CTG Announces Writer Workshop Participants

Eight Local Playwrights Have Been Chosen For Annual Nine-Month Workshop

Center Theatre Group has announced the participants for the 2012-2013 Writers’ Workshop.  Administered by CTG’s Literary Department, the Writers’ Workshop consists of eight Los Angeles playwrights who meet once a month over nine months to share their work and assist one another in the creative process of developing a play.

This year’s playwrights are Zakiyyah Alexander, Sheila Callaghan, Jonathan Ceniceroz, a musical composing team of Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews, Meg Miroshnik, Tanya Saracho and John Sinner.

The Writers’ Workshop provides an opportunity for CTG to foster relationships with local playwrights, to facilitate progress by providing resources and to bring together the local playwright community. The writers are welcome to work on plays commissioned by or scheduled for production at other theatres.

Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg Pier Carlo Talenti and Literary Associate Joy Meads follow numerous local playwrights and invite approximately seven to participate each year. All writers must reside in Los Angeles and be either starting or interested in starting work on a new play. Talenti and Meads look for local writers from diverse backgrounds with varied writing styles who are challenging themselves and their audiences, and this year’s writers are no exception. 

 “What’s exciting about these writers is that they all write extremely differently, and that they all write especially theatrically,” said Talenti of this year’s writers. From playwright John Sinner who writes “very expressionist pieces” to Meg Miroshnik who “recently wrote a hybridized contemporary Russian fairytale.”

Of Sheila Callaghan, Meads said, “She’s a bold writer who creates these images that just explode in your mind.  She dreams up idiosyncratic characters and drops them into strange theatrical worlds with the highest possible stakes.” Talenti explained that this is the first year that the Writers’ Workshop has taken on a musical composing team.  “Matt Gould is the composer and Griffin Matthews is the lyricist.  I got to know their work through a piece called ‘Witness Uganda’ that was workshopped at Boston Court last year.  It was a beautiful piece, and I think that Matt’s songs are incredibly theatrical and lush and big and powerful.”

 Tanya Saracho, unlike most of the other playwrights, is new to L.A. “She had founded a company in Chicago called Teatro Luna,” said Talenti. Meads added, “It was a Latina female ensemble and she wrote with them for a long time.  She writes people that you feel like you know intimately and that have depth and complication.” Zakiyyah Alexander “writes deeply human work with grand imagination. She takes an unflinching look at vitally important social questions,” and of Jonathan Ceniceroz’s most recent play, Talenti said that “it’s got these wonderful, grand emotional gestures; it’s full of delicious, old-fashioned pathos.” 

Meg Miroshnik is a recent winner of the $50,000 Whiting Writers’ Award, which recognizes exceptional writers who have yet to achieve national prominence.

The Writers’ Workshop began with a weekend-long salon in October. Each playwright identified local experts on the subject of his/her play and invited these experts to join the group for a discussion during the salon. Past guest experts have included an LAPD homicide detective, the creator of Kwanzaa, a Cal Tech seismologist and a Los Angeles Times writer.  Guests for the most recent salon included sculptor Alison Saar, thanatologist David Kessler, Assistant Professor of Cinematic Arts at USC Laura Isabel Serna, divorce attorney Daniel Jaffe, founder of the Vet Hunters Project Joe Leal and USC assistant professor of American Studies Shana Redmond. 

In the monthly meetings, the playwrights can hear their pages read aloud by colleagues, invite additional experts, discuss relevant issues, or work with other members on improvisation exercises to further scene development.

In June 2013, members will gather for a three-day retreat during which they hear all seven plays that were written over the course of the workshop.  CTG hires professional actors to do cold readings throughout the retreat.

Several of the plays written and developed in the Writers’ Workshop have been produced around the country, including Lisa Loomer’s “Distracted,” which had its world premiere at CTG/Mark Taper Forum, Julie Marie Myatt’s “My Wandering Boy” (South Coast Repertory), Adriana Sevahn Nichols’ “Night Over Erzinga” (Golden Thread/Silk Road Rising co-production) and Brett Neveu’s “The Opponent” (A Red Orchid Theatre).  Julie Hébert’s dance-theater piece “Night Falls” was performed in San Francisco this fall and Lila Rose Kaplan’s “Entangled” premiered at UC Santa Barbara’s Launch Pad in 2012.

In addition, CTG is also producing the world premieres of Jennifer Haley’s “The Nether” and Marco Ramirez’s “The Royale” in its current Kirk Douglas Theatre season.  Haley was a member of the 2011- 2012 Writer’s Workshop, and Ramirez was in the 2010-2011 workshop. 

###

December 19, 2012

Celebrity Pressure On United Nations Leads To Haiti Anti-Cholera Initiative

DUE TO GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN

AND PRESSURE FROM CELEBRITIES  

OLIVIA WILDE, BEN STILLER, PATRICIA ARQUETTE, RAIN WILSON, OLIVER STONE, DANNY GLOVER, MARIA BELLO, ELON MUSK, INCUBUS' BRANDON BOYD 

 AND DOZENS MORE!

