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“Kiss of the Spider Woman,” a musical remake from director Bill Condon and star Jennifer Lopez, is finally close to finding a buyer after its buzzy Sundance Film Festival premiere in January.

Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate and independent studio Ld Entertainment are circling domestic rights, though a deal has yet to close. It’s unclear how the trio of companies will work together to roll out the film.

This adaptation of Manuel Puig’s novel was one of higher profile projects to debut at Sundance. Set in an Argentinian prison in 1981, the film centers on queer window dresser Luis Molina (Tonatiuh) who is serving time for having sex with a man. To escape the horrors of his imprisonment, he dreams up vivid stories about the cinematic exploits of his favorite on screen diva, an actress name Ingrid Luna (Lopez), including her role of the spider woman, who kills her pray with a kiss.

Jennifer Lopez, outfitted in a sparkling, webbed-up gown and sky-high black heels, fought back tears as “Kiss of the Spider Woman” was embraced at Sundance Film Festival with a standing ovation. She told the audience at Park City’s Eccles Theatre that starring in the musical adaptation fulfilled a lifelong dream.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life,” she said. “The reason I even wanted to be in this business is because my mom would sit me in front of the TV and [‘West Side Story’] would come on once a year. I was mesmerized and was like, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ This is the first time I actually got to do it. This man made my dream come true.”

She’s referring to director Bill Condon, who has become a preeminent filmmaker for movie musicals, having worked on “Chicago,” “Dreamgirls,” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast...

Thom Christopher, who portrayed the mobster Carlo Hessler in the ABC soap opera “One Life To Live,” died Thursday in New York. He was 84.

His longtime friend Steve Bergman confirmed his death with a loving message on Facebook. In it, Bergman explains that Christopher had been unwell for some time. His message read, “Thom has been sick for quite awhile now and fought through it all like a champ. We spoke 2-3 times a month and always had great long conversations. He was such a smart man who gave great advice and told such fantastic stories…”

His former “One Life to Live” co-star Anthony Crivello also shared a touching message on Facebook along with pictures of their time playing the father-son duo on screen. “My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who proceeded him in death,...

News has come out that actor Thom Christopher, who was known for his work on the soap One Life to Live, has passed away. The actor had a varied career, appearing in multiple series, especially soaps. Christopher was 84 at the time of his death.

Thom Christopher’s On-Screen Son Shared The News Of His Passing

Christopher’s death was confirmed by one of his co-stars on One Life to Life, Anthony Crivello. Crivello had notably played Johnny Dee Hesser, Christopher’s on-screen son, on the soap, also appearing around the time Christopher joined the soap.

Taking to Facebook, Crivello had shared, “My dear friend of many years, actor [Thom Christopher] passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who proceeded him in death, where always gracious to me and welcoming. Thom and I worked together on the [ABC] daytime series [One Life to Live] in the 1990s.

Thom Christopher, the actor best known for playing mobster Carlo Hessler on ABC’s One Life to Live, died Thursday in New York after a lengthy illness. He was 84.

His death was confirmed by his former Oltl co-star Anthony Crivello on Facebook, who posted pictures of their time together on the soap. Crivello played his son.

“It was a wonderful time, difficult hours and long days, but joyful each minute,” wrote Crivello.

Born on October 5, 1940, in Queens, Christopher got his start in the soaps in the 50s by playing Noel Douglas on The Edge of Night. He went on to become a journeyman actor in TV with roles in Cannon, Kojak, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, T.J. Hooker, Hunter, Murder, She Wrote and Simon & Simon.

In 1990, he signed on to ABC’s Oltl as the mobster Carlo Hessler. The character was killed off two years later, but the work didn...

Sad news in the land of daytime drama as Thom Christopher, best known for this legendary (and villainous) One Life to Live (Oltl) character, Carlo Hesser, has died at 84 years of age.

One Life To Live Spoilers – Alum Thom Christopher Dies – Onscreen Son Shares Sad News

Anthony Crivello, Christopher’s former Oltl co-star who played Carlo’s son, Johnny Dee Hesser, broke the news on Facebook.

Crivello states in a post, “My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who [preceded] him in death, [were] always gracious to me and welcoming.”

Crivello goes on to note, “Thom and I worked together on the #abc daytime series #onelifetolive in the 1990s. We’re seen here with the lovely #audrylanders who played my sister, and Thom my father.”

In the Facebook post, he also added, “It was a wonderful time,...

Veteran soap actor Thom Christopher has died. The One Life to Live alum, who portrayed mob boss Carlo Hesser and his twin Mortimer Bern on the soap, was 84 when he passed. His former television son, Anthony Crivello, who portrayed Johnny, confirmed his death on social media.

Goodbye To A Legend

Crivello shared the news on Facebook. He wrote, “My dear friend of many years, actor Thom Christopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who proceeded him in death, where [sic] always gracious to me and welcoming. Thom and I worked together on the ABC daytime series One Life to Live in the 1990s…. It was a wonderful time, difficult hours and long days, but joyful each minute. May Thom fly on Wings of Angels to be beside his beloved Judith, and may they enjoy each other’s company once again, beside the ‘Pearly Gates’ of heaven.

