Avoiding Mr. Murphy: Getting It Right In The First Place

ProSoundWeb: I’ve heard it said many times, in many different situations, that we tend to think we don’t have time to do something right, but then somehow, have time to fix everything that goes wrong as a result.

Review: Music Theatre Wichita’s ‘An American in Paris’ wows

The Wichita Eagle: I’ll be honest: Going into Music Theatre Wichita’s opening night of “An American in Paris,” I really had no idea what to expect.

Sure, I knew it had a rotating stage and a cast of all-stars, but as to the show itself? Not much of a clue.

It’s the most foreign (literally) of MTW’s 2019 lineup, probably because the show had never been done in the Midwest at all until now.

Construction wearables' futuristic features are more feasible than you think

Construction Dive: Imagine a futuristic construction environment where employees are individually and automatically alerted to a hazardous situation prior to a would-be accident occurring. Workers' levels of fatigue are monitored and measured one by one and the worker is warned when he or she is too close to moving equipment, edges or dangerous areas. A system autonomously informs them and their supervisors if an immediate behavior change is required to prevent injury.

PA College Music Department Resurrects Long-Lost Funk Music

90.5 WESA: Back in the summer of 2005, Drexel University's Music Industry program got a very curious phone call.

On the line was the owner of a storage facility in Philadelphia, wondering if the school would be interested in thousands of music studio tapes, seemingly abandoned in a unit for which no rent had been collected in a long time.

The man said the tapes all had the same labels on the side: Sigma Sound Studio.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Compact Router - Hands-on

Pro Tool Reviews: Milwaukee Tool’s fans have clamored for a trim router and it’s finally arrived in the form of the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Compact Router. Since it bears the “FUEL” designation, it operates on a brushless motor.

How to Be a Good Leader

Remodeling | Business, Remodeling, Best Practices, Leadership: Recently, Nina and I attended an interview of Bill Rauch, the departing artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). Among his other responsibilities, Bill would direct at least one play each season at OSF.

He was asked what the three essentials of being a good director were. Bill said: "Listen, listen, listen."

Second Annual SoundGirls Orlando Expo Set for July 13

Stage Directions: SoundGirls announces the Second Annual SoundGirls Orlando Expo 2019. The Expo will be held July 13, 10 am to 5 pm hosted by Full Sail University (Treehouse Venue) in Winter Park, FL.

Editorial: How do you solve a problem like Eric Suher?

valleyadvocate.com: Last week, New England Public Radio published a report quoting multiple former employees of the Iron Horse Entertainment Group (IHEG) alleging labor violations, including improper payroll deductions (also known as wage theft), late paychecks, and failure to post required materials informing workers of their rights.

How Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon Got Intimate

The New York Times: Naked on a Broadway stage, Audra McDonald is on high alert, all of her senses sharpened.

She likens it to a fight-or-flight response, and it happens eight shows a week: her body’s reaction to being so exposed, center stage in a 1,200-seat house.

KEEN Utility St. Paul 6" Waterproof Boots Review

Pro Tool Reviews: KEEN Utility St. Paul work boots are waterproof with a carbon fiber toe and 6″ tall. That says a lot, but it doesn’t say everything you really need to know before dropping $190 on a pair. With the KEEN Utility Dover setting a new standard for my personal comfort, I wasn’t exactly ready to give them up for a season and try something else. In the spirit of objectivity, I agreed.

A transformative tour of Prague Quadrennial

Exeunt Magazine: Prague Quadrennial is perhaps the most exciting, dynamic, form breaking international theatre festival that you have never heard of. To tell you that it is a ten-day festival celebrating and parading the best of global scenography probably doesn’t illuminate it much. Perhaps if I describe it as cross between the Venice Biennale, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the TEDX tent at Latitude?

Why Must Arts Workers Equate Long Hours with Success?

www.clydefitchreport.com: As we tackle #8 in the list of 15 fraught, flinch-worthy phrases from the nonprofit arts world — “Long Hours = Hard Work” — we have to uncover some biases of our own.

Lack of Diversity in Theatre's Directors and Choreographers

LIVE & IN COLOR: As this year I have been celebrating my 50th anniversary in the performing arts, my thoughts have turned towards what conversations I’d like to have with other like minded, passionate artists. For some time now, I have been tossing around the idea for an opinion piece on what I call the theatre world’s “elephant in the room”: the absence of directors and choreographers of color on projects based on stories about people of color.