 

Los Angeles, CA (13 December 2012) – Pressure on the United Nations to take action to fight cholera in Haiti reached a tipping point today thanks to a grassroots activism campaign lead by the U.S.-based organization RYOT and the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. The #UNDENY campaign shed light, gathered momentum and gained celebrity support pushing the United Nations to take responsibility for an epidemic raging out of control. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today an anti-cholera initiative aimed at raising money to eliminate the disease in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Initially, $215 million in existing funds from bilateral and multilateral donors will be used to support the initiative.

Celebrities and high-profile individuals who viewed the film, such as Olivia Wilde and Elon Musk (producers of the film Baseball in the Time of Cholera), Ben Stiller, Maria Bello, Patricia Arquette, Oliver Stone, Rainn Wilson, Danny Glover and Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd along with dozens of others, helped create a social media maelstrom that launched #UNDENY to the Top 5 Twitter trending hashtags in July and garnered the film nearly 300,000 views online.

Cholera arrived in Haiti just a few months after the earthquake in 2010, and strong evidence shows that U.N. peacekeepers brought the disease to the island. President Bill Clinton acknowledged that U.N. soldiers were the "proximate cause" of the cholera, major publications such as The Economist, New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Huffington Post and dozens of celebrities and cause experts have laid the blame on the U.N., however, U.N. officials have yet to take any blame or issue an apology.

The World Premiere of the RYOT film Baseball in the Time of Cholera at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival in July, 2012 was the first major step in the grassroots advocacy campaign “UNDENY” that exposed the U.N.’s role in the cholera epidemic and led to the announcement today. The film follows the cholera outbreak through the lives of Haiti’s first Little League baseball team, portraying the disaster as a major U.N. scandal. Baseball in the Time of Cholera and UNDENY gained further traction after screenings on Capitol Hill and in London at the Olympic games: 104 members of Congress signed an official letter to Ambassador Susan Rice, urging the U.N. to take responsibility and take action to prevent further damage, and Esquire Magazine featured the film and RYOT co-founders Bryn Mooser and David Darg as 2012 Americans of the Year.

“It is great to see the power of the people at work, with the power of social media the world is watching much closer and speaking louder” Said Bryn Mooser, one of RYOT’s co-founders. “The UNDENY project of RYOT’s is a true indicator of the power of a grassroots, social media movement to drive change and force the writers of history to address — if not take full responsibility for — their actions.”

“This is the reason we founded RYOT,” added co-founder David Darg. “Martin Luther King said, ’A riot is the language of the unheard,’ and it is our goal through RYOT to give a voice to the voiceless.”

Although there is no explicit mention of the cause of the cholera outbreak in the U.N. press announcement, by launching this cholera initiative, they are implicitly noting their responsibility in the epidemic. RYOT’s Baseball in the Time of Cholera and UNDENY campaign palyed a vital role in forcing the U.N.’s hand.

RYOT

Everyday we turn to news outlets to get reports of recent events or learn previously unknown information. Up until now, news has been all about "What's going on in the world?" RYOT lets you know "What's going on in the world and how YOU can be a part of it." RYOT is the only news outlet bringing you updates as they happen and letting you become part of the story. With RYOT, you Become the News. The RYOT Foundation also exists to elevate at risk children to a place of safety in the developing world. Through innovative projects and strategic partnerships, RYOT foundation focuses on sustainable ways to foster hope in the midst of despair. We believe children everywhere should not only have access to basic needs such as food, water and shelter but that they also have the right to joy and fun. The RYOT Foundation not only focuses on essential relief but also funds programs that allow kids to be kids, no matter what their surroundings dictate. The key to a better world isn’t just keeping the next generation alive, it’s about allowing the next generation to be creative, to love and appreciate life and ultimately, to dream. Visit RYOT.org

BASEBALL IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA

As a Cholera epidemic rages in Haiti, the United Nations denies it is responsible for introducing the disease despite glaring evidence suggesting Nepalese peacekeepers are to blame. Baseball in the Time of Cholera is the story of a young Haitian boy who plays in Haiti's first little league baseball team and the Haitian Lawyer seeking justice against the UN. As the epidemic spreads, the two stories intersect in the struggle for survival and justice. The film Baseball In The Time of Cholera has over 250,000 views on Youtube, watch it here

 

Golden Globe Nominations Announced Today

   

The 2013 Golden Globe nominations were announced today. The 70th annual awards ceremony will air on Sun., Jan. 13, 2013. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association surprised with some nods that were given, as well as nods that were not given. Of course, movies like "Zero Dark Thirty," "Argo" and "Lincoln" were all selected for Best Picture. And, as expected Daniel Day-Lewis got a Best Acting nod for "Lincoln," as did Denzel Washington for "Flight."  Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Django, starring Jamie Foxx as a slave, grabbed several nominations. The complete list is below. 

