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La Jolla Playhouse's Artistic Director Christopher Ashley has announced the six productions in the 2009/2010 season.'So much of the joy of running a theatre comes from the ability to invite world-class artists into your home - and allowing them to make it their home as well,' says Ashley. 'At La Jolla Playhouse, our goal is to serve as an artistic home where the most exciting theatre artists in the country are given the resources to create works that drive them, and our 2009/2010 season welcomes some of the best to San Diego.' Beginning in summer 2009, some of the most prominent artists working in theatre today are bringing their wisdom, creativity and craft to the Playhouse stages, including: a West Coast premiere drama from Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class), a world premiere La Jolla Playhouse commission by Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde, Blown Sideways Through Life), a new musical Page To Stage workshop production based on a Coen Brothers film, a revival starr

The Magic Castle announces a special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' an intimate evening with Carol Channing on March 2nd & 3rd at 8pm. Miss Channing will be launching Cabaret at the Castle which is being developed as additional theatre space (currently boasting five theatres from the Parlour of Prestidigitation to the Palace of Mystery) in the Magic Castle's lower level, known as The Inner Circle (7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028).

A scene from 'Slumdog Millionaire' is pictured in this undated publicity photo released to UPI. The film was nominated for best picture for the 81st Academy Awards, announced in Beverly Hills, California. The Oscars will be presented February 22 ...

The Broadway company of CHICAGO is pleased to announce details for the February installment of 'Talkback Tuesdays,' the unique new series offering post-show discussions and audience Q&A sessions with past and present members of the Broadway company of the record-breaking hit musical. Designed to provide theatergoers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of CHICAGO, the February 'Talkback Tuesdays' offering is set for Tuesday, February 10, 2009, featuring a post-show conversation with Tony Award winner and original Velma Kelly, Bebe Neuwirth. For her performance as Velma Kelly, Neuwirth won the 1997 Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Fred Astaire Award. A decade after originating the role of Velma on Broadway, Neuwirth returned to CHICAGO to great acclaim in the role of Velma's rival, merry murderess Roxie Hart.

The BBC is expected to announce the new controller of Radio 2 on Monday, with former Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister and the current acting head of the station Lewis Carnie understood to be leading the field.Bannister and Carnie are each thought to have taken part in second interviews yesterday with the BBC director of audio and music, Tim Davie, and creative director, Alan Yentob.While the two men are seen as the front runners, sources have said Mark Story, Bauer Radio managing director of national brands, should also not be discounted.It is thought the BBC had originally planned to announce the new Radio 2 controller, who will also oversee digital station 6Music, today but decided to put the announcement back to early next week so as not to clash with Jonathan Ross's return to his BBC1 and Radio 2 shows today and tomorrow.The new controller will replace Lesley Douglas, who resigned in the wake of the 'Sachsgate' row in which Ross and Russell Brand left offensive messages on acto

Stephen Schwartz, who is currently working on a revival of PIPPIN at The Los Angeles Musica Center, will take time out to be the guest of honor at an all-star tribute to his celebrated songbook.Shoshana Bean (Broadway and LA 'Wicked'), Rex Smith ('Pirates of Penzanze', 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Scarlet Pimpernel'), Eric Kunze ('Miss Siagon', 'Les Miserables', 'Damn Yankees'), Marissa Perry ('Hairspray'), Lindsay Mendez ('Grease'), Terron Brooks ( 'The Lion King' and NBC-TV's movie 'The Temptations') and Tony-nominated actors Cathy Rigby ('Peter Pan', 'Seussical') and Jonelle Allen ('Two Gentlemen of Verone') will join 40 talented students from The California Conservatory of the Arts and its sister school, The McCoy Rigby Dance Academy, in 'Defying Gravity --- The Music and Lyrics of Stephen Schwartz' for two performances, January 24 and 25, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on the campus of the University of California, Irvine.Stephen Schwartz has had a career spanning four decades and has

TV Ratings: Network struggles to get back into ratings race -- Is NBC the network of 'Howie Do It' and 'Kath & Kim' or 'Friday Night Lights' and 'The Office?'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - 'American Idol' champ David Cook is going back to school, announcing a U.S. tour on Friday that will take him to colleges around the nation.

'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' was the big name when the Academy Award nominations were announced Thursday. But it's 'Doubt' that leads the pack going into the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will take place tonight.

'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' was the big name when the Academy Award nominations were announced Thursday. But it's 'Doubt' that leads the pack going into the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will take place Sunday night.