Entertainment Today: Showbiz News

NINA SIMONE DEAD AT 70

Jazz legend Nina Simone died Monday at her home in France. She was 70.

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, the North Carolina native was a classically trained pianist who gained fame with her recordings of blues songs, spirituals and jazz standards.

Considered one of the voices of the American civil rights movement, Simone was best-known for her anthems "Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," and later the songs "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl" and "Peaches."

Simone cited racism in the United States as her reason for leaving the United States in 1973. She lived in the Caribbean and Africa before making Europe her home. Simone is survived by a daughter, Lisa.

'X-MEN' STAR CONFESSES TO GAMEBOY ADDICTION

Shakespearean-trained actor Patrick Stewart says he's hooked on Gameboy and keeps one of the small video game systems at his chair while filming.

"Sometimes I nap (between takes)," confessed the 62-year-old "X-Men 2" star. "Or I'd seriously meditate, depending on how long we have. But I'm a Tetris fan, so I have a little pocket made in the back of my chair where I can hide it from the cameras. So, I just pull out my Gameboy and play. The great thing about Tetris is that it passes the time without taking your mind off what you're doing."

Stewart said he got into the habit of playing the video game a few years ago on the set of the television adaptation of "Moby Dick."

"They made a pocket it in Capt. Ahab's coat and they made one in the whaleboat, too, because we spent so long sitting out in the fog and the mist waiting for the light to be right. What can you do?" he said. "And I don't play anything. Just Tetris."

"X-Men 2: United," the sequel to the blockbuster comic-book adaptation, "X-Men," opens May 2.

12 OUTER CRITICS NOMS FOR 'NINE,' 'HAIRSPRAY'

The film-inspired musicals "Nine" and "Hairspray" each earned nominations for 12 Outer Critics Circle awards Monday.

New York's famed Roundabout Theatre Company earned a total of 19 nods for its 2002-2003 productions: 12 for its revival of "Nine," four for the play "Tartuffe" and three for the dark comedy, "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg."

The new play "Enchanted April" picked up eight nominations, including one for Outstanding Broadway Play, while Baz Luhrmann's production of Puccini's opera, "La Boheme," earned five, including one for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

Following are some of the nominees:

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY

Enchanted April

The Play What I Wrote

Take Me Out

Vincent in Brixton

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL

Amour

Hairspray

Movin' Out

Urban Cowboy

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

The Exonerated

Kimberly Akimbo

Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme

Talking Heads

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

Avenue Q

Hank Williams: Lost Highway

Radiant Baby

Zanna Don't

A Man of No Importance

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Dinner at Eight

Our Town

Tartuffe

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

La Bohème

Gypsy

Man of La Mancha

Nine

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Michael Engler - Talking Heads

Gerald Gutierrez - Dinner at Eight

Joe Mantello - Take Me Out

Michael Wilson - Enchanted April

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

David Leveaux - Nine

Baz Luhrmann - La Bohème

Randal Myler - Hank Williams: Lost Highway

Jack O'Brien - Hairspray

Sam Mendes - Gypsy

OUTSTANDING ACTOR- Play

Brian Bedford - Tartuffe

Jochum ten Haaf - Vincent in Brixton

Eddie Izzard - A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Howard W. Overshown - Yellowman

Daniel Sunjata - Take Me Out

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS - Play

Jayne Atkinson - Enchanted April

Marylouise Burke - Kimberly Akimbo

Christine Ebersole - Dinner at Eight

Victoria Hamilton - A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Clare Higgins - Vincent in Brixton

OUTSTANDING ACTOR - Musical

Antonio Banderas - Nine

Harvey Fierstein - Hairspray

Brian Stokes Mitchell - Man of La Mancha

Jason Petty - Hank Williams: Lost Highway

Roger Rees - A Man of No Importance

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS - Musical

Jenn Colella - Urban Cowboy

Melissa Errico - Amour

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - Man of La Mancha

Chita Rivera - Nine

Marissa Jaret Winokur - Hairspray

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR - Play

Walter Bobbie - Polish Joke

Michael Cumpsty - Enchanted April

Daniel Gerroll - Enchanted April

Denis O'Hare - Take Me Out

B.D. Wong - Shanghai Moon

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS - Play

Linda Emond - Life (x) 3

Kathryn Meisle - Tartuffe

Marian Seldes - Dinner at Eight

Emily Skinner - Dinner at Eight

J. Smith-Cameron - Tartuffe

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR - Musical

Randall Duk Kim - Flower Drum Song

Dick Latessa - Hairspray

Matthew Morrison - Hairspray

Steven Pasquale - A Man of No Importance

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS - Musical

Laura Benanti - Nine

Kerry Butler - Hairspray

Jane Krakowski - Nine

Mary Suart Masterson-Nine

Mary Beth Peil - Nine

Mary Corey Reynolds - Hairspray

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Tovah Feldshuh - Golda's Balcony

Frank Gorshin - Say Goodnight Gracie

Kate Mulgrew - Tea at Five

Charlayne Woodard - In Real Life

The Outer Critics Circle, an organization of 75 writers who cover New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, announced Monday its nominees in 22 categories. The shows and artists are the first Broadway and Off-Broadway award nominees of the season. The winners will be announced next month.