Disney patent could let attractions adapt to what guests want — or want to avoid

Attractions Magazine: A newly published patent application from Disney Enterprises describes a system that could learn what guests enjoy — or find uncomfortable — and use those preferences to recommend attractions, provide real-time warnings and, on compatible experiences, adjust elements including sound, lighting and motion. Disney even envisions giving thrill-seekers more of certain effects, such as increased G-forces on an individual simulator, within predetermined safety limits.

TV’s Neurodivergent Casting Reckoning

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Television’s portrayal of neurodivergence has long suffered from a persistent blind spot. By casting neurotypical actors to play stereotypical — and often heavily coded yet undiagnosed — white male savant archetypes, Hollywood built a rigid standard that has largely erased women, people of color and the broader diversity of real-world neurodivergent experiences.

'It Ends': How a Gen Z Filmmaker Made One of the Year's Best Movies

www.thewrap.com: A car. Four actors. An endless road. These essential components make up the majority of Gen Z filmmaker Alex Ullom’s debut feature, “It Ends.” The film, which premiered at South by Southwest in March 2025, follows a group of four friends who, fresh out of college and on the precipice of adulthood, find themselves stuck on a purgatorial road that never ends

Knott's Nightmares Revealed Sets Up Scary Farm in 2026

Inside Universal: It’s now the middle of August, the days are still well into the 80s, and Midsummer Scream is now becoming a distant memory. It also means Halloween is right around the corner, and Knott’s Scary Farm is only a few short weeks away. That means it’s time for Knott’s annual Nightmares Revealed event, where, as the name suggests, everything is revealed for the upcoming 2026 season of Knott’s Scary Farm.

A Broadway Show With Every American President

www.broadwayworld.com: Theatre has always intersected with politics, and the presence of American presidents in Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional theatre plays and musicals is a major part of this. Did you know that all of our heads of state have been featured in shows, whether as characters or as plot points that are part of the action?

When Federal Funding Is Used to Censor: National Queer…

www.broadwayworld.com: For the National Queer Theater, the fight against censorship is not an abstract political debate. It is a fight for artists’ livelihoods, young people’s futures, and the right of queer and transgender people to tell their stories without first seeking the government’s approval.

Fake Food, Giant Sequins, and Artificial Dirt? There's a List for That!

ExhibiTricks: The Museum Exhibit Design Blog: If you've been reading ExhibiTricks for a while, you already know I'm a sucker for a good "trusted source." That one supplier who has exactly the weird thing you need at 4:45 on a Friday afternoon. Well, one of my favorite FREE resources is The Great Big Museum Exhibit Resource List, and if you've never dug into it before, today's your lucky day!

EDINBURGH 2026: Review: FLOP! THE BEST SONGS FROM THE WORST…

www.broadwayworld.com: Flop! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals is a cabaret by Arthur Hull. The premise is that even the bad musicals that failed have at least one good song to redeem them.

Artists Built A Site To Escape AI. Scrapers Are Coming For It Anyway

www.forbes.com: Cara, an image sharing social network built specifically for artists who do not consent to have their work used to train generative AI models, suffered a third scraping attack in the past ten days, with copyrighted images and metadata taken from the site without permission appearing on the open source data network Academic Torrents on August 22. This follows previous scrapes of the dataset posted on Reddit (since taken down by the original poster) and the AI model clearinghouse Hugging Face.

Dr. Dre on AI in Music: Here’s What He Thinks

www.billboard.com: In an interview with The New York Times alongside his longtime business partner Jimmy Iovine, the legendary rapper and producer called AI a “new tool for creativity” and said he doesn’t see it “as a threat.”

'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Is Caught In a Tangled AI Web

gizmodo.com: The film’s art book recently released, and fans online saw a page featuring New York concept art. Taxis and buildings colliding into each other prompted the allegations of AI use amidst a general confusion of why you’d need the tech to sketch out New York. Most users online deemed this a disappointing bit of news similar to the situation with Supergirl. But for others, this wasn’t as open and shut as it seemed.

Anna Paquin, Melissa Gilbert Call for Protection of Child Actors

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Anna Paquin, Christy Carlson Romano and Melissa Gilbert are calling on Hollywood to protect child actors following the deaths of Hayden Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase. Panettiere’s death at age 36 last Sunday prompted the three actresses, who were child stars themselves, to take their concerns public. Trachtenberg died at 39 in February 2025, while Chase died in July at age 35.

Full-Metal Prep: The Value Of A Well-Appointed Workbox At Every Gig

ProSoundWeb: Today, more than three decades later, there are many styles of workboxes, ranging from touring boxes built out of wood to ATA flight cases that offer a lot of drawers, but they all basically do the same job: keeping the key tools and components that make a show happen organized.

