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Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company, now in its 17th season, celebrated both the company's start of construction on its expansion and the commencement of the public phase of its $2.1 million capital campaign with a wall-breaking ceremony held on January 12, 2009. Over 100 VIPS and local luminaries attended the event, including Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz, and City Councilmembers Jesse Arreguin, Laurie Capitelli and Kriss Worthington. After enjoying cocktails and a sumptuous buffet of Ahi tuna tartar, Saumon Poch?e, and Quenelle Souffl?, courtesy of Bistro Liaison, guests watched lead donor Deborah Ruth, hammer in hand, break through the ceremonial brick wall constructed especially for the event; the expanded space will be named The Nell and Jules Dashow Wing in honor of Deborah Ruth's parents. The new expansion is the final project of the late acclaimed theater architect Gene Angell (with his partner Brian Rawlinson). Construction by general con

Grammy and Tony Award-winning composer Duncan Sheik talked to USA Today about his new CD, Whisper House in today's issue. The collection of songs was written for a forthcoming theatrical piece. Whisper House marks Sheik's first solo album since 2006's White Limousine and comes on the heels of the success of the Broadway musical Spring Awakening. On Whisper House, Sheik employs a narrative approach to songwriting, combining elements of the chamber pop that first brought him critical and commercial acclaim.Much like Spring Awakening, which the new york Times praised as a deft blend of straight-up rock, folk and melodic pop, Whisper House is just as much a pop record as it is a musical theatre composition.

The show's creators proceed with an exciting project.Is a new "Gossip Girl" spinoff finally getting off the ground? Showrunners reveal the latest! "GG" creators and executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are moving forward with a spinoff that follows a teenage Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) through 1980s L.A., says The Hollywood Reporter. CW's "backdoor pilot" for the spinoff will air on May 11 as a "Gossip Girl" episode.

Jurors for The new york Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for the 2009 Next Link Project will include lyricist Susan Birkenhead, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, producer Robyn Goodman, and director Francesca Zambello. The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 ? October 18, 2009. Twelve of the Festival?s full production slots are reserved for participants in The Next Link Project, NYMF?s primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from mere readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival.A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the I

Exec Shuffle: Exec from Discovery Communications' TLC -- Cable vet Brent Willman has been tapped chief financial officer at the Oprah Winfrey Network, as the nascent outlet preps for its projected launch in late 2009 or early 2010.

Director Sam Mendes leads a three-year endeavor that brings together British and American stars of stage and screen for performances of classic works. First up: two plays from two very different traditions.

Tony-award winning actress, LaChanze, known for her star turns on Broadway ('The Color Purple,' 'Ragtime,' 'Company,' 'Once on This Island'), and unequaled performances off-Broadway ('The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin,' 'The Vagina Monologues'), makes her debut performance at Highline Ballroom. Her film credits include the most recently Confessions of a Shopaholic and Breaking Upwards; additional film credits include My New Gun, For Love or Money, Leap of Faith, Heartbreak Hospital and Disney's animated feature Hercules. She can also be heard on several Broadway recordings, and is currently working on her debut CD.

Do you have a vinyl record collection that you never seem to have enough time to listen to? If so, why not make CD copies and take your collection anywhere you go. The Pioneer PDR-609 CD Recorder can do the job.

Just as CDs and DVDs before it, Shoplifters are increasingly targeting Blu-ray Discs. One reason cited is that with the high price of Blu-ray Disc movies, some shoplifters feel that...

The actor won't be reprising his role in the Marvel Comics projects.