Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
Hit musical 'Hamilton' leads Broadway's Tony nominations with record 16 nods
The Broadway musical "Hamilton," which has triggered a ticket-buying frenzy not seen in years, scored a record 16 Tony Award nominations on Tuesday, solidifying its front-runner status for the top prize of best musical. "Hamilton" features a multiracial cast in a hip-hop and R & B-inflected musical that tells the story of U.S. Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who was killed in an 1804 duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.
Celebrities and elite unleash tech-themed outfits at Met Gala
Celebrities and the elite unleashed tech-themed haute couture at the Met Gala on Monday night in New York, lighting up the Twittersphere much like a dress worn by Claire Danes. Danes caused an early flurry on social media wearing a Zac Posen dress, similar to Cinderella's ball gown, which was illuminated from underneath as she walked the red carpet. The Twittersphere briefly mistook the "Homeland" actress for model Heidi Klum.
Lennon's lyrics, Cobain's letter and Gaga's piano up for auction
John Lennon's handwritten lyrics, Lady Gaga's first piano and an angry note from Kurt Cobain discussing the possibility of disbanding Nirvana after an unflattering magazine article are among the top items being offered at an upcoming auction. Hundreds of items belonging to rock musicians, from guitars and drum kits to suits and fan correspondence, will be offered by Julien's Auctions for sale on May 21 in New York.
Creative directors more involved than ever
The role of creative director for a fashion house has changed - and it's no small change. Today's creative directors are as likely to be concerned by Instagram and store layout as they are by form and fabric. Some designers dislike this change - Alber Elbaz left Lanvin in October to be replaced by Bouchra Jarrar, lamenting the fact that designers no longer have time to draw. Dior's creative director Raf Simons abruptly resigned six months ago and the fashion house is still looking for a replacement. Dior is unusual though - the director will be expected to focus almost solely on womenswear, rather than getting involved with less fashionable aspects of the brand.
Chanel brings glamor back to Cuba in catwalk extravaganza
French fashion house Chanel brought glamor back to Communist-ruled Cuba on Tuesday in a runway show on one of Havana's main boulevards, featuring glittering gowns, tulle cocktail dresses and models in Panama hats smoking cigars. Chanel is the first major fashion house to hold a runway show in Cuba, highlighting both warming relations with the West and new inequalities on the island.
Drake joins Forbes list of top five richest hip-hop stars
Rapper Aubrey "Drake" Graham became the newest member of The Forbes Five club of hip-hop's wealthiest artists on Monday with a net worth of $60 million, according to Forbes. The annual list has regularly included rap artists Bryan "Birdman" Williams, Andre "Dr. Dre" Young, Shawn "Jay Z" Carter, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Beyonce's 'Lemonade' tops Billboard, Prince reigns on album chart
R&B star Beyonce stormed to the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart with her surprise visual concept album "Lemonade," while late singer Prince's music dominated the chart as fans continued to remember his legacy through his music. "Lemonade," the sixth solo album by Beyonce, sold 485,000 albums, more than 900,000 songs and was streamed 115 million times, totaling 653,000 units according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.
Planned 'Star Wars' museum seeking 'locations outside of Chicago'
Filmmaker George Lucas is seeking a city other than Chicago to host his planned "Star Wars" museum after two years of waging a legal fight for a lakefront project site opposed by a local conservation group, his wife said on Tuesday. Lucas' apparent decision to give up on Chicago came as top city officials failed to reach a compromise with the group Friends of the Parks on an alternative location for the proposed museum.
Radiohead releases single under cloud of intrigue
British rockers Radiohead returned to the Internet on Tuesday with a new music video, after the band stumped fans by deleting all posts on their Twitter account over the weekend. The critically acclaimed band previewed the release of the new single "Burn the Witch" early Tuesday, posting short bursts of footage from the video on Instagram.
Germany's Eurovision hopeful influenced by Japan
Jamie-Lee Kriewitz is Germany's Eurovision hope for 2016 - but is equally as influenced by Japanese culture as by her home country. The 18-year-old will take to the Eurovision stage in Stockholm on May 14 to perform her song 'Ghost'.
