The National Movie Awards take place tonight and a host of stars from the world of showbiz will attend the glittering occasion to see if favourites like Harry Potter, Sex and the City 2 and Twilight will pick up coveted awards. Read the full list of nominations here.

The Oscars seem like a lifetime ago so it’s time for another night of red-carpets and air kisses to wet our celebrity appetite.

The 2010 National Movie Awards will hit our screens tonight at 8pm and stars including Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Cruise are expected to attend the glamorous occasion.

As well as celeb spotting and enjoying the awards show itself, it has also been reported that Twilight fans will be treated to a world exclusive clip from forthcoming movie Eclipse.

So grab your popcorn, snuggle up on your sofa and enjoy the National Movie Awards, tonight, 8pm on STV.

Heading out? The National Movie Awards will be on the STV Player after the show.

The 2010 National Movie Awards nominations in full:

Most Anticipated Movie Of The Summer
Knight And Day
Sex And The City 2
Shrek Forever After
Step Up 3D
The A-Team
The Karate Kid
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Toy Story 3

Action/Thriller
Inglourious Basterds
Kick-Ass
Sherlock Holmes
Shutter Island
2012

Family
A Christmas Carol
Alvin And The Chipmunks II: The Squeakquel
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang
Up

Breakthrough Movie
Coco Before Chanel
Harry Brown
Nativity!
Paranormal Activity
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Time Traveler’s Wife

Fantasy
Alice In Wonderland
Avatar
Clash Of The Titans
The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Performance Of The Year Male/Female
Gemma Arterton (Clash Of The Titans)
Helena Bonham Carter (Alice In Wonderland)
Jim Carrey (A Christmas Carol)
John Cusack (2012)
Johnny Depp (Alice In Wonderland)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island)
Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes)
Rupert Grint (Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince)
Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass)
Taylor Lautner (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)
Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes)
Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)
Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds)
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince)
Zoe Saldana (Avatar)
Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)
Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang)
Emma Watson (Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince)
Sam Worthington (Avatar/Clash Of The Titans)

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Here are the winners…

Outstanding Play:

Alan Ayckbourn, My Wonderful Day
Annie Baker, Circle Mirror Transformation
Lucinda Coxon, Happy Now?
**John Logan, Red ** WINNER
Geoffrey Nauffts, Next Fall
Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park

Outstanding Musical:

American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
**Memphis ** WINNER
The Addams Family
The Scottsboro Boys
Yank!

Outstanding Revival of a Play:

**A View from the Bridge** WINNER
Brighton Beach Memoirs
**Fences** WINNER
Hamlet
So Help Me God!
The Boys in the Band
(tie)

Outstanding Revival of a Musical:

A Little Night Music
Finian’s Rainbow
**La Cage Aux Folles** WINNER
Promises, Promises
Ragtime

Outstanding Actor in a Play:

Bill Heck, The Orphans’ Home Cycle
Jude Law, Hamlet
Alfred Molina, Red
Eddie Redmayne, Red
**Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge ** WINNER
John Douglas Thompson, The Emperor Jones
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane

Outstanding Actress in a Play:

Ayesha Antoine, My Wonderful Day
Melissa Errico, Candida
Anne Hathaway, Twelfth Night
Kristen Johnston, So Help Me God!
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
**Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family** WINNER

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:

Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys
**Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
Cheyenne Jackson, Finian’s Rainbow
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Nathan Lane, The Addams Family
Bobby Steggert, Yank!

Outstanding Actress in a Musical:

Kate Baldwin, Finian’s Rainbow
**Montego Glover, Memphis ** WINNER
Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
**Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music** WINNER
(tie)

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:

Chris Chalk, Fences
Sean Dugan, Next Fall
**Santino Fontana, Brighton Beach Memoirs ** WINNER
Adam James, The Pride
Hamish Linklater, Twelfth Night
Nick Westrate, The Boys in the Band

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:

Victoria Clark, When the Rain Stops Falling
**Viola Davis, Fences** WINNER
Xanthe Elbrick, Candida
Mary Beth Hurt, When the Rain Stops Falling
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Andrea Riseborough, The Pride

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:

Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles
Jeffry Denman, Yank!
**Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian’s Rainbow** WINNER
Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:

Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family
Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden
**Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises ** WINNER
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem
Terri White, Finian’s Rainbow

Outstanding Director of a Play:

Jonathan Bank, So Help Me God!
Jack Cummings III, The Boys in the Band
Sam Gold, Circle Mirror Transformation
Michael Grandage, Hamlet Michael
**Grandage, Red** WINNER
Ethan Hawke, A Lie of the Mind

