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The Muny will present the long-awaited premiere of La Cage aux Folles playing now, with performances running nightly at 8:15 p.m. through August 14 in Forest Park. Check out a new video of star, Michael James Scott as he performs, "A Little More Mascara." This production marks the first time the beloved Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein musical will appear on The Muny stage. Starring Norm Lewis as Georges, the cast will bring to life the heartfelt story of love, identity, and family at St. Tropez’s most glittering drag nightclub. Audiences can now get a sneak peek inside rehearsals as Lewis performs “Song on the Sand” in a behind-the-scenes studio preview. Continuing its century-long tradition in Forest Park, The Muny remains committed to enriching lives...

Step inside rehearsals for La Cage aux Folles — coming soon to The Muny! Opening on Friday, take a look inside Monday’s designer run, featuring Norm Lewis (Georges), Michael James Scott (Albin), and more. The Muny production marks what is believed to be the first U.S. staging of La Cage aux Folles to feature Black actors in six principal roles: Georges, Albin, Jean-Michel, Anne, M. Edouard Dindon and Mme. Marie Dindon. Joining previously announced principals Cameron Anika Hill (Anne), Terence Archie (M. Edouard Dindon), Allison Blackwell (Mme. Marie Dindon), Troy Iwata (Jacob), Michael Hartung (Francis) and Meghan Murphy (Jacqueline) is Mason Reeves (Jean-Michel). Also rounding out the cast are Leah Berry, Patrick Blindauer, Michael Di Leo, Kylie Edwards, Marjorie Failoni, Julia Feeley, Aaron Graham,...

The Muny will present the long-awaited premiere of La Cage aux Folles playing now, with performances running nightly at 8:15 p.m. through August 14 in Forest Park. Check out a new performance from star, Tony-nominee Norm Lewis as he performs, "Song on the Sand." This production marks the first time the beloved Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein musical will appear on The Muny stage. Starring Norm Lewis as Georges, the cast will bring to life the heartfelt story of love, identity, and family at St. Tropez’s most glittering drag nightclub. Audiences can now get a sneak peek inside rehearsals as Lewis performs “Song on the Sand” in a behind-the-scenes studio preview. Continuing its century-long tradition in Forest Park, The Muny remains committed to enriching...

Step inside the rehearsal hall as Broadway star Michael James Scott brings Albin to life with “A Little More Mascara” from La Cage aux Folles! Watch as the glamour, comedy, and heart of this iconic number come together before it hits The Muny stage. The Muny production marks what is believed to be the first U.S. staging of La Cage aux Folles to feature Black actors in six principal roles: Georges, Albin, Jean-Michel, Anne, M. Edouard Dindon and Mme. Marie Dindon. Joining previously announced principals Norm Lewis (Georges), Michael James Scott (Albin), Cameron Anika Hill (Anne), Terence Archie (M. Edouard Dindon), Allison Blackwell (Mme. Marie Dindon), Troy Iwata (Jacob), Michael Hartung (Francis) and Meghan Murphy (Jacqueline) is Mason Reeves (Jean-Michel). Also rounding out the cast are <a...

The Muny has announced the full cast for La Cage aux Folles, which returns this summer after nearly four decades to the James S. McDonnell Stage in Forest Park. The hilarious romp that inspired the 1996 film The Birdcage runs August 8-14. “We have assembled a fabulous cast for this beloved classic,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “With extraordinary talent and the original, lush Broadway orchestrations, we’re going to return to the heart, humor and groundbreaking legacy of La Cage aux Folles.” The Muny production marks what is believed to be the first U.S. staging of La Cage aux Folles to feature Black actors in six principal roles: Georges, Albin, Jean-Michel, Anne, M. Edouard Dindon and Mme. Marie Dindon. Joining previously announced principals Norm Lewis (Georges), Michael James Scott (Albin), Cameron Anika Hill (Anne), Terence Archie...

Summer can be about vacations and beaches, but it is also about celebrating Independence Day this upcoming July 4th, 2025. That being said, it’s never too late to get into that patriotic spirit, have a good ol’ barbecue party with family and friends, and cool off in the pool. But there’s an even better way to celebrate the 4th, where they crank up the heat on the special day with the perfect American movies that scream patriotism.

Over the years, Hollywood has given several blockbusters that resonate with American history, ranging from inspiring tales to war epics that will fill you with pride. We have curated a list featuring 9 films on Netflix that are truly grand, dramatic, and inspiring, resonating with the American way!

9) Da 5 Bloods (2020) A still from Da 5 Bloods | Credits: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

Released back in 2020 on the Ott giant, Netflix, Da 5 Bloods...

