8 of the Best Graphic Design Tools for Event Planners on a Budget

blog.propared.com: These days, there are so many design tools out there to help event planners it’s hard to know where to start. What should you use for building a color palette? What’s the best tool for editing images? Or finding those images in the first place? If you’re like most, you’re either working on a budget, working on a deadline, or both. The good news? Most of the tools out there that are easy-to-use and require very little training are also some of the least expensive.

Oral history of Tony Kushner’s play Angels in America.

www.slate.com: Twenty-five years ago this summer, Tony Kushner’s Angels in America premiered in the tiny Eureka Theatre in San Francisco’s Mission District. Within two years it had won the Pulitzer Prize and begun a New York run that would dominate the Tony Awards two years in a row, revitalize the nonmusical play on Broadway, and change the way gay lives were represented in pop culture.

Film Studios in Talks With Musicians Guild to Settle Dispute Over Unoriginal Scores

Hollywood Reporter: Last year, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada went on a bit of a courtroom rampage, suing all of the major studios for allegedly violating the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.

Spotlight on BOUNCE: The Basketball Opera

NEA: Even though it’s been more than a decade, Grethe Barrett Holby vividly recalls reading Walter Dean Myers with her son. Myers, an award-winning, middle-grade author known for his gritty urban realism, often wrote about basketball, including in his novels Hoops and Slam. “I was blown away by the fact that this wasn't just about basketball, it was about life and life lessons,” said Holby. “I immediately started seeing this as an opera piece.”

Let's look at the contenders for this year's Best New Attraction award

www.themeparkinsider.com: We are one week away from the 15th annual Theme Park Insider Awards. Among the honors we will be awarding next Monday will be Theme Park Insider Awards for the best new attractions of the year. Your ratings will determine the winners, so let's take a look at where the contenders stand, with TPI ratings as of this posting, followed by my analysis.

Cirque Celebrate’s LOVE’s 10th Anniversary With New Branding

www.cirquefascination.com: This month marks the 10th anniversary of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil! (The show launched previews on June 2, 2006 and held its gala premiere on June 30, 2006). On Thursday, July 14th, Cirque du Soleil will celebrate this occasion with Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and widows Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. In the meantime, check out some of the new re-branding.

Historic Holograms Amplify Holocaust Survivors' Testimonies

The Creators Project: Having a one on one conversation with someone remains one of the most immersive experiences a human being can share, and when watching people speak to Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter, you feel that intensity. Gutter, who was born in Lodz, Poland in 1932, wears a dark vest buttoned up over a white dress shirt. Sitting on a chair, with hands resting on knees, he stares straight ahead while an audience asks questions about his life before, during and after the Holocaust.

George Lucas Is Taking His Museum Away from Chicago

gizmodo.com: After a prolonged battle with San Francisco’s NIMBY empire, George Lucas announced two years ago that he would take his giant filmmaking museum project to the friendlier shores of Chicago. Now, after yet another vicious battle with Chicago’s NIMBYs, he’s abandoning his plans there, too. You’d think he was trying to build the Death Star or something.

Good Day?

Dimmer Beach: There is something people say that I find amusing: “Have a good day.” A harmless statement in and of itself, but what does it really mean to have a good day? I think most days are average days. That’s why average is a word. It means the most common, the middle ground, where you are normally at.

Is There a Fight Choreographer in the House?

Stage Directions: Last week I traveled to Chicago to attend a stage combat workshop for stage managers offered by the Vagabond School of the Arts. Barbara Charlene ran an excellent workshop, taking us through all the precautions and questions to ask. But perhaps the best part of the workshop was the very first topic: how to find and compare fight choreographers.

One of nation's top 100 festivals showcases old, new

TribLIVE: Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival celebrates its 42nd anniversary this week with a new executive director, Diane Shrader, who is no stranger to the fun family event.

Shrader served as acting executive director for last year's event before officially taking over the post in August. She was a craft vendor in the mid-1980s and a volunteer after that, before joining the festival team as an employee in 2011.

Denver Mini Maker Faire Roundup

Hackaday: I had a great time at Denver’s 3rd annual Mini Maker Faire, which was held inside the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The official theme this year was “Building the Future” and looking back, I can tell you that they pulled the theme off well. There was a strong turnout in two categories that are crucial to building the future: the growth that comes from education at all ages and the physical places where learning becomes immersive.

Your Online Footprint

www.productivity501.com: The CEO of Google has suggested that once you leave college, you may want to change your name to distance yourself from all the dumb things you did as a younger person and can’t erase from the Internet. Of course if you change your name, you won’t be associated with any of the positive things you did either.

How To EQ Speech For Maximum Intelligibility

Pro Sound Web: Don’t we all have stories of misheard words? It could have been a song lyric or maybe you misheard your spouse? Maybe they mumbled a word or it just wasn’t clear what was said. This has been the cause for a few hilarious moments at our dinner table. The problem is that unclear words are a distraction from the message.

2016 Kilroy’s List of Good but Unproduced Plays by Women

New York Theater: Below is the 2016 Kilroys list of 32 plays by women and trans writers that are not produced but should be, according to a survey of 230 theater professionals. This is the third annual list by the Kilroys, a playwright and producer collective. The contact listed under each play is for inquiries by artistic directors or producers.

Final week for “Venus in Fur” at Pittsburgh Public Theater

Blogh | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: When I interviewed Whitney Maris Brown for a short preview of this production of David Ives’ play, she couldn’t say enough about the role she was to play: Vanda, an actress auditioning to be in a stage adaptation of a notorious 19th-century novel.

Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender: Phase Two

HowlRound: In 2015, I started working on a project about designers in League of Resident Theatres (LORT) because I wanted to know who gets hired to design in US regional theatres. Phase two of the LORT designers study continues to collect data on gender of designers, and begins to look at directors and artistic directors, partially in relation to designers. In continuing the work of the study, I hope to establish a baseline and foster a conversation for where we hope to be in the future.

MPAA Boss: Actually Being Good To Consumers Would Be Horrible For Hollywood

Techdirt: MPAA boss Chris Dodd has apparently decided to take the fairly insane stance that what's good for the public is clearly bad for Hollywood. That's the only conclusion that can come from the news that he's actively campaigning against the EU ending geoblocking rules

CirqueCast, Episode #5

www.cirquefascination.com: Join us this episode as we discuss the recent Paramour reviews, the new Criss Angel Mindfreak Live show, and all the news regarding Cirque’s huge planned expansion in the not so distant future! Also, we have our first CirqueCast Giveaway! Watch this episode to find out how you can win a Zarkana program and bag!

Former Presidential Candidate Must Pay $25,000 For Using “Eye Of The Tiger” Without Permission

Consumerist: A lot of musicians find out after the fact that one of their songs is being used, without permission, by a politician at rallies and other events, but many of those artists don’t go so far as to actually sue the candidate. However, recently released election records show that the campaign for former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has agreed to pay $25,000 to settle a lawsuit over its use of Survivor’s 1982 fist-pumper “Eye of the Tiger.”

Victoria Rowell Allowed to Advance Lawsuit Alleging Sony Retaliated Against Actress' Advocacy

Hollywood Reporter: On Friday, a California federal judge gave soap actress Victoria Rowell the green light to move to the next stage of a lawsuit that accuses Sony Pictures Television of retaliating against her. Rowell played the popular character of Drucilla Barber Winters on The Young and the Restless for 14 years, and more than a decade ago, began advocacy work pushing to have African Americans more involved in entertainment.

'Star Wars' Model-Maker Lawsuit: Ex-Employees Stealing Trade Secrets

Hollywood Reporter: The modelmaking company that created Star Wars icon R2-D2 was forced to close its doors and lay off all of its employees after a handful of workers defected to create a competing business, according to a complaint filed last week in L.A. County Superior Court.

