All stories by Gene Maddaus on BroadwayStars

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Harvey Weinstein Trial Documents to Remain Sealed by Gene Maddaus

A New York State appeals court on Thursday unanimously upheld a judge's decision to bar the public from a critical hearing in the Harvey Weinstein rape case. On April 26, Justice James Burke…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:15AM[SHARE]
Friday, April 5, 2019

'Amazing Grace' Producer Says She Was Not Paid for Years of Work (EXCLUSIVE) by Gene Maddaus

After 47 years, the Aretha Franklin concert documentary "Amazing Grace" finally arrives in theaters Friday. Alan Elliott has told the story of how he rescued the unreleased footage from the …

SOURCE: Variety at 04:54PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Los Angeles to Consider Vegan Food Mandate at Theaters by Gene Maddaus

A Los Angeles city councilman proposed on Wednesday that the city require movie theaters and sports venues to serve vegan food. The law would make Los Angeles the first city in the nation to…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:38PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Howard Kagan on Weinstein Bid: 'We Were Shut Down and the Victims Were Shut Down' by Gene Maddaus

Howard Kagan, the Broadway producer who placed a Hail Mary bid for the Weinstein Co. on Tuesday, told Variety that he was shut out of the process because the company refused to turn over inf…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:57PM[SHARE]

Weinstein Co. Announces Sale to Lantern Capital by Gene Maddaus

The Weinstein Co. declared Tuesday afternoon that Lantern Capital was the winning bidder in its bankruptcy sale, turning away a late bid from Broadway producer Howard Kagan. The company anno…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:45PM[SHARE]

Weinstein Co. Sale Not Over Yet, as Dark Horse Submits Late Bid by Gene Maddaus

The Weinstein Co. sale is not settled yet, as a second buyer submitted a late bid for the company on Tuesday. A source told Variety that the bidder is Howard Kagan, a former partner at Harbi…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:42PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 21, 2018

'Shape of Water' Ripped Off 1969 Play, Lawsuit Alleges by Gene Maddaus

The son of playwright Paul Zindel filed a lawsuit on Wednesday alleging that “The Shape of Water” was based on Zindel’s 1969 play, “Let Me Hear You Whisper.” Da…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:08PM[SHARE]
Friday, February 16, 2018

Weinstein Co. Board Fires COO David Glasser for Cause by Gene Maddaus

The board of the Weinstein Company voted on Friday to fire David Glasser, the company’s chief operating officer. Glasser was set to become CEO of the company under a new ownership grou…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:05PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 26, 2018

Disney Accused of Cutthroat Tactics in Redbox Dispute by Gene Maddaus

Redbox went on offense against Disney on Friday, filing a federal suit accusing the world’s leading movie studio of engaging in anti-competitive behavior. Disney sued Redbox back in De…

SOURCE: Variety at 04:58PM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 25, 2018

Disney Star Adam Hicks Arrested for String of Armed Robberies by Gene Maddaus

Adam Hicks, the former star of Disney’s “Zeke and Luther,” was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of a string of armed robberies. According to the Burbank Police Department…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:43PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Redbox Claims Disney Suit Is a Bid to Block Digital Competition by Gene Maddaus

Redbox has fired back against Disney’s efforts to block it from selling download codes, alleging that Disney’s copyright lawsuit is simply an effort to thwart a competitor. Disne…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Disney Set Decorator Says She Was Fired for Taking Family Leave by Gene Maddaus

A set decorator on the Shanghai Disney resort filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, alleging she was fired because she needed to take time off to care for her ailing father. The suit, filed by …

SOURCE: Variety at 03:53PM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 21, 2017

Disney Files Trademark Suit to Protect 'Star Wars' Card Game by Gene Maddaus

Disney filed a federal trademark lawsuit on Thursday in an effort to block a mobile app based on a “Star Wars” card game. At issue is “Sabacc,” the card game first re…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:50PM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 14, 2017

