News

Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman’s production, set against the backdrop of the Civil War, The Gray House, has received a major update, with the reports revealing that the historical television drama is expected to get a release date soon.

Starring Mary-Louise Parker alongside an ensemble cast, the limited series focuses on the female espionage agents operating during the American Civil War. The series premiered at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival on June 14, 2024; however, an official release date has not yet been revealed.

And a new update from TV Line has teased that a major announcement about the show is expected sometime this summer. “Producers tell Inside Line that filming has definitely wrapped on the mini, and you should expect a major announcement this summer,” stated the recent update on the historical drama.

Costner and Freeman’s Civil War Spy Drama Has Been in the Works Since 2022

Initially announced in 2022, Kevin...

Things have definitely been moving very slow for Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman-produced miniseries The Gray House. The show was first announced to be in the works back in 2022, and there really hasn't been a ton of information about the production and its status. Now, we finally have a promising update.

A little over a year ago in April 2024, Variety shared that the historical drama would be opening the Monte-Carlo Television Festival that year, which took place in June. Then a few months after that in September, Deadline revealed that some big names in the music industry have contributed to the soundtrack. We'll get to that in a moment. Though since then, almost a year later, any updates including a release date or even streaming home have not been shared. Until now.

"The Gray House" Photocall - 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival | Pascal Le Segretain/GettyImages

Per TVLine, producers of...

Just last month, Broadway dancers united at the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards, celebrating dance and choreographic excellence, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation. In keeping with the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards, nominators considered outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles in shows on Broadway as well as outstanding choreography in film that opened during the 2024-2025 season. This year's winners included the choreographers and ensemble of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway, Smash star Robyn Hurder and more. At this year’s Chita Rivera Awards, Ben Vereen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and David Neumann (Swept Away) received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award. See the full winners list Here and watch as...

The York Theatre recently celebrated their Spring Gala, a special one-night-only concert at The Theater at St. Jeans. Check out highlights from the event in the video here! Plus, BroadwayWorld was in attendance at the event and you can check out our photo coverage here! The event included appearances from Broadway's Karen Ziemba and Jelani Remy, Tony Award winner Ben Vereen, the mistress of many voices Christine Pedi, and Tony Award nominee and Broadway song and dance man Tony Yazbeck, and members of American Dance Machine for the 21st Century, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving great works of musical...

Winners for the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards have been announced! This year's winners included the choreographers and ensemble of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway, Smash star Robyn Hurder and more! See photos from the red carpet here! In keeping with the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards, nominators considered outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles in shows on Broadway as well as outstanding choreography in film that opened during the 2024-2025 season. The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation. At this year’s Chita Rivera Awards, Ben Vereen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and David Neumann (Swept Away) received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award. As was the case last year, the Outstanding...

Winners for the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards have been announced! This year's winners included the choreographers and ensemble of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway, Smash star Robyn Hurder and more! See the full winners list below! In keeping with the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards, nominators considered outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles in shows on Broadway as well as outstanding choreography in film that opened during the 2024-2025 season. The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation. At this year’s Chita Rivera Awards, Ben Vereen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and David Neumann (Swept Away) received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice...

Additional performances have been revealed for the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards, taking place this evening, Monday May 19 at 7:30pm at NYU Skirball. Limited tickets still available. Savion Glover will perform a tribute to Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Ben Vereen, Adrian Blake Enscoe and Cameron Johnson will perform a song from Swept Away in honor of Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics Choice Award honoree David Neumann, and hosts Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, and Marissa Jaret Winokur will perform a song from their Drama Desk Award nominated show Mama I’m A Big Girl Now. There will also be additional performances from previously announced Boop!, Gypsy, Shoshana Bean, Khori Petinaud, the Verdon Fosse...

Tituss Burgess, Donna Murphy, Savion Glover, Nathan Lee Graham, Lorna Luft, Stephanie Pope, Vy Higginsen and more will be presenters at the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards. There will also be special performances from Boop!, Gypsy, The Verdon Fosse Legacy, and The Sing Harlem Choir. The 2025 Chita Rivera Awards will be presented on May 19 at 7:30pm at the NYU Skirball and produced by Joe Lanteri, Founder and Executive Director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation, Inc., in conjunction with Patricia Watt. See the full list of nominees Here! This year, the Chita Rivera Awards will be honoring Ben Vereen with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which...

