Legendary actor and horror icon Christopher Lee is releasing a symphonic metal concept album on March 15th, 2010 via Charlemagne Productions Ltd. Check out the official site for the project at www.charlemagneproductions.org >

Check out the official press release below:

The story of King Charlemagne, First Holy Roman Emperor, acted and sung by the legendary actor Christopher Lee. Sir Christopher is the highest grossing actor of all time, with cinematic milestones such as Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, The Man With The Golden Gun and Dracula, amongst over 280 movies – and still counting!

The Carandinis, Lee’s maternal ancestors, were given the right to bear the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Through his Carandini ancestors, Christopher Lee has a direct link to Charlemagne, and has decided for the first time in his life to pay homage to his distinguished ancestor, who is credited as The Father of Europe.

‘Charlemagne’ is a concept album with original words and symphonic metal music.

Saruman Composer Marco Sabiu, best known for his collaborations with Kylie Minogue, Take That and Pavarotti, has created a truly epic canvas by introducing modern metal symphonies, in a style which resembles a movie score. Marie-Claire Calvet, a graduate from Bristol University, transports the listener into The Dark Ages, with a very powerful storyline and mesmerising lyrics. A full orchestra, heavy metal musicians, choir and special guest vocalists bring the legend of Charlemagne to life.

Source: www.charlemagneproductions.org

“The Pee-wee Herman Show,” starring Paul Reubens, will begin a limited engagement starting January 12, 2010, at a new venue— Club Nokia @ LA Live. This theatrical production is for grown-ups and appropriate for ages 16 to 106.

Due to popular demand, the show is moving from The Music Box Theatre (previously announced), which was set to begin November 8th.

Club Nokia will allow more fans to attend and purchase tickets at various price points, including VIP tickets, as well as lower priced general admission tickets.

Tickets already purchased can be exchanged for comparable seats beginning October 7 at 10:00 am through October 13 at 10 pm via Ticketmaster for new dates. Tickets can be exchanged by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-653-8000; ticket holders should have their original confirmation number when calling.

“I’m really excited that fans are responding so incredibly to Pee-wee’s return,” said Paul Reubens. “To the fans who already bought tickets, I apologize for the inconvenience of the venue and date changes and am arranging for you to come backstage and say hello! Thanks to our friends at Goldenvoice, we are able to bring a bigger show to a larger audience at various ticket prices. I’m thrilled to have the talented Scott Sanders join the production as lead producer and Alex Timbers come on board as director.”

“We’re honored to have such a creative force like Paul Reubens to bring the first theatrical production to Club Nokia,” said Susan Rosenbluth, Senior VP Goldenvoice.

To the generation that grew up with his groundbreaking Saturday morning television show, Pee-wee Herman is an icon. Revered by media theorists and studied in colleges, his enormous cultural influence continues to reverberate in fashion, film and television.

This new version of “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” has been adapted from the original production by Reubens, Bill Steinkellner and John Paragon. Joining this production is Miss Yvonne, Mailman Mike, Cowboy Curtis and Jambi the Genie, as well as Pee-wee’s talking chair, Chairry, Pterri the pterodactyl, Conky the robot, Magic Screen, Randy, and lot’s more. Many of the show’s original artists, both on stage and behind the scenes are involved in this re-imagined production. David Korins, the show’s scenic designer, will work with Gary Panter, one of the most influential artists of his generation and designer of both the original stage production and CBS’s Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The show’s original musical composer, Jay Cotton, is busily writing new material.

The public can follow Pee-wee Herman on Twitter @peeweeherman or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/peeweeherman

BIOGRAPHIES:

Pee-wee Herman
The original “The Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at The Groundlings Theatre in 1981 then moved to the Roxy Theatre on Sunset Strip for five sold out months. Taped as part of HBO’s On Location series, the show catapulted Pee-wee into the national consciousness. It lead to Pee-wee’s many appearances on “Late Night With David Letterman,” followed by a 22-city tour that included Carnegie Hall. In 1985, Warner Brothers brought Pee-wee to the big screen with “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” Tim Burton’s feature film debut. (Co-written by Reubens,) it featured Danny Elfman’s first original film score.

The CBS television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” premiered in 1986. During its five seasons, the show garnered 22 Emmy Awards. Pee-wee’s second film, “Big Top Pee-wee” was released in 1988. While “The Pee-wee Herman Show”, and “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” were an homage to an earlier generation’s television classics — “Howdy Doody,” “The Mickey Mouse Club,” “Captain Kangaroo,” “Kukla, Fran, and Ollie,” and “The Shari Lewis Show” – Pee-wee himself became one of the most original and beloved stars in all of television history and late-century American culture.