Soap opera star Thom Christopher has sadly passed away at the age of 84.

Fans will remember Thom from his starring role as Carlo Hesser on One Life to Live, the popular soap opera that ran from 1968 until 2013. Thom was a member of the cast between 1990 and 2008 and won a Daytime Emmy for his performance in 1992.

His onscreen son Anthony Crivello shared the sad news in a post on social media on Friday (December 6).

Keep reading to find out more…

Anthony paid tribute to Thom on Facebook, sharing photos of them together from One Life to Live.

“My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who proceeded him in death, where always gracious to me and welcoming. Thom and I worked together on the #abc daytime series #onelifetolive in the 1990s,” he wrote. “It was a wonderful time,...

Soap opera legend Thom Christopher, who portrayed mob boss Carlo Hesser on ABC’s One Life to Live, has died. He was 84. Christopher’s passing was confirmed by his former TV son, Anthony Crivello (who played Johnny Dee Hesser), who shared the news on his Facebook page. “My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today,” Crivello wrote. He continued, “He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith, who preceded him in death, where always gracious to me and welcoming.” “Thom and I worked together on the #abc daytime series #onelifetolive in the 1990s,” Crivello added alongside photos from the show. “We’re seen here with the lovely #audrylanders who played my sister, and Thom my father. It was a wonderful time, difficult hours and long days, but joyful each minute.” He concluded, “May Thom fly on Wings of Angels to be beside his beloved Judith,...

Daytime Emmy winner Thom Christopher, best known to TV audiences for role as mob boss Carlo Hesser (and his twin brother, Mortimer Bern) on ABC’s One Life to Live, has died at the age of 84. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Christopher’s passing was confirmed in a social media post by his former TV son, Anthony Crivello (aka Oltl’s Johnny). His statement reads as follows:

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Thom Christopher has died at the age of 84. Anthony Crivello (who played the actor’s onscreen son on One Life to Live) shared the sad news on Facebook. His post reads, “My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who […]

The post Thom Christopher Dies at 84 appeared first on Soap Opera News.

John Kander may be close to 100 years old, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t involved with the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”

Kander and the late lyricist Fred Ebb – known collectively as Kander and Ebb – composed the music and wrote the songs for the original 1993 Tony-winning Broadway production of “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”

The upcoming film, directed by Bill Condon, stars Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna and newcomer Tonatiuh.

“John Kander, who is 97 years old, was in the studio with me,” Lopez told me Monday at the premiere of her new Netflix sci-fi action movie, “Atlas.” “He is the most beautiful man. He was there for all of our recordings of the album and the pre-records for the movie. It was a dream.”

Lopez said Kander only had “very small notes” on her performance. “I was shocked,” she said.

Lopez’s producing partner,...

The actors from the current revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along” have skyrocketed in Gold Derby’s combined odds for the 2024 Tony Awards nominations. The prediction center displays commanding leads for Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe to win their respective categories. This is an understandable result considering this revival is the hottest ticket in town and this trio of performers has been ever-present in the media. But how often does a trio of actors from the same production pull off three separate acting victories at the Tony Awards?

It’s quite common for a musical to grab two acting trophies, but three awards is much rarer. To date, only 15 musical productions have earned three acting wins. The first time this feat occurred was at the 1956 ceremony, which was ironically the first time the Tony Awards ever announced a slate of nominees (previously...

There’s an independently financed feature take of the 1992 John Kander and Fred Ebb West End and Broadway musical of Kiss of the Spider Woman that’s being readied to shoot in the spring with Jennifer Lopez set to play the role of Aurora, which Chita Rivera originated on the Great White Way.

Lopez is ripe to put on the high heels for the role: The Billboard hitmaker, Primetime Emmy nominee, 2x Golden nominee sings, and dances too.

Dreamgirls and Beauty and the Beast filmmaker Bill Condon is writing and directing, and Barry Josephson (Enchanted) is producing with Tom Kirdahy, Greg Yolen and Matt Geller. Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas and Benny Medina executive producing for Nuyorican Productions. Sergio Trujillo is the choreographer.

The musical is based on the Oscar winning 1985 Hector Babenco directed movie that starred Sonja Braga as the Spider-Woman, as well as the late Raul Julia and William Hurt.

Jennifer Lopez is attached to star in a feature adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” written and directed by “Dreamgirls” filmmaker Bill Condon, Variety has confirmed with a source close to the production. The music is by legends John Kander and Fred Ebb, based on the novel by Manuel Puig and the book of the musical by Terrence McNally.

The musical is set in an Argentinian prison in 1981. Lopez would play the titular role, a fantasy woman named Aurora created by Luis Molina, a gay hairdresser serving an eight-year sentence for allegedly corrupting a minor. To escape the horrors of his imprisonment, Molina imagines movies starring Aurora as a classic silver screen diva, including a role of the spider woman, who kills her prey with a kiss. Molina’s life is upended when a Marxist, Valentin Arregui Paz, is brought into his cell, and the two form an unlikely bond.

