EXCLUSIVE: Costume Designer Neha Bajaj opens up on reinventing her craft for Toxic: “It took me from realism to a visually charged world”

Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama: Costume designer Neha Bajaj, best known for grounding characters in realism across projects like The Family Man and Guns & Gulaabs, is stepping into markedly new territory with Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Bajaj opens up about moving away from understated realism to designing a stylised, glamorous cinematic universe—one that introduces striking new looks for Yash, Kiara Advani, and Huma Qureshi.

Community Theatre League, Millbrook Playhouse earn BroadwayWorld award nominations

News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Two Central Pennsylvania theater companies are being recognized on a regional stage, as Millbrook Playhouse and Community Theatre League have received nominations in the 2025 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards.

Nominations Announced for the 2026 Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards

Morningstar: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced the nominations for the 13th Annual MUAHS Guild Awards, presented by L'Oréal Groupe and Giovanni Eco Chic Beauty. Winners will be honored at the Valentine's Day awards gala on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The announcement was made by Julie Socash, President of MUAHS, IATSE Local 706.

The Sewing Hui seeks holiday funders for ‘Stitching Futures’ costume mentorship

Maui Now: The Sewing Hui of Maui is trying to close a $16,000 funding gap by Dec. 31 for its program “Stitching Futures: Costume Design & Production Mentorship Program.” This free, hands-on mentorship program offers comprehensive training to Maui’s aspiring teen and young adult costume designers and technicians. Topics include costume design, production, portfolio development, and college/career pathway support.

Avatar: Fire and Ash costume designer breaks down best Pandora looks

www.goldderby.com: Ask any member of the extended Avatar family — from breakout star Oona Chaplin to composer Stephen Franglen — and they'll tell you that the best is yet to come for James Cameron's blockbuster franchise. With the third installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, currently making major bank in theaters, it's only a matter of time until Cameron decides whether or not to pull the proverbial trigger on Avatar 4 and 5, currently set for release in 2029 and 2031, respectively. And the director's go-to costume designer, Deborah Lynn Scott, confirms the longstanding account that select scenes from the yet-to-be-named fourth chapter have already been filmed.

OK, now I’m going to extol 'Book of Fringe’

DC Theater Arts: Little did I know then how halcyon those delirious days at funky Fort Fringe would turn out to be. Little did I know then how much imagination and determination would go into operating the Festival next out of Fort Logan in Northeast. Little did I know then how tenuous the Festival’s future would be as, nomadlike, it set up venues here and there in Southwest, Georgetown, and downtown again. For 17 sweltering DC summers, from 2006 to 2024, Capital Fringe was by far the coolest show in town.

Forget Keanu: Ulster Scots translation of Beckett classic takes on spate of celebrity Godots

Samuel Beckett | The Guardian: Beneath a stark steel tree in a bleak upland bog, a literary masterpiece is set to assume a different linguistic mantle. Samuel Beckett’s enigmatic tragicomedy Waiting for Godot will make its world premiere in Ulster Scots, a moment described as a “coming of age” for the minority language, and the antithesis of the trend for celebrity Godots.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Formally Shuts Down

www.hollywoodreporter.com: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is formally dissolving several months after its federal funding was rescinded, but with a plea for public media to continue.

Nearly 100K Sign Petition to Suspend Kennedy Center Funding

www.ticketnews.com: A petition organized by the advocacy group Qommittee in partnership with MoveOn has garnered nearly 100,000 signatures calling on major donors to suspend funding for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts until artistic independence is restored, according to the petition’s online tally.

Portland City Council Approves Fee Targeting Large Venues

www.ticketnews.com: The Portland City Council has approved a new fee that targets large entertainment venues, stemming from the widespread backlash over plans to erect a Live Nation-backed concert hall in the city. According to The Maine Wire, the ordinance creates a new licensing category for venues holding more than 2,000 people, requiring them to pay between 1% and 2% of ticket sales into the newly-established Entertainment Sector Trust Fund.

Béla Fleck cancels Kennedy Center appearance, says it's become 'charged and political'

NPR: The noted banjo player Béla Fleck has canceled three performances scheduled for next month with the National Symphony Orchestra, or NSO, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Fleck, who has won 18 Grammy Awards and often performs with symphonies around the country, is the latest artist to cancel engagements at the Kennedy Center amidst many administrative and curatorial changes at the Washington, D.C. arts complex.

