Jace Garnick was the overall solo winner in the 10-12 age division. She won first-place trophies in the solo hip hop, open and pantomime category and second place in solo jazz. Casidhe Menig was the overall solo winner in the 13-15 age division and placed first in hip hop, second in solo pantomime, open, vocal and modern and third place in lyrical. She also was given honorable mention in the solo tap category.

Hollywood's Halloween Awards

Fans and stars alike showed up dressed as vampires, skeletons, and zombies to watch trophies be presented to Keith Richards, who earned the ‘Rock Immortal award,’ as well as other shows like True Blood, Star Trek and of course, Twilight.

The ‘Ultimate Scream’ trophy was presented to the Star Trek movie. Guests were surprised when William Shatner got up on stage to accept the award. He made his point clear when he said, “”This movie was big. Imagine how big it could have been with me in it? … I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Oscar trophy trend, fact or fiction?

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt almost certainly are strong contenders in the best actor award category — shining, word has it, in their respective upcoming movies, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Revolutionary Road.”
But they and others might be up against a subtle force they can do little about in the best actor race: Oscar award voters tend to favor actors playing real people.

In the past six best actor races, there were three years in which an actor playing a real person was nominated for an award alongside actors portraying fictional characters, and each time the actor playing a true-life person won the award. You have to go all the way back to the awards for 2001 to find a counter-example: Denzel Washington’s victory for playing Alonzo Harris in “Training Day,” which bested Will Smith as Muhammad Ali and Russell Crowe as John Nash. Otherwise, it was actors playing real-life figures — Ray Charles, Idi Amin, Truman Capote — who took the statue award.

This year that means if even one from among the stellar group that includes Frank Langella (as Richard Nixon), Sean Penn (as Harvey Milk) and Josh Brolin (as George W. Bush) lands a best actor award nomination, everyone else will have to weigh that added factor.

Best actress favors real personnages even more; the statuette award has gone to women playing real people six of the eight years this decade. But with frontrunners such as Meryl Steep, Nicole Kidman and Sally Hawkins taking on fictional roles this go-round, this year may break form.

It’s hard to pinpoint what makes Oscar trophy award voters tilt this way. But one likely factor is a frame of reference: Philip Seymour Hoffman acting and sounding like Capote probably will move the voter more than Terrence Howard’s acting and sounding like Djay from “Hustle & Flow,” a person the Academy Award member has never seen outside the movie (and hasn’t seen at all if they’ve never seen the movie).

Plus, there’s the impersonation factor: How could a voter not think Jamie Foxx is good; he even looks like Charles.

It wasn’t always this way. In the 1990s, fictional characters bested real people in the best actor award category seven out of nine times they went up against one another. And an actress playing a real person won the award only twice in the 1990s.

So what’s changed?

For one thing, the rise of celebrity culture. The TMZs of the world have made it harder to separate actors from their roles since we now know them as real people — unless they’re playing other real people, in which case voters can identify with the person they’re playing.

Even if DiCaprio and Pitt are unable to buck the recent trend favoring real-life portrayals, they can take solace in the likelihood they’ll have other shots at the top prize award. But the seeming voter bias toward real-life bios could also impact a few once-in-a-lifetime performances. Those include the comeback for Mickey Rourke, whose Randy the Ram in “The Wrestler” is a tragic figure to rival Willy Loman; Richard Jenkins, whose understated Walter Vale in “The Visitor” is exquisitely subtle; and Christian Bale, whose Batman in “The Dark Knight” is so darkly evocative.

Originally written by Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter

Former college hockey stars Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter will be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2008 it was announced today by USA Hockey. Providence and Women’s Team USA standout Cammi Granato was also selected, the first female among the Hall’s 134 members.

The quartet will be formally inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Denver on Friday, Oct. 10, at Magness Arena on the campus of the University of Denver. The following evening — Sat., Oct. 11 — the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game will take place in the same venue, when Denver plays Notre Dame.

“The Class of 2008 is one of the most accomplished groups that’s ever been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame,” said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. “It is indeed with great pleasure that we welcome them to the group of hockey immortals in our country.”

Hull recorded 1,391 points during his more than 20-year National Hockey League career that included stints with five teams. Hull’s 741 career goals place him third all-time in NHL history. In his first full season with the Blues (1988-89), he scored 41 goals and captured the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The following year marked the first of three consecutive 70-plus goal seasons, which included a career-high 86 goals in 1990-91 to earn him the Lester B. Pearson Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP.

