Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

Co-Artistic Director Simon Jones Leaving TACT

On Friday, TACT/The Actors Company Theatre announced that Simon Jones, co-artistic director since 1999, is stepping down from his position. He will remain an involved company member. Associate producer and company member Jenn Thompson has been named Co-Artistic Director. Founding Co-Artistic Directors Scott Alan Evans and Cynthia Harris said in a written statement: “We have been blessed to collaborate with Simon as an artistic trio for the past twelve years...We feel equally blessed to welcome Jenn in this new position, having worked with her as a Company Member since 2002 and as TACT’s Associate Producer since 2007."

Pictured: Simon Jones (Photo: Getty Images)

June 30-July 13, 2011 Back Stage Readers' Choice Double Issue Now on Newsstands

U.S. Collaborates with U.K. for Festival

Comic book geeks and video game nerds aren't the only ones with their own festival. American studios are backing an event in the U.K. that will follow the Comic Con structure, except with all things cinema.

The three-day-long affair will be a blend of premieres, meet-and-greets and exclusive screenings at the 02 Arena in London, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

It will be jump started by the August 12 debut of Jon Favreau’s “Cowboys and Aliens,” starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. The festival ends with another British premiere of “Fright Night” starring Colin Farrell and David Tennant.

At Jennifer Aniston's 'Inside the Actors Studio' Episode Taping

I was in the audience last Thursday, June 23, when Jennifer Aniston came to The Actors Studio at Pace University for a taping of Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton. As you'd expect, the popular movie star talked about her childhood and discussed her film and TV work, for an episode that is scheduled to air next month on Bravo.

As she discussed her early years, Aniston revealed some personal stories that stunned the audience. She pointed out that she was a terrible student -- not in drama, but in all of her other courses. Aniston also talked about how her parents were very funny people, and she said that she got a lot of her talent from her parents. Aniston was very comical as she stared at Lipton when he asked his questions, and made side comments to herself when answering them. And of course, the actress played to her audience, making us and Lipton laugh every time she held an awkard pause or reacted in ways that reminded everyone of her Friends character, Rachel. As many gossip sites have already reported, Aniston also brought her new boyfriend Justin Theroux to the theater, and throughout the interview she kept looking back at him and making flirty gestures.

But Aniston actually seemed very comfortable in the seat on stage (possibly because she performed in front of a live audience on the set of Friends, before her work on film sets?). Aniston said that she loved performing in front of a live audience, because she felt it was like theater and gave her a similar rush of energy.

New 'Magdalene' Musical Accused of Anti-Semitism

 When religion mixes with performance art, there’s bound to be controversy. The new off-Broadway musical “The Magdalene” is no exception.

On Wednesday, the show’s producers met with representatives of the New York office of the Anti-Defamation League in response to an e-mail saying the show contains anti-Semitic elements, The New York Times reported.

Coming Soon: Unlimited Access for Movie-Goers

If pirated films and competitive streaming services weren’t enough to worry the movie theater industry, this might do the trick. MoviePass discreetly launched a subscription service in San Francisco that allows consumers to pay a flat rate of $50 a month for unlimited admission to 20 Bay Area theaters.

The New York-based company said they plan to expand this service into more cities by August, and across the nation by the fall, reported TheWrap. However, the company made its bargains with online ticketing services rather than the theaters themselves.

City Opera Musicians Sound Off in the Street

The sound of protest could be heard on the sidewalk outside Lincoln Center- but not the way you would expect. The New York Times reported that members of the City Opera’s orchestra performed on the street in a fight to keep the opera in its Lincoln Center home. 

Protesters held signs opposing the opera’s move, while the familiar melodies of tunes from “Carmen,” “Aida,” and “La Boheme” rang out in the background. Earlier this week, orchestra members leafleted a concert at the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center, and are also using Facebook, Twitter, and their own Web site to rally their cause.

New Study Shows Cable TV Prevails Over the Internet

If you think Netflix and Hulu are taking the spotlight away from cable television, you may be wrong.

According to a study released by J.D Power and Associates, only three percent of TV customers have cancelled their cable-TV or satellite-TV service to substitute it with the Internet, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Transformers” to Blast Box Office; History, MTV on Top

•“Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Michael Bay’s third installment of the action franchise, is expected to rake in the best opening gross of the year so far. According to the Hollywood Reporter, predictions say the film will gross at least $38 million on its Wednesday debut.

•Cable channels USA and TNT scored the highest second quarter ratings, but two other networks showed dominance this spring season. History delivered its highest ratings to date, thanks to shows such as “Pawn Stars.” MTV showed significant gains, with this marking their sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement. Variety has the story.

•Emmy-winning actress Judy Gold will be launching a brand new show called “The Judy Show: My Life as a Sitcom,” reported Playbill. The actress, best known for the Off-Broadway production “25 Questions for a Jewish Mother,” will star in the new show that will be produced by Daryl Roth and Eva Price, and opens officially at the DR2 Theatre on July 7.

•Randy Falco, former AOL and NBC television executive, has been promoted to CEO of Univision Communications, reported the Los Angeles Times. Falco said he was “thrilled” to be taking the chief executive job, and will also join the company’s board of directors.

Pictured: Shia LaBeouf (Photo: Getty Images)

Broadway Fills Theaters for New Season

Broadway has been busy filling its theaters for the new season.

Nina Arianda, of “Born Yesterday” which recently ended its Broadway run, will be returning to the role of Vanda in David Ives’s play “Venus in Fur.” Arianda portrayed the actress who is willing to do whatever it takes to land a role in this play-within-a-play during the Off-Broadway production, and Off-Broadway director, Walter Bobbie, will return to direct. According to The New York Times, preview productions are scheduled to begin at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater on October 13 with an opening in November.