By the late 90s, even fashion was not immune to the style of Pee-wee as fashion designers like Christopher Bailey, Ennio Capasa, Miuccia Prada, Viktor & Rolf, and Thom Browne imitated the high armholes, short inseams, and tight cut suits that Pee-wee made as his trademark. In 2007, Nike created a version of the Nike SB sneaker loosely inspired by Pee-wee.

When Cartoon Network aired the series in 2006, 1.5 million viewers watched every night; the next year TV Guide named the “Playhouse” among the top 10 cult classics of all time. All of the episodes of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” have been issued on DVD and iTunes and are consistently best sellers. And as Pee-wee was influenced by the television classics that came before him, it is hard to imagine that “Blue’s Clues” or “SpongeBob Square Pants” would be quite the same without him.

Alex Timbers (Director)
Alex Timbers is an OBIE Award-winning director. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (also co-writer; Public Theater and Center Theatre Group), Peter and the Starcatchers (Disney Theatricals/La Jolla), Gutenberg! The Musical! (Drama Desk nom.- Best Director of a Musical), Hell House (also adaptation; Drama Desk nom.- Unique Theatrical Experience), …Scientology Pageant (conceiver; OBIE Award and Garland Award- Best Director), The Language of Trees (Roundabout), Boozy, Heddatron, Dance Dance Revolution (Les Freres), Beyond Therapy (Williamstown/Bay Street). Alex is the Artistic Director of NY-based company Les Freres Corbusier.

Scott Sanders (Lead Producer)
Scott Sanders Productions is a leading theatre and film production company whose projects have grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and have involved world-class and award-winning talent from across the broad spectrum of the film, television, music, theatre and arts communities. The company’s Film division has a first-look deal with Walt Disney Pictures and maintains its West Coast office on the Disney lot in Burbank. The company’s Theatre and Live Entertainment division is partnered with a private equity investor group consisting of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, David Kraft and investment bankers Roy Furman and Jim Fantaci. In addition to his credit as lead producer of the 11 Tony Award-nominated hit Broadway musical The Color Purple, Sanders is widely credited with the historic turnaround of Radio City Music Hall. Additional credits include Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, which won the 2002 Tony Award, and the HBO special of “Elaine Stritch: At Liberty,” which won two Emmy Awards, including one for Sanders for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. Sanders partnered with Queen Latifah and AEG in a groundbreaking music partnership to record and produce her first vocal album, The Dana Owens Album, which is approaching platinum sales status and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. He also produced the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production Dame Edna: Back With a Vengeance and pop star Josh Groban’s Broadway debut in a concert version of Chess at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Sanders also launched film and television powerhouse Mandalay Entertainment with partner and chairman Peter Guber and served as president of Mandalay Television, executive producing six network series – in association with Columbia TriStar – including ABC’s “Cupid” with Jeremy Piven and the WB’s “Young Americans” with Kate Bosworth. Mr. Sanders first met Pee-wee Herman in 1983 when he was seated in the ‘hot seat’ during one of Pee-wee’s early performances at Caroline’s in New York City.

Jared Geller and David J. Foster (Associate Producers)
Jared Geller recent LA productions include: “Slava’s Snowshow” at Royce Hall, “Rufus Wainwright sings Judy Garland at the Hollywood Bowl.” Geller’s credits on and off Broadway include “Slava’s Snowshow” (2009 Tony Award Nomination), “Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway” (2007 Tony Award Nomination), “C’est Duckie,” “Slava’s Snowshow” (2005 Drama Desk Award), “Lypsinka! As I Lay Lip-Synching!” Recent productions at Carnegie Hall include: “Family Guy Sings!,” “Jerry Springer The Opera,” “Kiki & Herb: The Second Coming,” “Wainwright Christmas Hour,” “Rufus Wainwright Sings Judy Garland” (2009 Grammy nomination), among others. He also produced the tours of “Rufus Wainwright Sings Judy Garland” (London Palladium, Paris Olympia), “Slava’s Snowshow” (USA, Mexico, Australia), “Kiki & Herb” (North America; Steppenwolf, ACT). Mr. Geller is responsible for convincing Paul Reubens to bring The Pee-wee Herman show back to the stage.

