Precollege Dinosaur Workshop 2009

Quantum Theatre's '36 Views' offers alternate existences

Post Gazette: "True story,' the main character Darius Wheeler attests at the start of Naomi Iizuka's play '36 Views.'



But it's not easy to gauge what's true and what's false, what's real and what's fake. Then again, perhaps it doesn't matter.
Questions of authenticity abound in '36 Views,' as characters examine the validity of everything from artwork and artifacts, to feelings of love and friendship."

On SAG's To-Do List, Unity Is Job One

Backstage: "If its effects weren't so injurious, the behavior exhibited by the Screen Actors Guild over the past two years would be hilarious: former national executive director Doug Allen issuing a public letter attacking the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists just months before the two unions were supposed to jointly bargain for a new TV-film contract; president Alan Rosenberg declaring a civil war with guild foes while leading a filibuster at a national board meeting; Rosenberg's opponents within SAG firing Allen—not once but twice; Rosenberg and his allies, including 1st vice president Anne-Marie Johnson, suing the guild for the way Allen was initially fired."

Exclusive: Arcola to build UK's first all-green theatre

The Stage: "North London’s Arcola Theatre is laying plans to create the UK’s first environmentally friendly arts “campus”, in a multimillion-pound project that will see the company’s new home constructed from straw bale."

Work day ends for Broadway musical 9 to 5

Reuters: "The working day is over for Dolly Parton's Broadway musical '9 to 5.' The show will close on September 6 after a five-month run, its producers said on Wednesday."

Ballroom show to hit Broadway amid dance popularity

Reuters: "After performing in more than 30 countries, ballroom dance company 'Burn The Floor' debuts on Broadway on Sunday with producers saying the time -- and the timing -- is right."

Panel OKs $30-million loan for Cirque du Soleil in Hollywood

Los Angeles Times: "A five-member committee of the Los Angeles City Council voted this morning to move ahead with a $30- million loan that would bring a decade of Cirque du Soleil performances to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood."

Ed Stoppard Appears on the West End in ‘Arcadia,’ Written by His Father, Tom

NYTimes.com: "Among Ed Stoppard’s most vivid childhood memories were family outings to the opening nights of plays by his famous father, Tom: “On the Razzle” in 1981, when Ed was 7; “The Real Thing” a year later; “Dalliance” four years after that. Ed may have struggled with the weighty ideas unfolding onstage, but then so do many adult audience members."

'Into the Woods' is one in a long line of skewed versions of classic fairy tales

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera ends its season with a classic Stephen Sondheim musical -- 'Into the Woods.'
'I think everybody loves this musical. It's a work of genius,' says James Brennan, who is directing and choreographing the production that opens Tuesday at the Benedum Center, Downtown."

'Gypsy' a family show, despite the burlesque

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "How did a performer who kept her clothes on become one of the most legendary strippers in American history? That will be answered this weekend and next when the Valley Players of Ligonier produce 'Gypsy,' the musical based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee, a famous burlesque performer of the 1930s."

Apple Hill presents 'Pinocchio' with comedic twist

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For theater students, summer is a good time for acting in community theater productions, hoping to add a few lines to their resume and gather some knowledge and experience that will help prepare them for future roles -- and future jobs."

Mt. Washington native nominated for work in theater in New York

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Mt. Washington native Nick Moore received two nominations for New York Innovative Theatre Awards for his work on the play '23 Knives,' which was produced by Resonance Ensemble."

California Incentives Program Lands 25 Projects

Backstage: "'Schmucks' was no schmuck and took the money.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Film Commission on Monday announced the first 25 film and TV productions to qualify for recently passed state tax credits. A handful of high-profile projects were included, including DreamWorks' Jay Roach-helmed comedy 'Dinner for Schmucks' and Sony's Facebook saga 'The Social Network.'"

Soderbergh talks at last about Sydney project

SMH.com: "The secret nature of the production that opens in December has been tantalising. What could the prolific American filmmaker, who won an Oscar for Traffic and was nominated for Erin Brockovich and sex, lies and videotape, have in mind?"

Helpmann winners take their bows at Opera House

theage.com.au: "TWO blockbusters dominated the Helpmann Awards presented at Sydney’s Opera House last night. The Broadway hit musical Wicked and the Sydney Theatre Company’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s history plays, the eight-hour War of the Roses, both won six awards."

L.A. City Council considers providing loan for Cirque du Soleil performances

Los Angeles Times: "The Los Angeles City Council is weighing a plan to issue a $30-million loan that would allow the owner of the Hollywood & Highland shopping mall to retrofit a theater so it can house a decade of performances by Cirque du Soleil."

FEEBLE '9 TO 5' GETS PINK SLIP

New York Post: "DOLLY'S done for.
The musical version of '9 to 5,' which probably seemed like a good idea way back when, will close around Labor Day, several theater sources say."

Concert tour of Star Wars to kick off in October

Reuters: "A concert version of 'Star Wars', featuring a live symphony orchestra, huge screens, film clips and a traveling exhibit, will kick off a North American tour in October with plans to go global in 2010, organizers said on Thursday."

Figuring and Flying

Dave Rat - Tours with Blink 182: "Here we go Blink 182 and cool rock show. I have not really figured out my direction yet as far as blogging and adventures but in the mean time, I may as well rock on the tech side of things. Will work on losing my mind later."

How Much is College Worth?

Chart Porn: "NYT’s Economix blog noticed payscale.com’s dataset of college grad salaries. Some interesting charts there, and since they make the raw data available, we’ll probably see more."

Leatherman Charge ALX

Toolmonger: "Many multi-tools seem to be a flimsy sampling of little knick-knacks. We’ve seen different versions for ages, but they rely on a simple straight-edged pocket knife to do most of the real work. However, Leatherman’s interesting Charge ALX model is a little different. It does away with many of the old issues multi-tools faced, like those Phillips drivers which always seemed to be less than helpful."

The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger: "It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select"

The Producers of Hair did what?

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "Back when I was in the middle of my ATPAM apprenticeship and studying for my NMAM exam (the test that gets you your company management stripes and a piece of the annuity fund), I learned that the #1 rule of managing a show was . . . never cancel a performance!"

Safety Glasses To Wear On The Job

CopTool - Power Tool News Blog: "It is a proven fact if you make safety equipment more attractive people will be more likely to wear it. If everyone is wearing their safety equipment all the time, you will see fewer injuries, saving time and money in the long run. Safety Glasses manufacturer Edge Eye Wear took this idea and ran with it."

This isn’t your art class compass

The Hardware Aisle: "At my house, your house, most houses—the walls, floors, corners are never really true. To fit door trim tightly to a wall I had to scribe against wavy, bumpy, curved plaster walls."

Unstoppable expected to bring $60M and at least 250 jobs to region

Pop City: "Twentieth Century Fox’s decision to film the biggest budget film in the state’s history in Pittsburgh was a coup for the region. The $100 million production will dump $60 million into the local economy and create 120 to 250 jobs."

Shakespeare’s Globe Brings a Taste of Elizabethan Theater to the U.S.

NYTimes.com: "After a four-year absence from the United States, Shakespeare’s Globe is returning in the fall to stage “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at seven universities and a college-town theater over three months, with the hope of providing an authentically Elizabethan theatrical experience to American audiences."

On the London Stage - Writer Raises Bar With Daring ‘Jerusalem’

NYTimes.com: "Too many new plays these days are possessed of limited aspirations, scaling back our expectations because of an inability to dare. So the first thing to say about Jez Butterworth’s extraordinary “Jerusalem,” the Royal Court Theatre premiere (through Aug. 22) that looks set to enter the culture as some kind of theatrical benchmark, is that it isn’t afraid to make a big noise. And that’s before one gets to the relentless drumming that brings an alternately hilarious and scalding play to the climactic boil."

Presenting New York Theater Where It’s Least Expected

NYTimes.com: "But there’s something about a certain kind of summer theatergoing — the repurposed urban landscape, car horns with your Shakespeare — that makes you look differently at the city and at the conventions of the stage. This year there are shows on boats, in cars, on the streets and in many public places, from 'Joan of Arc' in Fort Tryon Park to “Measure for Measure” in a Lower East Side parking lot. These productions are blurring the boundaries between the created and the real worlds through immersion, interactivity and site-specificity."

Broadway Bargains: Secrets of the TKTS Booth

NYTimes.com: "Victoria Bailey, the executive director of the Theater Development Fund, the nonprofit performing arts service organization that operates the city’s TKTS booths — besides the one in Times Square, there are booths at South Street Seaport and in downtown Brooklyn — has some answers."

‘Burn the Floor’ Dance Theater Romps From Australia to Broadway

NYTimes.com: "Jason Gilkison, the director and choreographer of the musical “Burn the Floor,” was channeling his inner grandfather. During a recent rehearsal in a careworn Midtown building, he wiggled his hips, chanted “boom-ba-ba-ba” and flung comments like “Sign your name on it” to a company of lithe, sweaty dancers. It was several days before the musical, the first show of the new Broadway season, was to open, this Sunday at the Longacre Theater."

Long Wharf to Stage Contemporary Take on Ibsen's Doll's House in 2010

Playbill News: "Long Wharf Theatre artistic director Gordon Edelstein will stage his new contemporary adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House as the final offering of the 2009-2010 season."

