Open Thread

Playbill reports: The 2020 Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will play the Booth Theatre, currently the home of Freestyle Love Supreme through January 5, 2020. Performances of the Tony-winning play will now begin performances March 3 prior to an official opening April 9. As recently reported, stage and screen star Rupert Everett has replaced the …

The Washington Post reports: A 26-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly driving his car onto President Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, N.J., and doing “doughnuts” on the greens. Richard J. McEwan was arrested at his home in Milford, N.J., the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said. Police said he drove onto Trump’s course twice in …

Newsweek reports: A 45-year-old Florida man has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison for mailing various court officials fraudulent legal documents over several years, claiming they owed him tens of millions of dollars. Randal Rosado, whose most recent address was listed in Goshen, New York, was convicted in July in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Florida, on …

Billboard Magazine reports: When pop superstar Sam Smith made the announcement earlier this year that they identified as non-binary and genderqueer, many fans asked if the star still wanted fans to use the pronouns “he/him.” Today, Smith answered their question. On Friday, Smith took to their Instagram to let fans know that they were publicly changing their preferred pronouns to …

Spin Magazine reports: Two generations of synth pop artists joined forces on the Pet Shop Boys’ new single “Dreamland.” The UK dance legends collaborated with aughts electropop upstarts Years & Years on the highly disco-inspired single featuring a duet between Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant and Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander. Pet Shop Boys haven’t disclosed a title …

Playbill reports: You Are Here—A Come From Away Story makes its U.S. theatrical premiere via a nationwide Fathom Events release September 11. Written and directed by Moze Mossanen, the documentary spotlights the community of Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 airliners carrying over 6,500 passengers were forced to land after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. The film pulls back the layers surrounding …

Just in via press release: Critically acclaimed, platinum-selling, global pop star MIKA debuts a new song “Sanremo” today.  The track follows the release of “Ice Cream” and “Tiny Love” from MIKA’s highly anticipated new album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook, out October 4. Pre-order the album HERE. In celebration of the forthcoming album, MIKA will make a long-awaited return to …

Playbill reports: Oscar winner Renée Zellweger channels Judy Garland in the new biopic Judy. Before the film arrives in theatres September 27, take a look at a new featurette on the actor’s exploration of the beloved entertainer. “There are a lot of reasons I wanted to make this picture—to look into the human side of this icon,” Zellweger says. “There’s …

Billboard Magazine reports: Early Saturday morning (Sept. 7), as RuPaul cut the official ribbon at RuPaul’s DragCon NYC, the superstar host also announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! will hit the Las Vegas strip at the Flamingo starting January 2020. Directed by RuPaul and choreographer Jamal Sims (Aladdin, Step Up), RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! is an upcoming revue spectacular, highlighting …

Billboard reports: A supporting cast of seasoned theater pros is coming together for the splashy Broadway revival of Meredith Willson’s classic The Music Man, with four Tony Award winners signing on to join stars Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in the fall 2020 production. Jefferson Mays will play the pompous mayor of River City, Iowa, with Jayne Houdyshell as his …

Billboard Magazine reports: Sony has unveiled a new version of its iconic Walkman — but don’t dust off the old CDs just yet. The device will be available in Europe from November 2019 for €830, or roughly $917, about the price of a new iPhone. The refreshed Walkman NW-ZX507 is a hi-res touchscreen digital music player, capable of streaming music …

Playbill reports: Social media stars Colleen Ballinger (of Miranda Sings fame) and Todrick Hall (Kinky Boots) have given fans a behind-the-scenes preview of their turn in the Sara Bareilles musical Waitress. The pair currently play Dawn and Ogie, respectively, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre until September 15. In a new video posted to Ballinger’s YouTube channel, the duo sing “I …

Playbill reports: Two-time Tony winner Patti LuPone has landed a role in mega-producer Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix series, Hollywood. In a Time Magazine profile, Murphy divulged that LuPone will join previously announced Tony nominee Holland Taylor (Ann) in his original series about Tinseltown’s relationship with the sex industry over the years. According to the Glee creator, it’s about “how absolutely …

Billboard Magazine reports: Lizzo lifts to her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as “Truth Hurts” rises from No. 3. The song reigns after Lizzo performed it on the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Aug. 26. Plus, as Taylor Swift’s new album Lover launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, two songs from …

NBC News reports: A regular at a St. Louis bar was completely unfazed by an armed robber who stormed the watering hole. In fact, he lit up a cigarette moments after facing the barrel of the pistol. Tony Tovar was relaxing with a beer at the decades-old Behrmann’s Tavern when a gunman entered, demanding customers and staff get on the …

UPI reports: A group of sculptures depicting men with hoodies covering their faces outside of a California city hall are receiving mixed reviews from residents, with some saying they find them threatening. The five sculptures depict men with sweatshirt hoods pulled tight over their faces while they engage in lawn games and other outdoor activities in front of Laguna Beach …

Billboard Magazine reports: The Dutch port city of Rotterdam has been selected to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The European Broadcasting Union announced Friday that Rotterdam edged the southern city of Maastricht in the race to host the annual music competition. The Netherlands won the right to host the 65th edition of the festival when Dutch singer Duncan Laurence …

From the Hollywood Reporter: Beanie Feldstein, Blake Jenner and Ben Platt will star in an adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along. Richard Linklater will be directing the project, which is being backed by Blumhouse, and will shoot over a 20-year span. The director shot his Oscar-winning Boyhood over 12 years. The much-beloved musical, based on the …

The Associated Press reports: Police in suburban Houston are looking for a woman who used a power tool to break into a Botox clinic and steal anti-aging products. Sugar Land police say surveillance cameras captured the burglary Friday night at the Botox RN MD Spa. The footage shows a woman approaching the locked door of the spa and trying unsuccessfully …

The Tennessean reports: The “Old Town Road” now leads to country music’s biggest night. Once kicked off the Billboard country music charts for not embracing “enough elements of today’s country music” the Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus musical phenomenon earned a ticket Wednesday to the 53rd CMA Awards. The song received a “Musical Event of the Year” nomination. …