joi, 2 iunie 2011

Met opera stars cancel Japan tour on radiation fear

birou notarial


NEW YORK | Wed Jun 1, 2011 2:24pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two of the Metropolitan Opera's leading performers due to sing in Japan this week, have pulled out with concerns about radiation, the New York opera company said.

Russian-born soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja canceled their roles in performances in Nagoya and Tokyo following concerns about radiation leaks from a nuclear power plant just 240km (150 miles) from Tokyo, caused by the massive March 11 earthquake.

Some 350 company members arrived on Monday for performances of the operas "La Boheme," "Don Carlo" and "Lucia di Lammermoor" beginning on Saturday and running until June 19.

"Last-minute cancellations by soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja, both citing concerns about post-earthquake radiation, forced the Met to scramble over the weekend to find replacement stars," the statement issued on Tuesday by the Met Opera said.

Up until last week, Netrebko, 39, and Calleja, a Maltese tenor who has sung in opera houses around the world, had been planning on performing in Japan, as scheduled, the Met said. But Netrebeko, 39, changed her mind because of the emotional weight of having also lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl.

"She didn't feel that she would be able to present her best performances and didn't want to disappoint her Japanese fans. Mr. Calleja also had last-minute misgivings about performing in Japan at this time."

Instead, soprano Marina Poplavskaya and tenors Marcelo Alvarez, Rolando Villazon and Alexey Dolgov joined the tour.

Soprano Barbara Frittoli agreed to move into the role of Mimi in "La Boheme" to replace Netrebko, while Poplavskaya will replace Frittoli in the role of Elisabeth in "Don Carlo."

"Anything can happen in the volcanic world of opera, and with this tour it seems that our volcano has momentarily erupted," said the Met's General Manager, Peter Gelb.

Engineers in Japan have been battling to plug radiation leaks and bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control more than two months after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated a swathe of Japan's coastline.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


NEW YORK | Wed Jun 1, 2011 2:24pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two of the Metropolitan Opera's leading performers due to sing in Japan this week, have pulled out with concerns about radiation, the New York opera company said.

Russian-born soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja canceled their roles in performances in Nagoya and Tokyo following concerns about radiation leaks from a nuclear power plant just 240km (150 miles) from Tokyo, caused by the massive March 11 earthquake.

Some 350 company members arrived on Monday for performances of the operas "La Boheme," "Don Carlo" and "Lucia di Lammermoor" beginning on Saturday and running until June 19.

"Last-minute cancellations by soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja, both citing concerns about post-earthquake radiation, forced the Met to scramble over the weekend to find replacement stars," the statement issued on Tuesday by the Met Opera said.

Up until last week, Netrebko, 39, and Calleja, a Maltese tenor who has sung in opera houses around the world, had been planning on performing in Japan, as scheduled, the Met said. But Netrebeko, 39, changed her mind because of the emotional weight of having also lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl.

"She didn't feel that she would be able to present her best performances and didn't want to disappoint her Japanese fans. Mr. Calleja also had last-minute misgivings about performing in Japan at this time."

Instead, soprano Marina Poplavskaya and tenors Marcelo Alvarez, Rolando Villazon and Alexey Dolgov joined the tour.

Soprano Barbara Frittoli agreed to move into the role of Mimi in "La Boheme" to replace Netrebko, while Poplavskaya will replace Frittoli in the role of Elisabeth in "Don Carlo."

"Anything can happen in the volcanic world of opera, and with this tour it seems that our volcano has momentarily erupted," said the Met's General Manager, Peter Gelb.

Engineers in Japan have been battling to plug radiation leaks and bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control more than two months after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated a swathe of Japan's coastline.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


NEW YORK | Wed Jun 1, 2011 2:24pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two of the Metropolitan Opera's leading performers due to sing in Japan this week, have pulled out with concerns about radiation, the New York opera company said.

Russian-born soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja canceled their roles in performances in Nagoya and Tokyo following concerns about radiation leaks from a nuclear power plant just 240km (150 miles) from Tokyo, caused by the massive March 11 earthquake.

Some 350 company members arrived on Monday for performances of the operas "La Boheme," "Don Carlo" and "Lucia di Lammermoor" beginning on Saturday and running until June 19.

"Last-minute cancellations by soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja, both citing concerns about post-earthquake radiation, forced the Met to scramble over the weekend to find replacement stars," the statement issued on Tuesday by the Met Opera said.

Up until last week, Netrebko, 39, and Calleja, a Maltese tenor who has sung in opera houses around the world, had been planning on performing in Japan, as scheduled, the Met said. But Netrebeko, 39, changed her mind because of the emotional weight of having also lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl.

"She didn't feel that she would be able to present her best performances and didn't want to disappoint her Japanese fans. Mr. Calleja also had last-minute misgivings about performing in Japan at this time."

Instead, soprano Marina Poplavskaya and tenors Marcelo Alvarez, Rolando Villazon and Alexey Dolgov joined the tour.

Soprano Barbara Frittoli agreed to move into the role of Mimi in "La Boheme" to replace Netrebko, while Poplavskaya will replace Frittoli in the role of Elisabeth in "Don Carlo."

"Anything can happen in the volcanic world of opera, and with this tour it seems that our volcano has momentarily erupted," said the Met's General Manager, Peter Gelb.

Engineers in Japan have been battling to plug radiation leaks and bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control more than two months after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated a swathe of Japan's coastline.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Cost aparat dentar

DC relaunching comic book titles at issue No. 1

birou notarial


LOS ANGELES | Tue May 31, 2011 11:26pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DC Comics will reset the dial by renumbering its lineup of superhero comics when it releases 52 issues tagged No. 1, starting with its famed Justice League series, the company said on Tuesday.

The publisher behind Superman and Batman also plans to redesign costumes for many of its characters as part of the rebranding and retooling effort, which will begin on August 31 with the release of the Justice League issue No. 1.

Justice League is the decades-old team of superheroes headed by Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, who collectively battle evil.

The DC Comics push to start over on its titles comes as the New York-based publisher struggles to catch up to arch rival Marvel Comics.

Marvel, which is owned by Walt Disney Co, accounts for 40 percent of the publications sold at comic-book stores compared to 27 percent for second-place DC Comics, according to statistics from Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.

With the possible exception of Batman, the Time Warner Inc-owned DC Comics has struggled to turn its superhero characters into viable movie franchises that can drive sales on everything from comic books to toys. Indeed, a planned "Wonder Woman" TV series was recently aborted.

DC Comics gave few details on Tuesday about the relaunch of its comic book titles, but it said that the No. 1 issue releases on 52 titles will continue through the month of September.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Dean Gooodman)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


LOS ANGELES | Tue May 31, 2011 11:26pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DC Comics will reset the dial by renumbering its lineup of superhero comics when it releases 52 issues tagged No. 1, starting with its famed Justice League series, the company said on Tuesday.

