Interview: Director of Audience Experience Lindsey On Accessibility at The Muny

www.broadwayworld.com: The Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre and the recipient of the 2025 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is preparing to welcome more than 300,000 patrons to Forest Park for its 108th season. The St. Louis institution will present seven world-class productions this summer, including HAIRSPRAY, SHREK THE MUSICAL, SOUTH PACIFIC, NEWSIES, AIN'T TOO PROUD, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, and SOMETHING ROTTEN!, capped by a concert finale starring Lionel Richie.

Ben Folds calls for support as National Symphony Orchestra faces crisis, 'may not survive'

pennlive.com: Longtime composer and singer Ben Folds is counting on fellow Americans and music lovers to help save the National Symphony Orchestra. In an open letter posted on Instagram Folds expressed deep concern for the orchestra’s future after recent issues surrounding the Kennedy Center.

Interview: Jaelon "Majiggk" Harris On Taking On the Title Role in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Market House Theatre

www.broadwayworld.com: Market House Theatre is staging the iconic Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in a contemporary setting that draws deliberate parallels to today's societal climate, exploring the universal mechanics of power and how it is accumulated, wielded, and used to manipulate events and people.

P!NK Says She is 'Terri-Cited' to Host 2026 Tonys: 'I'll Probably Fall'

www.broadwayworld.com: This Sunday, music superstar and global icon P!nk will take the stage as host of the 79th Annual Tony Awards. Though the musician hasn't appeared on Broadway herself, she is a self-professed aficionado of the medium and teased what fellow theater fans can expect from the show during a visit to Late Night with Seth Meyers.

You Could Get A Free DeWalt Power Tool Right Now If You Shop At Lowe's

www.slashgear.com: Among the major power tool manufacturers in the market, DeWalt is one that has inspired a fairly fervent level of brand loyalty among work site professionals and DIYers alike. That is in no small part due to the brand's reputation for delivering power tools that are often as innovative in design and function as they are powerful and durable on the job.

Picklesburgh’s footprint expands to include Market Square, Arts Landing

triblive.com: The 2026 iteration of the Steel City’s annual Picklesburgh celebration is expanding from last year’s home — which included the Roberto Clemente and Andy Warhol Bridges, Allegheny Landing, Allegheny Riverfront Park, Fort Duquesne Boulevard westbound, PPG Plaza and Sixth Street — and outward. It will also encompass the newly renovated Market Square and Arts Landing.

Chicago’s cultural department launches new grant program aimed at helping emerging theater companies

WBEZ Chicago: Chicago’s cultural department announced a new grant program Wednesday aimed at helping emerging theater organizations strengthen their infrastructure and build audiences.

Hasbro Launches Sixth Wall to Create Authorized AI Experiences

www.thewrap.com: Hasbro is bringing several of its iconic characters into their AI era through Sixth Wall, a new studio focused on creating authorized experiences and licensing. Alongside its launch, Sixth Wall has reached a strategic partnership with AI audio company ElevenLabs to bring select Hasbro characters to the company’s rapidly growing Iconic Marketplace.

M&W Pro Audio Announces New D24 & D32 Digital Mixers

ProSoundWeb: M&W Pro Audio, a new company founded by Greg Mackie and Peter Watts, has announced the introduction of new D24 and D32 digital mixers that are designed for live sound reinforcement, both outfitted with large touch screens designed to enhance operational ease, ergonomics, and access to important information in the channel strip, and they’ll be on display at the 2026 InfoComm Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center at booth N6464.

Peterson Rich Office completes the Costume Institute’s galleries at the Met

www.archpaper.com: The Metropolitan Museum of Art is not one building but at least 21 separate structures constructed since its founding in 1870. In recent years, the museum has been on a renovation spree, with WHY Architecture’s Michael C. Rockefeller Wing opened last year and work in progress led by NADAAA and Frida Escobedo.

New Federal Guidelines Threaten Almost Half of Graduate Arts Programs

The New York Times: The Education Department is finalizing guidelines for an earnings test that would punish nearly half of all graduate programs in visual arts, music and performance based on the low income of recent alumni, according to the government’s calculations.

Chrissie Hynde Rails Against Phones at Gigs: 'It's a Weird Compulsion'

www.rollingstone.com: “It’s like a weird compulsion that people can’t control,” she writes. “It reminds me of monkeys wanking in full view of the people standing around their enclosure … and frankly, in that case, people deserved to be wanked at because monkeys should not be in an enclosure in the first place … However, an artist on a stage?”

