entertainment - "season"

Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace, 100 Drury Lane, known for producing acclaimed, innovative and classic musicals, announces its exciting 2009 season, featuring five musicals that have never been seen on the Drury Lane stage. Hot off the Broadway stage, the musical comedy 'CURTAINS', directed by William Brown previews March 19, opens March 26 and runs through May 17; the feel-good musical review 'PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES', directed by Shawn Stengel previews May 28, opens June 4 and runs through August 2; the Tony Award-winning musical 'CABARET', directed by Jim Corti previews August 13, opens August 20 and runs through October 11; the delightful Jazz Age musical 'THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE', directed by Artistic Director William Osetek, previews October 22, opens October 29 and runs through December 20; and the beloved musical 'FUNNY GIRL', directed by Gary Griffin, previews December 31, opens January 7 and runs through March 7, 2010.

Just in time for Halloween, The Shadowmen open their 2008 - 2009 season with Quills, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Doug Wright's incendiary ode to the Marquis de Sade.

Chicago Dramatists has appointed six new playwrights to its Resident Playwright program, Artistic Director Russ Tutterow announced today. The new Residents in this 30th anniversary season are Mary Ruth Clarke, Cheryl Coons, Christopher De Paola, Sarah Gubbins, David Scott Hay, and Jon Steinhagen.

school with The Parent Teacher Conference Plays. Three of the brightest lights in American drama - Ann Marie Healy (Have You Seen Steve Steven), Clay McLeod Chapman (rest area, Hostage Song) and Zayd Dohrn (Haymarket)-will take audience members inside actual classrooms for a trip down memory lane... to a time when backpacks, hall passes, and spelling tests ruled the world.

AP - One New Jersey farm has a special attraction to go with the season's hay rides and corn mazes: giant pumpkin catapult.

TV Ratings: Solid start for CBS' 'Mentalist' -- 'House' and 'Fringe' kept Fox on top in key demos on the opening Tuesday of the new season despite week-to-week declines opposite increased competition, which included perky premiere numbers for CBS' drama combo of vet 'NCIS' and newcomer 'The Mentalist.'

Front Page: 'House,' 'Fringe' keep Fox on top -- 'House' and 'Fringe' kept Fox on top in key demos on the opening Tuesday of the new season despite week to week declines opposite increased competition, which included good numbers for the CBS drama combo of vet 'NCIS' and newcomer 'The Mentalist.'

E! Online - Their season debuts behind them, 12 celebs took the floor for the second night in a row to prove their mettle and plead their case for a ticket into week two of Dancing With the Stars.

The 'Grey's Anatomy' writers acknowledge last season's ratings decline by offering a parallel plot that finds Seattle Grace's ranking as a teaching hospital suffering in Thursday's entertaining and ridiculous season premiere (9-11 p.m., KOMO/4).

In new season, producers try to rev up 'Ugly Betty' by moving show to NYC.