Don’t call me an actress. In fact, let’s get rid of that title altogether

Los Angeles Times: It wasn’t long ago that there was no place on television for a gender-bending Latinx person like myself. Sure, there were a few white characters whose nature hinted at my reality, but these roles were written for white actors. I grew up thinking queerness wasn’t meant for brown kids. Meanwhile, Latinx parts — even the rare LGBTQUIA ones — were reserved for highly feminine actresses.

Over 700 Artists Lost Masters In 2008 Universal Fire

Music News | Consequence of Sound: More than 700 artists have been added to the growing list of talent who lost their masters in Universal’s disastrous 2008 fire. According to The New York Times, the names were culled from a series of internal lists by Universal Music Group as part of a 2010 recovery effort dubbed “Project Phoenix.”

Theatre or Theater? In stage circles, that’s a fighting word

Denver Center for the Performing Arts: When The New York Times announced in March that Denver’s Curious TheatRE Company will be opening its fall season with Antoinette Nwandu’s “Pass Over,” the article claimed the play was being presented by Curious TheatER Company.

Hearing Each Other Over the Gun Fire

HowlRound Theatre Commons: When Pittsburgh’s Quantum Theatre programmed E.M. Lewis’s The Gun Show back in May 2018, it was with the intention of starting a conversation around gun violence in the area. This was before the mass shooting at the city’s Tree of Life Synagogue several months later, on 27 October, when eleven lives were taken. The community was shaken in a way that seemed immeasurable.

Video In-The-Round

ETNow.com: Internationally renowned charity, Save the Children, has been transforming the lives of children all over the world since its foundation in 1919. Working in 120 countries, helping the most vulnerable and hard to reach, in 2018 the charity provided assistance to more than 40 million children across the globe.

BWW Exclusive: A Spotlight on Immersive/Experiential Shows

www.broadwayworld.com: Since the beginning of time, mankind has used theatre as a way to escape. Whether it be from the stress of work, the absurdity of the news cycle, or the monotony of everyday life, from a seat on the aisle, your troubles can disappear at the theatre.

In 2019, Beloved 'Rent' Characters Read More Like Gentrifiers

The Do List | KQED Arts: At 14 years old, I prided myself in being that queer theater nerd who memorized all the lyrics from Rent, singing "No Day But Today" at the top of my lungs on repeat. I was a total Rent-head, guilty as charged.

This is your grandmother’s Oklahoma! — and it’s still great

Theater | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Between the lyrics, the exclamation point in the title, and the sheer number of stalks onstage, musical theater doesn’t get much cornier than Oklahoma!

Pittsburgh CLO’s production is the “classic” version of the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein hit, not the sexy, modernized revival that took home two Tony Awards earlier this month.

What Theatres Expect From Digitality And What Digitality Expects From Theatres

The Theatre Times: Technology is pervasive in today’s society. Code = culture. Algorithms define our way of life. In his book Being Digital, Nicholas Negroponte coined the term ‘digitality’– in line with terms such as modernity and post-modernity – to describe the condition of living in a digital culture. We all see the ways in which digital culture is transforming a number of sectors for better or worse – Uber and Airbnb are two examples of that. Digital culture gives us high hopes for smart cities and even smarter citizens. There are many good examples of how new technology is influencing the performance context. But at the same time, the theatre domain is still at the start of its transformation, still looking to get a grip on digital strategies and practices. So are other domains such as education and heritage too.

Mark Rylance resigns from RSC over BP sponsorship

Stage | The Guardian: One of the UK’s most respected actors is to resign from the Royal Shakespeare Company as a backlash against big oil’s financing of the arts gathers momentum.

Mark Rylance, who has been an associate artist with the RSC for 30 years, said BP’s sponsorship deal allowed the company to “obscure the destructive reality of its activities”, which he said threatened the future of the planet.

PQ 2019: Puppet Masters

The Theatre Times: On the final day of the Prague Quadrennial, I decided to explore the roots of the Czech theatre tradition. I took the subway, then another subway to the end of the line, then a bus through a big-box retail zone (Ikea land) before I arrived at what looked like a small village on the outskirts of Prague. I was in Chvaly, and its centerpiece was the fifteenth-century Chvalský zámek, the Chval Palace. The palace is a lovely destination in its own right, sitting off to the side of a nice square with a hotel and restaurants. I recommend Curry Tikka which serves the best Indian food I’ve had in the Czech Republic. But I wasn’t there for the palak paneer. I was there for the puppets.

