NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Can You Bring Iced Coffee to a Job Interview? Career Experts Weigh in.

Business Insider: Iced coffee has become the latest unlikely subject of workplace controversy. TikTok users are debating whether bringing iced coffee to a job interview is a harmless caffeine fix or a frosty professional faux pas. The discourse became heated enough to reach LinkedIn News on Friday, where LinkedIn news editor Rachel Kleinman described it as a "fiery debate lighting up social media."

Where Did the Creatives of the 2025-26 Broadway Season Go to School?

Playbill: As part of Playbill's Back to School week, take a look at our annual report on the colleges and universities with the most creative alums performing on Broadway in the 2025–26 Broadway season. Below you'll find this year's top 20 most represented schools for Broadway creatives (technically 22 due to ties). Take a look and see if your school—or a school you're considering attending—made the list!

How — And Where — to Park in Pittsburgh's Cultural District

Pittsburgh Magazine: Don’t let the fear of where to park stop you from experiencing the Cultural District’s many wonders. From world-class symphonies and Broadway shows to inventive dining experiences, Downtown has a lot to offer to those willing to venture out. Here are four tips that will make navigating Downtown’s parking situation a breeze.

Library of Congress opens experiential gallery for children

AV Magazine: The Library of Congress has opened The Source, an experiential research gallery where interactive AV technology helps children explore primary sources independently. Part of the A Library for You initiative, the 370 sq metre space uses projection-mapped animation, RFID-enabled objects and digital workstations to introduce visitors aged eight to 15 to the library’s vast collections in film, text, sound and image.

Heated Rivalry Musical Recoups Off-Broadway, Extends

Playbill: The acclaimed Off-Broadway run of Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, which officially opened May 26 following previews that began May 12 at The Culture Club, has recouped its initial investment in 13 weeks.

 

Can You Bring Iced Coffee to a Job Interview? Career Experts Weigh in.

Business Insider: Iced coffee has become the latest unlikely subject of workplace controversy. TikTok users are debating whether bringing iced coffee to a job interview is a harmless caffeine fix or a frosty professional faux pas. The discourse became heated enough to reach LinkedIn News on Friday, where LinkedIn news editor Rachel Kleinman described it as a "fiery debate lighting up social media."

How — And Where — to Park in Pittsburgh's Cultural District

Pittsburgh Magazine: Don’t let the fear of where to park stop you from experiencing the Cultural District’s many wonders. From world-class symphonies and Broadway shows to inventive dining experiences, Downtown has a lot to offer to those willing to venture out. Here are four tips that will make navigating Downtown’s parking situation a breeze.

Sennheiser Now Shipping New Spectera SKM Handheld Wireless Transmitter

ProSoundWeb: Sennheiser announced that it’s now shipping the new Spectera SKM handheld transmitter, completing the core elements of the company’s bidirectional wideband wireless ecosystem that’s designed for live sound, theatre, broadcast and house of worship applications.

Henry Hewes Award Winners Announced

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: "We are delighted to announce the 2026 Henry Hewes Design Awards honorees," says Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, chairman of the committee. "We continue to recognize the outstanding contribution designers make to the creative process in all New York theater productions, and we congratulate the 2026 honorees for their excellent work."

5 Must-See Off Broadway Shows, New and Remounted

The New York Times: The director Lucie Tiberghien stages a charming (and free!) production of Stephen Wadsworth’s swift and sparkling adaptation of Molière’s 1665 comedy about the rogue Don Juan — that serial bigamist, notorious killer, insouciant blasphemer and jerk. Three superb multitasking performers (Daniel Pearce, Michelle Veintimilla and Naomi Lorrain) become a cast of a dozen or more, all dashing around Keshav Moodliar, who plays the titular seducer, and Kaliswa Brewster, who plays Don Juan’s reluctant servant Sganarelle.