Outstanding Director of a Musical:

Warren Carlyle, Finian’s Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Igor Goldin, Yank!
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles
**Michael Mayer, American Idiot ** WINNER
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Outstanding Choreography:

Warren Carlyle, Finian’s Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
**Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away** WINNER
Sergio Trujillo, Memphis

Outstanding Music:

**David Bryan, Memphis** WINNER
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
Joseph Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Lyrics:

Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical
Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo
**John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys** WINNERS
Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Book of a Musical:

Joe DiPietro, Memphis
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys
**Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson** WINNER
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Orchestrations:

Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Tom Kitt, American Idiot
Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture
John Oddo, All About Me
**Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis** WINNERS

Outstanding Musical Revue:

Fascinating Aïda: Absolutely Miraculous!
Million Dollar Quartet
Newsical The Musical
Simon Green: Traveling Light
**Sondheim on Sondheim** WINNER

Outstanding Music in a Play:

Adam Cochran, A Play on War
Adam Cork, Red
Gaines, A Lie of the Mind
Philip Glass, The Bacchae
Hem, Twelfth Night
**Branford Marsalis, Fences** WINNER

Outstanding Set Design:

Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band
**Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family ** WINNERS
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Christopher Oram, Red Jay Rohloff, Underground
Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel

Outstanding Costume Design:

Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones
Clint Ramos, So Help Me God!
Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden
**Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play:

Neil Austin, Hamlet
**Neil Austin, Red** WINNER
Christian M. DeAngelis, Lizzie Borden
Maruti Evans, John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night
Natasha Katz, The Addams Family
Dane Laffrey, The Boys in the Band

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:

**ACME Sound Partners, Ragtime ** WINNER
Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles
Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Scott Lehrer, Finian’s Rainbow
Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play:

Dan Bianchi & Wes Shippee, Frankenstein
Dale Bigall, Underground
Adam Cork, Enron Lindsay Jones and Jamie McElhinney, Top Secret:
The Battle for the Pentagon Papers
**Fitz Patton, When the Rain Stops Falling** WINNER
Elizabeth Rhodes, John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night

Outstanding Solo Performance:

Theodore Bikel, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears
**Jim Brochu, Zero Hour ** WINNER
Colman Domingo, A Boy and his Soul
Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking
Judith Ivey, The Lady With All the Answers
Anna Deavere Smith, Let Me Down Easy

Unique Theatrical Experience:

Charles L. Mee’s Fêtes de la Nuit
Hansel and Gretel
John Tartaglia’s Imaginocean
**Love, Loss, and What I Wore** WINNER
Stuffed and Unstrung
The Provenance of Beauty

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Drama Desk Awards are Tonight; Live Coverage on BWW!
by BWW News Desk
May 23, 2010

The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Former Drama Desk Award winner Patti LuPone will host the awards ceremony.

Keep your browser tuned to BroadwayWorld.com for LIVE coverage on the site of all the winners and more starting at 9pm.

Here are the nominees…

Outstanding Play:

Alan Ayckbourn, My Wonderful Day
Annie Baker, Circle Mirror Transformation
Lucinda Coxon, Happy Now?
John Logan, Red
Geoffrey Nauffts, Next Fall
Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park

Outstanding Musical:

American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
Memphis
The Addams Family
The Scottsboro Boys
Yank!

Outstanding Revival of a Play:

A View from the Bridge
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Fences
Hamlet
So Help Me God!
The Boys in the Band

Outstanding Revival of a Musical:

A Little Night Music
Finian’s Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles
Promises, Promises
Ragtime

Outstanding Actor in a Play:

Bill Heck, The Orphans’ Home Cycle
| Jude Law, Hamlet
Alfred Molina, Red
Eddie Redmayne, Red
Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge
John Douglas Thompson, The Emperor Jones
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane

Outstanding Actress in a Play:

Ayesha Antoine, My Wonderful Day
Melissa Errico, Candida
Anne Hathaway, Twelfth Night
Kristen Johnston, So Help Me God!
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:

Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys
Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles
Cheyenne Jackson, Finian’s Rainbow
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Nathan Lane, The Addams Family
Bobby Steggert, Yank!

