Morning Report - News from May 22, 2001

POP / ROCK

All The World’s a (Concert) Stage

London’s Royal Opera House is set to open its stage to pop and rock stars for the first time to broaden its appeal and help stave off financial pressures. Icelandic singer Bjork is reportedly among those already lined up to perform at the famous Covent Garden venue, where pop concerts are expected to be staged on Sunday nights, when the royal ballet and opera companies rest. As an indication of the venue’s hoped-for lineup, sources within the opera house told London’s Sunday Times that top singers such as Elton John, Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand would be welcome to perform, but that controversial rap performer Eminem would not.

Hefty Child Support Recommended

Michigan officials have recommended that rapper Eminem pay $142,480 a year in child support. Macomb County’s friend-of-the-court brief recommends that the rapper pay $2,740 per week in child support, $156 per week for health insurance and 90% of any child care costs, the Macomb Daily reported. Eminem and his estranged wife, Kimberly Mathers, agreed in March to joint custody of their 5-year-old daughter. Judges often follow the friend-of-the-court recommendations in divorce cases, but attorneys on both sides can request modifications. No date is set for the judge’s final ruling.

‘N Sync Joins Anti-Drug Effort

Members of the boy band ‘N Sync will partner with the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy by taping a public-service announcement for a national campaign against drug use by youths. The spot will be shown at each of the band’s upcoming concerts in 45 U.S. cities, and will be posted on the band’s Web site (https://www.nsync.com).

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is said to be the largest and most comprehensive public health media campaign ever undertaken by the federal government.

Rockers Expand Their Family Values

U2 frontman Bono took a break from the band’s “Elevation” tour to return to Dublin for the birth Monday of his fourth child, a boy. The rocker, 41, and his wife, Ali, already have 11- and 8-year-old daughters, as well as a son who is nearly 2. . . . Another rocker adding to his family is Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, whose wife, Skylar, gave birth to the couple’s second son, Layne Ulrich, in San Francisco on May 6. Older brother Myles turns 3 in August.

THEATER

‘Producers’ Sets Drama Desk Record

Mel Brooks’ Broadway musical “The Producers” won a record 11 Drama Desk awards Sunday, topping the nine given to “Sweeney Todd” in 1979 and “City of Angels” in 1990. Among its honors, the production won best musical, lyrics, book, set and choreography, as well as best actor in a musical (Nathan Lane) and best director (Susan Stroman). “Proof,” meanwhile, was named best play and its star, Mary-Louise Parker, won best actress in a play honors from the theater journalists and critics’ group, while David Yazbek won the music award for “The Full Monty.” Among the other acting honors, Richard Easton was named best actor-play for “The Invention of Love,” Marla Schaffel was named best actress-musical for “Jane Eyre” and Charles Brown and Viola Davis won featured acting honors for “King Hedley II,” which played the Mark Taper Forum last year.

QUICK TAKES

Singer Tom Waits will receive the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ Founders’ Award for career achievement during ASCAP’s 18th annual pop music awards ceremony tonight at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. . . . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen all the 2000 Oscar nominees from the animated and live-action short categories in a June 15 program at the Academy’s Beverly Hills headquarters. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. event are $5. . . . Cable’s Court TV has planned its first feature-length, made-for-TV movie. “A Bombing in Birmingham,” expected to premiere in early 2002, will focus on the 1963 bombing of the Alabama church in which four young black girls were killed and the resulting effort to bring those responsible for the crime to justice. . . . Actresses Dinah Manoff, Rayel and Victoria Tennant are the next cast members set for “The Vagina Monologues,” May 29-June 17 at Beverly Hills’ Canon Theater. . . . Stephanie Hodges, a model who suffered pelvic and vertebrae fractures last month during filming of MTV’s controversial stunts series “Jackass,” is making a swifter recovery than expected. Hodges, 21, was expected to be facing a yearlong recovery, but “is actually able to move around and looks like she will be back active in three weeks to a month,” her agent said.