The publisher behind Superman and Batman also plans to redesign costumes for many of its characters as part of the rebranding and retooling effort, which will begin on August 31 with the release of the Justice League issue No. 1.

Justice League is the decades-old team of superheroes headed by Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, who collectively battle evil.

The DC Comics push to start over on its titles comes as the New York-based publisher struggles to catch up to arch rival Marvel Comics.

Marvel, which is owned by Walt Disney Co, accounts for 40 percent of the publications sold at comic-book stores compared to 27 percent for second-place DC Comics, according to statistics from Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.

With the possible exception of Batman, the Time Warner Inc-owned DC Comics has struggled to turn its superhero characters into viable movie franchises that can drive sales on everything from comic books to toys. Indeed, a planned "Wonder Woman" TV series was recently aborted.

DC Comics gave few details on Tuesday about the relaunch of its comic book titles, but it said that the No. 1 issue releases on 52 titles will continue through the month of September.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Dean Gooodman)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


LOS ANGELES | Tue May 31, 2011 11:26pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DC Comics will reset the dial by renumbering its lineup of superhero comics when it releases 52 issues tagged No. 1, starting with its famed Justice League series, the company said on Tuesday.

The publisher behind Superman and Batman also plans to redesign costumes for many of its characters as part of the rebranding and retooling effort, which will begin on August 31 with the release of the Justice League issue No. 1.

Justice League is the decades-old team of superheroes headed by Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, who collectively battle evil.

The DC Comics push to start over on its titles comes as the New York-based publisher struggles to catch up to arch rival Marvel Comics.

Marvel, which is owned by Walt Disney Co, accounts for 40 percent of the publications sold at comic-book stores compared to 27 percent for second-place DC Comics, according to statistics from Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.

With the possible exception of Batman, the Time Warner Inc-owned DC Comics has struggled to turn its superhero characters into viable movie franchises that can drive sales on everything from comic books to toys. Indeed, a planned "Wonder Woman" TV series was recently aborted.

DC Comics gave few details on Tuesday about the relaunch of its comic book titles, but it said that the No. 1 issue releases on 52 titles will continue through the month of September.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Dean Gooodman)


Cost aparat dentar

Broadway posts larger takings for past season

birou notarial


Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid

NEW YORK | Tue May 31, 2011 6:56pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Broadway theaters increased gross revenues in the 2010/11 season, as the U.S. economy emerged from recession, while attendance figures have stayed relatively steady in the past five years.

The Broadway League said on Tuesday in the 52-week period ending May 22, gross takings were $1.06 billion, compared to $1.02 billion for the previous 52 weeks.

The number of people attending shows in the same period was 12.26 million, up three per cent compared to last year's figures, according to the trade association representing theater owners, operators and producers.

Several years ago showed similar attendance figures, with the 2007/2008 season producing 12.27 million in attendance. The 2009/10 season produced 11.89 in attendance.

The Broadway League attributed a diversity of shows to the continued increase in grosses. It said shows yielded an official gross of more than $1.08 billion for the 2010/11 season and 12.53 million in attendance, but those figures included adding an extra week, a 53rd week, that happens every seven years to maintain an end-of-May season.

Producers have increased revenue in the past several years aided by premium front-of-house and last-minute seats, which can sell for as much as $400.

The season, which saw previews for the accident-prone yet so far profitable blockbuster new musical, "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" by U2's Bono and the Edge, saw the opening of 42 shows opened including 14 musicals, 25 plays and 3 specials.

The season included box-office and well-received hits ranging from the Tony-nominated musical, "The Book of Mormon," a spoof about a pair of Mormon men on a mission to Africa from the creators of the TV series "South Park," to "War Horse," a play transferred from London that uses projections and puppets.

Older favorites such as "The Lion King" and "Wicked" continue to pull in the crowds, with both raking in more than $1.65 million for the week ending May 29, many years after they first opened.

Big-name movie stars have continued to flock to Broadway with producers keen to guarantee better sales with Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Al Pacino and Daniel Radcliffe all headlining recent shows.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid

NEW YORK | Tue May 31, 2011 6:56pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Broadway theaters increased gross revenues in the 2010/11 season, as the U.S. economy emerged from recession, while attendance figures have stayed relatively steady in the past five years.

The Broadway League said on Tuesday in the 52-week period ending May 22, gross takings were $1.06 billion, compared to $1.02 billion for the previous 52 weeks.

The number of people attending shows in the same period was 12.26 million, up three per cent compared to last year's figures, according to the trade association representing theater owners, operators and producers.

Several years ago showed similar attendance figures, with the 2007/2008 season producing 12.27 million in attendance. The 2009/10 season produced 11.89 in attendance.

The Broadway League attributed a diversity of shows to the continued increase in grosses. It said shows yielded an official gross of more than $1.08 billion for the 2010/11 season and 12.53 million in attendance, but those figures included adding an extra week, a 53rd week, that happens every seven years to maintain an end-of-May season.

Producers have increased revenue in the past several years aided by premium front-of-house and last-minute seats, which can sell for as much as $400.

The season, which saw previews for the accident-prone yet so far profitable blockbuster new musical, "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" by U2's Bono and the Edge, saw the opening of 42 shows opened including 14 musicals, 25 plays and 3 specials.

The season included box-office and well-received hits ranging from the Tony-nominated musical, "The Book of Mormon," a spoof about a pair of Mormon men on a mission to Africa from the creators of the TV series "South Park," to "War Horse," a play transferred from London that uses projections and puppets.

Older favorites such as "The Lion King" and "Wicked" continue to pull in the crowds, with both raking in more than $1.65 million for the week ending May 29, many years after they first opened.

Big-name movie stars have continued to flock to Broadway with producers keen to guarantee better sales with Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Al Pacino and Daniel Radcliffe all headlining recent shows.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Patrons wait in line at the box office of the Foxwoods Theater, home to the Broadway play ''Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark'' in New York March 9, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid

NEW YORK | Tue May 31, 2011 6:56pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Broadway theaters increased gross revenues in the 2010/11 season, as the U.S. economy emerged from recession, while attendance figures have stayed relatively steady in the past five years.

The Broadway League said on Tuesday in the 52-week period ending May 22, gross takings were $1.06 billion, compared to $1.02 billion for the previous 52 weeks.

The number of people attending shows in the same period was 12.26 million, up three per cent compared to last year's figures, according to the trade association representing theater owners, operators and producers.

Several years ago showed similar attendance figures, with the 2007/2008 season producing 12.27 million in attendance. The 2009/10 season produced 11.89 in attendance.

The Broadway League attributed a diversity of shows to the continued increase in grosses. It said shows yielded an official gross of more than $1.08 billion for the 2010/11 season and 12.53 million in attendance, but those figures included adding an extra week, a 53rd week, that happens every seven years to maintain an end-of-May season.