Hull helped the United States to an Olympic silver medal at his second Games in 2002 and topped the tournament in scoring as Team USA captured the World Cup of Hockey in 1996, the first of his two World Cup appearances. He also participated in the 1991 Canada Cup and 1986 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

Hull played two seasons at Minnesota-Duluth, where he scored 52 goals in his sophomore season and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. No college player has scored more goals in single season since.

In 18 NHL seasons, Leetch was an 11-time All-Star, won two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman, captured a Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP and was the Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top rookie. He is one of only five blueliners in NHL history to record more than 100 points in a season and one of seven to accumulate more than 1,000 points in his career (247-781–1028).

In his rookie season with the New York Rangers (1988-89), who drafted him ninth overall in 1986, Leetch put up 23 goals and 48 assists to capture the Calder Trophy. Three years later, in 1991-92, Leetch tallied a career-best 102 points, including a team record 80 assists, to capture the Norris Trophy for the first time. In 1993-94, the Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in more than 50 years. He led the way as the top scorer in the post season and was the first ever American-born player to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

Internationally, Leetch is one of just 10 American men’s ice hockey players to have competed in the Olympic Winter Games three or more times, as he played for Team USA in 1988, 1998 and 2002. He also represented the United States at three IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-87), two IIHF Men’s World Championships (1987, 1989), one Canada Cup (1991) and twice in the World Cup of Hockey (1996, 2004).

Leetch played one season (1986-87) of college hockey at Boston College and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Mike Richter played in 666 games during his 14-year NHL career, all with the New York Rangers. His 301 wins with the team are more than any other Rangers goaltender and he helped the club win its first Stanley Cup in over 50 years.

Playing full-time for the Rangers beginning during the 1990-91 season, he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie in just his second full season in the NHL. In 1993-94, Richter was selected as the MVP of the NHL All-Star Game and went on to set a Rangers’ single-season record with 42 wins in leading the team to the President’s Trophy and its first Stanley Cup title since 1942. Beyond making a huge impact for the Rangers, Richter also was an integral part of the U.S. program for parts of three decades. He is one of just 10 Americans ever to compete in at least three Olympic Games, including in 2002, when the team captured the silver medal. In addition, he led Team USA to the World Cup of Hockey championship in 1996 and was named the tournament’s MVP. He also played in two IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-86), three IIHF Men’s World Championships (1986-87, 1993) and the 1991 Canada Cup. Richter, a three-time NHL All-Star, played two seasons of college hockey (1985-87) at Wisconsin before beginning his professional career.

Cammi Granato’s extraordinary playing career, particularly at the international level, has played a key role in the growth of women’s hockey not only in the United States, but across the world. At Providence College, she established goal-scoring records and captured ECAC Player of the Year honors from 1991-93.

A 15-year member of the U.S. Women’s National Team beginning in 1990, Granato is the program’s all-time scoring leader with 343 points (186-157) in 205 games. She achieved international fame by captaining Team USA to the gold medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, the first time ever women’s ice hockey was included in the Games. Four years later, she captained the United States to the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics. In her last international competition and ninth World Championship, she led Team USA to the gold medal, its first-ever in an IIHF World Women’s Championship. In 2007, Granato received the NHL’s Lester Patrick Award in recognition of outstanding service to hockey in the United States, and, in 2008, she was enshrined into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Granato was the first woman to be honored with the aforementioned awards and will be the first female to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Originally Written by CHN Staff, www.college hockeynews.com

Could Florida's Tim Tebow join former Ohio State great Archie Griffin as the only players to win multiple Heisman Trophies? The Gators’ dual-threat quarterback is the betting favorite on betED.com’s odds for the 2008 Heisman.

Here is a look at betED.com’s favorites and a breakdown of their chances of hoisting college football’s most prestigious award.

Tim Tebow, Florida QB – 250: In 2007, he was a one-man wrecking crew for the Gators, passing for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushing for 895 yards and 25 more scores. Tebow’s top three receivers return, including star Percy Harvin. So every 2008 Heisman Trophy Prediction list must start with the reigning winner. But Tebow wore down a bit last year, and Urban Meyer has said he doesn’t want his bruising lefty to run the ball as much this year and thus save him from punishment. So with Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and even Harvin getting plenty of carries, there’s no way Tebow’s 2008 numbers will match last season’s, even though the Gators are likely a better team. Make or break game: 10/11 vs. LSU.

Chase Daniel, Missouri QB – 400: Daniel finished fourth in last year’s voting, and four other players who have finished fourth in Heisman voting have won it the next year, with the last being USC’s Charles White in 1978. The reigning Big 12 offensive player of the year could get a major campaign boost if he somehow leads the Tigers to a BCS title game. He will need to get people to forget last season’s Big 12 title game performance against Oklahoma. Make or break game: 10/18 at Texas.

