ProSoundWeb: Everyone loves a big console. Even when they’re small in size, like modern digital consoles, we favor consoles that have everything we need to solve any problem that may come up.
But what about those times when, for whatever reason, a big console is not available?
That’s the time for ingenuity and some special techniques that maximize the usefulness of the available feature set. Some people call these “workarounds,” but the term I like is “tricks.”
Friday, November 30, 2018
“Bathtubs Over Broadway,” Reviewed: Can a Musical Sponsored by a Toilet Manufacturer Be a Work of Art?
The New Yorker: From the title alone, it’s obvious that “Bathtubs Over Broadway,” a new documentary by Dava Whisenant that opens this Friday, will be a delight. Its subject is the industrial musical—plays produced by corporations for their employees to enjoy at nationwide or regional sales meetings and conventions. Steve Young, who was, for more than twenty years, a writer for David Letterman, became obsessed, in the mid-nineties, with these shows—in particular, with LPs of them, which were pressed solely to be distributed to employees as souvenirs.
How to Emotionally Detach From Criticism
lifehacker.com: You’ll never make everybody happy—and the people that aren’t happy are liable to tell you why. Criticism is part of the price of being human. But even though we know that, it’s hard to deal when the negative stuff starts rolling in. Share an opinion on the internet—or just report some inconvenient facts (ask me how I know)—and you may have hordes of people telling you what a bad person you are. Here’s how to stop criticism from ruining your day.
How A24 Became the Coolest Brand in Hollywood
www.highsnobiety.com: Today, indie film house A24 announced a selection of scented candles inspired by different movie genres. Created in collaboration with Joya Studio, the genre candles forgo theater smells like popcorn and worn velour seats in favor of aromatic alternatives named horror, western, thriller, noir, adventure, and musical after the movie genres.
How Restaurants Got So Loud
The Atlantic: Let me describe what I hear as I sit in a coffee shop writing this article. It’s late morning on a Saturday, between the breakfast and lunch rushes. People talk in hushed voices at tables. The staff make pithy jokes amongst themselves, enjoying the downtime. Fingers clack on keyboards, and glasses clink against wood and stone countertops. Occasionally, the espresso machines grind and roar. The coffee shop is quiet, probably as quiet as it can be while still being occupied. Even at its slowest and most hushed, the average background noise level hovered around 73 decibels (as measured with my calibrated meter).
Text Settings: Exploring the Features and Benefits of AutoCAD
AutoCAD Blog | Autodesk: Text in an AutoCAD drawing is the means by which you communicate information. The ability to give text in an easy-to-read format is critical for good communication. The methods for accessing and formatting text provide greater efficiency and control of the text objects in your drawings.
Museum Aims To Be A Model For Making Collections Available Via 3D Printing
WVXU: The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis was one of the first museums to offer free 3D printing of its art collection, all in an effort to make it more accessible to the public. It now hopes to be a model for other museums around the country.
Hope in the Shadows
HowlRound Theatre Commons: “Why is this the only way we learn women’s history?” This question was the last note I scribbled in my notebook while watching Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me at New York Theatre Workshop this past October.
Though broad in scope, this is an intensely personal question for me. I’ve spent the last four years studying the history of female solo performance in America, and I’ve often wondered why it took writing a dissertation on the topic to learn anything about women’s political, cultural, and social history in the United States.
Though broad in scope, this is an intensely personal question for me. I’ve spent the last four years studying the history of female solo performance in America, and I’ve often wondered why it took writing a dissertation on the topic to learn anything about women’s political, cultural, and social history in the United States.
No Retractable Blades
Prop Agenda: What is a retractable knife? We have all seen them at novelty shops or with Halloween costumes. When you push the blade against a surface, it slides up into the handle. When you pull it back, a spring inside forces the blade back out of the handle. With enough speed, it appears that the knife blade is plunging into your body as someone stabs you.
He's Still in School and Already Making an Auspicious Dual Debut
Theatre Development Fund – TDF: "When my mom was my age, she was going through a divorce, had two kids and was working three jobs," says 29-year-old playwright Jeremy O. Harris. "So having two productions in New York while getting an MFA feels like a cakewalk because those things are very cushy."
Founded by a 24-year-old artist, Wicked Pittsburgh promotes local creatives while raising money for charities
www.nextpittsburgh.com: Don’t let the name fool you: Wicked Pittsburgh is a charitable organization.
The new artist collective supports local nonprofits while helping creative types promote and sell their wares. So far, Wicked has donated to 10 charities thus far, including 412 Food Rescue, Allegheny County Parks Foundation and Meals on Wheels.
“We aren’t here to make money; quite the contrary. We’re here to give it all away. Then search for more and give that away,” says Wicked co-founder Mike Schwarz.
The new artist collective supports local nonprofits while helping creative types promote and sell their wares. So far, Wicked has donated to 10 charities thus far, including 412 Food Rescue, Allegheny County Parks Foundation and Meals on Wheels.
“We aren’t here to make money; quite the contrary. We’re here to give it all away. Then search for more and give that away,” says Wicked co-founder Mike Schwarz.
25 Things You Didn’t Know About the Christmas Spectacular (and the Rockettes!)
The Rockettes: The Christmas Spectacular is a holiday tradition unlike any other—from watching us Rockettes perform time-honored classic dance numbers (“Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” anyone?!) to Santa Claus taking you on a 3-D sleigh ride while Radio City Music Hall turns into an immersive winter wonderland—it’s a 90-minute extravaganza that’s sure to put fans of all ages in the Yuletide spirit.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Designing Valley Of The Heart
www.livedesignonline.com: The current Mark Taper Forum production of Luis Valdez's play, Valley Of The Heart, by Center Theatre Group in LA, has won the hearts of the critics with its masterful writing and beautiful designs by John Iacovelli (sets), Lupe Valdez (costumes), Pablo Santiago (lighting), David Murakami (projection), and Philip G. Allen (sound).
Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender
HowlRound Theatre Commons: Of the 2617 director positions over the five years examined, 68.1 percent were filled by he directors, and 31.9 percent were filled by she directors. Of the 772 directors, 68.8 percent were he directors, and 31.2 percent were she directors. Over the five seasons, directors averaged 3.4 shows, with he designers averaging 3.4 shows, and she directors averaging 3.5 shows.
Pennsylvania Subsidized Creed II With $16 Million in Tax Breaks, Even Though It Mostly Takes Place in California
Hit & Run : Reason.com: Pennsylvania taxpayers helped subsidize the filming of Creed II with $16 million in tax credits, despite the fact that the movie relocates its main characters (and perhaps the future of the long-running, iconic Rocky series) from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.
It's an apt metaphor for film tax credit programs in general—which are sold as a way to create local jobs in the movie business or as a way to get a state's top tourist destinations featured on the big screen—but mostly end up benefitting Hollywood production companies.
It's an apt metaphor for film tax credit programs in general—which are sold as a way to create local jobs in the movie business or as a way to get a state's top tourist destinations featured on the big screen—but mostly end up benefitting Hollywood production companies.
7 Must-Have Mods For 3D Printing, CNC Routing, and Lasering
makezine.com: While we all know our printers, routers, and lasers will work well out of the box and wouldn’t want to get in the way of their superior craftsmanship, some of the more wild and crazy of our brood will dive in to modifying them. These mods can improve not only the quality of the finished product, but in some cases improve the experience of using the tool in the first place. With the often open source nature of these modifications, the entire community benefits from these improvements.
Tools of the Trade Reviews the Fein Starlock MultiMaster
Remodeling | Multi-Tools, Tool Tests, Fein Power Tools: The mother of all oscillating multitools first appeared in 1967 in the form of an oscillating saw. Used by medical personnel to remove plaster casts, the saw could cut through the plaster and gauze, without cutting the skin below. The company responsible was the German manufacturer Fein.
How to & Why You Should Embrace Social Media by Ryan Ratelle
The Producer's Perspective: Like it or not, the advent of smartphones coupled with the unstoppable rise of social media has literally put the power of the people into the palm of our hands. This new form of media has given birth to billions of new user-created television networks, editorials, and music labels – all accessible (and scrollable) in tiny hand-held devices. Every minute of the day, people play multiple roles as creators, critics, commentators, gurus, and advocates. It’s a game-changing force that has radically altered the way we receive and share information, advertise, and interact.
Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Teach Broadway Slang
New York Theater: Sure, you know what mugging is, and ingenue. But what is screlting? Or 2 Dow Shay? What do theater people mean when they use the word “corpse.” Lin-Manuel Miranda explains 15 theater terms, illustrating some with specific examples. He sings for “Money Note.” He looks baffled for “Going Up.” For “Showmance,” he tells a story about how Christopher Jackson met his wife.
DeWalt DCB104 Simultaneous Charger Review - Four Ports, All Sorts, Even The New Giant FlexVolt!
