the industry

‘In the Heights’ Salsas Onto the Great White Way

Robin de Jesús and Lin-Manuel Miranda in
In the HeightsPhoto: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of In the Heights

Reggaetón on Broadway: Off Broadway hit In the Heights will move to a Broadway theater to be determined in upcoming season, keeping original creative team. Washington Heights musical, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, is produced by Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, and Jill Furman; McCollum and Seller have previously brought such audience-broadening musicals as Rent and Avenue Q to Broadway. Off Broadway production at 37 Arts will close in July for retooling. [Playbill]

He-Man to the Screen: By the power of Grayskull, Joel Silver and Warner Brothers are in negotiations with Mattel for a new live-action version of Masters of the Universe. Producers already ignoring phone calls from Dolph Lundgren’s desperate agent. [HR]

Skullduggery at Warners: Warner Bros. wins bidding war for author Derek Landy’s YA adventure series Skullduggery Pleasant. First book in series, featuring a skeleton detective, was just released by HarperCollins. Warner Bros. reportedly paid seven figures for entire nine-book series. [HR]

Baldwin Rejoins CAA: After much-publicized departure from talent agency CAA last month, Alec Baldwin is returning to his agent, Matt Del Piano. Baldwin alerted Del Piano via a loving, affectionate tirade on his voice mail. [HR]

Rose Voices Princess: Disney signs Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) to voice titular Princess in 2009’s New Orleans–set animated feature, The Princess and the Frog. Please, please, please, let Harvey Fierstein be the frog. [Variety]

Mary-Kate Joins Weeds: In inspired move, Mary-Kate Olsen signs for first solo role, joining Showtime’s Weeds as love interest for Silas Botwin (Hunter Parrish). On days when Mary-Kate isn’t feeling up to the task, she and Ashley can pull the old Olsen Switcheroo. [HR]

Advice Columnist Signs $4 Million-Plus Book Deal: Amy Dickinson, advice columnist for Chicago Tribune, reportedly signs two-book deal with Hyperion for over $4 million. Deal covers memoir and a novel; Elyse Cheney is the agent. [Vulture]

Kanye Collabos With Daft Punk, Martin: Kanye West’s fall album, Graduation, will feature one song built on a Daft Punk sample (from “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”). Another will feature Coldplay’s Chris Martin on vocals. Comme ci, comme ça. [Pitchfork]

SummerStage Lineup Finalized: Performers coming to Central Park include Rufus Wainwright, Cassandra Wilson, Television, Ozomatli, and Brazilian Girls. Not all at once, but on different days over the course of the summer. [NYT]

RCA Signs Teenage Singer: Unknown Arizona 17-year-old Jordin Sparks signs recording contract with RCA Music. Label said to be impressed with ingénue’s pipes and enthusiasm, but it remains to be seen if a singer with no public profile can attain success. [Billboard]

‘In the Heights’ Salsas Onto the Great White Way