Media Morsels 5.17.13

Casting News: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Bobby Cannavale and Leonardo DiCaprio... and More!
Al Pacino will be joined by his  Glengarry Glen Ross costar Bobby Cannavale as well as Annette Bening, Michael Caine and Jennifer Garner in the upcoming film Imagine. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman (Crazy Stupid Love), Imagine is based on the true story of a musician (Pacino) who, inspired by a letter from John Lennon, decides to straighten out his life, including reconnecting with his son (Cannnavale). The Wrap has more details.

Pacino's The Godfather II costar, Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook), has just signed on to star in Legacy of Secrecy, a JFK assassination conspiracy film that is being produced by Leonardo DiCaprio's (The Great Gatsby, Django Unchained) production company, Appian Way. According to Thompson on Hollywood, "the film centers on FBI informant Jack Laningham and Mafia kingpin Carlos Marcello (De Niro), who confided to Laningham that he ordered the hit on Kennedy." Speculators say DiCaprio will play Laningham, marking the first time De Niro and DiCaprio teamed up on screen since This Boy's Life in 1993. The flick, which the report says has been a passion project of DiCaprio's father, will be directed by De Niro's Silver Linings Playbook director, David O. Russell.

TV Tidbits
  • Seth Meyers, who has been head writer on SNL for eight years and has been anchoring the "Weekend Update" desk for seven, will succeed Jimmy Fallon on Late Night when Fallon takes over The Tonight Show in 2014. Late Night is already produced by Lorne Michaels, the SNL creator and executive producer, and Michaels will come on board The Tonight Show, which is moving back to New York, as a producer. Rolling Stone has more.

  • Meyers isn't the only departing SNL cast member. Sadly, Bill Hader, who has brought us many memorable roles, including city correspondent Stefon (co-created with comedian-writer John Mulaney) is leaving the show. This week's season finale will be his final episode. Hader has long been the MVP of the show, proving versatile and a true team player since his debut as a featured player in 2005. I'll be sad to see him go. Tune into the season finale, hosted by Ben Affleck, this week to see what wild shenanigans Hader gets himself into. Rolling Stone has details.

  • The Newsroom will welcome another new cast member in season two. The Hollywood Reporter says that Lauren Tom will play "an expert working at the decision desk on election night" and will appear in two episodes.

  • E! Online has a cheat sheet to which network TV shows have been renewed (like Community) and which have been canceled (like Smash).

  • And Broadway.com has a round up of theatre favorites, like Allison Janney, Hamish Linklater and Spring Awakening alumni Skylar Astin and Jonathan Groff (in separate shows) who are in picked-up pilots.

  • Rolling Stone names the 10 TV Shows to Watch this Summer, including The Newsroom (HBO); Arrested Development (Netflix streaming); Ray Donovan (new on Showtime and starring Liev Schreiber); and the final season of Breaking Bad (AMC).

  • Check out this interview with Aaron Tveit (Catch Me if You Can, Les Miserables) as he talks about Mike Warren, the character he plays on the new USA Network TV show, Graceland. (And on Zap 2 It, Graceland and White Collar creator Jeff Eastin talks about the possibility of a Graceland-White Collar crossover.)


First Listen: Love's Labour's Lost
The Public Theater released a fourth song from the upcoming Shakespeare in the Park production of Love's Labour's Lost. This brief but poppy song is "Hey Boys," and features Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones), Audrey Weston and Kimiko Glenn. The musical adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy comes from team Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Michael Friedman (score) and Alex Timbers (book and direction). It plays in Central Park's Delacorte theatre this summer, July 23-August 18. Listen here and check back next week for another song!


Theatre Award Season 
Tony Awards
The Tony administration committee will meet on Thursday, May 23, to discuss a possible rule violation by nominated shows. Playbill has details, and I'll bring you an update next week!


Outer Critics Circle Awards
The winners for the OCC Awards were announced this week. The winners, all listed below, will be honored at a presentation ceremony on May 23.
  • Outstanding New Broadway Play: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
  • Outstanding New Broadway Musical: Kinky Boots
  • Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play: My Name is Asher Lev
  • Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical: Here Lies Loves
  • Outstanding Book of a Musical: Dennis Kelly, Matilda
  • Outstanding New Score: Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots
  • Outstanding Revival of a Play: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
  • Outstanding Revival of a Musical: Pippin
  • Outstanding Actor in a Play: Nathan Lane, The Nance
  • Outstanding Actress in a Play: Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
  • Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Patina Miller, Pippin
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: Tom Sturridge, Orphans
  • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Terrence Mann, Pippin
  • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Andrea Martin, Pippin
  • Outstanding Solo Performance: Holland Taylor, Ann
  • Outstanding Director of a Play: Jack O'Brien, The Nance
  • Outstanding Director of a Musical: Diane Paulus, Pippin
  • Outstanding Choreographer: Chet Walker, Pippin
  • Outstanding Set Design: Rob Howell, Matilda
  • Outstanding Costume Design: William Ivey Long, Cinderella
  • Outstanding Lighting Design: Kenneth Posner, Pippin
  • John Gassner Award for an American Play: Aaron Posner, My Name is Asher Lev
  • Special Achievement Award: Irish Repertory Theatre
Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards
You can now watch the full ceremony online, and it includes fun, candid moments with presenters, like presenting pairs Aaron Tveit and Stephanie J. Block and Bobby Cannavale and Laura Bananti, and winners, like Alan Cumming, Ms. Block and Billy Porter. Watch below or head over to Broadway.com.




Broadway Updates: Staying, Coming and Going
  • Staying: The wonderfully hilarious Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is sticking around longer than originally planned. The terrific new Christopher Durang play will now run through July 28. Visit Playbill for details.

  • Staying: The MTC production of The Assembled Parties, starring Jessica Hecht, Jeremy Shamos and Judith Light, has extended a second time. The show will now play through July 7. Playbill has details.

  • Coming: Billy Crystal is coming back to Broadway for a return engagement of his Tony-winning show 700 Sundays. This engagement will begin previews on November 5 in advance of a November 13 opening. It will run at the Imperial Theatre through January 5. Broadway.com has details.

  • Going and Coming: Roundabout Theatre announced that while it has to postpone its production of The Philadelphia Story (which was supposed to play this fall and be directed by the busy Alex Timbers), it is filling that slot with The Winslow Boy, by Terence Rattigan and starring Roger Rees (The West Wing, Peter and the Starcatcher) and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The theatre company also announced the world premiere production of Cutie and Bear, which will play its off-Broadway Laura Pels Theatre. That production will be directed by Evan Cabnet (The Performers, The Dream of the Burning Boy). Visit the Roundabout blog for more.

  • Coming: We knew the A.R.T. production of Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie is coming to Broadway, but this week we learned it will play the Booth Theatre. Previews for the limited engagement begin September 5 in advance of a September 26 opening. Playbill has details.

  • Coming: A new musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, will bow on Broadway this fall. Written by Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music), the show will play the Walter Kerr Theatre beginning October 22. Opening night is set for November 17. Broadwayworld.com has more.

Dig This

Comments

Post a Comment