Kids, the year 2025 marks 20 years of "How I Met Your Mother" (Himym), and despite a contentious finale and claims that the show is now "problematic," its fandom remains fervent. Just as an older Ted Mosby revels in recounting old memories to his two children, so too do fans live to relive every slap bet, "but um," and romantic twist and turn across Ted's near 10-year romantic odyssey in search of the eponymous mother. From newfound success on streaming, a still-active Reddit page with over 350,000 members, to even the occasional Himym-themed wedding, the show's staying power cannot be underestimated.

Case in point: Series star Josh Radnor (present-day Ted) and co-creator Craig Thomas recently launched the show's first official rewatch podcast, "How We Made Your Mother," and the series has already amassed several thousand followers across Instagram, YouTube, and podcasting platforms. In light of them revisiting the entire series, episode by episode,...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) was an excellent character on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Because he was the chief engineer on the USS Enterprise-d, Burton was given the bulk of the show's trademark technobabble, often talking about subspace manifolds, phase inducers, and the state of the structural integrity field. Technobabble was vital on the series, as it allowed viewers to envision how complicated a vehicle the Enterprise actually was, implying that its navigation required hundreds of people overseeing dozens and dozens of systems. Its complexity made the Enterprise feel more realistic, and, dare I say, plausible.

At the center of it, Geordi wasn't just a master of the Enterprise's engine systems, but he was a nerd about it. He loved machines and complicated technical systems, eager to use his ingenuity to solve complicated engineering problems. All of...

Documentaries about Liza Minnelli and Supercross, fan favorites with different fans, a Steven Soderbergh horror, a spy thriller with Phoebe Dynevor and Angel Studios’ latest starring Jared Harris are new on screens. It’s a quieter moment for new releases as Oscar contenders flood theaters and the fresh crop of 2025 independent films are just starting to gestate at Sundance.

For a little star quality, Zeitgeist Films debuts Bruce David Klein’s Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story about legendary showbiz icon Liza Minnelli at the IFC Center in NYC and adds Los Angeles next Friday (Laemmle Royal and Town Center), with a national rollout to follow.

IFC’s 7 pm shows with director Q&As are both sold out. They’ll be moderated by Minnelli’s longtime friend and collaborator Jim Caruso, who is featured in the doc along with Michael Feinstein, Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Joel Grey, the late...

When it comes to a first name, few throughout history possess the level of recognition a mere utterance of Liza maintains; it’s this sentiment that kicks off a documentary entitled “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story,” as we’re simultaneously introduced to the legend that is Liza Minnelli, overflowing with wit and her signature laugh while friends ranging from Mia Farrow to Ben Vereen possess no shortage of memories as they all reflect on the early decades of Minnelli’s illustrious career.

Continue reading ‘Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story’ Review: An Entertainment Icon Receives An Adequate Documentary Treatment at The Playlist.

It’s Liza with a Z. Not Lisa with an S. Liza Minnelli is among those rare, true living legends who seem irreplaceable. Irreplaceable both in that their talent is immense and that it literally appears nobody from a younger generation has the capacity to do as many things as well as she did them. In Liza we have an iconic singer, dancer, and actor. And let’s not forget a pioneer of fashion! One thinks of peers like Barbra Streisand and Cher as apt comparisons and very few others.

Bruce David Klein’s new documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is an unabashed celebration of the woman as told by all of her best friends. Celebrity talking heads like Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, and Joel Grey speak effervescently about Minnelli. Singer and good friend Michael Feinstein emerges as the central storyteller of the film, alongside Minnelli herself.

Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) is most remembered as the Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise-d on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Throughout his Starfleet career, La Forge proved himself to be a brilliant engineer who came to know the Enterprise-d's engines better than anyone. On numerous occasions, Geordi kept the ship running even when the odds were stacked against him. Born blind, Geordi never let his disability slow him down, and his Visor often provided useful insight during away missions, as it allowed him to see across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Soon after joining the Enterprise crew, Geordi became friends with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), and the two regularly spent their off hours together. Data, in particular, enjoyed pretending to be Sherlock Holmes on the holodeck with Geordi as his Dr. Watson. Geordi was one of the most influential figures in Data's quest to become human, as he saw...

Celebrities, producers and just plain old fans are remembering actress Linda Lavin, who died December 29 at 87.

Matt Bomer and Nathan Lane reacted Monday to the loss of their co-star Lavin in the upcoming Hulu comedy series Mid-Century Modern. The multi-camera comedy from Max Mutchnick and David Kohan filmed seven episodes of its 10-episode order before the holiday break. It is unclear how the show will proceed without one of its leads.