‘Volta’ is Cirque Du Soleil’s Mysterious and Exciting Adventure at Soldier Field

rescripted.org: Volta is Cirque Du Soleil’s newest touring show that is based on the theme of embracing differences, social media isolation, and finding sparks of childhood magic.

Lightswitch Lighting Design For Hamilton: The Exhibition

www.livedesignonline.com: Working closely with creative director David Korins (who designed the sets for Hamilton, the musical), lighting designers from Lightswitch illuminated "Hamilton: The Exhibition." Click through the slideshow to learn more about the lighting design.

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘R.U.N’ revving up in Montreal

Las Vegas Review-Journal: The Kats! Bureau at this writing is 30,000 or so feet above Colorado, returning from a visit to Cirque du Soleil headquarters in Montreal and a first look at rehearsals for “R.U.N,” opening in October at Luxor.

InfoComm 2019 Video Technology | Projector Media Server LED Video

www.livedesignonline.com: Projection technology continues to evolve, and this year, it seemed like the emphasis was in configurations and optics with some interesting lens and packaging that will open new avenues for projection designers. Yes, 8K reared its head, but chip resolution wasn’t the innovation driver – glass and metal was.

House Lighting Methodology: Focusing on Stage

Worship Tech Director | Worship Facilities: While one person may need it to be pitch black, to feel free to worship, the next person needs bright house lights, daylight or a spotlight, to be able to see clearly enough to express their worship.

Between these two extremes, live the rest of us.

Which makes us uncertain why everybody else can’t just be happy with the way we like it!

Milwaukee M18 Compact Brushless Combo Kit 2892-22CT Review

PTR: Milwaukee first introduced their Compact Brushless line a few years ago. These are drills and impact drivers with brushless motors that aren’t part of the M18 Fuel line. They tend to be a little smaller and less powerful while still offering the additional runtime and long life benefits of a brushless motor.

What Changes Did Your School Make to Shows So They'd Be Less Controversial?

Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Last fall, when I read that the principal of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts demanded that swastikas be scrapped from a student production of The Sound of Music, I was reminded of my own experience with school theatre censorship. At my high school, we put on a production of Working, a revue exploring blue-collar professions. I was supposed to play the prostitute, but the dean deemed that too risqué.

A renovation 100 years in the making for The Muny

et cetera...: As the largest outdoor musical theatre in the United States, The Muny amphitheater in Forest Park, MO has been entertaining St. Louis-area audiences since 1919. This summer, as it embarks on its second century of shows, it looks forward to showing off a brand new lighting control system thanks to a large renovation … and a little help from ETC.

Backstage Costume Magic Of The Bolshoi's Little Brother

The Theatre Times: The Bolshoi Theater is known all over the world, whereas the Maly Theater, which is located directly across from it, is more of a go-to place for those who speak and understand Russian and who are fond of classical plays. Over the course of its long history, Maly has staged dozens of plays and created thousands of fabulous costumes. Here are some of the most interesting.

alice pegna crafts intricate dresses and headpieces with spaghetti

www.designboom.com: french interior designer and visual artist alice pegna says she’s attracted to surprising and unexpected materials. her work, guided by experimentation, takes inspiration from nature and its intricate structures. for ex nihilo, an ongoing project by pegna, the creative takes spaghetti and transforms the pasta sticks into geometric dresses and headpieces that stand out in their delicacy and structure.

The Kilroys Release Newest List of Noteworthy Plays by Women

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Kilroys, an artists’ collective dedicated to advancing gender parity in the American theatre, has announced the fifth annual iteration of the List, which comprises industry-recommended, “under-produced” plays by female, trans, and non-binary writers.

Industry Veteran Nils Thorjussen Launches Drone Show Company Verge Aero

PLSN: Having first helped revolutionize lighting control technology with the Wholehog lighting console and then unleashed a wave of creativity with the VersaTube pixilated LED tube, Nils Thorjussen is back in the entertainment technology world to innovate further, this time with drones at Verge Aero.

Backstage Class: Strategies For Festivals

ProSoundWeb: Mixing front of house sound for festivals is both one of the easiest and most challenging situations we face as live sound engineers.

They present a perfect storm of all factors working against us: minimal setup and sound check time, huge audiences, pressures from band management, outdoor environmental factors, plus show reviewers can make direct comparisons between the quality of our mix and a multitude of others.

Charging Technology from A to PD

What's New > Leviton Blog: It seems like every day we are flooded with new information on the latest technology for a faster, better charge to keep our devices up and running. Let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with what it all means. Let’s break it down.