Benjamin Pajak on finding his ‘superpower’ with The Lost Boys

Curtaincallbwy.com: After making his Broadway debut in 2022 in The Music Man alongside Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, and playing the title role in Oliver! at Encores! NY City Center, Benjamin Pajak is back on Broadway to originate the stage role of Sam Emerson in The Lost Boys.

20 New Musicals to See Beyond Broadway This Fall

TDF: There are only three new musicals opening on Broadway this fall. Thankfully, there are more than six times (!!) as many bowing beyond Broadway! Highlights include a transfer of the London hit The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, John Legend and Lynn Nottage’s adaptation of Imitation of Life, the controversial satire Slam Frank, Todrick Hall’s ambitious MIDNIGHT and newly minted Tony winner Joshua Henry in a new two-person tuner he cowrote.

George Lucas Reminds Hollywood Not to Listen to the Haters

gizmodo.com: Speaking to CBS Sunday Morning, Lucas was talking about the reaction to his tinkering with the Star Wars movies for the 1997 special editions when he dropped in this little gem. “It’s hard to explain to the studios that if you listen to the people who are unhappy, it’s not going to turn out well,” Lucas said. “It’s going to be sad. Because they’re not people who know how to make movies.”

1776 Hair Plan-Related Lawsuit to Continue

BroadwayWorld: It has been over two-and-a-half years since Zuri Washington sued the 1776 tour producers for racial discrimination and retaliation, and finally a court has addressed the substance of her allegations. After a venue change and the filing of two amended complaints, a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland dismissed Washington's claims for discrimination but allowed her claims for retaliation to continue.

4 Tools At Lowe's With Deep Discounts In September 2026

www.slashgear.com: Building a home tool kit can be an expensive proposition, especially when power tools enter the mix. A basic kit should include the essentials such as a hammer, screwdrivers, a tape measure, pliers, and more. A cordless drill will simplify many projects, but if you're planning some serious DIY or home renovations, you'll want to add more power.

Robbins Dance & Performing Arts Expands Division

BroadwayWorld: Robbins Sports Surfaces has announced the expansion of Robbins Dance & Performing Arts as a dedicated division, reinforcing the company's longstanding commitment to dancers and performers with the same focus it has long delivered to professional athletes. Leading the charge is James Fayette, former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, who joins as Vice President of Business Development.

2,977 Lights Commemorate The Lives Lost As Drones Evoke Twin Towers Over NY

Live Design Online: An artwork made up of 2,977 lights has been produced over New York Harbor, recreating the Twin Towers with drones for the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack. The lights represent the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Paramount To Transform Hollywood With Warner Merger After AG Settlement That Clears Way For Warner Merger

www.forbes.com: An imminent settlement of the lawsuit by 12 states’ attorneys general blocking the $111 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery by much smaller rival Paramount Skydance removes one of the last barriers to a fundamental reshaping of Hollywood’s battered entertainment industry.

State AGs: Live Nation Deal Could Entrench Ticketmaster

www.ticketnews.com: Attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia are warning that the Justice Department’s proposed antitrust settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster could do more than fail to restore competition — portions of the deal could actually strengthen Ticketmaster’s dominant position.

Heated Rivalry Musical Recoups Off-Broadway, Extends

Playbill: The acclaimed Off-Broadway run of Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, which officially opened May 26 following previews that began May 12 at The Culture Club, has recouped its initial investment in 13 weeks.

Wenger Corporation Launches GearBoss Sports Rigging for Sports and Entertainment Venues

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: Wenger Corporation has announced the launch of GearBoss Sports Rigging, expanding the company's capabilities to provide engineered rigging solutions for sports and entertainment venues across North America.

Where Did the Creatives of the 2025-26 Broadway Season Go to School?

Playbill: As part of Playbill's Back to School week, take a look at our annual report on the colleges and universities with the most creative alums performing on Broadway in the 2025–26 Broadway season. Below you'll find this year's top 20 most represented schools for Broadway creatives (technically 22 due to ties). Take a look and see if your school—or a school you're considering attending—made the list!