Broadway-Aimed First Wives Club Gets Extra Week in San Diego

Playbill News: "The world premiere run of The First Wives Club – A New Musical at The Old Globe in San Diego has been extended by one week to Aug. 30. The musical based on the film and novel of the same name officially opens July 31."

Makeup, Wardrobe and Prop Management for Short Film

Craigslist: "I'm looking for two or three people to help out with makeup/wardrobe and prop management for a short film shooting locally in early fall. Must be responsible and organized. You will be working with the production designer."

'Souvenir' a symbol of St. Vincent Theatre mainstay's legacy

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "'The show must go on' is a familiar thought to those involved with St. Vincent Theatre's final summer production, 'Souvenir.'
Joe Reilly, a veteran actor and director who had been with the theater for 40 years, passed away last month. He was scheduled to direct 'Souvenir.'"

Quantum's 'Views' uses images to enhance playwright's themes

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Despite the title of its next production -- '36 Views' -- Quantum Theatre hopes to treat its audiences to 37.
The 36 views in playwright Naomi Iizuka's multifaceted story refers to the number of scenes in the play. It's also a reference to two famous series of 18th-century Japanese woodblock prints, in which the artist Hokusai depicted Mt. Fuji and three dozen Heian-era Japanese poetesses, one of whom may have inspired Iizuka's play."

Arts performances project an image

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "It sounds like a contradiction in terms: flat images are bringing a new dimension to live stage performances.
Buoyed by improvements in technology, drops in equipment costs and a new generation of tech-savvy artists, video footage, computer-generated graphics and simple projections of still images are becoming commonplace components in theater, dance and even symphony performances."

'Late Night Catechism 3' to close Aug. 16

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "'Til Death Do Us Part -- Late Night Catechism 3' will have its final performance Aug. 16 at City Theatre on the South Side.
The latest installment in creator Maripat Donovan's popular series has been playing an open-ended run at City Theatre since May 27."

'Pajama' cast takes part in fundraiser at Mountain Playhouse

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The Mountain Playhouse cast of 'The Pajama Game' will perform a post-show cabaret Friday in support of the theater.
Dubbed 'Late Night at the Mountain Playhouse,' the single-night show will begin after the 8 p.m. Friday performance of 'The Pajama Game' at approximately 10:45 p.m. in the Tuscany Room at Green Gables Restaurant, which is adjacent to the theater."

Cunningham troupe seeks funding for legacy plan

Post Gazette: "Dance is often called an art form for the moment, but Merce Cunningham was always planning ahead.
In June, the choreographer announced an initiative called the Living Legacy Plan that would safeguard his work and provide for a smooth transition of assets in the event that he should no longer be able to serve as leader of his New York-based dance company."

Public Theater fills out season with 'The Price'

Post gazette: "Arthur Miller is now the stand-in for Lanford Wilson in the upcoming season of the Pittsburgh Public Theater, which opens Oct. 1.
Miller's 1968 play, 'The Price,' steps in for Wilson's 'Talley's Folly,' to fill the Public's March 4-April 4 slot."

CLO's ensemble roles are enjoyble challenges for these three

Post Gazette: "Annually the Post-Gazette interviews several members of the Pittsburgh CLO ensemble, only to find in a few years that one or another is headlining on Broadway. But we don't do it to spot stars in the making. We feature the ensemble because it's one of the distinctive pleasures of Pittsburgh theater."

Pre-College Drama

Carnegie Mellon University: "The program is closely modeled after the School of Drama's renowned conservatory training program. Students choose to study in one of three options focused on acting, music theatre or design production."

L.A. Prop House Closing After 40 Years

Backstage: "Hollywood's second-largest prop house is going out of business with its owner saying he has fallen victim to film and TV production leaving California for other U.S. states that lure producers with tax incentives and fewer restrictions."

Report: Entertainment Business Slumping

Backstage: "A midyear economic report on regional effects of the recession says the entertainment industry has been slumping despite solid boxoffice this year and suggests that SAG's fall elections could prove pivotal to Hollywood's well-being."

NEA Funds Are Stimulating (If Not Exactly Liberating)

Backstage: "Where are the jobs? For the unemployed, as well as for skeptics of President Obama's economic program, this is the critical question of the moment. In the nonprofit arts world, at least, some answers appear to be on the horizon."

Hardy Endorsements for Health Care

Backstage: "Committees in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives last week signed off on health-care legislation, which has won the hardy endorsements of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Known as America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, the legislation would, among other things, require that employers provide insurance or face a penalty, create a public insurance plan to compete with private plans, and prevent pre-existing conditions from barring a person from coverage."

Rumors swirl about the Prince Theater

Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/21/2009: "Amid growing rumors about the Prince Music Theater's ability to continue operating - and a remark from its stage Monday night that indicated it would be closing - its producing director, Marjorie Samoff, says that the Center City theater plans a 2009-10 season that includes its annual renters plus at least three productions the Prince will mount."

Magic Theatre giving up one of its stages

SFGate: "The Magic Theatre is giving up one of its two performance spaces at Fort Mason Center. The theater, still finding its fiscal footing after nearly closing its doors mid-season, is also preparing to announce the hiring of its new managing director and Artistic Director Loretta Greco's newly finalized next season."

New musical a classy tribute to Broadway composer

Reuters: "The world-premiere revue of 'The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman, which salutes the Tony-winning Broadway composer (1929-2004), is a bona fide class act.
Coleman's wonderfully sophisticated oeuvre (including 'Sweet Charity,' 'Seesaw' and many more) is duly honored via the tasteful, vibrant Rubicon Theater staging of conceiver-director David Zippel -- lyricist for Coleman's 'City of Angels' -- and the extraordinary talents of six performers: David Burnham, Jason Graae, Sally Mayes, Julia Murney, Billy Stritch and Lillias White."

Superstrong but lightweight steel beams

Core77: "Imagine an I-beam you could carry on your shoulder--you'd be thankful you could haul it without needing a crane, but you probably wouldn't want to build structures out of it, thinking it surely wouldn't be strong enough."

A Posthumous Dispute Over Ferenc Molnar’s Legacy

NYTimes.com: "All family legends are probably at risk of embellishment and black holes. But when a family history has been segmented by the Holocaust and spans generations, continents, religions and ultimately sensibilities, separating truth from mythology can be like trying to unmix two shades that went into making the same can of paint."

Declan Donnellan Brings ‘Boris Godunov’ to New York

NYTimes.com: "For the British theater director Declan Donnellan, few power dynamics are as richly theatrical as the maneuvering at the Kremlin. Even White House officials aren’t quite sure whether President Dmitri A. Medvedev or Prime Minister (and former President) Vladimir V. Putin is really running Russia, and political machinations there often carry whiffs of backstage intrigue."

PHOTO CALL: Primary Stages Celebrates 25th Anniversary at Gala

Playbill News: "Founder Casey Childs, directors Daniel Sullivan and Pam MacKinnon and the company of the season's first production, A Lifetime Burning — Jennifer Westfeldt, Raul Castillo, Isabel Keating, and Christina Kirk — along with playwright Cusi Cram and more were on hand for the event."

Big drop in L.A. production days

Hollywood Reporter: "The nonprofit group, which provides production-permit services throughout the Los Angeles area, recorded 19,015 production days from location-based shoots through June 30. That was 6,181 fewer than the first six months of 2008.
The first-half plunge was most severe in feature film, with a drop of almost 53%. The category has posted four consecutive quarters of double-digit declines in production days."

Pittsburgh Opera joins city's 'green' renaissance with renovated building

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The Strip District building where George Westinghouse first built locomotive brakes is on track to become the city's oldest certified environmentally friendly structure.
The Pittsburgh Opera uses the three-story brick building at Liberty Avenue and 25th Street as a headquarters with rehearsal and performance space. The opera expects to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification by year's end from the U.S. Green Building Council, which already has designated seven other pre-World War II buildings in Pittsburgh."

CLO works overtime to make 'Copacabana' entertain

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "As long as you don't take it too seriously, 'Barry Manilow's Copacabana' is an entertaining night at the theater.
And the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera production that plays through Aug. 2 at the Benedum Center, Downtown, works overtime to see that audiences have a really good time."

'Copacabana' music and passion return to CLO

Post Gazette: "July is turning out to be a real boon for local Barry Manilow fans.
Nearly two weeks after the singer/songwriter/musician pleased a Mellon Arena crowd with the hit about Lola, the showgirl with yellow feathers in her hair, the Pittsburgh CLO is bringing the stage musical 'Barry Manilow's Copacabana' back to the Benedum. The show opens Tuesday night."

Variety, range stand out in season of Shaw Festival plays

Post Gazette: "Some throng to this pretty little town on Canada's south coast, just a five-hour drive from Pittsburgh, for the scenery, vineyards, handsome hotels and shops. For them, the stars are the wines, jams, ice cream cones and comfy beds.
But I've been coming regularly for decades, along with plenty of other Pittsburghers, attracted by the Shaw Festival, now in its 48th season. For us, the true star is the large ensemble of actors, designers, directors and staff, which this year mounts 11 plays (actually 17) in four theaters, April 11-Nov. 1."

'Addams Family' finds a home

Variety: "Charles Addams' ghoulish clan has locked down some prime real estate to haunt, with new tuner 'The Addams Family' set to open at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theater on April 8."

Broadway’s Tony Cronies Oust Stars, Press; Who Else?