Producers have increased revenue in the past several years aided by premium front-of-house and last-minute seats, which can sell for as much as $400.

The season, which saw previews for the accident-prone yet so far profitable blockbuster new musical, "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" by U2's Bono and the Edge, saw the opening of 42 shows opened including 14 musicals, 25 plays and 3 specials.

The season included box-office and well-received hits ranging from the Tony-nominated musical, "The Book of Mormon," a spoof about a pair of Mormon men on a mission to Africa from the creators of the TV series "South Park," to "War Horse," a play transferred from London that uses projections and puppets.

Older favorites such as "The Lion King" and "Wicked" continue to pull in the crowds, with both raking in more than $1.65 million for the week ending May 29, many years after they first opened.

Big-name movie stars have continued to flock to Broadway with producers keen to guarantee better sales with Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Al Pacino and Daniel Radcliffe all headlining recent shows.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)


Cost aparat dentar

marți, 31 mai 2011

Elaine Paige in rare U.S. stage foray with "Follies"

birou notarial


By Robert Windeler

Sun May 29, 2011 9:49pm EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - In 1964, 16-year-old Elaine Bickerstaff auditioned for her first professional musical straight from drama school, and she didn't get the part.

Her teacher was so sure that Elaine was right for the show -- "The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd," on its pre-Broadway British tour -- that she urged a name change and a stealthy second audition.

Desperate for a marquee-worthy name, Elaine leafed through the telephone book. She decided that the pages themselves were more interesting than any name printed on them, added the "i" for extra flair, and an unrecognized Elaine Paige was cast in the show.

Paige has sung onstage for a living ever since and is currently appearing in the star-studded Kennedy Center revival of "Follies" in Washington, D.C. She made her West End debut in "Hair" in 1968. In 1972, she was in the chorus of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" and became a star as the pair's "Evita" in 1978. She introduced "Memory" in Lloyd Webber's "Cats" and has been the first lady of British musical theater to this day. Lloyd Webber says "She has a 'belt' voice in areas where no self-respecting angel will ever dare to tread and she has the heart to use this God-given voice in a way that imbues it with true emotion."

Surprisingly, Paige has done relatively little work in America until recently. She attributes this to being so closely identified as "an Andrew Lloyd Webber girl, so involved in his work." (She did finally make her one and only Broadway appearance as a Norma Desmond replacement in the composer's "Sunset Boulevard" in 1996.) In 2004, she sang 18 performances as Mrs. Lovett in Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," for the New York City Opera.

WEARING TWO HATS

After seeing the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," starring Patti LuPone and directed by Jerry Zaks, Paige decided to buy this quintessential American musical for herself to take to London. "I remember coming out of the theater beaming from ear to ear and the feeling of being uplifted by this wonderful, wonderful musical," she says. "I knew that I wanted to play the part of Reno Sweeny in London. I also knew that the only way to do that was to produce it myself. If you wait around for others to offer you roles, you could wait around forever."

She took director Zaks with her to London, but found the experience "quite difficult, wearing two hats at one time, just exhausting, and probably not something I would ever do again. I remember having internal fights with myself about creative things as the artist and with the producer's hat on worrying about costs. I found that to be quite taxing." The production was a success, however, and the Queen Mother, a Porter fan, paid a visit.

Paige came to New York just last summer to make a duets album, "Elaine Paige and Friends," with producer Phil Ramone. While she was making the recording, Paige's agents brought up "the possibility of my working in the theater again, which was not something I was seeking particularly at this point in my life. Now I'm involved with my concert tours, traveling the world at my own speed and booking them about a year in advance. All the stage shows I did ran and ran, and committing to eight performances a week for years on end now seems daunting."

But then Paige was offered the role of Carlotta Campion in "Follies." "As a cameo in a short run, it really interested me," she explains. "Getting to sing 'I'm Still Here,' one of the great classics in musical theater, was the clincher."

RESEARCH IS FUN

Paige began her preparations by "Googling the song's references that we Brits wouldn't be quite au fait with: 'Abie's Irish Rose,' 'Five Dionne Babies,' 'Beebe's Bathysphere,' and several more. Obviously J. Edgar Hoover is fine, and commie, pinko tool ... stinko by my pool' we understand. As an actor I immerse myself in the era we're in, which here is America from the 1930s to 1972, to create a backstory for my character. That's part of the fun of being an actor, that you get to do all that research."

While still at home in London, Paige reunited with dialect coach Joan Washington to get just the right American dialect for Carlotta's limited dialogue and one song. Thanks to her weekly radio program, "Elaine Paige on Sunday," now in its sixth year on BBC Radio 2 (and available and archived online), "I have a rather large listenership in America," she says.

So far that hasn't translated to playing large halls in the U.S. "I'd love to do some concert work here, but it seems tricky to put that into place -- quite why, I'm not sure. I have been offered cabaret, but that's not really what I do, I don't really know about it, and I'm not used to small rooms."

So after "Follies" ends its run June 17, Paige is off to big venues in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and perhaps New Zealand, a circuit she plies "every couple of years, interspersed with concerts in Scandinavia and elsewhere. One circles the Earth, follows the sun, that's the idea."

At 63, Paige is "just trying to find the time to get everything in and still have a life. Every now and again I get a little world-weary and look forward to being in one place, being still, working on one thing. You get to a place where you do need some down time, to get inspired again, but you also can't stop and just do nothing. You have to crank yourself up and start again. Home is always home, but I also love to travel, so I've got the perfect job, really."


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


By Robert Windeler

Sun May 29, 2011 9:49pm EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - In 1964, 16-year-old Elaine Bickerstaff auditioned for her first professional musical straight from drama school, and she didn't get the part.

Her teacher was so sure that Elaine was right for the show -- "The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd," on its pre-Broadway British tour -- that she urged a name change and a stealthy second audition.

Desperate for a marquee-worthy name, Elaine leafed through the telephone book. She decided that the pages themselves were more interesting than any name printed on them, added the "i" for extra flair, and an unrecognized Elaine Paige was cast in the show.

Paige has sung onstage for a living ever since and is currently appearing in the star-studded Kennedy Center revival of "Follies" in Washington, D.C. She made her West End debut in "Hair" in 1968. In 1972, she was in the chorus of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" and became a star as the pair's "Evita" in 1978. She introduced "Memory" in Lloyd Webber's "Cats" and has been the first lady of British musical theater to this day. Lloyd Webber says "She has a 'belt' voice in areas where no self-respecting angel will ever dare to tread and she has the heart to use this God-given voice in a way that imbues it with true emotion."

Surprisingly, Paige has done relatively little work in America until recently. She attributes this to being so closely identified as "an Andrew Lloyd Webber girl, so involved in his work." (She did finally make her one and only Broadway appearance as a Norma Desmond replacement in the composer's "Sunset Boulevard" in 1996.) In 2004, she sang 18 performances as Mrs. Lovett in Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," for the New York City Opera.

