Cillian Murphy quite literally wandered into acting. At the age of 20, he walked up to the door of the Corcadorca Theatre Company in his hometown of Cork, Ireland, and knocked. He told the p…
We're in a new age of comedy thanks to diversification by brick-and-mortar clubs and social media, which has leveled the playing field for talent. There is not, however, a direct correlation…
The Improv turns 60 this year and, despite the spontaneity that the name might suggest, there's a methodical plan to grow the comedy organization. In 1963, founder Budd Friedman opened t…
In days of yore, the best opportunity for a stand-up comedian to break out was to be tapped by Johnny Carson's team for a "Tonight Show" slot. Getting invited to the couch afterward was a wh…
Since 2000, Variety has been honoring 10 Comics to Watch at Just for Laughs Montréal. This year's choices will be feted at a cocktail reception and a panel discussion July 29 before perform…
It's not unusual to see a musical based on a movie or TV show or even a comic. But "Rogers: The Musical" might be the first one created from a throwaway joke in a TV show spun-off from a fil…
As they say in "Into the Woods": It takes two. And not just in "Into the Woods." The 2023 Tony nominations remind us several times over that sometimes an actor's role is so closely tied …
The 2023 Tony nominations aren't just a portrait of theatrical excellence. They're also a snapshot of Broadway in progress.  After the events of 2020 prompted a wave of public pledges…
This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley's Acting Up newsletter " to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page. In "…
Variety has named its 10 Comics to Watch for 2023. This year's honorees will be profiled in a special comedy issue of Variety on July 19. They will then be honored at this yea…
Pictured: Casting directors Katja Zarolinski and Geoff Josselson of JZ Casting. This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley's Acting Up newsletter " to subscribe for early con…
Since 2013, Variety has been selecting its list of 10 Brits to Watch, artists across all media who have made an impact in entertainment. This year's honorees will be feted at the seventh ann…
It's a tricky proposition to talk to director Benjamin Caron about his new movie "Sharper." Not because it doesn't elicit conversation " there is so much in the wickedly smart thriller to di…
Jeremy Pope doesn't break into a new medium quietly. The actor not only earned a Tony nomination for his Broadway debut in 2018's "Choir Boy" by Tarell Alvin McCraney, he also became one of …
When playwright Danny Robins wrote "2:22 A Ghost Story," he thought he chose the titular number at random. "I wanted something that had a ring to it," he reveals. But when actor Tom Felton (…
Even with an Academy Award and six Emmys on his mantel, Aaron Sorkin was intimidated by the idea of a bringing "To Kill a Mockingbird" to the stage. Harper Lee's 1960 novel remains a beloved…
In 2021 with America barely emerging from the pandemic, Louis Faranda and his team struggled to get comedians and clubs to commit to the New York Comedy Festival. This year, however, people …
After losing more than 75 pounds for Season 4 of "Stranger Things," in which his character Jim Hopper was wasting away in a Russian gulag, David Harbour had one thing on his mind. "As so…
One of the joys of live theater is that it's ephemeral " a show is never the same from night to night. But "Freestyle Love Supreme" has taken that up a notch, presenting an entirely improvis…
On a pretty cul-du-sac 25 minutes south of Nashville, Nate Bargatze lives in sprawling two-story brick house that doesn't stand out. He'd owned the house for a couple years before the neighb…
When someone who has made a four-decade career out of being funny decides to take a step back from what made them famous, there's always that potentially nagging sense of self-doubt that can…
The Pasadena Playhouse has announced its lineup for the 2022-23 season, including a six-month Sondheim Celebration that will kick off in January 2023. The celebration is dubbed to be the mos…
Levi Kreis was a born performer, a singer-songwriter touring for audiences from the age of 12 and landing a full scholarship to study piano at Vanderbilt University when he was only a sophom…
After almost 50 years as an interviewer, comedian and talk show host, David Letterman's pedigree on stage feels so firmly established that it's hard to imagine a situation where he'd be inti…
No matter how many people tied to the Comedy Store you ask about the late Mitzi Shore, the connective tissue between their answers is an almost identical impression of the late owner. David …