High School Musical 3: Senior Year is actually hitting theatres this time, didn’t you know? Well, to hype it up a little bit Disney has decided to team with uber popular social networking site MySpace (like it even needed an introduction) and provide a little contest.

What exactly is the contest about, you ask? Well, it’s all surrounding school spirit as the one who best shows their inner Wildcat will win the Grand Prize. Grand Prize you say? Yep, the Grand Prize for this Disney x Myspace contest will be an all expense paid senior trip to (where else?) Disney World.

This contest runs through November 3rd so you better get your highschool spirit up and head over to  www.myspace.com/hsm3.

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Check this out because the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards is bringing out a bunch of stars as Michael Phelps, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson, Ciara, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Christopher Mintz-Plasse have been confirmed to present at the awards program airing live from Paramount Pictures. 

In addition, DJ AM and Travis Barker will rock the party by mixing live drum beats to scratched records throughout the show.  The duo will collaborate with Katy Perry, T-Pain, Lupe Fiasco, The Ting Tings and additional special guests to perform new and past hits to celebrate the past 25 years of music. 

Rihanna, Pink, T.I., Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and the Jonas Brothers have already been added to the list of powerhouse performers at this year’s show. 

As previously announced, MTV’s 25th annual Video Music Awards will be hosted by comedian/actor Russell Brand and will air live and only one time in its original incarnation, on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 9PM SHARP (Live ET/Tape Delayed PT). 

Presenters and additional performers for the “2008 Video Music Awards” will be announced at a later date.

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You count them. El Capitan Theatre held a thousand lucky fans on Saturday, August 23 to celebrate High School Musical 3: Senior Year, opening Oct. 24.

The lucky thousand were super surprised when stars from High School Musical 3: Senior Year- Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Olesya Rulin, KayCee Stroh, Chris Warren Jr., Ryne Sanborn, Justin Martin, Matt Prokop and Jemma McKenzie-Brown- showed up to cheer them on as they participated in the Ultimate Fan Pep Rally. To top the evening off, a sneak peek of HSM 3. Those are lucky fans.

Although I wasn’t a luck y fan that night, I did see Vanessa Hudgens, who wasn’t at the El Capitan pep rally, perform the night before perform at the State Fair in Sacramento. She was awesome. The place was packed with screaming fans young and old.

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Watching this trailer with my daughter tells me High School Musical 3 is a fun movie to see.  Touting 10 original songs and the same spunk as the other two High School Musical movies made for cable TV means when it hits the big screen — it’s a box office hit.

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New Line Cinema made a deal with Hairspray creator, John Waters, to draft a treatment for a sequel to the $200 million grossing film. Not to mention the strong sales of the DVD and soundtrack.

The overall plan is to bring back the same crew and hopefully the same actors.

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Vanity Fair does a great piece on Colin Firth whose recent musical film, Mama Mia!, opened to great reviews and box office score for a movie of its caliber.

You can see Firth as an over-the-hill middle weight, creative director or 17-year-old stage door Johnny.

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Singer Fergie is in talks to star in Rob Marshall-directed musical Nine.

She joins a cast that includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cottilard, Penelope Cruz, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench.

The role signifies Grammy-winning singer’s first major role in a big-screen project. She had a small role in Grindhouse.

Fergie role will be Saraghina, a lusty woman who presents Guido (Day-Lewis) to the world of sexuality.

Shooting starts in October in the U.K.

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Valley Girl is set to become a movie musical if MGM has it’s way.  The 1983 popular movie that started a wave of Valley Girl impressions, particularly Whoopi Goldberg, is sure to win as a musical. 

Frank Zappa started the movement with a song “Valley Girl” referring to his daughter Moon. A year later the movie came out and stereotype of the spoiled, slangy blonde illustrated by the movie lived on in everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

The update combines Romeo and Juliet-style narrative of the original into a musical colored by updated classic ’80s tunes.

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Kate Hudson is being reported to have joined the cast of Nine, an upcoming musical adaptation of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical. Hudson is best known for Almost Famous and Fool’s Gold.

Being directed by Rob Marshall, the film has Daniel Day-Lewis play world famous film director Guido Contini as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life played by the following: Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz.

The film is scheduled to begin shooting on October 10.

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Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall are set to star in the music-based drama Crazy Heart.

Based on the debut novel by Thomas Cob, the story revolves on a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic country music singer (Bridges) who turns his life and career back on track through his relationship and experiences with a female reporter (Gyllenhaal).

Filming is schedule to start next month around Santa Fe, N.M.

Bridges, who is onscreen in the box office hit Iron Man, will perform original songs in Crazy Heart.

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I don’t know about you but I loved the movie 9 to 5, starring Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The comedy timing was brilliant.  Yet, the social message it conveyed about the treatment of women in the work place is poignant.

That was in 1980 and most likely the work force is a little bit better but still needs reform. So girls,  is coming to Broadway as a musical in 2009.  Dolly Parton’s music and lyrics has been added along with 20 new songs to the original soundtrack. 

