Whoopi Ends Theatre Run After Her Mother Suffers A Stroke

Filed under: Stage News,Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg has quit the London theatre production of Sister Act and flown back to the U.S. after discovering her mother has suffered a stroke.

The actress – who starred in the 1992 movie that inspired the West End musical – was due to headline the show until the end of August.

But the 54 year old brought short her run on Friday to make a transatlantic dash to visit her ailing mum Emma in hospital.

A statement from the show’s producers reads,

“The thoughts and sincere best wishes of the producers and the entire ‘Sister Act’ company are with her at this difficult time.”

Goldberg is also producing Sister Act, which is due to open on Broadway in 2011.

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Smiths In Talks To Take On Broadway?

Filed under: Stage News,Will Smith

Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are reportedly in talks to make their Broadway debuts side-by-side, in a revival of Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire.

According to the New York Post, the pair have been approached to play Stanley and Stella Kowalski in the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, which previously starred a then-unknown Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy in the late 1940s.

The revival, directed by Emily Mann, is set to open early next year.

The couple have been a fixture on the New York City theatre scene since they signed on as co-producers of Tony Award-winning musical Fela! last year.

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2010 Tony Award Winners List

Filed under: Awards,Stage News

The musical “Memphis” was the big winner at the 2010 Tony Awards on Sunday, taking home four awards.

The drama “Fences” picked up three awards, including for leading actor Denzel Washington and leading actress Viola Davis. See photos of all the Tony Award arrivals! Other stars who took home Tonys included Catherine Zeta-Jones for “A Little Night Music,” Scarlett Johansson for “A View from the Bridge” and Eddie Redmayne for “Red.” Here’s the complete list of winners: Best Play: “Red.” Best Musical: “Memphis.” Best Book of a Musical: “Memphis.” Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theater: “Memphis.” Best Revival of a Play: “Fences.” Best Revival of a Musical: “La Cage aux Folles.” Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Denzel Washington, “Fences.” Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Viola Davis, “Fences.” Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Douglas Hodge, “La Cage aux Folles.” Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Catherine Zeta-Jones, “A Little Night Music.” Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Eddie Redmayne, “Red.” Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Scarlett Johansson, “A View From the Bridge.” Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical: Levi Kreis, “Million Dollar Quartet.” Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Katie Finneran, “Promises, Promises.” Best Direction of a Play: Michael Grandage, “Red.” Best Direction of a Musical: Terry Johnson, “La Cage aux Folles.” Best Choreography: Bill T. Jones, “Fela!” Best Orchestrations: Daryl Waters and David Bryan, “Memphis.” Best Scenic Design of a Play: Christopher Oram, “Red.” Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Christine Jones, “American Idiot.” Best Costume Design of a Play: Catherine Zuber, “The Royal Family.” Best Costume Design of a Musical: Marina Draghici, “Fela!” Best Lighting Design of a Play: Neil Austin, “Red.” Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Kevin Adams, “American Idiot.” Best Sound Design of a Play: Adam Cork, “Red.” Best Sound Design of a Musical: Robert Kaplowitz, “Fela!”

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Pamela Anderson Heading Back To Panto

Filed under: Pamela Anderson,Stage News

Pamela Anderson is set for a magical Christmas – she’s signed up to star in a production of Aladdin in England for the second year running.

The Baywatch beauty performed as the Genie in a traditional British pantomime in London over the 2009 festive season and she loved the role so much, she’s taking it on again.

She says,

“I had a fantastic time performing in my first pantomime last year. I was thrilled to be invited to play the Genie again. I’m really going to have a great time.

“It’s fun, tongue-in-cheek and a cool experience for kids and adults, especially those just beginning their theatre life.”

Anderson will star in the show in Liverpool, north-west England from December.

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Catch Broadway Star Idina Menzel on Tour!

Filed under: Glee,Music News,Stage News

Singer-actress Idina Menzel has kicked off her 2010 tour and it’s not to be missed!

Menzel won a Tony award for her role as Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, in the original production of “Wicked” and currently plays Shelby Corcoran on FOX’s “Glee.”