Pay-to-Play Policies for High School Theatre Programs are Problematic

OnStage: Chances are you've probably never heard of Harford County, MD or the people that live there. But this coming Monday night, I'd like for you to keep them in your thoughts because theatre students there will be fighting to save their drama program from a grossly unfair policy that's being imposed on them. The policy is what is known as "Pay-to-Play". It's where students will have to pay a fee in order to participate in certain school activities. These policies are mostly imposed on school athletic programs, but in some areas, they have been placed on school theatre and music programs as well.

The best musicals to watch online

Business Insider: Musical fans can't always make it to a show on Broadway, so they comfort themselves with the soundtracks and wait for Hollywood adaptations, like the upcoming "Wicked." But some of those movies turn out to be trainwreck's, like the pitiful Madonna version of "Evita," the Meryl Streep-led "Mamma Mia!" or Adam Shankman's almost unmentionable "Rock of Ages."

L.A. Sentimental Expressing the Mood of City Hall with Color

Rosco Spectrum: Founded in 1977, Angstrom Lighting is one of the only Los Angeles lighting companies that’s an approved vendor of L.A. County. Because of that, Angstrom has been responsible for illuminating L.A. City Hall for the past three decades – including changing the color-scheme of the building to celebrate an event, pay homage to a group or individual, bring awareness to a cause or simply convey the mood of the city to its residents.

FAA Announces Final Rules for Use of Drones on Film Sets

Variety: The Federal Aviation Administration has announced the final set of rules for the use of unmanned aircraft, or drones, on the sets of movies and TV shows. The FAA in 2014 granted a waiver to a number of aerial photo and video companies to use drones, as it worked on a final set of regulations.

Free Led Zeppelin: “This is about music, it’s not about sound”

Salon.com: The federal court trial considering whether Led Zeppelin stole from a Spirit song for its ubiquitous “Stairway to Heaven” is moving toward its conclusion. Zeppelin singer Robert Plant took the stand Tuesday, saying he did not remember hearing the instrumental “Taurus” and describing in detail the way he wrote “Stairway” with guitarist Jimmy Page.

AIMS International Announces New Safety Award

InPark Magazine: AIMS International announces a new award designed to recognize a person or organization that has made a significant impact or contribution in improving safety in the amusement industry.

Episode 78 – Tony Award-Winning Stage Manager, Peter Lawrence

The Producer's Perspective: No, no, you didn’t read this subject incorrectly. Peter Lawrence won a Tony Award for his contributions to our industry as a Stage Manager. And no, no, there has never been a Tony Award category for Best Stage Manager, it’s just that Peter’s work has been so important that the Tony Awards committee gave him an Excellence in Theatre Tony in 2013.

David Lynch to Launch ‘Festival of Disruption’ in LA

BlackBook: Both Brexit and the ceaselessly malevolent Trump candidacy have grievously reminded of what happens when social and cultural disruption ends up in the wrong hands—leading to worrying geopolitical rupture and mindless demagoguery. David Lynch, as ever, is plotting the enlightened opposition.

Indeed, at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles this October 8-9, the indomitable modern Renaissance man (via the David Lynch Foundation) will launch the edifyingly titled Festival of Disruption.

Your Winners of the 8th Annual Jimmy Awards

Backstage: The eighth annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, took place June 27 at the Minskoff Theatre, honoring the best of the best in musical theater performance from 31 schools across the country.

'Grapes of Wrath' never more timely in age of migrants and fear

Chicago Tribune: To watch John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" — as famously adapted for the stage by Frank Galati in 1988 — on the cusp of Britain's fear-fueled departure from the European Union was to be reminded that, throughout history, migrants have usually been outcasts but have not always been international travelers.

Don't throw away your shot

Business Insider: Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash hit "Hamilton" is everything (you don't win sixteen Tonys by just being mediocre). It's also pretty much about everything: it manages to cram musings on history, passion, governance, memory, legacy, friendship, war, jealousy, love, race, America, and death into its 47 catchy songs.

7 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Roadies

Mental Floss: Although the word roadie may conjure up images of non-stop partying with rock stars, the reality is that most work unglamorous, physically and emotionally demanding jobs. They lug the gear, set up the instruments, manage the stage, run the sound, sell the merch, drive the bus, and generally do whatever it takes to make concerts possible. We talked to a few roadies (who probably wish we'd stop calling them that—see below) to get the inside scoop.

The Reader's Profiles Theatre investigation and follow-up coverage

Bleader | Chicago Reader: If you want to follow the Profiles Theatre story and all its developments from the very beginning, here, in chronological order, are all the stories and blog posts the Reader has run since June 8, when the original investigation was posted on our website

Is ‘Shrew’ Worth Taming? Female Directors Keep Trying

NYTimes.com: The director Julie Taymor was on a quiet rooftop in Shanghai late one recent Saturday night, talking on the phone. She was in China with “The Lion King,” but the topic of conversation was “The Taming of the Shrew.” It’s a play she relishes, partly because she sees it as being about a profound love and partly because Shakespeare put at its center not the alluring Bianca, a young woman with a queue of eager suitors, but Bianca’s older sister, Kate, who is prickly and brilliant, and whom no man will have.

No One Right Way

Popular Woodworking Magazine: I know I’ve been lucky as I’ve learned to work wood during the past eight years. When I started at Popular Woodworking Magazine in 2005, I had little woodworking experience (writing, editing and project-management expertise were the job requirements, not shop skills). But I was intrigued by the machinery and awed by the work that Christopher Schwarz, Robert W. Lang and, a few months later, Glen D. Huey were turning out – not to mention the drool-worthy work produced by our many expert contributors. It was made far better than anything I could buy at a store and it looked a lot nicer to boot.

The Queen Wore a ‘Green Screen’ Outfit and the Internet Went to Town

TwistedSifter: Earlier this month Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday (which was actually in April) with a traditional procession that featured 1600 soldiers, 300 horses and the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team performing a flyby over Buckingham Palace. To celebrate the illustrious event, the Queen donned a bold, neon green outfit that immediately screamed ‘green screen‘ to the good citizens of the Internet…

Why Do Concerts Sound So Bad?

Pro Sound Web: Most every time I go to a concert I come with the same feeling - why did it sound so bad? I’ve posted the following a few years ago, but it’s still holds true things never seems to get much better. Concert sound reinforcement equipment is better than ever, yet we’re frequently burdened with a mess of auditory goo that just sucks the enjoyment from a live event.

Finding Work in the Hidden Job Market

www.nextavenue.org: If you’re considering a job switch, chances are you’ve already updated your resumé, polished your LinkedIn profile and signed up for job alerts. But if you want to tap into the hidden job market — the 80 percent of job openings that are never advertised — I’ve got another to-do for you: Join a talent community.

Inside Architectural Salvage

Architect Magazine: ARCHITECT took a break from the American Institute of Architects' 2016 National Convention, held in Philadelphia in May, to visit architectural salvage dealer Provenance Cos. We spoke with its co-owner Scott Lash about the company's deconstruction work, sourcing high-end architectural salvage, and its process of refinishing products and materials for new uses.

Watch this murdered-out dune buggy shapeshift into any car via CGI

The Verge: London-based FX studio The Mill released a video this week showing off its latest creation: the Blackbird, an adjustable car rig that can mimic any model vehicle for advertisers. With the appearance of a murdered-out dune buggy, the Blackbird uses 360-degree cameras and an adjustable suspension to transform its chassis into any length or width required. And with an overlay of CGI, the vehicle can become any type of car it wants.

Building the Dream: The Making of Disneyland Park – Storybook Land Canal Boats

Disney Parks Blog: Storybook Land Canal Boats officially opened on June 16, 1956, nearly a year after the previous version of the attraction, Canal Boats of the World, debuted on the opening day of Disneyland park.

Long Reach Long Riders Raise $45k+ for Charity

Stage Directions: The 2016 Long Reach Long Riders ride has reached a successful conclusion, raising more than $45,000 for Behind the Scenes and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Dubbed “The Radioactive Ride,” the 13th annual charity ride explored the Southwest with more than 20 riders.