1.    BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.    ARGO 
Warner Bros. Pictures, GK Films, Smokehouse Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
b.    DJANGO UNCHAINED 
The Weinstein Company, Columbia Pictures; The Weinstein Company/Sony Pictures Releasing
c.    LIFE OF PI 
Fox 2000 Pictures; Twentieth Century Fox
d.    LINCOLN 
DreamWorks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox; Touchstone Pictures
e.    ZERO DARK THIRTY 
Columbia Pictures and Annapurna Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing

2.    BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.    Jessica Chastain     ZERO DARK THIRTY
b.    Marion Cotillard    RUST AND BONE
c.    Helen Mirren    HITCHCOCK
d.    NAOMI WATTS     THE IMPOSSIBLE
e.    Rachel Weisz     THE DEEP BLUE SEA

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.    Daniel Day-Lewis     LINCOLN
b.    Richard Gere         ARBITRAGE
c.    JOHN HAWKES         THE SESSIONS
d.    Joaquin Phoenix     THE MASTER
e.    Denzel Washington FLIGHT

4.    BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL 
Blueprint Pictures/Participant Media; Fox Searchlight Pictures
b.    LES MISERABLES 
Universal Pictures, A Working Title Films/Cameron Mackintosh Productions; Universal Pictures
c.    MOONRISE KINGDOM 
Indian Paintbrush; Focus Features
d.    SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN 
CBS Films; CBS Films
e.    SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK 
The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company

5.    BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    Emily Blunt         SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
b.    Judi Dench             THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
c.    Jennifer Lawrence  SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
d.    Maggie Smith         QUARTET
e.    Meryl Streep         HOPE SPRINGS

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    Jack Black             BERNIE
b.    BRADLEY COOPER     SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
c.    Hugh Jackman         LES MISERABLES
d.    Ewan McGregor     SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
e.    Bill Murray         HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

7.    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a.    BRAVE 
Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures
b.    FRANKENWEENIE 
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Pictures
c.    HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 
Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing
d.    RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 
DreamWorks Animation LLC; Paramount Pictures
e.    WRECK-IT RALPH 
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures

8.    BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a.    AMOUR (AUSTRIA) 
Les Films Du Losange, X Filme Creative Pool, Wega Film; Sony Pictures Classics
b.    A ROYAL AFFAIR (DENMARK) 
(En kongelig affære) 
Zentropa Entertainment; Magnolia Pictures
c.    THE INTOUCHABLES (FRANCE) 
(Les Intouchables) 
The WeinstenCompany, Quad Productions, Gaumont, TF1 Films Production, Ten Films, Chaocorp; The Weinstein Company
d.    KON-TIKI (NORWAY/UK/DENMARK) 
Nordisk Film Production, Recorded Picture Company
e.    RUST AND BONE (FRANCE) 
(De rouille et d’os) 
Page 114, Why Not Productions; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a.    Amy Adams             THE MASTER
b.    Sally Field             LINCOLN
c.    Anne Hathaway     LES MISERABLES
d.    Helen Hunt         THE SESSIONS
e.    Nicole Kidman         THE PAPERBOY

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a.    Alan Arkin                 ARGO
b.    Leonardo DiCaprio         DJANGO UNCHAINED
c.    Philip Seymour Hoffman  THE MASTER
d.    Tommy Lee Jones          LINCOLN
e.    Christoph Waltz         DJANGO UNCHAINED

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a.    Ben Affleck             ARGO
b.    Kathryn Bigelow         ZERO DARK THIRTY
c.    Ang Lee                 LIFE OF PI
d.    Steven Spielberg         LINCOLN
e.    Quentin Tarantino         DJANGO UNCHAINED

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a.    Mark Boal                 ZERO DARK THIRTY
b.    Tony Kushner             LINCOLN
c.    David O. Russell         SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
d.    Quentin Tarantino         DJANGO UNCHAINED
e.    CHRIS TERRIO             ARGO

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a.    MYCHAEL DANNA         LIFE OF PI
b.    Alexandre Desplat     ARGO
c.    Dario Marianelli         ANNA KARENINA
d.    TOM TYKWER,            CLOUD ATLAS
e.     JOHNNY KLIMEK,
f.    REINHOLD HEIL
g.    John Williams             LINCOLN

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a.    ”FOR YOU” — ACT OF VALOR 
Music by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban Lyrics by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban
b.    ”NOT RUNNING ANYMORE”—STAND UP GUYS 
Music by: Jon Bon Jovi Lyrics by: Jon Bon Jovi
c.    ”SAFE & SOUND” — THE HUNGER GAMES 
Music by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett Lyrics by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett
d.    ”SKYFALL”—SKYFALL 
Music by: Adele, Paul Epworth Lyrics by: Adele, Paul Epworth
e.    ”SUDDENLY” — LES MISERABLES 
Music by: Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics by: Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    BREAKING BAD                 AMC 
Sony Pictures Television
b.    BOARDWALK EMPIRE    HBO 
Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
c.    DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2     PBS 
A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production
d.    HOMELAND                     SHOWTIME 
SHOWTIME, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21
e.    THE NEWSROOM                 HBO 
HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    CONNIE BRITTON                 NASHVILLE
b.    Glenn Close                 DAMAGES
c.    Claire Danes                 HOMELAND
d.    MICHELLE DOCKERY             DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2
e.    Julianna Margulies          THE GOOD WIFE

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    Steve Buscemi                 BOARDWALK EMPIRE
b.    Bryan Cranston              BREAKING BAD
c.    Jeff Daniels                 THE NEWSROOM
d.    Jon Hamm                      MAD MEN
e.    Damian Lewis                 HOMELAND

