‘Into the Woods’ Synopsis & Cast Revealed (Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, James Corden, Johnny Depp….)

FLICKS AND BITS

Disney today send word that filming started last week for ‘Into the Woods.’ Rob Marshall (Chicago) directs the film, which is based on the Tony-winning original musical by James Lapine, who also penned the screenplay, and legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who provides the music and lyrics - including an all-new song for the big-screen adaptation. ‘Into the Woods’ is produced by Marshall, John DeLuca, ‘Wicked’ producer Marc Platt and Callum McDougall. Shooting in studio and on location throughout England, the film is slated for a December 25th, 2014, holiday release.

‘Into the Woods’ is described as a “modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel - all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch who has put a curse on them.”

The all-star ensemble cast includes:

· Meryl Streep portrays the Witch who wishes to reverse a curse so that her beauty may be restored.
· Emily Blunt is the Baker’s Wife, a childless woman who longs to be a mother.
· James Corden plays the role of the Baker, a hard-working man who desperately wants to start a family.
· Anna Kendrick fills the shoes of Cinderella, who finds herself on a journey of self-discovery.
· Chris Pine portrays Cinderella’s Prince, charming and impossibly handsome, who is on an endless quest to find his bride.
· Johnny Depp steps in as the Wolf, who sets his sights on Little Red Riding Hood.
· Lilla Crawford (Broadway’s “Annie”) makes her feature-film debut as Little Red Riding Hood, a smart and spunky girl who journeys into the woods, finding unexpected adventures along the way.
· Daniel Huttlestone lands the role of Jack, an absentminded and adventurous boy who trades his treasured cow for five magic beans.
· Tracey Ullman joins the cast as Jack’s Mother, a poor and exasperated mom who is overwhelmed, yet fiercely protective of her son.
· Christine Baranski takes on the infamous Stepmother who wishes for riches and grandeur; she’ll do anything to marry off one of her daughters to a prince.
· MacKenzie Mauzy plays Rapunzel, a sheltered young woman who experiences the world beyond her tower for the first time.
· Billy Magnussen is the dashing and eager Prince who courts Rapunzel.


READ MORE HERE: http://www.flicksandbits.com/2013/09/16/into-the-woods-synopsis-cast-revealed-meryl-streep-emily-blunt-james-corden-johnny-depp/56831/

Alan Cummings: A host of stars turned out to see Alan Cummings in a new production of the Shakespeare tragedy (E.) BY JOANNA CRAWLEY ON APRIL 22, 201

Alan Cumming has bought his one man production of Macbeth to Broadway (Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com)

Alan Cumming's new production of Macbeth might be a one man show but the Scottish star was supported by a full cast of friends at the opening night on Broadway yesterday with Jodie Foster, Rosario Dawson and Jonny Lee Miller all in attendance.

Cumming, A 1998 Tony winner for his part in Cabaret, opened his play at New York's Ethel Barrymore theatre following sell out runs in Glasgow and the Lincoln Center Festival last year.

The actor's friends and co-stars came out to support his big night with Alan's The Good Wife co-star Julianna Marguiles taking her seat alongside Elementary star Jonny Lee Miller.

READ MORE:  http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/112370/Jodie-Foster-And-Rosario-Dawson-Take-Their-Seats-For-Macbeths-Broadway-Opening-PHOTOS

Eileen Atkins wins an award for off-West End work Upstairs Downstairs actress Eileen Atkins has won the OffWestEnd award for best actress for her role in All That Fall at Jermyn Street Theatre. (TELEGRAPH)

By Daisy Bowie-Sell
6:00PM GMT 24 Feb 2013

She is a Dame, has been awarded a CBE and won many awards including Baftas, Tonys, Oliviers and Emmys for her film, theatre and television work.

Now, the 78-year-old actress Eileen Atkins has been recognised for her work on London's fringe theatre scene.

At a ceremony at Battersea Arts Centre today, Atkins picked up the best actress award at the Offies – the Off West End theatre awards.

She was recognised for her role in a Beckett radio play All That Fall, which was staged for the first time at the Jermyn Street Theatre last year. Atkins starred alongside Michael Gambon in the show, which earned a four star review from The Telegraph's Charles Spencer.

Atkins attended the ceremony along with other theatre greats including Simon Callow, Toby Jones and Richard Bean who appeared alongside a long list of up and coming theatre names.


READ MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/9888032/Veteran-actress-Eileen-Atkins-wins-an-award-for-off-West-End-work.html

Jude Law, Judi Dench and Daniel Radcliffe to star in productions for new theater company Daniel S Levine 6/16/2012 (CELEBRITY CAFE)

Actors Jude Law, Daniel Radcliffe and Judi Dench will all star in productions for a new theater company founded by acclaimed director Michael Grandage.

Grandage, who was the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse in London for the past decade, made the announcement on Friday, reports Reuters. The new Michael Grandage Company will also produce film and television productions, mostly in New York and London.

Grandage and his partner, executive producer James Bierman, said that they hope that they can create theater productions that will reach new audiences thanks to lower prices. “This unique West End season brings together writers, actors and other artists in a single venture over 15 months dedicated to presenting work of the highest quality at affordable prices,” the two said in a joint statement.

According to USA Today, Grandage has directed several acclaimed productions on Broadway, including Red, Frost/Nixon and Hamlet with Law. He earned a Tony Award for Red in 2010.

READ MORE: http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2012/06/jude-law-judi-dench-and-daniel-radcliffe-star-productions-new-theater-company

JAMES CORDEN: THE WOMAN WHO SAVED ME (EXPRESS CO.)

