Musicals west end london

As it prepares for negotiations for a new film and TV contract – and a possible writers strike in May – the WGA West is once again blasting Warner Bros. Discovery for going back on its promise that the merger that created the giant media conglomerate last year would create more opportunities for content creators. “WarnerMedia and Discovery promised that their merger would allow the new company to invest in more original content and create more opportunity for underrepresented storytellers,” the guild said in a statement today. “Less than one year after the merger’s close, Warner Bros. Discovery has laid off hundreds of workers and canceled, pulled, or written off $2 billion in content, spotlighting the predictable harms of consolidation.” “Warner-Discovery is the latest disastrous merger to demonstrate the harms of consolidation, and particularly the threat to diversity when gatekeepers combine to increase their power,” Laura Blum-Smith, the guild’s director of … [Read more...] about WGA West Blasts Warner Bros. Discovery Ahead Of Possible Industry-Wide Writers Strike In May

EXCLUSIVE : Michael Jackson will be played by the late icon’s 26-year old nephew Jaafar Jackson in the Antoine Fuqua -directed film biopic for Lionsgate . Fuqua just posted a confirmation on Instagram. The singer and songwriter is the son of Jermaine Jackson , who is the brother of Michael and member of The Jackson 5. Jaafar has been singing and dancing since age 12, and has showcased himself singing tunes from Sam Cooke to Marvin Gaye, along with originals. As Deadline revealed last week, the Emancipation helmer signed on to next direct Michael , which has a script by John Logan . The film’s being produced by Graham King , who turned the Freddie Mercury Queen story into the blockbuster Bohemian Rhapsody . GK Films will produce alongside the co-executors of Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain. As you can see from the video below, the young man has the voice and moves to do right by his uncle. As an actor, he might well learn more than he … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson Nephew Jaafar Jackson To Play King Of Pop In Antoine Fuqua-Directed Biopic

Yorkshire and London-based production company Tempo Productions today announced that Georgia Bayliff, former Head of Film at finance outfit Silver Reel, will join Tempo’s executive team, where she will co-produce company projects. Bayliff will join Piers Tempest and Lauren Cox on the executive team at Tempo. Bayliff exits Silver Reel after most recently producing Paradise Highway , starring Morgan Freeman, Juliette Binoche, and Frank Grillo. She worked across the company’s film & TV slate for over seven years, sourcing and steering projects from development and finance through production to release. Tempo is gearing up to launch its 25th feature film into production. The company also has several films from its slate out in wide release, including Netflix’s Bank of Dave , Emily starring BAFTA 2023 EE Rising Star nominee Emma Mackey and Jon Wright’s creature horror Unwelcome which Warner Brothers released in UK cinemas. Announcing Bayliff’s new role, Tempest … [Read more...] about Tempo Productions Hires Former Silver Reel Executive

The new Broadway production of Parade starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond has completed casting, with rehearsals beginning today for the February 21 preview. Platt and Diamond will lead a 33-person cast that features Alex Joseph Grayson as ‘Jim Conley,’ Sean Allan Krill as ‘Governor Slaton,’ Howard McGillin as ‘Old Soldier/Judge Roan,’ and Paul Alexander Nolan as ‘Hugh Dorsey.’ They will be joined by Jay Armstrong Johnson as ‘Britt Craig,’ Kelli Barrett as ‘Mrs. Phagan,’ Courtnee Carter as ‘Angela,’ Eddie Cooper as ‘Newt Lee,’ Erin Rose Doyle as ‘Mary Phagan,’ Manoel Felciano as ‘Tom Watson,’ Danielle Lee Greaves as ‘Minnie McKnight,’ Douglas Lyons as ‘Riley,’ and Jake Pedersen as ‘Frankie Epps.’ The cast is completed by Florrie Bagel as ‘Nurse,’ Stacie Bono as ‘Sally Slaton,’ Max Chernin as ‘Mr. Turner,’ Emily Rose DeMartino as ‘Essie & Others,’ Christopher Gurr as ‘Luther Rosser/Mr. Peavy,’ Beth Kirkpatrick as ‘Nina Formby,’ Ashlyn Maddox as ‘Monteen … [Read more...] about Broadway’s ‘Parade’ With Ben Platt & Micaela Diamond Completes Casting

Award-winning writer, producer, comedian, and actor Quinta Brunson , creator of ABC and Warner Bros. Television’s TV series Abbott Elementary , will receive the ICG Publicists ( International Cinematographers Guild , IATSE Local 600) 2023 Television Showperson Award. The Television Showperson of the Year Award honors a person, persons, or company whose creative accomplishments in the formulation, development, production or presentation of projects for television best represents that special spirit traditionally defined as showmanship. Previous recipients include Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, Ava DuVernay, Greg Berlanti, Ryan Murphy, John Landgraf, Ted Sarandos, Shonda Rhimes, and Chuck Lorre, among others. Brunson will be honored at the 60th Annual ICG Publicists Awards luncheon at The Beverly Hilton on Friday, March 10, 2023. The announcement was made today by Tim Menke and Sheryl Main, ICG Publicists Awards Chairs. “As publicists we applaud Quinta … [Read more...] about Quinta Brunson To Be Honored With 2023 Television Showperson Award at the 60th Annual ICG Publicists Luncheon