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    THE BIG BANG THEORY                 CBS 
Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
b.    EPISODES                             SHOWTIME 
SHOWTIME, Hat Trick Productions, Crane Klarik Productions
c.    GIRLS                                 HBO 
Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
d.    MODERN FAMILY                         ABC 
Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
e.    SMASH                                 NBC

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    Zooey Deschanel                     NEW GIRL
b.    Julia Louis-Dreyfus                 VEEP
c.    LENA DUNHAM                         GIRLS
d.    Tina Fey                             30 ROCK
e.    Amy Poehler                         PARKS AND RECREATION

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    Alec Baldwin                         30 ROCK
b.    Don Cheadle                         HOUSE OF LIES
c.    LOUIS C.K.                             LOUIE
d.    Matt LeBlanc                         EPISODES
e.    Jim Parsons                             THE BIG BANG THEORY

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    GAME CHANGE                         HBO 
Playtone and Everyman Pictures in association with HBO Films
b.    THE GIRL                             HBO 
A Wall to Wall, Warner Bros Entertainment GmbH, Moonlighting and BBC Production in association with HBO Films
c. HATFIELDS & MCCOYS                    HISTORY Thinkfactory Media in association with History
d.    THE HOUR                                        BBC AMERICA 
Kudos Film and Television/BBC America co-production
e.    POLITICAL ANIMALS                     USA NETWORK
Berlanti Productions and Laurence Mark Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    Nicole Kidman                     HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN
b.    Jessica Lange                     AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM
c.    SIENNA MILLER                     THE GIRL
d.    Julianne Moore                 GAME CHANGE
e.    Sigourney Weaver                  POLITICAL ANIMALS

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    Kevin Costner                     HATFIELDS & MCCOYS
b.    BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH              SHERLOCK (MASTERPIECE)
c.    Woody Harrelson                 GAME CHANGE
d.    TOBY JONES                         THE GIRL
e.    Clive Owen                         HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    HAYDEN PANETTIERE                 NASHVILLE
b.    ARCHIE PANJABI                     THE GOOD WIFE
c.    Sarah Paulson                     GAME CHANGE
d.    Maggie Smith                     DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2
e.    Sofia Vergara                      MODERN FAMILY

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    MAX GREENFIELD                 NEW GIRL
b.    Ed Harris                         GAME CHANGE
c.    DANNY HUSTON                     MAGIC CITY
d.    Mandy Patinkin                 HOMELAND
e.    Eric Stonestreet                 MODERN FAMILY

NAACP Image Awards Nominations Announced

 

The 44th NAACP Image Awards nominations were announced today during a live press conference from the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA. 

The 44th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film. The awards also honor individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors during the television event airing live Friday, February 1 on NBC.
 
TV One, the eight year old entertainment network for African American adults, earned five NAACP Image Award nominations across multiple categories.

• Unsung (Outstanding News/ Information Series or Special)
• Washington Watch with Roland Martin (Outstanding News/ Information Series or Special)
• Save My Son (Outstanding News/ Information Series or Special)
• Tatyana Ali, Love That Girl (Best Actress in a Comedy Series)
• Verses and Flow (Outstanding Variety Series or Special)

Following is a complee list of the nominations.

MOTION PICTURE

Motion Picture
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
"Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)
"Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
"Red Tails" (Lucasfilm)
"Tyler Perry's Good Deeds" (Lionsgate)

DENZEL WASHINGTON in 'FLIGHT'

Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
Jamie Foxx - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman - "The Magic of Belle Isle" (Magnolia Pictures)
Suraj Sharma - "Life of Pi" (20th Century Fox)
Tyler Perry - "Alex Cross" (Summit Entertainment)
STORY: 'Beasts of the Southern Wild,' 'Flight' among NAACP Image nominees

Actress in a Motion Picture
Emayatzy Corinealdi - "Middle of Nowhere" (AAFRM)
Halle Berry - "Cloud Atlas" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Loretta Devine - "In The Hive" (Eone Entertainment)
Quvenzhané Wallis - "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Viola Davis - "Won't Back Down" (20th Century Fox)

EMAYATZY CORINEALDI and DAVID OYELOWO in 'Middle of Nowhere'

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
David Oyelowo - "Middle of Nowhere" (AFFRM)
Don Cheadle - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
Dwight Henry - "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Lenny Kravitz - "The Hunger Games" (Lionsgate)
Samuel L. Jackson - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)

Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Amandla Stenberg - "The Hunger Games" (Lionsgate)
Gloria Reuben - "Lincoln" (The Walt Disney Studios)
Kerry Washington - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)
Phylicia Rashad - "Tyler Perry's Good Deeds" (Lionsgate)
Taraji P. Henson - "Think Like a Man" (Screen Gems)

Independent Motion Picture
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
"Chico & Rita" (GKIDS)
"Red Tails" (Lucasfilm)
"Unconditional" (Harbinger Media Partners)
"Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day" (Codeblack)

International Motion Picture
"Chico & Rita" (GKIDS)
"For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada" (ARC Entertainment)
"Special Forces" (eOne Films)
"The Intouchables" (The Weinstein Company)
"The Raid: Redemption" (Sony Pictures Classics)
AWARDS: OSCARS 2013