“I am heartbroken at the loss of the great Linda Lavin, a brilliant, one-of-a-kind actress who could do comedy and drama with equal aplomb and who made each day a joy to go to work,” Lane said. “I feel so very lucky and grateful I finally got to act with her and that she went out doing what she loved and still at the top of her game. I called her Mom on camera and off and will treasure...

The actress who portrayed Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge's (LeVar Burton) mother in Star Trek: The Next Generation had appeared as Star Trek's first Black female captain a few years before. Not much was revealed about Geordi's family throughout Tng's run and neither of his parents appeared on the show until season 7. As the Chief Engineer on the USS Enterprise-d under the command of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Geordi's storylines typically involved him solving engineering problems with his best friend, Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner).

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 3, "Interface," Geordi learns that the USS Hera has gone missing and that all of its crewmembers, including Captain Silva La Forge (Madge Sinclair), are presumed dead. Prior to learning this information, Geordi, Data, and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) had been testing an interface device that would allow Geordi to see through and pilot with his iconic Visor.

The first trailer and poster for the new Liza Minnelli documentary, “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story,” has debuted.

The poster features a red, white, light blue and black illustration of a young Minnelli, with her signature pixy hair style and long eyelashes, by artist Kii Arens.

The trailer opens with Minnelli sitting in a chair and singing a snippet – “Gather around, I got a story to tell” – form the song “Ring Them Bells.” It shows footage of the Egot winner throughout her more than 50-year career, as well as interviews with her sister Lorna Luft, the late Chita Rivera, Michael Feinstein and Darren Criss. Ben Vereen is shown tearing up talking about the legendary entertainer and daughter of Hollywood royalty, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli.

Mia Farrow talks about being at Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding. “Oh, my god,” she exclaims.

Minnelli herself is seen talking to...

“Wicked,” part one of the long-awaited screen adaptation of one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals, has a bevy of seasoned experts in the musical genre both in front of and behind the camera. The film is directed by Jon M. Chu, who previously received critical acclaim for his movie version of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s “In the Heights.” Leading the cast as Elphaba is Cynthia Erivo, a Tony winner for “The Color Purple,” while her love interest Fiyero is played by Jonathan Bailey, an Olivier Award winner for a role in a London revival of “Company.” And beyond being one of the biggest pop stars of the last decade, Ariana Grande is a theater kid at heart who got her start in showbusiness in the ensemble of tween musical “13.”

But in two key roles are actors who are probably the most familiar faces for cinephiles and moviegoers — but not ones known for breaking out in tune.

Over the past ten years, Greta Gerwig has cemented herself as one of the great directors of her generation, having made three of the best movies of the 2010s and 2020s. Her directing style, cinematography choices, and eye for framing interesting shots have made her one of the most visually compelling filmmakers in years, which is why understanding her influences and favorite movies is so key to appreciating her films.

Gerwig has been on the record many times to discuss the movies that have had a significant impact on her. By watching the films that have inspired her over the years, audiences can get an even better understanding of what makes Greta Gerwig one of the most influential voices in movie-making today.

This Classic From a Musical Legend Is Important to Gerwig's Style All That Jazz (1979)

Directed by:

Bob Fosse

Starring:

Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Ann Reinking

Rotten Tomatoes Score:...

Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research tonight celebrated the 26th annual Angel Ball in New York City, hosted by co-founders, songwriter Denise Rich and her daughters Daniella Rich Kilstock and Ilona Rich Schachter.

Busta Rhymes performs onstage as Gabrielle's Angel Foundation hosts Angel Ball 2024

Credit/Copyright: Noam Galai/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation

The star-studded event took place at Cipriani Wall Street and raised almost $3 million for cancer research.

Angel Ball is known for its amazing live entertainment and honors outstanding individuals who have made significant humanitarian and philanthropic contributions in support of cancer research. This year, the Angel Ball honored Grace Cayre, a children’s book author and devoted mother of three with a passion for philanthropy. For over two decades, Grace has selflessly volunteered her time at cancer centers, hospitals, and pediatric wards, inspired by her personal experiences with loved ones affected by cancer. Grace has organized...

Exclusive: Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films have acquired North American rights Bruce David Klein’s feature documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story which follows the career of and life of Liza Minnelli.

