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The Broadway-bound revival of the musical 1776, which begins a pre-New York engagement at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Ma, next month, has announced a cast comprised fully of performers who identify as female, non-binary and trans.

The cast announced Friday was specifically for the A.R.T. production and might not necessarily carry over to the staging at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theatre on Broadway in September (or a U.S. tour set to launch in February 2023), but the news provides a clear indication of the production’s reimagined, groundbreaking approach.

First staged on Broadway in 1969, the musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence — and the so-called Founding Fathers — features music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, based on a concept by Edwards. A film version was released in 1972.

The new staging will be co-directed by Jeffrey L. Page and Diane Paulus (with...

Stars: Carlson Young, Udo Kier, Vinessa Shaw, Dermot Mulroney, John Karna, Soko, Lillie Frank, Liz Mikel | Written and Directed by Carlson Young

Actress Carlson Young (best known for Scream: The TV Series) turns writer-director-star with this trippy horror debut, adapted from her own 2018 short film. Inspired by a 1666 sci-fi novel by pioneering author Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World delivers delivers nightmarish imagery and some decent jump scares, but the simplistic script struggles to match the quality of the visuals.

Young plays Margaret (presumably named in tribute to Cavendish), a depressed student who’s still haunted by the mysterious death of her twin sister Elizabeth (Lillie Frank), who drowned in the swimming pool when they were both children. In particular, she has recurring memories of a sinister figure (Udo Kier) who appeared just before the death, seemingly beckoning both sisters into a black hole.

When Margaret’s frequently bickering parents (Vinessa...

For a filmmaker to take a possessive credit in their debut is already a confident move; for the opening credits of the first feature by writer-director-star Carlson Young to present it as “Carlson Young’s ‘The Blazing World’” is a brazen one. That title, of course, belongs first to a somewhat more established female author: Margaret Cavendish, whose 1666 book “The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World” was a foundational work of science fiction. Cavendish’s adventurous exploration of alternate dimensions has given loose inspiration to Young’s glittery but grief-fueled fantasy, which those credits again describe as “inspired by Margaret Cavendish and other dreams.”

Other names like Lewis Carroll, Guillermo del Toro and Tarsem Singh aren’t lucky enough to get namechecked, though they’re all clearly in Young’s dream stew. The result, however, isn’t a film to which many would eagerly lay claim. Ambitious but tediously precious,...

A Texas single mother is determined her daughter will win the local pageant to gain a college scholarship in this beautifully observed debut feature

Earlier this year, Philippa Lowthorpe’s socio-comedy Misbehaviour entertainingly addressed the intersection between sexism and racism through the bizarre real-life pageantry of the disrupted 1970 Miss World competition in London. A very different pageant plays out in Fort Worth, Texas, in this impressive debut feature from writer-director Channing Godfrey Peoples. Following a mother’s attempts to pass her own interrupted ambitions on to her teenage daughter, Miss Juneteenth is a beautifully observed and quietly powerful drama that applies its coming-of-age tropes to children, parents and politics alike.

Nicole Beharie, who played Rachel Robinson to Chadwick Boseman’s Jackie in 42, is Turquoise Jones, a former beauty queen (she keeps her crown in a box) juggling shifts at Wayman’s BBQ bar, and at the local funeral parlour. “I...

The BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia has closed out its 9th edition by naming Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth as its best narrative feature.

The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.

Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...

The BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia has closed out its 9th edition by naming Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth as its best narrative feature.

The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.

Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...

"I need you to focus on your studies." Vertical Entertainment has released an official trailer for the indie dramedy Miss Juneteenth, which initially premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It also won the Lone Star Award at the SXSW Film Festival in the spring as the Best Texan Film. Marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Channing Godfrey Peoples, Miss Juneteenth is about a mother and a daughter in a small town in Texas. Nicole Beharie plays Turquoise, a former beauty queen and now single mom, who tries to prepare her rebellious teenage daughter for the same pageant she won. Also stars Alexis Chikaeze, Kendrick Sampson, Lori Hayes, & Liz Mikel. Looks like an authentic story about dreams. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Channing Godfrey Peoples' Miss Juneteenth, from YouTube: A former beauty queen turned hard working single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the Miss Juneteenth pageant,...

“Miss Juneteenth” richly captures the slow pace of ebbing small-town Texas life, even if you might wish there were a bit more narrative momentum to pick up the slack in writer-director Channing Godfrey Peoples’ first feature. She’s got a very relatable heroine in Nicole Beharie’s Turquoise, an erstwhile local beauty queen whose crown proved the peak rather than the kickoff to her dream of a better life — high hopes now transferred to a daughter reluctant to inherit that burden.

This portrait of a whole community dogged by debt and diminishing prospect has a basic authenticity that will ring true for many viewers unaccustomed to seeing themselves onscreen. That is, people whose aspirations toward the middle-class American Dream grow ever more remote as the middle class itself struggles to maintain its position.

Juneteenth is celebrated in many African American communities, but got its start and raison d’être in the Lone Star state,...

Andy Cohen with Brandi Glanville of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Andy Cohen, the iconic gay TV personality who has made Bravo TV a mecca of reality deliciousness, had done something unprecedented. He has migrated his pop culture show Watch What Happens Live to Austin, TX – but only temporarily. He has decided to tape a whole week of shows during SXSW, the popular Interactive, Film and Television Festival. It is something that he is really excited about because they have never taken the show on the road.