DOCUMENTARY

Documentary - (Theatrical or Television)
"Black Wings" (Smithsonian Channel)
"Brooklyn Castle" (Producers Distribution Agency)
"First Position" (IFC Films)
"Marley" (Magnolia Pictures)
"On the Shoulders of Giants - The Story of the Greatest Team You've Never Heard Of" (Showtime)
TELEVISION

Comedy Series
"Glee" (Fox)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"The Game" (BET)
"The Mindy Project" (Fox)
"The Soul Man" (TV Land)

Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson - "Guys with Kids" (NBC)
Damon Wayans, Jr. - "Happy Endings" (ABC)
Don Cheadle - "House Of Lies" (Showtime)
Donald Faison - "The Exes" (TV Land)
Hosea Chanchez - "The Game" (BET)

Actress in a Comedy Series
Amber Riley - "Glee" (Fox)
Cassi Davis - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
Kellita Smith - "The First Family" (Syndicated)
Tatyana Ali - "Love That Girl" (TV One)
Wendy Raquel Robinson - "The Game" (BET)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Aziz Ansari - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
Craig Robinson - "The Office" (NBC)
Donald Glover - "Community" (NBC)
Lance Gross - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Anna Deavere Smith - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
Gabourey Sidibe - "The Big C" (Showtime)
Gladys Knight - "The First Family" (Syndicated)
Rashida Jones - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
Vanessa Williams - "Desperate Housewives" (ABC)

Drama Series
"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
"Scandal" (ABC)
"Treme" (HBO)
"True Blood" (HBO)

 HILL HARPER of 'CSI:NY'

Actor in a Drama Series
Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA)
Hill Harper - "CSI: NY" (CBS)
LL Cool J - "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
Michael Clarke Duncan - "The Finder" (FOX)
Wendell Pierce - "Treme" (HBO)

Actress in a Drama Series
Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Kerry Washington - "Scandal" (ABC)
Khandi Alexander - "Treme" (HBO)
Regina King - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)
Sandra Oh - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Clarke Peters - "Treme" (HBO)
Dev Patel - "The Newsroom" (HBO)
Omar Epps - "House M.D." (FOX)
Rockmond Dunbar - "Sons of Anarchy" (FX)
Rocky Carroll - "NCIS" (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Archie Panjabi - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
Joy Bryant - "Parenthood" (NBC)
Loretta Devine - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Lucy Lui - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)
Rutina Wesley - "True Blood" (HBO)

Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
"Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime)
"Hallmark Hall of Fame's FIRELIGHT" (ABC)
"Raising Izzie" (GMC TV)
"Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
"Sugar Mommas" (GMC TV)

Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Afemo Omilami - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Cuba Gooding, Jr. - "Hallmark Hall of Fame's FIRELIGHT" (ABC)
Michael Jai White - "Somebody's Child" (GMC TV)
Rockmond Dunbar - "Raising Izzie" (GMC TV)
Tory Kittles - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)

PHYLICIA RASHAD - 'Steel Magnolias'

Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Alfre Woodard - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Jill Scott - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Keke Palmer - "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime)
Phylicia Rashad - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Queen Latifah - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)

Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Aaron D. Spears - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Erik Valdez - "General Hospital" (ABC)
James Reynolds - "Days of Our Lives" (NBC)
Kristoff St. John - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Rodney Saulsberry - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)

Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Angell Conwell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Julia Pace Mitchell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Kristolyn Lloyd - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Shenell Edmonds - "One Life to Live" (ABC)
Tatyana Ali - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

News/ Information - (Series or Special)
"Ask Obama Live: An MTV Interview with The President" (MTV)
"Judge Mathis" (Syndicated)
"Save My Son with Dr. Steve Perry" (TV One)
"Unsung" (TV One)
"Washington Watch with Roland Martin" (TV One)

Talk Series
"Don't Sleep!" (BET)
"Oprah's Lifeclass" (OWN)
"Oprah's Next Chapter" (OWN)
"The View" (ABC)
"Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell" (FX)

Reality Series
"Dancing with the Stars" (ABC)
"Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" (HBO)
"The X Factor" (FOX)
"Tia & Tamera" (Style)
"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" (OWN)

Variety Series or Special
"Black Girls Rock" (BET)
"Oprah and the Legendary Cast of Roots 35 Years Later" (OWN)
"Oprah's Master Class" (OWN)
"The First Graduating Class: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls" (OWN)
"Verses & Flow" (TV One)

Children’s Program
"Degrassi" (TeenNick)
"Kasha and the Zulu King" (BET)
"The Legend of Korra" (Nickelodeon)
"The TeenNick HALO Awards 2012" (Nick@Nite)
 "The Weight of the Nation for Kids" (HBO)

Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program - (Series or Special)
China Anne McClain - "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
Keke Palmer - "Winx Club" (Nickelodeon)
Loretta Devine - "Doc McStuffins" (Disney Junior block on Disney Channel)
Nick Cannon - "The TeenNick HALO Awards 2012" (Nick@Nite)
Tyler James Williams - "Let It Shine" (Disney Channel)

RECORDING

New Artist
Elle Varner (MBK / RCA)
Gary Clark, Jr. (Warner Bros. Records)
Lianne La Havas (Nonesuch Records Inc. / Warner Bros. Records)
Melanie Amaro (Epic Records)
The OMG Girlz (Pretty Hustle / Grand Hustle / Streamline / Interscope)