Home Fixated: Thanks to the growing number of powerful cordless tools, many job sites are much more efficient and productive than they used to be back in the dark ages of (shudder) power cords. Cordless drills, reciprocating saws, LED site lighting, and even miter saws and table saws are all ready to leap into action, without having to search out and fight for available outlets.
The Dickens you say – a review of “The Old Curiosity Shop”
'Burgh Vivant: A gambling grandfather (Patrick Conner) loses everything except the love of his granddaughter, Little Nell (Caroline Lucas), in Charles Dickens’s “The Old Curiosity Shop.”
Mrs. Jarley (Kendra McLaughlin) and her carnival barkers (Jonathan Visser and Ken Bolden) describe the tragic circumstances of Nell’s life, briefly narrating her tale.
Mrs. Jarley (Kendra McLaughlin) and her carnival barkers (Jonathan Visser and Ken Bolden) describe the tragic circumstances of Nell’s life, briefly narrating her tale.
Initial plans unveiled for USA Expo 2020 pavilion during ceremony in Dubai
InPark Magazine: While the official opening of the U.S. pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai -the next World’s Fair- on October 20, 2020 feels far away, Pavilion USA 2020, the partnership responsible for the United States’ National Pavilion, has been making important headway in the design and planning of the landmark building destined to represent more than 325 million Americans.
‘The Ferryman’ on Broadway: How The Animals Get Onstage
www.vulture.com: Among a cast of dozens playing an extended Northern Irish family, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and even babies, the breakout stars of The Ferryman may well be the animal actors. Jez Butterworth’s play is set in a 1980s farmhouse on the eve of a harvest, and the characters freely interact with the livestock, including a live bunny, a Netherland Dwarf rabbit named Pierce, and, in a brief-but-striking moment, an Emden goose named Peggy.
Focus show in London spotlights boom in world production
Variety: With global production booming at a breakneck pace, execs from content companies, film commissions and location providers who will be descending from more than 60 countries on London’s Dec. 4-5 Focus show really have something about which to cheer.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
We Had a Convening About Comedy in Theatre and People Couldn’t Stop Farting
HowlRound Theatre Commons: Do you remember laughing at something so hard that it made you pee a little? Do you remember having an intense emotional release triggered through seeing something funny? What about experiencing a moment where comedy has disoriented and destabilized you and/or a culture, or where you have felt how sharp and precise comedy strikes at the heart of societal and personal problems? Do you remember how healing laughter can be? Do you remember joy?
Impact Attractions launches at IAAPA with world’s first sustainable play attraction
InPark Magazine: Impact Attractions, a newly formed joint venture between The Weber Group and Infinite Kingdoms including industry attraction leaders Denise Weston, Rick Briggs, Brian Morrow and Janelle Picard, invites guests to “PLAY WITH THE EARTH”.
“As we future cast on what guests and clients will want for new experiences, the idea of developing a play attraction that was based on the goal of net zero energy impact to the earth was born” says Denise Weston inventor of Impact Attractions, “never before has the industry delivered an attraction that allows guests to play with the earth and make a positive impact while being entertained”.
“As we future cast on what guests and clients will want for new experiences, the idea of developing a play attraction that was based on the goal of net zero energy impact to the earth was born” says Denise Weston inventor of Impact Attractions, “never before has the industry delivered an attraction that allows guests to play with the earth and make a positive impact while being entertained”.
In Focus: Tips, Tricks & Punts
ProSoundWeb: Working as a monitor engineer can be challenging, and I’ve had a fair share of hard lessons over the years with equipment (or lack thereof), facilities, artists, and more.
Success is largely a matter of being able to manage a lot of moving parts.
Success is largely a matter of being able to manage a lot of moving parts.
5Q: Johanna Town, Lighting Designer & ALD Chair
www.livedesignonline.com: Lighting designer Johanna Town is the current chair of the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) in the UK. Her recent projects include Frankenstein at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and Love & Information in Sheffield Studios. Live Design chats with Town about her goals for the ALD and her design work.
Rigging Safety: The Epitome of Loving Thy Neighbor
Church Production Magazine: At its core, rigging safety is about putting others first. We can’t easily hang thousands of pounds in the air without a terrifying concern: “Have I done this safely so that those below will be free from harm? Can I close my eyes at night knowing I have done everything morally, ethically and legally possible to keep others safe?”
'Game of Thrones' security heightened during filming for final season
www.usatoday.com: Winter is coming ... and apparently, so is additional security.
HBO fantasy juggernaut "Game of Thrones" has been filming Season 8, set to premiere in April 2019, and the scripts and final plot lines have been kept tightly under wraps.
HBO fantasy juggernaut "Game of Thrones" has been filming Season 8, set to premiere in April 2019, and the scripts and final plot lines have been kept tightly under wraps.
18 Best Web & Graphic Designer Resume Templates for 2019
business.tutsplus.com: Sometimes, the toughest design work you'll try to do is for yourself as a client. You can be the best graphic designer around, but building your own resume is just too tough. Since you're applying for a design-centric job, it's crucial that your resume looks like a top designer created it.
Every job will have a deep pool of applicants and it's your job to get to the top of the stack. You can do that by building a professional resume that highlights your skills and puts your best foot forward.
Every job will have a deep pool of applicants and it's your job to get to the top of the stack. You can do that by building a professional resume that highlights your skills and puts your best foot forward.
Past & Present: Were The “Good Old Days” Really All That?
ProSoundWeb: A recent poll here at ProSoundWeb asked, “The one thing I’d like to see the return of, or at least more of, in sound reinforcement is…”
Response choices included tube electronics, rotary faders, loud/distorted audio, wired-only microphones, and wedges only (no IEM).
Oh, and the winner: none of the above, which garnered almost 50 percent of the vote.
Response choices included tube electronics, rotary faders, loud/distorted audio, wired-only microphones, and wedges only (no IEM).
Oh, and the winner: none of the above, which garnered almost 50 percent of the vote.
RoscoLED® Tape Creates A Retro-Futuristic Setting For Arctic Monkeys
Rosco Spectrum: The rock band Arctic Monkeys recently completed their 2018 UK tour in support of their recent album Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino. The tour seduced the crowds with a mix of the band’s popular songs and tracks off the new album that were combined with stage aesthetics that matched the music they were playing. Lighting Designer Paul Normandale installed our RoscoLED Tape VariWhite inside several set elements to convey a retro-futuristic setting of their fictional Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino.
Deploy drones for envelope inspections
www.buildings.com: Inspecting your building envelope and roof is no easy feat. The taller your building, the more dangerous it is to gain access to the upper levels. Plus, the time-consuming nature of the work makes it expensive, especially if you have to send multiple inspectors to the roof. But a new technology is changing the way facilities professionals inspect roofs and envelopes.
I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Why AutoCAD malware keeps chugging on
Ars Technica: Criminal hackers continue to exploit a feature in Autodesk’s widely used AutoCAD program in an attempt to steal valuable computer-assisted designs for bridges, factory buildings, and other projects, researchers said Tuesday.
Actor will return to Public's 'Sweat' after canceled performance
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Actor Kevin Mambo will return to Pittsburgh Public Theater for the production of “Sweat” one week after a performance on Friday was canceled with the audience already seated. An announcement was made that there was a “medical emergency” among the cast, and tickets would be refunded or replaced for another performance.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Play Review: CMU presents 'fascinating, problematic' 'Detroit '67'
Pittsburgh Current: Pittsburgh is in the midst of a mini-festival featuring the work of rising star playwright Dominique Morisseau. Earlier in the month, City Theater presented Pipeline, her drama about America’s propensity for incarcerating black men as a matter of course. Now Carnegie Mellon University joins the fun with their production of Detroit ’67, Morisseau’s period piece set during that historic summer when Detroit, if not the whole country, went up in flames.
How to overcome your excuses for not prioritizing sleep
www.fastcompany.com: Not getting enough sleep at night? You’re not alone. According to research by the Harvard Business Review, 43% of business leaders don’t get enough sleep at least four nights a week. Yes, you read that right–for the majority of the workweek, you’re probably working with someone who’s running on fumes, metaphorically speaking.
Autodesk University 2018 Challenges the Future of Work, Again
Architect Magazine: From Nov. 13–15, approximately 11,000 architects, designers, builders, and CAD users attended Autodesk University, one of the largest technology conventions in the AEC industry. The annual event, held at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, attracts attendees worldwide interested in industry trends and software developments.
I Played Jenga with the CEO of Autodesk (Interview)
YouTube: Last week I had the privilege to interview Andrew Anagnost, the CEO of Autodesk. It was a huge honor and one really interesting interview. I had 1 whole hour with Andrew to ask him all the questions I have ever wanted to ask a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
When Creativity and Connectivity Converge — the Magic Happens
Sound & Picture: Crafting the connective tissue between key events of the stories we tell is not an easy thing to do. Using technology to tell the story is not a simple proposition either. If it were, everyone would be doing it and there would be no art. The technology we use to create our productions has evolved radically over the years: features, benefits, interfaces and interoperability have changed and as they have done so, they have transmogrified what storytellers can do — and how we do it!