David J Foster. Foster Entertainment is ranked on Pollstar’s “Top 100 Worldwide Promoters”, and produces Broadway, Off Broadway, concerts and tours. Highlights include: Broadway: “Slava’s Snowshow” (2009 Tony nomination), “Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway” (2007 Tony nomination); Carnegie Hall: “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” “Rufus Wainwright Sings Judy Garland” (plus London Palladium, Paris Olympia, Hollywood Bowl, 2009 Grammy nomination), “Family Guy Sings!,” “Kiki & Herb will Die For You” Off Broadway: “Slava’s Snowshow,” “The JAP Show,” “Puppetry of the Penis,” “21 Dog Years,” “Sing-a-Long Sound of Music.” Current tours: “Slava’s Snowshow” (Australia & New Zealand), “Puppetry of the Penis” (Canada, USA), and a constant stream of comedy concert tours in Australia, and internationally.

Richards/Climan, Inc. (General Manager)
Richards/Climan, Inc. David R. Richards and Tamar Haimes currently manage “Superior Donuts” and the tour of “August: Osage County” and will manage the upcoming Broadway production of David Mamet’s Race. Past credits: “August: Osage County,” “Blithe Spirit,” “Desire Under the Elms,” “Speed-The-Plow,” “All My Sons,” “November,” “Little Women,” “Twelve Angry Men (tour),” “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” “Bridge and Tunnel,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Primo,” “Say Goodnight Gracie,” “Jane Eyre,” ‘Jewtopia,” “Jacques Brel,” “The Exonerated,” “Dinner with Friends” and “Annie”.

Club Nokia (Theatre)
Club Nokia, a multi-use music, entertainment and concert venue, located in the heart of the acclaimed LA Live Complex, accommodates over 2,300 guests. Featuring state-of-the-art acoustics designed for live entertainment, Club Nokia is the perfect venue for emerging music acts and cultural shows while also providing excellent space for corporate events and private parties. The theatre brings the latest technology to music enthusiasts including an innovative interactive experience embedded in foot-controlled floor interfaces, touch screens, and a large LED installation within the lobby of the Club Nokia space. This interactive experience allows users to scroll through the history and the future of Club Nokia events and interact with pictures, video, and text messages submitted by fellow concert fans. Club Nokia was awarded the “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2009 20th annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

Tyler Mane

The man behind the mask of Michael Myers from box office horror films Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN (2007) and H2 (2009), as well as other block buster hits such as X-MEN and TROY, is taking matters into his own hands. Tyler Mane has announced the formation of his new production company, Mane Entertainment, LLC and plans for their first film, a horror-thriller titled PENANCE LANE.

“Indie films are taking a beating”, states Mane. “I firmly believe that some of the best, most creative films are done on a smaller budget. If you’re absolutely committed to getting a high quality project, it forces you to think outside the box and make the best use of your resources.”

Mane also cites the current economy as one of his motivating factors. “The bottom line is ultimately the bottom line, and no matter what the numbers at the box office say, they’re only relevant based on how much was put into the film. You can have a #1 movie that makes millions of dollars, but if you haven’t made your investors’ money back, on some level it’s still a failure. Right now you have to go smaller to get bigger. I think we as filmmakers need to be more responsible in this rough economic period and mitigate the financial risk. ”

In PENANCE LANE a career criminal fresh out of the joint is given an opportunity to leave behind his criminal ways– but it comes with a catch. He must first take a walk down Penance Lane to find a fortune from a heist gone wrong. But the horrors he finds in the dilapidated house he must search are far more than he could have ever imagined.

Mane Entertainment is currently in the financing process for PENANCE LANE and looking for other production companies and financers to collaborate on this project. For information please contact Mane Entertainment at contact@maneentertainment.com.

Paul Reubens is preparing to bring his iconic alter-ego, Pee-Wee Herman, back to the stage for a limited engagement. The limited run will take place at from November 19 to 29 at the Music Box at Fonda in Hollywood. The LA Times reports that the new stage production is a “re-imagined” version of Herman’s past theatrical outings, according to promoters.

The original version of the show debuted at the Groundlings Theatre in 1981 before playing at L.A.’s Roxy Theatre for five months. The production then went on a 22-city tour that included New York’s Carnegie Hall.

“I’ve put part of him away for a long time but part of him has always been here with me,” the soft-spoken actor said in an interview today. “I think it will be like riding a bike — which is not a bad analogy for Pee-wee, by the way.”

The new production will feature Pee-wee regulars, including Miss Yvonne, Mailman Mike, Cowboy Curtis and Jambi the Genie. Audiences can also count on appearances by Pee-wee’s talking chair, Chairry, and his friend Pterri, the pterodactyl.

Previews for the show begin at the Music Box on Nov. 8 and tickets go on sale Tuesday. Jared Geller and David J. Foster are producing the show.

