Second chance for Fringe fest

A small pool of shows from the New York Fringe Festival, which shuttered all weekend events due to Hurricane Irene, will return later this week for one more perf each. As part of the Fringe NYC Make-Up Series -- which runs Sept. 1-4 -- shows including "Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies," "The Big 'A,'" "The F*cking World According to Molly" and "Bobby and Matt" will play one more curtain. Further productions will likely be added the sked. Among the Fringe events nixed for the weekend was the annual awards ceremony, winners of which were announced by email. Top musical honors went to "Yeast Nation," the tuner from the creators of early Fringe hit "Urinetown," and "Pearl's Gone Blue," while play kudos were handed to "PigPen Presents The Mountain Song" and "The More Loving One." The Make-Up Series, set to play the Laurie Beechman Theater in Midtown Gotham, is separate from the Fringe Encore Series, the curated program of returning shows that this year runs Sept. 9-26 at a couple of downtown venues. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

They eat to fight hunger

Tom Colicchio and Julianne Moore speak at "What's on the Table." Christy Turlington Saturday's fundraiser at the Sagaponack home of Susan Bruden not only raised coin for United Way but gave partygoers a sneak peek at the new docu "Hungry in America," produced by Participant Media and Ryan Harrington.Julianne Moore co-hosted the evening garden party, dubbed "What's on the Table," with "Top Chef's" Tom Colicchio and his wife, Lori Silverbush, who co-directed the docu with Kristi Jacobson."Tom's a Twitter master and he's going to help us get the word out," said Moore. "He has 250,000 followers, which is 200,000 more than I have!" In the backyard, chefs were stationed at booths representing five of Colicchio's restaurants, and seen making the rounds were Christy Turlington and Edward Menicheschi of Vanity Fair, which sponsored the event. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Dandelion Wine becoming a film

Legendary sci-fi author Ray Bradbury might best be known for his tales of flying saucers and little green men, but it's an altogether more ordinary yarn that will provide the source material for his latest adaptation.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Black Swan's Mike Medavoy is producing a big-screen version of Dandelion Wine, with Bradbury himself lined up to adapt the screenplay. The author, who turns 91 today, described it as the "best birthday gift I could ask for."Set in 1928, the semi-autobiographical novel follows the exploits of a young boy in a small town during the height of summer. A coming of age story, Bradbury describes the novel as his most personal work, hence his delight at being called in to help with the script.There will be a second screenwriter involved, with Rodion Nahapetov (who once adapted the story into a short film) in place to assist Bradbury."Today I have been reborn," gushed the author in an official statement. "Dandelion Wine is my most deeply personal work and brings back memories of sheer joy as well as terror. This is the story of me as a young boy and the magic of an unforgettable summer which still holds a mystical power over me."This isn't the only film Bradbury has been getting his teeth into, having previously advised on upcoming sci-fi adaptation The Martian Chronicles. Dandelion Wine has yet to receive an official release date.

Ray Bradbury And Mike Medavoy Team For 'Dandelion Wine'

Mike Medavoy and Doug McKay, Vice-Leader of Production at Phoenix Pictures, have partnered with legendary author Ray Bradbury, RGI Productions Rodion Nahapetov (who's penning the script), and producer Natasha Shliapnikoff to create the feature film adaptation of Bradburys classic novel Dandelion Wine. Bradbury, who turns 91 on Monday remarked, This is actually the best birthday gift I possibly could request for. Today, I've been reborn! Dandelion Wines are my most deeply personal work and returns reminiscences of sheer pleasure in addition to terror. This is actually the story of me like a youthful boy and also the miracle of the memorable summer time which still holds a mystical energy over me. Nahapetov mentioned, I had been deeply honored when Ray Bradbury chose me to create the script adaptation for his novel Dandelion Wine. After I started my studies in the Cinema Institute in Moscow, many foreign books were banned in Soviet Russia. Still, I made the decision to create my video clip based on Dandelion Wine as this novel symbolized in my experience the childhood I never had. My childhood have been stolen through the ravages and destruction of publish The Second World War Russia and Dandelion Wine restored it back for me personally. Medavoy lately created Martin Scorseses SHUTTER ISLAND and also the acclaimed BLACK SWAN, which won numerous honours including an Academy Award and Golden Globe for the best Actress Natalie Portman. Hes presently in production about the high-concept comedy What to anticipate When You Are Expecting (Starring Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez), which McKay is Co-Creating. Doug McKay was very instrumental to get this project released, stated Bradbury. Ray Bradburys legendary writing (DANDELION WINE, MARTIAN Stories, FARENHEIT 451, amongst others), has won honours including: The Planet Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and many lately, The Commander of Arts and Letters Award in the French government. Bradbury has additionally received The Nation's Medal of Arts (the greatest award in the American government) as well as an Emmy for that animated version of his novel Halloween Tree. Ray Bradbury seemed to be nominated to have an Academy Award for his script MOBY DICK.