Broadway's Jawan M. Jackson will join Norm Lewis and the company of Lonne Elder III's masterpiece Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, for the final week of its limited Off-Broadway engagement. From June 23 – 29, Jackson will assume the role of Blue Haven. Calvin M. Thompson plays the role through June 22. In addition to Norm Lewis, the cast of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men features Felicia Boswell, James Foster Jr., Morgan Siobhan Green, Jeremiah Packer, and Bryce Michael Wood. Jawan M. Jackson is a Detroit native best known for originating the role of Melvin Franklin in Broadway's Motown The Musical and Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. His performance in Ain't Too Proud earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2022, Jackson made history by...

Additional presenters and performances have been announced for the 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards, being held this Sunday, June 1 at NYU Skirball. Jeb Brown, Andrew Durand, Cole Escola, Sarah Hyland, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Bebe Neuwirth, and Nicole Scherzinger will present Awards that evening, along with previously announced Victoria Clark, Darren Criss, Brandon Victor Dixon, Tom Francis, Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis, Jinkx Monsoon, Alex Newell, Gracie Lawrence, Adam Pascal, Lily Rabe, Jennifer Simard, Ryan Spahn, Will Swenson, and Michael Urie. There will also be performances by Joshua Henry, Norm Lewis, Lesli Margherita, and the 2024 Drama Desk Award winner for Best Musical Dead Outlaw. Staci Levine and Jessica R. Jenen return as co-executive producers of the Awards. This year’s awards...

Victoria Clark, Darren Criss, Brandon Victor Dixon, Tom Francis, Jonathan Groff, Joshua Henry, Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis, Jinkx Monsoon, Alex Newell, Gracie Lawrence, Adam Pascal, Lily Rabe, Jennifer Simard, Ryan Spahn, Will Swenson, Michael Urie, and more will be presenters at the 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards, being held on Sunday, June 1 at NYU Skirball at 7:30pm, it was announced today. Staci Levine and Jessica R. Jenen return as co-executive producers of the Awards. This year’s awards are being hosted by Debra Messing and Tituss Burgess. Gavin Creel will receive the Harold S. Prince Award for Lifetime Achievement (posthumously) and stage and screen...

Just last night, Jason Danieley directed Lincoln Center Theater’s Ruby Jubilee Gala, one night only event featuring songs from Lct productions spanning four decades, performed by beloved Broadway stars including Roger Bart, Stephanie J. Block, Jason Robert Brown, Victoria Clark, Jordan Donica, Katie Finneran, Stephen Flaherty, Michael John Lachiusa, Marc Kudisch, Nathan Lane, Norm Lewis, Andrea Martin, Kelli O’Hara, Andrew Rannells, Anthony Rosenthal, Tally Sessions, Ted Sperling, Tracie Thoms, Leslie Uggams, Brandon Uranowitz, Betsy Wolfe and more. Lct’s 2025 Ruby Jubilee Gala Co-Chairs were Zita J. Ezpeleta and Kewsong Lee, Katherine Farley and Jerry I. Speyer, Marlene Hess and James D. Zirin, Brooke Garber Neidich and Daniel Neidich, Elyse and Michael Newhouse, Laura...

Norm Lewis, Michael James Scott, Cameron Anika Hill, Terence Archie, Allison Blackwell, Troy Iwata, Michael Hartung and Meghan Murphy will star in La Cage aux Folles when the musical returns to The Muny this summer after nearly four decades. La Cage aux Folles, the hilarious romp that inspired the 1996 film The Birdcage, runs August 8-14. The production is led by Marcia Milgrom Dodge (director), Richard J. Hinds (choreographer) and Darryl Archibald (music director/conductor). The team also includes Matthew Buttrey (scenic designer); Bobby Pearce (Costume Designer); Adam Honoré (lighting designer); John Shivers and David Patridge (sound designers); Kylee Loera and Greg Emetaz (video designers); Tommy Kurzman (wig designer);...

The new production of Lonne Elder III's play, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, starring Tony, Emmy and SAG Award nominee Norm Lewis, has extended by six weeks. Directed by the legendary Clinton Turner Davis, the new production – the first in New York City in nearly 40 years – has extended its limited run at Theatre at St. Clements through June 29. For tickets and information, visit ThePeccadillo.com. It's New York in the 1950s. Russell Parker, a ne'er-do-well barber and the widowed father of three adult children, spends his days playing checkers and reminiscing about his life in vaudeville as a song and dance man. His two sons, Theo and Bobby, are dreamers of a different sort – a pair of petty criminals looking for a “score" in...

Nominations for the 69th annual Drama Desk Awards were announced Wednesday by Tony- and Grammy-nominated actor Norm Lewis. Winners will be announced on June 1, at a ceremony taking place at NYU Skirball and hosted by Debra Messing and Tituss Burgess.

