Quick Takes - June 22, 2010

QUICK TAKES

Two leap to ‘Faith’

The new musical “Leap of Faith” has landed two impressive stars for its debut in September at the Ahmanson Theatre.

Four-time Tony nominee Raul Esparza and actress Brooke Shields will play the lead roles in the musical about a fraudulent faith healer who is stranded in a small Kansas town. The show is based on the 1992 Paramount Pictures release of the same name starring Steve Martin and Debra Winger.

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FOR THE RECORD:
Slipknot musician: The headline on a Quick Takes item in Tuesday’s Calendar section about autopsy results showing that Paul Gray of the band Slipknot died of an accidental drug overdose referred to him as the drummer. As the item correctly noted, Gray, who was found dead May 24, was the bassist. —

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Rob Ashford, the Tony-winning choreographer, will direct the musical. In an interview from New York, he said Esparza has all the right qualities for the lead character. “It’s a character who has a darker underlying internal life, which Raul can do. Plus he sings the heck out of it.”

“Leap of Faith” is set to open the Ahmanson’s 2010-11 season, with a run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 17. Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie has stated that there are no specific plans to bring the show to New York but added that the show has Broadway potential.

—David Ng

‘Idol’ lowers contestants’ age limit to 15

“American Idol” producers on Monday lowered the age limit for contestants to 15, but there was still no word on a new judge to replace Simon Cowell as auditions were announced for next month.

Fox television said auditions for Season 10 would be held in six U.S. cities, beginning July 17 in Nashville. Producers of the TV singing contest, whose ratings have slid, said the minimum age this season would be 15 instead of 16.

“A lot of young, talented people are now seeking careers and representation before they turn 16,” said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, executive producer of “American Idol”.

A month after Cowell bid farewell to “Idol” in the show’s May finale, there has been no word on who will replace him. Cowell, 50, left to launch a U.S. version of his British “X-Factor” talent show on Fox in fall 2011.

—Reuters

Playwrights conference to include Baitz

The 2010 Ojai Playwrights Conference is set to run this August and will feature new works by Jon Robin Baitz and other notable writers.

Baitz will present “Other Desert Cities” in a reading at the conference Aug. 10. The playwright is one of the key creative forces behind the ABC series “Brothers & Sisters,” which he created and on which he has served as a writer and executive producer.

The Ojai conference will also include presentations of new works by Kate Fodor, Mona Mansour, Len Jenkin, Trieu Tran, Bess Wohl, Thomas Higgins, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph and Ben Rosenthal.

Now in its 13th incarnation, the conference is scheduled to run from Aug. 3 to 15 at various venues in Ojai.

—David Ng

A woman from Sparrow’s past in ‘Pirates’ 4

In the next “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Johnny Depp’s seafaring character, Jack Sparrow, will face a woman from his past and board another buccaneer’s ship, the studio behind the film said Monday.

The Walt Disney Co. revealed those story elements for the new film as it announced that production has started.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” is the fourth movie in the franchise, which has earned more than $1 billion at U.S. and Canada box offices. It will hit theaters in 3-D on May 20.

—Reuters

Drummer for Slipknot OD’d

Autopsy results show the bassist for heavy metal band Slipknot died of an accidental overdose of morphine and fentanyl, a synthetic morphine substitute.

Paul Gray, 38, was found dead May 24 in a suburban Des Moines hotel room. A hotel worker told a 911 dispatcher that a hypodermic needle was found near Gray’s body and that pills also were found in the room.

Urbandale police issued a news release Monday saying the final autopsy report shows Gray died of a drug overdose. It also shows signs of significant heart disease.

—Associated Press

There will be more ‘Blood’

Just two weeks into werewolves and vampire politics and already there is news coming out of HBO on Monday regarding “True Blood.” Sookie Stackhouse ( Anna Paquin) and her supernatural pals will be back for a fourth season. That is, if those werewolves don’t get them first.

Production on the current season is underway. The fourth season will air next summer.

—Maria Elena Fernandez