Archive for the ‘General news’ Category

The board of directors at a closure-threatened schools theatre company will be forced lay off more than 30 workers, unless an appeal is successful.

Artistic director of Gwent Theatre, Gary Meredith said if funding is not found notices will be issued by the end of September and the theatre faces closure in December. It follows the Arts Council of Wales’ decision to withdraw annual funding of £250,000.

The Abergavenny-based organisation works with 20,000 youngsters a year and its Youth Service puts on six productions and more than 300 in schools using around 30 freelance professionals including actors, writers and designers.

Michael Sheen has pledged his support after hearing about the funding cuts. He voiced his support in an email to Mr Meredith saying he was saddened by the news, adding that it is a brutal time for the arts across Wales and the UK with the axing of the Film Council.

“It is going to be a real uphill battle, I fear,” he said.

Michael also asked what he could do to help the campaign. His plea to secure the theatre’s future follows an open letter from his cousin Caroline Sheen, actress and former member, last week.

Nick Capaldi, chief executive of the Arts Council of Wales said: “The Arts Council remains committed through its Making the Change programme to continuing dialogue with organisations who’s revenue funding ends in March 2011.”

Let us hope that something can be done in time to save this theatre and its employees.

According to recent NME Magazine, Michael Sheen will be appearing in a Manic Street Preachers video.

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Actor Michael Sheen is set to star in the Manic Street Preachers’ video for new single ‘(It’s Not War) Just The End Of Love’, bassist Nicky Wire has said.

The actor has portrayed Tony Blair in 2006 film The Queen and Brian Clough in 2009′s The Damned United, and guest starred in the latest series of hit sitcom 30 Rock.

For his next role he is apparently set to portray Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov in the clip for the band’s new single.

“It looks like Michael Sheen is gonna be in the video, which we’re really thrilled about,” Wire told NME. “We’ve tried to recreate the classic ’70s chess match between Kasparov and [Bobby] Fischer. That’s the kind of vibe behind it. It’s real ’70s Russia – just that idea of ‘it’s not war, just the end of love’, I think a chess game really fits that.”

Wire added: “It’s a really serious intellectual game but, you know, it’s not World War Three. Although the cold war chess games were kind of like wars played out on a chess board. Me and James [Dean Bradfield] have come up with the idea for it.”

Manic Street Preachers release ‘(It’s Not War) Just The End Of Love’ on September 13, a week ahead of new album ‘Postcards From A Young Man’.

Michael Sheen has accepted Vice Presidency of Port Talbot’s football team, Port Talbot Town.

In a recent news article, Manager Mark Jones says he wants his men, known as the Steelmen, to put Port Talbot on football’s map like Hollywood stars Michael Sheen and Sir Anthony Hopkins have done in the film world.

Michael was raised in Port Talbot from the age of eight and the Steelmen wrote to the 41-year-old movie star to offer him an honorary vice-presidency of the 109-year-old club.

“We got in touch with Michael Sheen and he accepted a vice-presidency of our club,” said Jones.

“Of course the club are very proud of Michael’s achievements and we were honoured he accepted our invitation.

“Now it is time for the club to make him proud of us.”

Welsh acting great Hopkins – star of Silence of the Lambs, Hamlet and Dracula – was born in Port Talbot, whose football team qualified for Europe for the first time in their 109-year history last season.

“There are no film stars in this squad,” joked Jones. “But I hope there are some football heroes.

“Michael Sheen was brilliant as Brian Clough in the Damned United but, if he asks, I wouldn’t let him do a Cloughie team-talk as I am a Leeds United fan!”

Jones will lead his Steelmen into European battle against Finnish side TPS Turku on Thursday hoping to claim a European scalp.

(source)

Tinkerbell and The Great Fairy Rescue director, Bradley Raymond, spoke to Movieweb. One of the questions asked was why he chose Michael Sheen to voice the part of Dr. Griffiths.

When I was listening for the voice of Dr. Griffiths, Michael Sheen was suggested to me by our head of casting, Jason Henkel. When I heard Michael’s voice, I heard a sense of warmth in his voice. He gives Lizzy’s father a likeability that is so crucial to the story. You want to root for Lizzy and her father to come together. Then when I had the pleasure to work with him, I got to witness his true greatness. Michael has the uncanny ability to act with his voice. That is so important in animation, because the actor’s voice is what inspires the animator’s performance on the screen.

Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue will be out on DVD and BluRay in the US on September 21st.

If you want to read the full interview click HERE

During the recent HBO press junket for The Special Relationship, Michael, who has a played former British prime minister (Tony Blair) three times said that the political fate of Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown, would be a “brilliant kind of Shakespearean tragedy” if it didn’t affect so many people.

For those that have not been keeping up to date ( or not interested ) in the battle for the British Parliament, Brown resigned a few days ago after last week’s general election.

Michael says Brown tripped on his tangled relationship with Blair and also in his repeated reluctance to make himself “vulnerable,” including dragging his heels on calling a national election.

Michael will be seen again as Blair in the upcoming “The Special Relationship,” debuting May 29 on HBO.