News

The night has arrived for the airing of the 2024 Kennedy Center Honors special and there are so many incredible performers set to take the stage!

Queen Latifah, who was honored at last year’s show, is hosting the event for the first time.

The recipients to be honored at the annual national celebration of the arts are acclaimed director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; the legendary American rock band the Grateful Dead; blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter, pianist and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which will receive a special Honors as an iconic American institution.

The event was taped on December 8 at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington D.C. and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were both in attendance with their spouses.

CBS is airing the special on Sunday night (December 22) from 8:30pm Et to 11:00pm Et. You...

The Kennedy Center Honors 2024 will air tonight on CBS and Paramount+. The ceremony, which was recorded on Sunday, Dec. 8, in Washington, D.C., was hosted by previous honoree Queen Latifah (who began the show with a medley of honoree hits). Honorees were Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola, Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Bonnie Raitt, legendary rock and roll band Grateful Dead, and New York City’s Apollo Theater (the first time an institution has been selected).

SEEKennedy Center Honors: 50 entertainers who deserve to be selected

Based on various online reports we discovered on Sunday night, here is the complete list of performers and presenters to be seen on the program. Producers might alter the order as presented to the in-person audience.

Apollo Theater:

Remarks by Dave Chappelle

Remarks by Queen Latifah

Performance by Savion Glover (dance tribute)

Performance by The War and Treaty (Marvin Gaye...

The 2024 edition of the Kennedy Center Honors celebrated an eclectic assortment of entertainers Sunday night: filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, singer Bonnie Raitt, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and surviving members of the Grateful Dead. The organization also bestowed its honor on an entertainment venue for the first time, New York’s iconic Apollo Theater.

As per tradition, the honorees observed the proceedings from the presidential box in the Kennedy Center Opera House, accompanied by President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and First Husband Doug Emhoff. Freshly arrived from a White House reception, all received rousing ovations from an appreciative audience when introduced.

That White House tradition could go on hiatus during the incoming Trump administration, since Donald Trump notably declined to participate in the affair during his first presidency. Nonetheless, invitations will be extended by the rigidly nonpartisan arts institution, the Kencen assures.

Slated to air on CBS Dec.

“Not Fade Away” closed out the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony Sunday, just as honorees The Grateful Dead had used Buddy Holly’s ode to enduring love to close out hundreds of concerts over the years.

The packed house danced in the aisles to the bouncy beat after a night of honoring the Dead and other recipients of the lifetime achievement award for artistic accomplishment: director Francis Ford Coppola, jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt. The venerable Harlem theater The Apollo, which has launched generations of Black artists, also was recognized.

Longtime Deadheads, including actors Miles Teller and Chloe Sevigny and talk show host David Letterman, paid tribute to the band’s blend of musical experimentation, longevity and community building. “Their music fills the universe,” Letterman proclaimed.

The choice to honor The Apollo was an unusual one — the first time the Kennedy Center has chosen to honor a specific performance venue.

One of George Miller's films, "Lorenzo's Oil," opens with an epigram reading as follows: "Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods ... so let us celebrate the struggle!" Celebrating the struggle may seem paradoxical in life or in cinema, but that concept runs through just about every one of Miller's films, created over the course of four decades. From post-apocalyptic action fantasies to deliriously twisted family fare, Miller has never been too boxed in with the films he's made. Through his filmography, George Miller has done everything from introducing one of cinema's biggest action stars to depicting a sea of penguins dancing to pop music. As weird as those extremes may be, it somehow all makes sense. With the arrival of Miller's latest entry in the "Mad Max" franchise, "Furiosa," in theaters now, let's rank all of Miller's films.

Read...

George Miller is about to return to the wasteland with "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," but it might surprise some people to know that his biggest box office hit to date remains the technological marvel that is "Happy Feet."

