Starz have announced that the cast of Torchwood: Miracle Day will appear at the annual Comic Con taking place at the San Diego Convention Center on 22nd July 2011.

A panel for the show is scheduled for 10:00am at the event, with Starz naming the following to appear for the Q&A session: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper), Bill Pullman (Oswald Danes), Mekhi Phifer (Rex Matheson), Alexa Havins (Esther Drummand), Lauren Ambrose (Jilly Kitzinger) and series writer Jane Espenson.

The event will also present a special advanced screening of the third episode of the series, Dead Of Night, on the 21st at 9:30pm - the evening before its official broadcast date.


The San Diego Comic Con is no stranger to Torchwood: back in 2009, John Barrowman appeared on a panel alongside Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Euros Lyn to promote Torchwood: Children of Earth.

This year's Alt.Fiction Literary Festival takes place at the QUAD, Derby on 25th-26th June, and is to feature a many writers from the worlds of Doctor Who and Torchwood.

The event's co-Guest of Honour is Dan Abnett, author of Border Princes and of some 40+ comics/novels in his career; he will be making a keynote address on the Saturday, as well as panels, readings and podcasts.

Long-term Doctor Who writers and modern series contributors Paul Cornell (Father's Day, Human Nature/Family of Blood) and Rob Shearman (Dalek) are also at the event, alongside a number of other BBC Books writers including
Guy Adams, Paul Finch, James Goss, Una McCormack, Mark Morris, Sarah Pinborough and books editor Steve Tribe.

Tribe says:
Alt.Fiction Coordinator Alex Davis says:

As well as the Doctor Who guests, the Festival will some 50+ authors, agents and editors participating, covering the worlds of science fiction, fantasy and horror. For full details visit the Alt.Fiction website.

Immersive theatre producers Punchdrunk are to create a new interactive experience for the Manchester International Festival based upon Doctor Who.

Aimed for children between the ages of six and twelve, The Crash of the Elysium is based around the wreck of the steamship and an exploration inside the remains. There are two tie-in websites that provide more 'background' to the adventure, the Northwest Historical Society's coverage of the crash, and a blog by salvage diver Daryl Christofi and his plans to visit the wreck.

The experience is written by Felix Barrett, creative director for Punchdrunk, and Tom MacRae - who wrote Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel for the 2006 series of Doctor Who - and the story is based on an original idea by series head writer Steven Moffat.

As with a number of associated projects in recent years, there's an introductory video on the site from the Doctor himself (see below for more on this)



The performances will take place at the BBC's new MediaCity UK building at Salford Quays as part of this year's festival, running from 30th June to 17th July.

The production is around an hour in length, and the audience walk throughout the performance. The show is restricted to children in the age range 6-12, with a version just for them and another which is aimed for younger children of 6-8 accompanied by a parent. Full details including booking information can be found on the festival event page.

---

Punchdrunk are known for their projects to convert old buildings into theatrical experiences, and as their site explains:

---

The video above has also appeared on the BBC website itself as part of a 'hidden messages' game played over the first few episodes of the last series.

Frazer Hines, who played the Second Doctor's companion Jamie McCrimmon from 1966 to 1969, will be performing his one-man show "The Time Traveling Scot" in New York City on Friday, July 8. The performance will be held at The Producers Club Theatre on West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan. The evening will also feature autograph signing and a short Q&A hosted by Ken Deep of Doctor Who Podshock.

The event is hosted by Who York; tickets are available via the Who York website for $25 in advance, and will be $30 at the door.

The third annual French Comic Con takes place at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center between the 30th June and 3rd July, during which the two opening episodes of Series Six, The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, will make their French debut.

The two episodes form part of a series of events taking place around special Guest of Honour, Doctor Who's head writer Steven Moffat; timings have yet to be confirmed, but include:

• a public Masterclass on his work as a scriptwriter
• a public meeting on Doctor Who
• a signing session
• the screening of the French premiere of the first two episodes of Series Six
• a screening of A Study In Pink, the first episode of Moffat's other creation, Sherlock

Moffat appears courtesy of a partnership with BBC Worldwide, France 4 and France Television Distribution.

(with thanks to Aurélie Demonchaux/Beans on Toast)

The British Film Institute have announced that there will be a special preview screening of the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. The screening will take place at the BFI on 20th June 2011, with the sixty minute episode followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with John Barrowman (Jack), Eve Myles (Gwen), and Russell T Davies (writer/executive producer) (Appearances are subject to work commitments).

Back in 2009, the BFI hosted a special preview for Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day One, and most recently held a preview screening for A Christmas Carol.

The event was seen to sell out within a couple of hours of its announcement.

The Doctor Who Experience have made a special offer on tickets available in celebration of the Royal Wedding taking place tomorrow - for Friday 29th April only, tickets can be purchased for just £4.29 (plus fees)!


Tickets may booked from the Experience website, and are subject to availability.

---

 

BBC America has organised a premiere screening of The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon and a Doctor Who themed party at the The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York on April 19. You can buy tickets for this even from the event page on TicketWeb. Full details below.

A preview screening of The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon will be held in Chicago, Illinois on April 20.

BBC America and RedEye, a daily newspaper publication in Chicago will be hosting a preview screening of the first two episodes of Series 6 at 9:30pm on April 20 at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema.


RedEye will take the names of the first 200 people to RSVP. That will get you on the guest list but an RSVP does not guarantee admission. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. They advise people on the guest list to show up early. More details are on their website.

How to RSVP:

BBC America will host a premiere screening event in New York City on Monday 11 April 2011. The event will be hosted by Chris Hardwick, who previously hosted the Doctor Who panel at WonderCon on Monday 4 April.

Event details:

Yesterday it was reported that Smith, Gillan and Darvill will be appearing at Barnes & Noble in Fifth Avenue, NY on April 8 to sign copies of the Series 5 boxed set.