'Slowgirl' opens LCT3 space

Lincoln Center Theater will inaugurate its newly constructed stage with the play "Slowgirl," a world preem by Greg Pierce. Anne Kauffman helms the show in the soon-to-be-completed Claire Tow Theater, which will be the third stage in an LCT complex that already includes a Broadway house, the Vivian Beaumont and an Off Broadway space, the Mitzi E. Newhouse. Latest addition to the LCT campus has been under construction for the past few years. The 131-seat stage will house the programming of LCT3, the initiative launched in 2008 as a showcase for up-and-coming legit creatives. Prior LCT3 outings have all played in venues outside Lincoln Center. "Slowgirl" centers on a young woman who visits her loner uncle in Costa Rica in the wake of an accident. Playwright Pierce attracted notice in Edinburgh last year with his adaptation of "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" and is at work with John Kander ("Cabaret," "Chicago") on a new tuner, "The Landing," which will get a developmental production this spring at Off Broadway's Vineyard Theater. Kauffman ("Maple and Vine") previously helmed the well-received bow of David Adjmi's "Stunning" at LCT3. The Tow Theater, named after the wife of LCT board member Leonard Tow, is part of a $41 million rooftop complex that also will include rehearsal and office spaces. A prior LCT3 play, "4,000 Miles," has been upgraded to the larger Mitzi Newhouse for a return run that begins in March. "Slowgirl," meanwhile, begins previews June 4 ahead of a June 18 opening. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Simon Cowell Calls 2011 An Enormous Wake-Up Call

First Released: The month of january 20, 2012 4:03 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption Simon Cowell Dishes On Gossips Howard Stern Joining Americas Got TalentLONDON, United kingdom -- Simon Cowell is showing his humble side, acknowledging to some British tabloid he was cocky and smug in predicting his shows, such as the X Factor, might have huge rankings this year. All of us got a little smug this past year, I certainly got a little too cocky. I ended 2010 on the real high, he told the UKs The Sun's Rays newspaper. The truth television judge and producer stated the success this year from the United kingdom version from the X Factor brought him to getting greater wants his other projects including, initially predicting the inaugural season from the show stateside would score 20 million audiences. Used to do get too arrogant, everybody does. Whenever you possess a good year like Used to do this year you receive a little cocky. You believe you're great, then you definitely get a little of the smack, he stated. We went into 2011 thinking, Its all likely to be easy not to mention it wasnt. It had been an enormous wake-up call, he added. Youre at the disposal of the general public and it is very unpredictable. The X Factors moderate rankings stateside, which introduced among 8-12.5 million audiences a chapter, was one thing that introduced Simon to earth. This past year was the entire year my ego was place in check, yes. It wasnt a dreadful year, but 2010 was spectacular, he stated. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ESPN will get within the ring

