring hostility toward corporate America, the facts of the case don’t line up. “Yet he went to Starbucks before the shooting and was caught at a McDonald’s — perhaps his greatest crime was hypocrisy,” Jost said.

Jost and his co-anchor Michael Che then alternated zingers about Trump and his associates.

General Hospital‘s Sawandi Wilson is having the best year ever. Last May, he appeared in the Star Trek: Discovery series finale. In August, he joined Gh in the role of Dr. Isaiah Gannon and immediately impressed the show’s fans—and that was before his character saved Lulu Spencer’s life. Now comes the amazing news that Wilson recently got married.

The Happy Couple

On Friday, December 6, Wilson married actress Anna Eilinsfeld. The two exchanged vows at the Fairmont Water Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Eilinsfeld’s hometown. Back in 2021, in an Instagram post, Wilson described Eilinsfeld as “his ♥️/partner in crime/writing partner/dog mom to my dog dad/chef.” Now, he has added a brand new descriptor — wife to his husband.

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In the week leading up to the wedding, Eilinsfeld posted a social media love letter to her fiancé.

Cyndi Lauper has never been the type who does things the quiet way. Forty years after she blew up into an Eighties pop icon, she’s still making a great big noise. Lauper just began her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, rocking arenas around North America up to December, going out in style with opening acts including Aly and Aj, Amanda Shires, Elle King, Tones and I, Gayle, and Trixie Mattel. It’s a celebration of her eccentric musical journey, going back to her revolutionary feminist new wave manifesto She’s So Unusual,...

Early-aughts dance rock greats the Scissor Sisters may be gearing up for some kind of return after going on hiatus in 2012.

It’s extremely unclear what exactly is going on at the moment, though the band’s primary social media pages (Instagram, Facebook, and X) have all been updated to feature images of what look like television static. There’s mailing list fans can sign up for, as well.

Somewhat more telling was the sudden appearance of the Scissor Sisters’ logo on the facade of the Co-op Live arena in Manchester,...

Exclusive: Industry Entertainment veterans Bill Butler and Michelle Kittrell have left after 14 years to join upstart management/production company Amplified, launched earlier this year by fellow longtime Industry managers Adam Levine, Brandy Rivers and Michael Hepburn.

Butler and Kittrell, who are bringing all of their clients, will be launching a New York office of Amplified, located in Chelsea. Butler, who was a partner at Industry, will join Hepburn, Rivers and Levine as partner; Kittrell has been named VP/Head of NY Talent.

Butler started his career at Wma before moving to Gersh, where he eventually rose to senior partner and head of the NY office. Kittrell began her career in theater before transitioning to representation at Gersh NY. She followed Butler when he left to launch the NY offices of Industry Entertainment in 2010.

Butler and Kittrell have been instrumental in growing the NY offices of both Gersh and Industry, working with a roster of clients,...

Black Mass features some cast members giving fantastic but incredibly eerie performances. The Whitey Bulger biography is not Johnny Depp's most talked-about role, but it is perhaps one of his most chilling. The actor is better known for parts like Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, or Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, which easily overtake Black Mass in popularity, but his part is nonetheless worth looking at.

Whitey Bulger was an Irish-American mobster in South Boston who became one of the most notorious criminals in his area's history. Black Mass tells his true story, specifically chronicling the time wherein Bulger acted as an FBI informant in order to take down a Mafia family that was threatening him. Black Mass was directed by Scott Cooper and based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill. It' screenplay...

Billy Porter has become a household name through his trailblazing performances and charismatic presence on screen and stage, but his net worth doesn't necessarily reflect his fame. Best known for his Emmy-winning role in Pose, Porters career spans Broadway, film, and music. He first made his mark in theater, with starring roles in productions such as 2013's Kinky Boots, which he won a Tony Award for. Additionally, Porters unapologetic style and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights have made him a cultural icon.

Born William Ellis Porter II in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Pose actor has openly discussed his traumatic childhood marked by abuse and a strict Pentecostal upbringing (via People). Porter sought refuge in the arts, and his high school teachers at the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School encouraged him to attend Carnegie Mellon University. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama. Openly gay since age 16, Porter...

Exclusive: More than 50 of Broadway’s biggest names, including actors, directors, producers, writers and others, are organizing to support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election.

