The NY Pops has posted the complete "American River Suite" for free, HQ download on their website, including Idina's track, "American River."

You may download it here:
http://www.newyorkpops.org/html/recordings-july42009.html

Chess in Concert will be hitting a cinema near you soon. Hollywood Reporter's saying the Tim Rice musical will be shown in movie theaters in September.

Movie theaters will be alive to the sound of "Chess in Concert," a recording of a shindig celebrating 25 years of the musical "Chess," after alternative content distributor More2Screen and Warner Music Entertainment struck a theatrical distribution deal.

The duo will push the recorded concert out to theaters in the U.K. and Ireland for two days in September ahead of the planned home entertainment rollout the same month, the partners said Tuesday.

Directed by Hugh Wooldridge, adapted by Wooldridge and Tim Rice, and conducted by David Firman, the special performance was recorded live at a 25th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

With story and lyrics by Rice, music by Abba's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and songs such as "One Night in Bangkok" performed by Murray Head, and "I Know Him So Well" performed by Barbara Dixon and Elaine Paige, "Chess" was a success when it was released in 1984.

The concert features a cast including multiplatinum-selling artist Josh Groban and Broadway stars Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal performing alongside the 100-strong West End Chorus and the City of London Philharmonic Orchestra.

More2Screen managing director Christine Costello said: "The phenomenal success of (musical and movie) 'Mamma Mia!' shows the potential for musicals in cinema, and we hope 'Chess in Concert' will delight its many existing fans, as well as finding some new ones, when it plays on the big screen this September."

London-based More2Screen provides cultural programming to digitally equipped cinemas and at big screen venues in the U.K.

- Hollywood Reporter

No word on the same taking place in the US or other countries. :(

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wicked24

Playbill.com

Tony winners Audra McDonald and Idina Menzel will perform Stephen Flaherty and William Schermerhorn's "American River Suite" as part of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks celebration.

New York Pops' music director Steven Reineke conducts the commissioned work that features a score by Tony winner Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, The Glorious Ones) and lyrics by William Schermerhorn. "American River Suite" commemorates the 400th anniversary of the exploration of New York Harbor and the Hudson River.

In addition to McDonald (Ragtime, Carousel, Raisin in the Sun) and Menzel (Rent, Wicked), "American River Suite" will include the voices of the Choir Academy of Harlem.

"American River Suite" originally premiered as part of The New York Pops' 26th Birthday Gala in April, featuring Menzel and Tony winner Anika Noni Rose (Caroline, or Change, "Dreamgirls").

The 9 PM Macy's 4th of July Fireworks celebration will be telecast live on NBC television and on 1010 WINS radio from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York Harbor.

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Yay Idina on TV again!!

*edit* Idina herself won't be on TV. It will be her voice. This is pre-recorded. Not live.

More/different footage from Chess. Yay so exciting!

Idina's being so boring lately while she's incubating that baby of theirs, so while we all cling to the little light in the darkness that is Chess In Concert, let's all head over to Amazon to listen to the 30-second previews of the live recording!

Click here. Yay!

PBS also unveiled their own trailer for the special, which has different footage than we saw in the first epic trailer. You can watch it on their website here.

Reminder that Chess airs on PBS June 17 at 9 pm ET (but make sure you check your local listings!). I set my DVR to record it already. It's so soon!

Also just a note that the official release of the DVD in the UK has been pushed back to sometime in September. However, if you don't want to wait until September, your pre-order of the DVD/CD combo through IdinaMenzel.com will be shipped to you upon its US release (and yes, the DVD is region-free), and can be ordered by clicking here.

p.s. We'll have a community chat when it airs, so you can all anticipate that.