Disney to Stream ‘Newsies’ Facebook Live Event

Variety: Disney will bring the singing and dancing paperboys of hit musical “Newsies” to Facebook Live next week, in the Mouse House’s biggest project to date taking advantage of the social giant’s live video capabilities. The live performance of the show’s hit number “Santa Fe” will be broadcast from the actual city of Santa Fe, N.M., featuring current touring cast members Joey Barreiro (as Jack Kelly), Morgan Keene (Katherine), Andy Richardson (Crutchie) and Stephen Michael Langton (Davey). The event, starting at 4 p.m. Pacific on Monday, June 20, will be broadcast live on Disney’s Facebook page.

Canadian High School Tries Too Hard To Get Rights To “Hamilton”

Arts Integrity Initiative: On the one hand, it’s hard not to admire the efforts of Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough, Canada, near Toronto. A teacher and her students made as thorough a pitch as possible to be the first high school to produce the musical Hamilton, seemingly having staged several elaborate numbers from the show in their effort to be recognized.

'Hamilton' ticket rush creates long waits; secondary market prices reach $10,000

Chicago Tribune: Dedicated fans of the hottest stage musical ever to hit Chicago mingled with furtive entrepreneurs exchanging large envelopes of cash as “Hamilton” opened for intense ticket-selling business Tuesday at the PrivateBank Theatre in the heart of Chicago's Loop.

Converse put a wah pedal in a pair of Chuck Taylors

The Verge: Three years ago, the design agency Critical Mass created a prototype of a high-top Converse Chuck Taylor with a built-in wah pedal called the . Now, in partnership with CuteCircuit, Converse has brought the shoe to life, and giving a pair to legendary guitarist J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. among others to use on stage.

Cirque du Soleil's 'Toruk' adds storytelling to dazzling visuals

TribLIVE: After 36 shows packed with colorful costumes, dazzling designs and astounding acrobatics, Cirque du Soleil is curving in a new direction. “Toruk,” the company's latest touring show, has added a plot to the company's distinctive brand of entertainment. Previous Cirque shows relied on a setting or concept as a backdrop or organizing principle for its lavish visual and aural effects and jaw-dropping feats of balance, timing and daring.

Hackusation shut down: Inven video confirms woman's mad 'Overwatch' skillz

www.upgruv.com: So, what always happens when you work something like a boss? Haters. Take the case of "Geguri' Seyeon Kim. She's a 17-year-old Korean gamer who just happens to have mad skillz at "Overwatch," the latest and hottest game on the planet right now.

A Look At Copyright Lawsuits Involving Hit Songs

Pollstar: A federal court jury in Los Angeles has decided that Led Zeppelin did not steal a riff for the intro of its epic hit, “Stairway to Heaven.” Here is a look at some other cases that have taken pop songs from the recording studio to the courtroom over plagiarism allegations.

Fritz’s Adventure eyes fall opening for attraction

Branson Tri-Lakes News News Free: One of the most oft-asked questions on the lips of locals and tourists has to be “What is that thing they’re building next to Dixie Stampede?” Some popular responses include “I heard it was a rock-climbing place,” or “I heard it was a ropes course,” or “I heard it was a giant playground.”

The Taming of the Shrew, This Time Told By Shrews

themuse.jezebel.com: For all its apparent issues with regards to celebrating the silencing of women (at least at face value), there is no denying that Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is a succinct lesson in the easy way misunderstandings and stereotypical gender dynamics translate to humor. What other reason could explain its many famous updates, whether 10 Things I Hate About You or Kiss Me Kate? But Phyllida Lloyd’s new, famously all-woman production of the play at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park takes those tropes and pushes them to the point of absurdity.

I said “No Comment”, but here is my comment. In regards to Profiles Theater and the Chicago Reader article.

TheCreativeCompass: My name is Emily. I’m the actress in the Chicago Reader article (http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/profiles-theatre-theater-abuse-investigation/Content?oid=22415861), the article that exposes the professional and sexual abuse, and predatory nature of Profiles Theater, who threatened to leave a production (Kid Sister). I originally declined comment when the journalist approached me, but had I known that the article would be such a thoughtful, eloquent display of journalism, I would have opened my voice. Now I am.

7 CNC Fixturing Tips for a Small Shop

makezine.com: One of the challenges of getting started with CNC routing is deciding how to hold down parts reliably. As a luthier, I make a lot of odd-shaped parts out of a variety of materials, and I’ve developed methods that work well for each situation. They’re also applicable to many other kinds of prototyping or manufacturing in the small shop. Making fixtures for your CNC is a great way to get to know your machine, and it will open your eyes to all the great things you can do with it!

50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Ed Sheeran, Led Zeppelin… Are These Copyright Lawsuits a Good Thing for Music?

Flavorwire: On June 17, TMZ broke the story of Brandon Parrott, the producer who helped craft 50 Cent’s breakout 2003 hit “P.I.M.P.” and is now suing both 50 and the record’s producer, Dr Dre. Parrott says he sent 10 tracks to Dre in 2001, hopeful that Dre might use one of the tracks for his Aftermath Entertainment artists, such as 50 or Eminem. One of the tracks was indeed used, and while he wasn’t informed before the song was released, Parrott says he got a call from an Aftermath producer admitting his song “BAMBA” was used in “P.I.M.P.,” and it was an oversight that he wasn’t credited.

Jury Deliberations Begin in "Stairway to Heaven" Copyright Trial

Hollywood Reporter: After five days of trial, rock 'n' roll history is in the hands of eight jurors who will decide if Led Zeppelin stole the iconic guitar intro to "Stairway to Heaven" from late 1960s rock band Spirit. Francis Malofiy, who is representing the estate of songwriter Randy Wolfe, has toed the line of judicial impropriety for the better part of a week — drawing more than 100 sustained objections and multiple warnings from U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner. During closings arguments Wednesday morning, Malofiy's tone was much more deferential — although even his discussion of witness testimony drew Led Zeppelin's counsel to interrupt with more objections. Klausner allowed him to continue.

'Chicago' pros to head up CLO production

TribLIVE: After nearly two decades on Broadway, six Tony Awards, countless national tours and a 2002 film adaptation that received six Oscars, “Chicago” gets a homegrown production from Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return in Sante Fe - Wow!!!

Control Geek: I took time out of storm chasing my way to and from Infocomm to stop by Sante Fe, New Mexico and see Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return. And holy crap am I glad I did!

Brexit Is 'Likely To Be Devastating' For Film And Television Industry In The U.K.

ThinkProgress: The night is dark and full of terrors: Though some are already expressing buyers’ remorse and/or frantically Googling to find out what, exactly, they just signed up for, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. The vote could still be blocked or overturned — “no backsies” is apparently not a policy on the other side of the Atlantic — but such a move seems unlikely, even after the resignation of Prime Minster David Cameron, who right now must be casting his gaze forlornly into the middle distance like Ben Affleck on the Batman v. Superman press tour.

The Section of Mystery: What’s behind the door?

The 412 - June 2016: Hidden behind a half-sized wooden door in Bird Hall — a hallway on the museum’s third floor that is (unsurprisingly) lined with bird taxidermy — is The Section of Mystery, a display featuring 3-D holographic technology. A new permanent exhibit, The Section of Mystery is part of the museum’s efforts to modernize and adapt to new ways of how people learn. - See more at: http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/The-412/June-2016/The-Section-of-Mystery-Whats-behind-the-door/#sthash.pkhVhtk2.dpuf

Why the Imperial System of Measurement is the Worst

Interesting Engineering: Most places in the world use the metric system of measurements, however, the USA, Burma, and Liberia are the 3 countries that still use the imperial system. Now, I must admit, I am an engineer in the US and I use the imperial system on a daily basis. I also use the metric system on a daily basis, which means strange conversion after conversion. While I, unfortunately, have grown fond and accustomed to imperial units, it is a TERRIBLE system of measurement.