The Atlas Media production made its world premiere at last summer’s Tribeca Film Festival and recently played at the Hamptons Film Festival, Provincetown Film Festival and as a Centerpiece at the NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Zeitgeist is planning a theatrical run at IFC Center in early 2025 followed by a national rollout.

The deal was negotiated by Emily Russo and Nancy Gerstman, Co-Presidents of Zeitgeist Films and Isadora Johnson of Cinetic. The deal doesn’t include broadcast rights.

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story focuses on the Cabaret Oscar winner’s complex period during the 1970s following the tragic death of her mother Judy Garland as she confronts a range of personal and professional challenges...

Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) stayed busy as the Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise-d on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but he still found time to start a family before Star Trek: Picard. Throughout his time on the Enterprise-d, Geordi proved to be an incredibly skilled engineer, often going above and beyond to ensure the ship's engines ran as smoothly as possible. Despite being one of Tng's main characters, Geordi had less development than many of his fellow crewmembers, and very little was revealed about his childhood.

Over the course of its seven seasons, Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced family members of several of its main characters. Most notably, Counselor Deanna Troi's (Marina Sirtis) mother, Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett), became a recurring character on both Tng and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Lore (Brent Spiner), the evil twin brother of Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), also made multiple appearances.

Exclusive: The musical stars are coming out for Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman’s The Gray House.

Leslie Greif opened the series’ playlist exclusively for Deadline and there is serious star wattage in there, including an original song performed by country music legend Willie Nelson, which closes the series. Elsewhere, Shania Twain, Killer Mike and Yolanda Adams are among those to feature, and Jon Bon Jovi co-writes one of the show’s songs.

“My idea was, instead of having one [end] title song, I’m going to have eight different songs by Grammy-winning artists and in different genres of music, which are written for our show and are going to tell a story of that episode,” said Greif, who exec produces and wrote the script with Darrell Fetty, and John Sayles.

Nelson’s “Heart of America” was penned by Erin Enderlin, Jim ‘Moose’ Brown and Jeff Fahey. It closes the limited series,...

One Army of the Dead and Cha Cha Real Smooth star has officially found his next project. A new report from Deadline revealed that Ral Castillo will star in The Auction, the Agatha Christie-inspired sci-fi flick from director William Atticus Parker. The film is loosely based on Christie's novel And Then There Were None, with the film being set at Aztec Corp., a company that auctions off rare antiques and endangered animals. Castillo will play David Valdez, a sales representative for Aztec Corp., with Ben Vereen taking on the role of Valdez' father and K. Todd Freeman playing the head of Aztec Corp.

Exclusive: Army of the Dead and Cha Cha Real Smooth actor Raúl Castillo has been set as the lead in William Atticus Parker’s third film, The Auction, which we told you about earlier this month.

Today, we can tell you a little more about the suspense science-fiction tale, loosely inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. The film is set at the Aztec Corp., a company that auctions off ancient antiquities and semi-distinct wild exotic animals. Castillo will portray the newest sales representative, David Valdez, with Ben Vereen appearing as his father and K. Todd Freeman as the head of the corporation.

The previously announced cast also includes Audra McDonald, Mary-Louise Parker, and Richard Kind. Details about their specific roles are not being released yet.

Parker — son of actors Mary-Louise Parker and Billy Crudup — will make his film acting debut in the pic alongside his mom Parker.

Exclusive: Audra McDonald (The Gilded Age), K. Todd Freeman (The Horror of Dolores Roach), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Richard Kind (Only Murders in the Building) and Ben Vereen (All That Jazz) have been set to topline The Auction, a new indie from writer-director William Atticus Parker.

Described by the filmmaker as “a workplace drama with elements of fantasy and horror,” the film is a loose adaptation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Further plot details are being kept under wraps.

The son of Mary-Louise Parker, William will also make his feature acting debut in The Auction and produce alongside Sabina Friedman-Seitz (Atrabilious) and Cory Asinofsky. William’s sister, Ash Parker, will write and compose an original song for the pic, with production to kick off in New York this summer.

Currently starring on HBO’s The Gilded Age, which has been renewed for a third season, McDonald is...

“The Gray House” actors Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Vereen want people to wake up. Especially before the November election.

“I think they aren’t as horrified as they should be. We could potentially have a convicted felon as our President! There is a real lack of alarm,” Parker tells Variety at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival after the premiere of the Civil War series.

“Such ugliness was unleashed in our country by our previous President. It just spread, like some kind of virus. It gave people a sense of agency about their ignorance, their racism. It’s hard.”