Outstanding Actress in a Musical:

Kate Baldwin, Finian’s Rainbow
Montego Glover, Memphis
Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:

Chris Chalk, Fences
Sean Dugan, Next Fall
Santino Fontana, Brighton Beach Memoirs
Adam James, The Pride
Hamish Linklater, Twelfth Night
Nick Westrate, The Boys in the Band

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:

Victoria Clark, When the Rain Stops Falling
Viola Davis, Fences
Xanthe Elbrick, Candida
Mary Beth Hurt, When the Rain Stops Falling
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Andrea Riseborough, The Pride

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:

Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles
Jeffry Denman, Yank!
Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian’s Rainbow
Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:

Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family
Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden
Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem
Terri White, Finian’s Rainbow

Outstanding Director of a Play:

Jonathan Bank, So Help Me God!
Jack Cummings III, The Boys in the Band
Sam Gold, Circle Mirror Transformation
Michael Grandage, Hamlet Michael
Grandage, Red
Ethan Hawke, A Lie of the Mind

Outstanding Director of a Musical:

Warren Carlyle, Finian’s Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Igor Goldin, Yank!
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles
Michael Mayer, American Idiot
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Outstanding Choreography:

Warren Carlyle, Finian’s Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away
Sergio Trujillo, Memphis

Outstanding Music:

David Bryan, Memphis
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
Joseph Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Lyrics:

Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical
Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys
Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Book of a Musical:

Joe DiPietro, Memphis
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Orchestrations:

William David Brohn, Ragtime
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Tom Kitt, American Idiot
Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture
John Oddo, All About Me
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis

Outstanding Musical Revue:

Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!
Million Dollar Quartet
Newsical The Musical
Simon Green: Traveling Light
Sondheim on Sondheim

Outstanding Music in a Play:

Adam Cochran, A Play on War
Adam Cork, Red Gaines, A Lie of the Mind
Philip Glass, The Bacchae
Hem, Twelfth Night
Branford Marsalis, Fences

Outstanding Set Design:

Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band
Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Christopher Oram, Red Jay Rohloff, Underground
Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel

Outstanding Costume Design:

Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones
Santo Loquasto, Ragtime
Clint Ramos, So Help Me God!
Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden
Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play:

Neil Austin, Hamlet
Neil Austin, Red
Christian M. DeAngelis, Lizzie Borden
Maruti Evans, John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night
Natasha Katz, The Addams Family
Dane Laffrey, The Boys in the Band

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:

ACME Sound Partners, Ragtime
Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles
Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Scott Lehrer, Finian’s Rainbow
Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play:

Dan Bianchi & Wes Shippee, Frankenstein
Dale Bigall, Underground
Adam Cork, Enron Lindsay Jones and Jamie McElhinney, Top Secret:
The Battle for the Pentagon Papers
Fitz Patton, When the Rain Stops Falling
Elizabeth Rhodes, John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night

Outstanding Solo Performance:

Theodore Bikel, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears
Jim Brochu, Zero Hour
Colman Domingo, A Boy and his Soul
Carrie Fisher, Wishful
Drinking Judith Ivey, The Lady With All the Answers
Anna Deavere Smith, Let Me Down Easy

Unique Theatrical Experience:

Charles L. Mee’s Fêtes de la Nuit
Hansel and Gretel
John Tartaglia’s Imaginocean
Love, Loss, and What I Wore
Stuffed and Unstrung
The Provenance of Beauty

NOTE:

The nominating committee made the following decisions related to the scope of technical award
nominations: Basil Twist’s puppetry was included in the nomination for Outstanding Set Design
for The Addams Family. Bob Flanagan’s puppet and mask design were included in the
Outstanding Costume Design nomination for The Emperor Jones.

Fela! was considered last season in its off-Broadway premiere and received four nominations—
Outstanding Musical; Sahr Ngaujah as Outstanding Actor in a Musical; Bill T. Jones for
Outstanding Choreography and AaRon Johnson and Antibalas were nominated for Outstanding
Orchestrations. Under Drama Desk rules, only new elements in a transfer can be considered.

PRODUCTIONS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS

Ragtime 9
The Scottsboro Boys 9
Finians’ Rainbow 8
The Addams Family 8
La Cage Aux Folles 7
Memphis 7
Red 7
Yank! 7
Everyday Rapture 5
The Boys in the Band 5
Fences 4
Hamlet 4
So Help Me God! 4
A Little Night Music 3
A View from the Bridge 3
American Idiot 3
Bloodsong of Love 3
Lizzie Borden 3
Promises, Promises 3
Twelfth Night 3
When the Rain Stops Falling 3
A Lie of the Mind 2
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson 2
Brighton Beach Memoirs 2
Candida 2
Circle Mirror Transformation 2
Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous! 2
Hansel and Gretel 2
John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night2
My Wonderful Day 2
Newsical The Musical 2
Next Fall 2
The Emperor Jones 2
The Pride 2 Underground 2

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Dear Friend,

FOX News contributor Newt Gingrich compared President Obama’s administration to Nazi Germany saying his “secular-socialist machine represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did.”