The Drama Desk Awards are unique in the landscape of New York theater, as they are the only place where Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off Broadway compete within the same categories. The nominating committee of the 2025 Drama Desk Awards comprises Chair Martha Wade Steketee, Linda Armstrong, Daniel Dinero, Peter Filichia, Kenji Fujishima, Raven Snook, and Charles Wright.

The Broadway transfers of Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, English, Job, and Oh, Mary! were not eligible for these kudos, having already competed for their off-Broadway runs.

Boop! The Musical clearly captured the hearts of the nominators. The infectiously upbeat tuner is the most nominated production, with 11 nominations. Nipping at its heels is...

[Editor’s note: This list was originally published in June 2017. It has since been updated with new entries.]

Ron Perlman would have us believe that war never changes, but the movies about it certainly have. The last 20 years have brought no shortage of films about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (for obvious reasons), but the best war movies of the 21st century show that World War II continues to fascinate filmmakers most of all.

While those conflicts have dominated the genre lately, everything from the Civil War to the Battle of Red Cliffs has found powerful expression onscreen. Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” tells us that “war is a drug,” and the films below suggest that movies about war are just as addictive — maybe even more so. We hope this list provides your fix.

With contributions from Anne Thompson and Michael Nordine.

27. “1917” (2019)

Drawing inspiration from his own grandfather’s war stories, Sam Mendes made a war film that’s as nakedly sentimental and admiring toward...

A retired Green Beret addresses the inaccuracy of an explosion in a Spike Lee war movie. Since his first feature-length movie, She's Gotta Have It, was released in 1986, Lee's movies have been widely watched and celebrated. In the decade that followed his directorial debut, Lee directed many movies, including the critically acclaimed Do The Right Thing and Malcolm X, with both the 1989 and 1992 movies garnering multiple Academy Award nominations.

Lee's prolific directing career continued into the 2000s with notable movies ranging from the Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman-led 25th Hour to Inside Man, the latter of which was Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's fourth movie together. Lee received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director in recognition of his 2018 movie, BlacKkKlansman, starring John David Washington and Adam Driver. Since then, Lee has signed a multiyear deal with Netflix.

An Explosion In Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods...

There’s a notion that action movies are best enjoyed on the big screens. But in recent times, Ott platforms have also stepped up their game in producing original action movies for their audience. To match and compete with massive action movie franchises like John Wick, Mission: Impossible, and others, streaming platforms like Netflix have also created projects like Extraction.

A snippet from Extraction | Credits: Netflix

Action has a wide range of themes, from thrilling heist flicks to cop thrillers to Western backdrops. Now, Netflix has produced some of the big-budget action movies, but what’s unfortunate is that it has only promoted the worst ones. Although films like Bird Box, The Gray Man, and others generated a lot of views, some underrated action dramas deserve to be credited.

In this article, we have curated a list of underrated action movies streaming on Netflix that you can watch this December...

James Earl Jones, the revered actor who voiced Star Wars villain Darth Vader, starred in Field of Dreams and many other films and Broadway shows and is an Egot winner, died this morning at his home in Dutchess County, NY. He was 93.

His reps at Independent Artist Group confirmed the news to Deadline.

Widely regarded as among the world’s great stage and screen actors Jones is one of the few entertainers to have won the Egot, though his Academy Award was Honorary. Jones has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a spoken-word Grammy Award in 1977 and three Tony Awards.

The actor amassed nearly 200 screen credits during his brilliant 60-year career, starting some early-’60s TV guest roles and Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). He probably is best known for his voice...

Award-winning actor Aaron Lazar, known for his two decades of captivating audiences on Broadway and beyond, is set to release a powerful new album, Impossible Dream, featuring some of the brightest stars in theater, television, and music on August 16.

This exciting announcement comes as Lazar bravely faces amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Als), a progressive neurodegenerative disease he was diagnosed with in January 2022.

Lazar said, “I first sang ‘The Impossible Dream’ 24 years ago as a grad student in Cincinnati playing Don Quixote in The Man of La Mancha, as my impossible dream of becoming a professional actor was coming true. All these years later, the song and its message have become an anthem for me. This album is incredibly special, not just because it is my debut album but also because it is an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate what I’m learning: we all have the power within us to make the impossible possible,...

Ron Simons, who had a busy if low-key TV acting career before making his greatest impact producing such acclaimed Broadway plays as Thoughts of a Colored Man (2021) and the 2022 revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, died Wednesday. The four-time Tony Award winner was 63.

His death was announced by SimonSays Entertainment, the production company he founded in 2009. A cause of death was not immediately available.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected passing of our beloved, blessed, and highly favored friend, Ronald Keith Simons. Funeral details will be forthcoming,” the production company said in a statement.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem said in a separate statement, “We are heartbroken to learn of our friend and former trustee Ron Simon’s passing. Our thoughts are with his family. Ron has left behind an unmatched legacy on Broadway and beyond. We will...