“It’s frightening! People are not upset. There is a whole generation of ‘I don’t care,’” adds Vereen.

“There are scenes in this series that look just like the Jan. 6 [Capitol attack], don’t they. All of a sudden, it comes back into focus. You go: ‘Wow. It is happening again, now.’”

Distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution,...

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has rolled out the blue carpet welcoming star guests for its 63rd edition, but it also has an eye on the future.

“We’re always working towards expanding and developing the festival. Each year, we get better and better,” executive director Cécile Menoni says.

Listing “fabulous highlights,” Menoni gushes over this year’s Crystal Nymph winner: Morgan Freeman. The award recognizes the “stellar body of work” of the veteran actor, who recently exec produced “The Gray House,” which celebrated its world premiere Friday at the opening ceremony. Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head, Amethyst Davis and Ben Vereen attended.

“It’s such a thrill for us to honor him,” Menoni says.

The fest will also take a closer look at rising stars, with “Bridgerton’s” Simone Ashley given the International Golden Nymph for most promising talent. Honorary Golden Nymph – “Our festival’s highest accolade” – will go to “true fan favorite” Olivier Marchal.

The 2024 Tribeca Festival kicked off June 5 with the world premiere of the documentary Diane Furstenberg: Woman In Charge, launching the 12-day New York-set fest that features narrative and documentary competitions as well as a slew of A-list panels that always seem to make news.

Among the 108 feature films in this year’s lineup includes world premieres of movies starring Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone, Elizabeth Banks, Naomie Harris and Jenna Ortega to name a few. In addition to Furstenberg, high profile documentaries include Brats, Andrew McCarthy’s look back at the Brat Pack, and ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!, about South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone restoring an iconic Colorado restaurant.

Check out Deadline’s reviews from the festival, and keep checking back as new titles are added. Click on the film’s title to read our full review.

Brats ‘Brats’

Section: Spotlight

Directors: Andrew McCarthy

With: Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy,...

Prince Albert II of Monaco opened the 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival Friday, accompanied by a panoply of stars led by Morgan Freeman, “Seal Team’s” David Boreanaz and “Bridgerton’s” Simone Ashley.

The opening ceremony took place under stormy skies at the Grimaldi Forum, where the world premiere of limited series “The Gray House” opened the event. Many of the show’s stars were in attendance, including Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head (“Harlots”), Amethyst Davis (“Kindred”) and Ben Vereen (“Roots”), along with executive producers Leslie Greif (“Hatfields & McCoys”), Lori McCreary (“Madam Secretary”) and Freeman.

“The Gray House” is distributed by Republic Pictures, and produced by Kevin Costner’s Territory Pictures, Freeman and McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment and Greif’s Big Dreams Entertainment.

Boreanaz, star of “Bones,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Seal Team,” serves as president of the festival’s fiction jury. He is joined by jury members Piv Bernth,...

There must be something in the air lately because I have been seeing and reviewing a number of really good and intriguing documentaries on iconic showbiz figures. At Cannes I saw new docus on Faye Dunaway (Faye), Elizabeth Taylor (Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes) and others on Michel LeGrand and Jacques Demy. Currently on Max you can see a wonderful docu on the great Albert Brooks directed by his longtime friend Rob Reiner, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.

Add to the list of must-sees in this sector Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, which clearly has the star’s blessing because she is prominently interviewed in it. The focus ultimately on how she became her own person, especially how she managed to navigate the spotlight put on her after mother Judy Garland’s all-too-tragic death caused much speculation that the same thing might happen to her equally talented powerhouse performer of a a daughter.

Mary-Louise Parker never shied away from a challenging part. It’s this fearlessness that has translated into success in movies, television, and the Broadway stage. The actress, known for everything from Fried Green Tomatoes and Angels in America to The West Wing, and Weeds, continues to find work she is passionate about. The latest is the upcoming limited series The Gray House. Told across eight episodes, it’s a historical true story centering on unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the North. A Virginia socialite, her mother, and formerly enslaved sister-in-arms are among those who come together and risk their lives building an underground spy network for the greater good. They ultimately helped turn the tide against the Confederacy. Amethyst Davis, Daisy Head, and Ben Vereen are also part of the ensemble cast. The project comes with several heavy hitters including Kevin Costner...

