World Record-Breaking Drone Show Lights Up the Sky in China

mymodernmet.com: There are many amazing breakthroughs in the world of drones, particularly light shows. As such, there are very specific achievements and records to be broken, all different and delightful in their own way. One such Guinness World Record was broken in February 2026.

Trish Santini Named Managing Director at The Old Globe

www.broadwayworld.com: The Board of Directors of The Old Globe has appointed Trish Santini as Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director. Santini will work together with Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein to lead San Diego’s flagship arts institution.

Synth-Werk Reissues ‘Kraftwerk’ Bode Frequency Shifter

Synthtopia: The Bode Frequency Shifter was iconically used by Kraftwerk, and was also licensed for production by Moog. The Bode Frequency Shifter complements modern pitch shifters by affecting sound in a very different way, creating inharmonic overtones that change the timbre, often resulting in metallic sounds.

let’s just do it.

www.culturebot.org: Under the cobalt blue ceiling of La Mama’s Great Jones rehearsal studios, the team behind The Door Slams, A Glass Trembles– the most recent offering from the venerable experimental theater company Talking Band– prepped for an early runthrough. On one side of the room, a lush assortment of costumes strain a set of rolling racks. On the other, a well-stocked table sags under the weight of full place-settings and myriad of other props.

2026 Tony Honors Go To 1/52 Project, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin and Loren Plotkin

www.broadwayworld.com: The Tony Awards Administration Committee will present the 2026 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre to four outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry - 1/52 Project, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin, and Loren Plotkin.

Shakira crew member dies after suffering ‘crushing injuries’ while building stage for Rio concert

The Independent: A local construction worker helping to build the stage for Shakira’s upcoming Brazil concert has died after suffering “crushing injuries,” organizers have confirmed.

Tragedy in Rio: Worker dies before Shakira show

www.msn.com: A few days before pop superstar Shakira's (49) planned free concert at Copacabana, a worker died during stage construction. As the fire department of the state of Rio de Janeiro (CBMERJ) reported according to G1, the technician got caught in a lifting device on Sunday and suffered severe injuries to his legs.

Worker crushed to death while setting up stage for Shakira's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro

www.thesun.co.uk: Workers managed to free the man who was rushed to hospital. He was later pronounced dead, the state fire department (CBMERJ) said. Concert organizer Bonus Track said in a statement: “Unfortunately, the technician passed away in hospital.”

Shakira Crew Member Dies From ‘Crushing Injuries' in Brazil

www.usmagazine.com: Concert organizers confirmed that a crew member died while setting up the stage for Shakira’s upcoming Brazil show.

Broadway Stagedoor Culture Is Getting Out of Hand

www.themarysue.com: There was once a time when people did things for the sake of doing them, instead of just to get clout online. Countless everyday joys have been ruined by the bottomless hunger for likes and views and attention, but one experience that has really suffered is seeing a show on Broadway.

What Is the State of the Theater Industry? Experts Weigh In

www.broadwayworld.com: What is the state of the theater industry in 2026? A panel of New York theater professionals came together earlier this month with SAG-AFTRA Foundation to talk about just that, in a conversation moderated by BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge.

John Cameron Mitchell on ‘Oh, Mary!’ and 25 Years of ‘Hedwig’

www.rollingstone.com: At 63, the Broadway legend is best known for his punk-rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which charts the rage-filled escapades of genderqueer glam rocker Hedwig as she follows around the ex-boyfriend who stole her music and became a star.

A Harry Potter Light Show Will Take Over the L.A. Sky With 1,200 Drones

www.timeout.com/los-angeles: Los Angeles is about to get a little more magical. This June, the sky above Dodger Stadium will transform into a glowing wizarding world spectacle as 1,200 synchronized drones take flight for a one-night-only Harry Potter-themed show.

Kraftwerk Loses Two-Decade-Long Copyright Dispute

variety.com: A circuitous and protracted copyright infringement case first brought by German electronic-music pioneers Kraftwerk in 2004 has finally been settled — and not in the pioneering electronic group’s favor.

Met Opera's $200 Million Saudi Arabia Deal Falls Through

www.broadwayworld.com: The Metropolitan Opera's high-profile arrangement with the Saudi Arabian government - a deal that would have delivered up to $200 million to the struggling company over eight years - has collapsed, The New York Times reports.

Adam Jacobs to Host 10th Annual Arts for Autism Benefit Concert at New Amsterdam Theatre

www.broadwayworld.com: On June 22nd, 2026, Arts for Autism will arrive at the New Amsterdam Theatre – home of the blockbuster Aladdin – for the tenth annual concert featuring a constellation of Broadway performers alongside the stars of tomorrow – student performers from across the nation.

BROADWAY BOUND THEATRE FESTIVAL Unveils 10th Anniversary Lineup

www.broadwayworld.com: AI replaces every human job overnight. A queer musician is trapped in his childhood home in Tennessee during the pandemic. And a FDNY lieutenant spends Christmas Eve at Ground Zero, looking for the remains of his fallen brother at the 2026 Broadway Bound Theatre Festival (BBTF). In this bold and eclectic lineup, the human condition is on full display as a dynamic mix of new plays and musicals light up the stage.