Bloomberg.com: "In recent weeks, the folks who run the Tony Awards have defriended future Will Ferrells and Liza Minnellis, along with several score journalists, including me. I take this bird-flipping personally.
In an email Tuesday, Tony Award Productions informed the 100 or so journalists who cast ballots for the annual prizes that our voting privileges had been canceled."

Texas Cheerleaders, Sans Chainsaws, Sing ‘Vanities’

Bloomberg.com: "Back in 1976, Jack Heifner’s wistful comedy, “Vanities,” was slight, charming and nonmusical. The new musical version by Heifner and David Kirshenbaum retains the slightness and remnants of charm in the dialogue. But I very much doubt the show, at New York’s Second Stage, has the original’s five-year legs."

Harvard, Lehman Veteran Trims Leafy Music Enclave Glimmerglass

Bloomberg.com: "Even in the leafy enclave of Cooperstown, New York, the Glimmerglass Opera hears the tremors of Wall Street.
Situated on the shores of Otsego Lake (and only a short drive from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Glimmerglass attracts music lovers from Manhattan and further destinations who come here for an enterprising mix of classics and premieres staged in a handsome theater designed by Hugh Hardy with a bow to the Wagner theater in Bayreuth."

ConsoleTrainer.com PSA #2 - How Not To Call Tech Support

iSquint: "Do you own or operate a lighting console? Chances are that at some point in your career that you will need to call Tech Support to ask a question or figure out how to recover a console that someone else broke. Cat and Joe from ConsoleTrainier.com have put together an0ther PSA on How To Call Tech Support."

Madonna stage collapse kills 2, injures eight

Backstage at BackstageJobs.com: "The set for Madonna’s french leg of her European tour collapsed during set-up yesterday. The accident occurred at the 60,000 seat Stade Velodrome, France’s second largest sports arena. Current speculation is that one of the 4 cranes lifting the roof/grid into place failed, causing a slow collapse along the structure as the load shift caused sections to fail."

The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger: "It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select"

Apple Tree's Mistress Cycle Gets Revival in a Unique Setting in Chicago

Playbill News: "The massive stage of Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (ATRU) in Chicago will be transformed into a 200-seat black-box space to house The Apple Tree Theatre's remount of The Mistress Cycle, the musical by composer Jenny Giering and lyricist Beth Blatt, playing July 22-Aug. 8.
Jeff Award-nominated in 2007-08, the production now resurfaces in the unique configuration. The entire production and audience are on the stage of the proscenium house.
This marks the first production Apple Tree Theatre (a 26-year-old North Shore-area company) will mount in Chicago's loop."

Apple Hill's 'Sleeping Beauty' aims to keep kids laughing

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Apple Hill Playhouse presents a humorous twist to a classic fairy tale in its Johnny Appleseed Children's Theatre production of 'Briar Rose -- The Tale of Sleeping Beauty.'
Nina Cotroneo of Delmont, an eighth-grade student at Franklin Regional Middle School, plays the title role, although her character is not the conventional Sleeping Beauty, who is awakened from a 100-year slumber by a romantic kiss from a handsome prince."

Pittsburgh native Rachelle Rak stands out in 'Chorus Line' documentary

PostGazette: "Rachelle Rak is the dancer who lays it on the line in 'Every Little Step.'
Standing on stage, one of two finalists who emerged from a pool of hundreds for the role of Sheila in a 2006 revival of 'A Chorus Line,' she brassily asks, 'Did I get it?' and then skips off."

State Stalemate Is Taxing on N.Y. Actors

Backstage: "A stimulus package for actors. That's how supporters characterize New York's city and state tax credits for film and TV production. To listen to advocates, the programs have done so much good that politicians wouldn't dare do anything but expand them, for fear of crumbling the entire local economy. And evidence indicates that weakening the programs could affect New York actors and their neighbors in a less-than-positive way. Yet it appears that politicians may be on the verge of doing just that."

Teachers warn of mass cancellation of theatre trips

The Stage: "Producers are bracing themselves to face a “catastrophic” series of school theatre trip cancellations, due to government guidelines that will make it significantly more expensive for colleges to organise days out for pupils."

Kings of the West End jungle bid for Live Nation's theatres

guardian.co.uk: "It's a striking and inescapable fact: the most powerful people in commercial British theatre are not directors, or even producers, but landlords. The biggest fixed cost of running a show is theatre rental. And although a handful of theatres are still privately owned, most of the major venues now belong to increasingly large theatrical chains. In the West End, the Really Useful Group, Delfont Mackintosh, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), Nimax Theatres, Live Nation and Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen all own multiple venues. In the regions, major ownership is even more concentrated, with the US-owned Live Nation, ATG and Qdos leading the pack."

Casino given week to settle arena funding dispute

Post Gazette: "The Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority and the Rivers Casino have one more week to try to settle a funding dispute before state gaming regulators may jump in and settle it."

Rally in Harrisburg to Save Arts

Technology in the Arts: "There was a rally in Harrisburg yesterday in response to the Pennsylvania state legislature proposal to cut all state funding of the arts. If passed, it would close down the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts–and have far-reaching affects for arts organizations throughout the state."

Madonna 'devastated' by stage construction death

CNN.com: "A 53-year-old French man was killed when a stage being built for the concert collapsed, a fire department spokesman in the southern French city said."

First and Loudest: The Marketing of Broadway (WIT #379)

ATW: "Our guests - John Barlow, Damian Bazadona, Nancy Coyne and Drew Hodges - discuss what is involved in marketing, advertising and publicizing a Broadway show; how they work one-on-one with producers and creative teams; the marketing obstacles they face; who their target audience is; how they handle a show that isn’t a hit, or that they don’t like; the internet’s influence on sales; whether or not a known title helps sell a show; how to sustain the buzz after a show opens; and whether “Broadway” can be sold as a brand."

College graduates tackle depressed job market

PostGazette: "That is just one story of what local college graduates are facing in today's depressed job market. Nationwide, said the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 9.5 percent are without jobs with the big majority of that number out of work for more than six months. Locally, the jobless rate is 7.5 percent."

Stage lights go green

Core77: "Even 'treading the boards' is going a bit greener: that there is the Vari-Lite VLX, the world's first high power LED theater light, designed by British firm Cambridge Industrial Design."

Tony Awards Committee Trims List of Voters

NYTimes.com: "The committee concluded that members of the so-called first-night press list — journalists who receive tickets to Broadway shows for the purpose of reviews and feature articles — had conflicts because they vote on Tony contenders at the same time that they have a platform to champion a show in news and entertainment media."

Local Production Seeks Location Scout/Manager

Craigslist: "Local Production Company is seeking Location Scout/Manager."

Need Production Sound Mixer

Craigslist: "The Pittsburgh Pulse is a company devoted to promoting music artists in the Pittsburgh music scene. We are looking for a sound mixer with experience recording live music."

Crew & Equipment needed

Craigslist: "Need crew for video shoot for 8 straight days starting August 20, 2009 in Williamsport, PA."

'Copacabana' lead says Manilow is big on passion

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Broadway actor Tony Yazbeck already feels at home in Pittsburgh.
He spent two years studying at Point Park University and has returned here often to perform in Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera productions including 'Doctor Dolittle,' 'Crazy for You,' 'West Side Story' and the national tour of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie.'"

Dance Alloy Theater names new artistic director

PostGazette: "Greer Reed-Jones has been named to replace Beth Corning as artistic diretor of Dance Alloy Theater.
Corning resigned last week and the board immediately promoted Reed-Jones, now education director for Dance Alloy."

Jacob's Pillow Provides the ultimate dance experience

Post Gazette: "It's only fitting that Jacob's Pillow lies at the crest of one of the Berkshires' evergreen mountains. After all, dancers use the earth to aim for the sky and this location seemingly puts them within jumping distance."

25 years of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Post Gazette: "The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has built a 25-year record as the prime mover in creating Downtown's Cultural District. It has purchased and rehabilitated property, built theaters and exhibit space, beautified the streets, established parks and housing, presented numerous theatrical events and taken several smaller organizations under its wing to ensure their future."

Cultural Trust transformed a seedy area into destination

Post Gazette: "Twenty-five years ago, you wouldn't have spent a Friday or Saturday along the seedy Downtown corridors of Penn or Liberty avenues unless you were in the market for 'adult' entertainment, 'marital aids,' paid companionship or porn."

Tony Awards anger journalists

Variety: "The Tony Award Management Committee announced via email Tuesday evening that members of the so-called First Night Press List -- the group of critics, reporters and editors invited to see Broadway shows on or before opening night -- would no longer be allowed to vote for the legit world's highest-profile kudos."

Sizzling Summer FringeNYC Shows

KampFIRE News: "Kampfire PR is pleased to introduce their line-up of 2009 FringeNYC productions. Four shows guaranteed to set FIRE to your summer theatre experience. From a dark comedy that examines the experience of sex in the modern age (The Books), an arctic chronicle of a woman's journey down below (The Antarctic Chronicles), a woman who's unexpected illness challenges her relationships (Look After You), and an indestructible man's leap into love (Eli and Cheryl Jump.)
The New York International Fringe Festival, a production of The Present Company, takes place from August 14th through August 30th, 2009."

10 Productivity Tips That Work Surprisingly Well

FreelanceFolder: "Productivity is just one of those qualities that we all yearn for. As freelancers we have to be productive in order to get projects done before the deadline approaches. The more productive we can be, the more money we earn — it’s a simple equation."