Shielded vs. Unshielded Network Cable for Smart Homes and Residential

Residential Systems: In residential AV, especially high-end homes where clients expect total reliability, shielded cable is often regarded as the premium choice. It seems more robust and specifying “more protection” can seem like the safest approach. However, in practice, the decision should be more nuanced — and for good reason.

Gateway To Creativity: Key Factors In Upgrading A Live Digital Mixing Platform

ProSoundWeb: Stepping up to a modern console is less about replacing hardware and more about expanding possibilities. The goal isn’t just more faders or DSP; it’s crafting mixes that connect with audiences and band members through greater clarity, dynamics, and control. While an upgrade might be triggered by aging gear or changing production demands, the deeper purpose is equipping teams to deliver consistent, high quality audio under pressure — with more headroom, more options, and more confidence.

Vertigo Theatre workers get 16% raise in first contract

albertaworker.ca: While browsing through the provincial database of collective agreements, I came across a new collective agreement that was ratified earlier this month. This agreement was for about 30 workers employed by the Vertigo Theatre and represented by Local 212 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, otherwise known as IATSE.

Engineers and theater students tackle stage design in partnership with TAIT

College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University: “The structure of the course mirrors the workflow of professional entertainment engineering projects,” said Hines, associate teaching professor of production technology and management. “They must consider engineering constraints and a budget while crafting designs.”

C.H. Hanson Acquires Brodbeck Ironworks in Metalworking Push

New Equipment Digest: C.H. Hanson has picked up the assets of Brodbeck Ironworks, adding modular belt grinding systems to its lineup and putting a bladesmith-turned-engineer in charge of product development across its brands.

Photos: Get a Look Inside the Design of RHINOCEROS at A.R.T.

www.broadwayworld.com: On July 9, the first day of Rhinoceros rehearsal, designers shared their visions for the play with the company. Rehearsals continue for A.R.T.’s new production of Eugène Ionesco’s landmark play, Rhinoceros.

How will terminal blocks help controls engineers with troubleshooting and PLC protection?

Control Design: A terminal block is a place to connect a wire to another wire and create a junction point. Picture a terminal block as an intersection on a two way or four-way highway.

Automatic Air-Actuated Collet Closer Eases CNC Operation

Power & Motion Tech: Consistent clamping of tools and parts in CNC machines is necessary to ensure accurate and repeatable machining of products. Collet closers are a commonly used device for holding tools and work pieces on these machines.

People to Watch: Phanésia Pharel

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Haitian American playwright and screenwriter from Miami made her Off-Broadway debut earlier this year at WP Theater with her play The Waterfall. Next, at Barrington Stage Company, in a co-production with Goodman Theatre and Hartford Stage, is her newest work, Dead Girl’s Quinceañera, taking the stage Aug. 5-29.

Artists’ $20 Ticket Programs Show Why Not All Ticket Holdbacks Are Created Equal

TicketNews: The latest $20 concert-ticket programs from some of the world’s biggest artists are built around a practice that is often treated as inherently anti-consumer: holding tickets back from the initial sale.

Shanghai Is Betting Its Cultural Future on a Giant Unfolding Fan

Architect Magazine: When cities compete for global influence, they often build museums, concert halls, and opera houses. But increasingly, the success of those institutions depends less on what happens inside their auditoriums than on how effectively they become part of everyday urban life.

Beckhoff celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first PC-based machine control system

Control Design: For 40 years, PC-based control has put the power of IT standards and Moore’s Law for integrated circuits directly into the hands of machine builders and automation engineers. In the 1980s, industrial manufacturing was dominated by the hardware-based PLC. In 1986, Beckhoff responded by delivering the first industrial PC-based machine control system.

Getting Rock To Roll: A History Of The Development Of Road Cases

Getting Rock To Roll: A History Of The Development Of Road Cases - ProSoundWeb: Ah, road cases, workhorses of the AV production world. They protect our mission critical gear from being rattled apart on rough roads, outdoor conditions like dusty winds and rain, and the thousand natural shocks that gear is heir to. They also make good chairs and tables, and can be an excellent place for a nap.

Kennedy Center board lacks materials needed for closure vote, senator says

The Washington Post: A federal judge in May ordered the stewards of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to more carefully weigh the need for a long-term closure. But just days before those trustees are set to vote on the matter, they have received no new assessments about how closing for two years would affect the venue, according to Democratic lawmakers who sit on the board.

EDINBURGH 2026: Geoffrey Asmus Q&A

www.broadwayworld.com: My show ‘Patriautism’ is essentially a greatest hits show of my favourite political, religious and historical jokes I’ve written over the last few years. I wrote a few UK-specific jokes that I’m excited to try out as well. The show will also incorporate some crowd work and will never be the same night to night. My goal is to incorporate one new joke each show for the full run as a writing exercise.