Work: Josh Groban to experience Andy's Brother

Erectile dysfunction Helms, Work and Josh Groban Apparently music runs within the Bernard family. Work has cast singer Josh Groban to experience the brother of the cappella lover and Dunder Mifflin worker Andy Bernard (Erectile dysfunction Helms), Deadline reviews. Groban, 30, slyly confirmed this news, tweeting: "The cast and crew from the Office would be the best ever. #allimgonnasay." May Be The Office in your Watchlist? Add it as well as your other faves now and not miss a chapter He joins Stephen Collins, who'll play their father, and Dee Wallace (E.T.) because the Bernard family matriarch. Although he's most widely known for his pipes, Groban has made an appearance on television multiple occasions - including Ally McBeal in 2001 and Glee last year. He most lately co-starred within the drama Crazy, Stupid, Love. alongside former Office boss Steve Carell. Work returns Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9/8c on NBC.

Billy Crystal 'Itchy' to Host Oscars Again

Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty ImagesBilly Crystal at the 2011 Oscars Eight times as Oscar host apparently isn't enough for Billy Crystal. The actor said at event over the weekend that he's ready to return as the show's emcee for a ninth time. In fact, his appearance at this year's ceremony -- during which he appeared as a presenter honoring Bob Hope -- was what sparked his interest in returning as host. STORY: 10 Easy Tips to Remaking the Academy "I came out last year as a surprise.It was a last-minute decision," Crystal said at a 20th anniversary screening of City Slickers in Santa Monica in response to a fan question. "Theyhad called and said would you do this thing and honor Bob Hope and that was a kind of cool thing to do.Isaid OK.I did it, and people wanted to see me, they stood up, andI couldn't talk for about a minute. And, um, I got a little itchy. So we'll see what happens. I can't promise anything." In fact, Crystal's eight times as emcee are second only to Hope's 18. But the work required takes a toll on Crystal, who last hosted in 2004. He said every time he hosts, it requires a four- or five-month commitment. STORY: Critics Boo Oprah's Honorary Oscar "It got to be too much after a while and the sameness in my life," Crystal said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. "That's whyI pulled back. And then when I thoughtI might want to do it again, they were on to other people. It's always fun. It's really hard, but maybe one or two more times? I don't know. They know where I am." It's not the first time in recent months Crystal has expressed an interest. In March, he told the Associated Press that it "might be fun" to host again. Even if this year's Oscar producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer don't come calling, Crystal is keeping plenty busy. Among the projects he's working on is the Monsters Inc. prequel, Monsters University. He also is hoping to turn his Tony-winning one-many play 700 Sundays into a movie. STORY: Brett Ratner's Oscar Telecast: 10 Best Twitter Reactions The Oscars air live Feb. 26 on ABC from Hollywood & Highland's Kodak Theatre. RELATED: Plot of 'Monsters Inc.' Prequel Revealed VIDEO: Billy Crystal, Helen Mirren Spoof 'When Harry Met Sally' Billy Crystal Academy Awards Awards

'Final Destination,' 'The Help' fight 'Apes' at B.O.