WEARING TWO HATS

After seeing the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," starring Patti LuPone and directed by Jerry Zaks, Paige decided to buy this quintessential American musical for herself to take to London. "I remember coming out of the theater beaming from ear to ear and the feeling of being uplifted by this wonderful, wonderful musical," she says. "I knew that I wanted to play the part of Reno Sweeny in London. I also knew that the only way to do that was to produce it myself. If you wait around for others to offer you roles, you could wait around forever."

She took director Zaks with her to London, but found the experience "quite difficult, wearing two hats at one time, just exhausting, and probably not something I would ever do again. I remember having internal fights with myself about creative things as the artist and with the producer's hat on worrying about costs. I found that to be quite taxing." The production was a success, however, and the Queen Mother, a Porter fan, paid a visit.

Paige came to New York just last summer to make a duets album, "Elaine Paige and Friends," with producer Phil Ramone. While she was making the recording, Paige's agents brought up "the possibility of my working in the theater again, which was not something I was seeking particularly at this point in my life. Now I'm involved with my concert tours, traveling the world at my own speed and booking them about a year in advance. All the stage shows I did ran and ran, and committing to eight performances a week for years on end now seems daunting."

But then Paige was offered the role of Carlotta Campion in "Follies." "As a cameo in a short run, it really interested me," she explains. "Getting to sing 'I'm Still Here,' one of the great classics in musical theater, was the clincher."

RESEARCH IS FUN

Paige began her preparations by "Googling the song's references that we Brits wouldn't be quite au fait with: 'Abie's Irish Rose,' 'Five Dionne Babies,' 'Beebe's Bathysphere,' and several more. Obviously J. Edgar Hoover is fine, and commie, pinko tool ... stinko by my pool' we understand. As an actor I immerse myself in the era we're in, which here is America from the 1930s to 1972, to create a backstory for my character. That's part of the fun of being an actor, that you get to do all that research."

While still at home in London, Paige reunited with dialect coach Joan Washington to get just the right American dialect for Carlotta's limited dialogue and one song. Thanks to her weekly radio program, "Elaine Paige on Sunday," now in its sixth year on BBC Radio 2 (and available and archived online), "I have a rather large listenership in America," she says.

So far that hasn't translated to playing large halls in the U.S. "I'd love to do some concert work here, but it seems tricky to put that into place -- quite why, I'm not sure. I have been offered cabaret, but that's not really what I do, I don't really know about it, and I'm not used to small rooms."

So after "Follies" ends its run June 17, Paige is off to big venues in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and perhaps New Zealand, a circuit she plies "every couple of years, interspersed with concerts in Scandinavia and elsewhere. One circles the Earth, follows the sun, that's the idea."

At 63, Paige is "just trying to find the time to get everything in and still have a life. Every now and again I get a little world-weary and look forward to being in one place, being still, working on one thing. You get to a place where you do need some down time, to get inspired again, but you also can't stop and just do nothing. You have to crank yourself up and start again. Home is always home, but I also love to travel, so I've got the perfect job, really."


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


By Robert Windeler

Sun May 29, 2011 9:49pm EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - In 1964, 16-year-old Elaine Bickerstaff auditioned for her first professional musical straight from drama school, and she didn't get the part.

Her teacher was so sure that Elaine was right for the show -- "The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd," on its pre-Broadway British tour -- that she urged a name change and a stealthy second audition.

Desperate for a marquee-worthy name, Elaine leafed through the telephone book. She decided that the pages themselves were more interesting than any name printed on them, added the "i" for extra flair, and an unrecognized Elaine Paige was cast in the show.

Paige has sung onstage for a living ever since and is currently appearing in the star-studded Kennedy Center revival of "Follies" in Washington, D.C. She made her West End debut in "Hair" in 1968. In 1972, she was in the chorus of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" and became a star as the pair's "Evita" in 1978. She introduced "Memory" in Lloyd Webber's "Cats" and has been the first lady of British musical theater to this day. Lloyd Webber says "She has a 'belt' voice in areas where no self-respecting angel will ever dare to tread and she has the heart to use this God-given voice in a way that imbues it with true emotion."

Surprisingly, Paige has done relatively little work in America until recently. She attributes this to being so closely identified as "an Andrew Lloyd Webber girl, so involved in his work." (She did finally make her one and only Broadway appearance as a Norma Desmond replacement in the composer's "Sunset Boulevard" in 1996.) In 2004, she sang 18 performances as Mrs. Lovett in Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," for the New York City Opera.

WEARING TWO HATS

After seeing the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," starring Patti LuPone and directed by Jerry Zaks, Paige decided to buy this quintessential American musical for herself to take to London. "I remember coming out of the theater beaming from ear to ear and the feeling of being uplifted by this wonderful, wonderful musical," she says. "I knew that I wanted to play the part of Reno Sweeny in London. I also knew that the only way to do that was to produce it myself. If you wait around for others to offer you roles, you could wait around forever."

She took director Zaks with her to London, but found the experience "quite difficult, wearing two hats at one time, just exhausting, and probably not something I would ever do again. I remember having internal fights with myself about creative things as the artist and with the producer's hat on worrying about costs. I found that to be quite taxing." The production was a success, however, and the Queen Mother, a Porter fan, paid a visit.

Paige came to New York just last summer to make a duets album, "Elaine Paige and Friends," with producer Phil Ramone. While she was making the recording, Paige's agents brought up "the possibility of my working in the theater again, which was not something I was seeking particularly at this point in my life. Now I'm involved with my concert tours, traveling the world at my own speed and booking them about a year in advance. All the stage shows I did ran and ran, and committing to eight performances a week for years on end now seems daunting."

But then Paige was offered the role of Carlotta Campion in "Follies." "As a cameo in a short run, it really interested me," she explains. "Getting to sing 'I'm Still Here,' one of the great classics in musical theater, was the clincher."

RESEARCH IS FUN

Paige began her preparations by "Googling the song's references that we Brits wouldn't be quite au fait with: 'Abie's Irish Rose,' 'Five Dionne Babies,' 'Beebe's Bathysphere,' and several more. Obviously J. Edgar Hoover is fine, and commie, pinko tool ... stinko by my pool' we understand. As an actor I immerse myself in the era we're in, which here is America from the 1930s to 1972, to create a backstory for my character. That's part of the fun of being an actor, that you get to do all that research."

While still at home in London, Paige reunited with dialect coach Joan Washington to get just the right American dialect for Carlotta's limited dialogue and one song. Thanks to her weekly radio program, "Elaine Paige on Sunday," now in its sixth year on BBC Radio 2 (and available and archived online), "I have a rather large listenership in America," she says.

So far that hasn't translated to playing large halls in the U.S. "I'd love to do some concert work here, but it seems tricky to put that into place -- quite why, I'm not sure. I have been offered cabaret, but that's not really what I do, I don't really know about it, and I'm not used to small rooms."

