Actress Cass Morgan, who is currently starring on Broadway in "Memphis: The Musical," has made a donation to an arts group in the stage event's namesake city.

Bennie Nelson West, the executive director of the Memphis Black Arts Alliance-FireHouse Community Arts Center, received a check on Monday for a $250 donation and a note from Morgan.

Joan Marcus/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Cass Morgan of "Memphis: The Musical" made a donation to a Memphis arts fund. With her onstage are Derrick Baskin (left) and James Monroe Inglehart.

Morgan plays the character of Mama in the musical, which is loosely based on former Memphis deejay Dewey Phillips. It opened to mixed reviews Monday in New York.

"It's tradition in the theatre to give opening-night gifts and usually it's stuff," said Morgan. "I wanted to do something more meaningful to celebrate the themes in the show and (donating to Memphis Black Arts Alliance) seemed perfect."

Founded in 1982, the Memphis Black Arts Alliance is located at 985 S. Bellevue. Its programming arm, FireHouse Community Arts Center, offers a variety of music, art and dance classes for children and adults taught by industry professionals as well as tours, gallery exhibits and special events, such as the monthly Jazz-A-Fire jam session held the last Sunday of each month. The Art-A-Fire Youth Theatre Troupe is presenting "The Me Nobody Knows," Dec. 3-6 at TheatreWorks in Overton Square.

J.T. and Jessica spotted on a date

Ignore the rumors of a possible break-up -- Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are still wild in love. Or at least in love with wild things, reports people.com.

They were spotted having a date night to watch the 7 p.m. screening of "Where the Wild Things Are" Tuesday in Vancouver.

Last week Chris Kirkpatrick, Timberlake's former 'N Sync bandmate, had nothing but the best to say about Timberlake, 28, and Biel, 27, together:

"They're awesome. She's amazing. She's a real sweetheart. He really cares about her. It's nice to see him happy."

Jolie might slip into 'Gucci' role

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie is in talks to team up with director Ridley Scott to go "Gucci," according to hitfix.com.

Variety reports the drama would center on the heyday of the Gucci fashion empire in the 1970s and '80s. A real-life soap opera played out within the Gucci family that cumulated with Maurizio Gucci, grandson of founder Guccio, taking the reins of the company. He was about to relaunch the brand when he was killed in front of his Milan apartment in 1995.

Jolie would play his widow, Patrizia Reggiano, who was convicted of plotting Maurizio's murder and sentenced to 29 years in jail.

The trade reports Scott has approached his "Body of Lies" star Leonardo DiCaprio to play Maurizio, but the actor has not committed to the project yet.

-- From staff and wire reports

Today's birthdays

Actress Joan Fontaine, 92; actors Christopher Lloyd, 71, and Tony Roberts, 70; actresses Annette Funicello, 67, and Catherine Deneuve, 66; actor Jeff Goldblum, 57; singer- songwriter John Wesley Harding, 44; reggae rapper Shaggy, 41; director Spike Jonze, 40; rapper Tracey Lee, 39; actor Jonathan Lipnicki ("Stuart Little"), 19.