Elton Locks In More Red Piano Date

Elton John locks in more 'Red Piano' shows
March 21, 2006 11:00 AM
by Rob Evans
liveDaily Editor
Elton John has firmed up his schedule through October for "The Red Piano," his two-year-old Las Vegas production.
About two-dozen new shows have been announced for July and October. As previously reported, John's next stint of Vegas dates is set to get underway March 28. Tickets for all confirmed shows are on sale now.

"The Red Piano"--a production created by John with photographer David LaChapelle to spotlight the songs of John and longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin--made its debut at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2004. John's initial agreement with Caesars called for 75 shows over three years, but the production proved to be a hot seller, prompting the resort to book John for more than the initially planned 25 shows per year.

Last year, the singer/pianist signed a new agreement that calls for an additional 150 shows through 2008, according to Caesars.

The Colosseum is a 4,100-seat theater originally designed to host Celine Dion's production, "... A New Day." "The Red Piano," plays on select nights when Dion is off.

Kim Cattrall cast in Elton John`s pilot "Him & Us"

A development that somehow escaped me over the last couple of weeks...

Former Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has been added to the cast of ABC's
Elton John-produced pilot Him & Us, while Lev Spiro will direct -- and Annie
Potts is set to star -- in the Fox comedy pilot Julie Reno: Bounty Hunter,
reports Variety.

Cattrall will play Freddy Lazarus, manager to the rock
star at the center of the pilot. The role had originally been designed for a man
but was rethought when Cattrall became available. Touchstone TV is behind the
show.

As for Julie Reno: Bounty Hunter, Potts (Designing Women) is set
to play the mother of the lead character (played by Erin Daniels). The show
comes from 20th Century Fox TV.

In other pilot casting news, Lizzy
Caplan (Related) has been added to the CBS comedy The Class, from Warner Bros.
TV. Caplan is in second position for the pilot, in the event that Related
doesn't return for a second season.

Camille Guaty (Prison Break) will
play Franny in ABC's untitled hostage drama from Hank Steinberg. Warner Bros. TV
is behind the pilot.

Scott Cohen (Kissing Jessica Stein) is set as
Shane, husband to Gina Gershon's character, in the NBC comedy pilot Lipstick
Jungle, from NBC Universal TV Studio.

Luke Goss (Blade II) has signed on
as a cast member on the Fox drama pilot 13 Graves, from 20th Century Fox TV.

Noah Gray-Cabey (My Wife And Kids) will play the son of Ali Larter's
character on NBC's drama pilot Heroes, from NBC Universal TV Studio.

"The Captain and The Kid" due in September? Elton says so...

Sir Elton works on ‘Captain’ sequel in Atlanta
By RICHARD L. ELDREDGE
Wednesday, March 8, 2006, 01:27 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HOLLYWOOD — Perhaps sensing our Aretha Franklin-esque aversion to air travel, Elton John generously gave Buzz a scoop Sunday night during his 14th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit Oscar party at the Pacific Design Center. The singer-songwriter confided that in addition to readying “Lestat” for Broadway and performing his “Red Piano” tour dates in Las Vegas, he’s been spending time in his adopted U.S. hometown recording.

“I’ve been in Atlanta recording for the past three weeks,” John said. “It’s going brilliantly. We’re halfway through.”

The pop star has been working with Atlanta engineer Matt Still, who also assisted John in producing his 2004 studio disc “Peachtree Road” in Atlanta.

The upcoming album is “The Captain and the Kid,” a long-awaited sequel to Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin’s classic 1975 recording “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.” Presumably, the new album would pick up the storytelling threads of the first album’s song cycle 30 years later.

John told Buzz the new album is due in stores in September.

