Media Morsels 1.27.12

• New York City Ballet
  City Ballet is back in full swing! I had a great time last Friday night, enjoying an All Robbins program, and I cannot wait for the All Wheeldon night this weekend that will feature Christopher Wheeldon's breakthrough Polyphonia, a NYC Ballet premiere of DGV: Danse a Grande Vitesse and the world premiere of Les Carillons, Wheeldon's latest work. Time Out New York interviewed the uber-talented choreographer about the special evening.
  
  As previously noted, the unparalleled Wendy Whelan has a storied and successful relationship with Wheeldon (she wrote about it on PlaybillArts.com), and this weekend Whelan was featured in the New York Times. The profile focuses on her place in the company - she's one of the last few active dancers to have studied under Jerome Robbins - as well as her collaboration with Wheeldon. The NYC Ballet winter season goes through February so visit nycballet.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
  
  
• The Normal Heart on Film
  We learned late last week that the film adaptation of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart has been cast. Ryan Murphy, who created Glee and American Horror Story, will direct the film. Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right) will star as Ned Weeks (played by Joe Mantello on Broadway), with Matt Bomer (TV's White Collar) playing Ned's boyfriend, Felix, Julia Roberts as Dr. Emma Brookner and Alec Baldwin as Ned's brother. (John Benjamin Hickey and Ellen Barkin won Tony Awards last year for their respective performances as Felix and Dr. Brookner.) Jim Parsons will reprise his role as an activist.
  
  (In slightly related Matt Bomer news: Bomer will appear on Glee as Blane Anderson's (played by Darren Criss) brother.)
  
  
• Award Season Update
  Oscar nominations are out. (I don't know about you, but I woke up and thought, "Oscar nominations," and proceeded to get right out of bed and see who'd been nominated!)
  
• On Grantland.com, Mark Harris offers his take on the slate of nominees, including his shock (which I shared) at the lack of nominations for Michael Fassbender (Shame) and Albert Brooks (Drive), as well as some interesting facts and figures (ex.: Meryl Streep picked up a pan-gender record-setting 17th nomination).
  
  
• Over at Slate.com, they explain the convoluted way Original Song nominations are made.
  
  
• Of course, Rolling Stone's Peter Travers got in on the fun and presented his, "Damn You, Oscars!" speech.
  
  
• Empire Online weighed in, joining the chorus of folks who found it reprehensible that Michael Fassbender wasn't nominated.
  
  
• The AV Club rounded up Albert Brooks's (Drive) and Patton Oswalt's (Young Adult) reactions (via Twitter) to their lack of nominations.
  
  
• And finally, CritcizeThis.ca features a Q&A on the subject of Wings, the first Best Picture Oscar winner.

Reminder: The SAG Awards are on this Sunday night. Find the list of nominees here and then tune into TNT or TBS Sunday night at 8pm EST.


• John Mulaney is Funny
  Reminder: John Mulaney, a talented comedy writer (he currently writes for SNL and helped create the beloved Stefon character who chats with Seth Meyers on "Weekend Update"), will see his first Comedy Central television special, New in Town, broadcast this Saturday night at 10pm. I was lucky enough to attend the live taping this summer and I assure you - you'll be laughing non-stop! (New York magazine caught up with Mulaney this week.)
  
  
• Shakespeare in the Park
  It may be cold outside this winter, but the good folks at the Public Theatre have put a little spring in our step as they announced the summer lineup for the 50th Anniversary Shakespeare in the Park season. This summer will feature two unparalleled writers: Shakespeare and Sondheim. First up (in June) is Shakespeare's As You Like It, directed by Daniel Sullivan and starring Seminar's Lily Rabe. Next (in July) is Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods. No casting has been announced for Into the Woods but I'll be sure to keep you updated!
  
  
• Dig This
• Play the Community board game!
  
  
• Time Out New York counted down the 50 Best Uses of Songs in Movies. It's a pretty good list, although I would like to see "You Make My Dreams Come True" as it's used in (500) Days of Summer on it. (I think the most interesting thing about the list is the number of repeat directors. Wes Anderson, for example, makes more than one appearance on the list, as does Cameron Crowe.)
  
  
• Playbill.com has confirmed that off-Broadway cast member Christian Borle will reprise his role in the Broadway transfer of Peter and the Starcatcher.
  
  
• Tony Award-winner Bebe Neuwirth (recently of The Addams Family) has landed a recurring role on The Good Wife. Playbill.com has details.
  
  
• Win tickets to Godspell! Find out how here.
  
  
• A Streetcar Named Desire now has a home. The revival of the Tennessee Williams play, starring Blair Underwood and original Renter Daphne Rubin-Vega, will play at the Broadhurst Theatre. Exact dates will be announced soon.
  
  
• Tyne Daly, Ben Vereen and others will be inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Broadwayworld.com has the full list.
  
  
• Go behind the scenes of the upcoming Encores! production of Merrily We Roll Along, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton Mixtape), Colin Donnell (Anything Goes) and Celia Keenan-Bolger (Peter and the Starcatcher).
  
  
• Jason Segel has another new movie coming out this spring. I give you Jeff Who Lives at Home: