Monthly Wallpaper - July 2010: That's Dancing!

Get out your tap shoes and leg warmers! This month's Movie Dearest Calendar Wallpaper is all about the dance ... in film, that is.

Join Billy Elliot, Tony Manero, Ren McCormack, Peggy Sawyer and a host of timeless terpsichorean talent for a high-kickin', jazz-handin' July.  Now That's Dancing!

All you have to do is click on the picture above to enlarge it, then simply right click your mouse and select "Set as Background". (You can also save it to your computer and set it up from there if you prefer.) The size is 1024 x 768, but you can modify it if needed in your own photo-editing program.

Tony Tube 2009

Here's a video round up of the best of Broadway, as seen on the Tony Awards this past Sunday night:

- Another openin', another show ... and what an opening number, a show tune smorgasbord complete with a viral video moment courtesy of Bret Michaels (surely not the first time that the word "viral" has been associated with Mr. Michaels). The Poison frontman suffered a broken a nose, while the unfortunate set piece he smacked into has since tested positive for gonorrhea ...
- Best Musical Billy Elliot rocks its number, while its young stars David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik charm in their joint acceptance speech for Best Actor.
- Christopher Sieber steals the show with his campy Lord Farquaad song from Shrek The Musical, while his fairy tale co-stars strut their stuff in some never-before-seen audition footage.
- Here's the numbers from the other two Best Musical nominees, Next to Normal (introduced by Carrie Fisher and her pantsuit) and Rock of Ages (complete with Liza cameo).
- Best Musical Revival winner Hair brought the house down, led by its two hunky stars Gavin Creel and Will Swenson.
- Also in the Musical Revival category, the cast of West Side Story (including the dreamy Matt Cavenaugh as Tony) go for a "Dance at the Gym", while those Guys and Dolls (which, as I predicted, closes this Sunday) suffer through sound snafus and bad staging in "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat".
- Touring shows were also on hand, represented by the "Dancing Queens" of Mamma Mia!, the sorority gals of Legally Blonde and no less than five Frankie Vallis from Jersey Boys.
- And last, but certainly not least: dapper Tony host Neil Patrick Harris and his already legendary "11 O'clock Number".

Awards Watch: Tony Awards 2009

Proving my prediction of 15 months ago correct, Billy Elliot, The Musical swept the 63rd Annual Tony Awards earlier this evening, winning 10 trophies total.

In addition to Best Musical, Best Director (Stephen Daldry) and Best Featured Actor ("Dad" Gregory Jbara), the inspirational tuner made Tony history when its three young leading men — triple threats David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish —triumphed in the Lead Actor category, the first time an acting honor has been shared by more than one person. Ironically, the man whose idea it was to adapt the Billy Elliot movie to the stage in the first place —Sir Elton John —went home empty-handed; in an upset win, he lost in the Best Score race to Next to Normal (this year's pick for the show I'd least like to see).

Other notable winners of the night included Angela Lansbury (now tied with Julie Harris as the most Tony'ed actor of all time) for Blithe Spirit, Oscar winners Geoffrey Rush (Exit the King) and Marcia Gay Harden (Best Play winner God of Carnage) in the leading play performance categories, Karen "Un Hombre Así" Olivo for West Side Story, the Shrek costumes, and Liza's at the Palace…! for Special Theatrical Event.


Highlights of the ceremony were host Neil Patrick Harris' cheeky "11 o'clock number", Lifetime Achievement honoree Jerry Herman's moving acceptance speech, and the show-stopping performance of the title song from the year's Best Musical Revival winner Hair, complete with cutie Gavin Creel serenading Anne Hathaway and sexy Will Swenson straddling fellow nominee Christopher Sieber in the audience.

Low points included the overall muddled direction, sound problems and a dreadful rendition of "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" from Guys and Dolls, the show most likely to close within the week.

MD Poll: Secretary's Day

It may not be nominated for a Best Musical Tony Award, but 9 to 5: The Musical can take solace in being named your favorite "screen to stage" Broadway production of the 2008-2009 season in our most recent MD Poll. Two tuners who are up for the top Tony, Shrek The Musical and Billy Elliot, The Musical, came in second and third, respectively. See the comments section below for the complete stats.

And speaking of the Tonys, this year's ceremony will be broadcast live from New York tomorrow night on CBS. Performing on the three-hour show will be the casts of all the nominated musicals (Next to Normal and Rock of Ages, in addition to Billy Elliot and Shrek) and musical revivals (Guys and Dolls, Hair, Pal Joey and West Side Story), as well as special performances from the touring companies of Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia! And last, but certainly not least: Elton, Dolly and Liza.

Joining host Neil Patrick Harris as presenters will be such stage (and screen) faves as Kristin Chenoweth, Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Edie Falco, Carrie Fisher, Jane Fonda, James Gandolfini, Lauren Graham, Colin Hanks, Marcia Gay Harden, Nicole Kidman, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Lange, Frank Langella, Angela Lansbury, Audra McDonald, David Hyde Pierce, Piper Perabo, Oliver Platt, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Spacey, John Stamos and Chandra Wilson.

MD Poll: From Screen to Stage, Class of 2008-2009

With the close of the 2008-2009 Broadway season, it is time to take a look back at the four musicals and one play that braved the transition From Screen to Stage and pick your favorite.

Did 9 to 5 punch your clock? Were you left dreaming of a White Christmas? Did Billy Elliot leave you cheering, or was Shrek more your cup of (green) tea? Or perhaps To Be or Not To Be answered all your questions (yeah, I know, probably not).

Vote for your favorite in the MD Poll located in the right hand sidebar, and check back in three weeks (on June 6, the eve of the Tony Awards) for the results!

UPDATE: This poll is now closed; click here for the results, and click here to vote in the next MD Poll.

Awards Watch: Tony Award Nominations

Billy Elliot triumphed once again, landing 15 Tony Award nominations today, including Best Musical, Best Director for Stephen Daldry, Best Score for Elton John and Lee Hall and a rare joint Best Actor nomination for the trio of boys who play the title role. Another screen-to-stage fave, Shrek, is also up for the top tuner trophy (plus seven other nominations), while 9 to 5 and White Christmas had to settle for just four and two nods each, respectively.

Other acting nods went to Billy's David Bologna, Haydn Gwynne, Gregory Jbara and Carole Shelley, Shrek's Brian d’Arcy James, Sutton Foster and Christopher Sieber and 9 to 5's Allison Janney and Marc Kudisch.

The 63rd Annual Tony Awards will be presented live from Radio City Music Hall June 7 on CBS.

UPDATE: Neil Patrick Harris has been announced as this year's host for the Tony Awards.

From Screen to Stage: Spidey, Shrek, Slumdog and More

A certain wall-crawler's Broadway bow leads off the latest round of all things From Screen to Stage:

- Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark is the official title (really) of the comic page to stage adaptation that will spin its first web on the Great White Way starting February 18, 2010.

- The next month will see the Big Apple premiere of The Addams Family musical as well, with performances starting March 5, 2010.

- Damn Yankees is returning to the silver screen, with Jim Carrey as Applegate (a.k.a. the devil) and Jake Gyllenhaal (!) as Shoeless Joe (from Hannibal, MO). Now who will play Lola? We say Catherine Zeta-Jones.

- The screen adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical Nine (which now features six Academy Award winners following Penélope Cruz's victory on Sunday) now has an official opening date: November 25.

- The original Broadway cast recording of Shrek the Musical, which will be released on March 24, is now available for pre-orderfrom Amazon.com.

- Universal Studios wants Billy Elliot to dance back on the big screen as a movie musical.

- Having won every film award in site, Slumdog Millionaire is now setting its sites on the stage. Another recent Oscar winner, A.R. Rahman, will pen more songs for the potential new tuner.

- And finally: it looks like our idea for a sequel to Mamma Mia! may actually happen.

From Screen to Stage: Broadway Billys United and More

Some great news for our favorite ballet boys leads off the latest round-up of From Screen to Stage news:

- The three young actors who alternate in the title role of Billy Elliot — David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish — will be considered jointly for the Best Actor Tony Award.

- Elsewhere in Tony Administration Committee decisions, the four main cast members of White Christmas will compete in the lead categories, and the show itself is apparently eligible for the Best Musical prize (due to its previous history in regional theaters, it could have been bumped to revival).

- Ogre, meet harpies: The cast of Shrek the Musical will let their "Freak Flag" fly on this Tuesday's episode of The View.

- Go ahead, make my play: Dirty Harry will sing (?!) in Magnum Force: The Musical.

- La Cage aux Folles, Rain Man and Sunset Boulevard are among the nominees for the 33rd annual Laurence Olivier Awards, to be presented March 8 in London.

- The John Barrowman-hosted, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat-casting reality show Any Dream Will Do will be re-broadcast stateside on BBC America beginning March 29.

- The Academy Award nominated song "Listen" will be added in to the upcoming Dreamgirls national tour.

- Minsky's, recently reviewed by our own Reverend, is headed to Broadway!

- If you missed Arias with a Twist, the "downtown fusion of song and exotic puppetry from Joey Arias and Basil Twist", it will be coming to a screen near you sometime in the future.

- Playbill's Diva Talk chats up Xanadu's newest muse, Elizabeth Stanley.

- If it's good enough for Tommy: The Who's Quadrophenia to land on the West End.

- And finally, two blondes, two unlikely stage productions: a Marilyn Monroe "dance musical" and an Anna Nicole Smith ... opera?

UPDATE: Here's the video clip of the Shrek performance on The View.

Awards Watch: GLAAD Tidings 2008

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced the nominees for their 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards today.

The film nominations are led by the Academy Award nominated Milk, obviously the front-runner to win here (and a far cry from last year, when they had to give it to a gay pirate). Brideshead Revisited, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, RocknRolla and Vicky Cristina Barcelona round out the "Wide Release" nominees, while the indie faves The Edge of Heaven, Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom, Save Me, Shelter and XXY are competing in the "Limited Release" category. Documentaries in the running include Chris & Don: A Love Story, A Jihad for Love, Saving Marriage, the WE tv series Sex Change Hospital and last year's Oscar winning short Freeheld.

On the television front, Brothers & Sisters and Ugly Betty are looking for their third straight win in a row in the drama and comedy series races, respectively. Meanwhile, both Donald Strachey Mysteries, On the Other Hand, Death and Ice Blues, are up for made-for-TV movie. Legit theater nominees include Broadway's Billy Elliot and Los Angeles' The Little Dog Laughed.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 28, in Los Angeles on April 18 and in San Francisco on May 9. See the comments section below for a quick look at all the movie, TV and theater nominees.

UPDATE: Visit our sister site, The QuOD - The Queer Online Database, for a full list of all the GLBT nominees. PLUS: Here's a video look at the major nominees.

Dearie Awards 2008: Stage Show of the Year - BILLY ELLIOT

Some of our favorite films of all time have been adapted for the stage, and the results can be great (Hairspray) or ... not so great (The Little Mermaid). Happily, joyfully, Billy Elliot joins the short list of the former.

Soaring as high as the hopes and dreams of its title character, Billy landed on Broadway after its award-winning debut in London (where it is still playing) without losing an ounce of its charm or heart. And, with our country experiencing the same kind of economic downturn as seen in the show itself, what better time to escape into the world of a boy who trades in his boxing gloves for a pair of ballet shoes?

With the direction of Stephen Daldry, book and lyrics by Lee Hall (recreating their Academy Award nominated work on the original film) and a score by none other than Sir Elton John, the musical features the stunning debuts of a trio of triple threats who alternate in the demanding lead role: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish. To them, we can only say, "Dance, Billy, dance!"

Dance, Billy, Dance

Billy Elliot will make his first official bow on Broadway tonight as the Olivier Award-winning musical opens after six weeks of previews.

Directed by Stephen Daldry with book and lyrics by Lee Hall (both of whom received an Academy Award nominations for the film version) and music by Elton John, the new tuner stars Greg Jbara, Haydn Gwynne (recreating her London role as dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson) and, alternating in the title role, David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish.

For an indepth look at Billy's journey from screen to stage, visit Broadway.com.

UPDATE: Broadway.com has complete video and photo coverage of Billy's big night, including an appearance by Stephen Daldry and Elton John ... in tutus, naturally.

Out in Film: Stephen Daldry

Idol worship: Stephen Daldry, director/producer.

- His career began in the English theater, directing many productions at both the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal National Theatre.

- When his An Inspector Calls went on to Broadway, he won a Tony Award.

- He received Academy Award nominations as Best Director for his first two feature films, Billy Elliot and The Hours.

- Going for three in a row, his next film — The Reader, starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes — hits theaters next month.

- And he could get another Tony too with Billy Elliot: The Musical, now playing previews on Broadway and officially opening November 13.

Out in Film: Elton John

Idol worship: Elton John, recording artist/composer.

- In his 40-year recording career, he has sold over 200 million records, making him as one of the most successful artists of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive #1 albums and nine #1 hits, and has won five Grammy Awards. His "Candle in the Wind 1997" (dedicated to the late Princess Diana) became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling over 33 million copies worldwide.

- He won the Academy Award, Golden Globe and a Grammy for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King. Two more songs from the movie, "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata", were also Oscar nominated. Other films that he has composed original songs for include Friends, Lethal Weapon 3, The Muse, The Road to El Dorado, Mona Lisa Smile and the upcoming Gnomeo and Juliet (which he is also producing).

- His existing songs have also provided some memorable movie moments, such as in Four Weddings and a Funeral ("Crocodile Rock"), Almost Famous ("Tiny Dancer"), Moulin Rouge! ("Your Song") and 27 Dresses ("Bennie and the Jets"), and he memorably sang "Pinball Wizard" onscreen in Tommy. Another memorable acting appearance was as the head of the "Gay Mafia" on Will & Grace.

- In addition to the original songs, he composed new numbers for The Lion King's Broadway incarnation, receiving his first Tony Award nomination. He won the Tony for his all-original score to Aida (which also garnered him another Grammy for its cast album), and has also scored the stage adaptations of Anne Rice's Lestat and the current Billy Elliot.

- Of his many other accomplishments (including being inducted into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Disney Legends Award, and being knighted), his most important has been his charitable works, including founding the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992.

Shrek in Trouble, Billy on Broadway & Simba in Vegas

It seems that all is not rosy in Far, Far Away. Following its Seattle run and prior to its Broadway bow November 8, Shrek the Musical will undergo some casting changes. As Donkey, Chester Gregory is out, replaced by recent Tony Award nominee Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange), while the Dragon has been "reconceived" as a chorus role. As a result, Kecia Lewis-Evans has left the production. Furthermore, rumor has it that a "show doctor" is in the house, not always a good sign for a show this big. The official opening date, December 14, will reportedly not be effected by these changes.

In other From Screen to Stage news of the day, Billy Elliot lands on Broadway tonight as it begins previews in preparation for its November 13 opening. As he did with the classic movie, Stephen Daldry directs, with music by Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall. Playbill.com has an extensive article on the making of the musical.

And The Lion King will go where no other Disney show has gone before: Las Vegas. The Tony Award winning toon tuner, which will not be trimmed down like most Broadway transplants to Sin City, will begin April 20 (followed by a May 2 opening) at the Mandalay Bay, current home of Mamma Mia! The ABBA musical wraps up its six year run January 4.

Out in Film: Matthew Bourne

Idol worship: Matthew Bourne, director/ choreographer.

- You could say he was "Bourne" to dance; trained at some of the finest London ballet schools, he was a member of some of the most prestigious dance companies in England, even founding a few of his own.

- His controversial production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake(featuring men in the roles of the swans, traditionally danced by women) brought him worldwide acclaim, including two Tony and Drama Desk Awards each for Best Direction and Best Choreography. A portion of the production was recreated for the finale of the film Billy Elliot, showing a grown Billy as the lead dancer.