Check out her upcoming tour dates:

Jun 17, Dallas, TX
Jun 24, Philadelphia, PA
Jun 29, Pittsburgh, PA
Jul 02, Lenox, MA
Jul 09, San Francisco, CA
Jul 17, Washington DC, DC
Jul 31, Bethel, NY
Aug 01, Hyannis, MA
Oct 02, Brookville, Long Island, NY
Nov 05, Denver, CO
Nov 07, Costa Mesa, CA
Nov 19, Minneapolis, MN

For more tour information or to purchase tickets visit IdinaMenzel.com.

I love Idina! Great singer and a class act.

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Jennifer Love Hewitt Planning Broadway Debut

Filed under: Jennifer Love Hewitt,Stage News

Jennifer Love Hewitt is preparing to swap the small screen for the New York stage – the actress is making plans for her Broadway debut.

The I Know What You Did Last Summer star is lining up work following the recent cancellation of her TV series Ghost Whisperer.

Hewitt will play a prostitute in upcoming TV movie The List, and after that she’s hoping to put her singing and dancing skills to the test in a Broadway musical.

Shesays,

“I’m looking at possible doing Broadway. To be able to sing and dance will be fun.”

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Time Stands Still For Ricci As She Replaces Silverstone On Broadway

Filed under: Stage News

Former child star Christina Ricci is to make her Broadway debut by replacing Alicia Silverstone in Time Stands Still.

The Addams Family star will join Laura Linney and Eric Bogosian when Donald Margulies’ play returns to the stage at the end of 2010.

The play received a Tony nomination for Best Play last week. It will resume performances at a theatre to be announced in September.

The production is taking a summer hiatus to accommodate Tony Award Best Actress nominee Linney’s commitment to her new TV series The Big C, which will premiere in America in August.

Silverstone has been forced to give up the role of Mandy in the show due to a scheduling conflict.

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Tony Award Winner Breaks Foot During West Side Story Performance

Filed under: Get Well,Stage News

Tony Award winner Karen Olivo has been forced to sit out of hit Broadway musical West Side Story after breaking her foot onstage.

The actress/singer, who won a Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony last year for her role as Anita in the show, fell awkwardly during Saturday night’s performance – and limped offstage.

When she failed to return for the curtain call, fans knew something was wrong.

In a Twitter.com post, Olivo writes,

“My foot is broken but my spirit is thriving.”

It is not known how long she’ll be out of the show, which opened to critical and commercial acclaim in March 2009.

Sad – get well soon.

CLICK HERE to follow Gomez on Twitter!

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Daniel Radcliffe Set For Musical Debut On Broadway

Filed under: Daniel Radcliffe,Stage News

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is to return to Broadway in 2011 to make his stage musical debut.

The young star has signed up to play J. Pierrepont Finch in a revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Matthew Broderick took to the stage as the window cleaner-turned-driven businessman in a 1995 revival.

His love interest in the Broadway show has yet to be cast.

Radcliffe wowed theatre fans in 2008 as the star of the play Equus, which played to full houses in London and New York.

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Paula Abdul to Make Broadway Debut

Filed under: American Idol,Paula Abdul,Stage News

Paula Abdul is heading for the Great White Way! The former “American Idol” judge has signed on to star on the Broadway show “In the Heights,”.

“Paula will take over for Priscilla Lopez in one of the leading roles,”

an inside source says.

“It’s always been Abdul’s dream to star on Broadway. Paula has been in talks with producers for several weeks and made a special overnight trip to New York on March 17 just to see the successful Broadway show.”

The musical centers on a group of people living in New York’s Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights. It debuted in 2008 to rave reviews and was nominated for 13 Tony awards.

“High School Musical” producer Kenny Ortega apparently helped Abdul get the gig. “Seems as if Ortega wants Paula involved in this project,” the source says. “Ortega is hot to have her choreograph the film version.”

Abdul will play Camilia, the mother of the main character Nina, who dreams of owning a restaurant. She is scheduled to be in the cast for several weeks.

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