My time at Profiles

with harmony: I worked at Profiles for two years. While there I was an actor, assisted with casting, and assistant directed three productions. I had heard the same rumors everyone else heard before I got cast in Sweet and Sad. I decided to make up my own mind, knowing that if something inappropriate began to occur I would be out of there right away. “I’m tough,” I thought. “I’m a Navy girl. I know how to handle myself. I’ll be fine.” My friends warned me to watch out for Darrell. Some even said things like, “don’t sleep with him even though you’ll want to.” I laughed all of this off. That’s a normal warning that girls give other girls that are starting a show with a womanizer. “Don’t sleep with (fill in the blank).” It’s such a common thing to hear.

Producer Michael Salmon jailed for fraud

Carousel, News | The Stage: Theatre producer Michael Salmon has been sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud totalling nearly £65,000. The Cardiff-based co-director of Waking Exploits Theatre Company was jailed on June 17 for making fraudulent claims for grant aid from a number of bodies between May 2015 and February 2016. Cardiff Crown Court heard that he spent more than £9,000 on himself, mainly on trips to London.

Kinky Boots Donates to Our Fund Foundation

Stage Directions: Kinky Boots will donate a portion of all proceeds from tickets to the sold-out Sunday, June 26 performance (during Pride weekend) to the “Our Fund Foundation,” which promotes a culture of philanthropy by uniting donors with organizations supporting the LGBT community in Southern Florida, to help the victims and families of the recent Orlando tragedy.

Outlander Costume Design by Terry Dresbach

Tyranny of Style: The hit drama Outlander, currently in its second season on Starz, crosses several different genres. Based on the bestselling book series by Diana Gabaldon, the show follows the story of Claire, a WWII British nurse who unexpectedly finds herself transported back in time to 18th century Scotland, and must quickly learn to navigate her new surroundings as well as her new marriage to a Highlander named Jamie.

See How A 1550 Square Foot Custom Carpet Is Made

CONTEMPORIST: When we feature projects, we always see the beautiful end result, but every so often we come across something that gives us insight into how something is made. Meet Alexandre Kehayoglou, an artist and designer from Buenos Aires that creates nature-inspired rugs and carpets. Here she is designing a custom carpet for Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten, for one of his fashion shows.

The Collaborator Party Sells Out Across the U.S.

Stage Directions: The Collaborator Party—the good-spirited but on-point reminder to the Tony Awards that sound designers are artistic creators, too—blasted through their attendance records, selling out their flagship New York City parts as well as six others held across the U.S. “We have been completely blown away by the overwhelming response around the country from people who want to celebrate all of the many wonderful artists who make up the theatre community,” said John Gromada, one of the founders of the party.

Dancers perform vertical routine across Boston building facade

www.dezeen.com: Performers from experimental dance company Bandaloop leap, flip and spin across the glass facade of a 17-storey tower at Boston's Fan Pier in this choreographed acrobatic act (+ movie). The aerial performance took place to celebrate the opening of 100 Northern Avenue – a 534,000-square-foot office building (49,600 square metres) on the city's waterfront.

Taking Flight: How Sarah Ruhl’s ‘For Peter Pan’ Got Off the Ground

AMERICAN THEATRE: When is a person truly a grown-up? Is it when they get a real job, when they have a child of their own, when their parents die? Is “never” really an option? These questions are at the heart of Sarah Ruhl’s For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday, which takes the tale of the boy who never grew up for a new spin while telling a story about something we all have in common: death.

Smash Hit Sensation “Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding” Returns to Chicago This September

Showbiz Chicago: Presented by the original New York producers, in conjunction with Chicago Theater Works, comes the return of one of Chicago’s longest running, smash hit shows, Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding, beginning Thursday, September 22, 2016 and running through December 30 only. Tony ‘n Tina played an incredible 14 years in Chicago, and during that time entertained more than one million audience members of all ages.

New Dance Council head looks to push the envelope — eventually

Dance + Live Performance | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Randal Miller, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s new director of dance programming and special events, learned the ropes largely under Paul Organisak, who resigned in August after 12 years as the Trust’s vice president for programming.

FilmL.A. Issues Third Annual Feature Production Study

Below the Line | Below the Line: FilmL.A., the not-for-profit film office serving the Greater Los Angeles region, today announced the release of a new report prepared by its research division. The 2015 Feature Film Production Study analyzes a sample of 109 U.S. feature films released theatrically last year, identifying where they were filmed and how much was spent to produce them. The report also examines California’s top competitors and year-over-year trends in film production yield.

How the White Walkers on 'Game of Thrones' are made

Business Insider: While winter is always just "coming," the White Walkers are actually here on "Game of Thrones," and their ice-hardened, scary faces aren't going anywhere. The HBO show's Emmy-winning prosthetic designer Barrie Gower demonstrated the complexity of the process it takes to turn an actor (actually, a stuntman) into a White Walker in the Nerdist's latest "Bloodworks" video.

The Touring Rut

Dimmer Beach: You may be asking what I’m trying to get at. Our line of work can be very exciting, but for the most part, it is long days that you just grind through. And when you grind through eighty shows on a tour, somewhere around show thirty you can want to grind to a halt. If you’ve never experienced this before (I’m looking at you, Road Pups), you will, and it is okay. The load-ins and outs will be running smoothly. All the tweaking to the show will be done. The only thing that changes is the venue and the daily stagehands.

Julie Taymor Announces 3 Recipients of World Theatre Fellowship

AMERICAN THEATRE: Julie Taymor has announced the three recipients of the inaugural World Theater Fellowship, a prize for young theatre directors to travel for one year to Central/South America, Africa, Asia, or the Middle East. The winners are Zachary Dorn, Hector Flores Komatsu, and Jesca Prudencio.

NYC Has Never Been Better for the Working Actor

Backstage: If there was ever any doubt that New York City is one of the greatest hubs for actors and entertainers of all kinds, June 8’s 50th anniversary commemoration of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting about sealed the deal.

Filmmaking Tips and Tricks for Cinematographers and Grips

www.premiumbeat.com: I am currently reading Michael G. Uva’s The Grip Book, and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a must-read for all of those considering getting into filmmaking and video production. This book is full of photos and detailed illustrations showing you everything from clamps and camera mounts to safety ties and taco carts. There are even accompanying how-to videos on the Focal Press website.

Star Trek Fan Film Lawsuit Will Live On

Consumerist: While the makers of the crowdfunded Star Trek fan fiction film Axanar had once hoped to reach a settlement with Paramount and CBS over a lawsuit accusing the filmmakers of copyright infringement, the much discussed lawsuit will live to see another day, as the two companies told a California federal judge this week that their action remains pending.

When there's an active shooter, can lighting save lives?

PBS NewsHour: In the first few nights after a gunman opened fire at gay nightclub Pulse, killing 49 people, many mourned with light.

Rainbow light shone on across the New York City skyline, from City Hall to the spire of One World Trade. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower was lit, top to bottom, with the colors of the rainbow. And on Monday, hundreds of people stood outside Stonewall, where a 1969 riot against police launched the modern gay rights movement, and raised their cell phones and candles in solidarity as a speaker read the names of the victims in Orlando.

The Kilroys List 32 Unproduced Works by Women and Trans Playwrights

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Kilroys have released the third annual edition of “The List,” which features 32 industry-recommended new plays by female and trans playwrights. The L.A.-based cohort of playwrights and producers is committed to working toward gender parity for playwrights in the American theatre. According to the Count, an ongoing study funded by the Lilly Awards and the Dramatists Guild released in 2015, just 22 percent of productions in regional theatres over the three years prior were written by women.

Important new drama 'Oak Tree' looks racial violence right in the eye

Chicago Tribune: Precisely why Harry Lennix — television star, movie actor, producer, friend of President Barack Obama — is working in a tiny space on the third floor of the Athenaeum Theatre does not take long to reveal itself. The new play on which Lennix quietly is working, "A Small Oak Tree Runs Red," is an exceptionally gutsy, powerful and potent drama from Lekethia Dalcoe, a playwright without much of a profile beyond a few workshops and some minor festivals. That's about to change.