The volunteer coalition Broadway for Harris will work to to elect Harris, Walz and down ballot Democratic candidates this November. The organization plans to increase voter participation in key swing districts, produce fundraising events featuring the talents of the Broadway community and “work together toward a brighter, more hopeful, more equitable future for the country under the historic leadership of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

Among those who have signed on to the initial organizing committee are Adrienne Warren, Alex Edelman, Audra McDonald, Billy Porter, George C. Wolfe, Idina Menzel, Jeremy O. Harris, Lachanze, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Leguizamo, Sara Bareilles, Sarah Paulson, Shaina Taub and Tony Kushner. (See the full list as of August 19 below.)

Related: Democratic National Convention: What To Expect...

John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands, Adrian Blake Enscoe and Wayne Duvall will star in Broadway’s upcoming Avett Brothers musical Swept Away, reprising their acclaimed performances from the show’s previous runs at California’s Berkeley Repertory and Washington D.C.’ Arena Stage.

The casting, though expected, was confirmed today by producers Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock, and Madison Wells Live.

Previews begin Tuesday, October 29, at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre. Opening night is Tuesday, November 19.

Also returning from the show’s run at Arena Stage include ensemble members Hunter Brown, Matt DeAngelis, Cameron Johnson, Brandon Kalm, Michael J. Mainwaring, Orville Mendoza, Tyrone L. Robinson, and John Sygar. New to the cast are Josh Breckenridge, Rico LeBron, John Michael Finley, Chase Peacock, Robert Pendilla, and David Rowen.

Swept Away features music from folk-rock band The Avett Brothers, a book by John Logan, direction by Michael Mayer and choreography by David Neumann (Hadestown).

The musical tells the story of four men stranded in the Atlantic Ocean following a 19th Century shipwreck.

Gallagher made his Broadway breakthrough in the hit musical Spring Awakening, and Sands has appeared in Kinky Boots and To Kill A Mockingbird, among others. Enscoe is best known for Apple TV+’s Dickinson, and Duval appeared on Broadway in 1984.

The Swept Away creative team includes set designer Rachel Hauck, costume designer Susan Hilferty, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer John Shivers, music arranger & orchestrator Chris Miller, music arranger & orchestrator/music supervisor Brian Usifer, and music director Will Van Dyke.

Wagner Johnson Productions serve as Executive Producers.

Now showing, this week’s film quiz features questions on animated heroes, real-life villains, and fictional movies within movies.

There are a couple of movies about making movies out now – MaXXXine sees Mia Goth’s aspiring movie star bag a role in a 1980s horror sequel, while Fly Me To The Moon has Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum stage moon-landing footage as a Plan B for NASA in 1969. Accordingly, this week’s film quiz has a whole round on fictional films within real films – think more The Purple Rose Of Cairo in The Purple Rose Of Cairo than “Argo”in Argo.

Once you’ve completed all three rounds, you’ll find a link to a separate post with the correct answers at the bottom of this post. As always, this is all just for fun, but please let us know how you did in the comments (scores out of 30 this week!

It’s Wayne Brady’s first Pride Month since announcing his pansexual identity in August, but not much feels different for the actor and Let’s Make a Deal host.

“I think the only difference is my own visible stamp of myself saying, ‘This is who I am,’ and celebrating this month going forward and every other month and every year and every day,” says Brady. “It’s me.”

Audiences will get an intimate view of what that looks like on Brady’s upcoming docu-reality series, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix, set for release July 24 on Freeform (and streaming on Hulu the next day). The show stars Brady, his ex-wife Mandie Taketa; their daughter, Maile Masako Brady, 21; Taketa’s life partner, Jason Fordham; and Fordham and Taketa’s young son, Sundance-Isamu.

“It felt like the doctor’s appointment that never ended,” the typically private Brady says of having cameras follow his...

Out of all the winners (and also-rans) in the 26 competitive categories at the 2024 Tony Awards, 23 results stand out as particularly noteworthy when considered in the context of history. So what were this year’s most interesting facts, records, and milestones? Check out the complete list of winners here.

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1. The productions that received multiple Tony nominations, but went home empty-handed were “Back to the Future,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” “Doubt,” “Grey House,” “Here Lies Love,” “Lempicka,” “Mary Jane,” “Mother Play,” “The Notebook,” “Prayer for the French Republic” and “Water for Elephants.”