The Art of Healing at Youth Empowerment Performance Project
F Newsmagazine: Choreographer Bonsai Bermúdez sits on the floor to watch dancer Zizi Phillips descend from a set of stairs at the Blue Parrot, an event space for underrepresented artists in Chicago. Backlit by midday sun, Phillips tilts her face up and relevés. Her lips curl upward in a slight smile. Her eyes shine with a sanguine gleam. She transcends space.
Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender
HowlRound Theatre Commons: The following statistics are percentages of positions per LORT Stage Category, as determined by the LORT-AEA agreement (weekly box office receipts and Tony award eligibility) and the LORT-SDC agreement (C category divided into two categories by number of seats, over all five years examined. For more information on minimum rates for designers based on LORT stage categories, visit the United Scene Artists' list of LORT Rates 2017-2022.
Behind the scenes with Hollywood's creature making wizards
Boing Boing: Immortal Masks and Immortal FX is a studio in Hollywood specializing in custom masks, creature suits, body armor, and prop fabrication. They use silicone to make durable, hyperrealistic masks and props for theme parks, haunted attractions, Halloween costumes, music videos, film, and television.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Cast and Creatives Discuss the Show on 60 Minutes
www.broadwayworld.com: 60 Minutes aired a feature last night, November 25, on the new play To Kill a Mockingbird.
The segment, led by correspondent Steve Kroft, includes interviews with playwright Aaron Sorkin, director Bartlett Sher, and actors Jeff Daniels and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
The segment, led by correspondent Steve Kroft, includes interviews with playwright Aaron Sorkin, director Bartlett Sher, and actors Jeff Daniels and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
Stuntwoman Deven McNair Lost Work After Filing Complaint
jezebel.com: Deven McNair’s story shares an arc with that of Jean Coulter, the veteran stuntwoman who says she was blacklisted in the ’80s after reporting sexual harassment. In McNair’s case, though, the complaint she filed was about discrimination.
The Nutcracker Returns to Benedum Center
Dance + Live Performance | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition all over the United States, but in some countries, it's just another ballet. That was the case for fourth year Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre company member Emily Simpson, who was born in England and grew up in China and Thailand.
“I didn’t grow up with The Nutcracker at all,” says Simpson. “In China and Thailand, they don’t celebrate Christmas so my family celebrated on our own.”
“I didn’t grow up with The Nutcracker at all,” says Simpson. “In China and Thailand, they don’t celebrate Christmas so my family celebrated on our own.”
RenderMan at 30: A Visual History
VFX Voice Magazine: Launched in May 1988, Pixar’s RenderMan is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The renderer, which Pixar uses internally and licenses commercially and non-commercially, has been one of the mainstays of computer animation and visual effects production over the past three decades, with its origins in computer graphics going back even longer.
The Old Curiosity Shop
Pittsburgh in the Round: PICT Classic Theatre opened their 22nd season with the theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens classic serialized novel The Old Curiosity Shop. PICT Artistic and Executive Director Alan Stanford adapted the novel for the stage at the Gate Theatre in Dublin in 2007 and directs this gritty production with a sophisticated yet earthy flair.
Monday, November 26, 2018
#GivingTuesday: Giving Thanks, Giving Back
Live Design: With the holidays in full swing, it’s an opportune time to consider the ways we can make a difference in the lives of others. As you prepare to celebrate with friends and family, consider these opportunities to give back to the music and audio community this season.
Taylor Swift makes a payout to all Universal artists a clause in her new record deal
Boing Boing: Taylor Swift's latest record deal contained a clause in which Universal finally committed to sharing any gains from a future sale of Spotify (which the company invested in along with Sony and Warner) with all its artists, not just those whose accounts are in the black.
It's a major victory that closes a loophole that let Universal promise to give money to artists without ever doing so, and still reaping the PR benefits.
It's a major victory that closes a loophole that let Universal promise to give money to artists without ever doing so, and still reaping the PR benefits.
Inside The Lives Of Entertainment Riggers: Tora La Rosa
TheatreArtLife: I started out in the theatre industry as a Stage Manager working for community theatres and during my time with them there was a small group of performers working towards starting their own contemporary circus company, Rock’n’Roll Circus. I joined as the SM and in those days, the cast and crew did everything from costumes to rigging.
The myth of the tortured artist: How New Zealand is safeguarding mental health in the arts
NZ Herald: Although the notion of musicians and actors suffering for their art persists, rising Kiwi pop singer Josie Moon says her depression actually got in the way of writing and creating. However, much is being done in the New Zealand entertainment industry to safeguard mental health.
Snowflakes and trigger warnings: Shakespearean violence has always upset people
theconversation.com: We are repeatedly told that today’s young people are oversensitive, claiming to need “trigger warnings” and to be traumatised by literary texts – including the works of Shakespeare – that previous generations took in their stride. But is it really true that readers and theatregoers of the past were more emotionally resilient than today’s “snowflake” generation?
Should You Skip the Opening Credits of TV Shows?
Collider: Has Peak TV changed the way we watch television? Is it the ease of the streaming binge model, or the fast-forward function of DV-Rs that makes us want to rush so quickly into the next episode of a favorite series? Basically, is it ok to skip the opening credits to a TV show, or are we meant to watch them to start each new chapter as part of the program itself?
Detroit '67
Pittsburgh in the Round: Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama’s production of Detroit ’67 has all of the elements for success – an award-winning playwright, an award-winning director, a strong design team, and a talented young cast. Taken all together, this production falls a bit flat.
She Believed She Could: Asta Hostetter On Collaboration and Design
www.broadwayworld.com: When it comes to "how I got here" stories, Àsta Hostetter's is both incredibly unique and incredibly familiar. The costume designer, currently represented off-Broadway by Roundabout's Usual Girls, tells a story of surprise revelations and "almosts" that will probably sound familiar to a lot of theatre artists.
Following Turmoil, New Leaders Of Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Center For The Arts Look Ahead
90.5 WESA: This past Saturday, Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Center for the Arts held an auction at the group’s Melwood Avenue headquarters, home to Filmmakers for more than two decades.
After years of financial turmoil and leadership troubles, the organization is drastically downsizing, selling off the 40,000-square-foot Oakland building, with its screening room, equipment office, darkroom, classrooms and soundstage.
After years of financial turmoil and leadership troubles, the organization is drastically downsizing, selling off the 40,000-square-foot Oakland building, with its screening room, equipment office, darkroom, classrooms and soundstage.
“One more contract and I’m done”
www.thesharonicles.com: We’ve all heard it before: “I swear this is my last contract” or “One more contract and I’m done.” These phrases are used a lot, mostly by people on their first contracts as cruise ship employees. They’re very serious about it as if they really believe what they are saying. The rest of us cruise ship veterans just smile at each other and shake our heads. We remember when we were young, naive, and new to ships, and we told ourselves the same lies. Being a crew member on a cruise ship is incredibly addictive. Well, some people hate it and never do a second contract. For the rest of us, quitting ships is like trying to kick a drug habit.
Hungary Stood In for Colonial Virginia in PBS Series ‘Jamestown’
Variety: Carnival Films, the production company behind “Downton Abbey,” tackles 1620s America with the series “Jamestown” — a production that took place nowhere near Virginia, site of the original Jamestown colony. Instead the show was shot at locations just outside Budapest, where a Southern drawl has seldom been heard.
What is a Megohmmeter?
www.lightingandsoundamerica.comI have a new meter, and it goes to 11. It looks like an ohmmeter, and in a lot of ways it acts like an ohmmeter, and in fact, it is a type of ohmmeter, except it’s designed to measure resistance into the millions of ohms. Can your meter do that?
Sunday, November 25, 2018
NFTRW Weekly top Five
Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:
The Simple Joy of “No Phones Allowed”
www.raptitude.com: A few nights ago I saw Jack White in concert. It was a wonderful night, and a big part of that was due to a new rule he has imposed on all his tour dates: no phones.
When you arrive, you have to put your phone into a neoprene pouch, supplied by a company called Yondr, which they lock and give back to you. If you want to use your phone during the show, you can go into the concourse and unlock it by touching it to one of several unlocking bases. The concert area itself remains screen-free.Trigger Warnings at the Theater: Should This Be a Thing?
www.clydefitchreport.com: I recently went to Seattle Public Theatre to see Fade, a two-character, one-act 2016 drama by Tanya Saracho. This column is not about Fade. It concerns the trigger warning posted at the house door.
Why Every Company Should Have a Performance Psychologist
www.dancemagazine.com: A dancer once contacted me because he was devastated after walking in on his girlfriend with another man. While he was distressed about ending the relationship, he was most concerned about a major performance coming up. They had to dance a romantic pas de deux. When I met with them together, she was afraid he would drop her and he didn't want to look lovingly in her eyes. My role was to help them find ways to make magic onstage and keep their personal difficulties offstage. They ended up dancing to rave reviews.