Drag lip-sync history: How did it become the test of a good queen or king?

slate.com: When Luster Singleton was a kid in Zanesville, Ohio, during the 1960s, the family always lip-synced to music in the kitchen while doing dishes or making dinner. Everyone would act out the songs, usually R&B or black country and gospel. “I was the best lip syncer, so it was OK if I took the male lead, because I always had it down,” says Luster, who has since come out as trans masculine and now lives in Columbus, Ohio.

What Does It Take to Choreograph a Submission to the Olympic Opening Ceremony?

Dance Magazine: The massive scale of choreographing an Olympic opening ceremony really has no equivalent. The hundreds of performers, the deeply historic rituals and the worldwide audience and significance make it a project like no other.

Just consider the timeline: For most live TV events like award shows, choreographers usually take a month or two to put everything together. For the Olympics, the process can take up to four years.

Weld Olympics challenges students away from the booth

www.thefabricator.com: Oddly enough, the Weld Olympics, hosted by Yuba College in Marysville, Calif., and traditional Olympic events we have grown accustomed to over the years have a few similarities. It’s a fair statement as long as you are OK with replacing the balance beam with an I-beam; a half-pipe with a Schedule 40, 6-inch pipe; and dramatic torch-lighting ceremony with the striking of the oxyacetylene torch.

Pip's Island Director of Production | Build & Production

Live Design: David Valentino has been a part of the immersive theatrical family adventure, Pip’s Island, since the beginning. “I joined the founders Rania and Rami Ajami and Walter Krudop way back in 2015,” says the director of production. “We started workshopping the production with a shoestring budget at a small blackbox downtown and did a few pop-up workshops, including a version in Chelsea that was 10,000 square feet.

What Ali Stroker's Historic Tony Win Means for Wheelchair Users Like Me

Hollywood Reporter: This weekend we saw history turn a page. Ali Stroker, who, in addition to being a Broadway phenom, also uses a wheelchair, took home the Tony Award for best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical. Looking straight at the camera, Stroker gave voice to the yearnings of millions of disabled people when she said the words so many of us have waited for so long to hear:

"This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability, who has a limitation, or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena. You are."

Creating a Feminist Punch and Judy Show

HowlRound Theatre Commons: The iconic hand puppet show Punch and Judy originated in England in the 1600s. It evolved from the slapstick performance style of Italian commedia dell’arte (“Punch” is an Anglicized variation of name “Pulcinella”) and grew in popularity through regular performances at parks, fairgrounds, and other public venues.

‘Oh! Calcutta!’ at 50: Still Naked After All These Years

The New York Times: Fifty years ago, on June 17, 1969, robes opened and so did “Oh! Calcutta!” An erotic revue conceived by the English theater critic Kenneth Tynan, “Oh! Calcutta!” took it all off at the Eden Theater, a former pornographic cinema that had been renovated by the show’s producer, Hilly Elkins.

The Stage Managers' Association Announces 2019 Del Hughes Lifetime Achievement Awards in the Art of Stage Management

www.broadwayworld.com: On Monday, September 23, 2019, the Stage Managers' Association (SMA) will present its annual Del Hughes Lifetime Achievement in the Art of Stage Management Awards to three stage managers from the worlds of Broadway, Off-Broadway, Touring, Regional Theatre, and Opera - Rich Costabile, Barbara Donner, and Mary K Klinger. In addition to the three Lifetime Achievement Awards, the SMA will recognize Janet Friedman with the Founders Award, being given on behalf of the SMA Founders, is a special recognition for her many years of service to the SMA and for embodying the values expressed by the Founders of the SMA.

Projection Mapping on Ice: Pre-Game Entertainment

TheatreArtLife: Awesome ice projections are guaranteed to drive the fans wild at NHL* matches. We talked to Dangers Inc, the Canadian mapping maestros with over 500 ice projection performances under their belt, about their approach, the technology and the challenges of projecting on ice.

BE MORE CHILL Celebrates A Milestone For Asian Representation On Stage!

www.broadwayworld.com: Tonight, the Broadway company of Be More Chill will celebrate an exciting step forward in the quest for diversity on stage, as four actors of Asian descent portray four principal roles in the show for the first time ever.

A Wonderful Resource For Creative People That Make Things That Move

ExhibiTricks: The Museum Exhibit Design Blog: In a fantastic "back to the future" moment, the fine folks at the 507movements.com website have created a wonderful resource for any maker, designer, or builder that makes things that move.

Basically, they've created a Web version of the classic technical reference Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements by Henry T. Brown. (The original printed edition came out in 1868!)

