Jason Alexander

Even before Jason Alexander, 51, became a household name playing George Costanza on "Seinfeld" in the '90s, he was an accomplished song-and-dance man in New York, scoring a 1989 Tony for best actor in a musical for "Jerome Robbins' Broadway. " An occasional stage presence in Los Angeles, Reprise Theatre Company's artistic director stars in its revival of "They're Playing Our Song" at UCLA's Freud Playhouse from Sept. 28 through Oct. 10. You've been artistic director of Reprise for more than three years, but you rarely perform with the company.

Jason Alexander is bringing a bit of the Borscht Belt to Los Angeles. The "Seinfeld" star, who's a Tony-winning actor as well as artistic director of L.A.'s financially challenged Reprise Theatre Company, is directing a new comedy-musical revue based on the 1960s humor albums "You Don't Have to Be Jewish" and "When You're in Love the Whole World Is Jewish. " The albums, written by the comedy team Bob Booker and George Foster, feature sketches, short bits and songs that poke fun at Jewish culture.

As an aspiring screenwriter, I have voraciously read The Rules of Hollywood column every week--not because I feel I have to but because it is really compelling. I read Jason Alexander's piece to hear a giant character speak of such normal, everyday insecurities ("Once You're in the Club, Mr. Dogg Is Simply Snoop," Feb. 19). He brought himself down to everyone's level. I loved that he showed us how fragile he feels in his world. That was a brave exposure. Andrea Levy Woodland Hills

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Former "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander will host "Starry, Starry Night," a fund-raiser Saturday for Santa Monica's nascent Edgemar Center for the Arts, which, upon completion, will feature two live theater venues. The 6:30 p.m. event will include dinner, dancing and performances. Tickets are $300. Information: (310) 319-9900.

"Seinfeld" co-star Jason Alexander will discuss how he got his start in show business Thursday at the Hyatt Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. Organized by the Learning Annex, Alexander's talk will include insights on how he entertained his classmates to keep them from teasing him about his chubbiness, as well as how he got his roles in the films "Brighton Beach" and "Pretty Woman" and made his Broadway, TV commercial and TV directorial debuts.

As George Costanza, the balding bumbler on "Seinfeld," Jason Alexander was all about bringing the funny. But in tonight's episode of "Criminal Minds," the actor is all about bringing the pain. The latest installment of the CBS procedural features Alexander in dramatic makeover mode, portraying a deranged professor who claims to have killed several women and who puts a terrified mother in peril as part of his personal vendetta against serial killer profiler David Rossi (Joe Mantegna).

You might have to squint at first, maybe use your imagination, to picture Jason Alexander as an elder statesman. The New Jersey-born actor is more commonly known as George Costanza on the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld." The balding one with no job and even fewer prospects. The one who frets without end and always seems to get himself into a fix. Or people recognize him as Richard Gere's sleazy lawyer in "Pretty Woman." "Women across America hated me for a long time," Alexander says.

"Once on This Island," a tale of love and redemption in the Caribbean, marks a new beginning for L.A.'s leading presenter of old musicals. "Island," which opens Wednesday at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, is the first show of Reprise Theatre Company's first full season under artistic director Jason Alexander, who is busily reimagining the 12-year-old organization. "After more than a decade, we need a radically different vision," says the actor-director, best known for playing George Costanza on TV's "Seinfeld."

Once Jesus signed on, it was easy to enlist King Solomon and Moses. Jim Caviezel (Jesus), Malcolm McDowell (King Solomon) and Richard Dreyfuss (Moses) were among hundreds of actors who lined up to create "The Word of Promise Audio Bible," all 98 hours and 79 CDs of it. The nearly four-year project, released last month,was the inspiration of Carl Amari, a Chicago-area producer behind "Twilight Zone Radio Dramas," "Mystery Theater" and other radio programs. "I always thought it would be cool to do a radio drama of the Bible," said Amari, who grew up "not real religious" in the Catholic Church.

On a typical game day, Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti is in his Dodger Stadium office or around the premises from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. That's the only way Colletti says he has known how to operate since scuffling from a childhood in a poor but tight community in Chicago to now directing the National League West leader. But Colletti, 58, has also long felt the tug of his late father, Ned Sr., who died 30 years ago of lung cancer at age 51, leaving a profound message to the son that, "It's always so much better to give than receive.

Theater lovers in Los Angeles watched the Tonys together Sunday night at the Tony Awards Viewing Party, a benefit for the Actors Fund, at the Skirball Cultural Center. Although most viewers on the West Coast couldn't see the show until 8 p.m., party-goers watched the awards show live as it happened in New York on three giant screens. During commercials there was live entertainment.  And when the show ended, the audience had its own awards ceremony, when Annie Potts presented Jason Alexander with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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Even before Jason Alexander, 51, became a household name playing George Costanza on "Seinfeld" in the '90s, he was an accomplished song-and-dance man in New York, scoring a 1989 Tony for best actor in a musical for "Jerome Robbins' Broadway. " An occasional stage presence in Los Angeles, Reprise Theatre Company's artistic director stars in its revival of "They're Playing Our Song" at UCLA's Freud Playhouse from Sept. 28 through Oct. 10. You've been artistic director of Reprise for more than three years, but you rarely perform with the company.

Actor Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza in the long-running "Seinfeld" TV series, hit a teenage bicyclist Tuesday in Mid-City, police officials said. The collision was reported shortly after 7:15 a.m. at Wilshire Boulevard and June Street. The 14-year-old boy was on his way to middle school when he was struck. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Los Angeles police took an accident report and are investigating the incident, but Alexander was not cited.

There isn't a poker text in the world that would encourage you to play Q-7, even suited. But like all things in poker, it depends -- on your opponent, your stack, your position and the odds you're getting, among other things. Sometimes, as former world champion Greg Raymer showed in 2009 at the $10,000-buy-in World Series of Poker main event at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, you get a good price to play a dicey holding into a surprise hand. With blinds at $250-$500 plus a $50 ante, Jason Alexander, the actor who portrayed George Costanza on "Seinfeld," raised to $1,600 from under the gun. A player in middle position called.

You can bring in the new year with a fine meal and some great wine. Or dinner and a show. Or a video and some takeout. Or with some champagne and a good laugh. If that last offer sounded good, a witty a cappella quartet, a unique improvisational comedy troupe and a well-known actor from a hit TV sitcom can make it happen. Jason Alexander, who plays George Costanza on "Seinfeld," will host a 2 1/2-hour New Year's Eve celebration at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Champagne is included.

In the course of putting opponents on a range of hands by factoring in styles and betting patterns, you attempt to conclude whether you have the best hand. The top pros also try to determine whether they are a big enough favorite to make it worth risking all their chips. In today's hand from the 2009 World Series of Poker $10,000-buy-in main event at the Rio in Las Vegas, with blinds at $250-$500 plus a $50 ante, the woman in the hijack seat raised to $1,500 and got called by the player immediately to her left.

Once Jesus signed on, it was easy to enlist King Solomon and Moses. Jim Caviezel (Jesus), Malcolm McDowell (King Solomon) and Richard Dreyfuss (Moses) were among hundreds of actors who lined up to create "The Word of Promise Audio Bible," all 98 hours and 79 CDs of it. The nearly four-year project, released last month,was the inspiration of Carl Amari, a Chicago-area producer behind "Twilight Zone Radio Dramas," "Mystery Theater" and other radio programs. "I always thought it would be cool to do a radio drama of the Bible," said Amari, who grew up "not real religious" in the Catholic Church.