Open Thread

Playbill reports: Diana, the new Joe DiPietro-David Bryan musical about the late Princess of Wales, will arrive on Broadway this spring. Performances will begin at the Longacre Theatre March 2, 2020, with opening night set for March 31. The bio musical made its world premiere earlier this year in La Jolla Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Theatre, concluding its run April 14 …

The Associated Press reports: A Southern California seaside community is in an uproar after a home was given a new paint job featuring two huge emoji on a bright pink background. Manhattan Beach residents railed against the makeover during a City Council meeting Tuesday night, citing problems with spectators. The new paint job appeared after neighbors reported the home was …

UPI reports: Budget carrier Frontier Airlines is promoting its Green Week initiative by offering free flights to people with the last name “Green” or “Greene.” Frontier, which is marking Green Week from Tuesday to Aug. 20 to highlight its efforts to become the most eco-friendly airline in the United States, said people with the surnames Green and Greene are being …

UPI reports: A group of scientists announced they have created vodka from ingredients found inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone and verified that it is safe to drink. Atomik vodka was created by University of Portsmouth scientists from grain and water from inside the exclusion zone as part of a three-year research project into the radioactivity of crops grown inside the …

Buzzfeed News reports: Pop star Ariana Grande experienced a major full-circle moment Tuesday night. After an incredible year that has already seen her win her first Grammy, accomplish a feat last set by the Beatles, and release one of 2019’s bestselling albums, Grande’s dreams came true as she performed with the legendary Barbra Streisand. The two performed “No More Tears …

UPI reports: Police in Colorado are warning residents and visitors to lock the doors of their unattended vehicles after a bear broke into a car and shredded the interior. The Snowmass Village Police Department said in a Facebook post that the bear was able to open an unlocked car door that closed behind the animal when it climbed inside. “Lock …

Billboard Magazine reports: “Old Town Road” is unstoppable. Lil Nas X’s smash hit continues to dominate the Billboard Hot 100, as it notched an 18th week atop the chart on Monday (Aug. 5). The 20-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down, but he does take time to enjoy the moment and soak in the accolades with his clever social …

ABC News reports: A Brazilian gang leader dressed up in a rubber mask and wig in a failed attempt to escape prison by fooling guards into thinking he was his own teenage daughter during a visit from her. Clauvino da Silva tried to leave the prison in Rio de Janeiro dressed in his daughter’s clothes, but reportedly looked so nervous …

The Huffington Post reports: The Republican National Committee unveiled its official logo for next year’s presidential convention in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday, and the unusual design has some people saying “ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn.” Some people thought the logo looked like an elephant in front of an octopus. Others saw a mind flayer from the hit Netflix …

UPI reports: Meat purveyor Oscar Meyer is branching out into the dessert game with its latest product — ice cream sandwiches with bits of real hot dog. Oscar Meyer announced ahead of Friday’s National Ice Cream Sandwich Day that it partnered with a New York ice cream company to create the Ice Dog Sandwich, an ice cream sandwich inspired by …

Playbill reports: Pop singer Jessie J took to Instagram August 1 to share a bit of her musical theatre origins. The “Bang Bang” Grammy nominee posted a video of her singing “On My Own” from Les Misérables, without rehearsing first, saying “I just sat down and pressed play and record and sang this for the first in over 20 years.” …

The Tampa Bay Times reports: A new study looking at Florida alligator bite reports dating back to 1971 concludes that gators mostly bite adult men who are not tourists. Adult men in this category make the mistake of getting too close — or even getting into — small, man-made bodies of water where the prehistoric lizards like to hang out, …

Playbill reports: Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow officially opened his latest Broadway engagement, Manilow Broadway, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre July 30 after beginning performances July 26. The Grammy Award winner is scheduled to play a limited run through August 17. “I am thrilled to be returning to my hometown of New York City and performing once again on Broadway,” said Manilow in …

New today from our pal Matt Baume: In the last Culture Cruise video, I talked about how the show All in the Family introduced Beverly LaSalle, presenting a female impersonator as being worthy of love and respect at a time when TV tended to depict queer people as mere punch lines. But Beverly was also one of the first queer …

Billboard Magazine reports: Vic Mensa makes a bold statement in the fiery new video for “3 Years Sober” by his rock-leaning side band 93PUNX. The clip, which dropped on Thursday morning (July 25), actually makes a number of bold statements, taking on racial strife, violence against LGBTQ Americans and the battle over birth control. With the addition of a satin-y …

Playbill reports: With the July 27 matinee, its 3,487th performance, The Book of Mormon becomes the 14th longest-running Broadway show in history, surpassing 42nd Street. To celebrate, cast members filmed a special, tap-heavy homage to the earlier hit. Watch the video below. The Book of Mormon continues performances at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. To become the 13th longest-running show, it …

Playbill reports: The stars of Transparent will take their final bow this fall in an two-hour musical that promises to end the series on a high note, as fans can see in the newly released trailer. Jill Soloway’s Emmy Award-winning comedy follows the Pfefferman family as they adjust to life after a member comes out as a transwoman named Maura …

Tampa’s NBC News affiliate reports: Three people in Florida were taken into custody on drug charges hours after two of them had redeemed a $20,000 scratch-off ticket Tuesday, deputies said, WESH reports. Luis Correa, 39, and Migdalia Cruz, 59, were arrested on heroin-related charges, and Dana LaFlamme, 34, was arrested on a probation violation. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies served …

The New York Daily News reports: Oscar-winning actress Faye Dunaway has been fired from the Broadway-bound play “Tea at Five” for creating a “hostile” and “dangerous” environment backstage that left production members fearing for their safety, several sources told The Post. Onstage at the Huntington Theater in Boston, where “Tea at Five” was trying out, Dunaway was playing Katharine Hepburn. …

Playbill reports: Fans eager to see Megan Hilty and Jessie Mueller’s star turns as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn were given a sneak peek as Lifetime dropped the trailer for Patsy & Loretta. The TV movie also got its premiere date: October 19. The trailer shows the pair meeting for the first time, having family dinners, and even singing together. …