Though you wouldn't think of "Happy Feet" as being connected to "Mad Max: Fury Road," they have some things in common — particularly their stunning visuals and how they approach VFX. Despite what some fans would like to believe, "Fury Road" is full of CGI. As Miller himself told Vulture in 2022, "There was not one shot in that movie that wasn't CGI in one way or another." The film works because it blends digital and practical effects, using CGI to enhance scenes, delete wirework, and otherwise make what is already real feel larger-than-life. This is the approach that the best movies take -- the ones that understand CGI is a tool and not a shortcut.

Spike Lee has never backed down from making films that create a sense of what it means to be a Black man in America. He has made a career out of creating and pointing out schisms in our society in ways that divide audiences for decades. His 2000 film Bamboozled may be the most subversive film of his career. Lee has spoken openly about why he made the film and how he predicted the public's reaction.

In a few months, the film American Fiction will be arriving in theaters. It looks at many of the same themes as Bamboozled but in a far less accusatory way. So what is it about Spike Lee, his ethos, and Bamboozled that makes it one of the best films about race in modern cinema history?

[Please Note: This article discusses issues of race that may feel triggering to readers]

The Plot of Bamboozled

For Pierre Delacroix (Damon Wayans), the idea of being a television executive is not all it's cracked up to be.

Loretta Devine will step in for her old Dreamgirls co-star Jennifer Holliday in the upcoming New York City Center gala presentation of Pal Joey starring Ephraim Sykes.

Holliday had been previously announced for the role of nightclub owner Lucille Wallace but bowed out due to scheduling conflicts. The production runs Nov. 1-5 at City Center, starting with a benefit performance to be followed by a gala dinner at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.

Both Devine and Holliday became Broadway stars for their performances in the original production of Dreamgirls in 1981, with Devine playing Lorrell Robinson and Holliday playing Effie Melody White.

The starry gala presentation of Pal Joey will be co-directed by Savion Glover and Tony Goldwyn, with Glover choreographing. The musical is being reconceived, with the character of Joey Evans portraying the character as a Black jazz singer who refuses to compromise on his craft...

Following a season that saw its Broadway transfers Into the Woods and Parade score a slew of Tony Award nominations, the New York City Center has announced what’s coming next for its celebrated Encores! series: Once Upon a Mattress, Jelly’s Last Jam and Titanic.

The 30th annual Encores! season of concert stagings will kick off in January with Sutton Foster playing Princess Winnifred the Woebegone in Once Upon a Mattress (January 24-28) – the role made famous in 1959 by then-up-and-comer Carol Burnett. Directed by Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet with a new concert adaptation by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, the comical update of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea features such musical numbers as “Shy” and “In a Little While” with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer.

Next up is Jelly’s Last Jam,...

Chris Rock makes a stop at the 2022 Venice Film Festival thanks to Sally Potter’s short film, “Look at Me.”

The 16-minute film stars Rock as a gala organizer who tries to rein in a stubborn drummer (Javier Bardem) ahead of the on-stage performance. Tap dancer Savion Glover also stars. “Look at Me” premieres Out of Competition at Venice.

Director Potter originally conceived the concept of the film as a short story to be featured in her 2020 film “The Roads Not Taken,” starring Bardem as a writer in the early stages of dementia. “Look at Me” was filmed in 2019 over the course of five days in London and New York. The short film is produced by Christopher Sheppard.

“When I got into the cutting room, I saw how dynamic these titans of the entertainment world are together, their volatile, fiery on-screen relationship offset by the rhythms of the brilliant tap dancer Savion Glover,...

As we inch closer into film festival season, there are a ton of promising new feature films that will surely warrant a lot of interest and attention. But one of the most notable films to premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival doesn't pass the 20-minute mark. Look at Me, the latest film from Sally Potter, is a 16-minute short film starring Chris Rock and Javier Bardem, while also featuring the accompaniment of actor/dancer Savion Glover. Previously part of Potter's most recent film, The Roads Not Taken, which is centered around a writer in the early stages of dementia, the Orlando director opted to make this sequence its own thing, and audiences can get a glimpse at the festival short below.

A new short film brings together an unlikely pairing.

This week, a teaser debuted for director Sally Potter’s new short “Look at Me”, which will have its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and stars Chris Rock and Javier Bardem, along with dancer-actor Savion Glover.