Metal fabrication's moment in the AI economy

www.thefabricator.com: After spending weeks talking with participants in this year’s FAB 40—a list of some of the largest contract metal fabricators in the country—I came to an odd realization: Contract fabrication really isn’t a unified business sector full of direct competitors, all fighting it out for market share.

Broadway's Ragtime Will Host Immigrant Heritage Month Event

Playbill: Broadway's Tony-nominated revival of Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater will mark National Immigrant Heritage Month by hosting a group of visionary leaders for a special event June 23 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, where the production performs. The event will celebrate the ways immigrants have and continue to shape the world around us, with special guests set to include Nobel Prize-winning chemist Moungi Bawendi, public health expert Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, Pulitzer-winning musician Tania Léon, National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos, and domestic worker Lizeth Palencia.

No tower of glower: Obama Center and its maligned signature building are worthy of consideration

WBEZ Chicago: Ever since the Obama Presidential Center began rising out the historic grounds of Jackson Park, its Museum Tower — the campus’ most visible structure — became a riddlesome, what-the-heck-is-this kind of a building. And there was a reason for this. In a city of tall, glassy skyscrapers, the Museum Tower is shrouded in granite and virtually windowless.

This Socket Set Brand Is Widely Considered The Best (And Has A Fanatical Following)

www.slashgear.com: Many of those who've used Snap-on tools in the past would likely understand why the company is ranked #1 in SlashGear's list of the best socket set brands. The quality of its products — especially hand tools and accessories for mechanics — is hard to deny, and it's a big reason the brand has such a huge following.

Trump’s Attempt to Rename the Kennedy Center Hit a Wall

The Mary Sue: Donald Trump’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center just hit a major roadblock, but Congress could still hand him the keys if he gets his way. A federal judge ruled on May 29, 2026, that the president’s name must come off the Kennedy Center’s facade and other signs within two weeks, slamming the brakes on his late-December decision to rebrand the iconic performing arts venue as the Trump Kennedy Center.

The Academy Will Vote on the 50 Best Movie Theaters in the World

www.indiewire.com: We’ve made our suggestions for what Oscars the Academy could introduce to the awards show next, but while it won’t be an Oscar, AMPAS is introducing something to recognize the places that make the movies possible: movie theaters.

The Skil 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw, Tested and Reviewed

Popular Mechanics: I was getting ready to put the Skil 10-inch Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw through its paces when my college-aged son wandered into the garage and spotted the pile of trim boards, crown molding, and 2x6s stacked by the door. “So what are we building?” he asked.

K-array USA To Highlight New Developments At 2026 InfoComm Show

ProSoundWeb: K-array USA announced that it will be highlighting its most recent developments for live event and installed sound applications at the upcoming 2026 InfoComm Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center (demo room N111, booth N6863), including the new Koral KO102 compact column loudspeaker and the Thunder KSCARDIO412P, the company’s first-ever cardioid subwoofer.

A Brutal Week in Pittsburgh Theater Demands A Reset: Let's Do Better

onstagepittsburgh.com: I have been a very small cog in the media landscape of Pittsburgh for 46 years. I understand downsizing. I have witnessed the high cost of failures to adapt. Change is inevitable, and too often, heartbreaking. I also know about treating people with dignity and respect, and displaying forethought and empathy. And what can come of doing none of those things.

How the 'Hacks' Series Finale Shot in the Louvre After the Heist

variety.com: From the very beginning of “Hacks,” creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky knew where they wanted the show’s finale to take place: Paris. At the top of their wishlist, of course, was filming at the Louvre. After all, it’s the best-known art museum, and houses the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa.

Judge Orders Trump to Remove His Name From Kennedy Center

www.thewrap.com: A federal judge on Friday ordered President Donald Trump to remove his name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Judge Christopher Cooper also temporarily barred the Washington cultural institution from shutting down for two years for renovations.

Broadway Education Alliance Reveals Roger Rees Awards New Faces 2026 New York Honorees

www.broadwayworld.com: The Roger Rees Awards New Faces 2026 Honorees have been revealed. On May 9th, 30 New York high school performers participated in a day-long career development intensive in midtown Manhattan that included performance coaching by experts in acting, singing and dancing, along with panel discussions.