2. The individuals who had multiple nominations this year, but went home empty-handed were songwriter/orchestrator Will Butler (“Stereophonic”), lighting designer Isabella Byrd (“Cabaret” and “An Enemy of the People”), scenic designer dots (“Appropriate” and “An Enemy of the People”), songwriters/orchestrators Jamestown Revival (“The Outsiders”), lighting designer Natasha Katz...

“If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me / Time after time / If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting / Time after time.”

Those are some of the lyrics from Cyndi Lauper’s iconic song “Time After Time.” Co-written by Lauper and Rob Hyman, it was the second single from the singer’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual.” And 40 years ago this month, “Time After Time” became her first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lauper had actually come very close to topping the chart earlier that year. Her debut single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” made it to number-two in March 1984.

The soulful “Time After Time” knocked “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams from the Billboard top spot. “Time After Time” would remain there for a second week, but its “Time” was up when Duran Duran...

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that Billy Porter will receive the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities, including his work with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (Etaf) and the Entertainment Community Fund, among other organizations.

The Isabelle Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.

“Billy Porter has made extraordinary contributions as an activist for the LGBTQ+ community and we are truly honored to present him with this year’s Isabelle Stevenson Award,” said Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “He has lent tremendous time, effort and support to a variety of organizations...

Billy Porter will receive the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for his dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities.

The honor, announced Tuesday, includes the Pose star’s work with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and the Entertainment Community Fund, among other organizations. The Tony is given each year to a member of the theater community who “made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.”

Porter is an ambassador of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, as well as a member of the board of trustees for the Entertainment Community Fund, who he has worked with for several decades. Additionally, Porter works with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Hrc (Human Rights Campaign), GLAAD and Planned Parenthood

In addition to his onscreen work, which includes roles in the films 80 for Brady and Our Son, Porter...

This year’s Tonys will be held on June 16, so the American Theatre Wing will likely be announcing its Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in the near future. Who do you think should take home this prestigious trophy, which honors an individual’s body of work? It has gone to veteran stage performers, directors, choreographers, playwrights, songwriters, producers and designers. In some years we get multiple recipients.

Last year these honors went to actor Joel Grey and composer John Kander. The following living male Broadway vets have also received this award in the past and thus won’t be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Marshall W. Mason, Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Wheeler.

Here are 10 possibilities featured in our poll below, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote to let us know who you’d like to see honored. And take a...

Festival, Market

The first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market will feature a range of masterclasses and panels headlined by a range of luminaries including filmmakers Shekhar Kapur (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Karan Johar (“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”).

The lineup also includes actors Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”), Roshan Mathew (“Paradise”), Suvinder Vicky (“Kohrra”), Rajshri Deshpande (“Trial by Fire”), Boman Irani (“Dunki”), Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”), Abhay Deol (“Trial by Fire”), actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal (“Girls Will be Girls”), filmmakers Tahira Kashyap (“Sharmajee Ki Beti”), Sudhir Mishra (“Tanaav”), Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar”), Anurag Singh (“Kesri”) and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at streamer SonyLiv.

As previously announced, the India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and close the festival. Former Cannes film market director Jerome Paillard, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati and...

“The Devil Wears Prada” cast members Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt reunited at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards to present best actor in a comedy series. Blunt was also a nominee at the award ceremony for supporting actress thanks to her role in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

Streep took to the stage first alone and told the crowd that she had forgotten her glasses and the envelope with this year’s winner listed. Hathaway and Blunt then appeared to hand Streep her missing items, a nod to their roles as assistants to Miranda Priestly (Streep) in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

“Meryl and Miranda Priestly are sort of like twins,” Blunt said, to which Streep fiercely disagreed.

“No no. That wasn’t a question,” Hathaway told Streep in a nod to one of Miranda’s most icy lines of dialogue in the film.

Blunt also quoted Miranda by telling...

Korean entertainment conglomerate Cj Enm has appointed Jung Jhong-hwan, as president of content, global business. He is expected to spearhead growth of global content production and distribution and continue the group’s multi-studio approach to business.

Jung previously served as the head of global integration, within Cj Group. He oversaw the establishment and growth of Cj Group’s global businesses, was a key player in creating synergy in core global businesses during his previous role, managed the acquisition deal of Schwan’s and was responsible for enhancing the structural efficiency of Cj.