IdinaMenzel.com is now offering an EXCLUSIVE limited edition package of Chess in Concert. For $34.99 (+ tax & shipping), you get the following:

- Exclusive 3-disc set (2CD/1DVD) (click READ MORE for full tracklisting)
- Full color booklet with cast photos & a synopsis written by Tim Rice
- Sheet music for "Anthem" and "I Know Him So Well"
- MP3 download of the 2CD audio content delivered to you on June 16th

( Read more... )


The release date for this is June 30th, which is 2 weeks later than the June 16th date previously announced. However, if you purchase this package, you get the full audio sent to your computer on the 16th!

To purchase, click here.

Also, if you're a member of the fan club, you'll be treated to exclusive sneak peeks between now and the release. To join the fan club, click .

Calling all Idina lovers..
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icontest_here

Idina's little benefit appearance at Atlanta's Pace Academy wrapped up a few hours ago. You can head to IMMB to read recaps of the event - it seems pretty quiet and special. :) Click here to read about it (you must be an IMMB member).

She performed a handful of songs, all acoustic, all without a microphone - I Stand, Finale B, Defying Gravity, and Heaven Help My Heart. Joyce was able to film "Finale B," and there will be other videos coming in the next day or so, but this is too nice not to share immediately. Enjoy. :)


"I Stand/No Day But Today"

"Defying Gravity"

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:)

I don't really know wtf this is...it seems so random...but I guess this is real, and is the result of our very own mod, vdc_dancer_boy/Kevin and baby_doll956Livi's awesome "I Stand" video that he and tons of fans put together for Idina's 37th birthday last year. I'm awaiting official confirmation from her management, but if any of you are in the Atlanta area, I recommend picking up a ticket because save for her manager saying "yes," this seems like it's a-go!

Tickets!

The I STAND Benefit marks the launch of the WE STAND Campaign as part of a diversity initiative at Pace Academy to make a difference in the lives of youth in some of the most under-served communities in Atlanta and around the world. Our mission is to partner with individuals, schools, and community based organizations to create educational outreach programs for youth to eradicate preconceived misconceptions and prejudices, as well as provide financial assistance to enhance education, develop leadership skills, and increase their understanding of what is possible for themselves and their community. Currently, we have an educational exchange program with Ron Clark Academy (http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/), as well as an on-going partnership with Youth On The Move in Peoplestown ATL, to create Keeping Pace, a summer empowerment program that we host at Pace Academy. This summer Pace students will travel to South Africa to partner with Ubuntu Education Fund (http://ubuntufund.org/) and add their voices to the cause of over 40,000 orphaned and vulnerable youth from HIV/AIDS in the townships of Port Elizabeth.

Idina ask[s] the question, What do you stand for? Diversity at Pace Academy: WE STAND for helping others to move forward.

Join us as we stand with a Broadway legend to raise money to create opportunities that will enable all youth to rise and stand in their potential.

Idina Menzel: I Stand
Sunday, May 17th at 3PM
The Hendrix-Chenault Theater
At The Lovett School
4075 Paces Ferry RD NW
Atlanta GA 30327

Special Performance from Pace Academy, Ron Clark Academy, and local art students.

To bid on the opportunity to have a private meeting with Idina please send an email to: diversity@paceacademy.org with your bid. Starting bid is $250.

I was hoping we'd get a few more images before posting here, but I'm not sure we will, so here we go!

[A very pregnant] Idina & Taye were guests of ABC at the 2009 White House Correspondents' Dinner, which took place Saturday at the Washington Hilton in DC. Click on the photo below for a few more images in the Idina-Here gallery.

Idina is the #86 in After Ellen.com's HOT 100 list! Last year she was #96 so it's now 'scientifically' proven that she gets hotter and hotter every year!

A quick FYI that Idina & Taye are on the guest list for tonight's White House Correspondents' Dinner. Arrivals are [supposedly] broadcast live on CSPAN at 6:00 pm EDT, followed by the dinner at 8:00 pm (on CSPAN & MSNBC), so keep an eye out for them.

Photos of the event will be posted once they hit the web.

Watch the arrivals live online!
http://www.cspan.org/Watch/Program/2009/05/09/HP/R/41944/2009+White+House+Correspondents+Dinner.aspx

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