This summer, Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond will make his Broadway debut in the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, replacing comedian Mo Rocca in the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch.... In addition to showcasing numbers from the tuners nominated for best revival and best musical, this year's Tonys will include a special performance by American Idol winner Fantasia, currently starring on Broadway in The Color Purple.... It's a stage smackdown! Producers of a serious adaptation of Frankenstein, described as "a bold new theatrical experience," plan to open their show off-Broadway in October, the same month Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein hits the Great White Way. — Reporting by Raven Snook
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The Color Purple is seeing a lotta green. The Oprah Winfrey-presented musical, which saw its coffers wilt after the holiday rush, has taken in $6 million since it was announced that American Idol champ Fantasia would join the show as Celie, starting April 10. "I was expecting that Fantasia was going to kick things up," producer Scott Sanders tells the New York Daily News. And for their next trick? Clay Aiken channels Danny Glover.
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Previous Idol winner, Fantasia, will perform Thursday on the results show!!! So, we'll at least see one great singer this week! Let's hope the girls can "bring it" tonight! Check back here tomorrow for updates!
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"The winner for outstanding lead actor in a drama series... after this." This might be heard at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be exec-produced by American Idol bosses Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick. But can we text-vote for the major categories? That is the question....In other Idol news, Season 3 champ Fantasia will perform live — and "make a special announcement" — on this Thursday's results show, airing at 8 pm/ET. Lythgoe teased last week that the show would soon unveil "the biggest thing to happen to Idol in five years," but rebuffed speculation that it involves Michael Jackson.
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He played the game with true honesty and integrity, but North Carolinian author Austin Carty found his Survivor: Panama — Exile Island (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET on CBS) tribe mates eager to turn the page after his island stay reached the three week mark. TVGuide.com chatted with Austin — who earned the first seat on this season's jury — the day after his snuffing to find out how he managed to survive Exile Island, his voting strategy for the finale and his reality-star crush.
TVGuide.com: What has been the reaction at home to your elimination?Austin Carty: Everyone's incredibly disappointed. The way things started out, people thought I had a chance to win. I thought so, too.
TVGuide.com: You recently admitted to throwing a challenge by not performing to your true ability, in order
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