Disney-Fox Deal Casts Future of Fox Studio Lot Into Doubt by Gene Maddaus

The Fox lot in Century City has been a movie studio for more than 80 years, the place where classics like “Hello Dolly!” and “How Green Was My Valley” were filmed. Bu…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:03PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 8, 2017

Disney Music Executive Charged with Child Sex Abuse (EXCLUSIVE) by Gene Maddaus

Jon Heely, the director of music publishing at Disney, has been charged with three felony counts of child sexual abuse. Heely, 58, of Santa Clarita, is accused of sexually abusing two undera…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:41PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 21, 2017

John Lasseter Takes Leave of Absence From Disney/Pixar, Apologizes for Unwanted Hugs by Gene Maddaus

John Lasseter, the head of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, and one of the most powerful figures in the entertainment industry, acknowledged Tuesday that he had crossed the line with…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:33PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Disney Takes Insurer AIG to Court Over 'Pink Slime' Defamation Settlement by Gene Maddaus

The Walt Disney Company is going to battle with its insurer, AIG, as it seeks coverage for a massive settlement in the “pink slime” defamation case. In a motion in federal court,…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:31PM[SHARE]
Monday, October 2, 2017

Ticketmaster Says Bot Army Bought 30,000 'Hamilton' Tickets by Gene Maddaus

A ticket broker used an army of bots to buy up 30,000 tickets to “Hamilton,” along with hundreds of thousands of other orders, according to a federal suit filed by Ticketmaster o…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:55PM[SHARE]
Friday, August 25, 2017

Bill Nye Claims Disney Withheld $28 Million in 'Science Guy' Profits by Gene Maddaus

Bill Nye is accustomed to explaining complicated concepts to children, but even he has struggled with the byzantine mess that is studio accounting. According to a lawsuit filed Thursday in L…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:26PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Disney Channel Exec Says She Was Fired for Reporting Sexual Harassment by Gene Maddaus

A former Disney Channels Worldwide executive filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging she was subjected to a two-year campaign of retaliation, and was ultimately fired, after reporting her boss fo…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:11PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Child Development Expert Claims Disney Stole Idea for 'Inside Out' by Gene Maddaus

An expert in child development filed a federal lawsuit on Monday alleging that she pitched Disney and Pixar executives on a TV project that bears a striking resemblance to the 2015 film R…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:48PM[SHARE]
Friday, May 19, 2017

Jerry Bruckheimer Would Board Sixth 'Pirates of the Caribbean' With Johnny Depp, Disney by Gene Maddaus

Disney kicked off the summer movie season on Thursday night with the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the fifth installment in the venerable franchise. Hundred…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:56PM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 23, 2017

Disney CEO Bob Iger Says He's Definitely Leaving in 2019: 'I'm Serious This Time' by Gene Maddaus

Disney CEO Bob Iger insisted that he is stepping down in 2019 in remarks at a USC tech conference on Thursday. “Succession is a complicated thing, and I felt and the board felt, we cou…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:48PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Disney Accused of Stealing 'Zootopia' From Screenwriter Gary Goldman by Gene Maddaus

A veteran screenwriter filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday accusing Disney of stealing his idea for the hit animated film “Zootopia.” Gary Goldman alleges that Disney took character …

SOURCE: Variety at 02:49PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Shanghai Disneyland's Huge Early Numbers Vindicate a Big Gamble by Gene Maddaus

The case for building a Disney theme park in Shanghai is obvious on paper. With a population equivalent to the entire U.S. living within a three-hour drive, the opportunity was simply too bi…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 13, 2016

Disney Launches a New Class of Startups at In-House Accelerator by Gene Maddaus

The Walt Disney Company held a graduation ceremony for its in-house accelerator program on Thursday, giving nine companies the chance to pitch their plans to change the entertainment industr…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:02PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Cinemark Drops $700,000 Claim Against Aurora Theater Shooting Victims, Ending Legal Battle by Gene Maddaus

Putting an end to a painful legal episode, Cinemark today dropped a claim of $700,000 in legal costs against victims of the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting. The victims sued the theater chai…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:50PM[SHARE]

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2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off