USC Annenberg Study Defines Areas Of Trouble, Suggests Improvements, For Women Working In Animation

www.forbes.com: A new study from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative investigates the complex structure of animation employment and the state of inclusion for women in the business.

The initial results suggest that there have been gains, but that there is much more work to be done, particularly for women of color.

Pittsburgh Filmmaking Group Refocuses On Education

90.5 WESA: Fingertips clack on computer keyboards as Jeremy St. Hailer and Robert Starzynski work on their film project. St. Hailer is a teaching artist at Steeltown Entertainment Project, and Starzynski is one of a half-dozen students in today’s session of the Reel Teens program, all sitting at a row of computer monitors in a fluorescent-lit room on the South Side.

2019 Tony Awards: Joseph Blakely Forbes Acceptance Speech

Stage Directions: Joseph Blakely Forbes has been painting Broadway scenery for 40 years, including some of the most iconic sets ever put on stage. Here’s a video of Joseph Forbes accepting the 2019 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre

Backstage Video: Jessica Paz: Tony-Winning Sound Designer

Stage Directions: We join Meyer Sound in sending big congratulations to Sound Designer Jessica Paz for her Tony Award victory alongside Nevin Steinberg for Best Sound Design in a Broadway Musical for their work on Hadestown. She is the first female to be recognized in this category in the history of the Tony Awards!

Terrence McNally's lifetime award speech at the Tonys was ignored — but it was the most important of the night

Chicago Tribune: “Lifetime achievement,” said the writer Terrence McNally at the Tony Awards last weekend. “Not a moment too soon.”

That dry opening joke by the 80-year-old author of such dramatic masterworks as “Master Class,” “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” and the criminally underappreciated “Mothers and Sons,” not to mention the books to the musicals “Ragtime,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” and “The Full Monty,” and the libretto to the opera “Dead Man Walking” and countless other screenplays, teleplays and other works, was about the most awkward gag of the night.

From the Dance Stage to the WWE

Dance Magazine: Although the dance world has its fair share of divas, there is a different type of diva that's coming out of the dance studio.

"Diva" is the coined term for a female professional wrestler in the World Wrestling Entertainment organization. More than a few dancers—as well as gymnasts and cheerleaders—have taken their training and applied it to successful careers in this comical yet physically grueling art form.

LDI 2019 to Focus on the Future of Design and Technology

LightSoundJournal.com: LDI is enhancing its offering this November with an emphasis on the next generation of design and technology, including AR/VR, Drones, Live For Broadcast, and Experiential Design.

Organizers say that these emerging technologies and disciplines will shape the future of live events and are therefore placing LDI as the place to discover what’s hot and what’s next.

Offworld: Spacesuits in Science Fiction Film

Tested: Ariel is joined by two spapcesuit afficionados: our very own Adam Savage and design professor Nicholas de Monchaux to talk about their favorite science fiction spacesuits, the role of spacesuits in film, and how real-world suits have been inspired by fiction.

The Company Behind Maker Faire and Make: Magazine Has Shut Down

gizmodo.com: TechCrunch has learned that Maker Media, the company behind the DIY magazine and online publication Make:, as well as the Maker Faire science, art, and hacking festivals that happen all around the world each year, ceased operations last week and let go of the rest of its 22 employees.

Animated Movies Are Mostly Directed by White Men

Variety: Animation companies are moving haltingly to promote women to key roles producing and directing the films and shows they make, according to a new study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.

Billy Porter on 'Pose', His 30-Year Career, and Creating LGBTQ History

www.esquire.com: Billy Porter’s youth was defined by departures. At eleven, he left the pulpit after giving his one and only sermon at his hometown Pittsburgh church. At fifteen, he moved out of his house to live in a motel and work as a full-time summer entertainer at Kennywood Amusement Park. At seventeen, he escaped home permanently, leaving behind homophobia and an abusive stepfather, about whom he hasn't spoken much, until now.

Researchers invent method of building with shape-shifting wood

www.fastcompany.com: In recent years, scientists have created shape-shifting materials, which are often made from polymers that bend and twist when they’re exposed to some kind of external stimulus, such as heat or moisture. Now, researchers from the University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Computational Design and Construction have figured out how to bring similar shape-shifting properties to one of humanity’s oldest building materials: wood.