Viola Davis in "The AssistanceInch "half an hour or Less" Final Destination 5 Warner Bros.' fifth installment within the "Final Destination" franchise leads this weekend's quartet of counterprogrammers searching to maintain the domestic B.O. clicking in August. But it will be a good race for No. 1 since "Rise from the Planet from the Apes" is anticipated to keep well following its surprising $54.8 million opening. The very best two openers should see mid-$20 million debuts, based on B.O. experts -- but you will find lots of ways they might overperform. of DreamWorks' "The Assistance,Inch distribbed by Disney, likely is going to be close behind having a bow around $20 million for 5 days. Pic collected $5.5 million Wednesday from 2,511 Stateside locations -- a good midweek start that's likely to build with the weekend depending on positive buzz along with a rare A+ CinemaScore rating. The rest of the two wide releases are Sony's "half an hour or Less" and twentieth century Fox's "Glee: The three dimensional Concert Movie." Anticipation for "Less" vary from $15 million-$17 million, while "Glee" is much more of the wild card (Fox is expecting a bow within the high-single numbers, however the studio stated "Glee" fans could raise the number greater). Fox's "Apes," which bowed last weekend overseas with $23.8 million, adds a couple of more major marketplaces, including France, Germany and also the U.K. Foreign cume is $30.8 million through Tuesday. Locally, "Apes" should visit a second-week drop much like those of Fox's earlier summer time tentpole, "X-Males: Top Class,Inch which fell 56% to $24.a million in the soph sesh. Though "Top ClassInch gained a little more than "Apes" opening weekend, the second Fox pic is doing better throughout midweeks and will not need to contend with a significant summer time tentpole in the second frame ("Super 8" opened up about the heels of "Top ClassInch). "Apes" could thus visit a better-than-expected hold, possibly passing on a small edge over "Final Destination." Most B.O. commentators predict the Warner-New Line three dimensional horror installment, which cost you a reported $45 million, could perform much better than the reduced-$20 millions that pre-weekend monitoring indicates, especially because of the franchise's core femme fanbase and three dimensional, striking the mid-$20 millions. The 4th "Final Destination" bowed at $27.4 million last year , but which was throughout the weekend of August. 28 -- two days after Warner's latest "Destination . " three dimensional could boost totals for "Destination 5," much like the way the format assisted the 4th pic, with 70% in three dimensional. That film, however, released throughout a less crowded three dimensional frame -- as well as throughout a period when recognition for three dimensional was still being high. Still, horror films usually prosper using the format nonetheless, along with a healthy quantity of three dimensional screens -- 2,800, including 217 in Imax -- should boost "Destination's" three dimensional prospects. Fox guaranteed all debut locations (2,040) for "Glee" in three dimensional. The studio is betting the TV show's recognition will translate towards the bigscreen, climax unclear precisely how broad the fanbase is really (teens really are a given, with potential turnout from college-aged auds). Concerning "The Assistance,Inch Disney is depending on mostly female moviegoers to construct buzz. Probably the most positive B.O. experts predict the $5.5 million midweek bow will result in a five-day take up to $25 million-$$ 30 million. Meanwhile, "half an hour or Less" is Sony's third R-ranked summer time comedy, after "Bad Teacher" and "Buddies With Benefits." Universal's raunchy laffer "The Modification-Up" bowed last weekend for an underwhelming $13.5 million and cumed $18.4 million through Wednesday. The new sony is expecting a much better start for "half an hour,Inch but that is dependent how voluntarily auds will welcome the summer's seventh R-ranked comedy. "half an hour,Inch allocated in a reported $28 million, will earn the majority of its opening from males 17-30. There's little happening in the niche B.O., with only two significant indie game titles growing: "Sarah's Key" and "Another Earth." "Sarah's Key," in the Weinstein Co., adds 34 domestic locations for any total of 101. Last weekend, the film broadened steadily, posting a per-screen average of $11,112 from 33 locations cume is $1.5 million in three days. Fox Searchlight's "Another Earth," which increases to 82 engagements, has totaled $516,332 in only as numerous days. Starting in limited release, Asif Kapadia's docu "Senna," about Brazilian Formula Once racing driver Ayrton Senna, bows at two total locations in New You are able to and L.A. Producers Distribution Agency is distribbing. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Morgan Freeman On For Now You See Me

He's set to get busy conjurin'After some early wobbles, Summit Entertainment is now powering ahead with the casting process on Louis Letterier's thieving magicians thriller Now You See Me. And the latest piece of the puzzle slotting into place? Morgan Freeman. With a script by Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt, the movie finds a dedicated team of FBI agents looking to take down the Four Horsemen, a group of the world's greatest illusionists who use their performances as covers for daring bank heists. To help in their escape, they shower the audience with their ill-gotten gains. Jessie Eisenberg and Inglourious Basterds' Melanie Laurent were the first to clamber aboard back in June, and just last week, Amanda Seyfried joined the cast, with Mark Ruffalo close to a deal to play the leader of the Feds. Freeman won't be greatly loved by the magicians: he's playing Thaddeus, a former conjurer who has become a despised figure in the community thanks to his career of exposing how their tricks work. Before that, though, he'll be seen in both Dolphin Tale and a little movie called The Dark Knight Rises. There's no word on a start date for the film yet.