How Do You Direct A Play About Rape Survivors? Talking To The Tony-Nominated Director Of 'Eclipsed'

ThinkProgress: There are no men in Eclipsed. You can’t see them, anyway. You can feel them. The five women onstage can feel them, too. You’ve probably heard this about the show, which is nominated for six Tony awards, including Best Play. It is the first of its kind: The first Broadway play with an all-black, all-female cast; the first play on Broadway with an all-female cast, period. It was written by a woman, Danai Gurira, and is directed by a woman, Liesl Tommy.

Safe to Act: How to Respond to Sexual Harassment in the Theatre Community

HowlRound: Chicago's comedy scene received some much-needed scrutiny when the Tribune published an article admonishing the iO Theater's initial response to sexual harassment claims. The issues came to light on social media, when several improvisers shared their experiences about aggressive scene partners and inappropriate advances from instructors. News sites picked up the story from there, and many women spoke publically about their experiences.

Keep the Beat Alive and Rock Lititz

TPi In early May a cluster of live entertainment companies proudly rooted in Rock Lititz HQ partnered with the non-profit Keep The Beat Alive in order to certify over 60 staff members in CPR, AED device and active shooter training. “Rock Lititz is on the leading edge of reducing cardiac deaths in touring professionals,” stated Dr. Damian Brezinski, President of Keep the Beat Alive. “Rock Lititz gets it!”

Sir Ian McKellen Releases New Apps to Make Shakespeare's Plays More Enjoyable & Accessible

Open Culture: FYI: Ian McKellen, who first made his reputation performing at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1970s and 80s, has just released the first of a series of iPad apps meant to make Shakespeare’s plays more accessible, especially for high school and college students.

Tech, art merge influences at Create Pittsburgh Festival

TribLIVE: There are a lot of artists working with technology these days. There's also clearly an art/design element to technology, as any Apple fan can attest. Still, getting artists, technologists and entrepreneurs into the same room together to see what they have in common has been quite a trick.

The Things You Learn at Burlesque School

Theater - The Stranger: "I am excited and terrified and everything at the same time," Gino said as he prepared to strip down to his underwear before strangers, friends, and his boss. A quiet nerd hiding a shy smile behind a scruffy beard, Gino recently moved from New Orleans to Seattle. He does data entry for a legal company by day, and by night, he's been a student in the Boylesque 101 class at Seattle's Academy of Burlesque. (Boylesque is burlesque with boys.)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Reactions After Previews

The Mary Sue: The Harry Potter stage play—the next chapter in the franchise—doesn’t officially open until July 30, but previews kicked off last night in London’s West End, and the early reactions are as positive as you’d expect. Tickets went on sale all the way back in October, and 175,000 of them sold out in just a day, so it’s safe to say fan excitement was already high, and it appears they were not disappointed.

Why Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’ Movie Could Be a Decade Away

Variety: At the Tony Awards this Sunday, Broadway musical “Hamilton” is widely expected to walk away with the top trophies. If it does, it’ll cap an extraordinary year that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop version of American history has spent at the epicenter of the zeitgeist. But despite the frenzy, Alexander Hamilton’s rise and fall won’t be migrating to the big screen anytime soon, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

The First Facet of the Many-Sided Diamond That Is the Intiman Theatre Festival

Theater - The Stranger: Stick Fly is the first performance of the 2016 Intiman Theatre Festival, which focuses on the work of black American women playwrights. Valerie Curtis-Newton, winner of a Stranger Genius Award, teamed up with Intiman to curate the festival. Her selections showcase an array of aesthetics among new and established playwrights. They also highlight older plays that deserve more attention.

AC/DC’s Brian Johnson Ready to Rock Again, Thanks to New In-Ear Monitor

Guitar World: Longtime AC/DC singer Brian Johnson reports that he’s ready to go back onstage after testing a new in-ear monitor that delivers louder and better sound while minimizing the risk of hearing damage. The device is based on a new technology called the Ambrose Diaphonic Ear Lens (ADEL).

Susan Tsu: Outfitting a vision

chinadaily.com.cn: A legend in contemporary costume design, Susan Tsu says her dual cultural heritage works to her advantage, Niu Yue reports from New York Going beyond the ordinary is something Susan Tsu has been consistently doing for years, not only as a costume designer but also as an educator.

Broadway embraces diversity, but have things really changed?

New Pittsburgh Courier: This season, the theater community is celebrating how Broadway has finally become the Great un-White Way. Black actors have taken center stage in “The Color Purple,” ”The Gin Game,” ”Eclipsed” and “Shuffle Along.” A Latin cast shines in “On Your Feet!” and Asian-Americans told a bitter story from America’s past in “Allegiance.” The season’s megahit “Hamilton,” of course, has multi-racial leads in its DNA.

Gowanus Canal cleanup set to close Brooklyn film studio

NY Daily News: This doesn't happen in Hollywood. A successful Brooklyn film studio that is home to the hit show "The Americans" - and recently invested over $5 million in upgrades - is slated to close under the current cleanup plan for the heavily polluted Gowanus Canal.

How Much Everyone Working On a $200 Million Movie Earns

Vanity Fair - YouTube: Find out the budget breakdown of a hypothetical Hollywood blockbuster. In using the budgets of actual +200MM blockbuster movies as references, this video excludes non-human costs, and reflects an approximation of the take home pay of all humans involved, based on average union rates.

At Profiles Theatre the drama—and abuse—is real

Feature | Chicago Reader: Looking back, Profiles Theatre's 2010 production of Killer Joe, Tracy Letts's black comedy about an insurance scam in a Texas trailer park that goes terribly wrong, was probably the high point of the company's history. During its 20 years of existence, Profiles had developed a reputation as one of Chicago's better non-Equity theaters, regularly producing dark and edgy new work, but Killer Joe was special.

‘Unfortunately, I am the villain’: Profiles Theatre artistic director Darrell W. Cox responds to Reader abuse investigation

Bleader | Chicago Reader: In a Facebook post published Friday evening, Profiles Theatre artistic director Darrell W. Cox dismisses allegations of workplace abuse documented by the Reader during a yearlong investigation of the acclaimed storefront theater.

A critic’s mea culpa, or How Chicago theater critics failed the women of Profiles Theatre

Bleader | Chicago Reader: Of all the upsetting stories I heard while Aimee Levitt and I were investigating Profiles Theatre, the one that disturbed me the most came not from anyone who'd ever met or allegedly been harmed by artistic director Darrell W. Cox and his cohort. It wasn't even a story about something specific he or his collaborators had allegedly done.

Actors hand out copies of the Reader in front of Profiles Theatre

Bleader | Chicago Reader: Last night, after reading this week's Reader cover story about alleged abuses at Profiles Theatre, Gaby Labotka, a Chicago actor and director, decided to go to the theater and hand out copies of the paper to passersby. By 1:30 PM, a rotating group of six or seven people, some affiliated with the Not in Our House advocacy group, stood on the four corners of Broadway and Buena and under the theater awning distributing newspapers.

Jeff Awards committee, Steppenwolf, and others condemn abuse alleged in Reader investigation of Profiles Theatre

Bleader | Chicago Reader: Theater communities in Chicago and across the country reacted swiftly to the publication of this week's Reader cover story—"At Profiles Theatre, the drama—and abuse—is real"—condemning the alleged abuses at the north-side storefront theater and standing behind a group that has emerged to protect non-Equity theater professionals.

The Business of Show Biz: Mind Your Own Beeswax

Theatre Bay Area: Hmm. How do I say this? I love you very much, but you’ve got to mind your own business. What time of day your castmate eats or what music she listens to on her headphones while putting on makeup is simply none of your beeswax. That her (neither noisy nor invasive) process is distracting to you simply means your focus is scattered. Concentrate on your process; learn what works for you in order to be prepared to take the stage. Do those things and leave everyone else out of it.