So after "Follies" ends its run June 17, Paige is off to big venues in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and perhaps New Zealand, a circuit she plies "every couple of years, interspersed with concerts in Scandinavia and elsewhere. One circles the Earth, follows the sun, that's the idea."

At 63, Paige is "just trying to find the time to get everything in and still have a life. Every now and again I get a little world-weary and look forward to being in one place, being still, working on one thing. You get to a place where you do need some down time, to get inspired again, but you also can't stop and just do nothing. You have to crank yourself up and start again. Home is always home, but I also love to travel, so I've got the perfect job, really."


Cost aparat dentar

Spoleto Festival USA plans vibrant run despite funding cut

birou notarial


By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina | Fri May 27, 2011 5:30pm EDT

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Spoleto Festival USA, an annual burst of opera, chamber music, jazz, theater and dance, opened in historic Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, even though state funding was axed for the second year.

The $7.6 million budget for the 17-day festival dips into the organization's reserves, said General Director Nigel Redden, who also directs the summer Lincoln Center Festival in New York City.

"I think this year will be a struggle," Redden said. "The budget is a big increase over last year even in spite of cutbacks. God knows the state of South Carolina is not in great shape financially, and I certainly understand."

After getting as much as $560,000 from the state in 1999, the festival received no financial help this year or last year, said festival spokeswoman Paula Edwards.

Those cuts have come despite the fact that the Spoleto Festival brings between $55 million and $70 million to South Carolina each year, Redden said.

The festival draws 25,000 to 35,000 people to the coastal city, and they buy 73,000 performance tickets and spend money on hotels, food, merchandise and tourist attractions, he said.

Last year, the festival drew visitors from 48 states and a dozen foreign countries, said Spoleto board chairwoman Martha Rivers Ingram.

"What has happened to many festivals is that they've turned to more popular offerings," he said. "We decided proactively that we were going to have a very full festival this year to see if box office would make up for some of the shortfall."

Spoleto Festival USA was founded 35 years ago by the late Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti as a twin to an arts festival in Spoleto, Italy. The two festivals shared some programing during their early years.

Opera is always included in Charleston, but this is the first year since 2007 that the festival will stage three operas -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute," Menotti's "The Medium," and the American premiere of "Emilie" by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

Spoleto also is presenting Chinese, Cambodian and Spanish dance companies; an Australian circus; jazz musicians from Brazil, Argentina, Norway and New Orleans; Cornwall's Kneehigh Theater; and Ireland's Druid Theater, along with performance art, chamber music and symphony.

Local officials and festival-goers gathered on Friday for the opening ceremonies outside the historic City Hall. Many in the crowd of about 200 wore straw and fancy hats.

Cannons fired confetti and two dancers from Spain's Corella Ballet, which opens Friday, performed a pas de deux.

Mount Pleasant resident Tony Martin, who regularly attends Spoleto events, said the recession wouldn't prevent him from doing the same this year.

"You've got to buy something," he said. "You might as well buy tickets."

(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Greg McCune)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina | Fri May 27, 2011 5:30pm EDT

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Spoleto Festival USA, an annual burst of opera, chamber music, jazz, theater and dance, opened in historic Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, even though state funding was axed for the second year.

The $7.6 million budget for the 17-day festival dips into the organization's reserves, said General Director Nigel Redden, who also directs the summer Lincoln Center Festival in New York City.

"I think this year will be a struggle," Redden said. "The budget is a big increase over last year even in spite of cutbacks. God knows the state of South Carolina is not in great shape financially, and I certainly understand."

After getting as much as $560,000 from the state in 1999, the festival received no financial help this year or last year, said festival spokeswoman Paula Edwards.

Those cuts have come despite the fact that the Spoleto Festival brings between $55 million and $70 million to South Carolina each year, Redden said.

The festival draws 25,000 to 35,000 people to the coastal city, and they buy 73,000 performance tickets and spend money on hotels, food, merchandise and tourist attractions, he said.

Last year, the festival drew visitors from 48 states and a dozen foreign countries, said Spoleto board chairwoman Martha Rivers Ingram.

"What has happened to many festivals is that they've turned to more popular offerings," he said. "We decided proactively that we were going to have a very full festival this year to see if box office would make up for some of the shortfall."

Spoleto Festival USA was founded 35 years ago by the late Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti as a twin to an arts festival in Spoleto, Italy. The two festivals shared some programing during their early years.

Opera is always included in Charleston, but this is the first year since 2007 that the festival will stage three operas -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute," Menotti's "The Medium," and the American premiere of "Emilie" by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

Spoleto also is presenting Chinese, Cambodian and Spanish dance companies; an Australian circus; jazz musicians from Brazil, Argentina, Norway and New Orleans; Cornwall's Kneehigh Theater; and Ireland's Druid Theater, along with performance art, chamber music and symphony.

Local officials and festival-goers gathered on Friday for the opening ceremonies outside the historic City Hall. Many in the crowd of about 200 wore straw and fancy hats.

Cannons fired confetti and two dancers from Spain's Corella Ballet, which opens Friday, performed a pas de deux.

Mount Pleasant resident Tony Martin, who regularly attends Spoleto events, said the recession wouldn't prevent him from doing the same this year.

"You've got to buy something," he said. "You might as well buy tickets."

(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Greg McCune)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina | Fri May 27, 2011 5:30pm EDT

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Spoleto Festival USA, an annual burst of opera, chamber music, jazz, theater and dance, opened in historic Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, even though state funding was axed for the second year.

The $7.6 million budget for the 17-day festival dips into the organization's reserves, said General Director Nigel Redden, who also directs the summer Lincoln Center Festival in New York City.

"I think this year will be a struggle," Redden said. "The budget is a big increase over last year even in spite of cutbacks. God knows the state of South Carolina is not in great shape financially, and I certainly understand."

After getting as much as $560,000 from the state in 1999, the festival received no financial help this year or last year, said festival spokeswoman Paula Edwards.

Those cuts have come despite the fact that the Spoleto Festival brings between $55 million and $70 million to South Carolina each year, Redden said.

The festival draws 25,000 to 35,000 people to the coastal city, and they buy 73,000 performance tickets and spend money on hotels, food, merchandise and tourist attractions, he said.

Last year, the festival drew visitors from 48 states and a dozen foreign countries, said Spoleto board chairwoman Martha Rivers Ingram.

"What has happened to many festivals is that they've turned to more popular offerings," he said. "We decided proactively that we were going to have a very full festival this year to see if box office would make up for some of the shortfall."

Spoleto Festival USA was founded 35 years ago by the late Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti as a twin to an arts festival in Spoleto, Italy. The two festivals shared some programing during their early years.