John Legend to perform with Elton John

Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend will perform with Elton John at his
14th annual Oscars after-party next month at the Pacific Design Center in West
Hollywood.
The March 5 soiree co-hosted by John and partner David Furnish
will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

"I have been a huge fan of
John's since I first heard his album `Get Lifted," Elton John said. "I am so
thrilled that he won three Grammys last week and even more thrilled that he will
be playing at our Oscar party." Legend, who hit the music scene in 2004 with the
release of "Get Lifted," was named "Best New Artist" at last week's Grammy
Awards ceremony at Staples Center.

He was nominated for a total of eight
Grammys and took home three.

"Him and Us" lead actor chosen

This is the first time I have heard of the lead character being gay, although its not surprising. I just haven't read this anywhere else, or I just haven't noticed.

‘Buffy‘ star channeling Elton John in ABC comedy

01 February, 2006
By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British actor Anthony Stewart Head , formerly of WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has landed the lead in "Him & Us," ABC‘s comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John .
The project revolves around an over-the-hill gay rock star and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage.
Head, who played Rupert Giles on "Buffy," also co-starred in the HBO film "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

UPDATE:
The press release has be pulled back and corrected. Here is the new release with the corrections explained at the top. Interesting.

please read "... ABC's comedy pilot executive produced by Elton John" instead of "... ABC's comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John."

and In paragraph 2, please read, "The project revolves around a fictitious, popular rock star..." instead of "The project revolves around an over-the-hill gay rock star..."

Also makes headline conform to corrected information.

A corrected repetition follows.

'Buffy' star starring in ABC's Elton John comedy
By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British actor Anthony Stewart Head, formerly of WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has landed the lead in "Him & Us," ABC's comedy pilot executive produced by Elton John.

The project revolves around a fictitious, popular rock star and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage.

Head, who played Rupert Giles on "Buffy," also co-starred in the HBO film "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Lestat preview and opening pushed back 2 weeks

The previews and opening night for Lestat have been pushed back two weeks.

Choreographer Jonathan Butterell, who worked on such shows as The Light in the Piazza and the recent revival of Fiddler on the Roof, has been brought in as a creative consultant "to provide an objective overview as it undergoes revisions," the producers, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, said Thursday in a statement

UPDATE: A good article on the changes being made appeared today in the NY Post (free registration required).

John is taking the brutal notices — including one that called his score "bland" — in stride and with a sense of humor.

"I can take it," he says. "I've been called worse things than bland, believe me.

"I did read one review that said I've obviously been watching 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Les Miserables' and 'Jekyll and Hyde.'

"Well, thank you very much. I nearly killed myself. Where is the Golden Gate Bridge?"

John concedes the critics had a point when they complained that the show, especially the first act, is weighed down by too much plot.

Spanning centuries, "Lestat" tells the story of a lonely vampire searching for companionship and love.

"Right now, we've got too much information. The first act is a history lesson," John says. "A lot of it isn't necessary. We've done a lot of pruning, and I think I'm going to have to write another song or two."

Sanctuary outlines rescue plans for itself.

UK music group Sanctuary has unveiled a £110m rescue deal after revealing a fivefold increase in annual losses. Sanctuary said it would raise the cash through a shares issue after revealing losses had surged to £142.6m from £26.7m a year earlier.

It blamed the loss on an "awful" year in which it was hit by record release delays and a string of profit warnings.

Many of the losses stemmed from Urban Records, a firm it bought from singer Beyonce Knowles' father, it added.

Crocodile Rockin'

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Lestat reviews - it ain't pretty ! UPDATED

The Good:
Lestat - Visually Rich - Beyond Chron San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily
Back Stage - Review: "Lestat"

The Bad:
Lestat Bites - InsideBayArea.com
Toothless - San Jose Mecury News
The vampire Lestat has settled in San Francisco. And he's singing in a new musical. Quick! Someone fetch the garlic and a wooden stake! - San Francisco Chronicle
The Stage - A vampire musical without bite
East Bay Express - Emo Vampire Chateau


Difficult to sink teeth into unconvincing 'Lestat' - Contra Costa Times
Bloody awful - ‘Lestat’ stage adaptation proves anemic - San Francisco Examiner

The Indifferent:
Lestat - Dennis Harvey of Variety

Say what?