Women of ‘Hamilton’ at Heart of Hit Broadway Musical

Variety: If you haven’t seen “Hamilton” yet, it’s easy to believe that the blockbuster musical is all about the men. Actors easily outnumber actresses among its leads and featured players, and the guys — Lin-Manuel Miranda, of course, but also director Thomas Kail and actors Daveed Diggs and Christopher Jackson — have all put in appearances on late-night TV in recent weeks. Five of its actors are nominated for this year’s Tony Awards.

5 Crucial Steps To Paying Off Your Student Loans Before Your 30s

www.lifehack.org: Student loan debt is a national problem. As of January 2016, total US student loan debt was over $1.2 trillion, and market analysts have warned about how this expanding student loan debt has become a bubble. That bubble bursting could have serious consequences for the US economy, as banks and the government could be crushed under a pile of insolvent student loans.

An Interview with Natasha Katz

THE INTERVAL: “Do you want to meet a genius?” And because I am a rational and inquisitive person, I say, “Yes. Yes, I do.” I am led to a turban-clad woman and come to the rational conclusion that I’m meeting the apparition of Diana Vreeland. This is probably a good time to point out that this meeting takes place at the John Barrett Salon with John Barrett as the ambassador to genius. The turban-clad woman is actually the very real (and with very wet hair) Natasha Katz. The Natasha Katz who has designed lighting for over fifty Broadway shows, who has won five Tony Awards

Prime Movers

Stage Directions: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or in the case of theatre: The designer or the manufacturer? Designers and directors are always pushing for new effects, new looks, new possibilities; but would they even know those possibilities existed without manufacturers inventing new tricks? We asked lighting and special effects companies how they’re responding to designers to help them create beautifully subtle looks—or blast the back row into the stratosphere—and what the current “must-have” effect is.

Incredible Model-Making Tutorials from a Master Modeler

makezine.com: As one of the commenters exclaims on David Neat’s blog of modeling tips: “I feel like I’ve just discovered the Holy Grail of modeling sites!” David’s simple, plain WordPress blog betrays the amount and quality of the content found there. David writes about and teaches model-making and this site gathers the materials from his books, courses, and lectures.

New York City's Great Post-It War Ended With An Epic Mic Drop

The Frisky: New York City’s bustling Canal Street has been embroiled in a case of office savagery that will go down in the annals of history as “The Great Post-it Wars of 2016.” The battle saw a variety of media and creative agencies pitting themselves against each other to see who could create the best large-scale Post-it mural. Even though it started as a fun bit of office fluff to relieve some of the stress of fast-paced agency life, the #PostItWars quickly grew into something else entirely.

'Matilda' actor embraces gender flip for role, working with kids

TribLIVE: David Abeles has discovered it's fun to be bad. He plays Agatha Trunchbull, headmistress of Crunchen Hall, who rules with an iron fist and lives by the school's motto: “Children are maggots.” “She is a monster,” Abeles says. The actor is performing in the national touring company of “Matilda the Musical,” which runs from May 31 to June 12 the Benedum Center, Downtown, as a joint presentation of PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro Warns of "Major Problem" in the Field

Hollywood Reporter: Considered among the greatest cinematographers of all time, Vittorio Storaro identified what he sees as a “major problem” in cinematography today as he attracted a starstruck crowd and earned an enthusiastic standing ovation Friday evening at Cine Gear Expo, where he screened his latest work, Woody Allen’s Cafe Society. He stated that a trend that has emerged with the use of digital cameras is that “people want to work faster or show that they can use less light, but they don’t look for the proper light the scene needs.

Hillary Clinton’s Nomination: Powerful Women in Hollywood React

Variety: Hillary Clinton made history on Tuesday night by becoming the first woman to clinch the presidential nomination of a major political party. To reflect on this barrier-breaking moment, Variety surveyed top players in the entertainment and media industry about what it means to them.

Who's Afraid of Feminist Fairy Tale Theater?

The Creators Project: A sadomasochistic, genderfluid Queen named Gregory; barf made out of Skittles; and casual references to benzodiazepines: finally, a fairy tale we can all relate to. The Coward is the latest invention of Maddy Campbell, an NYU Tisch alum who both wrote and stars in the play, which premiered at the historic East Village performance venue WOW Café Theatre on April 30. Directed by co-actor Matt Phillips, and produced by Wednesday Derrico and Experimental Bitch Presents, The Coward stands as an over-the-top, in-your-face revision of what modern fairy tales can and should be.

National Maker Faire Kicks Off the Summer of Making

National Maker Faire Kicks Off the Summer of Making: When President Obama hosted the first White House Maker Faire in 2014 and declared it a success, what had been a mini event became of national importance. Set this year for June 18-19, the second annual National Maker Faire takes place at the University of District Columbia as part of the president’s proclaimed National Week of Making, a seven-day celebration June 17-23 that officially launches an entire season — we’re calling it the Summer of Making.

School Theatre: Needed now more than ever

OnStage: I have been going back and forth about this column. What I settled on was to open a discussion about how musical theatre can be inspiring on many different levels for different kids and how to discuss them with school administrators. Hopefully, after reading this post, you can go on here and comment with a success story or two of yours and share it so that we may begin to amass a thread of success stories that performing arts administrators, teachers, and specialists can use as examples in defense of their programs across the country. I believe at the end of a school year it is nice to hear some positive stories.

What It Means to Be Trans in the Theatre

Playbill: “You know this thing about pronouns,” Kate Bornstein says with a sigh. “Is it the pronouns we want to know or the identity? I would rather people know me and then, from that, extrapolate. [Then] they would understand why I use ‘she’ or ‘they’. Growing up, I learned how to act. I learned how to pretend to be boy. That was acting!”

Whose Story to Tell? Akron, Ohio Relates to the Indigenous Amazon

HowlRound: In Death of a Man the New World Performance Lab explores Akron Ohio’s complicated history and relationship with its number one industry: rubber. The show is set at the turn of the century, when the “mad search for natural rubber began” and the booming industry gave Akron it’s infamous nickname “the Rubber City.”

More from FootLights!

Footlights: For months, in some cases years, an army of artists individually and in small groups have been planning for their participation in the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Starting on June 9th, and continuing through the 26th, nearly 300 different productions will be mounted in some 30 different venues, mostly within a few blocks of legendary Theatre Row near the intersection of Wilcox and Santa Monica Blvd.

This Is The World’s Ugliest Color

collegecandy.com: Different colors can create innumerous associations, but only one color has the power to “minimize appeal” and “maximize perceived harm.” Researchers have pinpointed the world’s ugliest color – and it’s been described as ‘dirty,” tar,” and even “death.” Pantone 448 C, also called “opaque couché,” may appear awful, but this color actually has an important mission to do.

CMU Celebrates 70th Annual Tony Awards, June 12

www.cmu.edu/news: Carnegie Mellon University's Renée Elise Goldsberry is not going to miss her shot.

Goldsberry, a 1993 graduate, was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for the musical "Hamilton." She is one of seven CMU alumni who have been nominated for eight Tony Awards this year.

The 70th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by James Corden, will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. EDT, Sunday, June 12, from the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Before his final bow, a Kennedy Center veteran hands out one last backstage pass

The Washington Post: Mickey Berra tells of drinking Scotch with Princess Margaret, smoking a stogy with George Burns, placing a football bet for Elizabeth Taylor, and shooting the breeze with James Brown. He remembers the challenge of getting Willie Nelson’s 21-ton touring bus on stage for the Kennedy Center Honors, cutting a trapdoor into the Opera House stage for the tour of “Les Miserables” and flying a helicopter onstage for “Miss Saigon.” A Kennedy Center stagehand who stepped right out of Central Casting, Berra lets these and a host of other stories fly during a gossipy, witty and always entertaining backstage tour, one of the last the 45-year veteran will give before retiring next month.

CMU grad vies for best actor in a musical Tony for 'Hamilton' role

TribLIVE: At every performance, he brings to burning sensation the high drama and low-ball machinations that formed the core of Aaron Burr's flicker of life at the center of American politics and government before and after the Revolutionary War.