Kim Kardashian left for Minnesota last night to see Kris Humphries ... and sources connected with Kim tell TMZ she is conflicted over the divorce. We got pictures of Kim as she made her way through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport at around 5:30 AM local time. We're told Kim flew commercial and was traveling with the guy in the photo ( above, left ) who appeared to be a bodyguard. According to our sources, Kim booked the flight very last minute ( see her below at LAX ) because she felt like she owed it to Kris to talk things through with him face-to-face. We're told no reality show cameras were involved. Our sources tell us ... Kim has been saying even before she filed for divorce that she wasn't sure about ending the marriage. As we first reported, she was crying on and off last weekend before she decided to pull the trigger. Sources say it's definitely not accurate to call this a reconciliation ... or even an attempt at one ... but the door is … [Read more...] about Kim Kardashian — Conflicted Over Divorce, Flies to Minnesota

Getty Lisa Marie Presley was millions of dollars in debt at the end of her life, but the moment she died, her estate was flush with cash -- to the tune of $35 million. Family sources tell TMZ ... Lisa had taken out 2 life insurance policies -- one for $25 million, and another for $10 million. Our sources say there may be a third $10 million policy, but it's unclear if it's lapsed. What's even more shocking ... our sources say Lisa was trying to cash in the $25 million policy to pay some of the debts she owed, totaling $4 million. We're told she had notified the insurance company and filled out the paperwork to get a lump sum of just $2 million. We're told there was a screwup in the paperwork so the policy was never cashed in. Our sources say Lisa was $4 million in debt when she died ... of that she owed $2.5 million to the IRS. We've learned Lisa blew through $100 million during her adult years. When the debts are cleared, there will be around $30 … [Read more...] about Lisa Marie Presley Had $35 Million in Life Insurance, Battle Brewing

Bobby Hull , the NHL Hall of Famer who was the first to score more than 50 goals in a single season and is considered among the league’s all-time best left-wingers, died Monday, the NHL Alumni Association said. He was 84. The Chicago Blackhawks — the Original Six team for which he played 15 seasons from 1957-72 — cited Hull’s “historic impact” on the club, tweeting, “The Golden Jet helped the Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup and delivered countless memories for our fans, whom he adored. Generations of Chicagoans were dazzled by Bobby’s shooting prowess, skating skill and overall team leadership.” Longtime NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said is a statement today: “When Bobby Hull wound up to take a slapshot, fans throughout the NHL rose to their feet in anticipation and opposing goaltenders braced themselves. During his prime, there was no more prolific goal-scorer in all of hockey.” Hull joined the Blackhawks in the 1957-58 season and scored 30-plus goals twice … [Read more...] about Bobby Hull Dies: First NHL Player To Score More Than 50 Goals In One Season Was 84

EGOT winner Rita Moreno will receive the Casting Society ’s career honor, the Lynn Stalmaster Award, at the 38th annual Artios Awards next month. The org also has set Yvette Nicole Brown to host the ceremony on March 9 at the Beverly Hilton. Moreno, whose 80 for Brady hits theaters Friday, scored an Academy Award nom last year for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story after winning an Oscar for the 1961 original. She also received the Producers Guild’s Stanley Kramer Award in 2002. Those are among the latest accolades in a seven-decade career that began with her Broadway debut at 13. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films and countless TV series including most recently Norman Lear’s remake of One Day at a Time . Her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival . Moreno’s EGOT-qualifying awards also include two Emmys, a Grammy in 1973 and a Tony two years later. She also has … [Read more...] about Rita Moreno Set For Artios Awards Career Honor; Yvette Nicole Brown To Host Ceremony

EXCLUSIVE : Academy Award and 3x Emmy winner Bill Conti ( The Right Stuff ) has been tapped to pen the score for Roselli’s Way , a new biopic on Italian American pop singer Jimmy Roselli. The film scripted by J.D. Zeik ( Ronin ) will watch as Roselli looks back on a career, in which he was forever the underdog in comparison to contemporary Frank Sinatra, among others. Michael Besman, James Deutch, Roger Birnbaum and Mark Kimsey will produce for EMP Productions, along with Spike Seldin and Neil Jesuele of Remarkable Media, and veteran music exec and record producer Ron Fair, who will also serve as music supervisor. James Ivory and Stephen Dembitzer will serve as exec producers. A director is not yet attached to the project, though the casting search for its title character is now under way. “The story behind one of the greatest voices of his era needs to be told,” Conti told Deadline. “Roselli’s life, though unknown is most compelling.” Conti won an Academy … [Read more...] about Bill Conti, Academy Award-Winning Composer Behind ‘The Right Stuff,’ Boards James Ivory-Backed Biopic ‘Roselli’s Way’