Ron Simons, an actor and four-time Tony Award-winning producer, has died. He was 63.

His production company SimonSays Entertainment shared that Simons died Wednesday. His cause of death wasn’t immediately available.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected passing of our beloved, blessed, and highly favored friend, Ronald Keith Simons. Funeral details will be forthcoming,” the production company wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Born on Nov. 30, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan, Simons didn’t initially pursue a career in acting and theater. After graduating from Columbia Business School in 1989 with an Mba in marketing and international business, he started his professional career at Microsoft as a product manager in San Francisco, California.

It wasn’t until years later, at 39 years old, that he decided to quit his job and follow his dreams in entertainment.

He got his Mfa in acting from the University of Washington and eventually moved from California to New York,...

Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Groban joined forces this week to pay tribute to the late and great Tony Bennett.

The music stars performed at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala: Celebrating Tony Bennett on Wednesday night (April 17) at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The evening also featured performances from Broadway stars like Bernadette Peters, Norm Lewis, Jared Grimes, and Adriane Lenox, with appearances from Gayle King and more.

Kristin was also joined at the event by her husband Josh Bryant. Earlier in the week, she hosted a one-night-only benefit concert for the Roundabout Theatre Company, where she paid tribute to late artistic director Todd Haimes.

This summer, you can catch Kristin in the pre-Broadway run of her upcoming musical The Queen of Versailles. It will premiere in Boston!

Stars like Katie Holmes, Alan Cumming, and Rose Byrne are all joining Broadway’s best talent in supporting the Roundabout Theatre Company!

The three stars – who have all starred on Broadway themselves – stepped out for the 2024 Roundabout Theatre Company Gala on Monday night (March 4) at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.

The event honored director Kenny Leon with the Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre and The Rudin Family with the Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. These awards are given to those who have made an indelible impact on both theatre and Roundabout.

Oscar winner Ariana DeBose gave a special concert performance at the gala.

Head inside to see all of the attendees at the gala…

Keep scrolling to see all of the celebs who attended…

Katie Holmes

Jim Parsons and husband Todd Spiewak

Kelsey Grammer

Matt Dillon

Rose Byrne

Vanessa Williams

Anna Chlumsky

Richard Kind

Alan...

Historian Bill Allison gives Da 5 Bloods a subpar accuracy score, critiquing a scene involving a helicopter. The movie aims to show the experience of African American soldiers in Vietnam during the war, highlighting racial injustice. Despite inaccuracies, Da 5 Bloods sheds light on the challenges faced by Black military personnel during the Vietnam War.

Spike Lee’s highly-rated Vietnam War film Da 5 Bloods gets a subpar accuracy score from historian Bill Allison. Released in 2020, the movie follows four African American war veterans who return to Vietnam, attempting to locate the remains of their former leader, along with some previously buried gold. The cast of Da 5 Bloods includes Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jonathan Majors, and the late Chadwick Boseman, in one of his final roles. After its premiere, the film earned praise, particularly for its performances, receiving a nomination at the 27th SAG Awards.

There has always been a tenuous relationship between live theatre and streaming. Some old-school voices in the theatre believe that allowing people to watch stage shows from the comfort of their own homes would disincentivize them from showing up to see shows in person. More progressive voices in the community argue that by giving audiences opportunities to stay excited about theatre in between trips to see shows only makes them more and more excited to see the real thing live and in person.

One company that is looking to bridge that gap is BroadwayHD, which launched in 2015 and has been a platform for filmed theatrical productions and stage-to-screen adaptations ever since. On Thursday, the company announced that it had reached a deal with NBCUniversal to stream a collection of NBC’s live musicals, including “Hairspray Live!”, “The Sound of Music Live!”, and “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” These titles...

You Gotta Believe (Ygb), a New York City-based, national organization that focuses exclusively on finding permanent parents and families for older kids in foster care, hosted its 9th annual Voices: Stars for Foster Kids benefit concert at Town Hall in NYC, on Monday, September 18th.

Bellamy Young and Andrea McArdle at Voices: Stars for Foster Kids benefit concert

Credit/Copyright: Jenny Anderson / Getty Images for You Gotta Believe

Created and hosted by Stars In The House’s Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, the benefit concert featured special performances and appearances by Donna Murphy, Patina Miller, Adam Pascal, Sharon Catherine Brown, Javier Colon, Ta’Nika Gibson, Matt Gould, Norm Lewis, Griffin Matthews, Gracie McGraw, Krysta Rodriguez, Cody Saintgnue, NaTasa Yvette Williams, Bellamy Young, Andrea McArdle and Executive Director of You Gotta Believe Jennifer Pinder. The evening was be directed by Brenda Braxton with music direction by Seth Rudetsky. Other guests in attendance included: Jackie Hoffman,...