BroadwayWorld has learned that a ton of Broadway names will join the starry Hollywood Bowl staging of Into The Woods. Joining the previously announcedGaten Matarazzo, Patina Miller, Whoopi Goldberg, and Shanice Williams are Skylar Astin as The Baker, Sierra Bogges as Cinderella, Chris Carmack as Rapunzel's Prince, Anthony Crivello as Mysterious Man, Sutton Foster as The Baker's Wife, Cheyenne Jackson as Cinderella's PrinceThe Wolf, and Hayley Kilgore as Rapunzel.

Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group, announced today that Matthew Broderick, Tyne Daly, Louis Gossett Jr., Thomas Sadoski, Jimmy Smits, Rene Auberjonois, Jon Robin Baitz, Bill Cain, Anthony Crivello, Culture Clash, Merle Dandridge, Tim Dang, Keith David, Shaila Essley, Davis Gaines, Harry Groener, Clint Holmes, David Henry Hwang, Gregory Itzin, Dale Kristien, Doug Labrecque, Tzi Ma, Alan Mandell, Dakin Matthews, Christina Saffran, Benjamin Schrader, Shoshannah Stern, Lisa Vroman, Ed Waterstreet and Aryana Williams are set to take the stage at Center Theatre Group's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

The opportunity to see a full-scale production of an Odets play should be motivation enough for any theater aficionado; like the chance at a title match, it doesn't come along very often. It's not a knock-out, but Golden Boy lands some mean punches, winning by decision.

While notably winded and running out of room at the end of the third round, this production has some very powerful scenes, capturing a moment in American history when plays had large casts and socialism was popular enough in corners of the U.S. to make moneyed men truly uncomfortable. (Note: If you label President Obama as a Socialist, please read more on the subject.) Taking on the imperial juggernaut of capitalism in a boxing ring that works as a metaphor, it is the story of a battle for the soul of a country being fought over the future of one young man's life.

By Sam Negin

Theater Editor & Columnist

***

A number of casting and production notices have come up lately and unexpectedly caught my attention. It seems to me, for starters, that a number of these celebrities are coming to Broadway for no other reason than to get themselves a Tony.

First up came the announcement that Renee Zellweger will star in a Broadway-bound adaptation of the 1961 film The Hustler. Though it has not been announced what role Ms. Zellweger will play, the choice to cast her is hard for me to wrap my brain around. To me, what that made the film so memorable were the performances of Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. They were so strong that I don’t even remember there being a woman in the film other than in the background.

Would Zellweger take on Newman or Gleason’s role? I vaguely remember Piper Laurie playing a bit part in the film,...

Emmy Winning Actor Thom Christopher is beloved by daytime fans for his memorable roles on One Life To Live, Loving, and Guiding Light. However, sci-fi fans know Christopher better as the legendary "Hawk" from NBC's Buck Rogers In The 25Th Century from 1980-1981. Join us as we explore Christopher's unique career track, his insight into his "outsider" roles, as well as memories of getting hired on One Life To Live. If you are near Tulsa, Oklahoma, do not miss the opportunity to meet Christopher and his Buck Rogers costars at the Trek Expo this weekend.

We Love Soaps TV: Did you see the Daytime Emmy’s this year?

Thom Christopher: No, but I read the L.A. Times review. It was scathing. Knowing that daytime is in its twilight, I would have thought there would have been courtesy toward it.

We Love Soaps TV: That didn’t seem to...

Yesterday, Tuesday, November 24, cast members from The Strip's hottest shows, Peepshow, Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular and Jersey Boys participated as 'celebrity servers' at the Le Cordon Bleu Thanksgiving lunch.

This event is held each year for senior citizens and at-risk children who may not otherwise have a Thanksgiving meal.

Joining Peepshow Star's Holly Madison and Josh Strickland, Rick Faugno (Franki Valli) of Jersey Boys and Anthony Crivello (The Phantom), Kristi Holden (Christine) and Andrew Ragone (Raoul) of Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular was the Mayor of Las Vegas Oscar Goodman, Councilman Steve Wolfson and several local TV personalities. They all joined together to feed 40 at-risk students from After School All Stars and 40 disadvantaged senior citizens a hot lunch including all the traditional Thanksgiving favorites. These meals were prepared and donated by Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School.

 

Peepshow Stars Josh Strickland and Holly Madison

Jersey Boys Rick Faugno...

On Monday evening The 52 Miss America Pageant Contestants enjoyed "The Music of the Night" at Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino. After the performance they met lead cast members Andrew Ragone (Raoul), Kristi Holden (Christine) and Tony-Award Winner Anthony Crivello (The Phantom) and took photos inside the famed Phantom Theatre. The contestants, many of them performers themselves for the talent segment of the pageant, were enthralled by the production. This lavish production of The Phantom of the Opera thrills audiences eight times a week at The Venetian. From the moment you enter the magnificent custom-built theatre you are immersed in the storied Paris Opera House and become part of The Phantom's world. Featuring every beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber song from the original, spectacular sets, new effects, and a breathtaking chandelier experience, Phantom is an only-in-Vegas experience.