WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports
WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports: A classic fairy tale will come to life on the stage this weekend when the Alabama Dance Theatre puts on its production of Peter Pan. Just like in the story,
the dancers in this ballet will fly above the stage!
Monday, February 29, 2016
What's It Like to Stage-Manage the Most Mishap-Prone Show on Broadway?
Frayn said Noises Off was inspired after witnessing a backstage fiasco while a farce he had written was going on. "It was funnier from behind than in front," he once said.
31st Street Studios movie facility in Pittsburgh facing foreclosure
English National Opera's Chorus Votes to Strike
The New York Times: Chorus members at the English National Opera here voted on Friday to strike over proposed layoffs and salary cuts.
Members of the chorus, who hold salaried positions with the opera company, will stage a strike during the first act of the March 18 performance of Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten,” Equity, the union that represents them, said in a statement.
Members of the chorus, who hold salaried positions with the opera company, will stage a strike during the first act of the March 18 performance of Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten,” Equity, the union that represents them, said in a statement.
“Theatre Is a Great Equalizer”: Alzheimer’s, Humor, and Actors Who Stutter
HowlRound: We live in fairly liberated times, but we still struggle with a number of taboos, including stuttering, dementia, and death. Todd Cardin, Philadelphia actor, standup comedian, and playwright, took on both dementia and the fear of dying in his daring Alzheimer’s: The Musical, a one-act play. It tackled these serious subjects with honesty and a sense of humor rarely featured onstage.
The 20 Most Popular Neighborhoods For Renters in Pittsburgh
The Zumper Blog: To find the most popular neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, we created a Popularity Index that covers city listing data from the past quarter. The Popularity Index was calculated by incorporating the number of listings in a neighborhood, the number of unique messages sent to landlords/brokers within a neighborhood, and the portion of traffic captured in a neighborhood in correspondence to total city traffic.
Too Young to Take Over, Too Old to Ignore
HowlRound: I used to think I would cease to be a young playwright in college. Then, I would not only have aged out of all of the dazzling competitions that organized my teenage years, but I would also be eighteen, an age so magical you earned a different driver’s license and could buy a lottery ticket. In high school, I was incredibly lucky—I found a community of young writers who exchanged opportunities the way my sister’s friends exchanged music videos, and I had the extraordinary privilege of participating in programming that supported my passion.
AutoCAD Keyboard Shortcuts, easy productivity hack!
cadsetterout.com: When it comes to interacting with AutoCAD, for better or worse we all fit somewhat into one of three user types:
The Keyboard King – he/she works almost exclusively with the keyboard and mouse, and takes pride in having memorised many of the commands within AutoCAD.
The Mixed Master – he/she likes to mix it up opting for a combination of keyboard-entered commands as well as the occasional use of AutoCAD’s toolbars and ribbons.
The Ribbon Navigator – he/she navigates the sea of AutoCAD ribbons and toolbars with ease, and finds comfort in doing so.
The Keyboard King – he/she works almost exclusively with the keyboard and mouse, and takes pride in having memorised many of the commands within AutoCAD.
The Mixed Master – he/she likes to mix it up opting for a combination of keyboard-entered commands as well as the occasional use of AutoCAD’s toolbars and ribbons.
The Ribbon Navigator – he/she navigates the sea of AutoCAD ribbons and toolbars with ease, and finds comfort in doing so.
Beautiful and Unusual Performance Spaces
“27”
Concerts And Legal Weed
Pollstar: While the film chronicles how legal pot is changing the newspaper business, Baca told The Real that Colorado’s music promoters haven’t found a way to grab a piece of the $1 billion a year industry.
“I think we will get to a point where you can sell and buy marijuana at a music venue,” the Cannabist editor told The Real. “I don’t know where that’s going to happen first, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Nevada.”
“I think we will get to a point where you can sell and buy marijuana at a music venue,” the Cannabist editor told The Real. “I don’t know where that’s going to happen first, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Nevada.”
Oklahoma State professor says play censored over transgender identity themes
www.insidehighered.com: A play written and set to be performed by Oklahoma State University theater students was scuttled in the early planning stages, their professor says, after the department learned it would deal with gender and transgender issues. The university denies censorship but acknowledges that it blocked the play from being performed as planned and allowed it only to be produced in a less prominent setting.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
NFTRW Weekly Top Five
Here are the top five comment generating articles of the past week:
These Photos Show How Fucking Hard It Is To Put On A Theatre Show
www.buzzfeed.com: In the lead up to opening night, set builder Boaz Shemesh took his iPhone behind the scenes to reveal how he made the stage look like a British country estate from 1809, as well as when the time jumps to the 1990s.Standing Ovations Should Be Reserved for Productions That Earn It
OnStage: What began as a casual thought about standing ovations these days, became, as I sat down to write, something of a tricky process, because standing ovations are a highly subjective response to theatrical stimuli; individual to the person on their feet. I watched a performance recently which, in my opinion, was very well done, although the script (again, in my opinion) did not lend itself to a standing ovation. Heartfelt, though seated applause, and quiet reflection on what's just been seen, perhaps. Yet all around me, people were getting to their feet to applaud in what seems these days to have become a meaningless, borderline trivial gesture. Something you're expected to do when a show is over.Professional mermaids work their tails off
CNN.com: Jumping into a pool of women and men wearing fish tails is like being in an aquarium where characters from a familiar Walt Disney movie have come to life.
The multicolored fins bedazzle the startled swimmer with their sparkles and their synthetic scales light up the chlorinated water. The mermaids, mermen and merchildren look at ease free diving up to 15 feet deep, their eyes wide open and their mouths fixed into effortless toothy-smiles. But what looks easy to these "merfolk," has actually taken a lot of time, practice and money.Are We Living in a New Golden Age of Musical Theatre?