On the London Stage - Theatrical Treats Tucked Into Small Venues

NYTimes.com: "The fact is, whereas the New York theater tends to thrive on the thrill of the new, notwithstanding a Broadway season just gone that was unusually attentive and alive to the classics, the London stage prefers to plumb the extant repertoire from every possible angle, often tossing titles from one venue to another."

In London, Elaborate Puppetry Brings ‘War Horse’ to Life

NYTimes.com: "On the bare black stage of the New London Theater, a seven-foot-tall horse breaks into a gallop, round and round, until he pauses for a breath, his flanks heaving lightly. A human approaches; the horse, Topthorn, lifts his head, flexes his ears and shakes his tail. His right front hoof paws the floor, as if to charge."

computer FX help with our movie

Craigslist: "We have a few scenes with proton beams, ghosts, etc. and could use some help with the special effects. I think we are ok with sound FX, but we are weak in the visual FX area."

48 Hour Film Project (Aug. 8) - Camera, Lighting, Sound

Craigslist: "We are looking for a Director of Photography, Camera, Lighting and Sound to join our team for this year's Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project. You must provide all of your own equipment and be available to shoot ALL DAY on Saturday, August 8, 2009."

Debbie Reynolds' shows to cap Strand Theater reopening in Zelienople

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Debbie Reynolds' show business career has already spanned more than six decades, but she isn't slowing down. For one of Hollywood's top stars in her heyday, retirement isn't an option."

Review: No 'Doubt,' this play makes you think

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "When facts are few, speculation floods in to fill the void.
That speculation, fueled by suspicion, and possible jealousy, fuels the conflict at the heart of Patrick Shanley's 'Doubt.'
Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's production offers an intermission-free 95-minute opportunity to examine what's in our own hearts as well as the motives of the drama's combatants."

PICT's 'Doubt' lacking tension

Post Gazette: "There's no doubt that John Patrick Shanley's thoughtful, Tony- and Pulitzer-winning 'Doubt' is a play for our times.
Although first staged in 2005, it is set in 1964, a time when we can see (in retrospect) that many supposedly settled convictions -- social, political, aesthetic and religious -- were beginning to seem less secure."

Theater’s closing leaves ticket holders in the lurch

The Boston Globe: "North Shore Music Theatre requested subscriptions for the 2009 season earlier than usual. I used my American Express card to pay for the subscription (about $700) in October. Early this year, the theater said it was canceling the 2009 season unless it raised $5 million.
They have not raised the required money and canceled the season. They said they are not refunding season ticket deposits. They said that they put ticket deposits given later than October in an escrow account, but not the earlier deposits. Can you help me get a refund of my subscription?"

Guilt, Gin Fuel Gurney’s X-Ray of Wasps in ‘Children’

Bloomberg.com: "This weekend, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts, wraps up a fine run of A.R. Gurney’s “Children,” an early play suggested to the author by a John Cheever short story. Both writers, of course, made careers writing about the social, feeding, drinking and mating habits of White Anglo-Saxon Protestants of the Northeast."

Black culture lights up Broadway's Great White Way

Reuters: "When U.S. President Barack Obama took his wife, Michelle, to a Broadway play by African American playwright August Wilson about a black father's search for freedom, ticket sales for the production spiked."

Warner Bros. wins 'Superman' case

Variety: "In a decision announced Wednesday, U.S. Judge District Court Judge Stephen G. Larson found that the license fees the studio paid to corporate sibling DC Comics didn't represent 'sweetheart' deals as they weren't below fair market value. That means the heirs will be able seek profits only from DC Comics -- which earned $13.6 million from Warner Bros. for the 2006 release of 'Superman Returns' -- rather than from Warner Bros. as well."

33 Ways to Use LinkedIn for Business

WebWorkerDaily: "Is your LinkedIn account mostly sitting idle? You can do so much more with it than simply look up contacts: find gigs, sell products, expand your networks, grow your business and gain free publicity."

That Family Room Has a Certain Star Quality in ‘Levittown’

NYTimes.com: "THE design philosophy of these postwar homes is simple: Put the family room in the rear, as far as possible from the street with windows facing the backyard, so that a working man can come home after a hard day, close out the world and spend time with his wife and children."

At the Vineyard Playhouse, the Summer Fare Is Not Stock

NYTimes.com: "For the last 14 years Ms. Munafo has been artistic director and producer of the Vineyard Playhouse here, a year-round professional stage that gives new, serious meaning to the idea of community theater. The Vineyard being the Vineyard, its community includes Tony- and Oscar-winning artists and as-yet-undiscovered talents, and the 120-seat black-box playhouse has emerged as a bustling gathering place for all of them to work."

Sonia Friedman of London, the Producing Whirlwind Juggling Dozens of Shows

NYTimes.com: "Ms. Friedman, who has won the last two Tony Awards for best play revival (for “Boeing-Boeing” in 2008 and “The Norman Conquests” last month), is well known in the theater here and on Broadway for having a dizzying number of projects going at once, the recession be damned."

'Pajama Game' lead jumped into Mountain Playhouse role

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "One of the lead performers in the Mountain Playhouse's next musical production 'The Pajama Game' is quick to point out the difference between theater and movie theaters.
'It's easy for theatergoers to look at a production as similar to checking movie times,' says actor Jeffrey C. Wolf. 'But the movie's the same every night. With theater, it's different each and every night. Nobody will have the same experiences you will have and, especially, with this production.'"

Obituary: Rodger Henderson / West Coast stage director and teacher who spent his final years in Pittsburgh

Post Gazette: "A well-traveled stage director, Rodger Henderson was a Californian who chose to make Pittsburgh his home for what he knew would be his final years."

Broadway stages hit operatic heights

Variety: "Broadway calls them sung-through musicals, but in essence they're operas: 'Caroline, or Change,' 'Spring Awakening' and now 'Next to Normal.'
Regardless of what you call them, these 'operas' appear to have better legs than new works commissioned and/or presented by the San Francisco, L.A. and Metropolitan Opera companies -- such works as 'Grendel,' 'The Fly,' 'The First Emperor' and 'Dr. Atomic,' the last of which has fared the best of the lot, with a handful of stagings in the past four years."

Supersized stagings buck brevity trend

Variety: "Ninety minutes? No intermission? Sold!
Brevity has become an increasingly compelling selling point in today's legit landscape, but a number of this season's incoming productions -- following the Tony-winning revival of play trilogy 'The Norman Conquests' -- are bucking the trend and hoping auds still have an appetite for the epic."

Will entertainment figures head to D.C.? - Entertainment News, H'w'd and D.C., Media

Variety: "When Al Franken was sworn in as senator from Minnesota last week, he became one of the few Democrats with a showbiz pedigree to successfully make the jump into elective politics.
His victory was viewed as so unlikely that it inspired talk of a 'Franken effect' -- a flood of entertainment figures angling for a trip to Washington."

Investigation to probe death of Pa. fireworks employee

Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/07/2009: "A launching device that exploded on the ground is the focus of federal, state, and local investigators in the Saturday night death of a fireworks employee at a July Fourth celebration in Quakertown."

Dragone entertainment Group

Backstage Employment Network: "The Dragone Group is now recruiting Riggers for its new permanent show ‘City of Dreams’
Reporting to the Head of Rigging. The Rigger is responsible to learn and diligently execute all rigging show tracks, perform maintenance / inspections. Support the technical needs of all other stage departments."

Recession Adds New Meaning to 'Struggling Artist'

(Gotham Gazette, July 2009): "New York's artists have always lived in a state of flux. Up-and-coming artists from around the world have seen New York as the ultimate destination spot. Once here, they often have been urban pioneers -- establishing creative enclaves in what had been derelict and industrial neighborhoods. Then the artists often lost their homes and studios as those areas became playgrounds for hungry developers."

Chalkbot, Developed In Pittsburgh, Spreads Inspirational Messages Along Tour De France Course

kdka.com: "The big news from the Tour de France this year is the return of seven-time winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.
But Armstrong wants to turn the spotlight away from himself and on to the fight against cancer.
His foundation has enlisted some Carnegie Mellon graduates and an amazing piece of technology to help."

Penn State School of Theatre

Backstage Employment Network: "Penn State University’s School of Theatre is seeking a Production-Technical Coordinator/Master Electrician responsible for the following:
1. Supervising students and staff electricians.
2. Assist the faculty lighting designer programmatic operations.
3. Coordinate the usage, inspections, repair, and maintenance of stage lighting equipment and facilities.
4. Maintain & Supervise Electrics shop, including stocking of consumables and supervising production budgets.
5. Teach introductory courses."

Berkeley Rep Announces 2009-2010 Fellowship Cohort, Supported by Grant from American Express

Stage Directions: "Berkeley Repertory Theatre has awarded 16 emerging theatre practitioners from across the nation with fellowships for their upcoming 2009-2010 season. The fellowships will be supported by a generous $50,000 grant from American Express, complementing a similar gift received earlier from the Koret Foundation. Every year college graduates from across America develop their leadership skills by working alongside accomplished professionals and renowned artists at the Tony Award-winning theatre."

National New Play Network Awards $140,000 to Member Theatres, Adds Two Member Theatres

Stage Directions: "The National New Play Network (NNPN) will award grants totaling over $140,000 to its 26 member theatres in 2009-10. The grants were announced at the organization's Annual Conference on June 20 in Dallas, Texas, hosted by Kitchen Dog Theater."

2009 Jimmy Award-Winners Announced

Stage Directions: "Nederlander Alliances, LLC and Pittsburgh CLO, co-producers and founding partners of The National High School Musical Theater Awards, presented the first annual Jimmy Awards in a ceremony held Monday night at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, New York University. The awards show was hosted by television and theatre personality Kathie Lee Gifford."

Roboworld now open at the Carnegie Science Center!

Examiner.com: "Are you ready to go robotic? Meet Andy, the robot greeter, and learn how robots sense, think, and act! This exhibit, featured at the Carnegie Science Center, is most comprehensive permanent robotics exhibit in the world. It features over 30 interactive displays featuring all things robotic, including the first physical home for the Robot Hall of Fame, powered by Carnegie Mellon University."

Twitter is a Serious Engineering Tool by Desktop Engineering

Design Engineering: "Guess what? Twitter might be the answer. It might be a better alternative than any specialized commercial product designed to enhance technical team communication. You might already have a Twitter account for personal use, but if you haven’t given it a try, here’s how it works. You sign up for a free account at http://twitter.com. This gives you the right to post a brief (140 characters maximum) statement about what you are doing at a given period of time."

Big Show Construction Management Helms Build Out Of Kissinger Global Conference Room At The Paley Center For Media In New York

SVConline: "Big Show Construction Management (BSCM) served as construction manager for the showpiece Kissinger Global Conference Room at The Paley Center for Media’s midtown Manhattan location at 25 West 52 Street."

Steve Ehrenberg Starts New Company

LiveBlog: "As announced on Facebook today, Steve Ehrenberg has started his own company. “Beginning Wednesday, July 1, I am delighted to announce the launch of my new company, Eberg Stage Solutions (www.ebergstagesolutions.com), a theatrical consulting and production management firm focusing on the development, construction, and renovation of theaters and entertainment venues, along with production management for live performance and events. Eberg Stage Solutions’ first client will be BASE Entertainment,” he reported."

Hey, Students, Be Geeks | Students using web to keep up with lives

Live Design: "Are you a computer nerd? A geek?
When I was teaching, my college lighting design students were all on Facebook. All of them, of course, still participate in one form or another in instant messaging, and nearly all of them have a laptop of some caliber in which to keep up with these sites online. They read email while they’re sitting in the library or theatre and have something to do to occupy their free time. Few of them use their laptops or desktops to the limit of their extents by any means, but most know the basic concepts of things like networking and applications."

From Chicago To Washington ... Falls’ Lear Remounted Three Years Later

Live Design: "To kick off his 20th anniversary season as artistic director of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, Robert Falls pulled out all the stops to mount an intense and intensely violent version of Shakespeare’s King Lear with a series of stunning visuals, complements of a design team including set designer Walt Spangler, Ana Kuzmanic for costumes, and Michael Philippi on lighting. Cast as Lear was Stacy Keach."

Goboland Offers Free iPhone App for Gobo Info

PLSN: "Goboland released its full catalog as a free App for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. Named 'Black Steel Gobo Catalogue 1.0,' the App can be downloaded through iTunes at no cost."

Comedy Festival Roof Collapses, No One Hurt

PLSN: "An outdoor roofing structure for the Grand Rire Comedy Festival collapsed amid wet, windy weather at about 7:30 a.m. June 30 in Quebec City’s Place d’Youville, near the city’s historic district. No one was hurt."

Out of Africa: Award-winning African plays find a new home in British theatres

The Independent: "There is, once again, something new out of Africa. A slew of award-winning and critically acclaimed plays with their roots in that continent is shaking up Britain's theatre stages with vibrant tales of death, rebellion and escaped moose."

Mnouchkine’s Actors Bicker Over Fish, Soccer at Armory

Bloomberg.com: "It is not always easy with avant- garde works to tell what is true innovation and what is self- serving eccentricity. Case in point: “Les Ephemeres” (The Mayflies), from Theatre du Soleil (Theater of the Sun), a Paris troupe that Ariane Mnouchkine, a descendant of Russian emigres, runs as a commune."

Jay Leno's 3D Printer Solves Antiquated Parts Woes

Toologics.com | Professional Tool: "TV show host and noted classic car collector Jay Leno had a problem. Many of his prized rare cars utilize parts that have been out of production for sometimes as long as one hundred years. In many cases, the only way to solve that problem was to go thru the very expensive and tedious process of hand machining individual parts. Until now."

Mass. loses big bucks on film tax breaks

Marketplace From American Public Media: "Massachusetts has been wooing film productions with tax breaks as a means of bringing money into the state. But its Department of Revenue says the state has lost more than $95 million due to the incentives."

The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger: "It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select"

Finding Nero's six degrees of separation

Berkeley Rep Blog: "Connections, connections, connections. I loved hearing about who in the cast and crew of You, Nero had worked together before. There's something kind of magical about how closely linked everyone seems to be."

Cats to return to West End

The Stage: "Equity is to launch a campaign to reintroduce theatre cats into London’s historic theatres, as part of the union’s ongoing bid to improve actors’ working conditions in the West End."

A PDF Wish Comes True!

CAD Management: "As I travel around presenting the latest release of AutoCAD, I find myself judging the new features by the response they elicit from the crowd. One thing is sure -- the new PDF enhancements in AutoCAD 2010 are a real crowd-pleaser! These new features are easy to understand, easy to conquer, and easy to find at the top of the AUGI wish list for many years."

Coming to a movie screen near you, the best in theater

csmonitor.com: "Theater lovers rejoice. The world's best stage productions are on their way to a movie house near you. Thanks to the digital revolution, everything from London's acclaimed National Theater production of Racine's masterwork 'Phèdre,' starring Helen Mirren, to the off-Broadway cult favorite 'Forever Plaid,' not to mention upcoming top Broadway musicals, are beaming into multiplexes from Reykjavik to Los Angeles – in high-definition and eventually 3-D, to boot."

CON'S OVER, FRIENDS REMAIN

New York Post: "GARTH Drabinsky, a real- life Max Bialystock who cooked the books and bankrupted Livent, his Broadway production company, may soon be doing his own rendition of 'Prisoners of Love.'"

Daniel Craig, Hugh Jackman Will Play Chicago Cops on Broadway

Bloomberg.com: "Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig are the latest movie stars to capitalize on Broadway’s celebrity fixation. They’ll star in “A Steady Rain,” a Chicago police drama opening in September, the producers announced today."

Cocky Billy Bigelow Sparks Berkshires ‘Carousel’

Bloomberg.com: "Barrington Stage Company, set amid lovely Berkshire Mountain landscapes in Pittsfield, is presenting “Carousel” in the two-piano version sanctioned by Rodgers and Hammerstein for smaller theaters such as this."

Smith and Wesson Hardhat

Toolmonger: "While sports-themed, bike-themed, and just plain girly hardhats have been spotted before, they all take second fiddle to Smith and Wesson’s hardhat. It comes with a four-point nylon ratchet suspension, a wide brim for protection against harmful UV rays, and is in compliance with ANSI Z89.1-2003"

New movie to be made in Philly; tax credits cited

Post Gazette: "James Brooks, the director who made such well-known movies as 'Terms of Endearment' and 'As Good As It Gets'' is heading to the Philadelphia area to shoot a new film, not yet titled."

Anyone can advertise on the NY Times! Except for guess whom?

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "I was reading a review on The Old Gray Lady the other day (not in print, mind you, but online) and I noticed an interesting ad appearing on the page."

Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's 'Doubt' invites speculation, conjecture

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "There's lots of room for speculation in John Patrick Shanley's play 'Doubt.'
The drama, which Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre begins performances of Thursday, focuses on a struggle carried on in the gray areas between fact and suspicion, instinct and knowledge, certainty and doubt."

Freeport Theatre Festival opens its season with an ode to Vandergrift's immigrant history

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Having devoted its first 19 years to bringing Alle-Kiski Valley history to life, Freeport Theatre Festival opens its 20th season with its spotlight on Vandergrift."

Review: CLO's 'Les Miserables' focuses on story and character

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Since its beginning more than two decades ago 'Les Miserables' has been one of those musical spectaculars that sent people home whistling the scenery.
Sure, there's an epic saga, based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel about the relentless struggle between Jean Valjean, a now-prosperous businessman with a criminal past, and Inspector Javert, who is obsessed with making Valjean continue to pay fully and endlessly for his decades-old crime — stealing a loaf of bread."

SummerBurgh bloggers' takes on 'Les Miserables'

Post Gazette: "The PG's SummerBurgh bloggers attended Tuesday's opening-night performance of Pittsburgh CLO's 'Les Miserables.' They have these reviews"

CLO's 'Les Miserables' impresses

Post Gazette: "Victor Hugo's powerful story of personal redemption amid the French Revolution and the enduring songs of the mighty musical it inspired continue to grab companies like Pittsburgh CLO by the lapels, daring them to attempt the marathon that is 'Les Miserables.'"

Michael mania spawns live events

Variety: "Capitalizing on the Michael Jackson mania prompted by the singer's death, plans are being made for several Jackson-related entertainment events.
Producers of 'Thriller -- Live,' the jukebox concert of the artist's songs currently playing on the West End, announced that the show would launch a world tour later this month."

Shakespeare Theatre Company to Furlough Employees Because of Economic Woes

washingtonpost.com: "The Shakespeare Theatre Company will furlough its 100-plus employees, including Artistic Director Michael Kahn, this summer to help the bottom line. The furloughs will be staggered."