New Veteran-Run Theater Company To Debut ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’

Jersey Shore Online: Jersey Shore Light Opera (JSLO) will present its first production, “Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore,” brought together by a veteran-owned company looking to bring their talents to the local stage at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts.

How To Build an MDF Storage Bench

This Old House: A solid storage bench provides seating and storage space, making it perfect for entryways, mudrooms, or bedrooms. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an excellent material choice for this project due to its affordability, durability, and easy use. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of building an MDF storage bench, complete with cubbies for organizing shoes and other items.

Bergen County Players receives 15 Perry Award Nominations

ORADELL, NJ: Fresh off being named the #1 Live Theater Venue in (201) Magazine's Best of Bergen Poll, Bergen County Players (BCP) is celebrating another major milestone. The historic community theater company has earned an impressive 15 New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT) Perry Award nominations honoring excellence in its 93rd season.

AT&T Center, Dallas Theater Center Plan Merger

AMERICAN THEATRE: They already share buildings, so why not share staff, scene shops, and other resources? That’s at least part of the logic behind the newly announced merger of the multi-venue AT&T Performing Arts Center (AT&T PAC) and Dallas Theater Center (DTC), which if approved by the boards of both organizations will make DTC the official producing arm of A&T PAC, primarily a presenting outfit for resident performing arts companies and other entertainment, in early 2027.

EDINBURGH 2026: Nathan Sibthorpe on TRUTHMACHINE Guest Blog

www.broadwayworld.com: Truthmachine is not just a show about a lie detector test - every performance is also a real polygraph interrogation with a brave audience volunteer. Contemporary theatre often seeks out moments of radical truth and authenticity in order to connect with its audience. We want to see ourselves on stage; we want to manifest something real! Our theatre shares this ambition, but our approach is to outsource the truth to unrehearsed audience members.

Harry Potter Workshop Inspires Young Designers

Town Square Delaware LIVE: Young artists, aspiring designers, and Harry Potter fans will have the opportunity to step into the creative world behind the curtain during a two-day theatre design workshop at Jester Artspace this August.

At Tanglewood, the Fresh Air Is Tainted by Tension

The New York Times: Tanglewood is special to many, many people. It’s the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but also a place where people make memories: where they picnicked with their grandparents or got soaked in a storm. It matters. It means something. To my family, it’s a retreat, a sanctuary, a place where things can rest just a little easier for one sunny afternoon.

Wicked by the Numbers: Broadway’s Emerald Empire of Bubbles, Haute Couture and Green Paint

Broadway Buzz | Broadway.com: Wicked is the ultimate Broadway blockbuster: a behemoth feat of stagecraft that has kept audiences enrapt for over 22 years. In fact, Wicked is the fourth longest-running musical in Broadway history and the third longest-running production currently on the Great White Way.

Behind the scenes, Moda Center workers hold out hope for a deal on renovations

kgw.com: For more than three decades, workers at the Moda Center have built stages, hung lights and helped bring some of the biggest names in entertainment to Portland. For the behind-the-scenes players, the Moda is more than just an arena — and renovations represent a welcome investment in the place to which they've dedicated their careers.

EDINBURGH 2026: Mimi Collins on GOOD GIRL Guest Blog

www.broadwayworld.com: This August, I am bringing Good Girl, my darkly funny solo show about infidelity, emotional collapse, and the unexpected care found within the world of BDSM to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I’ve never been more excited to share a piece in my life - or more terrified.

Behind the scenes of Disney's The American Adventure

Sound & Video Contractor: A massive amount of engineering has gone into EPCOT’s The American Adventure, with show sets that are connected together on a giant moving mechanism. This mechanism has the ability to go back and forth and lift the scenes up and down behind a massive rear projected screen in order to engage guests with the history of the United States.

The case for a consistent remote and distributed I/O platform with Dinkle International

Control Design: Implementing a reliable input/output (I/O) architecture is fundamental for any type of monitoring and control system. An increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) data gathering and sophisticated automation is prompting designers to find more effective I/O for connecting with sensors, motor controls and actuators.

Cameron Mackintosh Says 'Utterly Different' LES MISÉRABLES Coming to NYC

www.broadwayworld.com: Sir Cameron Mackintosh has teased that something big is headed to New York - though he's not the producer behind it. Speaking with NY1's Frank DiLella, in regards to a potential return of Les Misérables to New York the producer said: "There is a very exciting entirely different plan for New York to happen in two years time, not by me, but it's something that I wholeheartedly back. It's a wonderful idea and it would be utterly different. Something to look forward to."

L-Acoustics Brings Clarity To Monte de Dios In Santo Domingo

ProSoundWeb: The new home of Ministerio Internacional Monte de Dios in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the largest Christian church in the Caribbean, is equipped with a sound reinforcement system developed by Wholestage that is headed by L-Acoustics K2 line arrays, KS28 subwoofers and more.