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Kirk Douglas, the dimple-chinned “Spartacus” star with the larger-than-life persona, died Wednesday. He was 103.

He was the father of actor Michael Douglas and paterfamilias of a Hollywood family that included his sons, producers Joel and Peter and grandson Cameron Douglas.

Michael Douglas posted about his father on Instagram, saying, “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103.”

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It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103. To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to. But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad,...

Tony nominees Hadestown, The Ferryman and Bryan Cranston for his performance in Network took top honors at the 85th annual Drama League Awards, which were unveiled at a gala luncheon Friday at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. The awards, the nation’s oldest theatrical honors, recognize the year’s best distinguished productions and performances along with career achievements.

Hadestown, which leads all nominees for this year’s Tony Awards with 14, won the Drama League awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, with The Ferryman, with nine Tony noms, winning for Outstanding Production of a Play. Revival honors went to Kiss Me Kate for musical and The Waverly Gallery for play.

Cranston, up for a Best Actor in Play Tony for his portrayal of news anchor Howard Beale, was given the Drama League’s Distinguished Performance Award. Other winners included Kiss Me Kate‘s Kelli O’Hara; Beetlejuice director Alex Timbers; and Taylor Mac,...

Ghostlight Records has announced it will record a new cast album of Cole Porter's musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate, based on the current hit production from the Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic DirectorCEO. The show is directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Warren Carlyle with music direction by Paul Gemignani and features a book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Kiss Me, Kate marks the 24th cast album recording for Roundabout Theatre Company, since launching the musical theatre program with She Loves Me in 1993. The album, produced by Kurt Deutsch and Lawrence Manchester, will be recorded Monday, April 22.

Like last season’s Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady, the Roundabout Theatre Company’s current Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate, directed by Scott Ellis and opening tonight at Studio 54, had its share of finessing to do, bringing an acknowledged work of stage musical genius from a less gender-enlightened era in line with modern sensibilities. We can put that concern aside – whatever occasional shortcomings befall this mostly terrific revival, a spanked, put-upon heroine isn’t one.

Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase are so evenly matched – in performance, talent and temperament – that it’s hard to imagine a more finely balanced battle de deux. Whatever spanking goes on in this musicalized update of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, well, each gives as good as she gets. And the roughhousing is so vaudeville cartoonish that the bum-bruising (his and hers) could trigger nothing more than a Carol Burnett Show flashback.

Nashville‘s Will Chase and Tony-winner Kelli O’Hara will take on Kiss Me, Kate in a new Roundabout Theatre Broadway production set for next year. Roundabout’s Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO, made the announcement today.

Kiss Me, Kate will begin preview performances at Studio 54 on Broadway on Thursday, February 14, 2019 and opens officially on Thursday, March 14, 2019. The limited engagement runs through Sunday, June 2, 2019.

Chase will play “Petruchio/Fred Graham” to O’Hara’s “Kate/Lilli Vanessi.” The musical, with book by Sam and Bella Spewack and music and lyrics by Cole Porter, will be directed by by eight-time Tony nominee and Roundabout’s Associate Artistic Director Scott Ellis.

Additional cast members will be announced soon.

Warren Carlyle will choreograph, with music direction by Paul Gemignani. The creative team includes David Rockwell (Sets), Jeff Mahshie (Costumes), Donald Holder (Lighting), Brian Ronan (Sound) and David Brian Brown (Hair & Wig design...

Roundabout Theatre Company welcomesNorm Lewis as 'Harrison Howell,' completingthe all-star cast of Kelli O'Hara Lilli Vanessi, Will Chase Fred Graham, Robert Fairchild Bill, Helene Yorke Lois, Chuck Cooper Harry TrevorBaptista, Richard Kind Gangster and John Pankow Gangster in a one-night only Benefit Concert Reading of Kiss Me, Kate, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Sam and Bella Spewack, music direction by Patrick Vaccariello and choreography by Warren Carlyle.

Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic DirectorCEO has just announced Robert Fairchild Bill, Helene Yorke Lois, Chuck Cooper Harry TrevorBaptista, Richard Kind Gangster and John Pankow Gangster will join Kelli O'Hara Lilli Vanessi and Will Chase Fred Graham in a one-night only Benefit Concert Reading of Kiss Me, Kate with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Sam and Bella Spewack, music direction by Patrick Vaccariello and choreography by Warren Carlyle. Roundabout's Associate Artistic Director, Scott Ellis, will direct this one-night only special event.

The Old Globe's presentation of Kiss Me, Kate, the classic musical comedy featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and an iconic score by Cole Porter, will now add a week by popular demand and run through August 9 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets for the extension will go on sale this Sunday, July 12 at noon.