- He sites classic films as a major inspiration for his work, claiming his Swan Lake was inspired by Hitchcock's The Birds. For example, subsequent works -- The Car Man(a homoerotic take on Bizet's Carmen) and Nutcracker!(his version of the Tchaikovsky holiday perennial) -- were influenced by The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Wizard of Oz, respectively.

- This influence was even more apparent in his next major production, a ballet version of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. Outside of the ballet world, he choreographed the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins, for which he won an Olivier Award. He was also profiled in the book Matthew Bourne and His Adventures in Motion Pictures.

- His latest work, a dance adaptation of Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray set in the "image-obsessed worlds of contemporary art and politics", premieres in England later this month.

More Kudos for Billy

Billy Elliot the Musical, which won four Olivier Awards for its original London production, picked up seven more accolades at the 8th Annual Helpmann Awards, the Australian equivalent to the Tony Awards.

The acclaimed tuner, based on the 2000 movie of the same name and featuring a score by Elton John, received awards for Best Musical, Best Director for Stephen Daldry (who was Oscar nominated for the original film) and acting honors for Genevieve Lemon (as ballet teacher Mrs. Wilkinson) and the show's quartet of Billys, Lochlan Denholm, Nick Twiney, Rarmian Newton and Rhys Kosakowski.

Other notable winners include two awards each for Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show and the opera version of Dead Man Walking, including acting prizes for the former's Columbia, Sharon Millerchip, and the latter's Joseph De Rocher, hunky baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes.

Next for Billy Elliot the Musical, which begins performances on Broadway October 1: the Tonys.

Billy the Hit

Next season's Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Billy Elliot, is officially heading to Broadway. Previews will start September 17 at the Imperial Theatre, with an opening night set for October 16.

Stephen Daldry, who received an Oscar nomination for the original film, will direct, as he did with the Olivier Award-winning West End production. The show features music by Elton John.

If I seem a bit presumptuous about the Tony thing, I ... and anyone who has heard the London cast albumwould agree with me ... feel completely certain that it will be victorious on this side of the pond as it was in England. That is, if they don't screw up the transfer by trying to Americanize it.

Horse Play With Daniel Radcliffe

The weekly look at all that's in the works from Broadway to Hollywood and back again:

- For you muggles out there who couldn't make it to London for his au naturale performance in Equus, Daniel Radcliffe promises that he will soon be blinding horses stateside by the end of next year, if all goes well. Radcliffe's Harry Potter uncle Richard Griffiths (Tony winner for The History Boys) will co-star.

- Like, ohmygod! Taking their cue from Hairspray and Grease (both of which have been benefiting nicely from exposure in other mediums), Legally Blonde will soon be filmed live for a future broadcast on MTV. And if you so desire (and are willing to wear a pink shirt), you can even be in the audience.

- Speaking of Grease (and really, when are we not?), meet the revival's scene-stealing Rizzo, Jenny Powers, and check out the track list for the newest cast recording, on sale October 2 (Click here to pre-order the new albumfrom Amazon.com).

Meanwhile, Grease: You're the One That I Want hostess Denise Van Outen has (get this) been cast as the militant Maureen in London's Rent. Not to be catty, but isn't she a teensy bit past her prime mooing years?

- In more music news, original Maureen Idina Menzel has released a club mix of her big Wicked showstopper, the divalicious "Defying Gravity". Click here to purchase the CDfrom Amazon.com.

- As playwright Terrence McNally and stars Rosie Perez and Kevin Chamberlin chat up The Ritz, Seth Rudetsky dishes on his co-star/fellow "bathhouse patron" Ryan Idol. Seth also recounts his recent one-on-one with Xanadu hunk Cheyenne Jackson.

- Get ready to return to La Cage aux Folles, via a West End revival; no word yet if the star of the recent New York run, Gary Beach, will "strap on his fake boobs again" for it though.

Elsewhere, this is what the Episcopalians think about a high school musical about drag queens. Who woulda thunk it?

- Director Rob Marshall has revealed his star-studded, international cast for his big screen adaptation of Nine, although only one (Sophia Loren) is actually Italian.

- "They're the Dreamgirls ..." The originals, that is: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine and Jennifer Holliday will reunite in LA for a "one night only" benefit performance. And I'm telling you, I'm going ... (OK, I'll stop now.)