Opera is always included in Charleston, but this is the first year since 2007 that the festival will stage three operas -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute," Menotti's "The Medium," and the American premiere of "Emilie" by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

Spoleto also is presenting Chinese, Cambodian and Spanish dance companies; an Australian circus; jazz musicians from Brazil, Argentina, Norway and New Orleans; Cornwall's Kneehigh Theater; and Ireland's Druid Theater, along with performance art, chamber music and symphony.

Local officials and festival-goers gathered on Friday for the opening ceremonies outside the historic City Hall. Many in the crowd of about 200 wore straw and fancy hats.

Cannons fired confetti and two dancers from Spain's Corella Ballet, which opens Friday, performed a pas de deux.

Mount Pleasant resident Tony Martin, who regularly attends Spoleto events, said the recession wouldn't prevent him from doing the same this year.

"You've got to buy something," he said. "You might as well buy tickets."

(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Greg McCune)


Cost aparat dentar

Hepburn, Garland, Monroe movie costumes up for auction

birou notarial


The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011. REUTERS/Profiles in History/Handout

The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Profiles in History/Handout

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Fri May 27, 2011 4:42pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Iconic movie costumes worn by Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe will go up for sale in June from a collection belonging to fellow actress Debbie Reynolds, California auction house Profiles in History said on Thursday.

Monroe's subway dress from "The Seven Year Itch," Judy Garland's blue cotton dress from "The Wizard of Oz" and one of the pairs of ruby red slippers made for the movie, as well as Charlie Chaplin's "Tramp" bowler hat are among the 3,500 items up for auction in Beverly Hills on June 18.

Barbra Streisand's sleeveless gold velvet, jeweled gown from "Hello, Dolly" -- said to be the most expensive dress ever made for a film -- will also be up for sale as will Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress from "My Fair Lady" and Julie Andrews' costumes from "The Sound of Music."

The collection will be on view to the public at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills in early June before the auction on June 18.

Reynolds, 79, who starred in such films as "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," has been collecting film memorabilia for more than 50 years.

Her ultimate dream was to house the collection in a planned museum, but the most recent attempt fell through. Now Reynolds has decided to sell her collection rather try to find another partner.

HEART-BROKEN REYNOLDS

"I've reached such a difficult time with the economic situation," Reynolds told Reuters. "I became exhausted trying to get this done. I'm 79 now and would like a little peace and quiet."

Reynolds conceded that the June 18th auction date will be "tough" for her.

"I'm heart-broken," she said. "I don't want to see the collection broken up. It should stay intact. It's a real shame but that's the way it's going to be."

Always a collector of memorabilia, Reynolds got more serious about it when in 1970, Hollywood movie studio MGM announced it was going to auction off everything except its real estate. Reynolds, who had been under contract at MGM, purchased many items and continued to save as many pieces as she could over the years.

"I couldn't believe (MGM) was doing that because they had never loaned anything to anyone, ever," said Reynolds. "But all of a sudden they changed owners and decided they weren't interested in anything but the real estate. I couldn't believe they were selling all these costumes. My heart became overwhelmed in wanting to save them and save our history."

In the collection are 11 Monroe dresses, costumes from the films "Cleopatra" and "National Velvet" worn by her one-time rival Elizabeth Taylor, as well as costumes worn by Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, Rudolph Valentino, Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo among others.

"To keep them stored another 50 years didn't make sense," said Reynolds. "I hope in the end they all find happy homes, that they will be shown, and that they might even land in museums."

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011. REUTERS/Profiles in History/Handout

The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Profiles in History/Handout

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Fri May 27, 2011 4:42pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Iconic movie costumes worn by Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe will go up for sale in June from a collection belonging to fellow actress Debbie Reynolds, California auction house Profiles in History said on Thursday.

Monroe's subway dress from "The Seven Year Itch," Judy Garland's blue cotton dress from "The Wizard of Oz" and one of the pairs of ruby red slippers made for the movie, as well as Charlie Chaplin's "Tramp" bowler hat are among the 3,500 items up for auction in Beverly Hills on June 18.

Barbra Streisand's sleeveless gold velvet, jeweled gown from "Hello, Dolly" -- said to be the most expensive dress ever made for a film -- will also be up for sale as will Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress from "My Fair Lady" and Julie Andrews' costumes from "The Sound of Music."

The collection will be on view to the public at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills in early June before the auction on June 18.

Reynolds, 79, who starred in such films as "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," has been collecting film memorabilia for more than 50 years.

Her ultimate dream was to house the collection in a planned museum, but the most recent attempt fell through. Now Reynolds has decided to sell her collection rather try to find another partner.

HEART-BROKEN REYNOLDS

"I've reached such a difficult time with the economic situation," Reynolds told Reuters. "I became exhausted trying to get this done. I'm 79 now and would like a little peace and quiet."

Reynolds conceded that the June 18th auction date will be "tough" for her.

"I'm heart-broken," she said. "I don't want to see the collection broken up. It should stay intact. It's a real shame but that's the way it's going to be."

Always a collector of memorabilia, Reynolds got more serious about it when in 1970, Hollywood movie studio MGM announced it was going to auction off everything except its real estate. Reynolds, who had been under contract at MGM, purchased many items and continued to save as many pieces as she could over the years.

"I couldn't believe (MGM) was doing that because they had never loaned anything to anyone, ever," said Reynolds. "But all of a sudden they changed owners and decided they weren't interested in anything but the real estate. I couldn't believe they were selling all these costumes. My heart became overwhelmed in wanting to save them and save our history."

In the collection are 11 Monroe dresses, costumes from the films "Cleopatra" and "National Velvet" worn by her one-time rival Elizabeth Taylor, as well as costumes worn by Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, Rudolph Valentino, Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo among others.

"To keep them stored another 50 years didn't make sense," said Reynolds. "I hope in the end they all find happy homes, that they will be shown, and that they might even land in museums."

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011. REUTERS/Profiles in History/Handout

The ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' are shown in this undated publicity photograph May 26, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Profiles in History/Handout

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Fri May 27, 2011 4:42pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Iconic movie costumes worn by Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe will go up for sale in June from a collection belonging to fellow actress Debbie Reynolds, California auction house Profiles in History said on Thursday.

Monroe's subway dress from "The Seven Year Itch," Judy Garland's blue cotton dress from "The Wizard of Oz" and one of the pairs of ruby red slippers made for the movie, as well as Charlie Chaplin's "Tramp" bowler hat are among the 3,500 items up for auction in Beverly Hills on June 18.

Barbra Streisand's sleeveless gold velvet, jeweled gown from "Hello, Dolly" -- said to be the most expensive dress ever made for a film -- will also be up for sale as will Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress from "My Fair Lady" and Julie Andrews' costumes from "The Sound of Music."

The collection will be on view to the public at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills in early June before the auction on June 18.

Reynolds, 79, who starred in such films as "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," has been collecting film memorabilia for more than 50 years.

Her ultimate dream was to house the collection in a planned museum, but the most recent attempt fell through. Now Reynolds has decided to sell her collection rather try to find another partner.

