4 girls who play 'Matilda' snubbed by Tonys
NEW YORK (AP) The members of the Tony Award nominations committee better look out: They've snubbed four girls who play a tough little telekinetic heroine on Broadway.
Administrators for the awards met Friday for the fourth and final time to determine the eligibility of certain shows and ruled that the quartet of actresses who rotate as the lead in "Matilda" are not eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical category.
The group did rule that the four Sophia Gennusa, 9; Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro, all 10 will receive Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre, a non-competitive commendation. "The Tony Awards Administration Committee wishes to recognize their outstanding performances this season," the committee said in a statement. »Read Full Article
Helen Mirren reigns at London's Olivier awards
LONDON (AP) Helen Mirren was crowned queen of the London stage at the Olivier Awards Sunday, while compelling, canine-titled teen drama "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" emerged as best in show with seven trophies.
Mirren, 67, was a popular and expected best actress choice for her regal yet vulnerable Queen Elizabeth II in "The Audience," Peter Morgan's behind-palace-doors drama about the relationship between Britain's queen and its prime ministers.
The actress, who won an Academy Award in 2007 for playing Britain's monarch in "The Queen," quipped that it was 87-year-old Elizabeth who deserved an award, "for the most consistent and committed performance of the 20th century, and probably the 21st century." »Read Full Article
Rolling Stones rock small LA club ahead of tour
LOS ANGELES (AP) For one night only, the Rolling Stones were an up-and-coming band again.
The legendary group rocked a small club in Los Angeles on Saturday night for a miniscule crowd compared to the thousands set to see them launch their "50 and Counting" anniversary tour a week later on May 3 at the Staples Center.
The band kicked off Saturday's hush-hush 90-minute concert at the Echoplex in the hip Echo Park neighborhood with "You Got Me Rocking" before catapulting into a mix of new and old material, as well as their blusey covers of classics from Otis Redding ("That's How Strong My Love Is"), Chuck Berry ("Little Queenie") and The Temptations ("Just My Imagination"). »Read Full Article
'Iron Man 3' rules world, 'Pain & Gain' takes US
LOS ANGELES (AP) "Iron Man 3" was the heavy-lifter at theaters with a colossal overseas debut that overshadowed a gang of mercenary bodybuilders in a sleepy pre-summer weekend at the domestic box office.
The Marvel Studios superhero sequel starring Robert Downey Jr. got a head-start on its domestic launch next Friday with a $195.3 million opening in 42 overseas markets, distributor Disney reported Sunday.
That topped the $185.1 million start for Marvel's "The Avengers," which opened in 39 markets over the same weekend last year a week ahead of its record-breaking domestic debut of $207.4 million. »Read Full Article
F. Scott Fitzgerald's handwritten ledger online
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) An intriguing peek into the daily scribbles and life of author F. Scott Fitzgerald is now available online, just weeks before the opening of the movie "The Great Gatsby."
Researchers from the University of South Carolina's Thomas Cooper Library put a digital version of the famed author's handwritten financial ledger on their website last week, making it available for the first time for all readers, students and scholars.
"This is a record of everything Fitzgerald wrote, and what he did with it, in his own hand," said Elizabeth Sudduth, director of the Ernest F. Hollings Library and Rare Books Collection. »Read Full Article
10 members of Mexican band die in car crash
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) Police say that 10 members of the musical group La Reyna de Monterrey have been killed and five injured in a road accident in northern Mexico.
A police official says the driver of the vehicle that was carrying the band dozed off Saturday morning, causing the vehicle to strike the side of a truck then cross over into the other lane and crash head on with a tractor-trailer. The official spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The official said the impact was so powerful that many band members were thrown from the vehicle onto the highway connecting Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey. »Read Full Article
Zach Braff raises $2M on Kickstarter in 3 days
NEW YORK (AP) Zach Braff has met his goal on Kickstarter, raising $2 million in three days to fund his follow-up to "Garden State."
The actor-director's crowd-funding campaign follows Rob Thomas' wildly successful use of Kickstarter to finance a movie of the defunct TV series "Veronica Mars." Thomas pulled in $2 million in less than a day, eventually gathering more than $5.7 million in 30 days.
But some observers have criticized Hollywood stars for using the Kickstarter website to dip into the pockets of their loyal fans. Braff has said this is the only way for him to direct his first film since "Garden State" with final cut and his desired casting. »Read Full Article
In Tandem Theatre moves back to funny, perceptive 'Apartment 3A'
Can one argue that really great sex proves the existence of God? Can a play in which a woman verbally counts out her simulated, onstage orgasms still be described as wholesome and old-fashioned? Is actor Jeff Daniels' "Apartment 3A," the comedy triggering these questions, really funny?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Chris and Jane Flieller, the dynamic duo running In Tandem Theatre, clearly agree: They are restaging "Apartment 3A," which they staged in 2002, to celebrate In Tandem's 15th anniversary. »Read Full Article
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