Ex-‘Ragtime’ Producers Propose Lecture Tour to Pay for Fraud

Bloomberg.com: "Garth Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb, the former Broadway producers with hits like “Ragtime,” have proposed to go on a Canadian lecture tour as part of their sentence for defrauding investors of millions of dollars, a plan rejected by a prosecutor as “a drastic departure” from the norm."

The Container's captive audience

The Guardian: "A 40ft freight container, the sort you see trundling around on the backs of lorries, will be plonked outside the Young Vic theatre in London next week. It will stand there for a fortnight, acting as the hottest, sweatiest, darkest, most intimate theatrical space in the UK, home to Clare Bayley's play The Container, which won awards at Edinburgh in 2007."

Helpmann nominations

theatre notes: "The nominations for the Helpmann Awards, our national awards for the performing arts (yes, I know it's problematic), were announced earlier this week. I read them with lively interest: I was part of this year's theatre panel, and the secret ballot meant that I had as little idea as anyone what the results would be."

The Movie Prop-Hunters’ Museum

Props: "The prop man must scratch the word “can’t” from his vocabulary. The property man of the studio, the man who gets various articles that appear to make the setting realistic, has to know what to get for the studio to develop settings which the audience sees completed."

Why Hasn't The Recording Industry Sued Girl Talk?

Techdirt: "Peter Friedman has another wonderful post, discussing why music is the 'main battleground' in the copyright wars, raising a few good points -- including the idea that music master tapes are dying in vaults, causing locked up music to disappear, and highlighting a troubling series of case law decisions that seem to entirely ignore the concept of fair use when it comes to music (some of which we've discussed in the past here)."

Maximize Productivity Without Burning Out

WebwWorkerDaily: "I have definite workaholic tendencies that are starting to induce productivity-draining burnout. In addition to my freelance consulting practice, I am usually balancing a number of side projects, working on the board of a non-profit that I helped co-found, and attending various events around Portland to keep in touch with my freelancer peers and learn about new technologies. This isn’t the first time, I’ve had to deal with burnout."

Make Up Artist Needed for July 18

Craigslist: "I am in desperate need of a make up artist for my wedding on July 18th."

Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's 'Doubt' invites speculation, conjecture

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "There's lots of room for speculation in John Patrick Shanley's play 'Doubt.'
The drama, which Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre begins performances of Thursday, focuses on a struggle carried on in the gray areas between fact and suspicion, instinct and knowledge, certainty and doubt."

CLO's 'Les Miserables' focuses on story and character

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Since its beginning more than two decades ago 'Les Miserables' has been one of those musical spectaculars that sent people home whistling the scenery.
Sure, there's an epic saga, based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel about the relentless struggle between Jean Valjean, a now-prosperous businessman with a criminal past, and Inspector Javert, who is obsessed with making Valjean continue to pay fully and endlessly for his decades-old crime — stealing a loaf of bread."

Blood, Jewish History Feature at Avignon Festival

Bloomberg.com: "Bring warm clothes. That’s the advice Avignon Festival organizers are giving theatergoers planning to attend Wajdi Mouawad’s play “Le Sang des Promesses” (The Blood of Promises)."

EasyProjects.net: Does It Live Up to Its Name?

WebWorkerDaily: "Generally speaking, a worthwhile project isn’t easy. That said, the process can be made a little easier by using good project management software. EasyProjects.net certainly sounds like a good bet for some PM software that makes things easier, but can it live up to its own moniker?"

Resume Basics for Freelancers, Part 2

FreelanceSwitch: "If you’re hanging in with me and considering having a resume—yes, even though you freelance—the next step is to make sure your resume is written well."

Leatherman Knifeless Fuse

Toolmonger: "The Leatherman Knifeless Fuse is a combination tool that comes without a knife. Marketed for “knife-prohibitive situations,” the tool contains 13 standard tools (needlenose/regular pliers, two wire cutters, wire stripper, small/large/Phillips screwdrivers, scissors, file, can/bottle opener, 8″ ruler) that one would expect in a multi-tool."

Lawmaker: Film tax credit a reel ‘waste’

BostonHerald.com: "A film tax break meant to lure Hollywood blockbuster cash to the Bay State has been a huge flop for taxpayers, delivering only 15 cents in revenues for each dollar the state gave away to moviemakers, according to a Department of Revenue report."

In Praise of a Polish Theater Master

NYTimes.com: "Richard Schechner and Philip Arnoult, longstanding members of American theater’s avant-garde, chatted on the crowded staircase of The Centre for Study of Jerzy Grotowski’s Work and for Cultural and Theatrical Research as they waited in line for the final performance of Teatr Zar, an ensemble group that works and performs in the third-floor, red-brick room that was Grotowski’s workspace. „"

A Filmmaker Finds Her Play Is the Thing

NYTimes.com: "If the popular Chinese stage play “Design for Living” had first been conceived as a movie, the project would be categorized as being “in development.” After more than half a year of touring Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and China’s major cities, the most successful Mandarin-language contemporary theater production in recent memory is enjoying an impressive second run of 15 shows in Hong Kong through July 19, before going into hiatus for even more tweaking."

For Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil, the Vision Includes Lunch

NYTimes.com: "Good food is an essential element of any Théâtre du Soleil production. A lunch last week started with platters of salad, colorful mosaics of fresh greens, mangoes, tomatoes, eggs and pine nuts, followed by three kinds of pasta — all prepared by members of this renowned French troupe. Baguettes adorned each of the dozen or so tables set up in two solemn wood-paneled rooms at the Park Avenue Armory, where Soleil’s latest production, “Les Éphémères,” opens on Tuesday, the first night of the Lincoln Center Festival."

‘Oliver!’ and Other London Musicals, Outsize or Intimate

NYTimes.com: "Dress ’em to the teeth, or strip ’em down to their skivvies. That’s how London is treating its musicals these days. Broadway producers shopping the West End for souvenir song-and-dance shows to take home will find they come in two sizes: extra-large and loud (like the ear-blasting, eye-scalding “Sister Act” and “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”) or stylishly preshrunk (the scaled-down revivals of “La Cage aux Folles” and “A Little Night Music”). But it seems safe to say that none of them are going to be the next “Billy Elliot.”"

Hempfield playwright presents 'Threefer' at Pitt Greensburg

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Hempfield playwright and all-around theater guy John Carosella will open 'Threefer,' a trio of his own plays, Friday at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg."

Dance Alloy appoints new director, artistic director

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Pittsburgh's Dance Alloy Theater has appointed Greer Reed-Jones as artistic director and Susan Sparks as director, replacing executive artistic director Beth Corning, who left effective July 3."

Apple Hill Playhouse offers crowd-pleasing 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Apple Hill Playhouse has an ambitious undertaking next on its summer schedule with its production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical, 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'"

'Swan Lakes': a difference of day and night

Post Gazette: "American Ballet Theatre took a Dickensian twist at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center when a tale of two companies emerged in its final performances of 'Swan Lake.'"

Monty Python celebrates milestone

Variety: "A 40th anniversary celebration of comedy troupe Monty Python will include a one-night-only concert perf in London of “Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy),” the latest musical offering from “Spamalot” creatives Eric Idle and composer John Du Prez."

Livent producers learn fate Aug. 5

Variety: "The two-day sentencing hearing of former Broadway producer Garth Drabinsky and business partner Myron Gottlieb concluded Tuesday with another deferment."

Female playwrights find it's still a man's world

Newsday.com: "It is time to write this story again - you know, the one about the deck being stacked against women playwrights. Every few years, whether I want it or not, a study will emerge that proves, in hard numbers, the gender bias in favor of theater by men."

Mnouchkine’s Day in Life Is Seven Hours, 29 Scenes: Interview

Bloomberg.com: "The 12 intimate stories comprising “Les Ephemeres” include one by the epic drama’s celebrated French director Ariane Mnouchkine. Which story, she’s not divulging -- she prefers injecting a bit of mystery into the show."

Think it, Do it, Blog it: Mo'Olelo: Green Guidelines!

Think it, Do it, Blog it: Mo'Olelo: Green Guidelines!: "Seema Sueko from Mo'Olelo Performing Arts Company recently checked in about the progress of Mo'Olelo's Aha! project: the Green Theater Choices Toolkit Scorecard. If it all looks a little technical, don't worry, she enlisted the help of Eric Wilmanns of Brown & Wilmanns Environmental to help out with some handy definitions.
We have a proto-type for the Green Theater Choices Toolkit Scorecard!"

Creative Entrepreneurs

Carnegie Mellon University: "Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts has completed an intensive six-month research effort studying opportunities for individual artists to develop their careers in the local arts community in Pittsburgh."

Exactly who goes to Broadway TOURING shows anyway? Survey says . . .

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "Back in Feb., I posted a summary of the Broadway League's annual survey of the Broadway audience. Well guess, what? The League also surveys touring audiences in their member theaters all over the country."

London Stages Where Three Dimensions Aren’t Needed

NYTimes.com: "Send in the cartoons. I’ve come to regard this as the new mantra of the National Theater, and I don’t mean the usual business of human actors dressing up like animals and monsters out of Disney and Dreamworks children’s movies. The cartoons I’m talking about are the real thing: proper two-dimensional drawings that run and wriggle and bend all over stages that they graciously share with less supple flesh-and-blood co-stars. The artist Jeff Koons’s images of Popeye, now on view at the Serpentine Gallery, look sadly earthbound (as well as muscle-bound) compared with these spirited creations."