Why You Should Keep a Daily Sketchbook—and How to Get Started
Artsy: A sketchbook can be much more than just a notebook for drawing. “It can be thought of as a closet, an attic, a basement or a file folder, where unedited thoughts are stored in a jumble,” explains Olivia Petrides, a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “A sketchbook is a way to process raw information.”
Money, generational wealth, and the reality of making it in the arts
Vox: Not long ago, my wife, a composer, asked me if I would ever advise a student from a low-income family to pursue a career in the arts. I am a writer, librettist, and an arts and literature teacher. I thought the answer was obvious.
“What do you mean? Of course.”
“But they don’t have money.”
“If a student were really passionate and talented, she’d figure out a way.” That’s always been something my parents told me. “Think about what you’d do if money were no object, and then work hard. You’ll find a way to make money.”
Friday, November 23, 2018
Minka Wiltz’s one-woman show “Shaking the Wind” raises the roof at local homes
ArtsATL: Out of Hand Theater’s Shaking the Wind begins with an unusual curtain speech. “We’ve just locked the door, and my husband is monitoring the phone, so there will be no interruptions,” announced the host of the November 11 performance. “Does everyone have line of sight?”
Legends 2018: How can theme parks bridge cultural differences?
www.themeparkinsider.com: With rising nationalism dividing countries around the world, how can theme park designers and operators make everyone feel welcomed and understood, so that they keep coming to their parks?
Industry leader Bob Rogers posed that as the top question in this year's Legends panel at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando. Joining him on the panel were IAAPA Hall of Fame member Roland Mack, from Germany's Europa Park, and Universal Studios Beijing President Tom Mehrmann, who previously ran Ocean Park in Hong Kong.
Still Here, Still Enraged
HowlRound Theatre Commons: We, two women with intersectional identities living and working within the Dallas, Texas theatre community, write to speak out against violence toward women, gender inequity and inequality, coercion and control enabled by ongoing abuses of power, and other injustices that disproportionately affect women in our community.
Jason Blum isn't hiring white dudes for his 8 Amazon movies
www.fastcompany.com: Producer Jason Blum is making good on his promise to hire directors who aren’t white males. On Wednesday, it was announced that his film and TV production company, Blumhouse Productions, made a deal with Amazon Studios to produce a series of eight feature-length thrillers that will all be made by “underrepresented” filmmakers. That includes Asians, African-Americans, women, and essentially any demographic that veers from the typical résumé of a Blumhouse writer and director: white dude.
We Need a Little Yiddish, Right This Very Minute
www.clydefitchreport.com: The massacre perpetrated by a white American anti-Semite terrorist at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue last month will remain seared in hearts and minds for years to come. The same with the horrific murder of nine members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, in June 2015, perpetrated by another white American terrorist. There are various theories as to why such deep, sick hatred exists in this country. But what many people agree upon, sadly, is that these reprehensible attacks on those considered by some to be “other” will continue, given the divisive nationalist rhetoric our Commander-in-Chief regularly spews. What solutions do we have to get the ideals of the world’s greatest democracy — a nation founded by immigrants and for all immigrants — back on track? Can the arts play a meaningful role in bringing different cultures, races and religions together toward a more peaceful future? The CEO of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), Chris Massimine, believes the arts are the way to find commonality.
5 Light Shows From LDI2018
www.livedesignonline.com: It has been almost a month since LDI2018, the 30th anniversary of the leading conference and tradeshow for live design professionals from all around the globe. Over 14,000 registered for the event, which featured 230,000+ square feet of exhibits including LDI: Live Outside, 360+ exhibitors with a wide range of new products launched at the show, and 100+ conference and professional training sessions.
The Lion in Winter
Pittsburgh in the Round: Walking through The Little Lake Theatre Company’s stage felt warm and traditional, like going to your grandparents’ for the holidays. Torches lighted the area and gave an overall homey impression and got me in the mood for an old-fashioned Christmas play. What I saw, however, was a far cry from the usual cheery mood of a familial holiday romp.
With One Line, William Goldman Taught Hollywood Everything It Knows
Variety: William Goldman, the Oscar-winning writer of screenplays for “All the President’s Men” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” who died on Friday, coined the best line in the history of Hollywood, and it wasn’t even for one of his movies.
“Nobody knows anything.”
Why Jack O'Brien Always Looks for the Emotional Core in Tom Stoppard
Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Parsing the nature of consciousness sounds like a subject for a research think tank, not an Off-Broadway show. But Tom Stoppard has spent his 50-year career crafting dazzling intellectual plays (Travesties, Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia) that distill a wide range of complex topics into witty and stimulating theatre. The 81-year-old British dramatist's latest offering is The Hard Problem at Lincoln Center Theater, about Hilary (Adelaide Clemens), a young research assistant at a neuroscience lab who challenges the establishment orthodoxy that human nature can be completely explained through science. The narrative interweaves mathematical game theory, Darwinian survival, the behavior of the financial markets and the question of the existence of God in an effort to crack the equation of what makes us human.
Daniel Libeskind's Swarovski Star for Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
www.dezeen.com: Architect Daniel Libeskind has used three million crystals to cover the Swarovski Star, which will top the Christmas tree at New York's Rockefeller Center this year.
Why You Should Keep a Daily Sketchbook—and How to Get Started
Artsy: A sketchbook can be much more than just a notebook for drawing. “It can be thought of as a closet, an attic, a basement or a file folder, where unedited thoughts are stored in a jumble,” explains Olivia Petrides, a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “A sketchbook is a way to process raw information.”
Acrobats Uncomfortable with Upcoming Saudi Performance
www.cirquefascination.com: Cirque du Soleil’s decision to go ahead with more performances in Saudi Arabia next month despite international outrage over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is creating a malaise within circus ranks, The Canadian Press has learned. Following stops in Italy, Germany and Croatia, the Quebec-based troupe will pitch its tent in Riyadh from Dec. 17-29 in a visit that has been in the works for about a year.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Review Roundup: HADESTOWN Opens at the National Theatre!
www.broadwayworld.com: In the warmth of summertime, songwriter Orpheus and his muse Eurydice are living it up and falling in love. But as winter approaches, reality sets in: these young dreamers can't survive on songs alone. Tempted by the promise of plenty, Eurydice is lured to the depths of industrial Hadestown. On a quest to save her, Orpheus journeys to the underworld where their trust in each other is put to a final test.
When a Show Starts to Really Work After Performances Begin
OnStage Blog: So we’re backstage at the conclusion of performance #10 in a 12-show run of Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, produced by Big Dawg Productions at the Cape Fear Playhouse down here in Wilmington, NC. We’re in the single, narrow dressing room that accommodates all five of us and our two-person backstage crew, changing back into street clothes.
A Thank You To My Theatre Teachers
Theatre Nerds: It’s the summer of 2014. I’m a fourteen year old at my church’s music camp sitting in my first ever Drama Class. I’ve loved performing since I was really little whether it was in a choir or in Christmas pageants. For the first time, I learned that theatre is not only just about words on a page but it can be so much more.
Review Roundup: Can the Critics Resist Classic Stage's THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI?
www.broadwayworld.com: Classic Stage's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, starring Raul Esparza, officially opened last night.
Directed by John Doyle, this comical yet disturbing play from one of the greatest political satirists of all time follows a Depression-era Chicago mobster, Arturo Ui, who, with the help of his henchmen, manipulates and murders his way to totalitarian rule of the cauliflower trade. Society, of course, fails to act upon his "resistible rise."
Long Wharf Theatre Names Jacob G. Padron Artistic Director
Stage Directions: Jacob G. Padrón, 38, has been named the new Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre and will begin his role February 1, 2019. “Long Wharf Theatre is one of the most important companies in the American theatre. I am overjoyed to join the board, staff, and New Haven community as we embark on new journey and aim to build a boundary breaking future together,” Padrón said.
The questions to ask the interviewer during the interview
www.fastcompany.com: It was the middle of July 2008, and I had just bought an expensive power suit for a job interview. After being laid off during the height of the recession and unemployed for about six weeks, I was feeling desperate and willing to spend money on anything that might put my career on track.
Final clarity for the EPA Formaldehyde Regulation
Woodworking Network: This month the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a series of proposed technical amendments to the TSCA Title VI Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products rule. These proposed amendments, when finalized, will ensure greater alignment with the existing California Air Resources Board formaldehyde regulation’s (CARB 2) certification and testing procedures and, in some instances, provide greater clarity on the application of requirements. This is good news for composite wood panel manufacturers and companies that use the panels to make components and finished goods, as it means one, more seamless regulatory system nationwide.