The Old Globe and Hartford Stage's co-productionof Kiss Me, Kate, the classic musical comedy featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and an iconic score by Cole Porter,will be choreographed by Peggy Hickey and directed by Hartford Stage Artistic Director and former Old Globe Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak, who won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which made its world premiere at The Old Globe and Hartford Stage in 2013. The Hartford Stage engagement runs May 14 - June 14 The Old Globe engagement will begin performances on July 1 and run through August 2, with opening night on Thursday, July 9 at 800 p.m. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action...

The Old Globe will celebrate its 80th Anniversary as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration with a 2015 Summer Season featuring Shakespeare onstage and in film. 2014 Tony Award winner for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and former Old Globe Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak returns to direct the spectacular musical classic Kiss Me, Kate, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and choreography by Peggy Hickey, in association with Hartford Stage.

On Thursday, starting at 11 a.m., select Regal and Rave Cinemas across the country did a special all-day "Twilight" marathon, showing the four "Twilight" films in order ("Twilight," "New Moon," "Eclipse," and "Breaking Dawn – Part 1"). These were followed immediately by a 10 p.m. screening of the newest (and supposedly last) installment, "Breaking Dawn – Part 2." With the series coming to an end, I thought it would be a good idea to attend the marathon, to capture the mood of Twi-hards who had come out to celebrate the final film in the franchise. However, instead of traveling to a theater in a major metropolitan area, I decided to go to the place where "Twilight's" massive fandom was born and raised and discussed excitedly at book clubs: the suburbs. It was at the Rave Cinemas at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, where my fate was sealed. While I was picking up my special laminated lanyard,...

When a film franchise reaches its end, there is a question of the legacy that the series will leave behind. What will fans remember and hold onto after the movie is over? The abiding friendship of Frodo and Sam, the heartbreaking sacrifice of Lily Potter for her child, or even the question of whether Han Solo shot first, these memories and relationships live on even when their story ends. What is left as Stephenie Meyer counts her money and fans fold up their “Team Edward” t-shirts? Some would argue that the Twilight series is one of the greatest love stories of this generation, a Romeo and Juliet for our time. I would not make that argument, but clearly there are people who see Bella and Edward as a love of the ages. Others like myself would argue that it is a series that encourages young women to be complacent, give up any career aspirations,...

Day five of the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival promises a smorgasbord of great films and there are still 6 days to go!

Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il

The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.

http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012

Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Monday, November 12th

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Doc Shorts – Longevity plays at 5:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre

A quintet of shorts exploring issues of aging and persistence.

Free To Attendees 50 And Older

Bo (Kelly McCoy & Dave Schwep, U.S., 2012, 22 min.): When attorney and Playboy photographer Bo Hitchcock is diagnosed with cancer, he decides to forgo chemo and Western...

At a press conference to promote The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2, author Stephenie Meyer suggested that she might add more books to her Twilight world. Naturally, we’ve compiled 10 story lines we’d love to have Meyer continue. Click below to see our list. (Slight spoilers ahead!)

10. Leah’s story

Leah got shafted in Breaking Dawn. Yes, she’s in Jacob’s pack and away from the heartbreak of Sam and Emily, but she still hates the Cullens, and now she’s bound to them because of Jacob and Renesmee. Give this girl something better to do than sulk.

MTV's "Twi-Fight" is about to begin, and we don't just mean the Cullens finally facing those pesky Volturi types in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2."

Sixty-four of our favorite vampires, werewolves, humans and hybrids are throwing down in an intra-fandemonium MTV tournament to decide once and for all which "Twilight" character is the very favorite among Twi-hards.

It's a stone cold battle in the making, and while Edward (Robert Pattinson), Bella (Kristen Stewart) and/or Jacob (Taylor Lautner) are the most obvious favorites, there may be some other stiff competitors in this thing yet. Let's break it down.

Frontrunners

There's no question that the "Twi-o" — or "Twifecta," if you will — have a solid lead on the rest. The entire series has revolved around them, and the emotional attachment of the fan community to these three is unquestionable. Between them, Edward's got that immortal swoon factor going for him,...

Playing the role of a mortician for the summer 2012 movie season, I can’t help but get some red on myself. And maybe there’s more of it than usual, but that’s only because when you try and find out what why some movies were good and others terrible, you can’t help but get a little messy.

When last I left you, it was with my dissection of the movies released in May 2012 and how they faired, both financially, critically and culturally. Now it’s time to move on to June. During those 30 days we saw several major tentpole movie releases and witnessed firsthand what happens when the advance hype meets the reality of what you see on the screen. You’ve paid to see the shows, you’ve formed your own opinion of them, now it’s time for the creator of Coming Attractions to weigh in...