He was also part of the team involved in Cj Enm’s acquisition of Fifth Season (previously Endeavor Content’s scripted business) and has been involved in its post-merger integration He is also currently a board member of Fifth Season.

Stepping into the new position, with immediate effect, Jung will be expected to bolster the production capacity for...

On Wednesday, a shooting incident in New York’s Harlem area led to the arrest of renowned musician Cyndi Lauper‘s son, Declyn “Dex” Lauper. Police responded to a report of a shooting on West 112th Street at approximately 7:15 p.m. The victim, a 24-year-old male, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.

Through the evidence collection process, law enforcement officers discovered Dex in possession of a loaded firearm close to the crime scene. As a result, Lauper was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

He has not been charged in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing, however.

The victim of the shooting is currently in stable condition and receiving medical care at Mount Sinai Morningside. He also faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon.

Dex has previously faced legal issues. In 2022, he admitted to disorderly conduct...

Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Feb 2-4) Total gross to date Week 1. Migration (Universal) £3.6m £3.6m 1 2. Argylle (Universal) £1.8m £2m 1 3. Mean Girls (Paramount) £842,000 £6.8m 3 4. All Of Us Strangers (Disney) £797,004 £2.8m 2 5. The Zone Of Interest (A24) £596,565 £595,565 1

Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26

Migration trumped Universal stablemate Argylle to top the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest made an excellent start in just 106 cinemas.

It was lovely weather for ducks as animation Migration opened to £3.6m. Playing in 597 sites, it took a £5,951 site average. Its takings were down on those from Illumination’s Minions series; but...

According to the current combined predictions of Gold Derby users, reigning Tony champ “Kimberly Akimbo” is the frontrunner to win this year’s Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album with 10/3 odds. So far within this century 10 shows that won Tonys for both Best Musical and Best Score also came out on top at the Grammys. Among them are “The Producers,” “Hairspray,” “Spring Awakening,” “In the Heights,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots,” “Hamilton,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Hadestown.” Will that trend continue this year?

SEEGrammys flashback: Revisiting The Weeknd’s notorious, confounding 2021 snub

“Kimberly Akimbo” features a score by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire. Tesori has been nominated five times before but still has yet to win. Those previous bids were for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2003 (lost to “Hairspray”), “Shrek the Musical” in 2010 (lost to “West Side Story”), “Fun Home” in 2016 (lost to “Hamilton”), “Soft Power” in...

Billy Porter wrote the song “Always Be My Man” before he even knew about the film “Our Son,” let alone knew he would star in it, too. The multi-talented performer had wanted to pen a piece with collaborators Joe Killington and Conor Reeves about “the complexity of a relationship,” especially because he was living through a moment in which he was “fighting” with his now ex-husband. When the script for Bill Oliver’s film came his way soon after, the actor felt “the song was the law of attraction for me to receive this moment.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

The desire to write a song for a film in which he also stars is one Porter has felt for a very long time. “I’ve been doing movies since 1999. I’ve been trying to get a song in a movie that I’m in since then. I have been completely dismissed for decades,...

Exactly 20 years after he made history as the first Black performer to win a Golden Globe for a multi-part limited series, Jeffrey Wright is widely expected to triumph on his second general notice from the same organization. According to Gold Derby’s odds, he is the frontrunner in the 2024 Best Film Comedy/Musical Actor race based on his work in “American Fiction,” which is also set to compete for Best Comedy/Musical Film and Best Screenplay. If Wright at least prevails and thereby maintains his perfect Golden Globes record, he will become the third Black winner in his category’s seven-decade existence.

Adapted from the no-holds-barred 2001 novel “Erasure,” “American Fiction” was written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Cord Jefferson, who has collected numerous accolades (including a Primetime Emmy) for his script work on such TV programs as “Watchmen” and “Succession.” Wright leads a primarily Black cast as fictional author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison,...

Kicking October to the curb and bringing in some November goodness is a fresh slate of new content headed to Paramount Global’s streamer Paramount+, including the sequel to the hit 1997 film “Good Burger.”

Paramount+ started off November by adding more than 30 titles to its library, some of which include “Above the Rim,” Season 15 of “Ink Master,” “Gladiator” and “The Color Purple.”