Here’s What Shakespeare’s Plays Sounded Like With Their Original English Accent

22 Words: linguist David Crystal and his son, actor Ben Crystal, look at the differences between English pronunciation now and how it was spoken 400 years ago. They answer the most basic question you probably have right now — How do you know what it sounded like back then?

‘School of Rock’: Kids on Broadway Are Quadruple Threats

Variety: It’s tough being a Broadway actor around Tony time. You’ve got eight shows a week, of course, but you’ve also got rehearsals for the Tony Awards ceremony to slot into your schedule. Plus you’ve got press duties for your show’s Tony campaign, and while you’re at it, you’ll have to juggle any additional daytime rehearsals you might have for new actors joining the show.

Everything you should know about "Hamilton"

Business Insider: "Hamilton" is the most coveted Broadway show right now, and tickets are sold out for months in advance. The musical — created and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda — features a multiracial cast rapping and singing the story of Alexander Hamilton, America's founding father and first secretary of the treasury. It took six years for the musical to come together, but since it has there's no stopping it.

LumenRadio and LiteGear Partner to Create LiteDimmer Wireless DMX System

Stage Directions: LumenRadio and LiteGear have partnered to offer a new ultra-compact LED controller system. The LiteDimmer Wireless DMX system is a wireless transceiver capable of transmitting or receiving DMX signal that is coupled with several LED dimmer units. Because these dimmers incorporate advanced RF receivers along with their dimming circuit in one small housing, LiteDimmer Wireless two- and four-channel units are perfect for use with costumes or props, such as lanterns.

Tonys Actress Roundtable: 7 Broadway Standouts on Biggest Fears and Refusing to Cater to "Teenage Boys"

Hollywood Reporter: "For me," says Lupita Nyong'o, the 33-year-old 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner-turned-best actress in a play Tony nominee for her Broadway debut in Eclipsed, "the hardest time is the moment before I get on stage, when the mountain is ahead of you and you're just like, 'I can't.' Every day, it's total panic and confusion as to how this is supposed to happen, especially feeling the way I feel in that moment, the exhaustion my body is experiencing, being parched in the throat, drinking water and it's just not doing enough. Then they say, 'Places,' and you get on that train, and before you know it, it's over."

Stop the Bots From Killing Broadway

NYTimes.com: THEY call you Lady Luck, but there is room for doubt” — Frank Loesser, “Guys and Dolls”

Almost a year ago, the curtain rose for “Hamilton” at the Richard Rodgers Theater. Since that day, everyone involved in the production has had many wonderful experiences to cherish — from the performance when we hosted President Obama and the first lady to the heartfelt stories we hear from theatergoers outside the stage door.

How Maker Faire Celebrates the Maker Community

makezine.com: At Maker Faire Bay Area this year, Adam Savage returned on Sunday morning to deliver what some might call the Sermon Mounted on the Electric Giraffe (which you can watch in the video below). He stood atop Russell the Electric Giraffe and gave his talk to a crowd of fans. With his thoughtful manner and humor, Adam talked about the value of making and its impact on his life. When he was done, he took questions. One of them was from a young girl who asked him what he does when other people are denigrating his efforts. Adam paused just a moment to think, and then he dismounted from the giraffe, and went to give the young girl a hug.

Sonoma man crushed to death dismantling BottleRock Napa Valley tent

The Press Democrat: The company that employed the Sonoma man crushed to death by a metal beam Tuesday while dismantling a VIP tent at BottleRock Napa Valley was the subject of another investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2008.

British pop star Leona Lewis will star in Cats because apparently no Americans can sing

www.timeout.com: British pop star Leona Lewis will play faded-glamour puss Grizabella in the upcoming Broadway revival of Cats, the production confirmed today. This is good news for theater fans who had worried that the revival would be obliged to cast an American stage performer, of whom not one exists with the ability to belt out “Memory."

Tony, Can You Hear Me?

AMERICAN THEATRE: This year marks the 30th anniversary of my professional career in the theatre, where I’ve had the good fortune to make a life designing sound and composing music for numerous productions, many of them on Broadway. I have been privileged to receive one of the highest accolades in the theatre for my work: In 2013, I was nominated for a Tony Award for designing the sound for Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful.

Where Do Broken Hearts and Intellectual Copyright Go? The Ponderings of a Dumped Artistic Director

HowlRound: In January 2016, I went about the afternoon at my theatre company like any other Thursday. I answered emails, had a quick catch up with the associate producer, and then attended the weekly sales meeting. For almost an hour, we discussed strategies for the upcoming spring repertoire. Our fall had huge audience numbers, a hit show was extending, and we were continuing to analyze how our holiday production grossed more than $100,000 past it’s box office goal. When the meeting completed, the executive director and I prepared to leave for what I thought was a pre-board meeting “prep meeting.” I got my coat, packed up my briefcase, and used the rest room before finding the executive director in front of the building. It was at this point I discovered I wasn’t going to the meeting I thought I was and, was actually, about to reenact a scene from the George Clooney movie Up in the Air.

Film Crew Takes Pittsburgh Back To The 1950s For Adaptation of August Wilson's 'Fences'

90.5 WESA: Film crews are turning back the clock to reflect the Steel City of 1957. The old cars and vintage clothing come courtesy of the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning "Fences," starring the play's Broadway duo, Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. Though based on events that occurred in the Hill District, the Paramount film has been on location in neighborhoods across the city, including Pittsburgh's West End early Friday.

Exploring the Secrets of Soothing Spaceship Sound

Atlas Obscura: You would think, with the decades of Star Trek film, movies, books, websites, conventions and holidays, there'd be nothing new for a fan to discover in the series. But there hasn't been a Star Trek fan quite like Spike Snell. The YouTuber and noise musician was casually watching the entire run of Star Trek: The Next Generation for the fourth time in 2011 when he locked in on something that most obsessives took for granted, yet was present in almost every scene. It was, as he put it, his favorite part of the show. The "ambient engine noise sound."

Tony Awards honors Detroit's Cass Technical High School teacher with Excellence in Theatre Education Award

CBS News: For a second year, the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University have chosen a teacher for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award. Of more than 1,100 submissions from across the country, the winner hails from Detroit's top high school, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

Twisting the Grid for 'The Robber Bridegroom'

PLSN: Director Alex Timbers seems to have a penchant for period timepieces gone askew. He displayed this trait while directing previous productions such as Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson as well as the Tony Award-winning Peter Pan prequel, Peter Pan and the Starcatchers. He continues down this road with his latest production, the remake of the 1975 musical The Robber Bridegroom, an 18th century Southern romp inspired by a short story by Eudora Welty.

Microsoft Launches Planner, a Trello-Like Project Management Tool

lifehacker.com: Microsoft Planner, a new tool that helps teams track and collaborate on projects, launched today for the Office 365 suite. Planner lets you organize projects, share files, assign tasks, and chat with other collaborators—all within Office 365.

J.K. Rowling Slams Black Hermione Critics of ‘Harry Potter’ Play

Variety: J.K. Rowling has given her “absolute blessing” to a black actress playing Hermione in London stage production “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” and slammed those who criticized the casting in a new interview.

Manufacturing Ramshackle

Stage Directions: For Fences at Arizona Theatre Company, Scenic Designer Vicki Smith and Charge Scenic Artist Brigitte Bechtel presented to us an opportunity to help create a set that needed to look grungy, worn and real, with rusting metal, peeling paint on wood, tattered pavers and aged brick.

Ansys funds a maker laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Engineering simulation software company Ansys Inc. is teaming with Carnegie Mellon University to create a teaching, design and build laboratory for students. Canonsburg-based Ansys will help build a three-story, 30,000-square-foot student laboratory on the Oakland campus with groundbreaking scheduled for fall and completion anticipated in 2018. The cost of the building was not disclosed, but Ansys and university officials hope the lecture and fabrication hall will expand opportunities for collaboration and allow students to try out the latest materials and designs. “There is a huge market for innovation,” Ansys President and CEO James Cashman said. “All these tools will allow people to do ‘what if.’”

‘Ragtime’ with canned music at DSM? No thanks.