Where Did the Actors of the 2025-26 Broadway Season Go to School?

Playbill: As part of Playbill's Back to School week, take a look at our annual report on the colleges and universities with the most alumni performing on Broadway in the 2025-26 Broadway season. Below you'll find this year's top 20 most represented schools on Broadway (well technically 22 due to ties). Take a look and see if your school—or a school you're considering attending—made the list!

Joseph Herscher’s Rube Goldberg Machines Create Wonder, Not Efficiency

The New York Times: Any busy morning routine can feel like a bit of a tap dance. But recently, Joseph Herscher turned getting ready for the day into a comically intricate work of choreography. Mechanized choreography, that is. Herscher, known online as Joseph’s Machines, has collected millions of social followers with videos of his pointedly inefficient chain-reaction machines. He’s a Rube Goldberg for the digital age.

Library of Congress opens experiential gallery for children

AV Magazine: The Library of Congress has opened The Source, an experiential research gallery where interactive AV technology helps children explore primary sources independently. Part of the A Library for You initiative, the 370 sq metre space uses projection-mapped animation, RFID-enabled objects and digital workstations to introduce visitors aged eight to 15 to the library’s vast collections in film, text, sound and image.

NYC Village Halloween Parade 2026: Theme and Route

www.timeout.com/newyork: New Yorkers, start stretching. The Village Halloween Parade is returning on Saturday, October 31, and its newly announced theme gives you permission to show a little skin, bare your bones or dance like nobody’s watching. This year, it’s “Body & Soul.”

Anonymous Content interview on 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' Emmy wins

www.goldderby.com: Anonymous Content, the entertainment company responsible for bringing Shelby Van Pelt's 2022 novel Remarkably Bright Creatures to life on Netflix, told Gold Derby that they celebrated the recent awards attention by making "a very generous donation" to World Wildlife Fund's "Adopt an Octopus" charity.

Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival to Feature Kid Capri and Eric Roberson

BroadwayWorld: The August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s (AWAACC) 2026 B.U.I.L.D. Residency Program, made possible with major support from the Joyce and George Wein Foundation, features Kid Capri, the iconic New York Grammy-winning rapper, DJ and producer, and Eric Roberson, the acclaimed R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and producer known as a pioneer of the independent music movement. Both artists will appear at the 16th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (PIJF) September 17 – 20.

Tim Blake Nelson Says It's Never Been This Bad for Indie Film

www.thewrap.com: Over the course of his lengthy career, Tim Blake Nelson has seen it all. An actor, director, writer and producer whose latest film, “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,” is premiering at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, he’s seen the industry evolve dramatically over the decades. And although he’s continued to work through all of it, this hasn’t always been an easy undertaking — especially in independent film.

Preview: Mandy Gonzalez Sings the Songs of Lin-Manuel Miranda With PSO Pops

onStage Pittsburgh: Mandy Gonzalez, the original Nina in the Tony Award-winning In the Heights, possesses a genre-defying voice that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to gush that she is “one of the greatest singers on earth.” She has played some of the most memorable characters in some of the most memorable Broadway productions of the 2000s — Elphaba in Wicked and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard among them — but it is her collaborations with the creator of In the Heights and Hamilton that brings her to Heinz Hall for Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda, October 8-11, 2026.

Tateside leads AV integration at the OId Granada Studios

AV Magazine: Opened in 1956 as the UK’s first purpose-built TV centre, the Old Granada Studios is a landmark of central Manchester. Once home to Coronation Street, the studios are now at the centre of a major redevelopment featuring event spaces and hospitality venues including Manchester’s first Soho House and Mollie’s Motel & Diner. London-based system integration specialists, Tateside, led the vast AV installation across both the Soho House & Mollie’s sites.