This comparison is not only utterly offensive but also completely unacceptable within the context of “news.” The American Jewish Committee has condemned the statement saying, “By invoking the current Administration in the same breath as two murderous totalitarian states, Newt Gingrich has drawn a foolish and dangerous analogy. Gingrich’s linkage not only diminishes the horror of the Holocaust, it also licenses the use of extremist language in contemporary America.”

Even for FOX this goes too far. If Newt Gingrich wants to peddle his hate speech, he has a right to do it on the tea party circuit or in extremist rightwing propaganda publications. But it is far beyond acceptable for a national news outlet, even one as conservative as FOX News, to give him a paid platform for promoting a view that “diminishes the horror of Holocaust.”

I just signed the petition and you can too by clicking on the link below:

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/condemn_gingrich/?r_by=9279-2757938-2yTFkux&rc=mailto1

Thanks for taking the time….

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Slant Magazine
Janelle Monáe
The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III of IV)
****
BY MATTHEW COLE ON MAY 18, 2010

Used to be that a performer was considered a triple threat if she could act, sing, and dance. Janelle Monáe may or may not possess the screen chops to match her voice and moves, but either way, implying that she has only three incredible talents would be a gross underestimation. On The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III of IV), she doesn’t just sing, she also raps well enough that even mentor and universally acknowledged badass Big Boi can’t upstage her (on “Tightrope”), does tough and clippy speak-singing like a Broadway pro (Faster”), unleashes a belt that would make Beyoncé jealous (“Cold War”), wails like a riot grrl (“Come Alive”), and—adventurous stuff aside—proves adept in more conventional gospel, soul, and jazz styles. Add to that Monáe’s high-concept sci-fi narrative, which extends to the album’s art and videos, and her retro-futurist fashion sensibility, and she might be the one female performer working today who can make Lady Gaga and M.I.A. look like underachievers.

By all rights, this should be a star-making debut for Monáe, but it’s got all the trappings of a cult hit largely ignored by the mainstream. That’s not just because it’s an elaborately performed and consummately freaky cyber-punk epic, but because it’s so stylistically leftfield in terms of its sound; it’s almost impossible to imagine an audience for it. Comparing Monáe to her famous friends in OutKast makes some sense: ArchAndroid rivals Andre 3000′s half of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below for genre-spanning thrill (but actually betters it in terms of cohesion), while a few of the recurring sounds, like the rapid snare beats and Eddie Hazel-style guitar freakouts, recall the post-Parliament hip-hop of Stankonia. But that’s not what she’s up to, since she makes R&B, not rap, her foundation. Nor is she Erykah Badu‘s geekier kid sister, as her sound is as fast, punchy, and dynamic as Badu’s is immersive and free-associative.
No, Monáe sounds like no one but herself, and she gives herself a flawless introduction over the first three tracks (omitting the opening “Suite II Overture,” which proves that slick, conceptual filler is still just filler). “Dance or Die,” “Faster,” and “Locked Inside” transition as seamlessly into one another as each individual song does between its component parts. The first of the trio hits quick and hard, and true to its name, “Faster” only accelerates the tempo, layering jazzy piano chords over handclaps and thudding hip-hop beats, then dropping out everything but the piano for the lead-in to “Locked.” Just as impressive as Monáe’s stylistic versatility is her emotional range. The funky, tough demeanor that she adopts for “Dance or Die” gradually dissolves into chase-scene desperation, but by the end of her little trilogy, she’s another kind of desperate, giving a heart-wrenchingly raw vocal performance that could stand without all the sonic flourishes but is only the better for them.

If ArchAndroid maintained that level of minute-for-minute consistency throughout, it would be nothing short of epochal, but as is, the cyber diva proves that she’s only human. Parts of the album’s first suite match the opening set’s brilliance (“Tightrope” and “Come Alive” actually surpass it), but some of the tracks are inessential, like the croony “Sir Greendown,” or out of place, as with the glitchy, psychedelic “Neon Gumbo.” Inessential, though, certainly does not mean unenjoyable. Monáe’s vocals are always engaging enough, and she’d never lay a track to record without stuffing at least two or three cool ideas into it first.