Bravo adds 3 news skeins to slate

Bravo has acquired three new unscripted series and restored several shows, including "The Actual Average women of Orange County" for any seventh season. New shows include "All over the world in 80 Plates," a cooking competish reveal that follows gourmet chefs all over the world because they compete in famous restaurants "Fresh paint the city,Inch which provides Bravo-ites a real possibility TV look in the Gotham memorial scene and "Bride and groom: The Very First Year," concerning the nuptial challenges gone through by six couples from round the U.S. "Plates" and "Town" are generally created by Magical Elves, with Serta Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz as professional producers Bride and groom is created by Monkey Kingdom under e.p.s Will Macdonald and David Granger. Internet also restored "Top Chef Masters" for any 4th season and "Billion Dollar Listing LA" for any fifth, together with announcing a premiere date for "Thicker Than Water: The Marinos" -- Sunday, August. 21 at 11 p.m. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Producers & Stars Defend The Playboy Club

By Jolie LashBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- It hasnt hit the air yet, but already the premise of NBCs fall drama, The Playboy Club, has its detractors, including one affiliate in Utah thats vowed not to air the series, something show producers are already moving on from. We heard about that and that is certainly their right to air or not air the show and were just excited that another network in Salt Lake City has picked up the show, Chad Hodge, Executive Producer of The Playboy Club, said on Monday as the cast and producers promoted the program at the NBC portion of the Television Critics Association Summer Session 2011 in Beverly Hills. Beyond the one affiliate already boycotting the show, The Playboy Club, which has so far just produced a pilot, is already being compared to AMCs Mad Men, something else producers are shrugging off. The comparison to Mad Men sort of ends at the era of the 60s, Executive Producer Ian Biederman said. This is a much different show with a much different energy Its its own show. Television critics asked several questions about how far the show would go because of the connotations associated with Playboy. Producers said, however, it isnt an extreme show. Its mild compared to anything else on television, Hodge said. It really has nothing to do with anything racy or trying to be exploitative, thats not the purpose of the show or the spirit of the show. Its not the magazine, its based on the Playboy Club, Biederman added, pointing out that the show is about the club workers, not the centerfolds. Its empowering because these girls are smart, theyre going to school, theyre buying property, Naturia Naughton, who plays Brenda, a woman who becomes one of the first African American bunnies, chimed in. As more questions were asked about the nature of the show, Jennifer Lewis, who plays Pearl, the seamstress and mother hen of the club bunnies, said the show has sexual themes, but they were no more overt than other programs on television presently. People are having sex, she laughed. The sex will be there as it is everywhere in every show, but its about these women, its character driven and Chad Hodge has written a multidimensional character for me I just think that its gonna be fun and I think Im gonna be fabulous in it. Former NBC show American Dreams, which aired several years ago on the network, spotlighted the 1950s American Bandstand era and featured actors coming on and playing roles of legendary entertainers, something The Playboy Club will also do. Producers confirmed actors will play younger versions of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Ike and Tina Turner. The Playboy Club also utilizes Hugh Hefners voice he does voiceovers on the pilot. And, of course, the show features women in the classic bunny costumes, which Jenna Dewan Tatum, who plays Janie, said arent actually very comfortable to wear. Its tight, it is constricting, she laughed. You cant be in the suit for more than a few seconds without feeling like youre a part of the show, Amber Heard, who plays Maureen, added. Youre transported to this time I think its special because these costumes are just as specific as the club days and they exist nowhere else. Eddie Cibrian wears a lot of suits for his role as an attorney who has a key to the club, Nick, and the actor said it wasnt hard to get into character. I looked at a lot of photos [from] around that time, I looked at books [from] around that time and got a sense of a visual aspect of what that [looked] like in the early 60s, he said. It was definitely a time of social revolution going on People smoke and drink and they didnt think about the consequences It was kind of about getting lost in a world and thats what our series is trying to do. At the time, entertainers and politicians and mobsters just kind of all rubbed shoulders. Where do you get that now? You dont, he added. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.