"You followed him? He could've killed you!" Vertical has revealed an official trailer for a dark crime thriller titled The Good Mother, from director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte. Despite the two big names leading this cast, it's doesn't seem to be getting the most hyped up release next month. The film follows a journalist who, after the murder of her estranged son, forms an unlikely alliance with his pregnant girlfriend to track down those responsible for his death. Together, they confront a world of drugs and corruption in the seedy underbelly of a small city in upstate New York. Hilary Swank stars as Marissa, the vengeful journalist, with Olivia Cooke as Paige, plus Dilone, Hopper Penn, Norm Lewis, Karen Aldridge, and Jack Reynor. This reminds me of McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, about a mom turning vicious to get revenge on whoever killed her child. Looks extra dark. "Don't I get...

Exclusive: Vertical has picked up rights to the crime thriller Mother’s Milk, directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte (As You Are), with plans to distribute it in North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The film in which two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) stars opposite Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon) and Jack Reynor (Midsommar) will hit theaters across North America beginning September 1, debuting in the other territories shortly thereafter.

Written by Joris-Peyrafitte and Madison Harrison, Mother’s Milk follows journalist Marissa Bennings (Swank) who, after the murder of her estranged son, forms an unlikely alliance with his pregnant girlfriend Paige (Cooke) to track down those responsible for his death. Together they confront a world of corruption and drugs in the underbelly of a small city in upstate New York. And as they get closer to the truth, they unearth an even darker secret.

Also starring Dilone, Hopper Penn,...

This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page.

In “A Soldier’s Play,” Captain Richard Davenport isn’t meant to sing. But when you cast legendary baritone Norm Lewis in the role, you take advantage of his talents. Lewis can be seen in the national touring production, currently playing at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre — and it’s thanks to director Kenny Leon that audiences get to hear Davenport sing at certain points it the show.

Written by Charles Fuller, “A Soldier’s Play” is set on an Army base in 1944, when the military is still segregated. Captain Davenport, a rare Black officer, is sent to investigate the shooting of Sergeant Vernon Waters. Though Black himself, Waters despises and persecutes Black men who he feels perpetuate old-fashioned stereotypes.

Angelina Jolie brought 21-year-old son Maddox Jolie-Pitt as her date to the White House state dinner in Washington DC on April 26. The pair arrived arm in arm to the soirée, which President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Jolie looked ethereal in a breezy white gown, matching blazer, and gold accessories, while Maddox looked sharp in a black suit and tie. The outing was a rare public appearance for Jolie and her eldest child, who studied at Yonsei University in Seoul and worked on the crew for Jolie's upcoming movie "Without Blood."

Several other notable stars were in attendance at the state dinner, including Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and "Fixer Upper" duo Chip and Joanna Gaines. During the event, President Yoon surprised guests by singing one of his favorite songs, "American Pie," before Biden presented him with a guitar signed by Don McLean.

Angelina Jolie and Maddox Jolie-Pitt enjoyed a high-profile night out on Wednesday.

The mother-son duo looked chic as they attended the State Dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House in Washington, DC, honouring South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.

Maddox, 21, wore a black suit for the occasion with Jolie, 47, opting for a flowy cream-coloured dress and jacket. The actress styled her tresses down in loose waves and completed the look with a red lip and classic pearl jewelry.

According to a White House press release issued last month, the dinner marked the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-Rok alliance, “which is critical to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity for our two countries, the Indo-Pacific, and around the world.”

Angelina Jolie and Maddox Jolie-Pitt arrive to attend a state dinner in honour of South Korean President...

Update: The biggest surprise at the State Dinner was not any unexpected guest, but South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol singing a rendition of American Pie.

Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol sings “American Pie” by Don McLean during entertainment portion of State Dinner with President Biden. pic.twitter.com/M91Tj4WrHa

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) April 27, 2023

Previously: Angelina Jolie, Reginald Hudlin and Chip and Joanna Gaines are among the boldfaced names on the guest list for tonight’s White House State Dinner for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The dinner follows President Joe Biden’s meeting with Yoon and subsequent press conference. The U.S. and South Korea announced an agreement designed to deter North Korea.

Jolie is scheduled to attend the dinner with son Maddox Jolie-Pitt. She has visited the Biden White House on reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Hudlin is attending with his wife,...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for SwarmAs a show that takes a look at the mega-fandoms of pop stars, it’s fitting to have some musical cameos, but Billie Eilish’s role in Swarm is different from what people might expect from the singer. Produced by Donald Glover, Prime Video’s Swarm provides commentary on extreme fandom culture through the actions of Andrea “Dre” Greene, whose love for the fictional star Ni’Jah takes a dark turn. Dre loves Ni’Jah so much that she ends up killing anyone who expresses their distaste (or what Dre perceives as disrespect) for the singer’s music. Unfortunately, one such victim of Dre’s crime spree is Eilish’s Eva.