Male Artist
Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco (Atlantic)
Miguel (ByStorm / RCA)
Trey Songz (Atlantic)
Usher (RCA Records)

Female Artist
Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
Elle Varner (MBK / RCA)
Estelle (Atlantic)
Missy Elliott (Atlantic)
Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)

Duo, Group or Collaboration
Chuck D, Johnny Juice, Will.i.am, Herbie Hancock (Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment)
fun. feat. Janelle Monae (Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco feat. Guy Sebastian (Atlantic)
Mary Mary (Columbia)
Ne-Yo, Herbie Hancock, Johnny Rzeznik, Delta Rae, Natasha Bedingfield (Forward Song, LLC)

Jazz Album
"Bone Appetit [Vol. 1 and 2]" - Jeff Bradshaw (Hidden Beach)
"Dreams" - Brian Culbertson (Verve Records)
"Renaissance" - Marcus Miller (Concord Jazz)
"Seeds From The Underground" - Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue Records)
"The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection" - The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Legacy)

Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
"Best Days" - Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)
"Go Get It" - Mary Mary (Columbia)
"God, Love & Romance" - Fred Hammond (Verity Gospel Music Group)
"I Win" - Marvin Sapp (Verity Gospel Music Group)
"Le'Andria Johnson The Experience" - Le'Andria Johnson (Music World Gospel / Music World)

World Music Album
"Ayah Ye! Moving Train" - KG Omulo (KG Omulo)
"Country, God, Or The Girl" - K'NAAN (A&M / Octone Records)
"Diversionary" - Brother B (King Chero Records)
"Wonderful Life" - Estelle (Atlantic)

Music Video
"Adorn" - Miguel (ByStorm / RCA)
"Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
"Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
"This Christmas" - CeeLo Green (Elektra)
"You're On My Mind" - KEM (Universal Motown)

Song
"Be Mine for Christmas" - KEM (Universal Motown)
"Glorify the King" - KEM (Universal Motown)
"I Look To You" - Whitney Houston and R. Kelly (RCA Records)
"Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
"You're On My Mind" - KEM (Universal Motown)

Album
"Bad - 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" - Michael Jackson (Legacy / Epic)
"Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
"I Will Always Love You: The Best Of Whitney Houston" - Whitney Houston (RCA Records)
"On the Shoulders of Giants - The Soundtrack" - Chuck D, Will.i.am, Herbie Hancock, Nikki Yannofsky (Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment )
"Perfectly Imperfect" - Elle Varner (MBK / RCA)

LITERATURE

Literary Work - Fiction
"A Wish and a Prayer: A Blessings Novel" - Beverly Jenkins (HarperCollins Publishers (William Morrow Paperbacks))
"Destiny's Divas" - Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone / Simon & Schuster)
"Silent Cry" - Dywane Birch (Strebor Books)
"The Reverend's Wife" - Kimberla Lawson Roby (Grand Central's Wife)
"The Secret She Kept" - ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)

Literary Work - Non-Fiction
"Fraternity" - Diane Brady (Spiegel & Grau (Random House))
"Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nation" - Deborah Davis (Atria Books / Simon & Schuster)
"Power Concedes Nothing: One Woman's Quest for Social Justice in America, from the Courtroom to the Kill Zones" - Connie Rice (Scribner)
"The Courage to Hope" - Shirley Sherrod (Atria Books)
"The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court " - Jeffrey Toobin (Doubleday)

Literary Work - Debut Author
"A Cupboard Full of Coats" - Yvvette Edwards (HarperCollins Publishers (Amistad))
"Antebellum" - R. Kayeen Thomas (Strebor Books)
"Congo: Spirit of Darkness" - Mayi Ngwala (Genet Press)
"Nikki G: A Portrait of Nikki Giovanni in Her Own Words" - Darryl L. Lacy (Darryl L. Lacy (iUniverse))
"The Sister Accord: 51 Ways To Love Your Sister" - Sonia Jackson Myles (The Sister Accord, LLC)

Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography
"Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change" - John Lewis (Hyperion)
"Interventions: A Life in War and Peace" - Kofi Annan (The Penguin Press)
"The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo" - Tom Reiss (Crown Publishers)
"The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities " – Will Allen (Gotham Books)
"The One: The Life and Music of James Brown" - RJ Smith (Gotham Books)

Literary Work - Instructional
"12 Ways to Put Money in Your Pocket Every Month Without A Part Time Job; The Skinny Book That Makes Your Wallet Fat" - Jennifer Matthews (Pickett Fennell Publishing Group)
"Formula 50: A 6-Week Workout and Nutrition Plan That Will Transform Your Life " – 50 Cent (Avery (Penguin Group))
"Health First: The Black Woman's Wellness Guide" - Eleanor Hinton Hoytt, Hilary Beard (SmileyBooks)
"It's Complicated (But It Doesn't Have to Be): A Modern Guide to Finding and Keeping Love" - Paul Carrick Brunson (Gotham Books)
"The No Excuse Guide to Success: No Matter What Your Boss or Life Throws at You" - Jim Smith, Jr. (Career Press)