When Scott Met Irving ... or Didn’t - Roundabout’s ‘Tin Pan Alley Rag’ Offers a Musical History Lesson

NYTimes.com: "IT’S one of Mark Saltzman’s favorite moments in his play with music, “The Tin Pan Alley Rag,” and he won’t even take the credit. Near the end of the show, which imagines a meeting between the composers Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin, Joplin responds to a painful memory by playing “Bethena,” a ragtime waltz he wrote in 1905. And when he plays, nothing else happens. There are no words, no dances, no set changes. There’s just the sound of a classic piece of American music."

'Creating the Modern Stage' - At the Morgan Library - All the World’s a Well-Designed Stage

NYTimes.com: "Donald Oenslager, the great American set designer and a professor at the Yale School of Drama, wrote that “a sketch for a scene is as short-lived as the life of the theater it supports.”"

For Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil, the Vision Includes Lunch

NYTimes.com: "Good food is an essential element of any Théâtre du Soleil production. A lunch last week started with platters of salad, colorful mosaics of fresh greens, mangoes, tomatoes, eggs and pine nuts, followed by three kinds of pasta — all prepared by members of this renowned French troupe. Baguettes adorned each of the dozen or so tables set up in two solemn wood-paneled rooms at the Park Avenue Armory, where Soleil’s latest production, “Les Éphémères,” opens on Tuesday, the first night of the Lincoln Center Festival."

Cats, reptiles join forces in Apple Hill production

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Latrobe actor Rozella Hoffman has appeared in more than 100 community theater productions, but she's never played a Pterodactyl — until now.
Hoffman morphs into a flying, prehistoric reptile named Ptomy for Apple Hill Playhouse's latest children's show, 'The Cat in the Castle,' a musical by contemporary playwright Bill Solly."

Murrysville artist Bolick's exhibit gives 'visual voice' to wrongly convicted men

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For years, they were confined, ordered to await death by the state's needle or God's hand.
One man was incarcerated for 18 years for a rape and beating. DNA later proved his brother committed the crimes.
Another survived seven execution dates. He was finally acquitted in 2003 of the murder of a New Orleans hotel executive after the lead prosecutor confessed on his deathbed that he withheld crucial blood evidence in the case.
During the past year, Daniel Bolick, once a death penalty advocate, listened to their accounts of wrongful convictions, crushed lives and struggles to return to society after they were finally cleared of crimes prosecutors could no longer insist they committed."

Beefed-up orchestra to bolster 'Les Miz'

Post Gazette: "A production of the musical 'Les Miserables' can be monumental: the staging of a huge cast, prominent child roles, strong voices required for a half-dozen principal players ... and at Pittsburgh CLO, there's a week to get it all together."

How to improve your email etiquette

Manage Your Life on Shine: "Recently, I started using an old family friend as a travel agent. Before then, we’d never had occasion to email one another. From the start, I was shocked to find that she regularly wrote her emails exclusively in all uppercase letters. I politely mentioned that using all caps in an email is the equivalent of screaming in voice conversations and she said she appreciated the tip. Still, I couldn’t help wondering how a professional could get by today without mastering one of the most basic tenets of email manners."

American Repertory Theater Executive Director Robert J. Orchard To Retire

Stage Directions: "The American Repertory Theater has announced that Robert J. Orchard, executive director since the founding of the theatre company, had decided to retire at the end of the 2008-09 Season. Mr. Orchard agreed to stay on to help Artistic Director Diane Paulus launch the 2009-10 season, and support and advise her during the transition."

Broadway Bares 19.0 Raises $808,819 to Benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids

Stage Directions: "Broadway Bares 19.0: Click It! raised $808,819 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Both performances of Broadway Bares sold out faster than any previous edition with all 5,902 available tickets being sold by Friday, June 19. The first Broadway Bares in 1992 featured seven dancers stripping on a bar and raised over $8,000. Since then, the 19 editions of Broadway Bares have collectively raised over $6.5 million to benefit BC/EFA. The evening featured the work of 18 choreographers and 243 male and female dancers from Broadway’s biggest shows baring nearly all to benefit BC/EFA."

ESTA Foundation announces launch of eSET, web-based source for essential terminology used within entertainment technology industry

Live Design: "The ESTA Foundation announces the launch of eSET, a web-based source for essential terminology used within the entertainment technology industry, with over 2,200 terms selected and defined by industry leaders. From Lekos to Cheeseburgers, eSET cuts through the jargon and establishes clear terminology that will ensure better communication from region to region and person to person."

U2 Rehearsals, Part Two: The Temple of Attention

LiveBlog: "Sure, “The Claw” has been built, the lighting, video and PA have been flown in, and the final cues are being worked on even as you read this, all in preparation for the tour’s kickoff on Wednesday. But in going over interview footage I shot of both show director/designer Willie Williams and production designer Mark Fisher onsite at rehearsals in Barcelona last week, I picked up one something they both said that didn’t occur to me at the time. Because this structure is in the round, every vantage point has essentially the exact same backdrop: the audience."

ETC Intros New iPhone iRFR, Plans to Donate Proceeds

PLSN: "ETC is helping lighting technicians and programmers use their iPhones as lighting controllers. The company has released their iRFR (Radio Focus Remote for iPhone and iPod Touch), and said it would donate all the proceeds to industry-aid organizations Behind the Scenes and Light Relief."

ETCP Launches Web-Based Practice Exams

PLSN: "Starting July 15, candidates thinking of taking ETCP’s Rigger/Arena, Rigger/Theatre and Entertainment Electrician certification exams will have a new way to prepare for the tests. ETCP will be offering 50-question practice exams for each test for $35 at www.goamp.com."

Academy Gov. Leonard Engelman on new Oscar rules for Makeup/Hair award

Monsters and Critics: "Mr. Engelman presented his case to the Board of Governors Meeting for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that 'the present hiring process, makeup responsibilities, and the complications of the art today has made it increasingly difficult to properly recognize award achievement with two nominees (statues) and requested the number be revised to the possibility of three statues.”"

A Universe of fists and words

CharlotteObserver.com: "First rule of Fight Club: You DO NOT TALK about Fight Club!
Oh, well – blew that one. Might as well tell everything, now.
This “Fight Club” is Dylan Yates' theatrical adaptation, blending elements of the novel by Chuck Palahniuk and the movie script by Jim Uhls."

CMU designer makes moving art

Post Gazette: "It's hard to look away from 'Three Rooms,' a nontraditional work of digital art that's part of a new show opening in Mt. Lebanon."

New Mexico backs new film workshop

Variety: "New Mexico can now add Sundance cred to its filmmaker-friendly resume. The state is backing a workshop-style program for Native American and Hispanic helmers, initiated by Gov. Bill Richardson and Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford, to encourage new talent and develop media projects as well as provide technical training."

Entertainment Technician

Backstage Employment Network: "Carnival Cruise Lines is seeking professional Entertainment Technicians in the fields of Lighting, Audio (FOH), Backstage and Stage Automation looking to work aboard luxury cruise liners in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe"

Lighting designer/tech needed

Backstage Employment Network: "The LD is in charge of the lighting department with conventional and moving lights for concerts, festivals and corporate. It is helpful to be familiar with rigging, stage and sound."

Rivers Casino names restaurants, bars

Pittsburgh Business Times:: "“Our goal was not only to convey the character of each of the amenities in the Rivers, but to really reflect the character and class of Pittsburgh,” said Jim McKusick, president of Las Vegas-based advertising firm The Geary Co., in charge of advertising and branding for the Rivers Casino."

Budget woes threaten Pa. film tax break

Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/23/2009: "As next Tuesday's budget deadline looms, the drama that unites Harrisburg and Hollywood is: Will Pennsylvania film tax credits make the cut - or be cut?"

New digital media research centre to benefit Canadian film, television and interactive media industries

CNW Group: "Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning has been awarded a $2.3 million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada's College and Community Innovation Program to establish a unique new research centre for screen-based industries. NSERC's funding follows an initial $300,000 grant from the Ontario government's Ontario Media Development Corporation."

Film professional visit NMSU-Grants

Cibola Beacon - Grants, New Mexico: "The appearance was organized by the New Mexico Film Commission, IATSE Local 480 and the Navajo Nation as part of the “Kick Off Summer Tour” of Native American and Hispanic communities. The tour is designed to explain various non-acting career opportunities in the state's film industry."

IESNYC 2009 Lumen Awards Winners Announced

Briefingroom on LiveDesignOnline: "The New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC) announced the recipients of the 2009 Lumen Awards at the 41st Annual Lumen Gala held in New York City on June 10. The Lumen Awards publicly recognizes professionalism, excellence, and originality in lighting design."

U2 Rehearsals, Barcelona, Spain, Part One

LiveBlog: "Willie Williams is a remarkably calm man, but giving birth can do that to you. We’re inside Camp Nou, situated in a residential neighborhood in the hills above Barcelona, Spain, normally home to FC Barcelona of soccer fame but these days serving as the world’s largest maternity ward for the world’s largest baby. And Willie is sharing details of the birthing process as only a tired but proud papa can."

Chicago Model City Lit by Lightswitch Architectural

PLSN: "The Chicago Model City, which features a replica of Chicago’s downtown, is smaller than the real thing, and its “day” is a lot shorter — 15 minutes vs. 24 hours. The free exhibit, on display at the Chicago Architecture Foundation daily through Nov. 20, 2009, required Lightswitch Architectural to study the summer sun."