Read More: Chris Rock Reveals He Turned Down Offer To Host 2023 Oscars

“Rehearsals for a fundraising gala become the arena for a struggle between two men; one, the gala director and the other, a richly talented but unstable rock drummer,” the official synopsis reads. “As their battle for expression and control escalates against a relentless rhythmic backdrop, their public and private selves explosively collide.”

The teaser features a scene of intense confrontation between Rock and Bardem, giving a taste of the 16-minute short’s tone.

According to a statement from the director, the film was “originally conceived as a self-contained short story within a...

Sometimes, a short film is created as its own project. However, that’s not always the case, as with Sally Potter’s upcoming short, “Look At Me.” Sometimes, a short film can be created almost by accident.

As seen in the trailer for the upcoming short film, “Look At Me,” which is set to debut at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Sally Potter has created a 16-minute film about male anger as seen through the characters played by Chris Rock, Javier Bardem, and Savion Glover.

Continue reading ‘Look At Me’ Trailer: Sally Potter Turns A Deleted Scene Into A New Short Film Starring Chris Rock & Javier Bardem at The Playlist.

Exclusive: As production wraps in Puerto Rico, Tony Goldwyn and Paul Ben-Victor have joined Gerard Butler in Lionsgate’s action thriller The Plane, we’ve heard.

They join previously announced cast Mike Colter, Daniella Pineda, Kelly Gale, Yoson An, Remi Adeleke, Haleigh Hekking, Lilly Krug, Joey Slotnick and Oliver Trevena.

Goldwyn will play Scarsdale, an ex-Special Forces officer who is now a corporate crisis manager and fixer. Ben-Victor will play Hampton, owner of the airline.

The Plane, directed by Jean-François Richet, follows commercial pilot Brodie Torrance (Butler) who, after a heroic job of successfully landing his storm-damaged aircraft in hostile territory, finds himself threatened by militant pirates who are planning to take the plane and its passengers hostage. As the world’s authorities and media search for the disappeared aircraft, Brodie must rise to the occasion and keep his passengers safe long enough for help to arrive.

The pic was adapted by Charles Cumming,...

Pal Joey, the notoriously tricky Rodgers and Hart musical with a score as lovely as its lead characters are thorny, is heading back to Broadway next year in a newly revised version to be co-directed by Tony Goldwyn and Savion Glover.

Casting hasn’t been announced, but the revised Pal Joey will arrive during the 2022-2023 Broadway season with choreography by Glover, a new book by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Richard Lagravenese and additional music selected from the great Rodgers and Hart canon. In addition to the musical’s original numbers like “Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered” and “I Could Write a Book,” the new Pal Joey will include such beloved Rodgers and Hart standards as “Where or When”, “The Lady is a Tramp”, “It Never Entered My Mind”, “My Heart Stood Still”, “Falling in Love With Love” and “There’s A Small Hotel,” among others.

Lagravenese and the creative team will reimagine the...

Debbie Allen was honored with the 2021 Governors Award on Sunday at the 73rd annual Emmy Awards for her contributions to television as an actress, writer, producer, director, dancer and choreographer. She’s also being lauded by the Television Academy for inspiring and mentoring youth from marginalized communities in the arts.

“Let this moment resonate with women across the world and across this country, from Texas to Afghanistan,” said Allen during her acceptance speech. “For young people, who have no vote, who can’t even get a vaccine—they’re inheriting the world that we live in and where we lead them. It’s time for you to claim your power. Play your voice, sing your song, tell your stories. It will make us a better place. Your turn.”

The multihyphenate has a total of 20 Emmy nominations under her belt, including five wins and tonight’s special honor. Last weekend she...

All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

From “Do the Right Thing” to “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s film catalog is packed with classics that have shaped Black cinema, and film at large. The Brooklyn-born auteur is known for a unique storytelling style, and of course, his signature double-dolly shot (where the character remains stationary while the background moves), which he’s used in several films including “Mo’ Better Blueseppice” and “Malcolm X.”