HEART-BROKEN REYNOLDS

"I've reached such a difficult time with the economic situation," Reynolds told Reuters. "I became exhausted trying to get this done. I'm 79 now and would like a little peace and quiet."

Reynolds conceded that the June 18th auction date will be "tough" for her.

"I'm heart-broken," she said. "I don't want to see the collection broken up. It should stay intact. It's a real shame but that's the way it's going to be."

Always a collector of memorabilia, Reynolds got more serious about it when in 1970, Hollywood movie studio MGM announced it was going to auction off everything except its real estate. Reynolds, who had been under contract at MGM, purchased many items and continued to save as many pieces as she could over the years.

"I couldn't believe (MGM) was doing that because they had never loaned anything to anyone, ever," said Reynolds. "But all of a sudden they changed owners and decided they weren't interested in anything but the real estate. I couldn't believe they were selling all these costumes. My heart became overwhelmed in wanting to save them and save our history."

In the collection are 11 Monroe dresses, costumes from the films "Cleopatra" and "National Velvet" worn by her one-time rival Elizabeth Taylor, as well as costumes worn by Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, Rudolph Valentino, Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo among others.

"To keep them stored another 50 years didn't make sense," said Reynolds. "I hope in the end they all find happy homes, that they will be shown, and that they might even land in museums."

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)


Cost aparat dentar

Hollywood stars at center of Broadway backlash

birou notarial


Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson

By Suzy Evans

Mon May 30, 2011 9:26am EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - Every year, Hollywood celebrities head to Broadway where they get plenty of attention for their headlining efforts.

The Tony Awards, being presented on June 12, are the ultimate judge of the skills of any stage actor, famous or not, and many lesser-known performers worry that the value of the award diminishes as film stars continue to take them home.

Last year's star-studded broadcast disheartened many New York actors, including Hunter Foster, who started the Facebook group Give the Tonys Back to Broadway!! in an effort to combat the Tinseltown effect. With the now almost 9,000-member group, Foster hopes to restore the ceremony as a beacon of hope for the next generation of stage performers.

Whether stage actors like his sister, Sutton Foster -- nominated this year for her performance in "Anything Goes" -- will disappear from Broadway's future if the Tonys continue to focus on Hollywood stars is debatable. Many actors appearing on Broadway -- including Al Pacino, a nominee this year for "The Merchant of Venice" -- began their careers on stage, but their mass appeal comes from their films.

"I have worked my ass off to get to where I am, so I understand that struggle," Scarlett Johansson -- who was one of four Hollywood actors to win a Tony in 2010 -- told BroadwayWorld.com last year. "If somebody is cast because they are a name but they're not right for the job, well, it's very frustrating."

Experts and actors agree, however, that celebrities are necessary for some producers to bankroll productions, and a famous headliner brings more stable jobs for New York actors.

This year's list of nominees lacks many of the Broadway season's big names -- including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, and Daniel Radcliffe. David Sheward, executive editor of Back Stage and a Tony voter, blogged about how the dearth of well-known nominees could be a response by the nominating committee to last year's backlash.

However, Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League, which presents the awards with the American Theater Wing, said there is no correlation between last year's response and this year's nominees.

"If you look at the shows, most of the people who got good reviews are nominated," said St. Martin, who is also on the awards' administration committee, which oversees the nominating process. "People whose reviews were not as good, either for the show or the individual, perhaps are not."

A star can be an economic necessity for a Broadway show, and Michael Riedel, New York Post theater columnist and host of PBS's "Theater Talk," does not think Hollywood stars take jobs away from New York actors. "If you didn't have these celebrities, a lot of these shows wouldn't be produced," he said. "All of these shows have people in them who are not movie stars and they're all working."

CRUSADERS

A Tony represents the Holy Grail for a stage actor and can significantly boost a performer's career, whereas film and television actors are already honored with awards like Oscars and Emmys. Having widely recognized actors swoop in and secure a Tony nomination can be upsetting to some, said Garrett Eisler of the blog The Playgoer, as there are limited spots.

According to Eisler, stars have driven Broadway ticket sales throughout history, but "what changed is the definition of who is a star." In the 1950s and '60s, the box office names were Robert Preston, Rex Harrison, and Zero Mostel, who had some fame from film but whose main medium was the stage. "A Broadway star could really be a star," Eisler said, recognizing that Patti LuPone is one of the few who fits this bill today. "Now you can't be a star unless you're a Hollywood star."

The Internet democratizes entertainment, and a stage performer will never receive the same size audience for a Broadway show that another actor will receive for a film or a television series.

"There's been a generational shift," Eisler explained, noting that today's generation of young people is the first to come of age with the Internet. "Certain stars can't become household names without appearing on multiple platforms."

Tony winner and New York stage veteran Victoria Clark acknowledged her win for "The Light in the Piazza" in 2005 helped launch her career and turned her into more of a "known quantity." Her role as Mother Superior in this year's "Sister Act," for which she is nominated, came to her in part because of her name and the connections she made through her past work.

"Jerry Zaks could have gone after anybody between the ages of 45 and 80 for this part," she said, referring to the show's director. "There's a message to our directors: Support the people that supported you when you first started your career and go back to those people and give them a shot."

Celebrities coming to Broadway take work away from New York theater actors, according to Clark, but she also says the industry should not separate actors into film, TV, and stage categories. "It's our culture that segregates us," she argued. "If we were actors in any other country, we'd all be doing everything, no questions asked."


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson

By Suzy Evans

Mon May 30, 2011 9:26am EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - Every year, Hollywood celebrities head to Broadway where they get plenty of attention for their headlining efforts.

The Tony Awards, being presented on June 12, are the ultimate judge of the skills of any stage actor, famous or not, and many lesser-known performers worry that the value of the award diminishes as film stars continue to take them home.

Last year's star-studded broadcast disheartened many New York actors, including Hunter Foster, who started the Facebook group Give the Tonys Back to Broadway!! in an effort to combat the Tinseltown effect. With the now almost 9,000-member group, Foster hopes to restore the ceremony as a beacon of hope for the next generation of stage performers.

Whether stage actors like his sister, Sutton Foster -- nominated this year for her performance in "Anything Goes" -- will disappear from Broadway's future if the Tonys continue to focus on Hollywood stars is debatable. Many actors appearing on Broadway -- including Al Pacino, a nominee this year for "The Merchant of Venice" -- began their careers on stage, but their mass appeal comes from their films.

"I have worked my ass off to get to where I am, so I understand that struggle," Scarlett Johansson -- who was one of four Hollywood actors to win a Tony in 2010 -- told BroadwayWorld.com last year. "If somebody is cast because they are a name but they're not right for the job, well, it's very frustrating."

Experts and actors agree, however, that celebrities are necessary for some producers to bankroll productions, and a famous headliner brings more stable jobs for New York actors.