Usual Girls: An Interview with Ming Peiffer and Tyne Rafaeli
The Interval: In September, The Washington Post published a piece by Elizabeth Bruenig where she went back to her Texas hometown to investigate a rape that had occurred at her high school. The rape had taken place 12 years prior, to a girl she didn’t know—but who became school legend—a grade above her. All of these years later, she still remembered it and what the community had done—and not done. The following week, a 1993 Joan Didion piece for The New Yorker resurfaced. In the Didion piece, she went to Lakewood, California to investigate a series of high school rapes. Those two weeks in September were at the height of the Kavanaugh hearings. Both pieces became popular, I think, because they exploded the “he said/she said” trope to show how entire communities were implicated in these crimes.
Audio Engineers: You Care About The Wrong Stuff
Pro Audio Files: We should always seek knowledge. The point of this article is to keep focused on the things that really matter and stop stressing over the things that don’t. Each point is going to be one thing you don’t need to think much about followed by something you should be thinking about and practicing instead.
Why Every Company Should Have a Performance Psychologist
www.dancemagazine.com: A dancer once contacted me because he was devastated after walking in on his girlfriend with another man. While he was distressed about ending the relationship, he was most concerned about a major performance coming up. They had to dance a romantic pas de deux. When I met with them together, she was afraid he would drop her and he didn't want to look lovingly in her eyes. My role was to help them find ways to make magic onstage and keep their personal difficulties offstage. They ended up dancing to rave reviews.
R.I.P. Stan Lee: Take His Free Online Course "The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture"
Open Culture: "I grew up in an exurb where it took nearly an hour to walk to the nearest shop, to the nearest place to eat, to the library," remembers writer Adam Cadre. "And the steep hills made it an exhausting walk. That meant that until I turned sixteen, when school was not in session I was stuck at home. This was often not a good place to be stuck. Stan Lee gave me a place to hang out."
Mechanisms: Lead Screws and Ball Screws
Hackaday: Translating rotary motion to linear motion is a basic part of mechatronic design. Take a look at the nearest 3D-printer or CNC router — at least the Cartesian variety — and you’ll…
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Long Live the King: The Lasting Cultural Impact of KING KONG
www.broadwayworld.com: Today, King Kong the Musical opens on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre. Many people are probably wondering, "how did King Kong end up a musical?" It does seem puzzling at first, to think a film about a giant gorilla can transcend film screens and land on the stage as a musical, but when you think about the impact King Kong has made on our culture for almost a century, it begins to make more sense.
Theatre department cancels Beast Thing
The Williams Record: On Thursday, the theatre department announced the cancellation of its production of the play Beast Thing. The show, written by Aleshea Harris and described by the department as a “play-in-progress,” contained controversial and potentially traumatizing content and was directed in a manner that consistently left many participants feeling uncomfortable, leading to its cancellation. The play was directed by Visiting Assistant Professor in Theatre Shayok Misha Chowdhury, who previously directed The Wolves in the fall of 2017.
Globe Cheered End of World War I 100 Years Ago
Variety: Nov. 11 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day in Britain and other countries, and now called Veterans Day in the U.S.). World War II endures as part of our collective DNA, because filmmakers dealt with it extensively at the time, and continue to do so. (Two best picture Oscar nominees last year were about WWII: “Darkest Hour” and “Dunkirk.”)
Why gen-Z emojis may be better for business than email
www.fastcompany.com: I’ll admit I was late to the emoji party. For years now, people have been texting me thumbs up, fire bursts, and the occasional unicorn. But I held out, responding with plain old text. Then one day I finally decided to dive into my emoji keyboard.
That’s when I discovered the incredible communicative power of something as simple as a high-five icon. One tiny drawing. A whole world of emotion and context.
Giant Cardboard Fabrication With PolyProjector
Make:: For Maker Faire Kansas City this year I wanted to make a drone racetrack for micro FPV quads. Normally these courses consist of lots of LED-lit circles for the quads to fly through. I wanted to make something a bit more sculptural and ambitious: giant spider robots mining a floating asteroid field. To keep costs down, and because it’s generally an awesome building material, I decided to use cardboard for everything. My new laser cutter had just arrived and I figured I’d use it to do all the cutting.
U.S. Copyright Office amends act in favor of open 3D printer materials
3D Printing Industry: The U.S. Copyright Office has made an amendment to an existing act that prevented the use of non-manufacturer approved feedstocks in 3D printers.
Upon the advice of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the act has been amended due to its potential to inhibit much-needed material innovation.
Shop Tips: Drill Bits
Tested: There are SO many drill bits to choose from. Here are the ones Sean Charlesworth uses the most, and how he uses them.
An Interview With Outlaw King Costume Designer Jane Petrie
themuse.jezebel.com: How do you design a medieval world without accidentally replicating the look of Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Where do you go when you need chainmail in bulk? And does the costume department have any role in a dick shot? These are just a few of the questions raised by Outlaw King, the new Netflix original starring Chris Pine as Scottish king Robert the Bruce.
The Best Free Online Certificates
Cool Material: Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, bolstering your resume a bit to help you stand out in a competitive job market, or trying to pivot into an entirely new profession, certificate courses are excellent tools people drastically undervalue. The best part is that a lot of these certificates can be had for the low, low price of Free.
Episode 166 – Kristen Blodgette
The Producer's Perspective: It’s easy to understand why the world’s (!) best, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Josh Groban want Kristen in their musical corner.
Kristen is the first MD we’ve had on the podcast, so I took this opportunity to learn more about the gig and her rise to the top
Female leadership at CNN is changing the news game
www.fastcompany.com: “The best ideas come from people who don’t think like everybody else,” says Wendy Brundige, vice president of global video for CNN Digital. “So, it’s been really important to me to build a team of people who represent different kinds of backgrounds, who’ve had different kinds of experiences.”
Inside PNB's Summer Tour to Paris With Emma Love Suddarth
www.pointemagazine.com: It's Monday, June 25. Armed with neck pillows, compression socks and loads of coffee, we are ready for our flight to Paris! Les Étés de la Danse, a French festival held at the beautiful La Seine Musicale theater, invited Pacific Northwest Ballet for its 2018 season. Half of the company will arrive the first week to participate in its Hommage à Jerome Robbins celebration with a handful of other companies. The rest will join the second week for a PNB-only residency.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
MET Releases Statement, Bob Paisley Resigns
PerformInk: The Board of Directors at Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre has released a statement regarding the allegations in the article released by The Pitch detailing years of staff and artist abuse at the hands of its leaders Karen and Bob Paisley. The now 7-member board says that they have accepted the resignation of Bob Paisley from his position as Board President and that they will meet in a closed session on Tuesday to discuss the allegations, saying they are “deeply troubled” by them and are taking the matter seriously.
Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender
HowlRound Theatre Commons: I first published this study in 2015, hoping to provide a baseline on gender of designers in League of Resident Theatre (LORT) Theatres. This article and the accompanying charts are the result of the last five years of collecting, confirming whenever possible, and analyzing the data. The chart in the original study looked at the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 seasons, whereas these represent 2012-2013 through 2016-2017.
Money, generational wealth, and the reality of making it in the arts
Vox: Not long ago, my wife, a composer, asked me if I would ever advise a student from a low-income family to pursue a career in the arts. I am a writer, librettist, and an arts and literature teacher. I thought the answer was obvious.
“What do you mean? Of course.”
“But they don’t have money.”
“If a student were really passionate and talented, she’d figure out a way.” That’s always been something my parents told me. “Think about what you’d do if money were no object, and then work hard. You’ll find a way to make money.”
“What do you mean? Of course.”
“But they don’t have money.”
“If a student were really passionate and talented, she’d figure out a way.” That’s always been something my parents told me. “Think about what you’d do if money were no object, and then work hard. You’ll find a way to make money.”
“Sweat” at the Pittsburgh Public Theater
The Pittsburgh Tatler: I’ve expressed in previous posts my impression that certain recent plays – among them, Hir and The Humans – seemed to have taken on new meaning and impact in the wake of the 2016 election. I’m going to add to that list Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, which is currently running at the Pittsburgh Public Theater in an engaging and compelling production directed by Justin Emeka.
Can Music Artists Stop Stealing from Choreographers Already?
Dance Magazine: What makes big-time music artists and their collaborators think they can directly plagiarize the work of concert dance choreographers?
And, no, this time we're not talking about Beyoncé.
And, no, this time we're not talking about Beyoncé.
Reevaluating the 'Romantic' Hit Songs of Pop Music's Patriarchy
KQED Arts: In the last week of September, while viewers around the country were glued to the three-ring circus of sexism and institutional power that was the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing, San Francisco singer-songwriter Kendra McKinley was jetlagged in Iceland. Holed up with former Sigur Rós keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson, she fought through the fog as she rearranged Doris Day’s 1952 hit single “A Guy Is a Guy.”