The album’s second suite, though, is where Monáe’s mettle is really tested. The first 40 minutes of ArchAndroid whiz buy on pure momentum, at which point Monáe still has a half hour to fill, but she avoids the common pitfalls of contemporary R&B discs, refusing to kill time with sappy ballads and perfunctory guest spots. Though Monáe does extend an ill-considered invite to Of Montreal, who rock with her on “Make the Bus,” it’s definitely not a pander to the indie set; in fact, the absurdly theatrical funk-tronica piece sounds like it was as much fun to make as it isn’t to listen to. For the most part, the third suite eschews instant gratification pop (exception: delirious synth-pop gem “Wondaland”), allowing Monáe to try her hand at mind-melting instrumentals like “Neon Valley Street” and the long, stormy closers “Say You’ll Go” and “BaBobByeYa.” Compared to the first half, there are fewer hooks and more flubbed experiments, but it remains an arresting showcase to Monáe’s vision.

It’s impossible to blame her for taking those kinds of chances. They might compromise ArchAndroid as a front-to-back listen, but Monáe has her whole career to worry about making a pitch-perfect record. As is, she’s turned out a landmark debut that contains a full LP’s worth of excellent songs and almost no bad ones, and she’s done it entirely on her own highly idiosyncratic terms. And where her ambition just barely gets the better of her abilities, she puts on such a relentlessly entertaining show that you can certainly understand why she thought she could pull the whole thing off.

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Now that Cyndi Lauper’s stint on Celebrity Apprentice is over (fear not—we’ll be seeing her on TV again), she’s readying the release of her upcoming album Memphis Blues. Cyn wrangled in some of the greats to help her out with the LP—B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite and Jonny Lang, to name a few. And while she recently sang Lady Gaga’s praises in the pages of Time, allow us to commend Cyndi on her ability to sing the blues like a pro. Listen below!

Lauper’s single “Just Your Fool” was added to iTunes this week. Meanwhile, People offered up another glimpse into Cyndi’s bluesy foray into the Deep South with this clip of “Early In The Mornin’,” which also features B.B. King and Allen Toussant.

What is it about Cyndi Lauper that makes us follow everything she tries out (including bright red lipstick)?

“Everything I ever sang, from jazz to rock to pop to dance, is based on rhythm and blues,” Lauper told People. “I looked at what was going on in our country and I really felt like everybody’s singing the blues, so I needed to take the blues music and make it uplifting.”

Memphis Blues is out June 22, ahead of Cyndi’s summer tour.

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After a successful run in Los Angeles earlier this year, The Pee-wee Herman Show — Paul Reuben’s re-vamped re-visit of the 1981 stage show that launched his beloved character Pee-wee into the pop-culture firmament — is heading to the Great White Way. The one-act production will play a six-week engagement at the Stephen Sondheim theater, starting in previews Oct. 26, officially opening Nov. 11, and running through Dec. 5. (Tickets go on sale June 1 via Telecharge.com, and will run from $65 to $120.)

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Drake, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj lead the pack of nominees for the 10th annual BET Awards, while the network revealed that Queen Latifah will host the momentous event.

The nominations were announced at the 230 Fifth Rooftop Garden Bar and Restaurant in New York City earlier today (May 18). Drake is nominated for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and twice for Best Collaboration for “Successful” with Trey Songz and “Forever” featuring Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West. He was also nominated three times as part of Young Money.

Meanwhile, Hov is nominated in five categories, including Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Viewers’ Choice, Video of the Year and twice in the Best Collaboration category for “Empire State of Mind” featuring Alicia Keys and “Run this Town” featuring Kanye West and Rihanna. Nicki Minaj picked up nods for Best New Artist and Best Female Hip-Hop Artist in addition to three nominations with Young Money.

Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Melanie Fiona and Trey Songz received four nods, Rihanna, B.o.B, Young Money and Fabolous, three apiece while Maxwell, Sade, Kanye West and Monica received two. Usher, Chris Brown, Raheem DeVaughn, Black Eyed Peas, Dirty Money, New Boyz, Trina, The Clipse and Mary J. Blige were also nominated.

High off the success of “Just Wright,” which took $8.5 million in its opening weekend at the box office, Latifah took to the podium to express her excitement about hosting what she called, “the best show on television.” While she wouldn’t share what she has up her sleeve, she vowed to uphold the bar set by previous hosts like Mo’Nique, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Diddy was also on hand with Dawn Richard and Kalenna of Dirty Money to introduce two new categories: Best Movie and the Young Star Award. Per Puff, the group’s “Last Train to Paris” LP was pushed back to coincide with the BET Awards. “The BET Awards are so big that I changed the date of my album to come out midnight after the BET Awards,” Diddy revealed. Puff will also be hosting the official BET Awards after party sponsored by Coca-Cola. The event will double as a countdown to Dirty Money’s album release.