When the 2023 Primetime Emmy nominations were revealed, Ali Wong and Pedro Pascal both had the honor of being included in multiple performance lineups. She made history as the first newcomer to the acting categories recognized for both live action (“Beef”) and voice (“Tuca & Bertie”) work, while he became the first actor nominated for three programs on his initial Emmy outing. These achievements made them the newest members of a group of 26 people who earned their first two (or three) acting Emmy nominations in a single year.

Wong’s eventual Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress win for “Beef” made her the seventh person in this bunch to succeed on one of her bids. The first was Robert Cummings, who received 1955’s Best Single Performance by an Actor prize for “Twelve Angry Men” and simultaneously lost for his regular lead turn on “My Hero.”

The first five champs who followed Cummings were Jack Albertson,...

Morgan Freeman just turned 87 and remains as passionate as ever about his chosen profession. The legendary actor and beloved “voice of God” in varying documentaries has amassed quite a body of work. One that will be honored by the Monte-Carlo Television Festival where Freeman receives the Crystal Nymph by Prince Albert II of Monaco. Past honorees have included Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, and Michael Douglas. Along with accepting the Lifetime Achievement award, he’ll also attend the premiere of The Gray House. The six-episode limited series centered on unsung women who headed an underground spy ring during the Civil War. Mary-Louise Parker, Amethyst Davis, Daisy Head, and Ben Vereen lead the ensemble cast. This project was made possible thanks to Freeman and Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment production company alongside Kevin Costner’s Territory Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment. It is a Republic Pictures title being distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

The Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) announced the winners of its 17th edition where it showed 60 films representing 25 countries from over 600 submissions.

The jury announced the following winners chosen from the 24 films in-competition on 6 June:

Best Feature Documentary: No More History Without Us, Priscilla Regis Brasil (Brazil)

Jury Statement: “As media becomes shorter, our memory is also drawn to something immediate and new. History is forgotten, while the impact is neglected. This film is a brave, brilliant, and meticulous undertaking of narrative change by and for Amazonian, which resonates throughout the Global South.”

Best Short Documentary: Nusa Ina, Anne Jan Sijbrandij (Netherlands)

Jury Statement: “We were moved by this film and the plight of displaced people so well told in the film as the reason short documentaries are so important, they are using film to preserve history and as a form of activism, which gives them an enduring power.”

Best Short Narrative: The Masterpiece,...

Morgan Freeman will receive the Crystal Nymph for lifetime achievement at this year’s Monte-Carlo Television Festival. The veteran actor is set to be recognized for his television work at the opening ceremony of the event June 14, with Prince Albert II of Monaco presenting the award.

Although Freeman is primarily known for his feature work, his television career stretches back to the early 1970s. He has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards during his career, and he’s had notable recent roles in the Amazon Prime Video series Solos, Netflix’s The Kominsky Method and Paramount+’s Special Ops: Lioness.

The Freeman and Kevin Costner produced historical drama The Gray House is also set to premier at the festival, after the opening ceremony. The American Civil War drama tells the story of Union spies, and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Knepper, Mary-Louise Parker, Amethyst Davis, Daisy Head and Ben Vereen.

Morgan Freeman will receive the Crystal Nymph Award at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, which runs June 14-18 in Monaco.

Freeman will receive the award at the opening ceremony from Prince Albert II of Monaco, in recognition of his television career.

The festival will open with the world premiere of “The Gray House,” in the presence of executive producers Freeman, Leslie Greif and Lori McCreary, as well as actors Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head, Amethyst Davis and Ben Vereen.

The Honorary Golden Nymph will be awarded to the French actor and director Olivier Marchal, for his contribution to the entertainment industry, at the closing ceremony.

Simone Ashley, best known for playing Kate Sharma in the second season of “Bridgerton,” will receive the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent.

This year’s Fiction category includes three world premieres: “Madam”, “Alone at Sea” and “Night Therapy”.

The festival will also screen the international...

The Broadway revival of The Wiz is officially open!

Nichelle Lewis is playing the lead role of Dorothy in the beloved musical and she looked gorgeous in green while attending the opening night party on Wednesday (April 17) in New York City.

The Broadway newcomer was joined at the celebration by co-stars Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Melody A. Betts, Kyle Ramar Freeman, Phillip Johnson Richardson, and Avery Wilson at the opening night celebration. The opening comes two months after the show played in Los Angeles for the final stop of the North American tour.

Some of the celebs who were in attendance at the opening included Hillary Clinton, Anna Wintour, engaged couple Ben Platt and Noah Galvin, Lachanze, Ben Vereen, Peppermint, Sherri Shepherd, Tamron Hall, Common, Leslie Uggams, and writer Amber Ruffin.