Playbill: Somehow, when we weren't looking, it became cool to be a musical theatre fan. No longer relegated to a “niche market,” musical theatre has captured the national spotlight in recent years. Movie musicals are now a staple of Hollywood's peak holiday release season—with Into the Woods debuting Christmas Day of 2014 and Les Misérables garnering unprecedented attention for live singing on Christmas 2012. The 85th Academy Awards included a 12-minute tribute to movie musicals, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Chicago, which ushered in a resurgence of the bygone art form.14 Ways Doing Theater As A Kid Can Help You As An Adult
www.buzzfeed.com: In school there are make-up tests and project extensions, but in theater the show must always go on, whether or not you’re ready. Being in a play teaches you (forces you, actually) to find creative ways of meeting your deadline and coming up with effective shortcuts in your work.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Controlling SPL From Front To Back. Part One
Pro Sound Web: During the intermission she leaned over the mixer complaining that the sound in Row 3 was making her ears vibrate.
My patient assurances that we would do what we could to help were interrupted by the guy from the back row who leant over the effects rack and yelled “hey buddy, are you mixing? ‘cos we can’t hear anything at the back!”
My patient assurances that we would do what we could to help were interrupted by the guy from the back row who leant over the effects rack and yelled “hey buddy, are you mixing? ‘cos we can’t hear anything at the back!”
Hollywood Diversity Shouldn’t Be a Goal But a Reality
Sam Jacob: "The copy is both despised and feared"
Jessica Chastain, Queen Latifah and More Launch Non-Profit Production Company to Tackle Gender Gap
Variable Frequency Drives: Types of Drives and the Benefits of Using Them in Hoists and Cranes
blog.cmworks.com: A variable frequency drive, or VFD, is a type of AC motor controller that drives an electric motor by varying the frequency and voltage supplied to it. VFDs are also commonly known as variable speed or adjustable speed drives, AC drives, micro-drives or inverters – depending on the industry or application.
Watch: 'Eclipsed' Playwright Danai Gurira Argues for the Need for Female Characters of Color
Women and Hollywood: When the Liberia-set war drama "Eclipsed" makes its Broadway debut on March 6, it will mark the very first time that a Great White Way production's cast, writer and director are all women.
The Hollywood diversity fix
For the second year in a row, there are no people of color nominated for Oscars in any acting category. In protest, a social-media storm erupted, as did a Black-celebrity-endorsed boycott.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — led by Cheryl Boone Isaacs, its first African-American president — responded with plans to diversify the Oscar-bestowing organization’s membership by 2020.
20 of Hollywood's Biggest Male Stars Have Never Worked With a Female Director
Black and Gay on The Great White Way: The Rise of the Gay Black Hero in Theatre
The BFI Promotes Cultural Diversity With Standards For Funding
Variety: Long before the lack of minority nominees for this year’s Oscars led to a controversy that motivated the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to examine ways it can improve diversity among its membership, the U.K. film business was working on a strategy to improve cultural representation in its ranks.
In Plagiarism Lawsuit, Jimmy Page Describes the Creation of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"
Hollywood Reporter: On Thursday, Led Zeppelin guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Page gave a remarkable declaration in court where he admits to discovering a copy of Spirit's first album in his record collection. He's currently fending off a lawsuit brought by the heirs of Spirit's own guitarist, Randy Craig Wolfe, who contend that the famous song "Stairway to Heaven" derived from a 2-minute, 37-second instrumental titled "Taurus" from Spirit's 1968 album.
UCLA's Hollywood Diversity Report Demonstrates the Benefits of Inclusive Casting
Women and Hollywood: #OscarsSoWhite is an ugly symptom of an ugly problem that goes deeper than one particular awards show. The third annual Hollywood Diversity Report from the UCLA Bunche Center details just how entrenched racism is in Hollywood. The comprehensive research also reveals that the entertainment industry suffers financially as a result of its misguided attempts to cater to white (and perceived to be racist?) consumers.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
12 Off-Broadway Theatres Earn Seal of Approval from LPTW
Stage Directions: The League of Professional Theatre Women awarded 12 Off-Broadway theatres with their new “Seal of Approval.” LPTW’s Seal of Approval “honors leaders in the theatre community who have demonstrated commitment to gender parity in their hiring practices.” There are two types of seals: Gold and Silver. The LPTW Gold Seal is awarded to theatres in which 50% of playwrights or 50% of directors (or both) hired in the last 5 seasons were women. The LPTW Silver Seal is awarded to theatres in which 50% of playwrights or 50% of directors (or both) hired in the most recent season were women.
Benedum concert boldly celebrates 50 years of 'Star Trek' music
TribLIVE: In celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek,” or the Original Series, as it's now called, that music is getting the concert-hall treatment with “Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage” on March 1 at the Benedum Center.
The concert is one of more than 100 being held in North America through the end of April. It features conductor Justin Freer and the Czech National Symphony performing music from the many TV series and movies in the franchise, while iconic footage plays in high-definition on a 40-foot-wide screen.
The concert is one of more than 100 being held in North America through the end of April. It features conductor Justin Freer and the Czech National Symphony performing music from the many TV series and movies in the franchise, while iconic footage plays in high-definition on a 40-foot-wide screen.
Copyright Office Decides To Rewrite Copyright Law Itself, Blesses A 'Making Available' Right That Isn't There
Techdirt: The Copyright Office has decided to take a stance on copyright law that requires two slightly odd things. First, it requires ignoring what the Copyright Act actually says and then, separately, it requires pretending that the law says something that it clearly does not say. That's pretty incredible when you think about it.
Familiar 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' friends dropping by the Byham
TribLIVE: Old friends from the “Neighborhood” are coming home.