So the reviews for Lestat have been less than enthusiastic, putting it mildly. Thats not to say that the perceived problems with the play cannot be fixed before it move to Broadway. But the reviewers have not been kind to just about any aspect of the play.

That being said when a critic makes a comment like this one you have to question if said critic has been living under a rock for the past 30 years;

Lyricist Bernie Taupin, who has collaborated with John on many other
ventures, shares responsibility for this woeful lack of musical vitality.

You don't say? Many other ventures? You mean that little venture called Elton John's career? What an absolutely stupid comment. He makes it sound as though Bernie Taupin and Elton John are familiar with each others work and when they have the time they team up to write a few songs together, now and then. HELLO? These two are arguably one of the greatest writing teams in music history. Geez!

Political Correctness invades "gay marriage"

In a turn of events the word "marriage" is being removed from register office signs and replaced with "ceremony" in order not to offend gay couples who are entering into a civil partnership. Excuse me if I find this ironic and humorous.

OFF THEIR WEDS
Word 'marriage' removed so gays aren't offended
By Rod Chaytor

THE word "marriage" is being taken off register office
signs - in case it offends gay couples entering into a civil partnership.

Councils are following guidelines which also suggest altering couples'
stationery from "Your Wedding" to "Your Ceremony".

Wolverhampton
Register Office's two marriage rooms have been renamed ceremony rooms while the
Crown Marriage Suite in Stourbridge is now the Crown Suite after recommendations
from the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services.

Pastor Paul Chamberlain from nearby Kingswinford blasted: "Political correctness is
rearing its ugly head."

But Lacors said: "Any decisions by individual authorities may be taken as an attempt to reflect the needs of all members of the public that might use these rooms."

Elton John and David Furnish became one of the first couples to have a civil partnership last month.

Lestat opens

Lestat Opens in San Francisco Jan. 8 Prior to Spring Bow on
Broadway

By Kenneth Jones08 Jan 2006

Lestat, the new musical that reunites the legendary pop songwriting
team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, collaborating together on a legit musical for the first time, opens in its pre-Broadway tryout Jan. 8, following previews from Dec. 17, 2005.
Before critics viewed the lush, shadowy, romantic world
of the title vampire character (drawn from the novels of Anne Rice and played by Hugh Panaro) at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, the cast and creative team have been refining the show. Jack Noseworthy, who created the role of Armand for a handful of performances, was replaced by Drew Sarich in previews. The run at the Curran continues to Jan. 29.

Elton John ties the knot with longtime partner David Furnish

WINDSOR, England -- Britain's most famous gay couple _ Sir Elton John and Canadian filmmaker David Furnish _ tied the knot Wednesday in a much-anticipated ceremony that capped the first week of legalized civil unions in the United Kingdom.

U2 and Eagles top touring acts in 2005, Elton #7

Let's have a standing O for the old guys.

Of the 10 top-grossing concert tours of 2005, eight of the acts are considered, well, veterans.

U2 had the top-grossing tour, according to year-end figures from Billboard magazine. Bono and company's Vertigo tour grossed $260 million and attracted 3 million people to 90 sellout concerts.

1. U2, $260 million.

2. The Eagles, $117 million.

3. Neil Diamond, $71 million.

4. Kenny Chesney, $63 million (with the second-highest attendance draw, 1.1 million)

5. Paul McCartney, $60 million

6. Rod Stewart, $49 million

7. Elton John, $45.5 million, plus $30 million for his Las Vegas show

8. Dave Matthews Band, $45 million

9. Jimmy Buffett, $41 million

10. Green Day, $36.5 million

Because Billboard ranks only completed tours, the list doesn't include the Rolling Stones, an otherwise likely contender for the top spot.