When Eilish was initially announced as a part of the Prime Video show Swarm’s cast, it seemed reasonable to assume that the pop singer would either cameo in the show as herself or an approximation of herself.

Up Here is one of the most sincere musical television series to come along in a while.

It's based on the 2015 musical "Up Here" by husband-and-wife team Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

We're all nostalgic for the 1990s now, so here's a throwback to the rom-coms of the era. It's in no way trying to reinvent the genre -- let's call it an homage.

Even the general conceit that the main characters have imaginary people living in their heads that they converse with regularly is not so unique. It's not far off from Herman's Head, Inside Out, or the "Dream Ghosts" sequence from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

There are some Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist vibes going on, too.

The original musical came out in 2015 and was described as Annie Hall meets Cirque Du Soleil.

Lopez and Anderson-Lopez are responsible for the songs here, and they are overall lovely, fun, and funny. Robert Lopez is an Egot winner,...

Black Theatre United has announced its new Executive Leadership Committee, with Broadway’s Trouble in Mind star Lachanze moving from Vice President to President.

Also named to the committee: actor Michael McElroy (Vice President), production stage manager Lisa Dawn Cave (Secretary), actor Norm Lewis (Treasurer) and actor-producer Tamara Tunie (Compliance Officer).

Btu’s outgoing exec committee includes President Audra McDonald, Treasurer Capathia Jenkins and Secretary Schele Williams.

The announcement comes as Black Theatre United celebrates the recent fulfillment of two major pledges promised in its founding New Deal for Broadway agreement with various Broadway theater owners, producers, creatives, and unions to honor Black theatre artists: On September 13, the Shubert Organization officially renamed the Cort Theatre as the James Earl Jones Theatre, and on November 1, the Nederlander Organization rechristened the Brooks Atkinson Theatre as the Lena Horne Theatre.

The Shubert Organization and the Nederlander Organization committed to having at least one...

Click here to read the full article.

Charles Fuller, the pioneering Philadelphia playwright who received a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award and an Oscar nomination for A Soldier’s Play, has died. He was 83.

Fuller, who also explored racism and the Black experience with his earlier plays The Brownsville Raid and Zooman and the Sign, died Monday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, his son, David, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A Soldier’s Play tells the story of the racially charged investigation by a Black captain for the murder of a Black sergeant on a segregated U.S. Army base in Jim Crow Louisiana in 1944.

Originally produced by New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, the courtroom drama/murder mystery debuted off-Broadway at Theater Four in November 1981 and ran for almost 600 performances through January 1963. It starred Charles Brown as Capt. Richard Davenport and Adolph Caesar as the murdered Sgt. Vernon C. Waters.

James Earl Jones – one of the most distinctive voices in the history of film – appears to have made steps to step back from voicing the Star Wars character, Darth Vader, after nearly 40 years in the role.

Vanity Fair reports that the actor, aged 91, has signed over the rights to his voice to filmmakers using new AI, technology, Matthew Wood of Lucasfilm told the magazine that the actor “wished to keep Vader alive”

“He had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character,” Wood told Vanity Fair. “So how do we move forward?”

Jones made his debut as the legendary Star Wars villain in the 1977 film, and followed this up with voicing the same character throughout the franchise up to this point on both the big and small screen. He most recently starred as the character for the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+.

While actor David Prowse dressed...

Update Black Theatre United will postpone its inaugural gala to 2023, due to unspecified scheduling conflicts, the organization announced today.

A new date will be announced shortly for the event.

Ahead of the Gala, Btu has partnered with Charitybuzz for an exclusive fundraising auction, now live.

Previous, Sept. 7 Black Theatre United has announced the line-up for its inaugural gala next month, and it’s a stellar one: Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis, Audra McDonald, Lachanze, Capathia Jenkins, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Darius de Haas, Natasha Yvette Williams and Lillias White, for starters.

The “A Night to Remember” gala concert is set for Monday, October 3 at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in Manhattan. Hosted by James Monroe Iglehart, the evening also will feature special performing guests Josh Groban, Joaquina Kalukango, Chuck Cooper, Lilli Cooper, Eddie Cooper, with special appearances by Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel. Jerry Dixon directs, with musical direction by Michael Mitchell.

The...

Broadway officially welcomed The James Earl Jones Theatre to its ranks yesterday, as the 110-year-old and much-renovated former Cort Theatre was renamed in a dedication ceremony attended by Samuel L. Jackson, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norm Lewis and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Broadway director Kenny Leon told The Associated Press, “It means everything. You can’t think of an artist that has served America more.”