Last week, Film at Lincoln Center presented Lee with the Chaplin Award during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala, held at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall. The celebration, which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, included an excerpt from Lee’s HBO documentary...

Micki Grant, who wrote and starred in Broadway’s groundbreaking 1972 Black musical revue Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, died Sunday at the age of 80.

With Don’t Bother Me, Grant became the first woman to write both the music and lyrics to a Broadway musical, and her collaborator Vinnette Carroll entered the history books as the first Black woman to direct on Broadway.

Grant, whose death was first reported by the Broadway World website and confirmed by licensing and publishing company Concord Theatricals, returned to Broadway in 1976 by contributing additional music and lyrics for Alex Bradford’s musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God, a retelling of the Book of Matthew directed by Carroll.

Described by Broadway director Kenny Leon as “a brilliant, passionate writer who gave everything to our industry,” Grant had already broken new ground on television by the time she made her seminal stand on Broadway,...

The Television Academy said Thursday that Debbie Allen will receive the 2021 Governors Award, bestowed on the dancer-choreographer-actress-writer-producer-director “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship.”

Allen will be recognized during the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast September 19 on CBS and Paramount+.

The award honors an individual or organization whose achievement is so exceptional and universal in nature that it goes beyond the scope of annual Emmy Awards recognition, the academy said.

“Debbie Allen has been a creative voice for a generation of performers and storytellers and has left an indelible mark on the television industry,” Governors Award selection committee co-chair Eva Basler said. Added co-chair Debra Curtis: “Debbie’s commitment to mentoring underserved communities has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has shared her gift and love of dance and choreography with countless aspiring performers across the globe.

Iconic director, performer and choreographer Debbie Allen has been selected to receive the Television Academy’s 2021 Governors Award, “in recognition of her numerous contributions to the television medium through multiple creative forms and her philanthropic endeavors around the world.”

Allen, a staple in TV and film for decades, was chosen by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship,” the org said. She’ll receive the award during CBS’ telecast of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 19.

Last year, Tyler Perry and The Perry Foundation were honored with the award. Other recent recipients include “Star Trek,” Itvs, “American Idol,” A+E Networks, Marian Dougherty, June Foray, John Walsh and the It Gets Better Project, co-founded by Dan Savage and Terry Miller.

The Governors Award is handed out to...

Whitney Houston may have passed away more than nine and a half years ago, but a new documentary on the multi-octave singer is hoping to keep her memory alive, while promising to reveal new “intimate details” about one of the most iconic performers of all time.

Superstar: Whitney Houston is a new ABC special from the producers behind 20/20, and arrives on the heels of what would have been the late singer’s 58th birthday on August 9th. The one-hour special kicks off ABC’s new Superstar series, which the...

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts announced today thatJason Robert Brown,Savion Glover,Priscilla Lpez,Susan Stroman,Marisha Wallace, andChristopher Wheeldonhave joined the growing list of Broadway stars participating inI'm Still Here A Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division, airing June 23, 2021 on Broadway On Demand at 8pm Est and 8pm Pst. The fundraiser will help raise critical funds for the Library for the Performing Arts' beloved Theatre Division as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

Add New York State’s summerlong arts festival NY PopsUp to the roster of projects from which producer Scott Rudin has stepped back.

Deadline has confirmed that Rudin, under fire for allegations of employee mistreatment and toxic workplace behavior, is no longer involved in the “day to day operations” of the live, pop-up performance series of music, dance and theater.

According to NY PopsUp, Rudin made the decision several weeks ago to make way for an “artist-led” effort.

In a statement initially provided to The New York Times and confirmed by Deadline, NYPops Up said, “From its inception, the goal of NY PopsUp was to empower a group of brilliant artists to program and executive a multi-month, multi-disciplinary, statewide festival that would bring live performance back to New Yorkers and help catalyze the reopening of live venues from Broadway to Buffalo. Scott Rudin made the decision more than three weeks...

The lights were back on at the St. James Theatre — if only for less than 40 minutes.