Get your tickets now to see The Wiz on Broadway.

Kevin Costner’s ‘The Gray House’ To Open Monte-Carlo TV Festival

The 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival, which takes place 14-18 June, has added a touch of star power. The Kevin Costner-produced civil war spy drama The Gray House will be this year’s World Premiere Screening. The limited series, which Costner’s Territory Pictures and Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment are making alongside Republic Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment, will open the fest following a red carpet arrival and opening ceremony. The show, based on a true story, stars Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head (Harlots), Amethyst Davis (Kindred) and Ben Vereen (Roots) as the unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the North. Paramount Global Content Distribution has international sales rights. Previous Monte-Carlo openers have included Harlan Coben’s Shelter, Last Light, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.

“The Gray House,” the Kevin Costner-produced limited series about a female spy ring during the Civil War, will open Monaco’s 63rd annual Monte-Carlo Television Festival in June.

The six-episode limited series tells the hidden-history tale of four Southern women — a Virginia socialite and her mother, a formerly enslaved Black woman and a high-end prostitute — who served as key espionage agents for the Union. The foursome are credited as unsung heroes who helped end the nation’s brutal cleavage in 1865. Mary-Louise Parker, Amethyst Davis, Daisy Head and Ben Vereen lead the ensemble cast.

Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary produce through their Revelations Entertainment banner alongside Costner’s Territory Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment from Republic Pictures. Paramount Global Content Distribution is handling distribution of the series but it’s not yet clear where “Gray House” will land in the U.S.

“As a storyteller, I’ve always looked to history.

Glynis Johns, remembered by movie audiences as Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins and by Broadway devotees as the first person to sing Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” on a national stage, died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living home in Los Angeles. She was 100.

Her death was announced by her manager and publicist Mitch Clem. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said in a statement. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”

A Tony winner (Best Actress/Musical) for her performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 Broadway cast of the Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler A Little Night Music, Johns both debuted and, due to her widespread acclaim, helped popularize what would become perhaps Sondheim’s most beloved and well-known songs with “Send in the Clowns.”

Born in Pretoria, South Africa, the Welsh Johns made her West End debut in 1931 at age...

The Primetime Emmys are not necessarily known for honoring projects featuring casts that are primarily minority/people of color. The TV academy has never, for instance, given the Best Drama Series trophy to such a show. The statuette for Best Comedy Series has been won by a series featuring a largely minority cast precisely once: “The Cosby Show” in 1985. But the category of top limited/anthology/miniseries has paid golden tribute to programs with mostly minority casts a handful of times before, helping give Netflix’s “Beef” with its predominantly Asian American lineup a genuine shot to take home the biggest prize.

“Beef” tied with “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for the most nominations among all non-regular series programs with 13. It’s presently in the lead among Gold Derby voters in the limited series race with 16/5 combined odds. Its star Ali Wong is also in first place among limited lead actresses,...

The 76th annual Tony Awards have already made history. For the first time, two of the acting nominees identify as non-binary: Harrison Ghee who is contending for lead actor in musical for “Some Like It Hot” and Alex Newell, vying for featured actor in a musical for “Shucked.” Their nominations have been warmly embraced. But 40 years ago, a history-making acceptance led to death threats.

At the 37th annual Tony Awards on June 5, 1983, producer John Glines thanked his lover when he accepted the best play honor for Harvey Fierstein’s “Torch Song Trilogy,” a three-act drama set in New York in the 1970s and early 80s starring Fierstein as a gay, drag queen and torch singer. “He expressed gratitude to an assortment of people , ‘lastly but most importantly, to the one person who believed and followed the dream from the beginning, who never said ‘You’re crazy; it can’t be...

The cast and production team of the Apple TV+ hit musical comedy series “Schmigadoon!” that dropped its second season on the streamer April 5 beat a tuneful path to the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood on a drizzly Thursday night, with castmates Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Dove Cameron, Jane Krakowski, Aaron Tveit, Tituss Burgess and Jaime Camil joining co-creator/exec producer/showrunner Cinco Paul and exec producer Andrew Singer for a spirited screening and panel event.

The show received four Emmy nominations in 2022 to mark its first season, including for its production design, music composition, chorography and original music and lyrics, winning a trophy for the latter. And while continuing to build an audience in season two, there’s already talk of a third season, as Singer confirmed on the red carpet (actually a wooden carpet after everyone moved indoors to avoid the raindrops) that Apple had...