With the renaming – announced last March – the Shubert Organization venue becomes the second Broadway theater named after a Black artist.

The James Earl Jones Theatre recently underwent a 47 million renovation project, which included the restoration and expansion of the 110-year-old building on West 48th Street.

Shubert, which owns the theater, commissioned extensive renovations and construction work on the...

Hilary Swank (“Million Dollar Baby”), Jack Reynor (“Midsommar”) and Olivia Cooke (“House of the Dragon”) are set to star in the upcoming opioid-themed thriller “Mother’s Milk.”

The film, which recently wrapped production in New York, comes from director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, who co-wrote the script with Madison Harrison. Prior credits from the director include Sundance Special Jury Prize winner “As You Are,” and the Margot Robbie-starring “Dreamland.” Aside from the three leads, additional cast includes Dilone, Hopper Penn, Norm Lewis and Karen Aldridge.

“Mother’s Milk” follows a journalist who, after the murder of her estranged son, forms an unlikely alliance with his pregnant girlfriend to track down those responsible for his death. Together, they confront a world of drugs and corruption in the underbelly of their small city in upstate New York, where they uncover an even darker secret.

“Getting this film made has been a personal dream...

Capital Concerts announced today the return of PBS’ National Memorial Day Concert for a live presentation from Washington, D.C. hosted by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise, acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veterans causes and supporting our troops in active service.

Featuring all-star musical performances and tributes, the 90-minute broadcast of the 33rd annual National Memorial Day Concert will air on PBS and stream on YouTube and www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert on Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. E.T., honoring our men and women in uniform, veterans, their families and all those who have given their lives for our country.

A more than three decades long tradition unlike anything else on television, this deeply moving and reverential night takes us back to the real meaning of the holiday through personal stories interwoven with musical performances by top stars with the National Symphony Orchestra.

The National Memorial Day Concert will return as a live presentation on May 29, with plans including a tribute to General Colin Powell and commemorations of Gold Star families and to those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

The 90-minute broadcast once again will be hosted by Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise and will once again feature a lineup of musical performances along with tribute segments. It will air on PBS and stream on YouTube starting at 8 Pm Et.

Dennis Haysbert will be featured in the tribute to Powell, who had regularly spoken at previous concerts. Powell, the former Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died last year.

Gil Birmingham will appear in Generations of Service, a tribute to the 58,000 lives lost in the Vietnam war and those who served during that era. Among the stories to be featured is that of Francis Whitebird,...

Exclusive: Samantha Mathis and Norm Lewis and are set as series regulars opposite Matt Passmore and Floriana Lima in Blank Slate, NBC’s drama pilot from Dean Georgaris, John Fox, Davis Entertainment and Universal Television.

Created by Georgaris and Fox, written by Georgaris and to be directed by Richard Shepard, Blank Slate draws some parallels to Davis Entertainment’s long-running NBC series The Blacklist. In Blank Slate, Special Agent Alexander McCoy (Passmore) is a legend in law enforcement, the agent we all hope is out there, the agent we’d all like to be. The only issue is — he doesn’t actually exist. He’s a ghost, a phantom. So what happens when a man claiming to be Alexander McCoy walks through the door with all of his skills and knowledge but with an agenda nobody will see coming?

Mathis will play Dr. Sylvia Matthews, the team’s forensic psychologist.

Emmy, SAG, and Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis premiereda new solo concert program with The New York Pops, led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, at Carnegie Halls Stern AuditoriumPerelman Stage. One Night Only An Evening with Norm Lewis highlights Norms illustrious career on stage, including his leading turns in Les Misrables, The Phantom of the Opera, Porgy and Bess, and Sweeney Todd.

Netflix announced Tuesday that it will be premiering Ali Wong’s new comedy special, “Don Wong,” on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

The special is Wong’s third with Netflix, following 2016’s “Ali Wong: Baby Cobra” and “Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife” in 2018. “Don Wong” was filmed at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in New Jersey in November 2021, and features Wong discussing her deepest fantasies, the challenges of monogamy and her feelings about single people.

The project is the latest addition to a slate of projects between Wong and Netflix, including the 2019 film “Always Be My Maybe” and the upcoming series “Beef.” Wong also voices characters on animated shows including Netflix’s “Ask the StoryBots,” “Ada Twist,” “Scientist” and the Emmy-winning adult comedy “Big Mouth.”

“Don Wong” is directed by Nahnatchka Khan, with Wong serving as executive producer alongside Ravi Nandan, Inman Young, Alli Reich and Corey Deckler for A24.

