Theater Review: Without Gosling or geese, Broadway’s ‘The Notebook’ goes for the guts, without guile

NEW YORK — The romantic tearjerker “The Notebook” lands on Broadway in awkward musical theater form this spring having previously conquered books and movies. It is intent now on making a live audience openly weep by employing massive doses of schlocky sentimentality without the aid of Ryan Gosling. The bombastic musical that opened Thursday at … Read more

A Texas High School Canceled A Play About Matthew Shepard

A Texas high school has canceled its spring production of “The Laramie Project,” a play about the aftermath of the 1998 vicious murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming. Timber Creek High School administrators emailed parents on Friday to say that the play would be canceled but did not provide an explanation, … Read more

Off to Never Never Land: ‘Peter Pan’ flies again in a new tour after some much needed changes

NEW YORK — A new, inclusive stage production of “Peter Pan” flies out on a U.S. tour this month, telling the classic tale of a boy who refuses to grow up — but without references that, ironically, have aged poorly. Gone are elements harmful to Native people, in are a few new songs and the … Read more

As Marvel reveals the new ‘Fantastic Four’ cast, here’s a look back at all the past versions

Pedro Pascal is jumping from Star Wars to Marvel. The “Last of Us” and “Mandalorian” actor is set to play Reed Richards (also known as Mister Fantastic) in the newest incarnation of “The Fantastic Four,” the studio announced Wednesday. The rest of his squad was revealed, too, with Vanessa Kirby stepping up as Susan Storm … Read more

Los Angeles Opera to present Puccini’s ‘Madama Butterfly’ reimagined on film soundstage

The Los Angeles Opera opens its 2024-25 season Sept. 21 with Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” reimagined in a film studio and said Saturday it will present the company premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s “Ainadamar” while reducing its offerings from six main-stage productions to five. Mario Gras’s “Butterfly” staging, first seen at Madrid’s Teatro Real in 2017, stars … Read more

Hasty Pudding honors ‘Saltburn’ actor Barry Keoghan as its Man of the Year

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals roasted Barry Keoghan, best known for his roles in “Dunkirk,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Eternals,” and “The Banshees of Inisherin,” on Friday with its 2024 Man of the Year Award. Keoghan, who also starred in the comedy psychological thriller “Saltburn” and the World War II … Read more

Chita Rivera, revered and pioneering Tony-winning dancer and singer, dies at 91

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actor who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91. Rivera’s death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, … Read more

‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Poor Things’ lead the race for Britain’s BAFTA film awards

LONDON — Atom-bomb epic “Oppenheimer” leads the race for the British Academy Film Awards, with nominations in 13 categories including best film — eight more than its box-office rival, “Barbie.” Gothic fantasia “Poor Things” received 11 nominations on the list announced Thursday, while historical epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Holocaust drama “ The … Read more

In the biographical drama ‘Rob Peace,’ Chiwetel Ejiofor reframes a life

PARK CITY, Utah — PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Chiwetel Ejiofor had read Jeff Hobbs’ “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace” years before Antoine Fuqua asked if he might consider writing and directing an adaptation. The book, which explores the complex life of a brilliant boy who grew up in the crime ridden … Read more

Elton John achieves rare EGOT status with Emmy win for concert special

LOS ANGELES — Elton John has achieved EGOT status. The famed British singer-pianist secured an Emmy Award on Monday night for best variety special (live) for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary that streamed on Disney +. John said he was “incredibly humbled” for joining the elite group of EGOT … Read more