CES 2026 Digital Hollywood: Is AI Ready For Its Close-Up?

www.forbes.com: If you think AI buzz is loud out in the rest of the world, here at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) taking place this week in Las Vegas, the blare of hype is deafening. But at the Digital Hollywood sessions looking at the future of entertainment and marketing, panelists from the media, advertising, content and production industries are trying to separate the signal from the noise, focusing on the use cases from the past year that provide measurable business value.

Marty Supreme Costumes & Sets: Josh Safdie Perfected Every Detail, From Underwear to Women’s Tights

fandomwire.com: Along with taking his signature high-intensity storytelling to the next level, filmmaker Josh Safdie’s approach to the costume design and aesthetic on Marty Supreme is also something to study. In an interview with Variety, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi revealed how Safdie wanted to capture the essence of the Jewish immigrants’ fashion statements from the ’50s.

Theater 2025: Frogs on the street, thrills and chills onstage

Oregon ArtsWatch: Aside from the nationally famous amphibian who cavorted in front of the ICE facility in South Portland, though, our theaters were alight with the passion and profound insights brought to us by an array of directors, actors, musicians and designers. Not only has their work sparked conversation and mirrored the pain and joy of being human – in general and specifically in 2025 – these artists offered us something we all crave: delight and entertainment.

On ‘Heated Rivalry,’ the clothes do more than just fall to the floor

The Washington Post: The chatter around HBO’s hit hockey romance series “Heated Rivalry” has mostly been about the scenes without clothes. And deservedly so; let’s give shapely butts and thoughtful intimacy coordinators the recognition they deserve. At every opportunity, preferably.

'Father Mother Sister Brother' Costumes: Using Red, Tom Waits' Hoodie

variety.com: Jim Jarmusch‘s “Father Mother Sister Brother,” now in theaters, is made up of three very different segments, each with a notable cast discussing the nature of their family relationships. One thing they have in common is a specific color: A deep red, the color of a jammy merlot, is a throughline that appears in each character’s contemporary clothing.

Dallas Theater Center Names Jaime Castañeda as New Artistic Director

Playbill: Texas' Dallas Theater Center has named Jaime Castañeda its new artistic director. Castañeda is the sixth artistic director in the theatre's more than 60-year history, overseeing its artistic programming. He will assume his role in June 2026. He takes over for Interim Artistic Director Jonathan Norton.

Guarding the Future of International Artistic Exchange at the 2025 IPC Convening

HowlRound Theatre Commons: The International Presenting Commons (IPC), a volunteer group of United States–based performing arts presenters and creative independent producers, was created to combat the chaos of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an environment of uncertainty and fear, members decided that quick, decisive, and future-oriented action was needed to not only sustain but evolve a thriving global arts exchange.

HEATED RIVALRY The Musical? 'I Hope So,' Says Series Author

www.broadwayworld.com: Will Crave's hit, new, queer hockey series be skating to Broadway? Maybe! In a recent interview with Variety, Heated Rivalry book series author Rachel Reid revealed that she hopes the series could land on stage.

As MTV Goes Away, So Does the Global Stage That Made Artists Like David Bowie Icons

collider.com: Alongside many other vital pieces of ‘80s and ‘90s memorabilia, MTV has officially rung its bell. While its main channel, famously housing reality shows and reruns, will continue to operate, all remaining 24-hour music-focused MTV channels (including MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live) have ceased broadcasting globally as of December 31, 2025.

From 'Sesame Street' to 'Nova,' CPB’s legacy faces an abrupt end

Fast Company: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced this week that it would officially shut down, ushering in an uncertain new era for the future of public broadcasting. The organization historically administers funds for NPR, PBS, and more than 1,000 local TV and radio stations nationwide.

Floating drones stream light, water and sound in synchronized shows

newatlas.com: Traditional fountains are all very well and good, but … they have a way of always staying in the same place, in the same configuration. Arivia is out to change that, with fleets of synchronized illuminated aquatic drones that shoot out water while playing music.

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Lenn C. Harris and the Oakland Scottish Rite

Drypigment.net: In 1927, Thomas G. Moses hired Lenn Harris as his on-site assistant for the Oakland Scottish Rite scenery project. Very little is left of Harris’ contribution to American theatre. Over the years, there are a few artists whose story I just can’t let alone. Harris is one of them. I have spent far too much time tracking down the life and career of Lenn Charles Harris (1889-1930). In many ways, I have far more questions now than when I began in November 2025.

Here’s What’s Entering the Public Domain in 2026

mymodernmet.com: This year, the U.S. public domain will grow even larger, thanks to the addition of thousands of copyrighted books, iconic characters, and artistic masterpieces from 1930. As of January 1, 2026, protections have lapsed for everything from the original Betty Boop to Agatha Christie’s The Murder at the Vicarage, allowing anyone to use or build upon these works for free and without permission.