The Designers Acceptance Speeches for their 2019 Tony Awards

Stage Directions: The 2019 American Theatre Wing's 73rd Tony Award®, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, were presented last night. Here are the acceptance speeches of the Tony-winning designers presented during the Creative Arts Awards portion of the 2019 Tony Awards ceremony. Congratulations to all the Tony winners and their also well-deserving fellow nominees.

In Their Own Words: Theater Community Shares Why Arts Education Matters

www.cmu.edu/news: Through the partnership with the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University, the Excellence in Theatre Education Award was created to help recognize a K-12 theatre educator in the U.S. who embodies the highest standards of the profession and demonstrates a positive impact on the lives of students, advancement of the theatre profession and a commitment to excellence.

Carnegie Mellon Alumni Bring Home 50th Tony Award

www.cmu.edu/news: For the 10th time in the last 11 years, a Carnegie Mellon University graduate has won a Tony Award. On Sunday, June 9, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Jamie deRoy earned a Tony for Best Play for "The Ferryman." It is the 50th Tony for Carnegie Mellon alumni in the 73-year history of the ceremony, which honors the best on Broadway.

Billy Porter Brings Down the House Curtains

www.cmu.edu/news: There's a long tradition in entertainment of divas wearing curtains.

Billy Porter, a 1991 Carnegie Mellon University alumnus, joined Scarlett O'Hara and Maria Von Trapp by creating an iconic look out of drapery on the red carpet at the 73rd annual Tony Awards. Porter sported the peony red curtains from his award-winning run as Lola in "Kinky Boots."

PQ 2019: A New Reality

The Theatre Times: The fourteenth installment of the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (PQ) kicked off this week, welcoming professional and student theatre artists from 80+ countries for a week of performance and cross-pollination. The Exhibition Grounds, a massive nineteenth-century World’s Fairgrounds, is buzzing with energy and talent.

The Society of Properties Artisan Managers Offers Some Advice

Stage Directions: Last month, the members of The Society of Properties Artisan Managers (S*P*A*M) were asked for what advice they would give a new Props Master/Manager or a new Properties Artisan. The membership sent in almost 100 pieces of advice and S*P*A*M has posted the first list, for Properties Artisans.

‘Hadestown’ Director Rachel Chavkin: Diversity ‘Is Not a Pipeline Issue’

The New York Times: In a Broadway season nearly devoid of female directors, the sole woman at the helm of a musical this year — Rachel Chavkin, director of “Hadestown” — took home the Tony Award for best direction of a musical.

Celebrate Pride at These LGBTQ-Themed Shows

Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Sure, parades and parties are fun. But as avid theatregoers, my husband and I spend a lot of our Pride Month seeing shows with LGBTQ appeal. This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, there's a veritable rainbow of options, including plays about the pioneers who came before us and a new generation of boundary-pushing queer artists looking toward our future. Below are 13 options for different types of audiences, so whether you're in the mood for camp, musical comedy, naked bodies or a history lesson, there's a production that's right for you.

Special Tony Award Post: Three Myths About Tony Award Voting.

The Producer's Perspective: As we head into the nail-biting Tony Awards weekend, and as Producers are counting votes like the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives over an impeachment bill, I thought I’d dispel some common misconceptions about the Tony Award voting process. And how do I know these are common? Because I used to believe them myself!

BroadwayHD lets you stream shows when you can't get to theater

www.usatoday.com: Broadway’s biggest spotlight will be on the 73rd annual Tony Awards on Sunday, held at New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall.

The reality though is that even people who love the theater may only get to a handful of shows each year. They either can’t visit the Big Apple very often, a touring company hasn’t come to their own hometowns, or they simply cannot afford the average price of a single Broadway ticket, roughly $125 for a musical.

Peak TV Means Boom for Soundstages in Commuter Communities

Variety: It wasn’t so long ago that the mention of “runaway productions” would send the California below-the-line community into a panic. But in this era of peak TV and the demand for more and more content, California’s attractive rebates have lured producers back from other states. They have created a booking boom not only in the traditional backlots of Hollywood but also in the more far-flung studios and soundstages around Los Angeles County, as well as across the state.

What Dreams May Come: A VR ‘Hamlet’ Puts Us in the Room

AMERICAN THEATRE: I turned my head and looked around an immense but dilapidated great hall. Inches from my face was Hamlet himself, reciting his famous “To be, or not to be” monologue while sitting in a bathtub, reflecting on his life and contemplating its end. Suddenly he submerged himself into the water, and before I had the chance to understand what had happened, I was underwater with him.

Why TV, film, and commercial sets generate tons of waste

Press Play: At least 100 professional film, TV, or commercial shoots take place in the LA area each day. They produce tons of waste, such as uneaten food and plastic.