It's little wonder that tickets for the upcoming Pittsburgh performances of “Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live,” a show inspired by “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood” and produced by the Fred Rogers Co., have been selling quite well with limited ticket availability, according to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust spokeswoman Diana Roth.
After all, Pittsburgh is where it all began.
It's little wonder that tickets for the upcoming Pittsburgh performances of “Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live,” a show inspired by “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood” and produced by the Fred Rogers Co., have been selling quite well with limited ticket availability, according to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust spokeswoman Diana Roth.
After all, Pittsburgh is where it all began.
New player TodayTix targets younger Broadway theatergoers
Theater Cues: There’s a new way to get tickets to Broadway shows and theater owners are not being very welcoming. Designed to make ticket buying easier and targeting Millennials, TodayTix has $16 million in venture capital and has expanded to four other American cities and to London.
Tax incentives attract filmmaking to Ireland
Variety: Changes to Ireland’s film and TV production tax incentive now make the country one of the most generous production environments in the world.
On Jan. 1, 2015, Ireland upped its tax incentive, known as Section 481, from 28% to 32% and amended the credit so that non-European Union talent, including Hollywood actors and actresses, will count as part of the qualifying expenditure.
On Jan. 1, 2015, Ireland upped its tax incentive, known as Section 481, from 28% to 32% and amended the credit so that non-European Union talent, including Hollywood actors and actresses, will count as part of the qualifying expenditure.
Cornerstone: Theatre in 4D (No glasses required)
HowlRound: “I sit Californians down in rooms and ask them ‘Do you feel like Californians?’” Sebastia says pointedly, stranded by Prosper’s tempest on a mountain island with handpicked residents from the golden state. “Most of them? Most of them say ‘No’…”
As a Cornerstone artist, I am often not of the community we are working with—an outsider, if you will. So the work calls for a balance between entering the community as a guest while hosting a co-creative process.
As a Cornerstone artist, I am often not of the community we are working with—an outsider, if you will. So the work calls for a balance between entering the community as a guest while hosting a co-creative process.
These Photos Show How Fucking Hard It Is To Put On A Theatre Show
www.buzzfeed.com: In the lead up to opening night, set builder Boaz Shemesh took his iPhone behind the scenes to reveal how he made the stage look like a British country estate from 1809, as well as when the time jumps to the 1990s.
How Skokie Theatre embraced the art of cabaret
Chicago Tribune: Cabaret often has been called "the fragile art," but for Chicago-area listeners it's becoming a bit less fragile.
That's because a smartly refurbished suburban movie theater has given cabaret performers and their followers an inviting new home.
That's because a smartly refurbished suburban movie theater has given cabaret performers and their followers an inviting new home.
The Met Will Stage an Opera Composed by a Woman for the First Time in More Than a Century
jezebel.com: I am judging L’Amour de Loin exclusively and non-expertly from clips I am currently consuming on YouTube—including the above trailer from an incredibly striking, spare, psychotically pretty staging of the opera at the State Theater in Linz, Austria—but the first woman-composed opera to be staged at the Met since 1903 looks extremely tight.
The Full Monty at Carnegie Mellon
Pittsburgh City Paper: When The Full Monty opened on Broadway, in October 2000, it looked as if there would be a Tony Award sweep for this musical version of the popular British film about a group of unemployed steelworkers staging a strip show to raise cash.
Standing Ovations Should Be Reserved for Productions That Earn It
OnStage: What began as a casual thought about standing ovations these days, became, as I sat down to write, something of a tricky process, because standing ovations are a highly subjective response to theatrical stimuli; individual to the person on their feet. I watched a performance recently which, in my opinion, was very well done, although the script (again, in my opinion) did not lend itself to a standing ovation. Heartfelt, though seated applause, and quiet reflection on what's just been seen, perhaps. Yet all around me, people were getting to their feet to applaud in what seems these days to have become a meaningless, borderline trivial gesture. Something you're expected to do when a show is over.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
“You can’t make up the viciousness of Hollywood”: Zoe Cassavetes skewers the family industry and how it treats women over 40
Salon.com: Writer/director Zoe Cassavetes’ grew up in the rarefied air of Hollywood. Her late father is the maverick independent filmmaker John Cassavetes, and her mother is the incomparable actress Gena Rowlands. Her sophomore feature, “Day Out of Days,” now available on VOD, is a caustic look at the life of Mia Roarke (Alexia Landeau), a 40 year-old actress struggling to make it in Hollywood.
Professional mermaids work their tails off
CNN.com: Jumping into a pool of women and men wearing fish tails is like being in an aquarium where characters from a familiar Walt Disney movie have come to life.
The multicolored fins bedazzle the startled swimmer with their sparkles and their synthetic scales light up the chlorinated water. The mermaids, mermen and merchildren look at ease free diving up to 15 feet deep, their eyes wide open and their mouths fixed into effortless toothy-smiles. But what looks easy to these "merfolk," has actually taken a lot of time, practice and money.
The multicolored fins bedazzle the startled swimmer with their sparkles and their synthetic scales light up the chlorinated water. The mermaids, mermen and merchildren look at ease free diving up to 15 feet deep, their eyes wide open and their mouths fixed into effortless toothy-smiles. But what looks easy to these "merfolk," has actually taken a lot of time, practice and money.
Are We Living in a New Golden Age of Musical Theatre?
Playbill: Somehow, when we weren't looking, it became cool to be a musical theatre fan. No longer relegated to a “niche market,” musical theatre has captured the national spotlight in recent years. Movie musicals are now a staple of Hollywood's peak holiday release season—with Into the Woods debuting Christmas Day of 2014 and Les Misérables garnering unprecedented attention for live singing on Christmas 2012. The 85th Academy Awards included a 12-minute tribute to movie musicals, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Chicago, which ushered in a resurgence of the bygone art form.
