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Wanted: Musicians worthy of Beyonce
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s dispense the most important piece of information first — singer and former Destiny’s Child goddess Beyoncé Knowles will not, repeat, will not physically be in Atlanta on Monday when auditions begin for the musicians who will eventually accompany her on her upcoming “B’Day” tour this fall.
From noon to 9 p.m. Monday, auditions will be held here and in four other U.S. cities for an all-female band to back the pop star. Organizers are looking for drummers, keyboardists, bass, guitar, horn and percussion players. We’re told you must “have a look” and be able to play your instrument by ear. (Reading music is optional.)
Musicians (who must be at least 18) trying out also should be prepared to play the singer’s hit “Work It Out” as performed on the “Beyoncé: Live at Wembley” DVD. A head shot and résumé also should be brought to the audition.
Organizers have also stressed to Buzz Central that only serious musicians should show up since space is extremely limited. Finalists from each audition city must be available to fly to New York to perform a final tryout for the pop star herself and her creative team next week. You must also be prepared to hit the road by June 20.
If you fit all of the above criteria, feel free to turn up Monday at Crossover Entertainment Studios at 1310 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. in Atlanta (404-352-3716, www.crossover-studios.com).
And, oh yes, you also should be prepared to feed Buzz fabulous backstage scoop if selected. …
Turner book snags $4.5 mil
Ted Turner’s literary agent has reached a $4.5 million deal to publish Turner’s life story, the New York Post reported Friday. The paper, citing anonymous sources (its preferred method of reporting), stated that Hachette Books is buying rights to the CNN founder’s life story. The Post said Turner’s agent had hoped to get up to $7 million. Hachette is a unit of Lagardere, a French publisher that this year bought Time Warner’s book unit. Details on the latest book on Turner or its publishing timetable were not immediately available. Naturally, it gave us an opportunity to imagine where we might land in the book’s eventual index. We’re thinking something like: “Turner, Ted: media scourges, see Peach Buzz pgs. 77, 158, 236, 550-558.”
The advance dish on ‘Devil’
If you read this space on an ongoing basis, you probably care deeply that Buzz took in an advance media screening of “The Devil Wears Prada” on Friday morning. Well, first things first. We can tell you that the film adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling novel, starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci, is a more than faithful adaptation of the book. Natch, many in the fashion industry have long whispered that the 2003 hardcover was based in part on Weisberger’s former job as an assistant to Vogue editor Anna “Nuclear” Wintour. If so, Streep, as fictional Runway editor Miranda Priestly, also must have the publishing ice princess on speed dial. And like the novel, the dialogue is hilariously horrible and savagely slicing. Or as one of Priestly’s undernourished assistants sighs to another: “I’m just one stomach flu from my goal weight.” The film bows June 30.
Theater folks stay on the go
Theatre Communications Group opened its national conference at the Woodruff Arts Center with a conspicuously Southern drawl. “Yes, we really are this nice down here,” said Alliance Theatre artistic director and TCG board member Susan V. Booth, welcoming representatives of 439 theaters from 47 states and the District of Columbia. “No, you should not ask for Pepsi products.” Thursday’s performances included a moving excerpt from Alternate Roots’ “Uprooted: The Katrina Project” and playwright Ain Gordon’s juicy backstage history, “Art, Life & Show-Biz,” featuring his mother, the legendary dancer Valda Setterfield. Shuttle buses took late-night revelers to an after-party at Dad’s Garage, and Friday’s schedule included a morning session with Obie Award-winning director Anne Bogart and an afternoon book signing by Suzan-Lori Parks, the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama (“Topdog/Underdog”). Atlanta theater directors, meanwhile, were hustling conference-goers to check out world premieres by local writers Suehyla El-Attar (Horizon Theatre) and Thomas Ward (Theatrical Outfit).
Celebrity docket/sick bay
Troubled British rocker Pete Doherty has checked himself into a detox clinic in Portugal, according to his lawyer.
The 27-year-old Babyshambles frontman was not present for a scheduled hearing Friday in London on the progress of a court-ordered rehabilitation program following his arrests for drug possession. A spokeswoman for the court confirmed the next hearing would be July 13.
District Judge Jane McIvor excused Doherty’s absence, saying he was not on bail or charged with anything at the moment.
“There’s a valid reason for him not being here,” she said.
The former Libertines singer has reportedly been fitted with an opiate-suppressing implant at the clinic, where he had checked himself in Monday, his lawyer said.
Celebrity birthdays
Today: Singer Faith Evans is 33. Actor Shane West (“ER,” “Now and Again”) is 28. Actress Leelee Sobieski is 24.
Sunday: Actor Gene Wilder is 73. Actor Chad Everett is 69. Bassist Tai Anderson of Third Day is 30. Actor Joshua Jackson (“Dawson’s Creek”) is 28.
Contributing: Wendell Brock, Kirsten Tagami and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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