Two ships passing in the night! Jesse Spencer will return to Chicago Fire for a special episode amid Taylor Kinney’s temporary leave of absence.
21.02.2023 - 23:19 / variety.com
Thania Garcia Chuck Jackson, a vocalist of the doo-wop group Del-Vikings and the singer in Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard’s “Any Day Now,” died on Feb. 16 in Atlanta. He was 85. News of his passing was confirmed in a Facebook post by Ady Croasdell of Ace Records’ Kent Records division, a UK label that had been reissuing his recordings. No cause of death was given. “There are confirmed reports that one of the very greatest soul singers of all time, Chuck Jackson, died on February 16th,” Croasdell wrote. “His 60s and 70s recordings are hugely important works, revered as much now as on release…His passing will be deeply felt around the world.”
She listed several of those recordings including “I Keep Forgettin’,” “Hand It Over,” “What’s With This Loneliness,” and “Any Day Now,” which brought him his first taste of widespread notoriety. The track became his signature tune, with names like Elvis Presley and James Brown releasing covers of the track. “Any Day Now” also earned Jackson a deal with Motown Records in 1960.
Jackson went on to record a number of Bacharach’s songs over the decades. The acclaimed songwriter, composer, producer and arranger died of natural causes just a few weeks ago at age 94. Jackson was born in South Carolina in 1937 and grew up in Pittsburgh where he started his musical career singing in church. He joined the Del-Vikings in 1957, though the group disbanded after three years together. Jackson was later discovered by Luther Dixon while opening for Jackie Wilson at the Apollo Theater in New York City which led to him singing with Scepter Records imprint Wand Records, where Jackson co-wrote the ’60s single, “I Don’t Want to Cry,” with Dixon. Dionne Warwick, who was a collaborator of Jackson’s and
Two ships passing in the night! Jesse Spencer will return to Chicago Fire for a special episode amid Taylor Kinney’s temporary leave of absence.
Jesse Spencer will make a special comeback in the role of Matt Casey in an upcoming Chicago Fire episode.
An original star of Chicago Fire is returning to the show later this season!
Emily Longeretta Casey is back in Chicago, once again. Jesse Spencer, who left NBC’s “Chicago Fire” in 2021 after 200 episodes, will return for the 18th episode of Season 11, Variety confirms. Details about his storyline are still under wraps. Spencer portrayed Matt Casey on the Dick Wolf drama for the first nine seasons. He left during the the fifth episode of Season 10, as the character moved to Oregon with a three-year commitment to a new job. At the time, he shared that he was walking away from the show since he’d been doing television for 18 years and wanted to take a step back and spend more time with his family. (He previously starred in the Australian soap “Neighbours” and portrayed Dr. Robert Chase on Fox’s “House.”)
“Wicked” is very “popular.”Now, the fifth longest-running Broadway show behind “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Chicago,” “The Lion King” and about to surpass “Cats” for fourth place, the “Wizard of Oz”-based musical has remained a fixture on the Great White Way since it opened way back in October 2003.Amazingly, in its 20th year at the Gershwin Theatre, the tourist destination is still going strong.And even though it’s a well-oiled machine, there are still a few new pieces to this well-established theatrical juggernaut.Starting March 7, Alyssa Fox assumed the lead role of Elphaba, Tony nominee John Dossett settled in as the Wizard, Kimber Elayne Sprawl took over as Nessarose and William Youmans became the new Doctor Dillamond.So, if you want to see the brand new Wicked Witch’s origin story live in person with a fresh ensemble, here’s everything you need to know.Like most Broadway shows, “Wicked,” has a standard eight show a week schedule running from Tuesday through Sunday.Matinees take place Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m.; Sunday matinees begin at 3 p.m.To find the show that makes the most sense for your calendar, we recommend reviewing the beloved, Tony Award-winning musical’s schedule here.The show runs 2 hours and 45 minutes. It should be noted that there is a 15-minute intermission.Rather than make you wait until you have a playbill in hand, we did the homework for you and found out a bit about each of “Wicked’s” five most notable cast members.Alyssa Fox (Elphaba): Originally from Dallas, TX, Fox has been working her way up to the Elphaba role for 13 (!) years.
Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders are very much an item!
Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic What the world needs now is Burt, sweet Burt, and there’s a bereft feeling to be had in knowing we won’t be getting any more of the haunting, mind-twisting melodies that characterized the composer’s work over a period of more than six decades of sumptuous pop. But Burt Bacharach left a gift behind — something he actually held the finished product of in his hands, before he died Feb. 8 at age 94: “The Songs of Bacharach & Costello,” a deluxe boxed set of the material he worked on with Elvis Costello from the mid-’90s on up till nearly the present day. As anthologized by Costello with Steve Berkowitz (who also helps assemble Bob Dylan’s “Bootleg Series” sets), the new collection is a worthy testament to a true maestro who was doing some of the best work of his life in his final decades.
Brian Tyree Henry celebrated his first Oscar nomination by hugging a stranger. “This poor guy, this poor white man,” Henry recalls with a laugh. The actor, who is currently shooting the Apple TV+ series “Sinking Spring” in Philadelphia, had spent the morning in his building’s gym with his phone on “do not disturb.” As he stepped into the elevator following his workout, he turned his phone on. “It started pinging and banging with notifications. There was 130-something text messages. I opened the first one and just saw: ‘Congratulations.’ And I screamed.” At this point, they were trapped. “The doors of the elevator were closing. He can’t go anywhere now,” Henry says, then reveals the following exchange:
Thania Garcia Lyricist and composer Paul Williams will be honored by the 13th annual Guild of Music Supervisors awards with the 2023 Icon award at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on March 5. The awards show will also be posthumously honoring former Sony Pictures Entertainment senior VP and music supervisor, Pilar McCurry. Williams’ standards have been recorded by such decorated artists as Ray Charles, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, the Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross and Willie Nelson, among others. He’s previously been recognized with six Oscars, nine Grammys, six Golden Globes, and two Emmy nominations.
Things are heating up between Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes!
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini‘s relationship is heating up!
Broadway in Hollywood has tuned up the slate of musicals for its 2023-24 season. Headed to the Pantages Theatre stage starting late this year are the touring productions of MJ The Musical, The Wiz, Chicago The Musical, Girl from the North Country, Mrs. Doubtfire, Peter Pan and Company.
Katie Reul editor “Company,” “MJ” and “The Wiz” are among seven shows coming to the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles for the 2023-2024 season, Broadway in Hollywood revealed Wednesday morning. The newly announced lineup consists of five L.A. premieres, one pre-Broadway L.A. premiere and the revival of a retired production. “MJ” will commence the season Dec. 20, marking the Tony Award-winning musical’s Los Angeles debut. Directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the show centers its narrative around the creative legacy and unique sound of Michael Jackson.
Chuck Jackson, an R&B singer who took “Any Day Now” to the Top 25 in 1962 and had some two dozen singles hit the Hot 100 during the decade, has died. He was 85.
Elvis Costello has shared what the late Burt Bacharach was like to work with in the studio.The pair met in 1989 while working at the same recording studio, and continued working together for almost three decades.Costello was discussing working on their 1998 joint album ‘Painted From Memory’ in an interview with The Times and said that Bacharach was “very considerate, but he won’t let anything get in the way of the music, and all the geniality and elegance on the surface of the songs hides the power at the heart of them”.He continued: “Once he gets the shape of a melody he won’t negotiate. ‘Could I get a triplet, so I can use it against this three-syllable word?’ – ‘No, you can’t.’ After a while, the sheer rigour of his approach makes you fall into line.”Such “chance encounters” like he and Bacharach had, Costello said, don’t happen today because most artists work and collaborate remotely.
A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.
Pogue night out! The Outer Banks cast made a statement as they celebrated their season 3 premiere at the red carpet event.
What really makes a family? HBO’s new comedy series “Rain Dogs” explores a dynamic that doesn’t fit into standard conventions. This project — made in conjunction with BBC One — focuses on a family built around a single mother, her young daughter, and a gay friend.
Jason Alexander will make his Broadway directing debut this summer with Sandy Rustin’s comedy The Cottage. Starring will be Eric McCormack, Laura Bell Bundy and Lilli Cooper.
Love Island viewers think they have figured out an explosive twist on the hit ITV2 show amid the explosive Casa Amor bombshells. Only recently, the boys remained in the Main Villa where they were joined by new girls - Sammy, Layla, Cynthia, Lydia, Sanam and Lynda.