Theater and Health Science Students Partner to Save Lives
www.ohio.edu: Students currently in rotation at the SHAPe Clinic, part of the School of Health Sciences and Wellness, performed extrication drills in the lighting grid of The Forum Theater, recently.
Dr. Jeff Russell led teams of undergraduate and graduate students in the simulation of safe and effective removal of injured bodies from the complex environment of a lighting grid, a maze-like structure of steel platforms, lighting equipment and power cables hanging high above the theater stage.
Dr. Jeff Russell led teams of undergraduate and graduate students in the simulation of safe and effective removal of injured bodies from the complex environment of a lighting grid, a maze-like structure of steel platforms, lighting equipment and power cables hanging high above the theater stage.
Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest at Pittsburgh Public Theater
Program Notes | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: This year's competition, actually a two-week affair, began with the preliminary rounds Feb. 4-12, at Downtown’s O’Reilly Theater. Teams of judges chose 42 finalists who competed at a showcase at the theater on Feb. 15.
Sir Patrick Stewart and More Familiar Faces Take the Shakespeare Insult Challenge
The Mary Sue: Shakespeare nerds! (And other nerds!) Are you looking for an outlet for all the pent up old-timey insults you’ve got floating around in your brain just waiting to be hurled? Well stop just biting your thumb at people and do something about it!
What It’s Really Like to Work in Hollywood (*If you’re not a straight white man.)
The New York Times: The statistics are unequivocal: Women and minorities are vastly underrepresented in front of and behind the camera. Here, 27 industry players reveal the stories behind the numbers — their personal experiences of not feeling seen, heard or accepted, and how they pushed forward. In Hollywood, exclusion goes far beyond #OscarsSoWhite.
The Magic’s in the Glass
Rosco Spectrum: For a production of The Tempest at Western Illinois University, I needed to create a world that complemented the “geode design,” constructed by scenic designer Tammy Honesty – while still playing with the magic that was at the heart of the play.
Entrepreneurship, Carnegie Mellon-Style
www.cmu.edu/news: A 6-year-old sits down and draws a racetrack with crayons. Her dad captures an image of the project, and minutes later the two of them are racing cars with their fingertips on a tablet screen.
Playsketch, a Portuguese startup company, offers its consumers the ability to sketch an idea and bring it to life as a playable video game. Co-founders Luís Lucas Pereira and Pedro Machado Santa recently visited Pittsburgh to take their concept to market using contacts and entrepreneurial lessons learned from Carnegie Mellon University.
Playsketch, a Portuguese startup company, offers its consumers the ability to sketch an idea and bring it to life as a playable video game. Co-founders Luís Lucas Pereira and Pedro Machado Santa recently visited Pittsburgh to take their concept to market using contacts and entrepreneurial lessons learned from Carnegie Mellon University.
6 Pieces of Advice From TEDxBroadway
Backstage: Theater lovers convened at New World Stages in New York City for the fifth annual TEDxBroadway earlier this week.
Curated for the TED Talks format to inspire artists, shed light on pressing issues facing the community, and draw parallels between unlikely passions, the full day of talks featured 20 speakers
Curated for the TED Talks format to inspire artists, shed light on pressing issues facing the community, and draw parallels between unlikely passions, the full day of talks featured 20 speakers
Inaugural San Diego Theatre Week promotes the performing arts
SanDiegoUnionTribune.com: The people behind San Diego Theatre Week have been toying with a catchy slogan lately to try and capture the welcoming feel of this first-ever event: Something like, “Leave your house, come into ours.”
A work in progress, maybe — but then just about everything about Theatre Week is an experiment, at least so far as San Diego performing arts go.
And yet when it launches on Monday, the fledgling festival will be throwing open the doors to a whole lot of houses.
A work in progress, maybe — but then just about everything about Theatre Week is an experiment, at least so far as San Diego performing arts go.
And yet when it launches on Monday, the fledgling festival will be throwing open the doors to a whole lot of houses.
14 Ways Doing Theater As A Kid Can Help You As An Adult
www.buzzfeed.com: In school there are make-up tests and project extensions, but in theater the show must always go on, whether or not you’re ready. Being in a play teaches you (forces you, actually) to find creative ways of meeting your deadline and coming up with effective shortcuts in your work.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
A Case Against Virtual Reality
Hooke: Virtual Reality is emerging from its awkward teenage years (the 80’s and 90’s) and is ready for primetime. Billons of dollars have already been invested in VR with trillions more on the sidelines. Blue Chips, celebrities, Hollywood studios, and huge tech conglomerates are placing big bets. Individuals are quitting their day jobs to start new websites, blogs, podcasts, meet-ups, conferences, plug-ins, engines, you name it just to keep in step with VR. It is a forgone conclusion that Virtual Reality is real and is going to be massive; to suggest otherwise is met with incredulity and name-calling.
5 Performers You Need to Know in 2016
The Creators Project: Performance in 2016 is about drawing into question our understandings of reality, the world around us, and the roles we play within it. Breaking and creating new rules as they go, these five artists each subvert the status quo and help push their individual genres into exciting and uncharted territory. While the next big fad in the art world at large seems to be a move towards the digital realm, these performers are more interested in the exploration of human perception, relationships, and the binary codes of culture we’ve created that need to be systematically broken down and examined.
Teachers are using theater and dance to teach math — and it’s working
The Washington Post: The children puffed out their chests and mimicked drama teacher Melissa Richardson, rehearsing their big, booming “rhino voices.”
“Giant steps, giant steps, big and bold!” the kindergartners yelled in unison in a classroom at Westlawn Elementary in Fairfax County.