Ever heard of Sterek, Stanno, Merthur, or Wincest? These are all portmanteaus to designate popular subtextual male "slash" couples.

Slash fans can be a pretty intense breed, but for film and television projects looking for a dedicated and highly involved fanbase, the kind of audience that will explode a project's social media footprint, the fangirls and fanboys who obsess over slash are a valuable market to court, and Hollywood might just be waking up to slash's potential.

What is slash? Let's start with some definitions. Slash is a subset of "shipping" which is simply a keen interest in the pairing of two characters. Shipping can focus on almost any kind of pairing. Heterosexual, same-sex, platonic, romantic, bromantic, erotic, etc. Fans who engage in this sort of thing are called "shippers" and, let's face it, we're all shippers to some extent. If you pined for Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler to...

From Killing Them Softly to Queen of Versailles, the autumn's big Us films paint a harrowing portrait of a country gripped by class envy, loss and fear of ruin

The Great Gatsby ends at night, on the beach. The hero has been shot and the party is over. So narrator Nick Carraway sits down on the sand and mourns not only his friend but America as a whole – a New World grown somehow old and corroded. He thinks about the green light at the end of Daisy's dock and about how Gatsby ran at it, stumbled and lost, not realising that his dream was already behind him. "Gatsby believed in that green light," he writes. "The orgiastic future that year-by-year recedes before us."

I'm now wondering whether the film version of The Great Gatsby may not be a little like Daisy's green light itself, winking in the distance, barely out of reach.

If there was one victor among the movies paneling at San Diego Comic-Con this year, it'd have to be … Marvel. Or was it "Man of Steel"? Or maybe "The Hobbit"?

Another Con's in the can, and we've emerged with new intel on a handful of high-profile mega-movies. There weren't necessarily any groundbreaking casting announcements this year, but first footage from movies like the new Superman flick, "Oz: The Great and Powerful," "Pacific Rim" and "Elysium" had fans and bloggers buzzing big time.

Check out the biggest movie scoops below. What we should add, #16: Getting in line at 7 a.m. does not guarantee you entry into the con's marquee venue (Hall H). Not even for a 6 p.m. panel. And yep, we learned that the hard way. – By Bryan Enk and Kevin Polowy

There's a Whole Lot of Marvel Movies Going On as 'Phase Two' Is Unveiled

Excelsior! Marvel Mania...

No, we don't mean it that way! Get your mind out of the gutter, pervs. In honor of the new movie "Savages" (July 6), we're obviously talking about how it seems like the best star vehicles have three wheels.

Occasionally, a fourth wannabe will try to awkwardly insert himself into the ménage à trois (witness poor Ernie Hudson in "Ghostbusters"), but history's proven that a triad has always struck a chord with audiences. So, sticking with that agreed-upon equation, here's a list of nine trios that prove that, as Schoolhouse Rock taught us, three really is a magic number.

9. Will, Elizabeth and Captain Jack in the 'The Pirates of the Caribbean' Series (2003-11)

Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) are one of those couples that would be -- let's face it -- sort of boring. So while they might act otherwise, you just know they totally get off...

2010 is coming to an end, and every year I always compile a list of every 2010 release I have seen and order them according to their ranking. Well, here are the films which made it to the bottom of the barrel for me, films so bad I’d rather crawl through a sewer than watch them again.

Get Him To The Greek

I know there are those out there who liked this film and thought it was funny, well I am not one of them. As a big fan of Forgetting Sarah Marshall I really expected more from this spin-off, being so entertained the first time around by Russell Brand as Aldous Snow. This really fell flat, very few laughs, not enjoyable, certainly a real low point for comedy in 2010.

Robin Hood

I am a huge fan of Ridley Scott and I was pretty excited for this film, going in I did have expectations.

DVD Playhouse December 2010

By

Allen Gardner

America Lost And Found: The Bbs Story (Criterion) Perhaps the best DVD box set released this year, this ultimate cinefile stocking stuffer offered up by Criterion, the Rolls-Royce of home video labels, features seven seminal works from the late ‘60s-early ‘70s that were brought to life by cutting edge producers Bert Schneider, Steve Blauner and director/producer Bob Rafelson, the principals of Bbs Productions. In chronological order: Head (1968) star the Monkees, the manufactured (by Rafelson, et al), American answer to the Beatles who, like it or not, did make an impact on popular culture, particularly in this utterly surreal piece of cinematic anarchy (co-written by Jack Nicholson, who has a cameo), which was largely dismissed upon its initial release, but is now regarded as a counterculture classic. Easy Rider (1969) is arguably regarded as the seminal ‘60s picture, about two hippie drug dealers (director Dennis Hopper...