Expressing Anger Can Make You More Creative
Artsy: Rage is an emotion that’s more commonly associated with breaking things down than building them up; it might seem more like a destructive force, rather than a creative one. But for Louise Bourgeois
, the emotion was key to her artistic production. “You have to be very aggressive to be a sculptor,” she once said. “It’s the anger that makes me work.”
, the emotion was key to her artistic production. “You have to be very aggressive to be a sculptor,” she once said. “It’s the anger that makes me work.”
Production Notes: Digital Compositing
Nevada Film Office: In the world of VFX, the last role at the end of the production process is digital compositing. Digital compositors are responsible for taking a variety of computer generated (CG) / mixed media elements and seamlessly integrating them into live-action footage to create a scene that looks as real and as natural as possible.
Fighting theatre's anti-fatness problem
Exeunt Magazine: I’ve never been one to shy away from who I am or how I am perceived. Granted I haven’t always been so loud or owned my identity in the way I do now, but I wear my ‘stuff’ with pride – I am a working class, femme, uneducated, dyslexic, queer, poly, fatty.
Dolly Parton's music Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol opens this weekend.
www.usatoday.com: Dolly Parton is having a dickens of a Christmas this holiday season. Her new musical "Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol" will have its world premiere staged reading at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minn., Saturday and Sunday.
SAG-AFTRA Ratifies Television Animation Deal
Variety: Members of SAG-AFTRA have approved a three-year successor deal on its master contract covering televised animated work with 95% of those voting in support.
Bay Area native helped 'Tuck Everlasting' evolve from beloved book to musical
Datebook: The first eight years of Tim Federle’s life made quite an impression on him, especially the trips he and his parents would take from their Foster City home into San Francisco to catch touring Broadway shows.
Man who yelled 'Heil Hitler, Heil Trump' at 'Fiddler' show apologizes
www.usatoday.com: A man who interrupted a Wednesday night performance of "Fiddler on the Roof" in Baltimore with cries of "Heil Hitler" and "Heil Trump" is now apologizing for his behavior.
Anthony Derlunas, 58, was removed from the theater shortly after the outburst began, the Hippodrome Theatre said in a statement.
Anthony Derlunas, 58, was removed from the theater shortly after the outburst began, the Hippodrome Theatre said in a statement.
The gender and color gap persists in theater — in Baltimore and beyond
Baltimore Sun: In 1977, a young playwright and Yale drama student named Wendy Wasserstein wrote her first play, “Uncommon Women and Others,” featuring an all-female cast. “I can’t get into this,” said a man in the audience. “It’s all about girls.” Wasserstein went on to win both a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for drama before her untimely death in 2006. It’s easy to look back now and laugh at that unenlightened time, when the Equal Rights Amendment, guaranteeing equality regardless of gender, was also being hotly debated across the United States.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Collaborative contortions set scenes that tell a story in Pilobolus’ ‘Shadowland’
The San Diego Union-Tribune: A job description for the Pilobolus performers in “Shadowland” would include a list of unexpected skills: contortionist, shadowcaster, actor, puppeteer, comedian and the ability to morph into an elephant.
The position also requires getting along with others at a very, very close range and the ability to think on your feet … or head, or any and all body parts.
After touring to more than 30 countries, the show visits San Diego on Saturday as part of the La Jolla Music Society Dance Series.
The Simple Joy of “No Phones Allowed”
www.raptitude.com: A few nights ago I saw Jack White in concert. It was a wonderful night, and a big part of that was due to a new rule he has imposed on all his tour dates: no phones.
When you arrive, you have to put your phone into a neoprene pouch, supplied by a company called Yondr, which they lock and give back to you. If you want to use your phone during the show, you can go into the concourse and unlock it by touching it to one of several unlocking bases. The concert area itself remains screen-free.
When you arrive, you have to put your phone into a neoprene pouch, supplied by a company called Yondr, which they lock and give back to you. If you want to use your phone during the show, you can go into the concourse and unlock it by touching it to one of several unlocking bases. The concert area itself remains screen-free.
Invertigo Dance Theatre Company: A Conversation With Laura Karlin And Sophia Klass
thetheatretimes.com: Invertigo Dance Theatre is a provocative and passionate dance company based in Los Angeles. Laura Karlin is the artistic director of the company who works closely with her dancers to produce visually engaging and thought-provoking pieces. They have performed multiple shows, each with their own unique story structure. Laura graduated from Cornell University with a dual degree in choreography/production and civil rights. She founded Invertigo Dance Theatre in 2007 to create a space for storytelling.
Watch These Famous Poems Reimagined Through Dance
Dance Magazine: Many choreographers use spoken word to enhance their dance performances. But the Campfire Poetry Movement video series has found success with a reverse scenario: Monticello Park Productions creates short art films that often use dance to illustrate iconic poems.
Trigger Warnings at the Theater: Should This Be a Thing?
www.clydefitchreport.com: I recently went to Seattle Public Theatre to see Fade, a two-character, one-act 2016 drama by Tanya Saracho. This column is not about Fade. It concerns the trigger warning posted at the house door.
A Very Very Very Dark Matter, and the limits of satire
Exeunt Magazine: Martin McDonagh loves midgets.
The word midget, I mean, used a lot. There are midgets flying all over the place in his first feature film In Bruges (2008). Lots of uses of the word, I mean, though there’s only one character of short stature, played by actor Jordan Prentice.
The word midget, I mean, used a lot. There are midgets flying all over the place in his first feature film In Bruges (2008). Lots of uses of the word, I mean, though there’s only one character of short stature, played by actor Jordan Prentice.
Donkey Mask from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Prop Agenda: In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nick Bottom finds his head transformed into that of a donkey, courtesy of the mischievous fairy, Puck. The donkey head is among Shakespeare’s most distinctive props, and has been on my bucket list of famous props to build. Recently, Triad Stage mounted a production.
An Introduction to “The Collection”– Agatha Christie’s Lost Plays
Breaking Character: For superfans of Agatha Christie like myself, who have read every single Christie novel, you might think that there is nothing new left to discover and enjoy. I, for one, spent years wistfully dreaming of a lost manuscript (or two, or three) of Christie’s, stuck in a dusty closet somewhere, which would one day be rediscovered and published, much to the delight of mystery fans everywhere. Of course, I reasoned, that was just a pipe dream. Authors like Christie didn’t just write entire novels and then just stick them in a drawer and forget about them.
Dancing Across the Political Aisle at 'The Prom'
Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Prom has long been a rite of passage for American teens, a celebration of impending adulthood and, overwhelmingly, heterosexuality. That last part presents a problem for Emma in the new Broadway musical The Prom since she wants to bring her girlfriend. The PTA in her small Indiana town isn't having it, so prom is canceled, turning Emma into the high-school pariah. When the story makes national news, a group of out-of-work Broadway actors and their high-strung publicist take it upon themselves to rush to her aid with riotous results
Review Roundup: What Did the Critics Think of WILD GOOSE DREAMS
www.broadwayworld.com: The Public celebrated its opening night of Wild Goose Dreams last night, November 14.
This marks the New York premiere of Wild Goose Dreams, written by Hansol Jung and directed by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman.
This marks the New York premiere of Wild Goose Dreams, written by Hansol Jung and directed by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman.
Walk the Line – a review of “Sweat”
'Burgh Vivant: After eight years in prison, two ex-convicts return to their hometown of Reading, PA, and face the consequences of their actions while trying to pick up the pieces of their former lives in Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Sweat.”
It’s a Hollywood set, it’s just taped in Hungary
PBS NewsHour Weekend: The Martian, A Good Day to Die Hard, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Terminator 6 all have one unusual thing in common -- they were all filmed in Hungary. The Central European country has emerged as a top staging destination for Hollywood and streaming services, drawn to not just its beauty and cheaper crews but also a rebate for filmmaking investments.
Game On
Pittsburgh in the Round: The World Premiere of GAME ON at Greer Cabaret Theater, home to the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret, is sensational fun. The audiovisuals of a simulated television game show, tucked into the intimate cabaret theater will melt away the madness of your day and transport your mind into an alternate reality, where suddenly you are at a ‘live taping,’ competing against other audience members for a chance to win 1 million bucks!
Sunday, November 18, 2018
NFTRW Weekly Top Five
Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:
7 Innovative Painting Techniques That Don’t Require a Paintbrush
mymodernmet.com: Throughout history, many pioneering artists have found innovative ways to produce paintings, often rejecting the traditional method of brush on canvas. One of the first was Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros who publicly shunned the paintbrush, calling it “an implement of hair and wood in an age of steel.” With a desire to further push the boundaries of painting techniques, the artist established a radical Experimental Workshop in New York City in 1936. Here, some of the most celebrated names in art history met to pour, scrape, and splatter pigments across the canvas.
Pulped paper replaces plastic as the raw material for this 3D printer
newatlas.com: With a few notable exceptions, the majority of objects removed from a 3D printer bed are fashioned using plastic. But plastic has a nasty habit of ruining our environment at the end of its useful life. Designer Beer Holthuis looked for a more sustainable alternative, and built a 3D printer that extrudes paper pulp to build three-dimensional objects.