Dallas Morning News: No. Just no. Thank you to the actors, who performed valiantly and a few stunningly, in Ragtime, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals at Fair Park Music Hall, at Tuesday’s opening night performance. But you can’t bring a non-Equity tour with mostly canned music to play Dallas and expect no one to notice. Not in a town filled with vibrant professional companies offering musicals with live orchestras.

BWW Dance Interview: Tomé Cousin

www.broadwayworld.com: Tomé Cousin is an interdisciplinary artist who has molded an award winning international career that includes collaboration and performance on Broadway, television, film, dance, theater, music, photography, and literature. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Dance History and Choreography and a Masters of Fine Art in New Media Art and Performance. He is an Associate Professor of Dance at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

Broadway Producer Scott Rudin: 'I'm A Complete Product Of Mentorship'

NPR: Growing up, the only thing Scott Rudin wanted to do was become a theater producer. "I never had a fantasy of doing anything else or being anything else," he tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "I used to read [The New York Times'] Arts & Leisure [section] and obsess over, 'David Merrick has five shows running on Broadway! What would that be like?' "

Transforming the Hill District into Hollywood movie backdrop

Local News - WTAE Home:The movie fences for the most part will be filmed in this
house on Anaheim Street in district. About a retired Negro League baseball
player trying to build backyard. He spends more times jacking it actually does
building the there is something else you need to know about the movie based on
the play by August Wilson, it's no coincidence that den still Washington is the
director.

Two new faculty members appointed to the School of Drama

CMU School of Drama: Two new faculty members were appointed to the School of Drama Acting and Music Theater faculty this spring. They will begin teaching in the fall of 2016.

Gary Logan comes to us from his position as Director of the Washington Shakespeare Theatre Company's Academy for Classical Acting, (in association with George Washington University). He holds an MFA from American Conservatory Theatre.

Big audio dynamite: how theatre is moving at the speed of sound

Stage | The Guardian: Yael Farber’s remarkable production of Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs finishes its run at the National Theatre on Thursday. You should try to catch it. It’s a galvanising evening conjuring a colonised Africa on the brink of revolution, which celebrates its cultural wealth and ancient traditions. One of the significant elements is the music and sound – as Susannah Clapp quite rightly observed, you leave with your ears ringing.

‘Eclipsed’ Production Duo On Breaking Through Broadway’s Glass Ceiling

www.huffingtonpost.com: During a season where Broadway is grossing a record high of $1.37 billion, lead producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey of Front Row Productions are making history of their own with “Eclipsed.” Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah and Saycon Sengblo, “Eclipsed” — which is the first play written by, directed by, produced by and starring black women — tells the intense story of five women who are brought together by turmoil in their homeland of Liberia.

CrystalGel – A Costumer’s New Best Friend

Rosco Spectrum: Costumers often choose a fabric for a number of reasons, including its feel, color, translucency and weight. Oftentimes, however, that fabric needs to be modified to fit the needs of the production. For a 2015 production of Peter and the Starcatcher at Playmakers Repertory Company, the costume crew needed to create a dress for the character Teacher so that he appeared as an illuminated mermaid. The project posed a number of fabric-style challenges for costume technician and draper Candy McClernan – who discovered that Rosco’s CrystalGel was her solution to several of the challenges this costume posed.

Community Theatre, Beijing Style

Butts In the Seats: Before traveling to Beijing, I took the opportunity to arrange to meet with Beijing Playhouse Executive Director, Chris Verrill. Beijing Playhouse describes itself as “China’s English Broadway Theatre.” It is essentially a community theater that casts ex-pats from various English speaking nations. Though anyone with sufficient skill in English can audition. Looking through some of the playbills, I saw people from the U.S., British Commonwealth countries, Africa, Japan, India and China.

13 Epic Movie Sets That Were Actually Miniature Models

www.wimp.com: Take, for instance, the architects, carpenters, and artists who are responsible for designing and building miniature models. They are rarely remembered for their talents, but without them, directors would be lost. When it comes time to build a scene that would be costly to recreate or simply doesn't exist in the real world, miniatures are still relied upon today to add a level of reality that just doesn't exist with CGI.

That said, many of these miniatures work alongside CGI, while others stand alone.

‘Hamilton’ star Daveed Diggs enjoys access to new world

Salon.com: These days, Daveed Diggs finds himself in the eye of a hurricane. And it is quiet.

The Ivy League-educated rapper and actor from California has earned a Tony Award nomination for his work in the biggest Broadway show in a generation and that means he’s needed for endless appearances and events.

His refuge? Onstage at “Hamilton.”

The workhorse of bubble machines

Boing Boing: Bubble machines tend to be flakey, touchy things that break a lot. Dan Das Mann, creator of the Funn Machine, the Funn Beast, and now the Funn Pack swears by the Bubbletron.

Sorry to spoil your “Game of Thrones” revenge-spoiler fantasy, but it doesn’t work

Salon.com: I have some bad news for the woman who’s taken it upon herself to torture her ex boyfriend by consistently spoiling “Game of Thrones” each week: it’s not working. Despite her gusto and creativity — if you’re unfamiliar with the story, she unblocks him from various social media platforms each week for just long enough to reveal spoilers, or texts him directly using someone else’s phone — science says her impulse for revenge isn’t actually being achieved. Spoiler alert: spoilers don’t really ruin stories.

Disney Shows Why Your Organization Should Sweat the Small Stuff

Selling Out: It’s true: Disney does actually create magical experiences — so enchanting that the magical kingdom has a 70% return rate of first-time visitors, according to Help Scout’s Gregory Ciotti.

Equity Election Fills Council Seats

Stage Directions: Actors’ Equity Association recently held their 2016 National Council elections. Members voted to fill 14 council seats across all regions and in three categories (principal actor, chorus actor and stage manager). The term of office is four years. F

New NFPA Journal looks at the fire hazard of buildings’ decorative features

NFPA Xchange: Are those palm trees outside your hotel window real or simulated? Could they be made of plastic? If so, they can pose a significantly greater hazard than real palm trees in a fire event.

When Actors Wage Battle

Footlights: Steven Leigh Morris reports the latest twist in the ongoing discussion about the preservation of intimate theater in Los Angeles: actor Ann Colby Stocking has filed an official wage claim against the Odyssey Theatre for back wages from a 2013 show. Her claim, which concerns not being paid minimum wage, had to be filed within 3 years time of her employment.

READ: Constance Wu, B.D. Wong and Other APIA Actors' Thoughts on Hollywood Whitewashing

Colorlines: Constance Wu joined several other Asian-American stars for a critique of Hollywood's Whitewashing of Asian and Asian-American performers and characters. "It changed me," the #StarringConstanceWu star said of her starring role in ABC's "Fresh Off the Boat" in The New York Times article, which was published yesterday (May 25). She added that the role shifted her focus "from self-interest to Asian-American interests."

Battery Operated Cordless Nailers - Be Informed

Tool Box Buzz: With the introduction of battery operated cordless finish nailers by several Brands there’s lots of conversation among carpenters about whether these new tools can compete with pneumatics and ultimately who makes the best version. The most recent entry into this category is Milwaukee with several new battery powered brad/finish nailers. With those new releases there have been several articles and videos on the internet regarding Milwaukee finish nailers and run time tests – problem is RUN TIME tests are flawed.

WOW Café Theatre: Celebrating the Beginnings of a Historic Women’s Theatre

HowlRound: During dinner with a writer friend, I told her about the launch/party/performance I’d attended on February 29 for the book Memories of the Revolution: the First Ten Years of the WOW Café Theater (edited by Holly Hughes, Carmelita Tropicana, and Jill Dolan, published by University of Michigan Press, 2015). My friend knew of WOW and said, “You know before that I used to go see stuff at Medusa’s Revenge. They were a lesbian theatre in the ’70s.” It made me happy to know there’d been another theatre in New York City that gave women a place to work and find their voices, and push their way into the art form that often didn’t have room for them, or wanted to keep them in a specific role.