London’s West End Travel Guide for Theater Lovers: Shows, Hotels, Bars

Observer: London’s West End is a pilgrimage-worthy destination for anyone who loves the stage, rivaled only by Broadway in New York City. For avid theatergoers, Theatreland presents one-of-a-kind opportunities, like witnessing three-time Oscar nominee and Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner Cynthia Erivo play all 23 roles in Kip Williams’s Dracula and watching Chris Pine in his London stage debut in Ivanov at the Bridge Theatre. For a tried-and-true option, Agatha Christie’s murder mystery The Mousetrap holds the title of the longest-running show in London, having premiered in 1952.

L.A. Mayor Hopeful Nithya Raman Faces Questions on Hollywood Policies

www.hollywoodreporter.com: On Apr. 21, L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman released a new campaign video, in the quick-cut, walk-and-talk online style by which Zohran Mamdani updated the Aaron Sorkin ethos. “I’m running for Mayor to make sure Los Angeles stays the film and TV capital of the world,” she announced before ticking off her agenda and criticizing incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for her record in handling L.A.’s downward production spiral, including her delayed appointment of a film liaison who Raman faulted for lacking experience in the entertainment business.

Celestial stage Titanic drone show

TPi: Celestial has been revealed as the company behind the spectacle over Belfast Harbour that has captured global attention. Commissioned as part of the BBC’s Made Of Here campaign, the project set out to symbolically bring RMS Titanic back to life using drone show technology.

Announcing the 2026 Hemsley Lighting Programs Internship Recipients

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: The Hemsley Lighting Programs, Inc. was established in 1983 as The Gilbert V. Hemsley, Jr. Internship in Lighting in honor of the late lighting designer. For over three decades, the programs, which now include The Hemsley Lighting Internship, The Hemsley Lighting Portfolio Review, The Howell Binkley Fellowship, and the Independent Study Program, have been helping current students and recent graduates bridge the gap between the educational and professional worlds.

A troupe departs, but Carnegie Stage space might live on

90.5 WESA: Since 2012, when it relocated from Washington, Pa., off the WALL Theater has occupied a big storefront on West Main Street, in Carnegie. There it staged 79 works, including this month’s Pittsburgh premiere of Jennifer Haley’s drama “Breadcrumbs.”

Global festivals prove being Green works

TPi: Ahead of Earth Day, A Greener Future (AGF), the not-for-profit company dedicated to making the live event sector sustainable, highlighted how festivals are leading the way on green initiatives with innovative solutions that are cost-effective and reduce emissions.

Vineyard Theatre and IATSE Workers Reach Bargaining Agreement

AMERICAN THEATRE: Vineyard Theatre has ratified its first collective bargaining agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which formally recognizes the union as the representative for its covered backstage and overhire crew members.

CityLight Church In Nebraska Scales Up Its Sound With NEXO & Yamaha

ProSoundWeb: Before its recent move, CityLight Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, a growing congregation, worshiped in a century-old building where audio infrastructure was lacking until the recent deployment of a new main sound reinforcement system utilizing NEXO loudspeakers and a Yamaha digital console implemented by integration firm HouseRight.

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:

New Disney Boss Cuts 1,000 Jobs Then Turns Around and Posts a Job Fair

disneytips.com: Walt Disney World is a place built on the idea that everything runs seamlessly, that every ride launches on cue, every light hits its mark, and every experience feels effortless to the people paying to enjoy it. What most guests never think about is the army of people behind the scenes making all of that happen, and right now, Disney needs more of them.

Pink to Host 2026 Tony Awards

www.billboard.com: P!nk, a lifelong theater fan, is set to host the 79th Annual Tony Awards, which will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7. The show will broadcast live to both coasts on the CBS, and streaming on Paramount+ from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/5 to 8 p.m. PT.

He’s a Playwright, His Mother’s a Physicist—And They’re Performing a Show Together

Playbill: You might think that when playwright Shayok Misha Chowdhury asked his mother to be in his play, it would be a hard ask. But actually, it was pretty easy. “Everyone's always like, ‘How did you rope your mom into doing this?’ It really was like, can we make a physics meets theatre thing that interests the two of us?” He then turns to his mom, Bulbul Chakraborty, who’s sitting next to him, “and you were really game.”

AI In Hollywood: Saying Yes To Utility AI – And No To Generative AI

www.forbes.com: Hollywood has become one of the loudest voices of resistance to artificial intelligence, and for good reason. In an industry built on authorship, credit and creative control, generative AI has raised fundamental questions about who owns a performance, a story, or even a cut. But behind the headlines and strikes, a quieter shift toward utility AI in Hollywood is underway.

Surviving Coachella: Why Artist Safety Is A Contractual Negotiation

www.forbes.com: For the modern artist, the economic reality is uncompromising: touring is the cash engine. In a world where streaming royalties are structured like digital municipal bonds – slow, steady, and fractional – mega-festivals like Coachella are the high-yield assets. A single opening or headline slot can often be worth more than a year of catalog royalties, tempting artists to sign the festival contract with the biggest number and ask questions later.

