Deep Inside Hollywood

Deep Inside Hollywood

Shrek Sings With Full Cast The Shrek Broadway musical has a full cast of fairy-tale characters now, with Tony nominee Brian d'Arcy James (Sweet Smell of Success) recently signed on as the title's gentle ogre and Chester Gregory II (Hairspray) as Donkey. Gay Broadway veterans Christoper Sieber (Spamalot) and John Tartaglia (Avenue Q) will play Lord Farquaad and Pinocchio, respectively, while Tony winner Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie) will star as Princess Fiona. The plot is still under wraps, but don't expect it to stray too much from the first film's storyline. The show, Dreamworks' first venture onto the Broadway stage, will open in Seattle in August before its planned December 14 premiere, when it will take over the Broadway Theater, booting out The Color Purple to make way for the color green. Garofalo at the Gay Wedding Gay weddings, topical to a fault, have seemingly become the go-to scenario for Queer indie films. I Think I Do, April's Shower, Wedding Wars, Mambo Italiano, and Kiss the Bride have all mined marriage for laughs. And now another nuptials-themed comedy, For Better or Worse is coming your way. The plot? Unknown. But if it's smart, it'll be wildly inventive to make up for its dull title and the already crowded genre it's joining. The film stars Janeane Garofalo, Rebecca Gayheart, Chad Allen, Patrick Muldoon, and Brad Rowe (co-star of Queer indies Shelter and Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss - here, he both acts and produces). Meanwhile, in addition to Chad Allen, another former child star - Punky Brewster alum Soleil Moon Frye - is part of the mix. She'll play a Lesbian minister. The brides (or grooms, or both) will march down the aisle sometime in 2009. Spacey Shooting Telstar Kevin Spacey in a film about a flamboyantly Gay man? It's not what you think. Spacey will co-star in Telstar, a biopic about the short, unusual life of 1960s record producer Joe Meek. Meek was most famous for producing the hit single that shares the film's title, an instrumental by the Tornados, the first American number-one hit from a British band. Spacey will play Major Banks, Meeks' money man. Acclaimed Brit character actor Con O'Neill, a Tony nominee for 1993's Blood Brothers, will play the outrageous Meek, who famously passed up the chance to work with the Beatles, and died by his own hand in a bizarre murder-suicide at the age of 37. Another Gay tragedy for the screen? Yes, but no less fascinating a subject in spite of it. Audiences will get to know Meek later this year. The Return of 90210 Yes, it sounds too good to be true, but it's happening. The CW has announced plans to revive Beverly Hills, 90210 for a whole new generation. A family will move from the Midwest to the famed zip code, a daughter and son in tow: they'll be updated versions, of course (she's an emo kid wanting to be cool; he has behavioral issues), but the same rich-kid problems will prevail. It's unlikely that Gay creator Darren Star will participate, and there's no word yet on when this will all go down. But the biggest question is, after The O.C., The Hills, and Gossip Girl, how rich will be rich enough, and how bad will be bad enough? Romeo doesn't know, but he's hoping for another Flaming Lips gig at the Peach Pit, one now owned by Donna Martin. Romeo San Vicente still thinks Jason Priestly is dreamy. Romeo can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

photo: Janeane Garofalo