A new generation of Elvis tribute artists compete in the king's hometown
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — A group of young Elvis Presley tribute artists, ranging in age from seven to 17, competed in the king’s hometown last week as part of the Tupelo Elvis Festival. Together, they donned jeweled jumpsuits and wigs, sang songs and found camaraderie among a group of peers who share their passion for Elvis’ music. The competitors credited the 2022 “Elvis” movie and Elvis' faith and charity as part of what inspired them to become Elvis tribute artists. They said they hoped to bring Elvis' music to a new generation of fans who hadn't had a chance to see Elvis perform in real life.
The Kennedy Center drops 'Trump' branding as Bill Maher’s Twain Award guests are revealed
NEW YORK (AP) — Bill Maher is set to receive the Mark Twain Award for American Humor at the Kennedy Center on June 28. John Mellencamp, Woody Harrelson, and Whitney Cummings will be among the guest speakers. The Kennedy Center announced the event details Monday, offering packages from $99 to $1,500. The center has reverted to its original name after a federal judge ruled against adding Trump's name. Maher, the 27th recipient, joins past honorees like Richard Pryor and Tina Fey. Other guests include Louis C.K. and Stephen A. Smith, known for their controversial reputations.
Broadway revivals and 'Liberation' win big at the Tony Awards, hosted by Pink
NEW YORK (AP) — “Schmigadoon!,” won best new musical at the Tony Awards. The play is an adaptation of an Apple TV series that gently mocks big, brassy Broadway shows. The award on Sunday night for the best new play went to “Liberation,” about a consciousness-raising women’s group in 1970s Ohio, which earlier this year also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. “Ragtime,” a big, soaring musical that depicts an America being remade by immigration, racial violence, industrial wealth and political unrest, won the best musical revival. John Lithgow won for best lead actor in a play for his role in “Giant.”
Pop-up art show takes over German president's residence before yearslong renovation
BERLIN (AP) — A pop-up art show featuring contemporary works is set to open at the German president's official residency this week before renovations begin. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his support for the show on Monday, emphasizing the importance of free art in democracy. The exhibition will run for two weeks starting Friday and is organized by Berlin's Academy of Arts. Interest has been high, with the ticket website crashing last month. The show includes works by artists like Katharina Grosse and Wolfgang Tillmans. Visitors can also interact with artists through performances and discussions.
Gordon S. Wood, eminent scholar of the American Revolution, dies at 92 after being hit by a car
NEW YORK (AP) — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood has died. He was 92. Police say Wood died Sunday after being struck by a car in a supermarket parking lot in East Providence, Rhode Island. Wood wrote many books and was a longtime professor at Brown University. His book “The Radicalism of the American Revolution” won the Pulitzer in 1993 and contended that the war eventually created a society fundamentally different from that of Colonial times. Wood never gained the mass popularity of David McCullough or Doris Kearns Goodwin, but his writings were widely reviewed, debated and consulted and his opinions frequently asked for.
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Steven Spielberg on his faith in alien life, the future of the movies and the power of empathy
NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day” returns Hollywood’s preeminent big-screen craftsman to one of his most abiding questions: Are we alone? Coming nearly half a century after “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Disclosure Day” is a grand bookend for one of the most cosmically-minded moviemakers of our time, whose dreams of extraterrestrial life have shaped all of ours. But while Spielberg grants his 1977 film was “speculative,” “Disclosure Day,” he insists, is the real deal. In an interview, Spielberg tells The Associated Press that his belief in alien life has turned into a conviction. “Disclosure Day,” he says, is too real to be called science fiction.
Tony winners thank voice teachers and babysitters as Broadway crowns 'Schmigadoon!'
NEW YORK (AP) — The new host at the Tonys, Pink, pretended at the beginning that she didn't know what she was doing. Then former host Neil Patrick Harris told her to just be herself, and it turned out that was just fine. Pink scored big with the opening number, an extravaganza featuring some 170 performers from casts of current shows. The song also name-checked many actors in the audience. Other highlights included the first Tony win by Joshua Henry, a beloved four-time nominee, for his role in “Ragtime.” And the Tonys showered love on “Schmigadoon!" — a Broadway musical that pays homage to, well, Broadway musicals.
‘Ragtime’ is still resonating with audiences 30 years since its Broadway debut
New York (AP) — It's been nearly 30 years since Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens wrote the music and lyrics for “Ragtime,” the American epic musical about the intertwining lives of three New York families at the turn of the 20th century. This could be the year that the show takes home a best show award at the Tonys. With 11 nods, it's up against “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “The Rocky Horror Show” in the best revival category. The cast and creative team say part of why it is resonating is because the audience now sees it as a contemporary story, instead of a period piece.
'Scary Movie' tops box office, slaying 'Masters of the Universe' and adding to low-budget streak
NEW YORK (AP) — The summer box office is booming — but not because of the usual suspects. After three weeks of indie horror dominance at the box office, the slasher spoof “Scary Movie” topped ticket sales with $55 million over the weekend, easily besting the far-from-mighty “Masters of the Universe.” The sixth “Scary Movie” notched a franchise-best $105.5 million global launch. After just two weeks of release, “Backrooms” became A24's highest-grossing release ever. It's made $212 million worldwide. Focus Features’ “Obsession” grossed $25.6 million in its fourth weekend. That marked a slight 7% drop from the previous weekend for 26-year-old Curry Barker’s horror sensation. Not accounting for inflation, no horror movie has ever had a better fourth weekend.
What to Stream: 'Michael,' Olivia Rodrigo and Keith Urban albums and Bonnaroo
The streaming service debut of “Michael” and new albums from Olivia Rodrigo and Keith Urban are among the entertainment highlights this week hitting streaming services. It's a big week for music fans, with “Song Sung Blue,” about a Neil Diamond tribute act, landing on Netflix. Prime Video continues its YA/romance streak with “Every Year After,” an eight-episode series based on a novel by Carley Fortune. Those looking to take in a music festival from home can check out Disney+ and Hulu's streams of top acts from the Bonnaroo fest, including sets by The Strokes, Noah Kahan, Skrillex and RÜFÜS DU SOL.

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