On Saturday, the St. James Theatre opened doors for a performance for the first time in more than a year due, marking the first time a Broadway venue hosted live entertainment amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The show was part of NY PopsUp, a statewide initiative developed by producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal in coordination with the New York State Council on the Arts and Empire State Development as a way to celebrate and jump-start the arts.

It featured only two performers, Tony Award winners Nathan Lane and Savion Glover,...

The lights were back on at the St. James Theatre — if only for less than 40 minutes.

On Saturday, the St. James Theatre opened doors for a performance for the first time in more than a year due, marking the first time a Broadway venue hosted live entertainment amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The show was part of NY PopsUp, a statewide initiative developed by producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal in coordination with the New York State Council on the Arts and Empire State Development as a way to celebrate and jump-start the arts.

It featured only two performers, Tony Award winners Nathan Lane and Savion Glover,...

From Shondaland, “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” spotlights the career of award-winning entertainer Debbie Allen and follows her group of ingénues as they prepare for Allen’s annual ballet showcase, which is produced via her Los Angeles-based Debbie Allen Dance Academy (Dada). Directed by Oliver Bolkenberg, the documentary, which is now streaming on Netflix, follows Allen, her staff, students, and extended family as they prepare for what has become a beloved local tradition that stars more than 200 children and a few professional actors, including Allen herself.

The Houston-born dance icon and her husband Norm Nixon have operated the non-profit Dada for 20 years. It offers a comprehensive dance curriculum to mostly youth of color, regardless of financial status. While in attendance, the students learn from a slew of teachers who are tops in their respective fields, like former Houston Ballet principal dancer Lauren Anderson and tap superstar Savion Glover.

The “Hot...

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” took a trip to the Apollo Theater in its Season 3 finale. In a new Amazon Prime Video panel honoring the legacy of the Apollo, co-star Sterling K. Brown, who plays Reggie in the third season, discusses how the show finds a way to merge the Black and Jewish experiences on the Apollo stage. “We have a shared history of struggle and performance and I think that legacy of performance comes out of struggle and oppression, the desire and the need to entertain, to put people at ease so that we can be safe,” says the Emmy-winning actor. Watch the exclusive full 36-minute video above.

Wanda Sykes, who plays stand-up comedian Moms Mabley, recalls how playing the legendary comic was just as nerve-wracking as when she herself performed at the Apollo. As she recalls thinking in her first time doing the Apollo, “If you bomb, everyone’s...

Amazon Prime Video has released a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s third season finale, taking place at the actual Apollo Theater in Harlem, Manhattan.

The episode featured recreations of a Moms Mabley set (played by Wanda Sykes) and a Hines brother tap dance routine, choreographed by Marguerite Derricks and performed by the Foreman brothers — as well as a stand-up set from protagonist Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and a musical performance from the character Shy Baldwin (played by LeRoy McClain and vocals by Darius de Haas).

In the 36-minute film,...

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and the Apollo Theater have partnered on A Marvelous Night at the Apollo, a one-hour digital special celebrating the historic theater and its connection to the Amazon series.

Directed by Leigh Silverman, the special is a three-part conversation piece covering comedy, music and dance featuring series creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, star Rachel Brosnahan, along with Wanda Sykes, Sterling K. Brown, LeRoy McClain, Darius de Haas, Maisel choreographer Marguerite Derricks and dancers Savion Glover and Jaden and Ellis Foreman Brothers (Hines Brothers).

The special was inspired by the season 3 finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, centered on the history of the theater and the various performances there. The episode included a Moms Mabley set, played by Wanda Sykes, and a Hines brother dance recreation, choreographed by Marguerite Derricks and performed by tap dancing duo the Foreman brothers, as well as a stand-up set from Midge...

It still shocks you. No matter how many times you’ve seen those images, in history books and documentaries, museum exhibits and memorabilia collections, banned cartoons and the occasional old movie preserved on TCM (and preceded by a warning), the actual witnessing of it still stops you in your tracks. You don’t have to know that people would place corks in a small metal bowl, pour alcohol on them, light them on fire, mash the ashes and add water. (Later, a performer might have used standard shoe polish, but this was the traditional method.