Almost teary and a bit stuttery, Corden could only gush about how he was “overwhelmed” to be mentioned in the same breath as other nominees James Earl Jones, Frank Langella, John Lithgow and “my favourite actor in the world” Philip Seymour Hoffman. “To be on a list with you was enough,” he said, addressing the other actors in the audience.

His performance has been likened to Gwyneth Paltrow’s overwhelmingly gushy, weepy 1999 Oscar acceptance speech but actually Corden’s wasn’t an embarrassing, cringeworthy affair.

It seemed heartfelt, sincere and rather modest and when Corden went on to speak about his fiancée Julia Carey he would have certainly won over the emotion-loving American audience.


“My girlfriend Julia gave birth to our son five days before we started rehearsals,” Corden said as the cameras panned to the attractive blonde sitting in the auditorium. “She’s my baby mama and I can’t wait to marry her. Seriously, I would not be holding this if it wasn’t for her. She made me say ‘us’ instead of ‘I’ and ‘we’ instead of ‘me’ and I love her. Thank you very much.”

The speech was a far cry from the one he gave at the Baftas in 2008 when Corden – then riding high on the success of the BBC comedy series Gavin & Stacey – went on stage and complained that he shouldn’t have won two awards, he should have won three.

That was the old, arrogant Corden and the actor has already credited Julia, who has worked as a TV producer and for the charity Save The Children, for making him a better person. His Tony Award speech has clearly emphasised the point.

It’s also true that after he met Julia in 2010 his life took an upward swing. Before that, it had been a rather turbulent affair of highs and lows. As the son of Salvation Army parents Corden has said he “couldn’t have grown up in a more secure and lovely family” but he was always an attention-seeker and so when he scaled the heights of fame, it was like a dream come true.

READ MORE:  http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/326006/James-Corden-The-woman-who-saved-me

'I can't wait to marry her': James Corden chokes back tears as he thanks fiancé after scooping Best Actor gong at Tony Awards By NADIA MENDOZA and IONA KIRBY PUBLISHED: 23:00 EST, 10 June 2012 | UPDATED: 07:07 EST, 11 June 2012 (MAIL ON LINE)

James Corden led the winners at the Tony Awards tonight as he scooped the gong for Best Leading Actor in a Play.

The 33-year-old beat out a host of other Broadway stars to win the accolade for his efforts in One Man, Two Guvnors.

And the one person James was most excited to thank as he took to the stage was fiancé Julia Carey.
 

Welling up, James said: 'My girlfriend Julia gave birth to our son like, five days before we started rehearsals.

'She's my baby mama, and I can't wait to marry her. Seriously, I would not be holding this if it wasn't for her.'

He tearfully added: 'She makes me say "us" instead of "I" and "we" instead of "me", and I love her. Thank you very much.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2157492/Tony-Awards-2012-James-Corden-chokes-tears-scoops-Best-Actor-gong.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

'Downton Abbey' Dan Stevens, Jessica Chastain for Broadway play Published Tuesday, May 15 2012, 12:15pm EDT | By Justin Harp (DIGITAL SPY)

Jessica Chastain and Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens have joined the cast of Broadway's The Heiress.

The two will share the stage with Good Night and Good Luck star David Strathairn in the New York production, which is based on the Henry James novel Washington Square.


Moises Kaufman has signed on to direct The Heiress. He previously received a 'Best Direction' Tony Award nomination for I Am My Own Wife.

Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey, has notably starred on the London Stage in Private Lives and Arcadia.


READ MORE:  http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a381791/downton-abbey-dan-stevens-jessica-chastain-for-broadway-play.html

Tony-Winning Hit "Carnage" Will Roll Out In Cinemas Across U.S. Jan. 13 (Playbill)

By Adam Hetrick
09 Jan 2012

"Carnage," Roman Polanski's film adaptation of the Tony-winning hit play God of Carnage, starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly, will be released in markets across the U.S. Jan. 13.

Playwright Yasmina Reza (Art, Life (x) 3) collaborated with director Polanski to adapt her hit play for the screen. "Carnage" received a limited New York and Los Angeles release Dec. 16. The film debuted at the Venice Film Festival Sept. 1, and received its U.S. debut as part of the New York Film Festival later that month.

For a list of cinemas showing "Carnage," click here.

"Carnage" centers on two sets of upper-middle class parents who attempt and fail to resolve a playground dispute between their children. A discussion over coffee and clafoutis turns into an animalistic battle of the sexes.

The cast features Reilly as Michael, Foster as his wife Penelope, Winslet as Nancy and Waltz as her husband, Alan. In the stage production, the characters of Penelope and Nancy were originally Veronica and Annette, respectively.

Following an acclaimed London debut, the stage production of God of Carnage opened to raves on Broadway March 22, 2009, where it played to sold-out houses with its original cast. God of Carnage was originally set in Paris when it premiered in London, but changed to Brooklyn when the production made its Broadway transfer.

The original Broadway cast included Marcia Gay Harden, James Gandolfini, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis. The Broadway production was directed by Matthew Warchus, who earned a Tony for his work. The dramatic comedy also took the Tony Award for Best Play. All four original Broadway cast members received Tony nominations, with Harden taking home the honor.

The Broadway production closed June 6, 2010, after 452 regular performances and 24 previews. The original Broadway cast reassembled this past spring for an encore engagement at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.

Here's a look at the trailer for the film:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/158408-Tony-Winning-Hit-Carnage-Will-Roll-Out-In-Cinemas-Across-US-Jan-13