"That was the greatest opening number of any awards show I've ever seen!" Washington Post theater writer Peter Marks gasped to me backstage at the Tonys last year when Neil Patrick Harris finished wowing the crowd. And he was right, of course. How will Harris do this year?

Steven Moffat to receive a special BAFTA honor: "Recognising his 'outstanding creative writing contribution to television,' the award will be presented on 27 May at London's Royal Festival Hall. Previous recipients include Russell T Davies, who preceded the 50-year-old Scot as 'Doctor Who's' head writer. 'Blimey! A special award!' said Moffat, 'I didn't even know I was ill.' The accolade follows the writing prize he received at last Sunday's Bafta Craft Awards for 'A Scandal in Belgravia,' the first episode of 'Sherlock's' second series." BBC

Sherlock Holmes breaks the record as the most portrayed literary character in TV and film history: "Sherlock Holmes, who has been portrayed by actors like Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Baker and many others, has broken the record for having more film and TV portrayals than any other literary character. The super sleuth has been depicted on the big and small screen a total of 254 times. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation beats the next most popular character, Hamlet, by a total of 48 appearances. Shakespeare's prince of Denmark has been portrayed 206 times." THE TIMES OF INDIA

Composer Stephen Schwartz honored in Palm Springs: "Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz is honored with Desert Ensemble Theatre Company's inaugural Melpomai Award at 'When You Believe: A Conversation With and Tribute To Stephen Schwartz' May 19 in Palm Springs ... Directed and moderated by Scott Logsdon ('Les Miserables'), the evening includes performances from Tony nominee Andrea McArdle ('Annie'), Hunter Parrish ('Spring Awakening,' 'Weeds'), Haviland Stillwell ('Les Misérables'), Kate Flannery ('The Office'), Pamla Vale Abramson, Melissa Batalles, Garrett Hoy, Ben Reece and Laura L.Thomas. Joel Baker is the musical director and accompanist." PLAYBILL

Mainstream Hollywood joins art films at the Cannes Film Festival: "Certainly, the films that compete for the Palme d'Or each year are, on the whole, serious films made by real artists. This year, for example, [Wes Anderson's] film ['Moonrise Kingdom'] is up against new works by some of the world's greatest directors, including the Austrian master Michael Haneke, Romanian Cristian Mungiu and Canadian David Cronenberg. But Cannes screens plenty of films out of competition. And every single year, it shows at least one movie that could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be called an 'art film.' This year, it's 'Madagascar 3,' the latest in the DreamWorks Animation franchise." WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Adele wins at the Ivor Novello Awards: "Adele was the toast of the 57th Ivor Novello Awards in London on Thursday (17 May 12) when she scooped two major prizes, including Songwriter of the Year. The singer received nods in four categories at the event, which honours the best of British music, and went home with one of the most prestigious awards, for best songwriter, as well as the Prs for Music Most Performed Work prize for 'Rolling in the Deep.' However, she lost out on the revered Album Award to PJ Harvey, whose acclaimed record 'Let England Shake' took the prize." CONTACT MUSIC

MTV Video Music Awards shift to accommodate President Obama: "As SPIN editor Steve Kandell has put it, the network 'doesn't pretend that Video Music Awards themselves are worth much more than the pewter they're molded from. The show has always been about the balance of unscripted — or unscripted-seeming — moments popping out of a carefully choreographed marketing extravaganza, little daisies springing out of a morass of mud.' That perspective makes sense paired with the network's decision yesterday to move the 2012 ceremony, which is slated for September 6 in Los Angeles, up an hour 'to avoid conflict with the Democratic National Convention proceedings that evening.'" SPIN

Has the Cannes Film Festival wrongly snubbed female directors? "The Cannes Film Festival never has a shortage of women. Since its inception in the 1940s, the event has been famous for screen beauties in flowing dresses on the red carpet and at various beach parties. But in 2012, the main Palme d'Or competition lineup features a sum total of zero films from female directors. Three years after the Oscars finally saw fit to give a woman the 'Best Director' gong, it seems sad that Cannes didn't feel a single female-directed feature was worthy of its 22-film main competition." DIGITAL SPY

"Nice Work If You Can Get It" will get an official cast recording: "The Gershwin score of 'Nice Work If You Can Get It,' the 2012 Tony Award-nominated Best Musical, will be preserved on a cast album on the Shout! Factory label, the producers announced on May 17. Sony will distribute the disc. The album will be recorded at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Long Island City, NY, May 20-21. The release date will be announced soon. Six-time Grammy Award nominee Robert Sher will produce the album." PLAYBILL

Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood showcases her designs for "Snow White and the Huntsman": "More gothic action-adventure than twee fairy tale, next month’s 'Snow White and the Huntsman' subverts the age-old innocent-princess ideal thanks in part to costume designer Colleen Atwood’s vision for Kristen Stewart’s weaponized heroine. Although Atwood and director Rupert Sanders maintained the Brothers Grimm genetic code for the character—skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony—the pair opted against a restrictive gown, selecting a knee-length suede dress and boots more befitting of the script’s warrior princess." VANITY FAIR

How will the upcoming onslaught of comedies affect the 2013 Emmy race? "The 2012 Emmy campaign is just getting underway, but there are new developments affecting the 2013 race — brought to you by this week's broadcast network upfronts. In contrast to drama, comedy has been an area where ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox have held strong at the Emmys against their cable competitors. In 2011, all six comedy series nominees came from those four networks, as did three of the five writing noms, eight of the 12 lead acting noms and all 12 supporting acting noms. Well, the competition from broadcast networks is only going to get more intense going forward: The 2012-13 fall schedule adds eight new comedies compared with the previous year." THE VOTE

Dos and Don'ts for "The Hunger Games" at the MTV Movie Awards: "Come June 3, 'The Hunger Games' will enter a brand-new arena: the 2012 MTV Movie Awards ... Much like the titular death match, the Movie Awards can be a contentious battle, with franchise facing off against franchise, so preparation is key. In this week's 'Hobnobbing,' we're taking on the role of mentor (step aside, Haymitch!) and offering some advice to the tributes. Here are our dos and don'ts for the big night." MTV

The Drama League named "Once" as top tuner and "Other Desert Cities" as the best new play of the year at their 78th annual awards on Friday. Both of those off-Broadway productions transferred to the rialto and are frontrunners for the Tony Awards on June 10.

Each edged out, among others, their fiercest rival Tony nominees -- "Newsies" and "Clybourne Park" -- to claim these prizes bestowed during a star-filled luncheon. Last year, "War Horse" and "The Book of Mormon" won over the Drama League before sweeping the Tony Awards. 

The winners of the revival prizes were "Follies" and "Death of a Salesman." Both of those acclaimed restagings are looking like locks at the Tonys now. 

While the League gives prizes for best play and musical as well as revivals of each genre, it is unique among the theater kudos in that it hands out only one award for distinguished performance. And once won, the performer cannot contend again.

This year, 56 actors were competing for the honor first given to Katharine Cornell in 1935. They range from A (Jane Alexander, "The Lady from Dubuque") to W (Mary Louise Wilson, "4,000 Miles"). The winner was four-time Tony champ Audra McDonald, who is the frontrunner for Best Actress (Musical) at the Tonys for "Porgy and Bess." 

Last year, Mark Rylance picked up this prize for his performances in "La Bete" and "Jerusalem" before winning the Best Actor Tony for the latter. Two years ago, Alfred Molina won over the League with his work in "Red" but went on to lose the Best Actor Tony to Denzel Washington ("Fences"). Two years ago, Geoffrey Rush took home this award several weeks before prevailing at the Tonys for his performance in "Exit the King."

The Broadway run of "Newsies" will now be open-ended: "Surprising no one following the show's grosses, it's just been announced 'Newsies,' which opened on Broadway back in March for a limited run through August 19th will now officially be an open-ended run with tickets on sale through November 18, 2012 and group sales to January of 2013. The show received 8 Tony nominations earlier this month. 'Ever since the Paper Mill Playhouse run ended six months ago, the audience has re-written the playbook for "Newsies,"' said Thomas Schumacher, Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. 'We continue to be astonished by a passion for this show that is as heartfelt as it is widespread and find ourselves, once again, in the wonderful position of altering our plans to respond to palpable demand.'" BROADWAY WORLD

The Producers Guild Awards change their 2013 date. From the press release: "The Producers Guild of America announced today that it has shifted the 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony to take place on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Additionally, Producers Guild Presidents Hawk Koch and Mark Gordon announced that the 2013 awards program, which honors excellence in motion picture and television production, will be produced by Academy-Award nominated producer Michael De Luca. 'Michael is an original, creative producer with some of the most impressive credits in the business and we’re thrilled he has accepted our invitation to produce the 2013 Producers Guild Awards show,' said Koch and Gordon."