And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the family, you can deck the halls with “Happy Christmas,” “Mistletoe Ranch” or “Christmas Eve.” When the kids go to sleep, adult-friendly treats like “Bad Santa” and “Bad Santa 2” are also available.

The highly-anticipated “Good Burger 2,” which stars Kel Mitchell, Keenan Thompson, Shar Jackson, Carmen Electra, Josh Server, Alex R. Hibbert, Lori Beth Denberg and Lil Rel Howery, hits the platform on Nov. 22

Here’s everything coming to Paramount+ this November, from “The Truman Show” to “Paw Patrol.

Takeaway 1: Call the Midwife is praised for its standout cast, who bring engaging character drama to the historical medical series. Takeaway 2: The show explores poignant political and social topics, including abortion, racism, religion, poverty, and teen pregnancy. Takeaway 3: Each actor, such as Helen George and Linda Bassett, has the opportunity to shine in the show and has flexed their acting muscles in other projects.

When the BBC historical medical drama returned for a 12th season, the Call the Midwife cast was particularly praised for being one of its standout features. Call the Midwife takes place in London in the late 1950s and 1960s and follows a group of midwives working at the Nonnatus House and how their work and the patients they treat affect both their professional and personal lives. Call the Midwife is not only an engaging character drama, but it also explores poignant political and social topics like abortion,...

Jasmine Amy Rogers, who recently finished a run as the scene-stealing “Gretchen Wieners” in the national tour of Mean Girls, has been cast in the title role of the pre-Broadway world premiere of Boop! The Betty Boop Musical.

Rogers will play the iconic big-headed Jazz Age flapper for a limited engagement at Chicago’s Cibc Theatre from November 19-December 24. The production is part of the Broadway in Chicago line-up.

Directed and choreographed by Tony winning Jerry Mitchell, Boop! features music by composer David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and a book by The Prom‘s Bob Martin.

Although the Chicago staging is described by producers as a “pre-Broadway premiere,” neither a Broadway production timeline nor Broadway casting has been disclosed yet.

“From the moment Jasmine walks into a room and shares that magnificent smile and her contagious laugh, you know you are in the presence of Betty Boop,...

Release marks second collaboration after Golda.

Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to Waitress: The Musical following its Tribeca world premiere and will partner with Fathom Events on a December 7 nationwide release.

The content was captured live on stage in 2021 during the musical’s reprise on Broadway and stars composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles in the lead role.

Based on the 2007 film directed by Adrienne Shelly and starring Keri Russell, the musical follows an expert pie baker stuck in a small town and loveless marriage who enters a life-changing baking contest.

Brett Sullivan directed the film and Jessie Nelson is creative advisor.

With “Dancing with the Stars” returning for a 32nd season this fall on ABC after switching last year to Disney+, there’s a long list of celebrities who deserve a chance on the dance floor. Two of my past suggestions came true: Frankie Muniz (who came in third on season 25) and Kel Mitchell (who came in second on season 28). Below are six male stars I think the show should consider inviting to compete for the next Mirror Ball Trophy. Do you agree with these picks? Vote in our poll at the bottom of this post to let us know who you’d most like to see on “DWTS.” And feel free to sound off in the comments about what other stars you’d like to see when the show comes back in September.

See‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 32 wish list: 6 women we’d love to see [Poll]

Dana Carvey

He...

Emmy-winning actor Billy Porter claims that he was forced to sell his house due to the ongoing SAG-Afrta strikes, which he has publicly supported. Porter blames major studios for his financial losses, accusing them of "starving him out" and not negotiating a fair deal with SAG-AFTRA. Porter believes that the payment structure for artists in Hollywood is outdated, especially with the rise of streaming platforms.

Emmy-winning actor and singer Billy Porter has recently revealed in an interview with the London newspaper, Evening Standard, that he was allegedly forced to sell his house due to the ongoing SAG-afrta strikes. The SAG-afrta strikes have been underway since July 14 due to the actors’ unhappiness with low residual payments from major studios.

Many prominent celebrity actors, including Seth Rogan, Bryan Cranston, Sarah Paulson, and Porter, have publicly supported the strike. Porter is mainly known for his FX series Pose and his lead actor...

The SAG-AFTRA strike is already putting a squeeze on actors’ finances — even for an Emmy winner.