One of the wise Televisions, digital camera models and intelligent home appliances crowded into Central Hall from the Vegas Convention Center at CES, one booth does not appear to suit in. Rather than OLED flatscreens, it features a boxing ring. For pills and mobile phones, substitute grandstands.ESPN 3D's booth is exactly what you'd expect in the all-sports network -- the most popular book about the subject is, in the end, known as "Individuals Men Have the enjoyment.Inch But ESPN's presence at CES is unusual for any network without any hardware to market.InchI was here having a store from Dallas, Texas, who stated 'I do during my store,'" Bryan Burns, Vice president of proper business planning ESPN, told Variety while sitting sitting near the booth's putting eco-friendly. "I do not think people connect us with getting associations with merchants, but we all do. As we don't perform a good job showing the general public what we should have, the general public does not purchase it. So coming here to CES isn't just a means for all of us to speak to producers but a way for us to speak to merchants from the greatest order and also the littlest order too.InchESPN isn't any stranger to CES. Disney's sports broadcasting empire put the change to launch ESPN 2 HD at CES, coupled with a booth for ESPN HD when HD was new and needed promotion.On Monday evening, ESPN three dimensional put its BCS Championship Game telecast onto a theater screen within the former Vegas Hilton. Today at 2 p.m. it'll broadcast "Sports Nation" in three dimensional from the CES booth, having a magician available to chop among the hosts into three pieces (since it's own comic lick on three dimensional). You will see a completely approved boxing match for the reason that ring Thursday at 1:30 p.m., area of the "Friday Evening Fights" series, regardless of the Thursday date."Last summer time, i was (asking) what we should could here caused by 'go large,'" Burns stated, "and someone stated 'It's Las vegas. Boxing!' and that we all began laughing." However ESPN executives recognized maybe they might accomplish it. The important thing: The three dimensional production truck is going to be gone to live in hard Rock for that regular "Friday Evening Fights" telecast.Disney and ESPN have mostly been alone one of the major network congloms in offering a three dimensional cable network.Burns praised the announcement of NBC's three dimensional coverage from the Summer time Olympic games and stated, "I believe (other systems) follows. It's small different atmosphere of computer was 10 years ago (when HD was introduced) so far as bandwidth towards the home from your distributor partners. We are comfortable at the forefront. We do not mind heading out there when there isn't an entirely solid and secure strategic business plan, and making marketplaces. We are proficient at that."Within the wake of latest bulletins that France's Canal Plus is stopping its three dimensional funnel which Sensio yet others are starting three dimensional streaming services, Burns recommended an ESPN three dimensional streaming service might be within the works."I believe we'll try first to see our normal distribution partners," he stated."We are going to check out mobile products, streaming towards the home, but we are first searching to bop using the girl that introduced us towards the dance, and that is Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner and firms of this ilk. We'll shop there first and find out the way we do, but we are already considering what is the next phase for all of us past an ordinary, typical, distribution by television funnel."For the time being, ESPN is searching for specific gains because of its cable funnel: acquiring sponsorships from three dimensional TV makers, inspiring merchants to perform a better job featuring three dimensional televisions and content, and prodding customers to demand ESPN three dimensional from TV companies. Using one of pros at CES, there is no little bit of buzz that three dimensional sports, especially football, is really a killer application for three dimensional."You need to view it. We must get a chance to check this out to the general public,Inch Burns stated, "because once they view it, they are doing believe." Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

'Wicked' tops 2011 sales

'Wicked' assigned the Rialto for your record eighth consecutive year. Broadway rang in more than a billion for your 2011 twelve several weeks, with "Wicked" once again proclaiming the title in the year's top grosser despite an episode of competish from "The Lion King."Despite the fact that 2010 chart was centered by extended-running accomplishments, two large-producing beginners -- "Spider-Guy: Turn Off the Dark" and "It of Mormon" -- show chance of longer runs.Broadway bookkeepers frequently become more alert to seasons -- the Tony-qualifications window which has a inclination to start and finished in the finish of April or early May -- rather than calendar years. But year-finish amounts could help bring the this past year into focus and clarify trends to monitor.The $1.08 billion total reps the cume within the 52-week period ending 12 ,. 25. (Next season will probably be one of the calendar's periodic 53-week seshes.) The 2011 tally expires by some $44 million inside the prior frame -- not surprising, given rising ticket prices and growing prominence of premium-ticket sales. Attendance, however, just shown an uptick -- by about 25,000 theatergoers to 12.13 million.A year ago saw longtime top dog "Wicked" unseated multiple occasions in the habitual perch by both "Lion King" and "Spider-Guy." Still, "Wicked" finished first frequently enough to help keep its status since the finest-grossing Broadway show for your eighth year back to back, really the only production ever to get this done. "The Phantom in the Opera" is a high annual grosser for eight years, but people years weren't consecutive.Due to its part, "Lion King" can tout its abnormally strong B.O. performance heading into its 15th year on Broadway. The show's holiday-week tally of $2.4 million was its best ever round the Rialto the identical frame saw the tuner break house records in Las vegas and on the road too.It absolutely was "Spider-Guy" that provided the finest shakeup around-finish charts, overcoming much-marketed tech troubles and nasty reviews to gross $69 million for your year. There's no make sure the show is constantly on the keep that momentum for the next year, but due to the $2.9 million tally drenched with the musical for your week ending Jan. 1, it's apparent producers know how take full advantage of high-demand periods.Furthermore, you will find "Book of Mormon," getting a $51 million total that placed it directly behind the $52.3 million moored out by "Jersey Boys." The Broadway edition of "Mormon" likely won't approach the pile of money acquired by "Wicked" or "Lion King" because of its venue's substantially smaller sized seating capacity, but the potency of people figures suggest the Tony champion may be adding towards the Broadway pot for just about any considerable while.Last season's "How you can achieve Business Without Really Trying," fueled by topliner Daniel Radcliffe, also became a member of the most effective 10 at $42.9 million. Radcliffe left the show Jan. 1, but producers are wanting to keep sales strong, with stints by youthful-skewing artists Darren Criss ("Glee") and tween heartthrob Nick Jonas in the Jonas Brothers and sisters band.Clearly, early strength doesn't necessarily guarantee sturdiness. Take last year's new addendums to this year's Top: "Promises, Promises" closed this past year when its stars handled to maneuver on, while "The Addams Family" reported a $37 million year and basically closed Jan. 1 without recuperating. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