Grammy performers are "pathetic," according to Rob Zombie: "The veteran heavy metal singer doesn't like what the US awards show, because he doesn't feel the performers put in as much energy as real rock bands do. He told the Pittsburg Post Gazette newspaper: 'Rock bands can deliver it live, whereas a lot of pop act - you watch the Grammys and it's pathetic sometimes. You know, 60-year-old Bruce Springsteen comes out and he rocks and whatever pop star of the moment comes out and lip-synchs through some pathetic performance and you're like, "Really? Is this what it's come down to?"'" TIMES LIVE

Are the MTV Movie Awards more in touch than the Oscars? "Since 1992, the MTV Movie Awards have bestowed honors on the films and stars who won the hearts and minds of moviegoers during the preceding year. The awards are chosen by popular vote, and while the mainstream-leaning ceremony may not have the same prestige as the Oscars or the BAFTAs, there is reason to believe the MTV Movie Awards better reflect what fans truly want to watch -- and enjoyed watching. As the MTV Movie Awards audience (and voting pool) by definition skews young, you're not going to find plodding art house dramas or small foreign films among the nominees." INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES

Tony-nominee James Corden explains how much improv is in "One Man, Two Guvnors": "I have bits that are tried and tested, but from the first moment that I bring two people from the seats to the stage, you never know what’s going to happen. I had two guys yesterday who started talking to each other, and I turned to the audience and said, 'Please bear with me. You can see what I’m up against.' It immediately makes it me and the audience against these guys. If you watch the show tonight, I can promise 100 percent there will be lines I don’t even know I’m going to say." THE DAILY BEAST

First Emmy nomination for a show produced by a digital company: "Everyday Health, Inc., a leading digital health company, is pleased to announce that its syndicated television series, 'Everyday Health,' received a Daytime Emmy nomination, as announced Wednesday by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS.) This marks the first time a TV series inspired and produced by a digital company has earned this prestigious honor ... Show co-hosts Laila Ali, Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn bring audiences an inspiring story of people who have been affected by a health crisis and are now delivering a message of hope and healing to others." MARKET WATCH

This is the first time since 1994 that four American plays are in contention for Best Play. And three of these productions mark the Broadway debut of the playwright. 

Nine of our Experts are backing last year's Pulitzer Prize champ "Clybourne Park" to take the top Tony Award. This revisiting by Bruce Norris of the landscape first explored by Lorraine Hansberry in "A Raisin in the Sun" delves into race relations and gentrification in the changing face of a Chicago neighborhood. It has even odds to win. 

Predicting it to prevail on Tonys night are: Frank DiLella (NY1), Thom Geier (Entertainment Weekly), Susan Haskins (Theater Talk), Andy Humm (Gay USA), Brian Lipton (Theatermania), Michael Musto (Village Voice), Tom O'Neil (Gold Derby), Doug Strassler (NY Press) and Matt Windman (amNY). 

Five pundits believe the searing domestic drama "Other Desert Cities" will bag the top Tony Award. This first play by Jon Robin Baitz to run on the rialto was a finalist for this year's Pulitzer. The wry domestic drama pits a returning liberal daughter against her conservative parents who balk when she threatens to expose a long-held secret. Its odds of prevailing are 19 to 10. 

Those Experts who foresee a win for this Lincoln Center production are: Melissa Bernardo (Entertainment Weekly), Harry Haun (Playbill), Paul Sheehan (Gold Derby), David Sheward (Back Stage) and Wayman Wong (NY Daily News). 

MAKE YOUR TONY PREDICTIONS: What Will Win Best Play?

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Will Cannes make a major mark on the Oscar race again? "Certainly festival director Thierry Fremaux and Gilles Jacob hope the sun will shine on the official selection this year as well after a rousing 2011 where Cannes had an an unusually large impact on the Oscar race. An impressive three films that debuted here – 'Midnight in Paris,' 'The Tree of Life' and 'The Artist' – all received Best Picture nominations ... 'I’m just here supporting our film,' an excited Fremaux told me at the time, but certainly ‘how do you top this?’ had to be in the back of his mind." DEADLINE

The MTV Video Music Awards get a new location: "MTV's annual awards ceremony is moving to Los Angeles' Staples Center this year, giving it a lot more elbow room than its previous location, the Nokia Theatre. The Staples Center, home venue to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings, has a seating capacity approaching 20,000 for concerts and special events, compared to the Nokia's 7,100 capacity. An MTV spokesperson told TheWrap that the move to the Staples Center will 'provide us with an opportunity to execute our vision at a new size and scale while maintaining the intimacy of the musical performances that the VMAs have become legendary for.'" THE WRAP

Bret Michaels settles his lawsuit with the Tony Awards: "The Poison frontman filed the suit after being hit by a piece of scenery during the 2009 awards show, the Los Angeles Times reports. Michaels had just finished performing and claims he was told to exit the stage towards the hazard. His nose was broken and he received three stitches in his lip. He also blamed the incident for a near-fatal brain hemorrhage he sustained 10 months later. So what's the 'Rock of Love' reality star getting for his troubles? Unfortunately, everyone is staying tight-lipped about the details. The settlement agreement was confidential. But what's known is that it covers both the organizers of the Tony Awards and CBS, the network that aired the event." REUTERS

A 3-hour cut of Kenneth Lonergan's embattled "Margaret" will hit DVD in July: "This is great news for anyone who missed the movie's brief theatrical release last fall, but even better news for fans of the film (we are a small group, but we're very vocal). As The New Yorker reports, the film will be available in both the original theatrical cut (which ran two-and-a-half-hours) alongside a new director's cut (with an additional 36 minutes of footage), presumably in a two-disc edition, on DVD at least. So all those dangling subplots and unresolved conflicts may not be dangling and unresolved for much longer." THE PLAYLIST

"Social Network" Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin will pen Steve Jobs biopic: "Studio Sony's announcement that it has appointed the creator of 'The West Wing' to adapt Walter Isaacson's bestselling official biography of Jobs immediately catapulted the film into pole position in the race to bring the late technology guru's story to the big screen, as well as marking it as potential awards season fodder. Sorkin surprised many by adapting what had looked on paper to be a rather dry tale about the Harvard-based founders of Facebook into a film which won three Oscars last year and took more than $200m at the global box office." THE GUARDIAN

What were this season's nine highest rated canceled shows, and why were they axed? "You had Fox’s 'Fringe' getting renewed for a final GTFO season with only 4.2 million viewers and slight 1.6 average rating. Then you had 'Terra Nova' getting axed with 10.8 million viewers and a 3.6 rating. The biggest mitigating factor was a show’s cost — which usually rises along with its age — along with the difficulty of a time period, who owns the program, how intensely critics and fans feel about the series and, believe it or not, whether a network’s executives like the show. Here are the top nine highest-rated canceled shows this season." EW.COM

Ellen DeGeneres will receive the Mark Twain Prize: "Ellen DeGeneres, the award-winning comedian and talk show host, has been selected by the Kennedy Center to receive this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Ellen, as she is known to the millions who watch her syndicated talk show, had this to say about the award. 'It’s such an honor to receive the Mark Twain Prize. To get the same award that has been given to people like Bill Cosby, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell, it really makes me wonder ... why didn’t I get this sooner?' DeGeneres, 54, is the fifteenth recipient of the Twain, the center announced Tuesday. She was chosen because her 'special brand of humor has allowed us to find hilarity in the mundane and has kept us laughing for years,' said center chairman David M. Rubenstein." WASHINGTON POST

The Hollywood Foreign Press will appeal its loss in Golden Globes case: "The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is going back to court to appeal Dick Clark Productions’ recent victory in the battle over who owns the TV rights to the Golden Globes. In a court ordered Joint Status Report submitted Monday to Judge Howard A. Matz, the HFPA’s lawyers said that they intend to file a motion in the next 30 days for an immediate appeal. The HFPA are also seeking to have resolution of the case’s so-called Phase II issues, including Golden Globe digital rights, pre-show rights, social media use and dcp’s accounting methods, put on ice while their fast tracked Phase I appeal goes ahead." DEADLINE

Michael Fassbender learned an important Oscar lesson: "'At the beginning people [say], "You’re going to be going to the Oscars," and you’re like, "Whatever, doesn’t matter, don’t think so." But after a while it does penetrate. After a while you’re like, "Anyway, so I’m going to the Oscars…"' He laughs. 'And you start to believe it. And I did. I thought I was going. And then I found out I wasn’t and I was upset. I was very upset by it. The first reaction was "What the fuck…?"' He sounds frustrated that he had let himself get sucked in. 'It’s a vanity thing. It does become important to you. And it shouldn’t.' On reflection, he decided that he had learned something about misplaced priorities. 'A good little lesson.'" GQ

The Weinstein Company acquires "The Sapphires" starring Chris O'Dowd: "The deal includes most worldwide rights, with the exception of the U.K, and Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Israel, Portugal and airlines. The movie is directed by acclaimed Aboriginal actor and theater director Wayne Blair, and stars Chris O'Dowd, who is best known for playing the traffic cop love interest of Kristen Wiig in last summer's 'Bridesmaids.' Inspired by a true story, the film follows four young and talented Australian Aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam in 1968. Think of it as a cross between 'The Deer Hunter' and 'Dreamgirls.'" THE WRAP

"Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens will appear in "The Heiress" on Broadway: "Dan Stevens, known to millions of international TV viewers as romantic lead Matthew Crawley on the period drama series 'Downton Abbey,' will play suitor Morris Townsend in the new Broadway production of 'The Heiress,' starring the previously announced Jessica Chastain and David Strathairn. In the play based on the Henry James novel 'Washington Square,' Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain ('The Help') plays spinster Catherine Sloper, with Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner David Strathairn ('Good Night and Good Luck,' 'Temple Grandin') as her stern father, Dr. Austin Sloper." PLAYBILL

Ten actors to look out for at this year's Cannes Film Festival: "One of the single greatest opportunities for an actor to break out on the world cinema stage, the Cannes Film Festival, has helped launch countless careers.  So as the 65th edition of the festival gets underway, who might be this year's Jean Dujardin? There's perhaps more potential breakouts this year than ever, with many relative unknowns leading highly anticipated films. So in the midst of 'Tiger Beat'-friendly presence of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Zac Efron, Indiewire is offering a list of 10 actors that could potentially upstage those we're all too aware of. You might not know their names now, but that could easily change in the next 11 days." INDIEWIRE

"Sherlock" and "Great Expectations" win at BAFTA Craft Awards: "BBC dramas 'Great Expectations' and 'Sherlock' have each won three prizes at this year’s British Academy Television Craft Awards. 'Sherlock' won for its editing and sound, with Steven Moffat winning the writing award for his work on the series. Moffat beat Neil McKay, who penned 'Appropriate Adult,' Abi Morgan, who wrote 'Birdsong,' and Jack Thorne, who was nominated for 'The Fades.' At tonight’s ceremony, hosted by Alan Davies, 'Great Expectations' won for its photography and lighting, its production design and for its visual effects." THE STAGE

Billboard Music Awards will pay tribute to Whitney Houston: "In addition to performances from a number of today's top recording artists, a special tribute to Whitney Houston has been confirmed for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards. News of the tribute broke Sunday, with Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina to participate ... the Billboard Music Award program is not the first to piece together a tribute this year. They follow the Grammys, BET Celebration of Gospel, NAACP Image Awards and 'Glee' in creating a program of some sort to pay respect to the late entertainer." EXAMINER

Tony-nominee Linda Emond discusses playing Linda Loman in "Death of a Salesman": "It really is a process for me of digging and saying those words and trying to find out who that person is that would use those words in that way. It was a complex thing, certainly, given the dynamic of that family and the time period. There’s nothing in [the script] about the term that is often attributed to her: “long-suffering.” [Original director Elia] Kazan called her 'terrifyingly tough,' and I agree. I was struck by the number of things she says that are really wise, and there’s also a lot she says that, frankly, is bullsh*t because it’s caught up in Willy’s dreams and ideas." BROADWAY.COM

Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson tapped for fourth season of "Glee": "In her first return to television since 'Sex in the City,' Emmy Award-winning actress and fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker will guest star in the fourth season of 'Glee.' Additional details about her character and storyline will be released at a later date, as 'Glee' prepares to move this fall to a new night and time on Thursdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), following 'The X Factor' (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX ... To kick off 'Glee’s' fourth season, Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson will join the cast in a six-episode arc." TV BY THE NUMBERS

Tony-nominee Christian Borle talks "Peter and the Starcatcher" and NBC's "Smash": "'I was elated. I'm so happy. I'm so proud and thrilled and over-the-moon for this show's recognition,' the singing actor, whose Broadway credits also include 'Mary Poppins,' 'Spamalot,' 'Amour,' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Footloose,' told Playbill.com May 1, the morning the Tony nominations were announced ... In addition to his Broadway gig, fans of the actor can catch him Monday nights as composer Tom Levitt on the NBC musical series 'Smash.' About his success on both stage and screen Borle said, 'I'm trying to just appreciate how incredibly lucky I have been this year.'" PLAYBILL

Jim Parsons prepares for Broadway's "Harvey": "Parsons won the 2010 and 2011 Emmys for Best Actor in a Comedy Series by portraying theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper on 'The Big Bang Theory.' Now, on summer break from CBS, he is again romancing his first love, starring on Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of 'Harvey.' He's playing Elwood P. Dowd, an otherwise ordinary man who says he has an invisible friend named Harvey — a pooka, or mythological creature, who resembles a 6-foot-3-½-inch-tall rabbit. Mary Chase's classic 1944 comedy won the Pulitzer Prize and lasted 1,775 performances, making it the sixth-longest-running play in Broadway history." PLAYBILL