Literary Work - Poetry
"Hurrah's Nest" - Arisa White (Virtual Artists Collective)
"Maybe the Saddest Thing" - Marcus Wicker (HarperCollins Publishers (Harper Perennial))
"Speak Water" - Truth Thomas (Cherry Castle Publishing)
"The Ground" - Rowan Ricardo Phillips (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
"Thrall" - Natasha Trethewey (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Literary Work - Children
"Fifty Cents and a Dream" - Jabari Asim (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator) (Little,nBrown Books for Young Readers)
"Harlem's Little Blackbird" - Renee Watson (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator) (Random House Books for Young Readers (Random House Children's Books))
"In the Land of Milk and Honey" - Joyce Carol Thomas (Author), Floyd Cooper (Illustrator) (HarperCollins / Amistad)
"Indigo Blume and the Garden City" - Kwame Alexander (Word of Mouth Books)
"What Color is My World?" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Author), Raymons Obstfeld (Author), A.G. Ford (Illustrator) (Candlewick Press)

Literary Work - Youth/Teens
"Fire in the Streets" - Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)
"Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons - A Dialogue With America's Young Leaders" - Gregory Reed (Amber Books)
"Pinned" - Sharon G. Flake (Scholastic Press)
"The Diary of B. B. Bright, Possible Princess" - Alice Randall (Author), Caroline Williams (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Turner Publishing Company)
"The Mighty Miss Malone" - Christopher Paul Curtis (Wendy Lamb Books (Random House Children's Books))

WRITING

Writing in a Comedy Series
Karin Gist - "House of Lies" - Mini-Mogul (Showtime)
Marc Wilmore - "The Simpsons" - The Spy Who Learned Me (FOX)
Michael Shipley - "Last Man Standing" - High Expectations (ABC)
Prentice Penny - "Happy Endings" - Meet the Parrots (ABC)
Vali Chandrasekaran, Robert Carlock - "30 Rock" - Murphy Brown Lied to Us (NBC)

Writing in a Dramatic Series
Cheo Hodari Coker - "SouthLAnd" - God's Work (TNT)
Janine Sherman Barrios - "Criminal Minds" - The Pact (CBS)
Shonda Rhimes - "Grey's Anatomy" - Flight (ABC)
Shonda Rhimes - "Scandal" - Sweet Baby (ABC)
Zoanne Clack - "Grey's Anatomy" - This Magic Moment (ABC)

Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
Elizabeth Hunter - "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime)
John Gatins - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
John Ridley, Aaron McGruder - "Red Tails" (Lucasfilm)
Keith Merryman, David A. Newman - "Think Like a Man" (Screen Gems)
Ol Parker - "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

18th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards Noms

“LINCOLN” LEADS WITH A RECORD SETTING 13 NOMINATIONS

“LES MISÉRABLES” SCORES 11 NOMINATIONS AND “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” IS A TOP CONTENDER WITH 10 NOMINATIONS

CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER FAN VOTED AWARD

AWARDS CEREMONY TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON THE CW NETWORK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 AT 8:00 PM ET/PT

(Los Angeles, CA – December 11, 2012) – The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) has announced the nominees for the 18^th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. The winners will be announced live at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 10, 2013 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show will broadcast live on The CW Network at 8:00 PM ET/PT.

“Lincoln” received a record-setting 13 nominations for the 18^th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, beating out previous record holder “Black Swan,” which had 12 nominations in 2011. Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” garnered nods for Best Picture, Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actor for Tommy Lee Jones, Best Supporting Actress for Sally Field, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for Steven Spielberg, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Best Score.

Following closely behind is “Les Misérables,” which received 11 nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor for Hugh Jackman, Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for Tom Hooper, Best Cinematography,  Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Best Song for “Suddenly.”

David O. Russell’s “Silver Linings Playbook” also impressed with 10 nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor for Bradley Cooper, Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence, Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for David O. Russell, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Comedy, Best Actor in a Comedy for Bradley Cooper and Best Actress in a Comedy Jennifer Lawrence.

“Life of Pi” earned 9 nominations, and “Argo,” “The Master” and “Skyfall” each garnered 7 nominations. Jennifer Lawrence leads the female nominees with nods for Best Actress, Best Actress in a Comedy and Best Acting Ensemble for “Silver Linings Playbook” as well as Best Actress in an Action Movie for “The Hunger Games.” Bradley Cooper leads the male nominees with nods for Best Actor, Best Actor in a Comedy and Best Acting Ensemble for “Silver Livings Playbook.” Judi Dench was nominated for both Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in an Action Movie for “Skyfall” and nine-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis was nominated for Best Actress and Best Young Actress for “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” contributing to the film’s 3 nominations, including Best Picture.

“This has been a truly spectacular year in filmmaking and our voters had an embarrassment of riches to choose from,” says BFCA President Joey Berlin.  “To recognize the remarkable achievements across every genre of filmmaking we have added several new categories this year, including often overlooked performances in Comedy and Action.  And to add even more fun, we’re letting fans in on the voting in one special category.”

Movie fans can indeed vote on their favorite film franchise and watch as the winner is announced live on the Critics' Choice Movie Awards on The CW on January 10th.  This is the first fan-voted award in the history of the Critics' Choice Movie Awards.  The nominees include: Batman, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, James Bond/007, Lord of the Rings, Spider-Man, Star Trek, Star Wars, Toy Story and Twilight. Voting begins today and fans can vote on The Official Critics' Choice Movie Awards Site, The CW and many of the Internet's most popular entertainment sites including CELEBUZZ, POPSUGAR, Entertainment Weekly, Rotten Tomatoes, Wonderwall, Summit Entertainment, Warner Bros., AreYouScreening, Awards Circuit, Screen It, Slug Mag, Lights Camera Jackson and Scene Stealers.