See below for a full list of nominees.

Best Female R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Mary J. Blige
Melanie Fiona
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Raheem DeVaughn
Maxwell
Trey Songz
Usher

Best Gospel
The Anointed Pace Sisters
Kirk Franklin Presents Artists United For Haiti
Tamela Mann
Marvin Sapp
Vickie Winans

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Ester Dean
Lil Kim
Nicki Minaj
Rasheeda
Trina

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
B.o.B.
Drake
Fabolous
Jay-Z
Ludacris

Best Group
Black Eyed Peas
Clipse
Diddy-Dirty Money
New Boyz
Young Money

Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Melanie Fiona
Nicki Minaj
Wale
Young Money

Best Collaboration
Beyoncé f/ Lady Gaga – Video Phone
B.o.B. f/ Bruno Mars – Nothin’ On You
Drake & Trey Songz – Successful
Drake f/ Lil Wayne, Kanye West & Eminem – Forever
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
Trey Songz f/ Fabolous – Say Aah

Video of the Year
Beyoncé f/ Lady Gaga – Video Phone
B.o.B. f/ Bruno Mars – Nothin’ On You
Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – Run This Town

Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Gil Green
Anthony Mandler
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams

Best Actress
Taraji P. Henson
Regina King
Mo’Nique
Zoe Saldana
Gabourey Sidibe

Best Actor
Quinton Aaron
Don Cheadle
Idris Elba
Jamie Foxx
Denzel Washington

YoungStars Award
Selena Gomez
Lil JJ
Keke Palmer
Willow Smith
Tyler James Williams

Best Movie
Avatar
Law Abiding Citizen
Michael Jackson’s This Is It
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
The Blindside

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Tamika Catchings
Vanessa James
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Carmelo Anthony
Usain Bolt
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Tiger Woods

Viewers Choice Nominees
Beyoncé – Sweet Dreams
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
Monica – Everything To Me
Rihanna f/ Young Jeezy – Hard
Trey Songz f/ Fabolous – Say Aah
Young Money (Lil Wayne, Gudda Gudda, Nicki Minaj, Jae Millz, Drake, Tyga) f/ Lloyd – Bedrock

Centric Award
Melanie Fiona
Maxwell
Chrisette Michele
Monica
Sade

Best International Act
Kojo Antwi (Ghana)
Chipmunk (UK)
Dizzee Rascal (UK)
Estelle (UK)
Hip Hop Pantsula (HHP) (South Africa)
K’NAAN (Somalia)
M.I. (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
Corinne Bailey Rae (UK)
Sade (UK)

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2010 OBIE Winners Announced!
by BWW News Desk

The 55th Annual Village Voice OBIE Awards were presented on Monday, May 17, 2010, at a ceremony held at Webster Hall in Manhattan. Co-hosted by Michael Cerveris and former OBIE winner Anika Noni Rose, the awards were presented by J. Smith Cameron, Marin Ireland, Linda Lavin, Hamish Linklater, Michael Shannon, and Jennifer Westfeldt.

Entertainment for the ceremony was provided by the cast and band of the Broadway musical Fela!, including Tony nominee Sahr Ngaujah, a 2009 Obie Award winner for his performance in the show’s title role during its previous Off-Broadway engagement. The performance was introduced by former OBIE winner Lillias White, currently playing “Mama Kuti” on Broadway. Antibalas, the nationally acclaimed, Brooklyn-based Afrobeat music collective to which Fela!’s band members belong, performed at the after-party that followed the ceremony.

Anika Noni Rose won an OBIE in 2001 for her performance in Eli’s Comin’. Most recently, you may have heard Anika as the voice of ‘Princess Tiana’ in Disney’s The Princess & The Frog. She won acclaim in the film version of Dreamgirls, for which she received an NAACP nomination, and she received raves both Off- and on Broadway for her portrayal of Emmie Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change. She subsequently starred on Broadway in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and as Mma Makutsi in the HBO series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, shot entirely on location in Botswana.

Michael Cerveris says: “I may have snuck in the back door of uptown theater while they weren’t looking, but my career, my heart, and my residence have been below 14th Street more often than not over the years.” His numerous roles Off-Broadway include Hedwig in the Obie-winning musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. On Broadway, he most recently won acclaim while starring in Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) . His many previous starring roles on Broadway include John Wilkes Booth in Sondheim’s Assassins, and the title roles in both The Who‘s Tommy and the John Doyle production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.