See This Projection Mapping Respond to Music in Real Time
www.bizbash.com: The Los Angeles Philharmonic kicked off its 100th anniversary season on September 30 in a big way. The orchestra started the day with a free festival designed to showcase the city’s creative spirit; it stretched the eight miles between the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl and featured 1,800 musicians, artists, and dancers, plus art installations, food trucks, screen printing, and more.
Man shouts 'Heil Hitler, Heil Trump' during intermission of Baltimore performance of 'Fiddler on the Roof'
Baltimore Sun: A man shouted a pro-Nazi and pro-Trump salute during a performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre on Wednesday night. Audience member Rich Scherr said the outburst during intermission prompted fears that it was the beginning of a shooting. The man, who had been seated in the balcony, began shouting “Heil Hitler, Heil Trump.” Immediately after that, “People started running,” Scherr said. “I’ll be honest, I was waiting to hear a gunshot. I thought, ‘Here we go.’”
Can a Company Ask About Your Mental Illness History?
www.pointemagazine.com: I was applying to audition for this ballet company, and the form asked if I had a history of mental issues (i.e., eating disorders, anxiety, depression) and to give a detailed description of them and steps taken for treatment. Is this something that companies normally take into account during auditi
Friday, November 16, 2018
Pulped paper replaces plastic as the raw material for this 3D printer
newatlas.com: With a few notable exceptions, the majority of objects removed from a 3D printer bed are fashioned using plastic. But plastic has a nasty habit of ruining our environment at the end of its useful life. Designer Beer Holthuis looked for a more sustainable alternative, and built a 3D printer that extrudes paper pulp to build three-dimensional objects.
Broadway Stands with Actors' Equity in Fight to Raise Minimum Salary for Developmental Labs
www.broadwayworld.com: Over a decade ago, an agreement was made between the Broadway League and Actors' Equity Association, which cemented a weekly minimum wage for actors participating in developmental labs. Negotiations began yesterday between the two organizations for an update to those policies, and Actors' Equity is trying to get the word out.
The Lyceum Theatre in NYC Turns 115
Stage Directions: Opened on November 2, 1903, the Lyceum Theatre is one of the three oldest surviving Broadway venues (along with the Hudson and New Amsterdam Theatres). It is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theater in New York City, and the first Broadway theater ever to be granted landmark status (1974). It is one of the few theaters in New York which continues to operate under its original name.
For fans of 'Miss Saigon,' this tour is the end of the era
Chicago Tribune: "We will never,” said Cameron Mackintosh, sounding unusually wistful, "be all together doing this again."
Mackintosh — often known by the sobriquet "Mister Producer" and the most successful British theatrical entrepreneur of his generation — was talking from Providence, R.I., where he was together with Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, the French duo responsible for creating "Les Miserables," one of the most successful musicals of all time.
Mackintosh — often known by the sobriquet "Mister Producer" and the most successful British theatrical entrepreneur of his generation — was talking from Providence, R.I., where he was together with Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, the French duo responsible for creating "Les Miserables," one of the most successful musicals of all time.
Creating Nutcracker Magic With Rosco LitePad
Rosco Spectrum: While complex stage elements and lighting can provide outstanding visual effects on stage, the little details are just as important in captivating the audiences’ imagination. A perfect example of this is how Houston Ballet used Rosco Custom LitePad HO90 to provide a simple, yet ingenious, lighting solution for their 2017 production of The Nutcracker.
Having Our Cake and Eating It Too
Breaking Character: There are few treats in this world better than a cake baked especially for you. Most cakes are too large to eat alone, so you experience the pleasure of people. A cake’s enjoyment often depends on its company. Additionally, cakes are both celebratory and potent time markers. Many of our life events revolve around this confectionery marvel. I remember with clarity particular cakes and the occasions they signified: the vegan robot cake for my son’s third birthday, my Uncle Bill’s retirement “Better than Robert Redford Cake” – named by his sister (who was a Sister, and found the Redford moniker more appropriate for her Catholic faith than its original “Better than Sex Cake”), and my 23rd birthday cake, delivered to me by a new boyfriend on a motorcycle. Baking a cake takes time. It’s an exercise that requires patience and love; under all the butter, sugar, and flour, all those empathetic qualities are palatable.
SF Opera Drops Star Singer In Wake of Sexual Assault Allegations
KQED Arts: The San Francisco Opera has dropped a famous singer accused of sexual assault from its roster for next year.
The American star countertenor David Daniels was scheduled to play the principle character of Medoro in the company's June 2019 production of Handel's Orlando at the War Memorial Opera House.
The American star countertenor David Daniels was scheduled to play the principle character of Medoro in the company's June 2019 production of Handel's Orlando at the War Memorial Opera House.
Glass boxes "not in any way new" says Es Devlin in response to Lorde and Kanye's set design spat
www.dezeen.com: Set designers Es Devlin and John McGuire have responded to singer Lorde's accusation that Kanye West stole the design of his latest live show, by stating that glass boxes are nothing new.
Lorde took to Instagram earlier this week to accuse Kanye West and Kid Cudi of stealing the idea of performing in a suspended glass box from her previous performances, which included a set designed by Devlin.
Lorde took to Instagram earlier this week to accuse Kanye West and Kid Cudi of stealing the idea of performing in a suspended glass box from her previous performances, which included a set designed by Devlin.
Sony Diversity Program Grooms Industry Directors of Tomorrow
Variety: Launched in 2014 by Sony Pictures Television, the DGA, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Diversity & Inclusion department, and former EVP of current programming for SPT Kim Rozenfeld, the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Program is geared toward providing storytelling opportunities to talented artists of diverse backgrounds.
Directing and Writing Programs Aim to Establish Diverse Roster of Industry Players
Variety: Hollywood is well aware that diversity and representation are essential parts of putting together a television writers’ room when it comes to both well-rounded storytelling and good, old-fashioned optics. Recent years have shown that one of the most popular ways to do this is start ’em early: most every network and studio has a workshop, lab or fellowship expressly aimed at honing the talents of budding TV writers.
How TV Producers Think Outside the Box to Find New, Inclusive Writers
Variety: The constant refrain in Hollywood is that we need diversity, particularly when it comes to writers. Unfortunately, this is almost always quickly followed by shrugs of frustration that no one knows where to find unique voices because there are only so many options in the WGA. And therein lies the problem: showrunners, agents and other influential figures often realize that they need to find fresh voices from outside Hollywood, but they aren’t sure where to find them.
How Hollywood Studios are Rising to Meet Interest in Inclusion Riders
Variety: In the book “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption,” a gifted young lawyer fights for the poor and the wrongly condemned. And in pure Hollywood fashion, the movie based on the book’s true story will be the first production to fall under WarnerMedia’s newly adopted inclusion rider.
7 Innovative Painting Techniques That Don’t Require a Paintbrush
mymodernmet.com: Throughout history, many pioneering artists have found innovative ways to produce paintings, often rejecting the traditional method of brush on canvas. One of the first was Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros who publicly shunned the paintbrush, calling it “an implement of hair and wood in an age of steel.” With a desire to further push the boundaries of painting techniques, the artist established a radical Experimental Workshop in New York City in 1936. Here, some of the most celebrated names in art history met to pour, scrape, and splatter pigments across the canvas.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
See This Projection Mapping Respond to Music in Real Time
www.bizbash.com: The Los Angeles Philharmonic kicked off its 100th anniversary season on September 30 in a big way. The orchestra started the day with a free festival designed to showcase the city’s creative spirit; it stretched the eight miles between the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl and featured 1,800 musicians, artists, and dancers, plus art installations, food trucks, screen printing, and more.
Harassed Out of Hollywood: A Veteran Stuntwoman Reflects on Life in the Movies and on the Blacklist
themuse.jezebel.com: Throughout the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, Jean Coulter was a leading stuntwoman in Hollywood, racking up hundreds of credits on shows like Charlie’s Angels, Wonder Woman, M*A*S*H*, and Days of Our Lives. She is perhaps most recognizable from Jaws 2, in which she played the ski boat driver who attempts to set the villainous shark on fire. Coulter rarely acted; she preferred to stick to stunts where her likeness was obscured and tailored to be indistinguishable from the stars for which she doubled. She worked in the shadows and experienced routine sexual harassment on set. She was among the first women in Hollywood to speak out about it publicly—in the 1980s she filed a lawsuit against stunt coordinator Roy Harrison and Spelling-Goldberg Productions.
The Mental Side Of Mixing: The Benefits Of Exposing Our Minds To A Vast Library Of Sounds
ProSoundWeb: Just because someone knows where the buttons and knobs are, and what they do, doesn’t mean that person knows how to mix. The secret lies in our mind’s ability to recognize, learn and store a huge library of good, bad and unusual sounds. The collected and archived, personal sound library is the mental gateway to the audio mixing craft.