In groups, the children were then cast as animals and bugs: Big, stomping rhinos; delicate lady bugs skittering across the tile; leaping kangaroos and tiny frogs. All made their way to the classroom’s imaginary “water hole,” formed with blue tape.
“Giant steps, giant steps, big and bold!” the kindergartners yelled in unison in a classroom at Westlawn Elementary in Fairfax County.
In groups, the children were then cast as animals and bugs: Big, stomping rhinos; delicate lady bugs skittering across the tile; leaping kangaroos and tiny frogs. All made their way to the classroom’s imaginary “water hole,” formed with blue tape.
Tokyo students develop architectural 3D-printing pen
www.dezeen.com: A group of University of Tokyo students overseen by architect Kengo Kuma have developed a 3D-printing pen that can be used to create complex architectural structures out of plastic sticks.
John Oliver's Attack on Hollywood Whitewashing Is Both Sad and Hilarious
io9.gizmodo.com: Sometimes you sit in front of your TV and realize you’re watching something important. It happens quite often on HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Sunday’s episode was no exception. In addition to an incendiary piece about abortion laws, Oliver attacked Hollywood whitewashing.
2 decades later scholars to assess August Wilson’s shocking ‘race’ speech
Theater Cues: Twenty years ago, at the 1996 Theatre Communications Group (TCG) annual conference at McCarter Theatre Center, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright August Wilson delivered the event’s keynote address and blew the lid off the place.
I was there covering the three-day event for the Asbury Park Press as it’s Theater Writer.
“The Ground on Which I Stand” was simultaneously cheered and booed. I couldn’t believe the gamut of emotions from outrage to shouts of encouragement, people walking out and others nodding heads in agreement and applauding. The reactions to the speech which addressed questions of race, diversity, and cultural identity in the American Theater broke down along racial lines.
I was there covering the three-day event for the Asbury Park Press as it’s Theater Writer.
“The Ground on Which I Stand” was simultaneously cheered and booed. I couldn’t believe the gamut of emotions from outrage to shouts of encouragement, people walking out and others nodding heads in agreement and applauding. The reactions to the speech which addressed questions of race, diversity, and cultural identity in the American Theater broke down along racial lines.
Hollywood’s Diversity Problem Goes Deeper Than The Oscars
FiveThirtyEight: There was widespread criticism of the film industry last month after an all-white slate of actors and actresses was nominated for the Academy Awards, spawning the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. However, a new study shows that awards are just a symptom of Hollywood’s lack of diversity.
The study, conducted by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, evaluated the diversity of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity in hundreds of films and TV series released in 2014 and 2015.
The study, conducted by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, evaluated the diversity of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity in hundreds of films and TV series released in 2014 and 2015.
‘Come From Away’ Musical Set for Broadway in Spring 2017
Variety: “Come from Away,” the musical that earned enthusiastic reviews in an initial co-production at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theater, has mapped out a road to Broadway, landing in New York in spring 2017 following engagements in Washington, D.C. and Toronto.
Touring 'Twelfth Night' at Byham Theater puts spin on classic
TribLIVE: Ferdy Roberts admits that William Shakespeare used to terrify him.
“My brain doesn't work that way,” says Roberts, one of the three founders and artistic directors of Filter Theatre in London.
So, in 2006, when the Royal Shakespeare Company commissioned Filter Theatre to create a new production of Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night” Roberts and his co-artistic directors Ollie Dimsdale and Tim Phillips decided to create the sort of production they wanted to see.
“My brain doesn't work that way,” says Roberts, one of the three founders and artistic directors of Filter Theatre in London.
So, in 2006, when the Royal Shakespeare Company commissioned Filter Theatre to create a new production of Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night” Roberts and his co-artistic directors Ollie Dimsdale and Tim Phillips decided to create the sort of production they wanted to see.
Sandpaper Grits
Prop Agenda: We all know about sandpaper grit. The lower the grit, the more coarse the sandpaper is, while the higher the grit, the less material it removes (and the smoother you can make your surface). You may have noticed that sometimes the grit has a “P” preceding the number. What does that mean?
Watch the original cast’s Grammy-stealing performance of “Alexander Hamilton”
Salon.com: Minutes before surprising nobody by nabbing the Grammy for “Best Musical Theater Album,” the cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “hit”-barely-covers-what -it’s-become musical “Hamilton” electrified the audience with a performance of the show’s opening number, the appropriately titled “Alexander Hamilton,” piped in via satellite from the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City.
Playwright Lynn Nottage: theatre is the last bastion of segregation
Stage | The Guardian: American playwright Lynn Nottage has criticised the lack of racially diverse stories being produced on major stages and described theatre as the “last bastion of segregation”.
Nottage was in London to receive the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn prize for female playwrights at a ceremony at the National Theatre in London, one of three black women shortlisted for the global prize.
Nottage was in London to receive the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn prize for female playwrights at a ceremony at the National Theatre in London, one of three black women shortlisted for the global prize.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Review: Pittsburgh Opera production about Gertrude Stein a winner
TribLIVE: Pittsburgh Opera unfurled a winning new production of Ricky Ian Gordon's opera “27” on Feb. 20 at its headquarters in the upper Strip District.
The title refers to the street address, 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris, where American writer Gertrude Stein lived most of her life and held famous weekly salons that attracted many of the most famous artists of her time. Although some of those artists appear in the opera, which takes place entirely in her salon, “27” is firmly focused on Stein as seen through the eyes of her wife, Alice B. Toklas.
The title refers to the street address, 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris, where American writer Gertrude Stein lived most of her life and held famous weekly salons that attracted many of the most famous artists of her time. Although some of those artists appear in the opera, which takes place entirely in her salon, “27” is firmly focused on Stein as seen through the eyes of her wife, Alice B. Toklas.