Informally structured, with no strict categories, The Village Voice OBIE Awards honor excellence in every aspect of theater. Unlike most other entertainment awards, The Village Voice OBIE Awards publish no nominations. In the conviction that creativity is not competitive, the judges may give multiple OBIEs in any category, or even invent new categories, to reward exceptional artistic merit.

The Voice’s chief theater critic, Michael Feingold, who chaired the OBIE Awards committee again this year, was recently honored as a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. The Pulitzer jury recognized Feingold “for his engaging, authoritative drama reviews that fuse passion and knowledge as he helps readers understand what makes a play or a performance successful.”

His fellow judges this year included Voice critic Alexis Soloski and four guest judges: Andy Propst of AmericanTheaterWeb.com and TheaterMania, who also served as secretary to the committee; Kristin Marting, co-founder and current Artistic Director of HERE Arts Center, productions at which have received a total of 14 Obie Awards; Ralph B. Pena, a founding member and current Artistic Director of Ma-Yi Theater, a 2003 Obie Award winner for his work on Ma-Yi’s The Romance of Magno Rubio; and three-time Tony Award nominee Martha Plimpton, winner of a 2001 Obie for her performance in Hobson’s Choice, and currently filming a recurring role (Atlantic Theater Company).

OBIE WINNERS 2010

The Sustained Achievement Award
David Greenspan

Best New American Play (w/check for $1000)
Annie Baker, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION and THE ALIENS

Performance
Ensemble, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION (Playwrights Horizons)
(Reed Birney, Tracee Chimo, Peter Friedman, Deirdre O’Connell, Heidi Schreck)

Dane DeHaan, THE ALIENS (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)

Jonathan Hammond, THE BOYS IN THE BAND (Transport Group)

Marc Damon Johnson, THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS (Public Theater)

Laurie Metcalf, A LIE OF THE MIND (The New Group)

Wendell Pierce, sustained excellence of performance

Juliet Rylance, AS YOU LIKE IT (Bridge Project/BAM)

Rocco Sisto, sustained excellence of performance

Playwriting
Enda Walsh, THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM (Druid Theatre / St. Ann’s Warehouse)

Directing
Sam Gold, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION (Playwrights Horizons) and THE ALIENS (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)

Pam MacKinnon, CLYBOURNE PARK (Playwrights Horizons)

Design / Music

Steven Dufala and Billy Blaise Dufala (machine design), MACHINES MACHINES
MACHINES MACHINES MACHINES MACHINES MACHINES (rainpan 43 /
HERE Arts Center)

Stephin Merritt (music & lyrics), CORALINE (MCC Theater)

Tyler Micoleau, sustained excellence of lighting design

Neil Murray (sets and costumes), Malcolm Rippeth (lighting), Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll (projection design), BRIEF ENCOUNTER (Kneehigh Theatre / St. Ann’s Warehouse)

Special Citations
Ariane Mnouchkine & Théâtre du Soleil, LES ÉPHÉMÈRES (Lincoln Center Festival)

Taylor Mac, THE LILY’S REVENGE (HERE Arts Center)

The Ohio Theatre

Hoi Polloi and Rachel Chavkin, THREE PIANOS
(Hoi Polloi: Alec Duffy, Dave Malloy, and Rick Burkhardt) (Ontological)

Philippe Quesne and Gaëtan Vourc’h, L’EFFET DE SERGE (Vivarium Studio / Under the Radar)

Chris Wells, SECRET CITY

The Ross Wetzsteon Award (w/check for $1000)
Foundry Theatre

Obie Grants

Harlem School of the Arts

Ontological Incubator

Vampire Cowboys

For more information about the Obie Awards, and a complete winners list, please visit: Obies.villagevoice.com

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Summer music release calendars by genre

Country
Artist Title Date

Hank Williams III The Rebel Within May 25
Dierks Bentley Up on the Ridge June 8
Jewel Sweet and Wild June 8
Mark Chesnutt Outlaw June 22
Trace Adkins Cowboy’s Back In Town August 24
Little Big Town The Reason Why TBD (Aug)

Electronic/Dance
Artist Title Date

Crystal Castles Crystal Castles May 25
The Chemical Brothers Further June 22
M.I.A. /\/\/\Y/\ July 13
Chromeo Business Casual August 17
How to Destroy Angels How to Destroy Angels EP TBD

