All stories by Dave McNary on BroadwayStars

Monday, December 14, 2020

SAG-AFTRA National Board Condemns ‘Misinformation’ on Health Plan by Dave McNary

SAG-AFTRA’s national leadership has waded into the bitter dispute over the looming deep cuts in the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan as the union’s national board vowed to combat “misinformati…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:22PM

SAG-AFTRA Leaders Requiring Members to Comply With COVID-19 Safety Protocols by Dave McNary

SAG-AFTRA’s national board is requiring its 160,000 members to fully comply with COVID-19 safety protocols on set, saying that they will face disciplinary action if they fail to do so. The…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:26PM
Saturday, May 18, 2019

Gabrielle Carteris Seeking Re-Election as SAG-AFTRA President by Dave McNary

SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris will seek re-election as the union’s top national officer and the head of the ticket for the Unite for Strength and United Screen Actors Nationwide f…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:20AM

‘Romeo and Juliet’ Hip-Hop Musical From Solvan ‘Slick’ Naim in the Works at Netflix by Dave McNary

Solvan “Slick” Naim is developing an untitled hip-hop movie musical based on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” for Netflix. The streaming service announced the project on Th…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:13AM
Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Paradigm Hires Ashley Hanley, Promotes Trio to Agent in New York by Dave McNary

Paradigm Talent Agency has hired Ashley Hanley as a talent agent, and promoted three New York-based trainees to agent: Valerie Champeau (talent), Katelyn Dougherty (book publishing) and Rach…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:36PM
Saturday, April 13, 2019

Patton Oswalt, David Simon, Danny Zuker, More WGA Members Post Termination Letters by Dave McNary

High-profile members of the Writers Guild of America, including Patton Oswalt, David Simon, Shawn Ryan, Michael Schur, John August, Amy Berg, Danny Zuker and many more have gone public with …

SOURCE: Variety at 05:25PM
Thursday, April 11, 2019

Film News Roundup: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘In the Heights’ Casts Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera by Dave McNary

In today’s film news roundup, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera and Aaron Eckhart get major roles, Donna Langley is a commencement speaker, and the Brittania Awards are set for Oct. 25. CASTIN…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:58PM
Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Writers, Agents Leaving Hollywood Mired in Uncertainty by Dave McNary

Leaders of Hollywood agents and writers have conducted what’s become a deeply disappointing set of negotiations — fueling the town’s growing uncertainty over the outcome. As of late We…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:57PM
Sunday, March 31, 2019

WGA Members Vote to Tighten Talent Agency Rules by Dave McNary

Members of the Writers Guild of America have voted overwhelmingly to support tightened restrictions on their agents — setting up a potentially chaotic scenario a week from now. The vote wa…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:59PM
Saturday, March 30, 2019

Writers Guild Leaders Double Down on Threat to Sue Talent Agencies by Dave McNary

Leaders of the Writers Guild of America have repeated a threat to sue the major Hollywood talent agencies for alleged conflicts of interest. The leaders issued the threat Saturday during a m…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:43PM
Friday, March 29, 2019

The Who’s Unfinished Rock Opera ‘Lifehouse’ Gets Graphic Novel (EXCLUSIVE) by Dave McNary

Sci-fi fantasy magazine Heavy Metal and Pete Townshend are partnering on the Who’s uncompleted rock opera “Lifehouse” for a graphic novel, with an eye to developing a movie and televis…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:46PM
Thursday, March 28, 2019

Kelsey Grammer, Julia Stiles to Star in Medical Thriller ‘The God Committee’ by Dave McNary

Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles are starring in medical thriller “The God Committee.” Austin Stark is directing from his own script. Colman Domingo, Janeane Garofalo and Dan Hedaya are c…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:04AM

Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth Join Sam Mendes World War I Drama ‘1917’ by Dave McNary

Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, and Richard Madden have joined Sam Mendes’ World War I drama “1917.” DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures announced …

SOURCE: Variety at 10:28AM
Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Writers Guild Posts Scathing Video Attack on Agency Packaging by Dave McNary

The Writers Guild of America, which is threatening to require members to fire their agents, has posted a scathing video attacking how major agencies conduct packaging. Titled “Agency Confl…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:40PM

Agents Accuse Writers Guild of Threatening to Throw ‘Industry Into Chaos’ by Dave McNary

The dealmakers appear to be getting nowhere. Negotiators for Hollywood agents and the Writers Guild of America have achieved little progress at their seventh session on Tuesday, with a chaot…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:14PM
Thursday, March 21, 2019

WGA Authorizing Managers, Lawyers to Make Deals if Agents are Fired by Dave McNary

The Writers Guild of America has authorized managers and lawyers to negotiate deals for writers in place of agents — if the guild tells members to fire their agents on April 7. The guild�…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:17AM
Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Writers Guild Makes Concession on Film Financing in Agent Talks by Dave McNary