The CW Orders Mystery Drama Pilot Cult

The CW Logo The CW has handed its first pilot order of the season to Cult, an hour-long project about a TV show that inspires copycat crimes. The drama centers on a young female production assistant who grows suspicious after a rash of disappearances and possible murder seem tied to the show she works on, called Cult. She teams up with a journalist blogger to begin looking into the show's rabid fans, who may be behind the actual crimes. Rockne O'Bannon (Defiance) is behind the show, which has been developed several times over the years at the networks - including ABC last year, the CW in 2009 and at the WB in 2006. The WB had even ordered the project up as a pilot starring Matt Bomer, but it was scrapped when The WB itself folded that year. Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage and Len Goldstein will also executive produce with O'Bannon. Schwartz, Savage and Goldstein already produce The CW's Gossip Girl and Hart of Dixie through their Fake Empire production company. Warner Bros. TV is the studio. Cult is the second pilot pick up of the day; ABC has given an order to an untitled drama from Roland Emmerich centering on the 2012 presidential race. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

James Franco Novel: 'Actors Anonymous' Provided to Amazon . com . com

James Franco will rapidly add novelist to all of the credits that already includes celebrity, Oscar host and NYU student who'll get his teachers fired for delivering bad grades. In line with the NY Observer, the 'Rise in the Planet in the Apes' actor just offered his first novel to Amazon's fiction editor, Erection dysfunction Park. It's called 'Actors Anonymous,' and will also apparently be described as a fictionalized version of his encounters becoming an actor. (Fingers joined for just about any behind-the-moments have a look at 'General Hospital'!) This really is Franco's second book, the initial being an amount of short tales referred to as 'Palo Alto.' [via NYO] [Photo: FilmMagic] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

David Beckham Staying In LA

First Published: January 3, 2012 4:34 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption David Beckham waves to the fans after the Galaxy defeated the Portland Timbers 3-0 in their MLS match at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on April 23, 2011David Beckham is set to stay with the Los Angeles Galaxy after turning down a chance to join Paris Saint-Germain, the French club said Tuesday. After weeks of negotiations with PSG, the 36-year-old midfielder and former England captain decided he doesnt want to move his family from the United States. David Beckham is not coming, PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said at the Qatar Open tennis tournament. We feel a little disappointed. But both sides agreed it would be better that we not do the deal maybe in the future. Beckhams five-year contract with the Galaxy ended after he won his first MLS Cup in November. He was wooed by several clubs across Europe. David Beckham is (with) Los Angeles, al-Khelaifi said. And hes going to stay there. Beckham will try to finalize a new, rolling one-year contract this week with the Galaxy, which was paying him an annual base salary of $6.5 million. French media had reported Beckham would have been paid almost double that at PSG, whose Qatari owners have spent more than $100 million on players during six months in charge. Beckham and wife Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls, moved to California in 2007 after he left Real Madrid. The celebrity couple now have four children and decided during a Christmas break in England that they did not want to move back to Europe permanently. Im very proud of the time that Ive spent with the Galaxy and it might continue, Beckham stressed recently. The Galaxys recent success and the signing of Ireland captain Robbie Keane have shown Beckham that the LA club can meet his ambitions for the final years of his career, which began at Manchester United. Beckham also has expressed hope of playing for Britains soccer team at the London Olympics. The new MLS season starts in March. Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.