Kristin Chenoweth To Be Guest Judge on American Idol

It's that time of year again, when Fox's ratings juggernaut American Idol takes over the airwaves and a new slate of aspiring performers become incessant water cooler talk (a select few even go on to superstardom). During the audition episodes of American Idol, several guest judges will be sitting in on the panel, and among them will be a couple of Broadway babies. Kristin Chenoweth (of Wicked fame) will serve as a guest judge on January 20 for the Orlando auditions, and Neil Patrick Harris (who has several Broadway credits but is more recently known for TV's How I Met Your Mother) will join the Dallas auditions on January 26.

Tony Awards Tonight

Attention theater fans: Tonight is your night! It's Tony Awards night, which is practically a national holiday for those who love Broadway. The 63rd Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS at 8pm Eastern time in a three-hour broadcast coming live from Radio City Music Hall in midtown New York City. Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) hosts the ceremony, which will feature musical numbers from the nominated shows, in addition to the awards. The impressive list of presenters will include Will Ferrell, Nicole Kidman, Jane Fonda, Kristin Chenoweth, Anne Hathaway, Angela Lansbury, Kevin Spacey, Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, and many more. For Broadway lovers who would like to enjoy the telecast in the company of fellow theater fans, there is going to be a simulcast of the ceremony in Duffy Square (home of the TKTS booth), right in the heart of Times Square. Hosted by Tovah Feldshuh (currently starring in the Broadway play Irena's Vow), this special broadcast of the Tonys will also include the untelevised pre-show Creative Arts Awards from 7pm to 8pm.

Neil Patrick Harris Tapped To Host Tony Awards

The host of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards has finally been announced. Actor Neil Patrick Harris will serve as master of ceremonies on the telecast, which is set to air June 7 on CBS from 8:00 to 11:00pm, broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall. Harris first experienced celebrity as a young actor on the hit television series Doogie Howser, M.D., in which he played a medical prodigy. As an adult he went on to earn his stripes in the theater, performing in productions in Los Angeles and London, and appearing on Broadway in the musicals Cabaret and Assassins, and in the award-winning drama Proof. More recently, Neil Patrick Harris has regained a television following with his hilarious turn as womanizer Barney on the TV show How I Met Your Mother.