NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Lea Salonga joins Il Divo on spring US tour

NEW YORK

The four guys from Il Divo will get some help from a Broadway veteran as they tour this spring singing musical theater hits — Lea Salonga.

The classical music group announced Wednesday that Tony Award-winning Salonga, the original “Miss Saigon” in London and New York who also starred in a Broadway revival of “Flower Drum Song” in 2002, will join the upcoming North American tour “Il Divo — A Musical Affair: The Greatest Songs of Broadway Live.”

The tour kicks off March 28 in Phoenix and ends in June, with stops in California, Washington, Canada, Utah, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

911 calls about Kattan’s driving, crash, released

LOS ANGELES

The California Highway Patrol has released audio of two motorists’ calls reporting erratic driving and the aftermath of an early-morning collision involving actor-comedian Chris Kattan.

Kattan was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Monday after crashing into a road crew on westbound U.S. 101 in Southern California. No one was injured in the crash, and Kattan was released after his arrest.

Audio released Wednesday shows dispatchers received two calls related to Kattan’s driving and accident. One caller estimated the actor was traveling around 70 mph moments before the crash. Another motorist who reported the accident described the 43-year-old comedian leaving his car and walking on the highway afterward.

Kattan’s manager and agent did not immediately return email messages seeking comment.

Children’s book artist Erik Blegvad dies at 90

LONDON

Children’s book artist Erik Blegvad, known for his whimsical illustrations of more than 100 books, has died in London. He was 90.

His eldest son, musician and cartoonist Peter Blegvad, said his father died Jan. 14.

The wide-ranging artist was a native of Denmark who studied at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts before developing his reputation in the New York and Paris publishing worlds.

Among his best known works are the illustrations for “Bed-Knob and Broomstick,” “The Tenth Good Thing About Barney” and his own translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “Stories and Fairy Tales.”

Biden to be opening guest for ‘Late Night’

WASHINGTON

Seth Meyers has scored a powerful guest for his first episode of “Late Night:” Vice President Joe Biden.

The vice president’s office says Biden will appear on the show during the Feb. 24 premiere.

The longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member is taking over the NBC show from Jimmy Fallon, who will be the new frontman for NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

Associated Press