---
12 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
▼ TELEVISION
ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY,JULY 19,2006
"Will and Grace"stars fight post-sitcom "curse"
BY BRIDGET BYRNE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
LOS ANGELES — It became known as "the 'Seinfeld' curse" when Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfus — stars of the hugely successful NBC series — moved on to new sitcoms that failed.
Now Louis-Dreyfus appears to have broken that spell, acquiring an audience and an Emmy nomination portraying the title role in CBS' "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
But will the cast of another very popular sitcom, which ended in May, also be able to avoid the curse of past triumphs?
The stars of NBC's "Will & Grace," with eight successful seasons behind them, hope to do so by heading down different pathways.
Instead of immediately aiming for a spi-off or rolling the dice with another sitcom, Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally are diversifying their roles — both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
"I educated myself, as I would suggest all actors do, and learned about the business," says Hayes, who, aware the series "wouldn't go on forever," started a company, Hazy Mills Productions, with longtime friend Todd Mil-
liner.
"I like to get up in the morning and work. I enjoy this business,very,very much ... and I can't imagine doing anything else," said Hayes, an Emmy winner in 2000 and a current nominee for his role as Jack.
He says he's heeding the advice of a friend with a "very, very high profile in the entertainment business" who said, "It's real simple, Sean. Only do good things, don't do bad things."
Hayes says that establishing his own company while he's taking "a nap" from acting gives him a better chance to "create those good things" for himself.
Meanwhile, Mullally, who won an Emmy in 2000 and is also a current nominee for her role as Karen, will host a syndicated daytime talk program, "The Megan Mullally Show," this fall.
She also has a production company, Ton of Bricks, and she's optioned the movie rights to the novel "Passing Strange," about an ugly duckling who is persuaded to have plastic surgery. She won't be starring in it.
McCormack, Emmy winner in 2001 playing Will, also has his own company, Big Cattle Productions, in partnership with Michael
SEE SEINFELD ON PAGE 14
We need hard workers who like to be a part of a high production PC assembly team.
This is a full or part time position for the summer/fall. No experience is necessary. Hourly rate is $8.00. Please call or come in and fill out an application:
Phone 841-9513
Computer Assembly
LIED CENTER OF KANSAS www.lied.ku.edu 785.864.2787
KU students, you come first!
All student tickets HALF PRICE,* on sale NOW! Call 785.864.2787.
Ask about our All-Arts Card for an additional $65 savings!
Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA
2006-2007 Season
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
The Wailin Jennys FREE Outdoor Concert Aug. 18 - 7:00 p.m.
Fireworks, music ensemble in Cartoon Sept. 30 - 7:30 p.m.
OCTOBER
Bayanihan Phillipine National Dance Company Oct. 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Pacifica Quartet Oct. 1 - 2:00 p.m.
I Can't Stop Loving You
celebrating the music
of Ray Charles
Oct. 4-7:30 p.m.
Simon Shaheen & Dr.A.J.Racy with the Near Eastern Music Ensemble Oct.21-7:30 p.m.
L. A. Theatre Works in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Oct. 27 - 7:30 p.m.
NOVEMBER
Ratan Thiyam's Chorus Repertory Theatre in Nine Hills One Valley Nov. 1 & 2 - 7:30 p.m.
Miami City Ballet in Don Quixote November 4, 7-30 p.m.
Cantus men's vocal ensemble Nov. 9 - 7:30 p.m.
JANUARY
DECEMBER
Classical Savion virtuoso of tap dancing Nov. 10 - 7:30 p.m.
ULALI tri women's a cappella trio Nov. 11 - 7:30 p.m. at Haskell Indian Nations University
Burning River Brass holiday concert Dec. 9-7:30 p.m.
Lorin Maazel conducts the Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic Jan. 21 - 7:30 p.m.
Cypress String Quartet Inspired by America Jan. 26 - 7:30 p.m.
FEBRUARY
KU LLIED CENTER OF KANSAS The University of Kansas
A Civil Rights Reader featuring DBR & THE MISSION SQUNIT and DJ Scientific Feb.2-7:30 p.m.
Tickets: 785.864.2787
Merita Halili & The Raff Hyseni Orchestra Albanian folk music Feb. 9 - 7:30 p.m.
Mozart Festival Opera in Don Giovanni Feb. 10 - 7:30 p.m.
Man of La Mancha Feb. 21 - 7:30 p.m.
George Winston, piano
Feb. 24 - 7:30 p.m.
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Feb. 28 - 7:30 p.m.
APRIL
Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA Apr. 18 & 19 - 7:30 p.m.
MARCH
Riverdance
Mar. 13 - 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 14 - 4:00 & 8:00 p.m.
Emerson String Quartet Apr. 20 - 7:30 p.m.
Armitage Gone! Dance Mar. 31 - 7:30 p.m.
David Gonzalez in The Frog Bride storytelling & music of Russian fairy tale Apr. 21 - 4:00 p.m.
Katherine Arts Conferences
ticketmaster
(816) 921-3330
(785) 234-4545
Buy online www.lied.ku.edu
Paid for by KU 7DD: 785.864.2777 *Some restrictions apply.