Media Morsels 6.29.12

The Newsroom
So you tuned in and loved The Newsroom, right? Me too! As part of their coverage, Broadway.com will, each week, round up their favorite quotes from each episode. Here's what they liked from the premiere. (I personally liked it when Will McAvoy sardonically referred to America as so "star-spangled awesome," and I loved Johnny Gallagher's face when his Jim Harper had to reveal one of his sources to be his big sister!) Tune in Sunday at 10 for the next episode:


More:
  • Johnny Gallagher talks to Broadway.com about working on The Newsroom and keeping up with his Spring Awakening costars. 
  • Did you see "The Buzz" from the LA and NY premieres? Catch them on You Tube: LA; NY.
  • Johnny Gallagher might sing on The Newsroom! Upon finding out that both Gallagher and Jeff Daniels are singer/songwriters, Aaron Sorkin said, "Oh, there's going to be an episode when you [John] and Jeff are jamming." Amazing!
  • Aaron Sorkin answered fan questions during an HBO Connect live Q&A this week. Read through the archive to find out how Jeff Daniels was cast, when Sorkin's new Stephen Schwartz musical is hitting the stage, how Jesse Eisenberg made his way into The Newsroom and Sorkin's advice for aspiring writers.

Downton Abbey
We got a sneak peek at Shirley MacLaine on Downton Abbey! When MacLaine received the AFI's life-achievement award, a brief clip of her work on Downton Abbey was shared (click here if the embedded video doesn't work):


And for even more Downton fun, check out the Martin-inspired opening credits:



Casting Update
  • Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) will join the cast of Smash for the TV show's second season, as will NY theatre vet Andy Mientus.
  • The talented and handsome Patrick Wilson will guest star on Girls during its second season, which is currently filming in and around New York City.
  • The Good Wife is welcoming several new cast members: Kristin Chenoweth has landed a recurring role, and will make her first appearance in the season premiere this September. (Playbill) Maura Tierney and Marc Warren will also appear in recurring roles. The Wrap has details. And Nathan Lane will show up in multiple episodes. (Playbill)
  • The entire original cast of Community will return for the shows fourth season! You know what this means, right? More "Troy and Abed in the Morning!" Deadline has details.
  • Alec Baldwin is set to return to Broadway in Lyle Kessler's Orphans. The play will debut in spring 2013. Playbill has details.
  • The Roundabout Company's The Mystery of Edwin Drood is going to have a fantastic cast. On board for the production are Chita Rivera (!!!), Stephanie J. Block, Jim Norton, Will Chase and On a Clear Day's Jessie Mueller. The musical begins previews at Studio 54 on October 19 and officially opens on November 29. Playbill has details.
  • Dreamboat and phenomenal talent Aaron Tveit (Catch Me if You Can, Next to Normal) has been cast in a reading of the musical stage adaptation of the animated movie Anastasia. He joins previously announced Angela Lansbury and Aaron Lazar (both were in A Little Night Music). Broadwayworld.com has details. Tveit can rejoice even more because his new series, Graceland, has been picked up by USA. The series was created by White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. Entertainment Weekly has details.
Wilfred
Wilfred is back, dear readers! On the eve of the second season premiere, Buzz Focus caught up with the show's star, Elijah Wood, to talk about Wilfred, getting into Frodo mode again and other upcoming projects. Wilfred airs on FX on Thursday nights at 10pm.

Below, watch Wood talk to Craig Ferguson about his favorite kissing technique!


Openings and Closings (and an Extension)
Things are changing on the Rialto. Here's a rundown:
  • The extension: Annie Baker's Uncle Vanya, which is phenomenal, has extended again. The incredible production, directed by Sam Gold and starring Reed Birney, Merritt Wever and Michael Shannon, will now play through August 26. Playbill has details.
  • The Tony-award winning musical Memphis will close this summer. The show will play its final performance on August 5. When it closes, it will have played 1,166 regular performances. Playbill has more details.
  • Anything Goes will close earlier than originally announced. The delovely musical will now play its final performance on July 8.
  • The (awful) revival of Jesus Christ Superstar will close on July 1. Playbill has details.
  • Memphis may be closing, but that Motown sound won't be off the boards very long. Motown, a musical based on the life of Motown producing legend Berry Gordy, will arrive on Broadway in spring 2013. Dates and locations are still to be determined, but Playbill has details about the creative team.
The Leftovers
Tom Perrotta, one of my favorite novelists (he wrote Little Children and Election, upon which the eponymous movies were based, as well as my favorite, The Wishbones), will adapt his latest novel, The Leftovers, into an HBO series, in collaboration with Lost's Damon Lindelof. The Leftovers concerns the townspeople leftover after a Rapture-like event, the Sudden Departure. As I was reading the novel, I thought, "This would make a really interesting series." I guess great minds think alike! Deadline has details.

SCOTUS Update
The biggest news this week: President Obama's Affordable Care Act was mostly upheld by the Supreme Court! The New York Times has complete coverage of this far reaching decision. My favorite part of the article is hearing opponents' main argument against the individual mandate: they say if the government can force citizens to buy healthcare, "it could compel them to buy almost anything, with broccoli becoming the central example in court argument." First, no. Second, would that be such a bad thing? Broccoli is rich in vitamins and nutrients, it's affordable and it tastes good. And third, the government pretty much already forces people to buy corn, what with all the farm subsidies. Switching to broccoli would be a step up, as all the corn is doing is making us a more obese nation. Opponents, come up with a better argument. In the mean time, good job, SCOTUS! (Meanwhile, Rolling Stone says, "Supreme Court Okays Obamacare! Now What?")

Dig This
  • The national tour of Catch Me if You Can will play a two week run in Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre, April 2-13, 2013. Playbill has details.
  • Fela! is going to be back on Broadway this summer, playing a limited return engagement at the Hirschfeld from July 9-August 4. Tickets are now on sale. Broadway.com has details. 
  • Pimp out your webpage with all sorts of Django Unchained goodies, using this official webmaster toolkit.
  • According to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, the band's upcoming triple album, Uno! Dos! Tre!, is finished.
  • William Ivey Long, the Tony-award winning costume designer, will succeed Ted Chapin as Chair of the American Theatre Wing. Playbill has details.
  • Judd Apatow (Freaks and Geeks, The 40 Year Old Virgin) and his daughter, Maude, love Peter and the Starcatcher. Broadway.com has photos.
  • Oscar update: the AMPAS announced new rules about several categories. The Hollywood Reporter has details.
  • Happy weekend: It's Lindsay Mendez (Godspell and the currently-in-previews Dogfight) on Show People:

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