At these DC bars, theater kids rule the day (for a few hours, at least)

DC Theater Arts: When politicians began using the term theater kid earlier this year, a certain subset of Washingtonians took appropriate offense. For DC’s theater community, the term is not a slur, but a long-held badge of honor earned through years spent in high school auditoriums, theater camps, and children’s community theater productions. The theater bug bites hard and, once bitten, the thrill of performance rarely subsides.

Blackmagic Replay shows dolphins in smoother slow motion

AV Magazine: A theme park in Japan is using Blackmagic Design technology to support its daily dolphin show. Adventure World, in Wakayama Prefecture, is home to a zoo, aquarium and amusement park. One of its most popular attractions is the Marine Live show, which features performances by dolphins synchronised with music and video.

Media Access Awards Now Easterseals Disability Arts & Culture Awards

variety.com: The Media Access Awards, which honor disability representation and authentic filmmaking in media, have officially rebranded as The Easterseals Disability Arts & Culture Awards (the Darcys). The initiative is spearheaded by Easterseals Disability Services and leaders from the disability community, with Film Independent serving as co-producer.

'Like having sex and they hand you the baby': Beloved animator uses AI, gets backlash

Fast Company: Writer and director Jorge R. Gutierrez is best known for creating the 2014 animated film The Book of Life. A labor of love and a tribute to Mexican folk art, the movie took Gutierrez 14 years to make, and it paid off: The Book of Life’s beautiful handcrafted 3D animation was near universally lauded. But Gutierrez’s next project is taking a different approach. It won’t take him 14 years—in fact, his upcoming animated series Punky Duck was green-lit just two months after he pitched it to Amazon MGM Studios.

The GLP Impression X5 Family: A Complete Look at GLP's Flagship X5 Lineup

www.limelightwired.com: When German Light Products launched the Impression X5, they did something the rest of the industry wasn't quite ready for: they bet the whole platform on lime. Lime as a fourth color in the LED engine itself. At the time, RGBW was the standard. GLP looked at the data and said, nope, we're going RGBL.

Vivid Sydney’s drone show became a drone rainstorm

Boing Boing: After being canceled last year over safety concerns, Vivid Sydney's drone show returned this week and immediately dove 89 drones into the water. That is one way to answer the safety question.

Obama Center releases grand opening weekend events schedule

WBEZ Chicago: The Obama Presidential Center is preparing a big show for its grand opening next month. The center on Wednesday released its schedule of activities for its opening weekend, June 19-21. Many events are free, family-friendly and open to the public.

Ghostly Showgirls, Glittery Foliage, and a 27,000-Pound Building Make Up the Sets of These Tony-Nominated Shows

Playbill: The 2025–26 Broadway season welcomed audiences into many different worlds. Within just a few blocks in Times Square, audiences experienced the mysteriously seductive Dr. Frank-N-Furter's castle, the shimmering runway at the fabulous Jellicle Ball, the kaleidoscopic wonderland of Schmigadoon, and a built-to-scale Brooklyn bank that rotated on and off the stage.

What We're Building Next

DC Theater Arts: None of us anticipated the Washington Post gutting its arts and culture staff. That decision landed hard on a community that has long relied on that coverage, not just as readers, but as the artists, administrators, and theater lovers whose work and passion it documented. The Post provided consistent employment for talented writers across this region, and the reach of its coverage helped audiences discover, understand, and invest in the extraordinary work happening on our stages. Its absence leaves a gaping hole in our community’s ability to be seen.

Chicago sound artist Kikù Hibino collaborates with his noise hero Merzbow

Chicago Reader: Experimental Chicago producer and sound artist Kikù Hibino has long dreamed of collaborating with Japanese noise artist Merzbow, aka Masami Akita. Hibino, a Japanese native, traces this desire to 2002, when he noticed Merzbow backstage at the inaugural stateside edition of artist-curated music festival All Tomorrow’s Parties, held at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Interview: Tamara Siler of SINNERS AND SAINTS at Main Street Theater

www.broadwayworld.com: Tamara Siler has been a fixture of the Houston theater scene for decades, appearing in everything from Dreamgirls and Into the Woods to Caroline, or Change and Bat Boy: The Musical. Now she’s stepping into the spotlight for a deeply personal cabaret evening at Main Street Theater titled Sinners and Saints, running at their Rice Village location through June 13th.