Lane named chairman of CMU’s Board of Trustees

Pittsburgh Business Times:: "Venture capitalist and former Oracle Corp. President Raymond Lane has been named chairman of Carnegie Mellon University’s Board of Trustees, effective July 1."

Celebration held for theater's 'go-to' guy

Herald News :: Local News: "For years, Robert Kelly of Joliet has been a familiar face behind the scenes at the Rialto Square Theatre.
He's mingled with celebrity performers, built sets, directed lights, even created an ice rink on the stage for an ice show."

What Is a Master’s Degree Worth?

NYTimes.com: "How do students know if an M.A. is worth it or not? What degrees might be worth getting, and which are not? How does a student weigh the risks and benefits of taking that intermediate step in higher education?"

Can arts save their way to health?

Arts and Entertainment: "“Arts organizations that consistently do good work and are aggressive about their marketing are the ones which succeed, both programmatically and financially.”"

Accessibility and the Arts

The White House: "Instead, these legendary arts institutions came to the White House to discuss accessibility to their institutions for people with disabilities. Such is the influence of the President, who has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to ensuring the inclusion of Americans with disabilities throughout the fabric of our country."

Views: Dear Plagiarist

Inside Higher Ed: "When you got your paper back with a grade of F for plagiarism, you reacted in predictable fashion -- with indignant denial of any wrongdoing. You claimed “you cited everything” and denied that you had committed intentional plagiarism, or ever would."

Mary Stuart (The SOB Review)

Steve On Broadway (SOB): "It was the best of times (and sigh!) it was the dullest of times.
Fortunately, once you sit through the extraordinarily dry exposition of the first act of Phyllida Lloyd’s ultimately worthy revival of Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart (with new adaptation by Peter Oswald), you’re in for one of the year’s most powerfully explosive acts, period."

Video of Walt Disney World's Obamabot

Boing Boing: "The Obamabot 3000 is ready to be unveiled at Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents, along with the Mark II George Washingtron ('Now with real talking action!') and a Gettysburg-complete Lincolnbot."

The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger: "It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select"

14 Push Block Plans + 11 Push Stick Plans: Save Your Paws from Table Saws!

ToolCrib.com Blog: "What’s the most dangerous power tool? Most woodworkers agree, it’s YOU. And right after that, the table saw :)
Staying safe on the table saw takes more than just push sticks and push blocks, but they are very important to keeping your paws (and your abdomen…) as safe as possible from the blade as well as kickback."

L.A. Jumping Through Hoops to Save Cirque

Los Angeles Business Journal Online: "The Los Angeles city government is stepping in to help save plans for a reconstruction of the Kodak Theatre so the home of the Oscars can accommodate Cirque du Soleil’s 10-year Hollywood-themed show.
L.A. developer CIM Group, which co-owns and operates the Kodak at Hollywood & Highland, is seeking a $30 million loan from the city to replace a private financing deal that collapsed in the capital market meltdown."

Go, Go, Go! Setting the Rules for “Rush” Projects

FreelanceSwitch: "A note about clients: They seem to want everything done yesterday. So it’s no shock when a client will come to you with a “rush” project.
As freelancers, it’s easy to get excited about a new gig and want to automatically accept it, but you should set some boundaries to make sure you don’t get wrapped up in your client’s drama—or get yourself into a tizzy!"

Experiment with Rendered Lighting in AutoCAD 2010

Between the Lines: "In this experiment I created a faux Las Vegas utra lounge design in 3D with AutoCAD 2010. For my custom light pipe floor lamps I created some vertical tubes made of plastic with a translucent helical orange plastic tube along the length then a base, lamp shade and a light illuminating from the top. I was also kicking around the idea of the lamp shades shaped like mushrooms just to be even more Las Vegas or Alice in Wonder’ish."

Tough economy forces closing of Cabaret Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Cabaret Pittsburgh, the group that sponsored a series of shows at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, Downtown, has been dissolved because of the 'economic downturn.'"

Actor Robert Cuccioli understands Javert's dilemma in 'Les Miserables'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For Broadway actor Robert Cuccioli, his appearance in 'Les Miserables' is a double pleasure.
He's happy to return to Pittsburgh for two back-to back shows at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera."

Curtain comes down on Pittsburgh Cabaret

Post Gazette: "Cabaret Pittsburgh, which showcased the talents of top-flight vocalists as well as emerging singers, is going out of business.
In a June 30 letter to supporters, Stephanie Riso, the nonprofit organization's founder, said the board of directors voted to dissolve the organization. She blamed the economic downturn."

Universal tunes 'Lagoon' at theme park

Variety: "Universal has been keeping its classic monsters in the spotlight with film reboots. Now the studio is adding a tuner to the mix.
The company raised the curtain this week on musical 'Creature From the Black Lagoon -- A Raging Rockin' Show' at its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park."

Have we seen the last of the looooong running musical?

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "I've written about long running shows by decade before, but I felt the subject deserved another look as a whole."

Captioned performances at Trinity Repertory

SRI at Home: "Good news for anyone who’s enthusiasm for the theatre has been curbed by deteriorating hearing.
The Trinity Repertory Company has been successful in securing the funding necessary to provide open captioning for its performances in Providence, according to a mailing list for The Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf & Hard of Hearing."

'Little Mermaid' Sets Final Broadway Swim

Backstage: "'The Little Mermaid' is set for its final Broadway swim.
The lavish musical based on the Disney animated film will close Aug. 30 after a 20-month run, producer Thomas Schumacher announced Tuesday.
'As much as it hurts to do, it's the best thing to do ... for the show because it allows 'Mermaid' to its maximize its audiences now during the summer,' said Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions."

'Oleanna' will move to Broadway this fall

Los Angeles Times: "At long last, 'Oleanna' is going to Broadway.
The revival of David Mamet’s 1992 play, starring Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman and directed by Doug Hughes, opened at the Mark Taper Forum on June 5 to largely positive reviews. It will open at the John Golden Theater on Oct. 11."

N.Y.U. Hosts Theater Awards for High School Stars

NYTimes.com: "Fresh off his victory in the first-ever National High School Musical Theater Awards, Stephen Mark was ready to lace up his dancing shoes. Only he already had them on."

Goodman cancellation infuriates head of Austrian festival

The Theater Loop - News from America's hottest theater city: "The Goodman Theatre's decision to cancel its planned fall production of 'Joan D'Arc' has sparked an international flap.
Cutting the show from the Goodman's schedule has provoked a furious response from Airan Berg, the artistic director of the performing arts component of the Linz09 cultural festival, held in the Austrian city of Linz."

MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH THREATENS BROADWAY'S 'THRILLER'

New York Post: "Although it's been chugging along doing fair business since January, the box office took in nearly $500,000 the day the Gloved One died. The rush for tickets hasn't let up since, and 'Thriller,' which few theater insiders here have bothered to see, is suddenly performing on par with such long-running hits as 'Hairspray,' 'The Lion King' and 'Mamma Mia!'"

How is Tony Voter turnout?

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "During my years an Assistant Company Manager on shows like Ragtime, managing Tony Voters was my job."

First Rehearsal to the Third Power

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Blog: "At Steppenwolf, there is a tradition around the first day of rehearsal. The entire Steppenwolf administrative and production staff pile into Yondorf rehearsal hall, and form a giant circle around the artists involved in the nascent production. The staff, actors, director and production team then introduce themselves – saying their names and what they do for Steppenwolf – and suddenly the sheer magnitude of persons involved in this single production is revealed."

Hoberman's Transformable Screen for the U2 360 Tour

Core77: "Hoberman Associates has teamed up with Innovative Designs to create the Expanding Video Screen, a transformable elliptical screen for the U2 360° Tour. Based on Hoberman's patented Iris structure, this 'fusion of architecture, stage scenery and extreme technology' stretches upwards to form a 7-story cone around the band, displaying footage directed by the Irish artist Catherine Owens."

Fireworks! Ragtime Will Return to Broadway Oct. 23

Playbill News: "The news has been buzzed about for weeks, and on July 1 producers made it official: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' recent all-new and critically acclaimed production of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Ragtime, based on the E.L. Doctorow novel, featuring direction and choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, will begin Broadway previews Oct. 23 at the Neil Simon Theatre. Opening is Nov. 15."

Actor Robert Cuccioli understands Javert's dilemma in 'Les Miserables'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For Broadway actor Robert Cuccioli, his appearance in 'Les Miserables' is a double pleasure.
He's happy to return to Pittsburgh for two back-to back shows at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera."

South Park Theatre gives 'Pied Piper' a dose of humor

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The funny tale of a frustrated rat-catcher and the stubborn, comical rodents he pursues will play out this week on the outdoor stage of South Park Theatre, where families can stretch out on the lawn with blankets and chairs and enjoy the live show."

Pittsburgh's Kellys awards rise to national level as New York's Jimmys

Post Gazette: "A 19-year-old Pittsburgh brand made a boffo bow in the Big Apple Monday night, as the first National High School Musical Theater Awards, closely patterned after Pittsburgh CLO's annual Gene Kelly Awards, charmed an appreciative audience at New York University's Skirboll Center."

Met Opera, stagehands strike deal

Variety: "The Metropolitan Opera and stagehands' union Local One have struck a deal, postponing a promised salary increase this summer in exchange for an extra year on the current contract, with the raise to come a year from now."