Pollstar, the concert industry's leading trade magazine, will release its 2005 ranking by month's end.

Pam Anderson sequence dropped, NBC feared it too hot

Pamela Anderson was cut from TV screens after her steamy pole dance proved too hot for viewers.

The curvy star was dropped from an Elton John television special after her performance on a giant screen behind Elton singing his hit 'The Bitch is Back' was deemed too provocative for family viewing.

The show, called 'Elton John: The Red Piano' and filmed at the eccentric singer's show at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, was broadcast by American TV giant NBC without the song.

Critics, who had watched preview copies of the show, had suggested the accompanying on-stage video of the scantily-dressed star could offend audiences.

Meanwhile, sexy Pammy has confessed she won't be inviting her ex husband Tommy Lee to the family's Christmas dinner - because she wouldn't be able to resist having sex with him.

The beautiful blonde - who has two sons with the Motley Crue drummer - says Tommy makes her think of nothing but sex.

The 38-year-old former 'Baywatch' babe said: 'Tommy still makes me think of sex, not mashed yams and turkey.'

Bernie Taupin nominated for Golden Globe

Bernie nominated for a Golden Globe award (isn't everyone...);

and Taupin's collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla, "A Love That Will Never Grow Old," is from Ang Lee's cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain, with a performance by country legend Emmylou Harris.

NBC's "Red Piano" a ratings flop

It seems the NBC special "Elton John: The Red Piano" was down 17% from what normally airs in the 8-9PM timeslot, sci-fi drama "Surface." Maybe it had something to do with the predictable song selection that NBC bored us all with. Or maybe its just that music specials generally do poorly these days.

Network TV concert specials haven’t done particularly well this
holiday season. Just ask Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, and now Elton John. His
NBC special “Elton John: The Red Piano” averaged just a 2.5 overnight rating
among viewers 18-49 in the 8 p.m. timeslot last night, down significantly from
“Surface,” which usually airs in that timeslot. “Red Piano” was off 17
percent versus a 3.0 overnight average for the last four original episodes of
“Surface,” and the show had improved in each of those four weeks. The
concert special wasn’t lacking in holiday glitz. NBC used 36 high-definition
cameras to capture John’s Las Vegas stage show. But that wasn’t enough to pique
the interest of viewers, who similarly shunned country stars Faith Hill and
Kenny Chesney last month in separate specials the night before
Thanksgiving

.

"Elton John: The Red Piano" on NBC December 12 -rescheduled

UPDATE: NBC has moved the show to December 12 @ 8PM.
From the AP:

NEW YORK Nov 15, 2005 — Elton John brings his Las Vegas show to television with his first NBC special, "Elton John: The Red Piano," on [Dec. 12. ]

The special will feature John's show from Caesars Palace, incorporating his performance with videos from director David LaChapelle, including two that feature Justin Timberlake as a young Elton John and Pamela Anderson performing a pole dance, NBC announced Monday.

Last December, the rock legend was honored in a star-studded tribute at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

"Hey Hey Johnny, Can't You Come Out To Play...

It was 25 years ago today...

Elton and John Lennon, November 28, 1974.

Elton John partners with Amazon for Katrina charity song

This is from eltonjohn.com;

A message from Elton
6-December-2005

" I am excited to let you know that I have partnered with Amazon.com and will be kicking off a very important effort to help the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Please join me in helping the rebuilding process for those who have lost a place to call home during the holidays, and make a donation to my charity of choice, The Red Cross.

As thanks for your support, beginning December 7, 2005, I would like to give you an exclusive never-been-released recording of a song titled Make Me As You Are that Bernie Taupin and I wrote for the new musical Lestat, where Anne Rice's most beloved vampire character is brought to life on stage.

For more information about Amazon.com’s Holiday A-List for Hurricane Relief program, please visit this link, and be sure to check out my exclusive content on Amazon.com beginning December 7, 2005.

Happy Holidays,

Love
Elton"