This year's list of nominees lacks many of the Broadway season's big names -- including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, and Daniel Radcliffe. David Sheward, executive editor of Back Stage and a Tony voter, blogged about how the dearth of well-known nominees could be a response by the nominating committee to last year's backlash.

However, Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League, which presents the awards with the American Theater Wing, said there is no correlation between last year's response and this year's nominees.

"If you look at the shows, most of the people who got good reviews are nominated," said St. Martin, who is also on the awards' administration committee, which oversees the nominating process. "People whose reviews were not as good, either for the show or the individual, perhaps are not."

A star can be an economic necessity for a Broadway show, and Michael Riedel, New York Post theater columnist and host of PBS's "Theater Talk," does not think Hollywood stars take jobs away from New York actors. "If you didn't have these celebrities, a lot of these shows wouldn't be produced," he said. "All of these shows have people in them who are not movie stars and they're all working."

CRUSADERS

A Tony represents the Holy Grail for a stage actor and can significantly boost a performer's career, whereas film and television actors are already honored with awards like Oscars and Emmys. Having widely recognized actors swoop in and secure a Tony nomination can be upsetting to some, said Garrett Eisler of the blog The Playgoer, as there are limited spots.

According to Eisler, stars have driven Broadway ticket sales throughout history, but "what changed is the definition of who is a star." In the 1950s and '60s, the box office names were Robert Preston, Rex Harrison, and Zero Mostel, who had some fame from film but whose main medium was the stage. "A Broadway star could really be a star," Eisler said, recognizing that Patti LuPone is one of the few who fits this bill today. "Now you can't be a star unless you're a Hollywood star."

The Internet democratizes entertainment, and a stage performer will never receive the same size audience for a Broadway show that another actor will receive for a film or a television series.

"There's been a generational shift," Eisler explained, noting that today's generation of young people is the first to come of age with the Internet. "Certain stars can't become household names without appearing on multiple platforms."

Tony winner and New York stage veteran Victoria Clark acknowledged her win for "The Light in the Piazza" in 2005 helped launch her career and turned her into more of a "known quantity." Her role as Mother Superior in this year's "Sister Act," for which she is nominated, came to her in part because of her name and the connections she made through her past work.

"Jerry Zaks could have gone after anybody between the ages of 45 and 80 for this part," she said, referring to the show's director. "There's a message to our directors: Support the people that supported you when you first started your career and go back to those people and give them a shot."

Celebrities coming to Broadway take work away from New York theater actors, according to Clark, but she also says the industry should not separate actors into film, TV, and stage categories. "It's our culture that segregates us," she argued. "If we were actors in any other country, we'd all be doing everything, no questions asked."


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Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Actress Scarlett Johansson poses with her Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work in ''A View from the Bridge'' at the American Theatre Wing's 64th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 13, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson

By Suzy Evans

Mon May 30, 2011 9:26am EDT

NEW YORK (Back Stage) - Every year, Hollywood celebrities head to Broadway where they get plenty of attention for their headlining efforts.

The Tony Awards, being presented on June 12, are the ultimate judge of the skills of any stage actor, famous or not, and many lesser-known performers worry that the value of the award diminishes as film stars continue to take them home.

Last year's star-studded broadcast disheartened many New York actors, including Hunter Foster, who started the Facebook group Give the Tonys Back to Broadway!! in an effort to combat the Tinseltown effect. With the now almost 9,000-member group, Foster hopes to restore the ceremony as a beacon of hope for the next generation of stage performers.

Whether stage actors like his sister, Sutton Foster -- nominated this year for her performance in "Anything Goes" -- will disappear from Broadway's future if the Tonys continue to focus on Hollywood stars is debatable. Many actors appearing on Broadway -- including Al Pacino, a nominee this year for "The Merchant of Venice" -- began their careers on stage, but their mass appeal comes from their films.

"I have worked my ass off to get to where I am, so I understand that struggle," Scarlett Johansson -- who was one of four Hollywood actors to win a Tony in 2010 -- told BroadwayWorld.com last year. "If somebody is cast because they are a name but they're not right for the job, well, it's very frustrating."

Experts and actors agree, however, that celebrities are necessary for some producers to bankroll productions, and a famous headliner brings more stable jobs for New York actors.

This year's list of nominees lacks many of the Broadway season's big names -- including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, and Daniel Radcliffe. David Sheward, executive editor of Back Stage and a Tony voter, blogged about how the dearth of well-known nominees could be a response by the nominating committee to last year's backlash.

However, Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League, which presents the awards with the American Theater Wing, said there is no correlation between last year's response and this year's nominees.

"If you look at the shows, most of the people who got good reviews are nominated," said St. Martin, who is also on the awards' administration committee, which oversees the nominating process. "People whose reviews were not as good, either for the show or the individual, perhaps are not."

A star can be an economic necessity for a Broadway show, and Michael Riedel, New York Post theater columnist and host of PBS's "Theater Talk," does not think Hollywood stars take jobs away from New York actors. "If you didn't have these celebrities, a lot of these shows wouldn't be produced," he said. "All of these shows have people in them who are not movie stars and they're all working."

CRUSADERS

A Tony represents the Holy Grail for a stage actor and can significantly boost a performer's career, whereas film and television actors are already honored with awards like Oscars and Emmys. Having widely recognized actors swoop in and secure a Tony nomination can be upsetting to some, said Garrett Eisler of the blog The Playgoer, as there are limited spots.

According to Eisler, stars have driven Broadway ticket sales throughout history, but "what changed is the definition of who is a star." In the 1950s and '60s, the box office names were Robert Preston, Rex Harrison, and Zero Mostel, who had some fame from film but whose main medium was the stage. "A Broadway star could really be a star," Eisler said, recognizing that Patti LuPone is one of the few who fits this bill today. "Now you can't be a star unless you're a Hollywood star."

The Internet democratizes entertainment, and a stage performer will never receive the same size audience for a Broadway show that another actor will receive for a film or a television series.

"There's been a generational shift," Eisler explained, noting that today's generation of young people is the first to come of age with the Internet. "Certain stars can't become household names without appearing on multiple platforms."

Tony winner and New York stage veteran Victoria Clark acknowledged her win for "The Light in the Piazza" in 2005 helped launch her career and turned her into more of a "known quantity." Her role as Mother Superior in this year's "Sister Act," for which she is nominated, came to her in part because of her name and the connections she made through her past work.

"Jerry Zaks could have gone after anybody between the ages of 45 and 80 for this part," she said, referring to the show's director. "There's a message to our directors: Support the people that supported you when you first started your career and go back to those people and give them a shot."

Celebrities coming to Broadway take work away from New York theater actors, according to Clark, but she also says the industry should not separate actors into film, TV, and stage categories. "It's our culture that segregates us," she argued. "If we were actors in any other country, we'd all be doing everything, no questions asked."


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