Fashion Designers Imagine a Future Full of Coded Couture
The Creators Project: At first glance, fashion may seem technologically resistant. On the consumer level most of us have pretty much the same relationship with our clothes and accessories we always have, and we’re resistant to changing that—just look at what happened with Google Glass. But, as the minds behind the exhibit Coded_Couture point out, there is at least one massive similarity that fashion and tech share: both highly prize customization.
Scotch’n’Soda play is a new twist on a classic
The Tartan Online: Last Friday and Saturday, Scotch’n’Soda’s production of The Outsiders played at McConomy Auditorium in the Cohon Center. Based on a book by classic American author S.E. Hinton, the story explores themes of gang violence, youth, and social status.
The “Real World” Dilemma: Successfully Transitioning from Student to Practitioner in the Theatre Arts
HowlRound: I entered the freelance design world as an eager, young costume designer fresh out of a well-rounded, art-based MFA program.
My first professional gig was for a small local theatre company. I had interviewed with the producers months earlier, and was excited when they called and offered me a chance to design a show for their upcoming season. The company was successful and had a great reputation.
My first professional gig was for a small local theatre company. I had interviewed with the producers months earlier, and was excited when they called and offered me a chance to design a show for their upcoming season. The company was successful and had a great reputation.
Lunar Gala 2016 is absolutely stunning
The Tartan Online: This past Friday, Feb. 13, Carnegie Mellon’s annual Lunar Gala was held in Wiegand Gymnasium. This year was the show’s 20th anniversary, so the hype was pretty grand. With separate teams for producing, modeling, designing, dancing, tech, and others, this event really showcases the incredible passion of Carnegie Mellon students who have spent much of last semester and January preparing for it. But I know that’s not why you’re reading this article. So without further adieu, let’s review the good, the bad, and the downright strange looks that graced LG’s 20th anniversary stage.
Is Your Theatre Only “Diverse and Inclusive” Twice a Year?
HowlRound: I am not known for throwing around “the race card.” But every now and then, it’s thrown on me, especially in the arts. And, when I took a position in building new audiences, but only for the black plays, things really hit home. After this experience, I would like to help devise the best practices in new audience development, and suggest beginning with genuine community engagement. But it took working this job I describe below, to get me here.
Stick to it! A resource list of tapes for designers.
ExhibiTricks: The Museum Exhibit Design Blog: Tape is one of those things that you often use, but rarely think about.
So here's a listing of a variety of speciality tapes for your creative design toolbox! Just click on the title link above each tape description to go to a web page to purchase that tape or for more info.
So here's a listing of a variety of speciality tapes for your creative design toolbox! Just click on the title link above each tape description to go to a web page to purchase that tape or for more info.
Greensburg's Palace Theatre celebrates 90 years
TribLIVE: This year, the crown jewel of Greensburg entertainment venues marks 90 years in the business.
From its opening on Sept. 2, 1926, as the Manos Theatre, to its acquisition in 1990 by the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, predecessor of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, the site of the Palace Theatre has changed from hosting vaudeville acts to showing movies to regularly presenting local and national acts on its stage.
From its opening on Sept. 2, 1926, as the Manos Theatre, to its acquisition in 1990 by the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, predecessor of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, the site of the Palace Theatre has changed from hosting vaudeville acts to showing movies to regularly presenting local and national acts on its stage.
This Video Breaks Down The Fellowship of the Ring's Score, Reminds Us The Film Is Genius
io9.gizmodo.com: Everyone loves Lord of the Rings—novels, films, whatever. But for all the visual spectacle and amazing acting that fills up J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic come-to-life, the music is simply a masterpiece.
The Fellowship of the Ring has long been my go-to soundtrack for any D&D session, and The Nerdwriter breaks the score apart and reveals exactly why composer Howard Shore is such a master of music.
The Fellowship of the Ring has long been my go-to soundtrack for any D&D session, and The Nerdwriter breaks the score apart and reveals exactly why composer Howard Shore is such a master of music.
Brown Students Failing Classes Due To Activism, Details
collegecandy.com: It’s no secret that college students across the country are spending a lot of time protesting whatever is bugging them this week, but apparently they’ve been spending so much time on activism that they’re failing their classes.
An article from Brown University interviewed several students who claim they simply don’t have enough time to balance their schoolwork with their attempts to change the world. Ivy League students who choose protesting over their education.
An article from Brown University interviewed several students who claim they simply don’t have enough time to balance their schoolwork with their attempts to change the world. Ivy League students who choose protesting over their education.
The Full Monty
Pittsburgh in the Round: To all eager readers, yes you get a glimpse of naked men, but the surprising strength of The Full Monty isn’t in the stripping of clothes, but rather in the stripping of the pride and dignity of it’s unemployed and emasculated steelworkers. This blue collar group, lead by Nick Sacks as Jerry, carries the charisma of a faded high school football star, decides to regain their respect, money, and self-worth they will transform themselves into strippers for a one-night only event. I don’t know what it is about steel working and stripping that go so well together (I’m looking at you Jennifer Beals), but I’m not complaining.
Students sit fierce exam for a place in Shandong University of Arts and Design
Daily Mail Online: Nearly 7,000 students were pictured recently sitting for an entrance exam for Shandong University of Arts and Design in east China.
On February 16 the examinees sat patiently in the 200,000-square-foot hall of the Shungeng International Convention Center in Jinan city, reports the People's Daily Online.
With registration for the university on the rise, this year's competition has become much fiercer as the number of students set to be recruited by the university has shrunk.
On February 16 the examinees sat patiently in the 200,000-square-foot hall of the Shungeng International Convention Center in Jinan city, reports the People's Daily Online.