The Roads Not Taken

Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be The Roads Not Taken (formerly titled Molly), a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party.…...

What does your future look like? Does it look like Spike Lee's Bamboozled? In March 2020, the Criterion Collection will release a Blu-ray (and DVD) edition of Spike Lee's satire, first unleashed in October 2000. Criterion describes it as "a stinging indictment of mass entertainment at the turn of the twenty-first century that looks more damning with each passing year." Savion Glover, Tommy Davidson, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Rapaport, Mos Def, and Paul Mooney star; special features both old and new are included. The month's other new releases include John M. Stahl's Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Barbra Streisand's The Prince of Tides (1991), Mikhail Kalatozov's The Cranes Are Flying (1957), James Whale's Show Boat (1936) -- yes, after he made Bride of Frankenstein, Whale...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

We’re not even at Christmas yet, but as far as Criterion is concerned, it’s time to start thinking about spring. And considering the highly-regarded library is adding films from Spike Lee, Barbara Streisand, John M. Stahl, James Whale, and more, we’re starting to wish it was March already.

Read More: Celine Sciamma’s ‘Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’ Is Already Being Added To The Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection has recently announced its March 2020 additions to the library, and the films are led by Spike Lee’s racial satire, “Bamboozled,” which stars Damon Wayans, Jada Pinkett Smith, Savion Glover, Tommy Davidson, Michael Rapaport, and Mos Def.

Continue reading Spike Lee’s ‘Bamboozled’ & Barbara Streisand’s ‘The Prince Of Tides’ Lead Criterion’s March 2020 Offerings at The Playlist.

Pharrell Williams, Paul McCartney, Smokey Robinson and more discuss one of music’s most important landmarks in the new trailer for The Apollo, the HBO-bound documentary about the legendary Harlem theater.

“When [the Beatles] first came to New York, the Apollo was the first place we wanted to go,” McCartney says in the trailer. “This music just connected.”

Williams adds, “I don’t know where any of us would be without all those performances on that stage. The Apollo is the beginning of all of it.”

The generations-spanning documentary, which...

A new cut of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1984 crime drama “The Cotton Club” is set to hit theaters this fall following a bow at the 2019 New York Film Festival. “The Cotton Club” stars Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines, Bob Hoskins, Laurence Fishburne and Nicolas Cage and is set in 1930s Harlem at the legendary jazz venue from which it takes its name. For the initial release, Coppola bent to outside concerns that he edit the film to focus solely on Gere’s character Dixie Dwyer. The Director’s Cut will presumably hew closer to the filmmaker’s original intent, which was to focus just as much on the character played by Gregory Hines, a dancer named Delbert “Sandman” Williams.

The official synopsis for the re-release reads: “In this lavish, 1930s-era drama, Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club becomes a hotbed of passion and violence as the lives and loves of entertainers and gangsters collide.

Thursday, April 4, Danny Glover will host the Jazz Foundation of America's annual gala concert at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater.

Since 2001, the Jazz Foundation of America has produced an annual gala at the Apollo Theater called “A Great Night in Harlem.” This benefit concert is always one of the best nights of the year in New York City. It brings together all-time legends and unknown gems from the worlds of jazz, blues, rock, and soul in support of musicians in crisis.

17th Annual Great Night in Harlem

Credit/Copyright: Jazz Foundation of America

Singing legends Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett will receive Jfa Lifetime Achievement Awards. Featured performers include August Greene featuring Common, Patti Smith, Bettye Lavette, The Count Basie Orchestra, and Bruce Willis, with Special Guest Savion Glover and more surprises to come.

To purchase tickets including VIP Dinner and After-Party, visit: www.JazzFoundation.org/Apollo2019



Now celebrating 30 years,...

It’s clear that the Academy tasked producer Donna Gigliotti and co-producer/director Glenn Weiss with reinventing the Oscar show this year. After all, the promise of a show limited to three hours, made by the AMPAS Board of Governors in August, before the producers was hired, was enough to demand a new approach.

As we all know, two of the ideas that were to make this a new kind of Oscar show — the creation of a new “Popular Oscar” category and the shifting of several categories into the commercial breaks — were scrapped, the first in September and the second just last week.