Billy Porter, who shot to fame and won an Emmy on the FX drama Pose, now says he has to sell his house due to the financial strain of the strike. “I have to sell my house,” he tells the UK’s Evening Standard, “because we’re on strike.” For an artist like Porter, “until you make f–k-you money — which I haven’t made yet,” life is still paycheck-to-paycheck, he says. “I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on...

Stage actor James Beeks has been acquitted of all charges stemming from his participation in the Jan. 6th Capitol riots, with U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta concluding today at a Washington, D.C. courthouse that there was no evidence suggesting Beeks knew of plans to obstruct Congress.

Beeks, who was arrested in November 2021 while on tour portraying Judas in a road company of Jesus Christ Superstar, had traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 after reading online messages posted by the right-wing group Oath Keepers. The 49-year-old actor’s attorney Greg Hunter said Beeks was not aware of the group’s intentions. “If he didn’t know what others intended, he couldn’t intend to do it,” Hunter said, according to reports.

In his ruling today, Judge Mehta cited a lack of evidence that Beeks knowingly took part in planning the attack. The actor is no longer a...

Billy Porter and his husband of six years, Adam Smith, have decided to end their marriage.

Porter’s representative confirmed their divorce and said that the men have asked for “privacy” while dealing with the logistics.

Their split was “amicable” and there is no bad blood between the two. He additionally added that neither will comment on the divorce publicly.

The couple first met back in 2009 while at a dinner party and dated for a year before breaking up. Five years later, they decided to get back together and tied the knot on January 14, 2017, just 16 days after Porter proposed in London.

The couple said at the time that they chose to get married so quickly because they wanted to get married while Barack Obama was still president. They had a small and intimate wedding in Manhattan with about 45 guests.

Their marriage was especially important to both of them as Porter...

Start your engines and mark your calendars for July 28. “RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under” is back for a third season with 10 fierce and fabulous queens.

RuPaul will be hosting the series with returning judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson.

“Australasian drag is filled with heart and humor, and I’m thrilled to share my Season 3 queens to the world, for all to see their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent,” RuPaul says.

The 10 queens hail from across New Zealand and Australia. This season promises to be filled with thrills and maxi-challenges galore as the queens go head-to-head to snatch the crown.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under” will air day and date on Wow Presents Plus in the U.S. and select territories worldwide, with its local airing on Tvnz+ in New Zealand and Stan in Australia. Meet the queens below.

Amyl

Age: 27

Amyl hails from Sydney. She has been on the...

In the buzzing atmosphere of Tribeca’s Storytellers Panel, there was a great conversation between two longstanding peers, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel. Born out of shared experiences in musical theater, their friendship spans several decades, revealing a mutual respect between them.

Billy Porter, a pioneering actor, singer, and director, has made an indelible mark on both Broadway and Hollywood. From his remarkable performances on Broadway, most notably in Kinky Boots which earned him a Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical, to making history in Hollywood as the first openly gay Black man to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Pose, Porter has consistently challenged norms and transformed the entertainment landscape. His influence extends beyond his roles, with Porter continually using his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

Equally influential, Idina Menzel, a renowned actress and singer,...

Two performers broke new ground when it comes to gender diversity at the Tony Awards. J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell are the first ever openly nonbinary acting winners at the Tony Awards.

Ghee and Newell already broke barriers with their nominations, as the first openly nonbinary acting nominees. But the Tonys have now gone from zero to two winning nonbinary performers in one season. Ghee won Lead Actor in a Musical for the role of Daphne in “Some Like it Hot,” a character that begins to explore their true gender identity over the course of the musical. Newell won Featured Actor in a Musical for the role of Lulu in “Shucked,” who receives nightly standing ovations for their signature number “Independently Owned.”

This was the first Tony nomination for both performers. Ghee had previously appeared on Broadway in “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Newell previously appeared in “Once on This Island.

Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo

Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history at the 2023 Tonys when they both took home the awards they were nominated for at the June 11 ceremony. The pair are the first-ever nonbinary people to win an acting award at the Tonys ceremony.

Newell's category was announced first, and they won for best featured actor in a musical for their role in "Shucked." In their emotional speech, Newell said in part, "I have wanted this my entire life," and thanked their mom, who was in attendance, for her support and love.