I am very excited for her, and I hope Lilly and Jane attend the premiere in Los Angeles in September.  The musical will move to Broadway for an April 23 opening.

The musical 9 to 5 stars Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty and Marc Kudisch.

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Whoopi Goldberg announced on The View that she is headed back to old Broadway.

Goldberg will appear in the Tony-nominated roller-skating musical “Xanadu” as one of the show’s evil sisters, Caliope.

Nothing new about Broadway for Goldberg, she has been on Broadway with her own one-woman show as well as in revivals of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

She plans a six-week “Xanadu” run on July 29, taking over for actress Jackie Hoffman, who will return to the production on Sept. 9.

The show — an unexpected critical favorite — was loosely adapted from 1980s film starring Olivia Newton-John.  “Xanadu” features Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson and Tony Roberts.

All in all, the original Broadway musical recording of “Xanadu” is nothing short spectacular. I held a giveaway but the winner never came forward, so I just might run the giveaway again for Whoopi Goldberg’s return to Broadway.

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Broadway musical “Passing Strange” will be filmed by director Spike Lee. The seven Tony nominated musical, which won one for book, will be shot in three performances - two with an audience and the third without.

Critics praised the musical while the box office sales were a challenge.  The Tony win has helped the sales a little.  

The plan is to air the Broadway musical on a cable net.

Filming is schedule to start July 9^th.

“Passing Strange,” the semi-autobiographical rock tuner by musician Stew with music co-written with Heidi Rodewald.

The story focuses on young black artist from L.A. who flees his middle-class upbringing and heads to Amsterdam and Berlin in an attempt to find himself. Show originated at Berkeley Rep in 2006 and played Off Broadway’s Public Theater last year.

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Big screen version of the popular Disney Channel telefilm High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens in theaters Oct. 24, but here is a photo from the set. Looks like Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens)  and Troy (Zac Efron) are celebrating the best night of their lives - Senior Prom!

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It’s no surprise to me after “Camp Rock’s” big debut Friday and through the weekend; Disney Channel is moving right along a sequel to the Jonas Brothers cable movie.

If everything movies in their favor into production on a sequel states in late spring or summer 2009, pending a script that’s in development as well as the cast members’ busy schedules.

All of the principal cast — Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas as well as Demi Lovato — are expected to return. The Jonases and Lovato, who are touring together this summer, also are working on their respective Disney Channel series, “J.O.N.A.S.” and “Welcome to Mollywood.”

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The arrival of Hamlet 2 trailers is abundant!  H2 promotional company just sent me five new clips. H2 looks like a fun movie to watch and just have a good time. Anyone who is a thespian relates to the story line about a failed actor-turned-worse-high-school-drama teacher rallies his Tucson, Arizona students while he conceives and stages a politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In the trailers Elizabeth Shue, who stars as Elizabeth Shue, is fantastic. It’s great to see her in a movie.

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For the past few weeks it seems all I heard about from my daughter and her friends was Disney’s latest cable TV movie, Camp Rock. I suspect I will hear more about Camp for a few more weeks while Disney Channel and Disney online repeat broadcasts.  I mustn’t forget about Disney Radio playing the soundtrack as well with taped interviews with the stars.

Recently reported the stars of Camp Rock, the Jonas Brothers, have sealed a deal for their own series on the Disney Channel.

Don’t get me wrong. I like the Jonas Brothers and I am impressed with Disney’s marketing ploy.

Friday night it rocked with Camp Rock as Disney snatched up on the average 8.9 million viewers mostly the ages between 6 and 14.  About the last 30-minutes of the movie hit 10 million viewers.   It is obvious that Disney knows what they are doing to generate viewership.  I am sure the next Jonas Brothers movie is in the works, too.

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Top photo by Paul Morse, Metal of the Arts/Bottom photo “Singin’ in the Rain” with Gene Kelly

Cyd Charisse always impressed me with her dancing, style and charismatic ability to grab your attention.  She had “it.” You could look at her forever - her radiant beauty and natural sex appeal made men want to dance with her and women be like her. Heck, who won’t want to dance with Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire.  She had the career with legs and splendor.

Charisse trademark, long-limbed grace, as the camera panned, drove Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire to dance and the audience to dream.

Her first big part in “Singin’ in the Rain” had no lines just tall, graceful and exotic-looking Charisse and remained in the limelight even after the movie musicals left the silver screen.

Charisse passed away Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 86. It’s obvious she lived a healthy and clean life with her second husband, Tony Martin.

Many heard her tale of taking up dancing to counter the polio she contacted as a young girl.  Of all the places, she was born in Amarillo, Texas. At sixteen she toured Europe as a ballerina.  Eventually she ended up in Los Angeles, then Hollywood and MGM

Although Charisse was first and foremost a dancer, I recognized her more as an actress. I saw her the first time in the movie “Two Weeks in Another Town” where Charisse played Carlotta against Kirk Douglas. Douglas had met his match.   You can see her inner strength.