Horton Foote Prize, Champion Playwriting Fellowship, MENA Grants, and More

AMERICAN THEATRE: The 1/52 Project has given out more than $675,000 in grants in the past five years to 46 early-career set, costume, lighting, sound, projections, hair, and makeup designers. Launched in January 2022, the 1/52 Project is primarily funded by Broadway designers who are encouraged to donate their weekly royalties to the fund. The project hopes to encourage early-career designers from historically excluded groups with the aim of diversifying and strengthening the Broadway design community.

AI and your intellectual property

www.thefabricator.com: In the 1980s, television stations across the U.S. picked up a tag line that originated in New York media for public service announcements that TV watchers from that decade will remember: “It’s 10:00 PM. Do you know where your children are?” Today, parents can track their children through their smartphones and tablets. They have a good handle on where they are most of the time. Can the same be said for manufacturing companies and their data? Do they know where that is?

Tommy Dorfman Targets Live Nation Settlement Loopholes

www.ticketnews.com: Longtime concert promoter Tommy Dorfman is urging the federal court reviewing the Justice Department’s settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster to reject the agreement, arguing that specific exceptions involving venue rebates and music festivals could preserve the same kind of industry leverage he says destroyed his own festival business.

Watch (and Hear) Emma Cline’s Buzzy New Novel Become an Audiobook

The New York Times: More than a quarter of American adults listened to an audiobook in the last year, according to a recent PEW Research survey. That’s tens of millions of people diving into one of the hundreds of thousands of titles that are now available with just a tap. They listen in the car and at the gym, in the bath and at the store, to stories narrated by one person and to full-cast productions with dozens of actors, music and sound effects.

O Wendy! My Wendy!

AMERICAN THEATRE: I knew of Wendy Wasserstein before I ever read her. You could argue this awareness goes back as far as my birth, as Dr. Michele K. Silverstein—the doctor who famously delivered Lucy Wasserstein, the daughter Wendy gave birth to at the age of 48, as described lovingly in Wendy’s 2000 New Yorker essay “Late Motherhood, Premature Baby”—was also my own mother’s obstetrician.

FEMME COLLECTIVE THEATRE to Present 18 Women-Focused Events

BroadwayWorld: An exciting program of theater brings the voices of leading and emerging women artists to a single venue at the Theater of the 14th St. Y (344 E. 14th Street) in dates through September and early October.

As the Kennedy Center’s fate hangs by a thread amid growing pressure from Trump, Rep. Joyce Beatty accuses him of being ‘unprofessional’

www.themarysue.com: The Kennedy Center closed Tuesday, the same day a federal judge blocked the Trump-appointed board’s effort to credit Trump for the building’s restoration by adding his name. U.S. District Judge Christopher “Casey” Cooper wrote in his ruling that the defendants “cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing,” the Associated Press reported. The Justice Department has appealed the decision.

Paramount-Warner Bros. Settlement: Guilds, AGs and Activists React

variety.com: After almost a year in the trenches pulling together his historic combination of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, David Ellison has finally emerged victorious. On Monday, the Silicon Valley heir confirmed he’d reached a settlement with a group of state attorneys general, who sued to block the merger over antitrust concerns.

Rob Bonta, Facing Skeptics, Defends 'Very Strong' Paramount Deal

variety.com: Rob Bonta defended the antitrust settlement that allows Paramount to merge with Warner Bros. on Monday, saying in a 45-minute press conference that the deal includes independent monitoring and will result in more jobs in Hollywood.

5 Safety Picks for Jobsite Hazards

Builder Magazine: Modern jobsite safety extends well beyond hard hats and high-visibility vests. As labor shortages persist and worker well-being remains a top priority, manufacturers are developing products that help crews stay safer, more comfortable, and more productive in demanding conditions.

Interview: Director Devon Hayakawa On the Chicago Area Premiere of MEAN GIRLS at Paramount Theatre

BroadwayWorld: Paramount Theatre presents the Chicago area premiere of MEAN GIRLS, the hit musical based on the beloved film, in a fresh, Gen-Z take set in 2026. Directed by Devon Hayakawa, the production leans into everything that makes the show fierce, campy, bright, satirical, and surprisingly honest, while introducing a newly revised version of the script to Chicagoland audiences.