That’ll make it significantly harder (and quite possibly impossible) for Gigliotti and Weiss to hit that three-hour limit, but they’ll probably trot out a few new takes on an old model. We won’t know how well it’s going to work until Sunday night...

Molly

Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be Molly, a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party. Potter’s Tilda Swinton headlined breakthrough, the fascinating adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando competed in Venice, where she would return in 2000 with The Man Who Cried.…...

Favorites of theatre and screen took to the stage of the American Airlines Theatre in Times Square this week for The 24 Hour Musicals on Broadway.

24 Hour Musicals

Credit/Copyright: Getty Images

John Mulaney, Bebe Neuwirth, Corey Cott, Savion Glover, Jackie Cruz, Lea Delaria, Emily Estefan, were just a few of the exceptional group of artists who joined forces to write, direct and perform four original musicals within 24 hours, in support of The Lillys.

The first musical of the evening was The Gordon Four, set at the funeral of talent manager of Wendy Elizabeth Gordon with her friend, Stephon (Savion Glover) who taps the eulogy. The next musical was Backstage At ‘Slavery: The Musical,’ – while the cast waits for a constantly tardy star of the show up. Followed by Things Get Better, set during 1972, The Family Kilbasa performs together on a cruise ship, and off-stage problems come to a head. The...

Favorites of theatre and screen took to the stage of the American Airlines Theatre in Times Square last night for The 24 Hour Musicals on Broadway. John Mulaney, Bebe Neuwirth, Corey Cott, Savion Glover, Jackie Cruz, Lea Delaria, Emily Estefan, were just a few of the exceptional group of artists who joined forces to write, direct and perform four original musicals within 24 hours, in support of The Lillys.

The 24 Hour Musicals is coming to Broadway for the first time.

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Musicals begins at 9 Pm the night before the performance. Writers, composers, directors, choreographers, actors, music directors, musicians and production staff — many of whom have never worked with or met each other before — gather for an orientation where they are asked to share one costume piece, one prop, a special skill, and to reveal something that they have always wanted to do on stage, as well as some singing and dancing. At 11 Pm, the composers and writers get to work crafting 15-20 minute musicals overnight; at 9 Am the next morning, the actors receive their roles and the directors, choreographers and musicians arrive to begin rehearsal. Less than 12 hours later, they must be ready to perform in front of a live audience.

The evening will benefit The Lillys’ work supporting women in theater and promoting gender parity,...

“World of Dance” judge Jennifer Lopez and special guest Savion Glover mentored the Junior Team Division contestants during the Cut, and Lopez was a little worried that The Fabulous Sisters from Fukushima, Japan, didn’t have an entirely cohesive routine prepared. But she changed her tune when she saw their complete performance. They were decked out in regal gold costumes and ruled ferociously from a throne. Imagine if Cersei Lannister from “Game of Thrones” blew up the Sept of Baelor with just the power of urban dance.

What did you think? Watch their complete routine above, and read what the judges had to say about it below.

See‘World of Dance’ The Cut 1 recap: Who gave the best performances in this do-or-die round? [Updating Live Blog]

Ne-Yo: “Here’s what I love about this group: you guys can take the most elementary move and turn it into something so amazing. You are a little monster,...

Season two of “World of Dance” reached another milestone on August 22. After eight weeks of the Qualifiers and four weeks of the Duels the show entered the Cut, when the judges narrowed down the competition even further. There were 30 acts left at this stage of the game, but only a dozen will survive the Cut: the top three per division, who will then advance to the Division Finals. So who stood out tonight? Find out below in our live blog with all the minute-by-minute developments as they happen.

There are seven contestants competing in the Cut for the Upper Division (age 18 and over with up to 4 members): Karen y Ricardo, Michael Dameski, BDash and Konkrete, Ashley and Zack, DNA, Alisa and Joseph and MarInspired.

There are eight troupes in the Upper Team Division (age 18 and over with more than 4 members): S-Rank, Embodiment, Desi Hoppers, The Bradas, Lock n Lol Crew,...