With registration for the university on the rise, this year's competition has become much fiercer as the number of students set to be recruited by the university has shrunk.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
NFTRW Weekly Top FIve
Here are the top five comment generating comments of the past week...
Students with consumer mindset ‘get lower grades’
Times Higher Education (THE): Students who see themselves as consumers rather than learners tend to perform more poorly academically, according to a study.
A survey completed by 608 students from 35 English universities formed the basis for the study, published in Studies in Higher Education, that found a “higher consumer orientation was associated with lower academic performance”.
Disney's $1 Billion Bet on a Magical Wristband
WIRED: If you want to imagine how the world will look in just a few years, once our cell phones become the keepers of both our money and identity, skip Silicon Valley and book a ticket to Orlando. Go to Disney World. Then, reserve a meal at a restaurant called Be Our Guest, using the Disney World app to order your food in advance.How the lifelike wax figures are made
Business Insider: For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been making wax figures that are so lifelike you might think you're standing next to the actual person they were modeled after.
Madame Tussauds' more than 20 global locations are home to wax figures of famous people like Jimmy Fallon, Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Lima, and even Barack Obama. The opportunity to take a photo with their favorite celebrities (even if in wax form) is highly appealing to tourists, and Madame Tussauds is usually packed.From Theatre to Film: Designing a New Career
HowlRound: You spend years in the theatre business, feel at the top of your game, and life throws you an unexpected wind of change. This is exactly what David Butler, a production designer based out of Buffalo, went through two years ago when the tax credits for film production companies began trickling into his town. Through recommendations from the theatre community, Butler got a call that changed the direction and focus of his career after three decades working as a designer. He notes, “There was a level of terror involved in the transition. I always thought that film would be fun to do, but I didn’t know the language.”Meet the man who can basically read President Obama’s mind
The Washington Post: Outside the Oval Office is a small rectangular room with two side-by-side, nondescript wooden desks. In one sits President Obama’s personal secretary. In the other is Brian Mosteller, the man who sweats the small stuff so that the president doesn’t have to.
Few have even heard of Mosteller, but if you look closely at photographs taken inside the White House, you can often glimpse him at the edge of the frame, omnipresent. From his chair, he is the only person in the White House with a direct view of the president at his desk. No one gets in the Oval Office without going past him.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Pittsburgh Musical Theater opens season with ‘Saturday Night Fever’
“My mom introduced me to a lot of different kinds of music,” said Lonesome who hails from Baltimore, but moved to Pittsburgh to attend Point Park University’s theater program in 2007. “She was a part of the tail-end of the disco scene she was in there getting down with everybody. We used to get down at Christmas time and any time.”
Mitsubishi Electric's "aerial display" projects images into mid-air
A Red Orchid Theatre receives $200k MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions
Seton Hill's 'Sweet Charity' performers hope to convey passion
The renowned Neil Simon musical comedy, which features big dance numbers and classic Dorothy Fields-Cy Coleman songs such as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “I'm a Brass Band,” tells the story of dance-hall hostess Charity Hope Valentine's search for true love.
Pittsburgh Opera's '27' Sings The Life Of Gertrude Stein
Students with consumer mindset ‘get lower grades’
A survey completed by 608 students from 35 English universities formed the basis for the study, published in Studies in Higher Education, that found a “higher consumer orientation was associated with lower academic performance”.
You Should Know: Clayton Merrell
Points on Rigging (Part 3)
Dimmer Beach: This run of posts has spiraled out of control, but most of you who know anything about rigging probably knew that would happen. If you want to catch up, check out the last two weeks here and here.
This week we are going to look at some things about rigging that have more to do with you and your gear, rather than the motors themselves.
This week we are going to look at some things about rigging that have more to do with you and your gear, rather than the motors themselves.
LVRJ: Cirque Uses New Technology to Refresh LOVE
When Cirque du Soleil began a one-by-one process to “refresh” its Las Vegas shows, it started with “Zumanity” last year and no one argued with that.
But next up, “Love”? It was an instant hit for Cirque and The Mirage in 2006, rivaling the water spectacle “O” for ticket sales on the Strip.
The Same Four Operas Are Performed Over And Over
I Wrote a Play with a Male Rape, But Readers Didn’t Want to Call it That
HowlRound: My play The Way It Is features Cane and Yasmine, a couple who have broken up. When Cane returns to the apartment they shared to retrieve his mother’s engagement ring, he is raped by his ex. At least it is my intention that he is.
Painting The Nutcracker By The Book
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Playwrights and TV: It’s Not Just About the Money
It’s plenty old nonetheless—and, as with everything old, seemingly ever new. It is always being freshly discovered. Every six or seven months, some venerable magazine or newspaper discovers that there are playwrights (playwrights!) writing for television. There’s a kind of undercurrent of marvel to these articles: Isn’t it just so amazing that playwrights (playwrights, I say again!) are supporting themselves with money earned by writing? And writing for television, no less? The idiot box! The boob tube! Come, everyone, and gawk at the geeks, these articles seem to say. Behold the half-artist/half-hacks!
Yep, it’s an old, old story—even older than the dawn of television. It follows an old Faustian template, in which artists sell their souls in exchange for filthy lucre.
This is not that story. Not at all.
Diversity in theatre: why is disability being left out?
How Emily Lazar Became the Only Female Mastering Engineer Ever Nominated for a Grammy
In “Women Without Men,” Women Count
How the Swedish Film Institute Achieved 50-50 Funding Distribution Between Male and Female Directors
Women and Hollywood: Last year, we praised Anna Serner, the head of the Swedish Film Institute, who achieved her organization's goal of distributing funds equally between men and women directors in just three years.