Chris Wells, Ohio State RB – 400: Could a Buckeye win the Heisman Trophy for the second time in three years? Wells could certainly surpass 2,000 yards on the ground this season as the loaded Buckeyes beat up on the weak Big Ten. However, Ohio State’s bowl failures recently could sway voters against “Beanie.” If Wells goes off on USC in that mega-matchup on Sept. 13, then watch out. But if the Buckeyes lay another big-game egg, it will be hard for Wells to recover. Make or break game: 9/13 at USC.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia RB – 500: Moreno was brilliant as a freshman, but will Heisman voters award this trophy to a sophomore for the second straight year after having never done it previously? In addition, Moreno will have to compete for votes on his own team with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Surprisingly, no SEC running back has won the Heisman since a certain Bo in 1985. These odds are too high. Make or break game: 10/25 at LSU.

Matthew Stafford, Georgia QB – 800: Georgia is a running team, and Stafford’s not even the most hyped, or best, player on his own offense (see above). Hard to believe no Bulldog has won the Heisman since Herschel Walker. One won’t this year either. Make or break game: 9/20 at Arizona State.

LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh RB – 800: You could argue McCoy was better than Georgia’s Moreno in their freshman seasons last year. But Pitt is way off the national radar, and while it may be improved this year the Heisman voters won’t give the award to a player on a middling team not named Notre Dame. Make or break game: 10/2 at South Florida.

Percy Harvin, Florida WR – 800: It would seem Florida would have too many weapons for Harvin to get enough touches to put up monster numbers. This is a decent price for a sleeper who is as electrifying as any player in the country. But Harvin can’t stay healthy for a full season, and he is coming heel surgery in the offseason. If he can stay healthy, this is a good value bet. Make or break game: 9/20 at Tennessee.

Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB – 800: This guy will put up better numbers than any quarterback in the country, but that’s part of the problem: Most think Harrell is just a product of Mike Leach’s system. In addition, Michael Crabtree could steal Harrell’s thunder. Make or break game: 11/1 vs. Texas.

Pat White, West Virginia QB – 800: Of the 2008 Heisman Trophy Predictions, I left the best price on betED.com’s board for last. White is the best running quarterback in the country, and he won’t have to share the spotlight with Steve Slaton any longer. Noel Devine is another story. If the Mountaineers can run the table they become the story of the year in the wake of Rich Rodriguez bolting the program for Michigan. And no one would benefit more from that publicity than White. In addition, the Mountaineers say they will throw downfield a bit more this season, so that will help White’s typically average passing stats. Make or break game: 10/23 vs. Auburn.

Originally Written by Matt Severance, www.oddsandnews.com

Winning the Heisman Trophy does not guarantee a college football player a long and successful pro career, although every football player would love the bronze statue displayed on their mantle. Even if they do not have a successful career, they could use it like O.J. did as collateral to help pay off civil penalties.

In college football the Heisman Trophy is awarded usually to a quarterback or running back that is playing for a BCS contender. That is why most college football standouts have no chance of being awarded the Heisman Trophy. You can blame this on the American media hype machine.

USC’s John David Booty and Louisville’s Brian Brohm are two quarterbacks with the best chance at winning the Heisman Trophy in 2007. This season both of these quarterbacks lead their teams and have BCS Bowl aspirations. The winner of this race should have the edge for the Heisman Trophy.

West Virginia and Rutgers will give Brohm and the Cardinals a tough fight in the Big East this year. In last year’s Orange Bowl game and with 311 yards against Wake Forest showed that Brian Brohm has a great arm and that he is capable of making things happen. Last season Brohm missed two football games which affected his numbers, and if he starts to miss games this year his Heisman opportunity could disappear.

If you play quarterback at USC it makes you a Heisman contender by default it seems, although Booty is the real deal. In the Rose Bowl last year Booty’s immense skill shined with 391 yards and four touchdowns as they defeated Michigan. If Booty could post some big numbers with far fewer offensive weapons around him, he could get more Heisman votes, and if he gets his team back to the BSC Bowl this year, he could become the fourth player at USC in the last six years to win the Heisman Trophy.

If a quarterback does not win the Heisman, it is a running back that usually walks away with the trophy. Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Steve Slaton of West Virginia are this year’s biggest college standouts in the backfield.

Last year McFadden was the runner-up to Troy Smith, and that makes him the Heisman contender by default. Although, McFadden will have to exceed his numbers this year if he has any chance to win the Heisman Trophy. McFadden with his size, speed and power has the talent to do it this season.

Slaton who has blazing speed and a never-quit attitude, might be the best running back in college football today, and who fights hard for every yard that he obtains. This determination and drive showed up last year as he rushed for an incredible seven yards per carry. If Slaton can repeat these numbers, he should be able to help take West Virginia to the top of the Big East and earn himself valuable Heisman Trophy consideration.

Originally Written By James Murray, Amazines.com

LOS ANGELES — The backstage trophy table was the place to be for serious celebrity watching at Sunday’s 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards - never mind that it was in the basement of a parking garage.
At one point Conan O’Brien was chatting on his cellphone as Amy Poehler and her husband, Will Arnett, walked by on their way to the elevator that would take them to the press tent. Kiefer Sutherland strolled by the trophy table just ahead of Tom Selleck. Christian Slater paused to wave to a group of firefighters working the awards show.
Also walking by the table that contained some five dozen Emmy statuettes was Lily Tomlin, who joked, “I like these three.”
Emmy winner Jeremy Piven, best supporting actor in a comedy series, surveyed the table and joked, “It looks like Hanukkah!”
The Emmy each winner carries off stage is just a prop. Winners give it back and head to the table in the parking garage adjacent to the Nokia Theatre to collect the real one.
As winners were collecting their Emmys, eight limo drivers were seated nearby, embroiled in an intense poker game. The drivers were paying the celebrities absolutely no heed.

Originated from The Canadian Press

Tony Kushner, the award-winning playwright who has spent much of his time in recent years writing Hollywood scripts, is the first recipient of a newly created $200,000 prize for playwriting, by far the largest theater award in the nation, and one of the biggest cash awards in any of the arts.

Times Topics: Tony KushnerThe unusually generous prize, named the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, will be formally presented on Wednesday. It was created with an eye toward attracting talented playwrights and bolstering the status of their profession.

“We wanted to make a splash,” said William Zabel, who is on the board of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, which is issuing the award. “We want people to realize the theater is important, and that a playwright who gets the award is important to our society and our culture. We wanted to create something that was really significant, like the Pritzker Prize in architecture or the Pulitzer in journalism.”

The Pritzker carries a $100,000 cash prize; a Pulitzer is worth $10,000.

Mr. Kushner already has a Pulitzer, which he won for his two-part epic, “Angels in America,” as well as two Tony Awards, an Emmy and an Olivier Award (the British version of the Tony) for best musical. His works include “A Bright Room Called Day,” “Slavs!” and “Homebody/Kabul,” and the musical “Caroline, or Change,” written with the composer Jeanine Tesori.

Surprised and thrilled to be the first recipient of the new prize, Mr. Kushner said, “Playwriting is in a lot of trouble now,” adding that even someone who has “a string of successful plays cannot make a living at it.”

Mr. Kushner pointed to himself as a case in point, since he now divides his time between New York and Hollywood, working on a screenplay about Abraham Lincoln for Steven Spielberg, and another about Woody Guthrie. The screenplay for Mr. Spielberg’s “Munich,” written by Mr. Kushner and Eric Roth, was nominated for an Oscar.

Mr. Kushner said that he planned to put the money away “to buy me time to work on plays,” which he hopes to do full time when he finishes the two films.

Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the Public Theater and one of the judges, said that while there were many extremely qualified candidates, the committee wanted to pick a person who would be “universally recognized in the theater community as the right choice.” Mr. Kushner’s talent, seriousness and status as a public intellectual quickly made him the consensus choice, Mr. Eustis said.

Mr. Eustis originally commissioned “Angels” at the Eureka Theater Company in San Francisco and directed both parts when they had their debut in 1992 at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

In addition to his own work, Mr. Kushner has adapted and translated classics, including Pierre Corneille’s “Illusion,” S. Y. Ansky’s “Dybbuk” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Good Person of Setzuan” and “Mother Courage and Her Children,” which was performed in Central Park in 2006 with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. He also wrote the English-language libretto for the opera “Brundibar” by Hans Krasa.

The trust, which was created in 1986 with part of the fortune Mr. Steinberg made from real estate, has donated more than $40 million to support regional theaters, leadership courses, scholarships, playwriting commissions, producing and more, said James Steinberg, a son of Harold and Mimi’s.

“Theater ought to be at the center of American culture,” he said, adding that the award was a way to honor playwrights and raise the visibility of theater.

Mr. Steinberg said his parents always loved the theater, and took him and his two siblings often. Even as a child, he sat through O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” Now he said he sees at least 100 productions a year.

The Mimi, as the trophy is nicknamed, was designed by David Rockwell and will be awarded every two years. In the alternating years the trust will issue two $50,000 awards for playwrights who are just starting out; the first is to be presented next year.

Originally written by Patricia Cohen