 

How to Keep Studio Rivalries From Turning Toxic

Dance Magazine: From the moment dancers arrive backstage in their matching studio jackets, competitions can ignite healthy feelings of pride, unity, and belonging. But what happens when team spirit crosses the line into resentment, or even hostility, towards other competitors?

Industry Pro Newsletter: The UK Is Investing in Theatre — Is It Enough?

www.broadwayworld.com: This week's theatrical news spans continents and scales, but a common thread runs through many of the stories: the ongoing challenge of sustaining live theatre in a shifting cultural and economic landscape. From Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater suspending operations and Central Works announcing its closure after 36 years, to Duluth Playhouse navigating a leadership transition, regional companies across the U.S. are grappling with the pressures of rising costs and uncertain funding.

Costume Designer Olga Mill on Gen Z Vintage, Millennial Anxiety, & Old‑Money Fantasy in "Beef" Season 2

The Credits: Beef costume designer Olga Mill, who moved to New York from Ukraine at age five, studied costume design at New York University, then worked on indie films including the Kristen Stewart-led Love Lies Bleeding and writer/director Ari Aster‘s Hereditary before teaming up with “Sonny” Jin.

Guest Blog: 'It Felt Not Just Relevant But Necessary To Return': Ben Pettitt Wade on Ten Years of MEET FRED: A Puppet, A Journey, and a Fight That Never Ends

www.broadwayworld.com: Ten years ago, we introduced the world to a two-foot puppet made of cloth at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe. Little did we know that Fred would take us to over 145 cities across 20 countries and three continents, seen by 25,000 people. Not bad for a scrap of fabric with something to say.

Hermès' theater of mechanics at watches and wonders 2026

www.designboom.com: At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, Hermès frames time as a performative medium, staging its latest horological releases within a kinetic scenography by Jean-Simon Roch. Conceived as a mobile installation where watchmaking mechanics interact with theatrical machinery, the project positions movement as narrative. Within this shifting environment, the maison unveils three new skeleton timepieces: Hermès H08 Squelette, Arceau Samarcande, and Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune, each exposing its inner workings like apertures into a hidden temporal world.

Up Close With HazeBase's Award Winning Haze Generators

www.limelightwired.com: For a long time, HazeBase didn’t need to chase trends. They were the standard. The BaseHazer Pro, launched more than 30 years ago, became one of those machines you just assumed would be in the room. Touring rigs, theatres, television studios, nightclubs. It earned its reputation by being consistent, efficient, and nearly impossible to kill.

DKGR Architects reveals expansion plans for Indiana’s oldest theater

www.archpaper.com: The Crump, Indiana’s oldest known theater still in operation, has been “about to be reborn” for over 30 years. On April 8, the Crump Center for the Performing Arts released the schematic design for the restoration and eastern expansion of the Crump Theatre in Columbus. This is the first time the promise of its renovation has come with architectural drawings.

Former Kennedy Center Arts Curator Details 'Cronyism, Incompetence, and Bizarre Moves' Amidst Trump Takeover

www.broadwayworld.com: The Kennedy Center has been a hot topic for the past year after the Trump administration took over leadership. Beginning with the removal of board members and Donald Trump assuming the role of chairman in 2025, the institution has faced ongoing restructuring, artist withdrawals, leadership departures, and programming shifts. It was also recently announced that the institution will shut down operations for two years to undergo renovations.

Jeremy O. Harris on 'Erupcja,' 'Euphoria,' and Hollywood: Screen Talk

www.indiewire.com: Tony-nominated multihyphenate Jeremy O. Harris may be best known for his wildly popular Broadway production “Slave Play,” but he’s also the acclaimed screenwriter behind the fever-dream crime comedy “Zola” (with director Janicza Bravo) and, most recently, he co-wrote the Charli XCX-starring indie drama “Erupcja” with director Pete Ohs.

Tokyo-Based Company In Talks to Bring Sphere Arena to Japan

www.ticketnews.com: The Tokyo-based financial services company SBI Holdings is reportedly in negotiations with MSG Entertainment for a “collaboration,” Nikkei reports. The project is expected to cost around 350 billion yen ($2.2 billion), though SBI Holdings chairman and president Yoshitaka Kitao said that price tag could raise to a whopping 500 billion yen.

He’s a Playwright, His Mother’s a Physicist—And They’re Performing a Show Together

Playbill: You might think that when playwright Shayok Misha Chowdhury asked his mother to be in his play, it would be a hard ask. But actually, it was pretty easy. “Everyone's always like, ‘How did you rope your mom into doing this?’ It really was like, can we make a physics meets theatre thing that interests the two of us?” He then turns to his mom, Bulbul Chakraborty, who’s sitting next to him, “and you were really game.”

Home Builders Institute Helps Train More Than 20,000 Students in 2025

Builder Magazine: The Home Builders Institute (HBI) continues to play an important role in bridging the skilled labor shortage for the construction industry. In 2025, the organization enrolled and awarded pre-apprenticeship certificates to over 20,000 students, added more than 40 new schools to its Future Builders of America program, and brought HBI-licensed curriculum to dozens more community organizations.