'Stranger Things' costume designer dismantle Max's look from season 5

www.thenews.com.pk: As viewers pore over every detail of the closing chapter, the show's costume designer Amy Parris and hair department head Sarah Hindsgaul recently sat down with Us Weekly to unpack some of the visual Easter eggs woven throughout the first installment season, including one particularly complex look tied to Max, played by Sadie Sink.

Marty Supreme Costume Designer on Timothee Chalamet Menswear Inspo

variety.com: A short film from the experimental filmmaker Ken Jacobs, documenting the predominantly Jewish immigrant life in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in 1955, served as a main reference point for Josh Safdie and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi when building out the bustling downtown world in “Marty “Supreme.”

Why Percy Jackson proves Vancouver's film crews are among the world's best

Urbanized: For decades, Vancouver has doubled as cities around the world. What the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians reveals, however, is something deeper than versatility. It showcases a concentration of craft — costume designers, prop builders, set decorators, sculptors, painters, engineers, and coordinators — capable of building entire fantasy worlds from the ground up. Not virtually. Not hypothetically. But physically, in wood and steel, leather and foam, fabric and paint.

SITE JOINS COSTUMERS AND CUSTOMERS

wwd.com/fashion-news: Dressing like Buffy, a Freak or a Geek may soon be just a click away. With the technology in place for interactive television — with which the consumer can click on an outfit she sees on the TV screen and order it immediately (WWD, June 23, 1999) — comes a new twist to dressing like TV stars.

Is the Costume Controversy in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Actually Fair?

collider.com: The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is here, and as expected, it sparked some controversy. Many people wasted no time in pointing out how strange and straight-up historically inaccurate most of the armor and costumes look, a concern that has been voiced repeatedly since the first image of Matt Damon as Odysseus was released.

‘This was so scary, guys.’ – A Job Seeker Showed What Happened When AI Conducted Her Job Interview

 TwistedSifter: The AI interviewer continued, “Thank you for taking the time to interview today. As a sales associate at Club Pilates working the front desk, your main tasks include reaching out to leads, inviting them for an introductory Pilates class, and guiding them through our membership options to sign them up.”

Chroma-Q’s Color Force 3 is LDI’s 2025 Best Debuting Product for Lighting

LightSoundJournal.com: Chroma-Q® is honoured to receive this prestigious award, continuing a legacy of excellence and “Brilliant Solutions.” This recognition is especially meaningful as Chroma-Q previously earned this honour for its ground-breaking Color Force™ and Color Force II™ fixtures when they were first launched – products that set new standards in the industry and paved the way for today’s innovation.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Dissolving After Cut Funding

www.indiewire.com: Public media took a major blow to begin the new year. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which for decades has helped fund public shows on PBS like “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” is no more.

Hands On WIth The Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero

Hackaday: We are all familiar enough by now with the succession of boards that have come from Raspberry Pi in Cambridge over the years, and when a new one comes out we’ve got a pretty good idea what to expect. The “classic” Pi model B+ form factor has been copied widely by other manufacturers as has their current Compute Module. If you buy the real Raspberry Pi you know you’ll get a solid board with exceptionally good software support.

Wicked Composer Stephen Schwartz Vows Not to Appear at Kennedy Center

hollywoodreporter.com: In a statement, Schwartz, who notes he was part of the opening event at the Kennedy Center, said the institution is “no longer apolitical” and that he will not appear there, “as long as that remains the case.” The composer told The New York Times that he had been asked to host a gala event for the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in May.

Taking a bow in your 90s: These nonagenarians get their big breaks on stage in NYC

NPR: Professional actors and singers are like athletes. They use their bodies constantly, performing up to eight times a week. Remarkably, three different women in their 90s have been gracing New York stages this season. Reporter Jeff Lunden caught up with them - barely.

Apply for the John Michael Kohler Arts Center’s 2027 Arts/Industry Residency

Colossal: The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) is now accepting applications for the 2027 Arts/Industry residency, a three-month program hosted by Kohler Co. in Kohler, Wisconsin. More than 600 artists have benefited from this celebrated artist residency since its beginning in 1974.

Amanda Seyfried Danced in 45 Pounds of Wool for 'The Testament of Ann Lee'

www.wmagazine.com: As the star of The Testament of Ann Lee, now in theaters, Amanda Seyfried faithfully threw herself into the role of the film’s titular founder of the 18th-century Shakers movement—and into her cumbersome, period-accurate costumes, by designer Malgorzata “Gosia” Karpiuk.