The Writers Guild of America has made a concession in film financing in its negotiations with Hollywood talent agents — the second in six weeks of talks. WGA West executive director David …

SOURCE: Variety at 07:27PM
Tuesday, March 19, 2019

‘West Side Story’ Remake Adds Corey Stoll, Brian d’Arcy James as Cops by Dave McNary

Steven Spielberg has cast Corey Stoll and Brian d’Arcy James as police officers in his movie adaptation of “West Side Story.” Stoll will take on the role of Lieutenant Schrank, the New…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:20PM

‘Jekyll and Hyde’ Movie in the Works Based on Broadway Musical by Dave McNary

The Broadway musical “Jekyll and Hyde” is getting the movie treatment from Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris. Dinelaris, who is writing and producing the adaptation, won an Oscar …

SOURCE: Variety at 02:48PM
Monday, March 18, 2019

Writers Guild Blasts Talent Agencies CAA, WME for ‘Soaring’ Profits by Dave McNary

The Writers Guild of America has singled out Hollywood’s largest talent agencies, William Morris Endeavor and Creative Artists Agency, for allegedly soaring profits. The WGA, in an acrimon…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:50PM
Tuesday, March 12, 2019

David Mamet Expresses Sympathy for Felicity Huffman Amid College Bribery Scandal by Dave McNary

Playwright David Mamet has expressed sympathy for his longtime friend Felicity Huffman and her husband, fellow actor William H. Macy, following her indictment in a widespread college admiss…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:25PM
Monday, March 11, 2019

Audiences Bought More Movie Tickets Online in 2018 by Dave McNary

More audiences are opting to buy movie tickets online as opposed to in theaters, a new study shows. Online movie ticket purchases rose 18.7% in 2018 and in-theater buying of tickets slid 5.4…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:08PM
Wednesday, February 27, 2019

AMC Theatres Subscription Service Stubs A-List Hits 700,000 Subscribers by Dave McNary

AMC Theatres’ Stubs A-List program, the subscription service that allows customers to see three movies a week for $19.95 a month, has hit 700,000 subscribers. That figure is well ahead of …

SOURCE: Variety at 04:05PM

‘A Star Is Born’ Re-Release to Feature 12 Minutes of Additional Footage by Dave McNary

Warner Bros. has set a one-week release of “A Star Is Born” with almost 12 minutes of additional footage, including extended musical performances, on 1,150 screens in North America. The …

SOURCE: Variety at 10:30AM
Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Apollo Theater Documentary Selected as Tribeca Festival Opener by Dave McNary

The Tribeca Film Festival will open its 18th edition with the world premiere of the HBO Documentary Film “The Apollo,” directed by Roger Ross Williams. The film will debut at the…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:00PM
Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Elisabeth Moss, Brandi Carlile, John Boehner Added as SXSW Speakers by Dave McNary

The Beastie Boys, Brandi Carlile, Elisabeth Moss, T Bone Burnett and former House Speaker John Boehner have been added as speakers at the SXSW Conference during March 8–17 in Austin, Texas…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00AM
Friday, February 8, 2019

‘Wicked’ Movie Gets 2021 Holiday Season Release Date by Dave McNary

Universal Pictures has set its “Wicked” movie for the Christmas season with a release date of Dec. 22, 2021. Stephen Daldry will direct and Marc Platt will produce. The three-tim…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:17PM

‘A Star Is Born’ Co-Writer Eric Roth Suggested Lady Gaga Study Cher in ‘Moonstruck’ to Play Ally by Dave McNary

Eric Roth, who won an Academy Award a quarter century ago for “Forrest Gump,” went even further back when he was working with Lady Gaga on “A Star Is Born.” Roth, spe…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:51AM
Saturday, February 2, 2019

Bradley Cooper Remembers Auditioning for Spike Lee at Directors Guild Panel by Dave McNary

Bradley Cooper left Spike Lee stunned and delighted at the Directors Guild Theatre on Saturday morning by recalling auditioning for Lee long before Cooper became famous. Lee was discussing h…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:32PM
Monday, January 28, 2019

‘Black Panther’ Returning to AMC Theaters for a Week of Free Showings by Dave McNary

Disney has set a one-week engagement for “Black Panther” to return to theaters to celebrate Black History Month during Feb. 1-7 at 250 participating AMC locations. Tickets are free for e…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:53PM
Monday, January 14, 2019

‘West Side Story’ Remake Casts Newcomer as Maria by Dave McNary

Steven Spielberg has cast 17-year-old high schooler Rachel Zegler as Maria in his remake of “West Side Story.” She will make her film debut opposite Ansel Elgort as Tony. Broadwa…

SOURCE: Variety at 04:48PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards