John Barrowman is heading to Hollywood to play the ‘bad guy’ on TV hit Desperate Housewives.

The Torchwood and Dr Who star will guest star in several episodes on the long-running show about the goings on in fictional Wisteria Lane.

Barrowman, 42, will fly to Los Angeles early March to film with Desperate Housewives leading ladies Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria Parker.

Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry is keeping the plotlines involving Barrowman secret.

However, The Daily Mail can reveal that he will be the show’s main villain in the last section of the current season, series six.

The show returned to British TV this week but has been running in the U.S. for months.

Episodes featuring Barrowman will be broadcast in the America later in the Spring and around May/ June in the UK.

Executive producer Cherry met with Barrowman last week after watching him in episodes of Torchwood.

He was very taken by Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness character.

While he’s in LA Barrowman will meet up with old friend Russell T .Davies.

Dr Who and Torchwood Writer Davies has been working in LA writing a Torchwood series for America’s Fox TV. It will be a co-production between Fox and BBC TV.

Casting is way off. Barrowman will just being saying ‘Hi’ to Davies, not asking to be cast in the U.S. Torchwood.

Meanwhile, Barrowman has a new album out March 1 featuring songs from musicals including You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel..

Later in the year Barrowman hopes to do a second season of Tonight’s the Night for the BBC.

The singer-actor had recorded the part of Raoul for the concept album of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical Love Never Dies.

However, the composer decided to re-orchestrate his score and re-record the record. Barrowman wasn’t available to re-record and by that time Joseph Millson had been cast to play Raoul so he did the new version of the album.

source: dailymail.co.uk

Performers John Barrowman and Mark Rylance were new entrants into the top 20 of this year’s Stage 100, while producer David Babani returned to the upper echelons for the first time since 2006.

The top 20’s highest climber was Royal Court artistic director Dominic Cooke, who went from 13th to seventh. Producers David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers were also high risers, up to 12th equal from 18th. Meanwhile, Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey made the top 10 for the first time.

The top 20 in full is:

1. Howard Panter/Rosemary Squire (ATG) [5]

2. Cameron Mackintosh (producer/ theatre owner)[1]

3. Andrew Lloyd Webber (producer/ theatre owner / composer) [2]

4. Michael Grandage (Donmar Warehouse) [3=]

5. Nicholas Hytner (National Theatre) [3=]

6. Nica Burns / Max Weitzenhoffer (Nimax)[7]

7. Dominic Cooke (Royal Court Theatre)[13]

8. Bill Kenwright (Bill Kenwright Ltd) [6]

9. Michael Boyd (RSC) [8]

10. Kevin Spacey/ Sally Greene (Old Vic Theatre) [11]

11. Nick Thomas / Jon Conway (Qdos Entertainment) [9]

12= Sonia Friedman (Sonia Friedman Productions) [12]

12= David Pugh / Dafydd Rogers (producers) [18]

14. David Babani (Menier Chocolate Factory) [New Entry]

15. Jonathan Church (Chichester Festival Theatre) [16]

16. Bill Taylor (Stage Entertainment) [15]

17. Rupert Goold (director)[14]

18. Alex Poots (Manchester International Festival)[19]

19. John Barrowman (entertainer)[New Entry]

20. Mark Rylance (actor) [New Entry]

New Entry denotes new entry into top 20, not Stage 100

source:  thestage.co.uk

ickets went on sale for a pantomime starring television star John Barrowman, a year ahead of the opening night.

The Torchwood actor is to head the cast of Aladdin in his native Glasgow next year.

Producers say the show will have all the traditional elements of pantomime as well as an array of special effects.

source:  The Press Association

John Barrowman was a guest on a BBC radio show this morning to promote his new DVD An Evening with John Barrowman. Jumping straight to the big news he said, “Most definitely, Torchwood will come back to the BBC.”

He says that the whens and hows are still being talked about but they’re looking at another 13 episode run, not 5 which is extra great news.

As for appearing with the new Doctor Who, John says it hasn’t been discussed but followed with, “I’m prepared that it won’t happen.”

If you’re a John Barrowman fan, you’ll want to listen to the full interview which does play here in the US. Visit the Steve Wright in the Afternoon webpage for the streaming link. John comes on at the 2.23.35 mark but if you have time, listen to the whole thing. They play some great music and there’s nothing like a UK traffic report. (Can someone explain “the anticlockwise” to me? Is that the UK version of a traffic circle?)

During the interview, John talks about filming the special, he speaks fondly of his parents and his first “public” appearance when he was 4-years old performing on the counter of a record store.

When asked about where he gets his inspiration, he had this to say, “People should be inspired by what they do themselves.”

I like that. It doesn’t appear that the DVD is available yet in the US, but you can buy John’s brand new autobiography I am What I am.

John Barrowman, currently starring in the West End revival of
La Cage aux Folles, will join internationally renowned singer and pianist Michael Feinstein in his engagement at the London Palladium on November 1. The two will perform selections by the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin.

In related news, Tony Award and Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce will join Feinstein for his holiday show at NYC’s Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency, December 1-30. Additional details will be announced shortly.

Barrowman’s many stage credits include Company, Anything Goes, and A Few Good Men. He is well known in the UK for his TV appearances in Torchwood, Doctor Who, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, Any Dream Will Do and I’d Do Anything. Following his engagement in La Cage, Barrowman will be appearing in Robin Hood: The Pantomime Adventure at the New Theatre, December 12 -January 24.

As previously reported, Feinstein will return to Broadway in February with All About Me, a new show which will be written by Peter Ackerman and feature a small orchestra who will accompany Feinstein on standards and other songs. Feinstein has previously played Broadway in Michael Feinstein in Concert, and the two additional concerts subtitled Piano and Voice and Isn’t It Romantic.

source:  theatermania.com

After the ace 3rd season ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth‘ many believed this would be a final farewell for our Welsh heroes. Now ‘Torchwood’ creator Russell T. Davies has confirmed that a 4th series will go moving ahead according to filmshaft.com, he told Torchwood Magazine:

“I could write you scene one of series four right now. I know exactly how to pick it up. I’ve got a shape in mind, and I’ve got stories. I know where you’d find Gwen and Rhys, and their baby, and Jack, and I know how you’d go forward with a new form of Torchwood.”

It is unsure how radical the changes will be in the new series but it is worth noting that John Barrowman will be joining Desperate Housewives.

The track listing has been announced for the new DVD “An Evening with John Barrowman,” which will be released in both PAL and NTSC formats Nov. 16.

The DVD was filmed live at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall May 14, 2009. Barrowman performs a mix of pop and stage and screen tunes.

The complete track listing for “An Evening with John Barrowman” follows:

Don’t Stop Me Now
Solitaire
Just Help Yourself
Could It Be Magic
What About Us
Andrew Lloyd Webber Medley
Knock Three Times
Baby Give It Up
I Made It Through The Rain
I Am What I Am
Life Is A Roller Coaster
From a Distance
Rhinestone Cowboy
Every Single Day
Livin La Vida Loca
All Out Of Love
I Won’t Send Roses
Everything
I Know Him So Well
Over the Rainbow
Both Sides Now/Goodbye My Friend
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

DVD Extras
Amazing Grace
Scottish Medley
Band Bows/Trouser Rip
Danny Boys
Behind The Scenes

source: playbill.com

Torchwood creator Russell T Davies has announced that his John Barrowman-starring Dr Who spin-off vehicle could make a dramatic return.

Fans of the Dr Who-inspired series thought that time had run out for the programme after the much-loved character Ianto Jones was killed off.

However, Russell has revealed he’s already got new ideas to take the programme forward.

Talking to this month’s issue of Torchwood Magazine, the screenwriter said: “I know exactly how to pick it up. I¹ve got a shape in mind, and I’ve got stories. I know where you’d find Gwen and Rhys, and their baby, and Jack, and I know how you’d go forward with a new form of Torchwood.”

The show, which starred John Barrowman, received massive ratings with the first episode of the five-part series, Children of Earth, pulling in 5.9 million viewers.

The Welsh television producer and writer said he’s confident that he can pull off another successful series, regardless of the format the BBC decides on.

source: mirror.co.uk

The BBC has announced a new series of the “greatest moments” of Doctor Who since the programme was relaunched in 2005.

Screened in three parts, Doctor Who’s Greatest Moments has been produced by the team behind Doctor Who Confidential and includes a voiceover by Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley.

The BBC said: “The Confidential team have made good use of their address book!

“It’s lovely to get the lowdown from regulars like David Tennant, Freema Agyeman and John Barrowman, who are all on good form and as charming as ever.”

It added: “We kick off with the Doctor himself before his companions and enemies nudge him to one side to have their time in the limelight.

“Each episode is split into themed sections, so in the opener we look at several elements of the Doctor’s character, such as his humour, intelligence and physicality.”

Doctor Who’s Greatest Moments begins on August 20 at 8pm on BBC Three.

source: bbc.co.uk

Stage and screen star John Barrowman, who joins the London revival of La Cage aux Folles Sept. 14, will celebrate his second autobiography with several book signing events around the U.K.

Entitled “I Am What I Am,” the follow-up to “Anything Goes” will be published Sept. 21 by Michael O’Mara Books. Barrowman penned the book with his sister Carole E Barrowman.

Book signing events, according to the actor’s official website, follow:

Sept. 28 at 1 PM at Borders, Cardiff
The David Morgan Building, 14 The Hayes, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 1AH

Sept. 30 at 12:30 PM at WHSmith, Westfield Centre
Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 7GD

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Oct. 7 at 1 PM at Costco, Watford
Hartspring Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD25 8JS

Oct. 12 at 1 PM at Waterstone’s, Reading Oracle
12 Holy Brook Mall, The Oracle, Reading, RG1 2AQ

Oct. 19 at 1 PM at Borders, Oxford
9 Magdalen Street, Oxford, OX1 3AD

Oct. 21 at 1 PM at Dress Circle, London
57-59 Monmouth Street, London, WC2H 9DG

Oct. 28 at 1 PM at Waterstone’s, Bentalls Centre, Kingston
Unit 59, Wood Street, The Bentalls Centre, Kingston, KT1 1TR

Nov. 2 at 1 PM at Waterstone’s, Bristol, Cribbs Causeway
33 Lower Mall, Cribbs Causeway. Bristol, BS34 5GF

source: playbill.com