- Tours from around the world: 42nd Street in China, Little Shop of Horrors in the UK and 12 Angry Men in the US of A.

- Billy Elliot, soon to be grande jeté-ing his way to Broadway, celebrates his 1,000th performance in London.

- Angela Arden has found her son. Charles Busch will be joined in Die Mommie Die! with current gay soap sensation Van Hansis (a.k.a. As the World Turns' Luke Snyder).

- In an unusual move, the producers of Young Frankenstein will reportedly not release the show's weekly grosses. Hmmm ...

- The 39 Steps is stepping closer to Broadway.

- In our Hairspray news of the week, the title of this Playbill article says it all: "Love Finds Beaver Cleaver".

- Do video games and show tunes mix? We'll find out when The Last Starfighter takes to the stage.

- Remember the opening number of the movie Hair, with all the hippies dancing about, all Twyla Tharp-y like, in the middle of Central Park? Well, now you'll be able to see that in person.

- While Claire Danes (who, having never seen My Fair Lady, must have had a really sad childhood) prepares for George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, John Lithgow mulls a return to Broadway with Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

- I don't know why but I don't care: the San Francisco Jersey Boys will perform on next Sunday's Emmy Award telecast. For a taste of the original Broadway Four Seasons, here's their electrifying performance at last year's Tony Awards.

Links via MoviesBlog.MTV.com, Playbill.com, Broadway.com, AfterEllen.com, AfterElton.com and YouTube.com.

From Under the Sea

Three major openings this week - but only one on the Great White Way:

- Disney's The Little Mermaid and Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein officially opened on the same day in different cities (Denver and Seattle). The local critics have spoken, all citing that both shows need work before they reach Broadway. Uh, isn't that what they're there for?

- After televised auditions, a rehearsal period and previews, the much-publicized revival of Grease has finally opened on Broadway ... and the reviews were pretty much what we expected. However, considering the advance sales due to the TV show, the producers should be crying all the way to the bank. Broadway.com has opening night photos and video, while Broadway World introduces you to the Thunderbirds.

- Good news for Billy Elliot fans (the movie is one of my all-time favorites): signs (literally) are pointing to a Broadway bow next year.

- Could Hairspray movie star Nikki Blonsky be eyeing the Broadway version for her next Tracy Turnblad tour de force? Meanwhile, Lance Bass is Corny -- Collins, that is; and meet the latest Edna, MADtv's Paul Vogt, who dishes on the real reason why the Las Vegas production of Hairspray closed.

- More casting buzz for Rob Marshall's Nine movie, including Oscar winners Sophia Loren and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Oscar nominees Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz and future Oscar nominee Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose).

- As Kevin Kline, Jennifer Garner and Daniel Sunjata prepare for a Cyrano de Bergerac revival, George Hamilton returns to Chicago. And could Patrick Wilson, Anne Hathaway, John C. Reilly and Debra Messing be the latest Guys and Dolls?

- See who will take on the iconic movie roles played by Madonna and Hayley Mills in the West End Desperately Seeking Susan and the US tour Whistle Down the Wind.

- Feel the rhythm of South Africa with Disney's The Lion King.

- Enter the Broadway World time machine for a look back at the Xanadu movie. Elsewhere, Broadway.com has a lively chat with that scene-stealing evil muse, Jackie Hoffman.

- Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and Jane Austen's Emma hit regional stages.

- Frost/Nixon closes on Broadway. What's next for Tony winner Frank Langella and Tony nominee Michael Sheen? Filming the movie version with director Ron Howard.

- The West End musical epic stage version of The Lord of the Rings extends through the end of September.

- The Ritz star Seth Rudetsky discusses briefs, towels and robes.

- Holy stage faves, Batman! Take a look at the Batman musical that never was.

- And finally: Avenue Q star Rod (just Rod, like Cher) sits down for a "Cue & A" with Playbill.com.

Links via Playbill.com, GoldDerby.LATimes.com, Broadway.com, BroadwayWorld.com, AccessHollywood.com and FilmJunk.com.