The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are bestowed annually by the BFCA to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. The BFCA is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 270 television, radio and online critics.  BFCA members are the primary source of information for today's film going public.  Eligible films were released in 2012. The accounting firm of CMM, LLP tallied the written ballots.

Since its inception in 1995, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards has been a star-studded bellwether event of the movie awards season.  Historically, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations. Among the attendees at last year’s show were George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Bob Dylan, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. 

Final ballots for the 18^th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards will be sent to BFCA members on January 7, 2013 with a deadline for returning final ballots on January 8, 2013.

The 18^th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The BFCA and Berlin Entertainment are represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig and Lance Klein of WME.

About The Broadcast Film Critics Association:

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 270 television, radio and online critics.  BFCA members are the primary source of information for today's film going public.  The very first opinion a moviegoer hears about new releases at the multiplex or the art house usually comes from one of its members. For additional information about the BFCA and its membership, visit its website at www.criticschoice.com.

About The CW

THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, made its debut on September 20, 2006 as America’s fifth broadcast network and is the only network specifically targeting viewers ages 18-34, particularly women, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. Delivering a total of 30 hours of programming a week, The CW offers a five-night, 10-hour primetime lineup that runs Monday through Friday. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a five-hour Saturday morning block.

Second City's 'Twist Your Dickens' At Kirk Douglas

MORE STARS SIGN ON FOR SPECIAL GUEST ROLE IN

TWISTED TELLING OF A HOLIDAY FAVORITE

IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

Hysterical New Holiday Classic Continues Through December 30, 2012,

At Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a TV alien, a silver screen starship pilot, a Tony Award nominee, a Mini-Me and others join the collection of stars from the worlds of stage, screen, radio, politics, music, food, fitness, spirituality and interplanetary transport (both real and imagined) who had already signed on for special cameo performances in the world premiere of The Second City’s “A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens!” at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.

The newly announced list of special guests features the Los Angeles Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold, actors Sebastian Siegel, Todd Stashwick, French Stewart, Tony nominee Stephen Tobolowsky, Vern Troyer (Mini-Me), Rita Wilson (actress / recording artists, see link below) and John Cho (from the recent film version of “Star Trek” who, in conjunction with the previously announced George Takei, gives this production a sweep of the top two most famous Lieutenant Sulus).

Additional guest stars (announced earlier) include musicians Lance Bass and Henry Rollins; actors Rose Abdoo, Jason Alexander, Ed Begley, Jr., Barry Bostwick, Neil Flynn, Keegan-Michael Key, Sharon Lawrence, John Lehr, Ben McKenzie, Lamorne Morris, Danny Pudi, Shoshannah Stern, George Takei and Fred Willard; radio personalities Lisa May and Sandra Tsing Loh; writer Bruce Vilanch; scientists Bobak Ferdowsi and Bill Nye; chefs Susan Feniger and Valerie Gordon; professional wrestler John Hennigan (formerly known as WWE superstar John Morrison); child actress turned politician Sheila Kuehl; and LA treasures Father Gregory Boyle and Richard Simmons.  All guests are subject to change.

Josh Groban's 'All That Echoes,' Due February 5

MULTI-PLATINUM GLOBAL SUPERSTAR'S SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM FEATURES SEVEN ORIGINAL TRACKS CO-WRITTEN BY GROBAN, PLUS FIVE COVERS

FIRST SINGLE - "BRAVE" - TO BE RELEASED DIGITALLY ON DECEMBER 18^TH

December 6, 2012 - Burbank, CA - Internationally renowned, multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban has announced the track-listing for his upcoming album All That Echoes today via his YouTube Channel. He also announced that the first single will be "Brave," and that it will be available via all digital retailers on December 18^th.

Groban co-wrote seven of the 12 tracks that appear on All That Echoes, which also includes five covers, including Stevie Wonder's "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever"), Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's "Falling Slowly" (the Oscar-winning song from the film Once), and Jimmy Webb's "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress." Special guests on the album include Grammy-winning trumpet player Arturo Sandoval on "Un Alma Mas" and Italian superstar vocalist Laura Pausini on "E Ti Promoterro."

Due for release on February 5^th, 2013, via Reprise Records, All That Echoes is Groban's sixth studio album. It was produced by Warner Bros. Records Chairman Rob Cavallo, who has also worked with Green Day, Dave Matthews Band, and many others. Other producers include Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson) and Lester Mendez (Shakira, Nelly Furtado).

All That Echoes is available for pre-order at Groban's website here, on Amazon here, and on iTunes here.

The track-listing is as follows:

"Brave"

"False Alarms"

"Falling Slowly"

"She Moved Through the Fair"

"Below the Line"

"E Ti Prometerro"

"The Moon's a Harsh Mistress"

"Un Alma Mas"

"Happy in My Heartache"

"Hollow Talk"

"Sincera"

"I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"