I recommend picking up Charisse autobiography “Two of Us,” which she wrote with her husband, Tony Martin and read it; or, better yet, watch one of her movies. You’ll see a star, a Hollywood Star.

Rest in peace Cyd Charisse.

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Keira Knightley may take on the role Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady,” which is set for another big-screen remake — makeover.

Keira Knightley is taking a look at starring as the simple Cockney flower girl who is transformed into a lady.

This movie is being called an update, but frankly, movie of this caliber should never be remade.

Like I have said before production companies should call it something else, not the same title, but let us know it’s based on the original movie.

Heck, it’s being called an update, but the film will use the tuner’s score and retain its 1912 setting.

According to Variety, where possible, production intends to shoot the film on location in the original London settings of Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Tottenham Court Road, Wimpole Street and the Ascot racecourse. Contrary to the 1964 Warner Bros. film was filmed entirely on Hollywood soundstages.

The filmmakers plan to adapt Alan Jay Lerner’s book more fully for the screen by drawing additional material from George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion,” which served as the source material for the musical. The goal is to dramatize the emotional highs and lows of Doolittle as she undergoes the ultimate metamorphosis under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins.

The 1912 London life will be authenticated in an exciting way, reported in Variety.

“My Fair Lady,” with book and lyrics by Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, was first staged in 1956 featuring Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. Audrey Hepburn and Harrison starred in the Oscar-winning George Cukor-helmed film.

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New Broadway cast recording of Roger & Hammerstein’s South Pacific is a CD you’ll want in your collection of show tunes because you may never make it to Broadway.  The music is spontaneously fun and uplifting.

The score includes such classics as Some Enchanted Evening, Younger Than Springtime, Bali Ha’i, There is Nothing’ Like a Dame and A Wonderful Guy.

Reportedly, South Pacific is about 20 minutes longer than the original Broadway version of 1949, which I find interesting and haven’t a clue why it is longer.

Please take a look at Amazon’s studio recording session of South Pacific.

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If you are in New York this summer, here is a great article on “11 Shows to See” by Lind Winer on Newsday.com.  One show that stands out for me is Sean Hayes (”Will & Grace”) plays the devil in this 1955 musical about a baseball fan (Cheyenne Jackson) who sells his soul to beat the Yankees, and gets to play around with the Devil’s helper (Jane Krakowski) in the bargain. Another is at the Lincoln Center Festival, three Solos by Samuel Becket, where Liam Neeson does “Eh, Joe,” Barry McGovern stars in “I Will Go On” and Ralph Fiennes follows in “First Love.”

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I am not surprised to hear that Daniel Day-Lewis is in talks to star in “Nine,” the musical Rob Marshall is directing for the Weinstein Co.  Day-Lewis will do this part justice. It’s a complicated role and story, which needs someone of Day-Lewis caliber.

Nothing is in stone yet, but Day-Lewis would play the role of Guido Contini, replacing Javier Bardem, who dropped out of a planned fall start, stating he was exhausted from work and awards season. The role is a famous film director who experiences personal and creative crisis while trying to balance all the women in his life.

Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench will play the women.

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 I am sorry to hear that Javier Bardem has left the “Nine” and will not take on the lead role of Guido Contini in the musical that Rob Marshall is directing.

The musical focuses on Contini, a film director who experiences personal and creative crisis trying to balance all the women in his life.

Though it’s been clearly reported that Bardem loved the script and the idea of working with Marshall, he pulled out because he is exhausted from work and awards season, and will take as long as a year to recharge his batteries. Wow!

The rest of the cast is hanging in there: Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren. Also, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench are in negotiations to join the rest of the cast soon.  

According to Variety, Bardem was ready to make the film late last year, but “Nine” got postponed, along with several other high profile projects, because it needed refinements to the Michael Tolkin script that weren’t possible because of the writer’s strike.

Bardem will next be seen in Woody Allen-directed “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” which debuts  at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Actor Ashton Kutcher has revealed his desire to star in a film version of the hit musical “Guys and Dolls”.  Even though he admits he can’t sing, the 30-year-old actor said he would jump at the chance to star in a movie version of the classic musical.

“I love musicals. I did ‘Pirates of Penzance’ when I was a kid, but never anything very serious. I’m really not a very good singer but if I ever got asked to do one I would definitely do it. It would be a lot of fun. I love ‘Guys and Dolls’, so if I was going to do a musical it would probably be that one.”

“Guys and Dolls” centers on a group of petty criminals and professional gamblers, and first appeared on Broadway in 1950 as a musical.  It was first turned into a Hollywood film in 1955, starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons.

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Celebrate Mothers Day this year by sending your Mom a very special hello from Clay Aiken: Mother’s Day Wish.    RCA Music is proud to announce the release of Clay Aiken’s fourth album, On My Way Here, available on May 6^th!

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