Tools of the Trade Reviews Four Winter Work Jackets
Remodeling | Work Wear and Gear: Here in the Pacific Northwest, the temperature doesn’t get too cold. This time of year we sit in the mid 30’s to mid 40’s. My preference is to layer fleece to stay warm because it is so lightweight and doesn’t restrict movement.
I asked Snicker’s to send me their FlexiWork Stetch Fleece Hoodie and their FlexiWork Stretch Waterproof Shell to test out. In addition Truewerk reached out and wanted me to try out their T3 Werkjacket. About the same time an Australian company, Eleven Workwear, reached out to send me their Hybrid Jacket. I had bought shorts and a hi vis shirt from them for the summer and loved both items, so I was intrigued to try out their winter workwear.
I asked Snicker’s to send me their FlexiWork Stetch Fleece Hoodie and their FlexiWork Stretch Waterproof Shell to test out. In addition Truewerk reached out and wanted me to try out their T3 Werkjacket. About the same time an Australian company, Eleven Workwear, reached out to send me their Hybrid Jacket. I had bought shorts and a hi vis shirt from them for the summer and loved both items, so I was intrigued to try out their winter workwear.
A Splash of Color: Your 2019 Colors of the Year
Remodeling: Since mid-June, paint companies have been announcing their predictions for what color will define 2019. The selection of hues couldn't be more different, ranging from earthy tones to mild blues. Regardless of their differences, companies have put months of research into selecting their Colors of the Year.
Michael B. Jordan Leads Way as Hollywood Moves Toward Inclusion
Variety: As 2018 draws to a close, Hollywood continues to find itself under the microscope with regard to inclusion and representation in the industry. It appears some positive steps are indeed being taken toward rectifying a historically shameful track record of excluding women and people of color from executive suites and on both sides of the camera.
We treat the Constitution like a religious text, with women’s bodies on the line
Salon.com: Actress and playwright Heidi Schreck couldn't have had better timing. Her play that recently finished its run at the New York Theater Workshop, "What The Constitution Means To Me," isn't about Donald Trump and the daily threat he represents to the world's oldest representative democracy, to be clear. But the current context gives the play a sense of urgency and emotional resonance that has been drawing audiences in, leading to an extended run at the Greenwich House Theater starting in late November.
Light Up Night Preview - Don't Miss Out!
Made In PGH: The holidays have arrived, and what better way to get in the spirit then attending Pittsburgh Light Up Night! Here’s the schedule of events!
When a Show Gets Cancelled, Make Art Anyway
HowlRound Theatre Commons: This past spring, Arizona State University’s School of Film, Dance, and Theatre was slated to produce By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage as part of the 2017–18 mainstage season. As a grad student at ASU, I was going to be acting in the show. However, within the first few weeks of rehearsals, due to circumstances outside of the production’s control—harassment accusations towards a core team member—it was cancelled.
Man shouts 'Heil Hitler, Heil Trump' during intermission of Baltimore performance of 'Fiddler on the Roof'
Baltimore Sun: A man shouted a pro-Nazi and pro-Trump salute during a performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre on Wednesday night.
Audience member Rich Scherr said the outburst during intermission prompted fears that it was the beginning of a shooting. The man, who had been seated in the balcony, began shouting “Heil Hitler, Heil Trump.” Immediately after that, “People started running,” Scherr said. “I’ll be honest, I was waiting to hear a gunshot. I thought, ‘Here we go.’”
Audience member Rich Scherr said the outburst during intermission prompted fears that it was the beginning of a shooting. The man, who had been seated in the balcony, began shouting “Heil Hitler, Heil Trump.” Immediately after that, “People started running,” Scherr said. “I’ll be honest, I was waiting to hear a gunshot. I thought, ‘Here we go.’”
OUT100: Billy Porter, Performance of the Year
www.out.com: It’s rare to see an actor sustain a flawless performance through a two-hour film. On FX’s Pose, as the electric ball emcee Pray Tell, Billy Porter did it through a season of eight one-hour episodes, segueing from clocking competitors on the year’s fiercest runway to mourning the loss of his on-screen lover to AIDS to sharing tender chemistry with co-star and fellow Out100 honoree Mj Rodriguez — all without a visible hint of effort. “It had to be Pose,” Porter says between takes of this cover shoot, his first for Out. “And I had to be ready for it. I had to live through what I lived through.”
Tenor Russell Thomas champions the need for more diversity in opera world
chicago.suntimes.com: Tenor Russell Thomas believes in the power of music.
After all, music — specifically opera — changed the course of his life.
“I started singing in church as a kid. Grandma was a preacher and I was in the church choir, so I traveled with her and sang all the time,” Thomas recounts, with a chuckle. “I had a very sweet voice — except in church. We went to a Southern Baptist/Pentecostal church. You had to get the point across.”
After all, music — specifically opera — changed the course of his life.
“I started singing in church as a kid. Grandma was a preacher and I was in the church choir, so I traveled with her and sang all the time,” Thomas recounts, with a chuckle. “I had a very sweet voice — except in church. We went to a Southern Baptist/Pentecostal church. You had to get the point across.”
Dames at Sea
Pittsburgh in the Round: A boisterously brassy, flamboyantly limelight-hogging leading lady who seems to encompass every overly aggressive and ostentatious showgirl and Hollywood starlet. A winsome but chronically naïve and hopelessly swooning Midwestern girl trying to make it big with only a pair of tap shoes and the dreams in her heart.
When it came to racism, the pen was Stan Lee’s superpower
New Pittsburgh Courier: Stan Lee was a seminal part of Miya Crummell’s childhood. As a young, Black girl and self-professed pop culture geek, she saw Lee was ahead of his time.
“At the time, he wrote ‘Black Panther’ when segregation was still heavy,” said the 27-year-old New Yorker who is a graphic designer and independent comic book artist. “It was kind of unheard of to have a Black lead character, let alone a title character and not just a secondary sidekick kind of thing.”
“At the time, he wrote ‘Black Panther’ when segregation was still heavy,” said the 27-year-old New Yorker who is a graphic designer and independent comic book artist. “It was kind of unheard of to have a Black lead character, let alone a title character and not just a secondary sidekick kind of thing.”
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Creating Costumes in a Giant Ape's Shadow
Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Costume designer Roger Kirk didn't have to worry about dressing the title character for King Kong on Broadway. Apes don't wear clothes, even when a massive animatronic one is the star of the show. But the Tony winner faced many other challenges crafting the hundreds of costumes for this $35 million musical spectacle, which has been in development for the better part of a decade.
Patricia Arquette Talks Wage Gap, Says She's Still Paid Less
themuse.jezebel.com: Remember the time Patricia Arquette made Meryl Streep stand up at the Oscar and shout “Yes! Yes!” by talking about ending the gender pay gap in Hollywood? That was over four years ago, and producers are still giving Arquette poor deals and finding new and creative ways to pay her less than her male co-stars.
RIAA Court Filing In Stairway To Heaven Case Warns Against *OVERPROTECTION* By Copyright
Techdirt: Here's one you don't see everyday. The RIAA is telling a court that it needs to be careful about too much copyright protection. Really. This is in the lawsuit over "Stairway to Heaven" that we've been covering for a while now. As we noted, the 9th Circuit brought the case back to life after what had appeared to be a good result, saying that Led Zeppelin's "Stairway" did not infringe on the copyright in the Spirit song "Taurus."
Who We Harm When Parenting Isn’t Considered
HowlRound Theatre Commons: We do not make theatre in a vacuum. Artists and employees work within our structures while experiencing the effects of politics, culture, and major life events over time. The concept of work in spite of life events requires the antiquated industrial-revolution philosophy of individuals dropping humanity for mass productivity. The contemporary responsibility of an institution is to support the humanity of its workers as a means to quality of productivity over quantity.
ReFraming the Conversation Around Parity in the Television Biz
Variety: The path to parity in television has been a slow one. Women comprised only 27% of key decision-making behind-the-scenes roles, from show creators to directors, writers, producers, editors and directors of photography, for the 2017-18 season, according to the Boxed In report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film at San Diego State University. And that was actually down one percentage point from the previous year.
THE LION KING Celebrates 21 Years On Broadway Today, November 13
www.broadwayworld.com: After 21 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 25 global productions have been seen by more than 95 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), The Lion King has made theatrical history with six productions worldwide running 15 or more years.
Mira Sorvino: Me Too can't just be 'naming and shaming'
www.usatoday.com: Mira Sorvino believes the key to eradicating sexual misconduct lies more in preventative education than in "naming and shaming" perpetrators.
The Oscar-winning actress was one of the first to come forward with allegations of abuse against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and her resilience has not wavered.
The Oscar-winning actress was one of the first to come forward with allegations of abuse against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and her resilience has not wavered.
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