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Now that his children are grown, you can expect to see a lot more of Denzel Washington on Broadway.
The Tony- and Oscar-winning actor, who is set to portray Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s classic play “A Raisin in the Sun,” is lately finding more time for theater work.
“Up until nine years ago, I hadn’t been here in 15 years, from 1990 until 2005. Basically, that was because of raising my kids, my wife and I,” Washington said Tuesday.
He added: “It’s impossible to commute from California to New York, or New York to California doing an eight-show week schedule. So once they got old enough, I could start coming back.”
Washington last appeared on Broadway in the 2010 revival of August Wilson’s “Fences,” where he picked up a best actor Tony.
Before coming back to Broadway in 2005 to play Brutus in “Julius Caesar,” Washington hadn’t appeared on a Broadway stage since 1988.
“I’ve been back three times in nine years. And I’ll be back again, hopefully,” Washington said.
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Better Midler will perform at the Academy Awards for the first time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Midler's booking Wednesday. The show's producers declined to say what number Midler will perform.
Previously announced musical performers include Pharrell Williams and Idina Menzel. Williams will be singing his Oscar-nominated tune "Happy" from "Despicable Me." Menzel will sing her hit number "Let it Go" from Disney's "Frozen." The Oscars will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. ABC will broadcast the show live March 2 in Los Angeles.
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Lincoln Center will honor Rob Reiner with its 41st annual Chaplin Award. The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced Tuesday that the director and actor will receive the award at a gala April 28. Film Society Board Chairman Ann Tenenbaum called the 66-year-old Reiner a "master multi-hyphenate" who has made "some the most enduring and entertaining films in recent history."
Son of the comedy legend Carl Reiner, the Bronx-born Reiner has directed films including "When Harry Met Sally …," "This Is Spinal Tap," "The Princess Bride" and "Stand By Me." His acting work has ranged from "All in the Family" to, most recently, "The Wolf of Wall Street." Previous Chaplin Award honorees include Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock and Tom Hanks. Last year, it was given to Barbra Streisand.
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Rock performer David Crosby has undergone heart surgery and is postponing his sold-out California shows.
Publicist Michael Jensen tells City News Service that the 72-year-old had a cardiac catheterization last week to fix a blocked coronary artery. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but concerts planned for February in San Francisco and West Hollywood will be moved to April.
Crosby says he’ll be ready to perform with the group Crosby, Stills and Nash on a tour that kicks off in Richmond, Va., on March 4. Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994. In a statement, the performer says he is “once again a very lucky man.”
Associated Press
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