After several canceled performances due to an undisclosed number of breakthrough Covid cases among the cast or crew, Broadway’s Chicken & Biscuits will close permanently at the end of the month, producers announced today.

“Due to the significant financial impact of the show cancellations, Chicken & Biscuits will need to play the final performance of its Broadway engagement on Sunday, Nov. 28,” the producers said in a statement. “We make this decision with a very heavy heart, as this production has brought so much joy into our lives during a very challenging time.”

On Tuesday, the production at Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre announced that it had canceled performances through tonight, but the suspension was extended today through next Thursday, with performances set to resume on Friday, Nov. 19. The comedy will now stage its final performance on Sunday, November 28; it had originally been scheduled to end its limited engagement on Jan.

The Broadway production Chicken & Biscuits has canceled its next three performances, starting tonight, due to breakthrough cases of Covid.

“Through our regular testing process and protocols, breakthrough Covid-19 cases have been detected within the company of Chicken & Biscuits,” producers said in a statement. “As the health and safety of our cast, crew, and audiences are most paramount, we will be cancelling the next three performances starting tonight, Tuesday, November 9 through Thursday, November 11.”

The producing team – which includes Pamela Ross, Hunter Arnold, E. Clayton Cornelious, Leah Michalos, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas – said all tickets for the canceled performances will be refunded at the original point of purchase.

“The risks of mounting a play in this environment have always been clear to us,” the statement continues. “Yet every challenge we’ve faced is outweighed by the absolute thrill and joy of this play being performed on Broadway – with 30 debuts on...

Ten years after making his Broadway debut as an actor in “The Book of Mormon,” Douglas Lyons just took his first bow as a playwright with “Chicken & Biscuits,” which opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on Oct. 10. The comedy centers on the funeral of a pastor, which brings together two at-odds sisters and raises a whole host of family foibles.

Directed by Zhailon Levingston, “Chicken & Biscuits” features an eight-person ensemble, with the majority of the cast making their Broadway debuts. Cleo King and Ebony Marshall-Oliver play sisters Baneatta and Beverly, respectively, and are joined by Broadway stalwarts Norm Lewis, Michael Urie and NaTasha Yvette Williams.

See ‘Lackawanna Blues’: Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s ‘vibrant’ play and performance are a ‘master class’

In a rave review, Ayanna Prescod (Variety) calls the play “a portrait of Black joy, love and laughter” that features “a brilliant script that’s fresh, relatable and laugh-out-loud funny.

The dish that gives this play its title was, we’re told more than once, a specialty of the late patriarch whose death has occasioned a very rocky family reunion, a get-together where the only consensus seems to be that grandpa’s traditional culinary contribution was beloved more for sentimentality than flavor.

And so we’re handed an apt metaphor for Chicken & Biscuits, the new play by Douglas Lyons, directed by Broadway newcomer Zhailon Levingston. Chicken & Biscuits, opening tonight at Circle in the Square Theatre, is one of seven Broadway productions written by Black playwrights set to open this fall, and for that alone worth celebrating.

But new voices doesn’t always equal fresh voices, as this safe, cozy comedy makes clear. Like grandpa’s biscuits, stale is the word that comes to mind.

Lifting every last detail from Tyler Perry’s recipe book, this family comedy is brimming with stock characters,...

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have joined the producing team of Douglas Lyons’ Broadway comedy Chicken & Biscuits, currently in previews at Circle in the Square Theatre.

On Sunday, Nick Jonas visited the cast and creative team at the theater – a team that includes two from Jonas’ upcoming 2022 Jersey Boys Live! streaming project: producer E. Clayton Cornelious, and Chicken & Biscuits cast member Michael Urie, who also appears in the Jersey Boys project and co-starred with Jonas in the 2011 Broadway revival of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

Chicken & Biscuits cast member Norm Lewis appeared with Jonas in the 2010 Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary.

“Broadway has always had a special place in my heart,” Jonas said in a statement, “it helped launch my career. And after the last year and a half, Broadway is exactly what we need in this world. This play highlights the importance of love,...

Broadway, you might have heard, is back, and, miracle of miracles, it seems to have figured out how to present a truly excellent television awards show.

Splitting the traditional three hours into four and somehow coming up with the right math, Tony organizers, Paramount+ and CBS presented a two-hour livestreamed 74th Annual Tony Awards and, immediately following, the two-hour broadcast concert special The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!. The approach worked remarkably well. The no-nonsense presentation of award announcements and acceptance speeches was followed by a lively special that impressively showcased contemporary Broadway musicals on their home turfs and classic reunions that felt fresh and welcome.

Perhaps best of all, both portions of the evening were emceed by hosts who avoided entirely the tired combination of snark, smarm and insider smirk that has been de rigueur on the Oscars and Emmys for more than a decade now. Audra McDonald...