Source: LA Times

Hard drives containing Michael Jackson’s unreleased works are currently unaccounted for. The drives which were in the Jackson’s rented Holmby Hills, CA, mansion when he died suddenly in June, went missing hours after his untimely death in June. Michael jackson’s manager, Frank DiLeo, revealed to Rolling Stone that hours after Jackson’s death, the family descended on the house to claim all its contents.

LaToya Jackson reportedly took possession of computer hard drives that contain a trove of unreleased songs he recorded with A-list singers such as Ne-Yo, Akon, and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

“They backed up trucks, removing everything,” DiLeo was quoted as telling the magazine in its issue that hits newsstands on Friday. “They thought Michael owned it all, so they took even the rented furniture. That’s who’s going to run his estate?”

In a follow-up interview conducted with Reuters, DiLeo stated that he was “pretty sure” the hard drives were at the family’s Hayvenhurst compound in Encino, CA. DiLeo added “The estate lawyers will send out letters” to recover the drives so that the contents can be logged.”

DiLeo told Rolling Stone that there were at least 100 songs — including many recorded at Jackson’s 1980s peak — that were never released, including a few “sensational” tracks that were left off “Bad,” the 1987 follow-up to his blockbuster album “Thriller.”

For much more regarding the fight over Jackson’s estate, plus DiLeo’s insight over Jackson’s addiction, check out the whole story in the new issue of Rolling Stone.

A new post from his official website, confirms that Glenn Danzig is currently being in the studio working on a brand new DANZIG album. The album is tentatively due before the end of 2009. The legendary rocker will also be releasing a lyric book for his works. Check out the full post below:

“We can confirm that Simon Bisley has completed his final Illustration for the Danzig Lyric Book. We have pictured it (left) and it is for the Danzig song ‘When Death Had No Name’. Will post an actual release date here once we have it.

Meanwhile Danzig has been in the studio, hard at work, on the next Danzig record. We know that both Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative) and Tommy Victor (Prong) will be on most of the tracks. Although Johnny Kelly has been playing Live in Danzig off and on since 2002, this will be the 1st time he has recorded with Danzig. Tommy Victor, of course, played Guitars on 2004’s Circle Of Snakes.”

According to Amctv.com, with Satanika, Danzig teamed with artist Simon Bisley (Batman, Heavy Metal) for an extreme adults-only horror comic reminiscent of the work of fantasy great Frank Frazetta. A release date has yet to be set for the movie.

Glenn Danzig has recently issued the following movie update, via his official site:

“Didn’t want to say anything until it was official but we can announce here that the Satanika live action movie is indeed a go! It will be directed by Thomas Mignone whose critically acclaimed film On The Doll drew rave reactions all over the globe and will be based on the Verotik comic series written by Glenn Danzig.”

Source: Bravewords.com

The “King of Pop” is scheduled to make a personal appearance Thursday to announce plans for what is rumored to be the “greatest comeback in history,” say inside sources. Jackson flew into London by private jet Tuesday ahead of a “special announcement.”

He is expected to announce a 30-date marathon at the 20,000-seat O2 arena in London, England, which would set a new record for the longest run at the venue. The current record, held by Prince, came from a 21-date run back in 2007.

Ticket prices for the Michael Jackson’s shows are also expected to top the hugley pricey $700 ticket set by Barbara Streisand for her comeback tour. It has been more than a decade since the pop star launched any substantial tour. The announcement is at 4 p.m. London time on March 5th, 2009.

In April, Jackson will auction more than 2,000 personal items from Neverland, including platinum and gold records, a customized Harley Davidson and a Rolls Royce limousine.

It seems that the common man isn’t the only one effected by these trying financial times. The King of Pop seems to have been affected as well. A huge public auction is being held this April, where over 2,000 of Michael Jackson’s personal belongings will go up for auction.

The event is to be held over the course of five days at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Michael Jackson himself was key in organizing the exhibition. The world renowned entertainer hopes to raise millions of dollars to improve his current financial woes.

The vast auction has filled a six-volume book detailing every lot and US TV channel the Auction Network are set to broadcast the auction live both on national TV and the internet.

Items on sale include the gates to his Neverland Ranch, a touring coach, a signed oil-painting of Jackson dressed as a king, a golf cart featuring the singer depicted as Peter Pan, Jackson’s sequinned jacket he wore for the 1984 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony, a set of his signature Swarovski crystal gloves (including the iconic white glove from his Billie Jean video) and a robotic Michael Jackson head from his 1988 film Moonwalker.

The Rolling Stones are on the verge of confirming a tour which will see them return to the road before the end of 2009, according to reports.�The band have apparently been offered a multi-million dollar deal to perform a series of live shows in the United States.