“World of Dance” is about to add a few more big names into its expert panel of mentors and judges.

NBC tells TheWrap exclusively that the summer dance competition series starring Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough, Ne-yo and Jenna Dewan is bringing five famed choreographers and performers in as guest mentors for its currently-airing second season. These include Paula Abdul, Julianne Hough, Mel B, Savion Glover and Ciara. Professional ballerina Misty Copeland has been set as a guest judge.

The first batch of short-term mentors will begin their residency just as the show shifts to its new night, time and length.

Also Read: Ratings: 'World of Dance,' 'America's Got Talent' Dip in Week 2 But Still Hand NBC Easy Tuesday Win

Currently airing after “America’s Got Talent” at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, “World of Dance” is switching to a two-hour telecast on Wednesdays at 8 — with the two...

It has not been a spectacular season for dance on Broadway — until now. A year ago, Andy Blankenbuehler won the Tony Award for choreographing “Hamilton,” against such stiff competition as Savion Glover and his superb work on “Shuffle Along.” This year, there’s almost no competition for Blankenbuehler’s arresting choreography in the new musical “Bandstand,” which opened Wednesday at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Set in post-World War II America, the show almost never stops dancing, and when it does Blankenbuehler keeps the motion going with a few steps here, a few steps there, that in a later scene will.

Warning: The following post is likely to send you down a deep (and deeply satisfying) So You Think You Can Dance YouTube wormhole.

Because once dancers and judges from the Fox reality series start talking about their favorite routines from the past 249 episodes — many of which are shown in the exclusive video above, which touts the show’s upcoming 250th — you’re going to want to watch the dances in full. On repeat. For a while.

RelatedThe X-Files Season 11: Fox Eyeing Longer Run of ‘8 to 10 New Episodes

Robert and Allison’s “Fix You?” Twitch and Alex’s “Outta Your Mind?...

On a night that was marked by tragedy — and occurring mere hours after news broke of the deadly mass shooting in Orlando, Florida — the Tonys provided a much-needed bit of levity. The performers and honorees didn't shy away from speaking about the shocking events of the day, but the overall mood was one of celebration. Part of the credit goes to the master of ceremonies James Corden, best known as the goofy host CBS's Late Late Show, yet still a dorky theater kid at heart; his charming, cheerful persona brought...

Broadway's best has come out in full force. The 2016 Tony Awards made history before it even started, when Hamilton nabbed a record-breaking 16 nominations - but will they also raise the bar with wins? Along with Hamilton, this year's nominees include Jeff Daniel and Michelle Williams for their performances in Blackbird, Lupita Nyong'o for Eclipsed, Steve Martin for his music in Bright Star and Sara Bareilles for her music in Waitress. View a complete list of winners below. (Winners' names are in bold; stay tuned as more winners are announced.) Best Play Eclipsed The Father The Humans King Charles IIIBest Musical...

“Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed” came out on top at the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards held Monday, May 16, with three wins. The show took outstanding ensemble and its star Phillip Attmore was named best male dancer. Choreographer Savion Glover was honored with the best choreographer win and shared the recognition with Andy Blankenbuehler for his work on “Hamilton” and Sergio Trujillo for the Gloria Estefan jukebox musical “On Your Feet!” “She Loves Me” star Jane Krakowski—who is literally dragged across the stage in a full split in one of the revival’s numbers—took the award for best female dancer. She beat out the impressive tap dancing routines from Eloise Kropp and Mara Davi in “Dames at Sea,” as well as Deanna Doyle of “Tuck Everlasting,” Ana Villafañe of “On Your Feet!,” Adrienne Warren of “Shuffle Along,” and Sandra Mae Frank of “Spring Awakening.

It's all good news today at the Music Box Theare... and we aren't just talking about Audra McDonald's pregnancy. It was also announced that during Ms. McDonald's hiatus from the production, Savion Glover,Shuffle Along'sTony Award-nominated choreographer, and widely considered to be the world's greatest living tap dancer, will step into the show, as envisioned by the Director and Book writer, George C. Wolfe.