A History of Broadway Grosses

BroadwayWorld: Broadway grosses are a significant part of how both professionals and the public learn about Broadway on a regular basis. Each week, the Broadway League reports official statistics including how much money each show earned in gross ticket sales, how many theatergoers attended, and how this compares with the previous week.

Survey Says: ‘John Proctor’ Is the Most-Staged Play in the U.S.

The New York Times: “John Proctor Is the Villain,” a kinetic teen drama about a group of high school girls who are enraged and energized by the echoes of their own lives that they find in a classic play, will be the most-produced show in the country this season.

THE SHINDIG: HARD HATS AND HIGH SPIRITS to Benefit FST Expansion

BroadwayWorld: Florida Studio Theatre has announced new details for its annual fundraising celebration, The Shindig: Hard Hats and High Spirits, taking place March 8, 2027, in FST’s Hegner Theatre Wing. This year’s construction-inspired celebration honors the continued growth of the McGillicuddy Arts Plaza: the largest expansion in FST’s history and an ambitious investment in the future of theatre in downtown Sarasota.

People to Watch: Mfoniso Udofia

AMERICAN THEATRE: A writer for screen and stage, Mfoniso Udofia has made waves with her nine-play Ufot Family Cycle, which will wrap up its two-and-a-half-year Boston-area reign at the Huntington this fall. Udofia is also readying the world premiere of creation stories and all the important importants at Lincoln Center Theater, Sept. 15-Nov. 1.

Get the hex code of any color on your Mac screen with Digital Color Meter

boingboing.net: I recently learned that Macs have a neat little utility to get the color number of any color on the display. It's called Digital Color Meter. When you open it, a window pops up showing the color value at your cursor's location.

Theatrely31: Class of 2026

www.theatrely.com: What does the theatrical landscape of tomorrow look like? The Theatrely31 is our annual compilation of visionary actors, directors, and theatre makers poised for a meteoric rise. These trailblazers and emerging stars are carving unique paths within our industry, and we eagerly anticipate the exciting destinations they will take us to next.

How President Trump Broke the Kennedy Center

The New York Times: A storm brought down a five-foot piece of ceiling plaster at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts this month and its leadership sprang into action. One thing they did not do was repair the damage.

Backyard Theatre Festival launches new outdoor stage in Montreal

Intermission Magazine: The intercultural theatre company launched its new open-air stage at Cité-des-Hospitalières earlier this month. The former seat of the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph, Cité-des-Hospitalières sits on Avenue des Pins at the northeastern foot of the iconic Mount Royal hill. The City of Montreal purchased the heritage complex in 2017 and converted it into a community space that currently hosts 33 non-profit organizations, including Teesri Duniya Theatre.

Disney Hires First-Ever Chief Technology Officer

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Disney has hired Karandeep Anand as its first chief technology officer, in time for an unfolding generative AI tools era. While also serving as senior executive vp, Anand comes to Disney after being CEO of Character.AI and also being a former Meta and Microsoft exec. Anand will report directly to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.

National Center For Choreography-Akron Awarded $500k Grant In Honor Of Christy Bolingbroke’s Leadership

BroadwayWorld: The National Center for Choreography-Akron (NCCAkron) has received a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation in honor of Executive/Artistic Director Christy Bolingbroke's decade of visionary leadership. NCCAkron is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary as a connector, an incubator and research lab for artists, and a hyperagent for the national dance field.

Q&A: Rebecca Gerhard And The Doja Cat Ma Vie Tour

Live Design Online: Freelance video engineer, operator, and lighting technician Rebecca Gerhard was instrumental in bringing Doja Cat’s Ma Vie world tour visuals to life on stage. Traveling to 30 shows across five continents, Rebecca did everything from physically building the tour infrastructure on a Disguise system for visual consistency, through to using a Sockpuppet workflow to busk the whole operation live, night after night.