Kate Mulgrew joins the cast of ‘Equus’

Kate Mulgrew joins the cast of ‘Equus’

NEW YORK — From “Star Trek: Voyager” to “Equus.”

Kate Mulgrew is joining “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths in the revival of Peter Shaffer’s “Equus,” which opens Sept. 25 on Broadway. Mulgrew will play a sympathetic magistrate who champions the case of a young man (Radcliffe) who blinds six horses.

Griffiths, who appeared with Radcliffe in a recent London production of the play, will portray a psychiatrist investigating the incident. Preview performances begin Sept. 5 at the Broadhurst Theatre.

In addition to her “Star Trek” TV series, Mulgrew has appeared on stage as Katharine Hepburn in the one-woman play “Tea at Five.” Other casting will be announced later.

Lil Wayne added to show

NEW ORLEANS — Rapper Lil Wayne is the latest addition to the lineup for this year’s Voodoo Experience in the rapper’s native New Orleans. The musical celebration will feature dozens of acts on six stages in October. The lineup already includes R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, Erykah Badu and Joss Stone.

Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., scored the year’s best-selling album sales debut this month, with 1 million copies sold of his new CD, “Tha Carter III.”

The Voodoo Experience, which is in its 10th year, will be Oct. 24-26 at New Orleans’ City Park behind the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Tribute to Ledger

LOS ANGELES — Heath Ledger is getting a fond tribute from his collaborators on “The Dark Knight.”

The end credits of the “Batman Begins” sequel include a farewell note to Ledger, who died in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs; and to special-effects technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed last September in a stunt-car accident.

“In memory of our friends Heath Ledger Conway Wickliffe,” reads the tribute included in the credits, which went up Thursday on the Warner Bros. publicity Web site.

Ledger plays the villainous Joker in “The Dark Knight,” who begins a reign of terror on Gotham City that pits him against conflicted hero Batman (Christian Bale).

Today’s birthdays

Actor Gary Busey is 64. Comedian Richard Lewis is 61. Actor-turned-Congressman-turned-radio host Fred Grandy is 60. Singer Don Dokken of Dokken is 55. Singer Colin Hay of Men At Work is 55. Actress Melora Hardin (“The Office”) is 41. Singer Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls is 30.