The Brad Pitt fitting that decided the look of the "F1" movie

Yahoo News Canada: A single costume fitting with Brad Pitt proved to be one of the most consequential creative moments within the making of the F1 movie, as it not only decided on the aesthetic of Pitt's character, but also of the whole production.

3 Steps to Staying Fresh in Your Role

Church Production Magazine: Perhaps more than any area of church ministry other than pastor, an alarming number of church techs struggle with burnout each year. While some are able to push through that season and find restoration, many others choose to leave their position in ministry because of the unhealthiness that accompanied that role.

Stagehand 101: Staying Safe On the Road in 2026

richardcadena.substack.com: In the winter 2019 edition of Protocol magazine, I wrote an article titled “To the new touring tech: staying safe with electrics.” It was intended to help new techs work safely while they earned their keep. Little did I know that just one year later, the Pandemic would rear its ugly head and devastate the industry, forcing lots of talented and experienced techs out of the live event production industry, some of whom were never to return again.

Costume Designer Discusses Ted Danson's Stylish Transformation in A Man on the Inside Season 2

SSBCrack News: In the second season of the heartfelt comedy series, viewers are introduced to an elevated version of Charles Nieuwendyk, played by the ever-charismatic Ted Danson. Once an architect, now a private investigator, Charles embodies a sense of style that is hard to ignore. Costume designer Kirston Leigh Mann has taken great care to design outfits that reflect Charles’s meticulous nature while enhancing his transformation into a more sophisticated sleuth. Fans of sharp suits and stylish apparel will undoubtedly appreciate the character’s new wardrobe.

How a Barrie-based theatre company became Sondheim’s home

www.thestar.com: The church basement where Talk Is Free Theatre rehearses, in Toronto’s east-end Danforth neighbourhood, looks like any other. It’s framed by yellow walls and HVAC ducts that wind across the ceiling. In one corner, mismatched armchairs are stacked into a group of tall towers. Below, you can feel the occasional rumble of the subway trains passing underground.

Jessie Buckley Wins Critics Choice Award For HAMNET; Full List of Winners

www.broadwayworld.com: Jessie Buckley won the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film adaptation of Hamnet. The film received 11 nominations and took home just one. Wicked: For Good, which received 7 nominations, did not win any.

Music From George Gershwin, Betty Boop, and More Enter the Public Domain

www.broadwayworld.com: Four songs by George and Ira Gershwin, Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and many more are among the intellectual properties that have officially entered the public domain, as part of Public Domain Day 2026. Observed every January 1, Public Domain Day marks the day when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain.

How creatives are using AI to transform the way they work with images

Design Week: AI is changing the design world. For many creatives, its most useful, interesting and exciting role will be as a tool, to help them with difficult and time-consuming processes. Image-upscaling is a perfect example of this kind of process.

How Vancouver Film School Prepares Students for Industry Jobs

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Inside one of Vancouver Film School’s downtown studios, managing director Jon Bell stands amid a sea of animation students drawing on graphics tablets and glowing screens. The scene illustrates how physical space, digital technologies and human connection have helped position the school alongside institutions such as USC, the American Film Institute and CalArts, without the hefty American tuition fees.

Paper Cutting

Cool Tools: You razor-cut things on this mat, and unlike other materials it won’t accumulate a field of cut marks to misguide your blade. The self-healing rubber keeps the surface uniformly smooth, clean, and firm. And protects your table.

3 Amazon Basics Tools Worth Buying (And 1 To Steer Clear Of)

www.slashgear.com: Amazon has a vast selection of tools in its ever-expanding catalog. Not only does it offer the most common power and hand tools from some of the biggest names in the tool game, but it also has its own label, Amazon Basics. This Amazon-exclusive line, which also includes various other products like decor, kitchen items, and more, has slowly branched out into the world of tools in recent years — although its efforts are a mixed bag.

A small shop in Saguenay, Que., sewed up the contract to dress Canada’s highest court

CBC News: Romaine LeGallou heard the Supreme Court of Canada was turning 150 and needed a wardrobe update. And after that, everything seemed to happen so quickly. She expressed interest. She got a call to make a pitch. Her company was chosen. Then the real work began.

Nominations Announced for the 2026 Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards

www.lelezard.com: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced the nominations for the 13th Annual MUAHS Guild Awards, presented by L'Oréal Groupe and Giovanni Eco Chic Beauty. Winners will be honored at the Valentine's Day awards gala on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The announcement was made by Julie Socash, President of MUAHS, IATSE Local 706.