“I came last year to [South By Southwest] and did a panel and fell in love with it,” said Cohen while taking a break from his hectic week of shooting schedule. “It felt very copacetic with what we do at Watch What Happens Live. Austin's tagline is 'Keep Austin Weird' and Watch What Happens Live is weird in terms of talk shows!”

His show isn't exactly the most conventional.

Last night, April 9, the company of Lysistrata Jones - including Jason Tam, Josh Segarra, Libby Servais, Liz Mikel, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Laquet Shamell and more - reunited at Joe's Pub for a special concert to celebrate their newly-released cast album Broadway Records. BroadwayWorld was on hand and has exclusive footage of the emotional reunion show. Click below for the complete performance highlights...

On May 15, Broadway Records released the original cast recording of the Broadway musical, Lysistrata Jones, featuring music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn and book by Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane. To celebrate the album release, last night, April 9, the company reunited at Joe's Pub for a special concert. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos from the event below, featuring Jason Tam, Josh Segarra, Libby Servais, Liz Mikel, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Laquet Shamell and more...

Lysistrata Jones Walter Kerr Theatre, NYC

Greek mythology, camp, and Douglas Carter Beane have made what feels like a less-than-ecstatic reunion in Lysistrata Jones. Those with fond memories of Xanadu are likely to feel something is missing from this current effort, but comparisons aside, Lysistrata has some charms of her own.

Chief among the production's attractions is Patti Murin. Murin seems born to play Lysistrata Jones, and it's unfortunate for her that the character wasn't written into a better musical. Adorable and endearing, Murin develops her own unique take on the stereotype of the dumb, blond cheerleader, one that is more driven, emotionally engaged -- and, naivety over the theatrical origin of her own name withstanding -- not entirely dumb. Murin capitalizes on cute, keeping the audience informed of her every changing emotion as they're clearly displayed on her expressive face with a mesmerizing fluidity. It is difficult to take your eyes off of her,...

Friday Night Lights Mvp Gaius Charles wants to make one thing very clear: He has not given up acting for God. Although that’s the rumor that’s been making the rounds since the 28-year-old New York native hung up his helmet as Dillon Panthers’ star running back Smash Williams in 2008, he tells TVLine definitely, “That’s not the case.”

Nonetheless, save for a few indie films and some stage work, his decision to pursue a graduate degree in theology at New Jersey’s Drew University did force him to step away from the Hollywood spotlight the past three years.

Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Just want to say hi? Send any/all of the above to askausiello@tvline.com

Question: Your Puck poll was fun and everything, but do you have any actual intel about who he’ll be dating post-Lauren on Glee? —Jen

Ausiello: I’ll say this: In the wake of Zizes, Puck — while revisiting familiar romantic waters from Season 1 — finds a new woman. And that, my friends, is a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

Question: A few weeks ago Chris Colfer tweeted that he was filming something for...

After more than a year away from network television, Friday Night Lights is back on NBC with season four. But, how long will it last? The acclaimed TV show's always been ratings-challenged. Has it already been cancelled?

Friday Night Lights (Fnl) revolves around a high school football team, its players and the surrounding community. The large ensemble cast boasts performers like Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Taylor Kitsch, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden, Gaius Charles, Blue Deckert, Scott Porter, Derek Phillips, Brad Leland, Liz Mikel, Stacey Oristano, Nieko Mann, Kate Krause, Kevin Rankin, Louanne Stephens, Josh McVaney, Pablo D. Flores, Katherine Willis, Joey Truty, and Jeremy Sumpter.

After struggling through two seasons on NBC, it looked like Fnl was doomed to become one of those "brilliant but cancelled" series that has their life cut short. Fortunately, NBC and DirecTV went...

It's official. After a weeks of keeping our fingers crossed, the powers-that-be at NBC and DirecTV have hammered out an agreement for two more seasons of Friday Night Lights.

Friday Night Lights revolves around a high school football team, its players and surrounding community. The large ensemble cast boasts performers like Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Taylor Kitsch, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden, Gaius Charles, Blue Deckert, Scott Porter, Derek Phillips, Brad Leland, Liz Mikel, Stacey Oristano, Nieko Mann, Kate Krause, Kevin Rankin, Louanne Stephens, Josh McVaney, Pablo D. Flores, Katherine Willis, Joey Truty, and Jeremy Sumpter.

Though the drama has a devoted core audience and is often praised by critics, it's struggled to attract a widespread audience. Lights was barely renewed for its first and second seasons. Faced with cancelling the show last March, NBC made a deal with DirecTV to share the cost of producing a third season.

Another in a long line of critically-lauded but ratings-anemic TV shows is NBC's Friday Night Lights. Many love the show but few seem to actually watch it.

Based on a book and movie of the same name, Friday Night Lights follows the local high school football team and community of Dillon, Texas. Panthers coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) tries to balance his devotion to work and to his family, wife Tami (Connie Britton), teenage daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden), and infant Gracie. Drama also unfolds around team players played by Zach Gilford, Jesse Plemons, Gaius Charles, Taylor Kitsch, and Scott Porter. Other castmembers include Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Gaius Charles, Derek Phillips, Blue Deckert, Brad Leland, Liz Mikel, Stacey Oristano, Nieko Mann, Kevin Rankin, and Kate Krause.

Though loved by most critics, Lights has struggled to find a substantial audience. Its first season averaged just 6.1 million viewers, a far cry from a ratings success.