"I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts," Newell said. "And to anyone who thinks they can't do it, I'm going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to."

The "Shucked" Twitter account congratulated Newell, writing, "Liberated, calculated,...

Here’s to some real-life New Directions! In one of the earliest awards handed out in the 76th Tony Awards telecast on CBS and Paramount+, history was made as Alex Newell became the first-ever openly non-binary actor to win a Tony award, in the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical category, for their showstopping role as cornpone character Lulu in the musical comedy “Shucked.”

Then, in the show’s final hour, that record was upheld by nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, who won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in the Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman tuner “Some Like it Hot”, based on Billy Wilder’s classic 1950s comedy. Ghee, late of musicals such as “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”, was a favorite for their bold reimagining of the Jerry/Daphne role made famous by Jack Lemmon in the original film.

Wayne Brady will lead the Broadway revival of The Wiz, producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland and Ambassador Theatre Group said Wednesday.

The Who’s Line Is It Anyway star has previously appeared on Broadway as Billy Flynn in Chicago, as Lola in Kinky Boots and as Aaron Burr in the Chicago run of Hamilton. He will take on the role of the Wiz in spring 2024, during the production’s planned Broadway run, following stops at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco and at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.

Before coming to Broadway, the production will launch a tour this fall in Baltimore and travel to cities including DC, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego. During those tour stops, Alan Mingo Jr., who has also appeared as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway, as well as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, will play the role of the Wiz.

In 2021, a new live-action version of the classic fairy tale Cinderella debuted on Amazon Prime, and the Cinderella 2021 cast is full of a mix of musical veterans and newcomers. One of the trends that have gained force in the film industry in recent years is that of live-action versions of animated movies, especially those based on popular fairy tales. Disney has been especially keen on bringing some of its animated classics to the live-action realm, but as these fairy tales aren’t exactly the Mouse House’s property, other studios can do their own versions as well, as Sony and Amazon did with Cinderella.

Directed and written by Kay Cannon and based on Charles Perrault’s tale of the same name, Cinderella follows the title character, a young woman who lives with her abusive stepmother and stepsisters after the death of her father. When the royal family organizes a ball...

This month, free streaming service Pluto TV will premiere the new kids’ animated series “Shaq’s Garage.” The show focuses on the secret adventures of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal’s extraordinary collection of cars, trucks, and other unique vehicles, known as the Shaq Pack. The show will debut on June 5.

The 1994 Australian road comedy “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” was eye-opening at its debut. The movie centers on two drag queens and a transgender woman crossing the Outback en route to a nightclub performance. Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp star in the comedy that helped introduce LGBTQ themes to a mainstream audience. The film arrives on the service on June 1.

Interestingly, it’s just one of three movies coming to Pluto in June that led to a stage musical adaptation. In addition to “Priscilla” is the British comedy “Kinky Boots.” That film’s musical version won...

Tony winner Lena Hall is set to star in a new Broadway-aimed musical from the & Juliet writing and directing team and featuring the hit songs of rock & roll pioneer Roy Orbison.

In Dreams, written by David West Read and directed by Luke Sheppard will have out-of-town tryouts at Leeds Playhouse in the UK and the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto before an expected transfer to Broadway.

The story revolves around the former lead singer (Hall) of a country rock band who, at a critical moment in her life, throws a party in a family-run Mexican restaurant to reconnect with old friends, while keeping her deeper motivations a secret.

Casting for the Leeds production (July 3-August 5) will include Oliver Tompsett, who appeared in the West End production of & Juliet. He’ll play a drummer from the Hall character’s past.

Hall is...

The Outer Critics Circle (Occ), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, today announced the nominees for the 72nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway season.

“New York, New York” received a major backing from this announcement, which coincides with the production’s opening night. The new musical with songs from John Kander, the late Fred Ebb and Lin-Manuel Miranda earned a whopping 12 nominations, the most of any production. “Some Like it Hot” trails just behind it with 10 nominations. The most nominated plays of the season are the Off-Broadway sensation “Downstate” and Broadway epic “Leopoldstadt,” both with six nominations apiece.

This is the first season with newly reconstructed acting categories, which have removed gender specifications, and have been expanded to separately include off-Broadway performers. In the previous configuration, actors in Broadway and off-Broadway productions competed in the same category.