Is this the world’s largest outdoor LED TV installation?

AV Magazine: A private estate owner who is a huge football fan has had a 12 x 7 metre, 4K LED screen installed behind the swimming pool in his garden. The IP66-rated LED screen was mounted less than 100 metres from the sea on an island off the east coast of Africa.

Costumes of Kylie, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Amy Taylor and more showcased in new DIVA exhibition

ABC News: Think of the term 'diva' and you might not necessarily conjure up an image of an Aussie punk rock singer rocking a two-piece get-up made of pink Whoopee Cushions. But the outfit, worn by Amyl and the Sniffers punk singer Amy Taylor on stage at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl in January, is apparently bang on for a modern-day Australian diva.

#9: A Worthwhile Pursuit: Behind The Scenes On New Systems For A Popular Nashville Live Venue

ProSoundWeb: Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, located in historic Printers Alley in downtown Nashville, has a long overdue sound system upgrade that commenced last year. The two-story building is a typical downtown retail location with dimensions of 75 feet long, 40 feet wide and a ceiling height of about 30 feet, offering seating for up to 200 patrons.

The Historic Mayan Theater in L.A. Will Reopen as a Nightclub in 2026

www.timeout.com: The historic Mayan Theatre, the ornate 1927 movie palace known for its Mayan revival architecture and dramatic interior, is set to reopen early in 2026. According to a new Instagram account for the venue, expect a "revamped and reimagined" nightlife venue, one that will hopefully breathe fresh life into a space that’s been central to DTLA culture for nearly a century.

13 Of The Best Power Tools You Can Buy At Harbor Freight (According To Users)

www.slashgear.com: Power tools are often required in various professional fields. Be it automotive, woodworking, or plumbing, there is no doubt that power tools reduce working time while also making the execution of certain tasks easier and more effortless by reducing the physical efforts that would otherwise be required.

This 'Stranger Things' Season 5 Theory Says the Broadway Play Spoiled the Ending

Business Insider: "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" opened on London's West End in December 2023 before moving to Broadway in April 2025. Playwright Kate Trefry, who is also a writer on the Netflix series, described the play as the "missing puzzle piece" in the show's official narrative.

2025: A Blockbuster Year in Pittsburgh Theater

onstagepittsburgh.com: When we look back on 2025 from some future date, the most memorable moments may be a particular performance or production, but the most consequential are likely to be what was happening behind the scenes at Pittsburgh Public Theater, City Theatre and Pittsburgh CLO. If “affordability” is the watchword of the year in politics, then “sustainability” is the key to the future in theater, and the arts in general.

Leo Villareal’s Light Installation at 270 Park Avenue

www.curbed.com: Leo Villareal’s latest artwork is so big that, in order to step back from the metaphorical easel and take it all in, he needs to be ten blocks away and 42 stories up. Atop a tower near Bryant Park, reachable by two service-elevator rides and down a concrete hallway, his temporary workspace is, apart from his own presence, pretty artless.

I gave flu shots backstage on Broadway

STAT: For the past two and a half months, I’ve spent many afternoons in the hidden spaces of New York’s performing arts world — its dressing rooms, rehearsal studios, green rooms, and backstage corridors. I’m a physician, and this fall I volunteered as one of two clinicians administering shots for the Entertainment Community Fund’s annual flu vaccination program, presented in partnership with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing

The Journal. - WSJ Podcasts: When I think about the people who make up Hollywood, I think of action stars, red carpet icons, A-list directors, and big studio bosses. But the vast majority who work in the industry have jobs that are way less glamorous.

Finding ‘Home,’ Both Old and New, with Little Lake Theatre Co.

Pittsburgh Magazine: Since 1949, the organization has presented intimate performances at their lakeside barn space, a theater-in-the-round setup with audiences sitting on all four sides of the stage — with no theatergoer sitting more than 25 feet from the action. In 2026, Little Lake will expand to also become the resident and anchor theater company at the Canonsburg Educational and Cultural Institute (CECI).

9 Must-Know Tape Measure Tips For Every Woodworker

www.obsessedwoodworking.com: Woodworking requires precision, and a tape measure is one of your most vital tools. Learning how to use it efficiently can save you time and improve your projects.

New Year’s Eve Concerts at Kennedy Center Are Canceled After Trump’s Renaming

The New York Times: The center had previously promoted two New Year’s Eve performances by the Cookers as an “all-star jazz septet that will ignite the Terrace Theater stage with fire and soul.” But those performances, like an annual Christmas Eve jazz concert hosted by Chuck Redd, are now canceled.