Few organizations are trying help the industry reduce waste. EcoSet is one of them. The company takes all the props after a shoot is over and puts the props in their warehouse. Anyone can come and take the materials for free, to use for art, other movies, or even homeless shelters.

The Gender Problem ‘Tootsie’ Can’t Dress Up

AMERICAN THEATRE: When David Yazbek and Robert Horn’s new musical Tootsie opened on Broadway a few weeks ago to mostly rave reviews (all written by cisgender critics), New York magazine’s Sara Holdren was one of the only critics to call out the dated gender politics of the show, based on the 1982 film. I was shocked, however, that none of the critics noticed the larger problem: the show’s entire premise is transphobic. Although there are no trans characters in the musical, trans people are the butt of every joke, a silent specter of mockery, as the whole musical revolves around a never-ending “man in a dress” gag, a trope that’s rooted in transmisogyny (hatred of trans women).

Modes of Media in Digital Performance

HowlRound Theatre Commons: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, theatre and performance artists such as George Coates, the Wooster Group, Troika Ranch, Mark Reaney, and Laurie Anderson began to explore the use of emerging digital technologies to expand the possibilities of live performance. Those who were scenic designers, such as Reaney, who established i.e.VR at the University of Kansas, conceived of digital media primarily as a way to enhance theatrical illusion through virtual scenery. By contrast, performers and directors, like Anderson and the Wooster Group’s Elizabeth LeCompte, exploited technology’s ability to probe the nature and significance of live performance itself.

Michael and Mona Heath: Patron Saints of Chicago Storefront Theater

Newcity Stage: If you attend your fair share of storefront theater in Chicago, you may have noticed a handful of sponsors’ names listed over and over again on walls and in programs. If you look around at The Den on Milwaukee Avenue, you will notice a theater that shares a name with one of those familiar sponsors: the Heath Mainstage, named for Michael and Mona Heath, patron saints of Chicago storefront theater.

Tony Predictions 2019: ‘The Ferryman’ and ‘Hadestown’ to Win

Observer: The 73rd annual Tony Awards ceremony takes place this Sunday at Radio City Music Hall, and those of us who love theater but roll our eyes at awards (guilty) are still curious to see who will go home with the gold. The 2018-19 season has been one of the most aesthetically diverse and politically barbed in a long time, with avant-garde artists (writer-actors Taylor Mac and Heidi Schreck and director Daniel Fish) getting a shot on the Great White Way, while pundits hang hashtags on shows such as To Kill a Mockingbird (#BlackLivesMatter) and Hadestown (#NoWall). Historically, Tony voters reward stars, snobby hits, and anything that opened in the spring (short-term memory). And so, balancing my personal faves with cynical shade aimed at the whole racket, here are my predictions for the top categories.

Arcade Comedy hires Pride programming coordinator to expand LGBTQ events beyond Pride Month

Theater | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Comedy can feel exclusive. It's a medium where the loudest and most confident are often given the most visibility and others are left on the sidelines. It's a field that's been dominated by heterosexual white men for so long that's it's even become a joke among heterosexual white men. But June is Pride Month, and this year, it means a month's worth of Pride comedy shows at Arcade Comedy Theater, including queer-only standup and Golden Girls: Live.

Three cheers for Chicago Scenic exhibits in new Mascot Hall of Fame

Woodworking Network: One of Chicago Scenic Studios’s recent projects has been a crowd pleaser.

The Chicago exhibit and display maker was part of a team that created one of the most unique museum experiences, the Mascot Hall of Fame in the Northwest Indiana city of Whiting.

The museum was the idea of David Raymond, founder of the Raymond Entertainment Group and a former mascot. Raymond was the original Phillie Phanatic, the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies, from 1978-1993.

Gala Celebrates Women of New York’s Public Theater

Variety: For Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, directing the production at the heart of the Public Theater’s Women of the Public gala felt like a homecoming. “I saw so many incredible plays at the Public as a fan,” she told Variety before the performance at the Delacorate Theater on Monday night. She vividly recalls seeing Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss” in 1998, first as an usher and twice more as an audience member.

'Beach Blanket Babylon' awards $15,000 scholarships to three Bay Area students

Datebook: “Beach Blanket Babylon” and the Steve Silver Foundation awarded their traditional Scholarship for the Arts to three local high school seniors, from a pool of nine finalists, following a live competition before a panel of celebrity judges on Monday, June 3, at Club Fugazi.