It was the battle of the Stephens at the 27th annual Tony Awards telecast March 25, 1973 on ABC from the Imperial Theatre. In one corner was Stephen Sondheim’s glorious and exquisite romantic musical “A Little Night Music” based on Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 comedy “Smiles of a Summer Night.” And in the other corner, 25-year-old Stephen Schwartz’s hip, cool, Fosse Fosse Fosse musical “Pippin.”

“A Little Night Music,” which featured song memorable tunes as “Send in the Clowns” and “A Weekend in the Country,” waltzed into the ceremony hosted by Rex Harrison and Celeste Holm and co-hosted by Sandy Duncan and Jerry Orbach with 12 nominations including best musical, best original score, best book for Hugh Wheeler, best direction of a musical for Harold Prince, best performance by a leading actress in a musical for Glynis Johns, leading actor in a musical for Len Cariou, featured actress in a musical for...

If you love musicals, there is nothing better than Schmigadoon! Season 2.

On Schmigadoon! Season 2 Episode 1 Schmigadoon! Season 2 Episode 1, Melissa and Josh, married and discontent, try to recapture the magic they found in Schmigadoon, only to find the dark and gritty city of Schmicago.

However, since it's something different from their lives (as well as musical and magical), they decide to give it a shot, but neither of them really knows what they're in for.

As a musical theatre aficionado of the highest order, I shall do my level best to catch every wink and nod (and bump and grind), but this show is so jam-packed with references that some may slip by.

The city of Schmicago exists out-of-time, but obviously leans into the '20s and '30s of Chicago and Cabaret (Kander and Ebb's most enduring masterworks).

There are also hippies and, as we can glean from the opening number,...

Coslough Johnson, the Emmy-winning writer who worked with his late older brother, Arte Johnson, on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and wrote for two variety shows toplined by Sonny and Cher, has died. He was 91.

Johnson died March 23 of prostate cancer at a nursing facility in the Thousand Oaks area, his wife, Mary Jane, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Johnson also worked on sitcoms including The Monkees, Bewitched, That Girl, The Partridge Family, Good Times, Flo, Operation Petticoat and Cpo Sharkey and on cartoons featuring Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle, The Flintstones, Voltron and He-Man.

He wrote on the first three seasons (1968-70) of NBC’s Laugh-In, the final three seasons (1971-74) of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and the lone season (1976-77) of The Sonny and Cher Show, those last two for CBS.

Other variety shows on his résumé included The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show...

Though it is perhaps not the buzziest title among Apple TV+'s offerings, the musical comedy "Schmigadoon!" was a surprising and pleasantly charming riff on some classic Broadway shows. Premiering in the summer of 2021, "Schmigadoon!", as its title would imply to those in the know, spoofed old-fashioned musicals like "Brigadoon," "The Music Man," and "Oklahoma!", with the twist that a modern couple found themselves magically transported into a world combining elements of these stage shows and could only get out by renewing and better understanding their love for each other. If "Schmigadoon!" had wrapped as a single-season miniseries, ending on a tentative but hopeful note, that would've been fine. But there are other eras of Broadway to spoof, and thankfully, we now have a second, very loopy, yet slightly edgier season of "Schmigadoon!", picking up almost exactly where it left off in terms of its story and high quality.

At...

This year’s Tonys will be held on June 11, 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 legendary five-time competitive Tony winner Angela Lansbury received this honor about four months before her death on October 11 at the age of 96. The following living performers have also already received this award and thus won’t be chosen again: Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, and Rosemary Harris.

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

SEEBrian d’Arcy James (‘Into the...

Michael Butler, the Tony-winning producer who brought Hair to Broadway in 1968 and later produced the film adaptation and many other productions of the show, died Monday in Santa Barbara. He was 95.

His attorney confirmed the news on behalf of Butler’s family but give not provide details.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery Related Story 'The Music Man' Extends Broadway Run By Two Weeks Related Story Jimmy Fallon Confirms "I'm In!" To Reprise 'Almost Famous' Film Role For Broadway Musical In Drop-By Performances – Update

As a producer, social figure and international bon vivant, Michael Butler was an international celebrity in the 1960s and ’70s. As his 1968 production of Hair became an international hit, with 12 productions around the world, his friendships grew among exotic global figures such as the Shah of Iran and the Mahajarah of Jaipur. As a host at his lavish polo grounds in the UK,...