Hip Hop
Artist Title Date

Nas and Damian Marley Distant Relatives May 18
Common Go! Common Classics [Greatest Hits] May 25
Plies Goon Affiliated May 25
Lil Jon Crunk Rock June 8
Drake Thank Me Later June 15
Game The R.E.D. Album June 15
Chamillionaire Venom June 22
Diddy / Dirty Money Last Train to Paris June 22
Eminem Recovery June 22
The Roots How I Got Over June 22
Young Jeezy Thug Motivation 103 June 22
3OH!3 Streets of Gold June 29
Paul Wall Heart of a Champion June 29
Rick Ross Teflon Don June 29
Three 6 Mafia Laws of Power June 29
Big Boi Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty July 6
N.E.R.D. Nothing July 6
Ice Cube I Am The West July 13
T.I. King Uncaged August 24
Lupe Fiasco Lasers TBD
Kanye West Good Ass Job TBD (June?)

Indie/Alternative
Artist Title Date

Band of Horses Infinite Arms May 18
The Black Keys Brothers May 18
Jamie Lidell Compass May 18
LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening May 18
Born Ruffians Say It June 1
The Futureheads The Chaos June 1
Television Personalities A Memory Is Better Than Nothing June 1
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Before Today June 8
Blitzen Trapper Destroyer of the Void June 8
Deer Tick The Black Dirt Sessions June 8
Here We Go Magic Pigeons June 8
Hot Hot Heat Future Breeds June 8
Nada Surf If I Had a Hi-Fi June 8
Ratatat LP4 June 8
Rooney Eureka June 8
Teenage Fanclub Shadows June 8
Tokyo Police Club Champ June 8
Villagers Becoming a Jackal June 8
Devo Something for Everybody June 15
Laurie Anderson Homeland June 15
We Are Scientists Barbara June 15
Kele Okereke The Boxer June 22
Sleigh Bells Treats June 22
Stars The Five Ghosts June 22
Scissor Sisters Night Work June 29
Wolf Parade Expo 86 June 29
Fol Chen Part II: The New December July 6
Crowded House Intriguer July 13
Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse Dark Night of the Soul July 13
Matmos and So Percussion Treasure State July 13
School of Seven Bells Disconnect from Desire July 13
Sun Kil Moon Admiral Fell Promises July 13
Film School Fission July 20
The Books The Way Out July 20
Tony da Gatorra vs. Gruff Rhys The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness July 26 [UK]
Menomena Mines July 27
Gang of Four Content TBD

Metal
Artist Title Date

Exodus Exhibit B: The Human Condition May 18
Harvey Milk A Small Turn of Human Kindness May 18
Melvins The Bride Screamed Murder June 1
Nevermore The Obsidian Conspiracy June 8
Whitechapel New Era of Corruption June 8
Ozzy Osbourne Scream June 15
Danzig Deth Red Sabaoth June 22
Helmet Seeing Eye Dog June 22
Hellyeah Stampede July 13
Korn Korn III – Remember Who You Are July 13
Norma Jean Meridional July 13
Avenged Sevenfold Nightmare July 27
Black Label Society Order of the Black August 10
The Sword Warp Riders August 24

Pop/R&B
Artist Title Date

Clay Aiken Tried & True June 1
Christina Aguilera Bionic June 8
Robyn Body Talk Pt. 1 June 15
Macy Gray The Sellout June 22
Miley Cyrus Can’t Be Tamed June 22
The-Dream Love King June 22
Dwele World, Wants Women June 29
Kelis Flesh Tone July 6
Jamie Foxx Body July 20

Rock
Artist Title Date

Bo Bice 3 May 18
Stone Temple Pilots Stone Temple Pilots May 25
Against Me! White Crosses June 8
The Gaslight Anthem American Slang June 15
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Mojo June 15
The Steve Miller Band Bingo! June 15
American Hi-Fi Fight the Frequency June 22

Singer-Songwriter
Artist Title Date

Tracey Thorn Love And Its Opposite May 18
Damien Jurado Saint Bartlett May 25
Jack Johnson To the Sea June 1
Tift Merritt See You on the Moon June 1
Paul Weller Wake Up the Nation June 1
Fefe Dobson Joy June 15
Sarah McLachlan The Laws of Illusion June 15
Dot Allison Room 7 1/2 June 22
Sia We Are Born June 22
Alejandro Escovedo Street Songs of Love June 29
Sheryl Crow 100 Miles from Memphis July 20

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