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You’ll enjoy skipping around on the full program. Jake Gyllenhaal was a particular revelation and even non-theater queens will likely recognize many faces. These ever-surprising songs, mostly written for big Broadway stages, turn out to thrive in close quarters. That was the happy discovery of “Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration,” a starry, streaming tribute to …

Variety reports: Disco legend Hamilton Bohannon passed away Friday at the age of 78. No official cause of death has been released and arrangements are pending, according to family members. In a discography ranging from 1973 to 1990, Bohannon released 22 albums. As a pioneer of disco and funk, his sounds have been sampled by the likes of Jay Z, …

Bloomberg News reports: Potbelly said it’s returning a loan it received under the Payroll Protection Program, amid criticism that national chains landed loans at the expense of mom-and-pop firms as the program ran out of money. The Chicago-based sandwich chain said it was “surprised and disappointed” when the fund was quickly exhausted, leaving many companies without help. It’s returning the …

Billboard Magazine reports: 50-year-old singer and actor Billy Porter can’t help but look seven months ahead to see the November general election on the horizon. He knows that in order to vote out President Donald Trump, people are going to need to be galvanized to a cause. Luckily, he has a galvanizing anthem for the world to hear. On Friday …

The Associated Press reports: A feature film about Whitney Houston’s life is in the works from the screenwriter of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The biopic is being shepherded by the Whitney Houston Estate, music producer Clive Davis and Primary Wave Music, the partners said Wednesday. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” will follow Houston from obscurity to pop stardom and promises to be …

We’ve missed you, Florida Man: A Florida shop owner is selling face masks made out of the skin of a Burmese python, an invasive species in the Everglades, to create a “fashion statement” and stop the spread of the coronavirus. Brian Wood, the owner of All American Gator Products in Dania Beach, is crafting different leather masks from the skin …

Yahoo Finance reports: Netflix reported its Q1 earnings after the closing bell on Tuesday, adding 15.7 million global users amid stay-at-home orders related to the novel coronavirus pandemic — a 23% jump since the same quarter last year. The reason? With people stuck in their homes — unable to participate in any form of outdoor entertainment — consumers are turning …

Playbill reports: The first official trailer for Ryan Murphy’s Tinseltown drama Hollywood has dropped, and it seems the show will tackle the usual topics of historical dramas like racism, secret romances, and predatory power figures, but with twists like gas station attendants who offer their customers extra services. The series, starring Broadway alums Darren Criss, Jeremy Pope, Patti LuPone, and …

The New York Daily News reports: Italy could lose one-sixth of its beloved bars and restaurants to the coronavirus crisis — with a staggering 50,000 predicted to have to close for good, according to reports. The startling economic toll is being projected by Fipe, an Italian lobbying group for bar and restaurants in Italy — the first European nation to …

Pitchfork raves: Fiona Apple’s fifth record is unbound. No music has ever sounded quite like it. Apple recorded Fetch the Bolt Cutters both in and with her Venice Beach home, banging on its walls, stomping on its ground. Self-reliance is its rule, curiosity is its key. Fetch the Bolt Cutters seems to almost completely turn the volume down on music …

Playbill reports: In an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus, the Public Theater has canceled its summer programming—including the free Shakespeare in the Park season in Central Park, its production of Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s Cullud Wattah, and Joe’s Pub performances—through August 31. The 2020 Shakespeare in the Park lineup featured a production of Richard II, directed by Saheem Ali, followed …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Brian Dennehy, the regular-guy actor whose bulldog build, good-guy demeanor and no-nonsense approach meshed in an array of memorable roles for film, television and the theater, has died. He was 81. Dennehy died Wednesday night of natural causes in Connecticut, his daughter Elizabeth announced. Dennehy won Tony Awards in 1999 and 2003 for playing Willy Loman …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said Hollywood studios “are anxious to get back in this business once safety is no longer a concern,” shrugging off Universal/Dreamworks Animation’s Trolls World Tour going directly to PVOD as a blip in the road. It was a highly successful one for Universal, however, with Trolls bringing in about $50 million, according to …

Playbill reports: Ariana Grande, Josh Groban, and Darren Criss are among the performers who have joined the lineup for the upcoming ABC TV special The Disney Family Singalong, airing April 16 at 8 PM ET. Also newly announced for the TV broadcast are Demi Lovato, Alan Menken, Elle Fanning, Tori Kelly, and Marcus Scribner. T hese artists join the previously …

Deadline reports: CNN and MSNBC cut away from Donald Trump’s coronavirus press briefing on Monday, with anchors protesting that the White House was using the time to air a “propaganda” video to praise the president’s response to the crisis. “We are going to avoid airing any more of this White House briefing until it returns to what it was supposed …

The New York Daily News reports: The number of confirmed COVID cases in New York City surged past 100,000 Sunday morning, according to the Health Department. The number of cases came to 102,504 as of 9 a.m., with 5,789 deaths — marking 3,789 new cases and 47 new deaths overnight. Hospitalizations and deaths have been increasing at a slower rate, …

Variety reports: Los Angeles prosecutors on Friday filed a new charge against Harvey Weinstein, stemming from an alleged assault at a Beverly Hills hotel room in 2010. Weinstein is already awaiting extradition to Los Angeles to face four other charges, stemming from two incidents in hotels in February 2013. The former producer is serving a 23-year sentence in a prison …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Disney has targeted Robin Hood as the latest of its animated classics to get the remake treatment. Carlos Lopez Estrada, perhaps best known for directing the 2018 crime movie Blindspotting, is on board to helm the project, which is being written by Kari Granlund. Granlund already is in the Disney fold after having written the studio’s …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The Tiger King phenomenon will continue. Netflix is extending its hugely popular docuseries franchise with The Tiger King and I, an after show hosted by Joel McHale, which will be released on April 12. It will feature brand-new interviews with Tiger King‘s John Reinke, Joshua Dial, John Finlay, Saff, Erik Cowie,Rick Kirkham and Jeff and Lauren Lowe, …

It’s always good to hear from our pal Steve Hayes: Errol Flynn plays a Canadian Mounted policeman and fights off Nazi invaders who’ve landed a submarine in Hudson’s Bay in Raoul Walsh’s wartime adventure, NORTHERN PURSUIT. Filled with typical Warner Brothers spectacle, fast paced action and suspense, it’s a perfect vehicle for Flynn who works with a superb supporting cast …