Unexpected illness sidelines Harper
Officials at a Maine playhouse say Valerie Harper has been hospitalized after falling ill before a performance.
Officials at the Ogunquit Playhouse say the 75-year-old actress, who has battled cancer, was taken to a hospital Wednesday before the evening performance of “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”
A statement Thursday said she’s “resting comfortably and will remain in the hospital for observation for the time being.”
Harper has been performing in the production as Millicent Winter, along with Sally Struthers as Duchess Estonia Dulworth.
Harper has had a number of roles on Broadway, the big screen and TV. She’s well known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Perry’s convent purchase halted
A judge said Thursday he believes a group of elderly nuns improperly sold their hilltop convent to a businesswoman but delayed any efforts by church officials to finalize a competing sale to pop singer Katy Perry.
Thursday’s mixed ruling by Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant will tie up the once-lavish estate in months of litigation. While the judge preliminarily ruled that entrepreneur Dana Hollister’s purchase of the convent is invalid, he ordered her to pay $25,000 a month to support the nuns during the dispute.
Hollister has plans to turn the convent into a boutique hotel and restaurant, while Perry would transform it into a private home.
The Roman villa-style convent sits on 8 acres atop a hill in the Los Feliz neighborhood near Hollywood. The order of nuns that has owned the property for more than 40 years hastily sold it to Hollister in June, bypassing approval from Los Angeles’ archbishop.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez wants to sell the convent to Perry, but the sale cannot go forward because Hollister has already registered a deed for the property.
Nyong’o to appear on Broadway
Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winner for her role in Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave,” will make her New York stage debut in September.
The Public Theater said Thursday that Nyong’o will star in “Eclipsed,” a story of survival and resilience set in post-colonial Africa. It was written by Danai Gurira – who also stars in “The Walking Dead” – and will be directed by Liesl Tommy.
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Nyongo’s stage credits include playing Perdita in “The Winter’s Tale” and Sonya in “Uncle Vanya,” both at Yale Repertory Theater.
The birthday bunch
Actor Don Murray is 86. Jazz composer-musician Kenny Burrell is 84. Singer Lobo is 72. Singer Gary Lewis is 70. Actor Barry Van Dyke is 64. Actor Alan Autry is 63. Actor James Read is 62. Entrepreneur Mark Cuban is 57. Actor Wesley Snipes is 53. Musician Fatboy Slim is 52. Author J.K. Rowling is 50. Country singer Zac Brown is 37. Actor-producer-writer B.J. Novak is 36. Actor Eric Lively is 34.