Colony Theatre's Letter To Subscribers
MacArthur Awards Announced for Chicago’s Brightest Arts Nonprofits
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named 14 Chicago nonprofits as recipients of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions today.
American Theater Company has new artistic director
Paint With All the Colors of the Year
Ay, Carmela! Divided Politics for the Ages
Marvell agrees to pay record-breaking $750M to university to end patent lawsuit
After a massive win at the district court level, CMU was on track to collect as much as $1.54 billion. The university won a $1.17 billion jury verdict in 2012, to which a judge added penalties and interest. But an appeals court cut the win significantly, approving $278 million in damages and ordering other damages issues to be re-tried at the district court level.
Disney's $1 Billion Bet on a Magical Wristband
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Project Management Tips for Managing Small Projects
USITT Expands Diversity Sessions for 2016 in Salt Lake City
Lighting&Sound America Online - News: As part of its initiative to promote diversity and inclusion in entertainment production, USITT is offering new sessions on accessibility and the arts at USITT 2016 in Salt Lake City, March 16 - 19.
Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show Drawings | Tribe Inc Production Design
Recording: Five Key Things Recording Engineers Should Know
Pro Sound Web: When folks talk of churning away the hours in the studio, images of sitting behind a console and turning knobs comes to mind. Yep, that’s part of the job, as is juggling faders and cables, as well as intense listening and tweaking of sounds.
ESTA's Technical Standards Program Volunteers Recognized for Service
Lighting&Sound America Online - News: ESTA's Technical Standards Council announces the recipients of the third annual Above & Beyond Awards designed to recognize outstanding Technical Standards Program volunteers. The awards celebrate those volunteers that have made a significant contribution or effort that advances the Technical Standards Program. The TSP exists because hundreds of individuals from across the industry volunteer their expertise and significant amounts of time throughout the year to write standards that increase safety, solve problems, and make life easier. These awards are particularly meaningful to the recipients because the nominations are made by their peers within the Technical Standards Program.
Shocking Situations
Pro Sound Web: I’ve been a professional audio engineer for 40-plus years and a musician for 10 years more than that, and during that time, I’ve witnessed hundreds of shock events on performance stages, recording studios, and even factory floors.
Advice for Women in Project Management
ProjectManager.com: Women have elevated their roles as project management leaders and have positively influenced the field over the last two decades. Today, women are leading projects worldwide as proven leaders, advocates for advancement of project management in their organizations and are represented in many global industries such as information technology, healthcare, aerospace, construction (bridges, buildings, highways) and as entrepreneurial consultants.
Sound Designer John Leonard | Various Injuries On The Job
Actor Patrick Wilson directs 'Full Monty' for his alma mater
2016 Grammy Awards | Lighting Plot, Gear, And Credits
Concerts content from Live Design: The 58th annual Grammy Awards were held yesterday, February 15, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, with production design by Brian J. Stonestreet. Robert Dickinson and Jon Kusner of Full Flood handled the lighting design for the show.
Q. and A.: Martyna Majok, Putting Immigrant Lives on Center Stage
The New York Times: On paper, Martyna Majok looks like so many other young playwrights, with a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama.
But Ms. Majok (pronounced MY-oak), a Polish immigrant, grew up in a gritty stretch of North Jersey, the daughter of a house cleaner. She was 17 when she first went to the theater, splurging on a ticket to “Cabaret,” at Studio 54, with $45 she’d won hustling pool.
But Ms. Majok (pronounced MY-oak), a Polish immigrant, grew up in a gritty stretch of North Jersey, the daughter of a house cleaner. She was 17 when she first went to the theater, splurging on a ticket to “Cabaret,” at Studio 54, with $45 she’d won hustling pool.
Cheap Trick: Touring With Abandon
Pro Sound Web: There’s an old adage still floating about that claims if you remember the ‘70s, you probably weren’t there.
I was, and while I do have to admit that there are many memories that I just didn’t make during that decade, one that endures is of seeing Cheap Trick at Sammy G’s Circus, a bar in Kenosha, WI. This was well before the seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan, light years prior to the announcement last December that they will soon be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
I was, and while I do have to admit that there are many memories that I just didn’t make during that decade, one that endures is of seeing Cheap Trick at Sammy G’s Circus, a bar in Kenosha, WI. This was well before the seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan, light years prior to the announcement last December that they will soon be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Health study reveals harmful "toxic" effects of 3D printing
The study – conducted by a group of scientists at the Illinois Institute of Technology – tested five major brands of 3D printers including the Makerbot Replicator 2X and LulzBot Mini.
I Kissed a Girl and I’ll Deny It: TV Tropes and Bisexuality in Men and Women
How the lifelike wax figures are made
Madame Tussauds' more than 20 global locations are home to wax figures of famous people like Jimmy Fallon, Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Lima, and even Barack Obama. The opportunity to take a photo with their favorite celebrities (even if in wax form) is highly appealing to tourists, and Madame Tussauds is usually packed.
Your Guide to Theatre Education: Ping Chong + Company
HowlRound: Ping Chong is an internationally acclaimed theatre artist and pioneer in the use of media in the theater. Since 1972, he has created over one hundred works for the stage, which have been presented at major festivals and theatres worldwide. He is the recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts.
Sara Zatz is the Associate Director of Ping Chong + Company, where she oversees community-engaged programs and training and is the lead collaborative artist with Ping Chong on the interview-based Undesirable Elements series. She has spoken and presented workshops on community-engaged theater at many conferences and universities.
Sara Zatz is the Associate Director of Ping Chong + Company, where she oversees community-engaged programs and training and is the lead collaborative artist with Ping Chong on the interview-based Undesirable Elements series. She has spoken and presented workshops on community-engaged theater at many conferences and universities.
From Theatre to Film: Designing a New Career
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)