‘Bond 25’ Set Explosion Injures One Person, Damages Stage

Variety: A “controlled explosion” on the set of the new James Bond movie injured one person and damaged the stage at Pinewood Studios outside London, the film franchise’s official Twitter account said Tuesday.

Arizona Theatre Company's new artistic director seeks to improve accessibility, visibility

Entertainment | tucson.com: If Sean Daniels has his way, Arizona Theatre Company will soon have a national reputation. Maybe even an international one.

“My goal is for ATC to be the local theater that the country, if not the world, pays attention to,” says Daniels, who became ATC’s artistic director in mid-May.

Tony Awards To Honor The Unsung Heroes Of Broadway, FDNY’s Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9

CBS New York: On Sunday, Broadway’s best will be celebrated during the Tony Awards.

This year, one group of honorees will get a unique and special honor, CBS2’s Ali Bauman reported Tuesday.

They are the unsung heroes of the “Great White Way.” The FDNY’s Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 is located on Eighth Avenue and 48th street in the heart of the Theater District. And now they’re in the spotlight with a special Tony honor for contributions to the theater industry.

Sound Design for Immersive Theatrical Experience Pip’s Island

www.livedesignonline.com: Pip’s Island, a custom-built flagship attraction in New York, encourages children to find their inner spark during heroic journey to save the mystical island from the darkness of the villain Joules Volter. Conceived and designed by its three founders, CEO Rami Ajami, Chief Creative Officer Rania Ajami, and creative director Walter Krudop, Pip’s Island combines innovative puppetry, digital animation, cutting-edge technology, and live actors to create an immersive theatrical adventure for young audiences and families.

PLASA Releases Guidance on Lightning for Outdoor Events

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: PLASA, the association for live entertainment technology professionals, has worked with several experts to create the first edition of Lighting Guidance for Outdoor Events, detailing the hazards and risks of lightning during outdoor events and festivals.

How Well Do You Know Your Audio Console?

Church Production Magazine; Taking the time to engage more fully with our technology and understand its capabilities makes us better in our craft. Time spent here is an investment in ourselves and it allows us to use our talents to engage others more effectively. It allows us to minister better.

Here are three capabilities that I generally see underutilized--or that are even unknown to many operators serving in our churches.

Drama Desk Award Winners Announced

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: The winners of the Drama Desk Awards were announced last night at Town Hall in Manhattan. The awards, which cover Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off Off Broadway, are voted on by critics, journalists, and editors who cover the New York theatre.

CTC apologizes for seeking court costs from sex abuse victim

StarTribune.com: Leaders of Children’s Theatre Company issued a public apology Friday to a victim of child sex abuse from whom they were seeking to recover court costs.

“Last week we failed in our commitment to be empathetic and respectful in our handling of our legal obligation,” artistic director Peter Brosius said in a 4½-minute video alongside the Minneapolis theater’s managing director, Kimberly Motes.

How Did "Fosse/Verdon" Make Those Dance Numbers Look Like the Real Deal?

Dance Magazine: When you're talking about a style as distinct as Fosse, a flick of the wrist or a roll of the hip is never just that. It takes intention, finesse, exactness and, of course, that characteristically smoldering sex appeal.

Now that the finale of "Fosse/Verdon" has aired, FX is taking viewers behind the scenes to reveal how the dancing came together—and it wasn't just a quick reconstruction.

From Chicago to Broadway: What happened to the musicals that premiered here?

Chicago Tribune: Chicagoans are the lucky ones because they are among the few who get to see Broadway musicals before they become Broadway musicals. The Windy City is many times the tryout location for the great musicals to-be. From the fun-loving “The SpongeBob Musical” to the much-talked-about “Tootsie,” here are some of the musicals that have stopped in Chicago first before they made their way to the Big White Way. Sure, not all of them became Tony Award winners, but it’s fun to see how far they have come on their journey.

‘Fame’ high school students stage hallway sit-in to protest perceived focus on academics over the arts

New York Daily News: The aspiring student performers of LaGuardia High School bolted their classrooms for a hallway sit-in Friday to protest the administration’s perceived indifference to the arts.

Hundreds of students lined the hallways at lunchtime to express their festering displeasure with the globally-renowned Manhattan school that inspired the movie and television show “Fame.”

HBO Intimacy Coordinator Alicia Rodis on Consent Beginning in Casting

Variety: Intimacy coordinator Alicia Rodis (“The Deuce,” “Crashing”) was working on a short film as a stunt coordinator when she first noticed the need to create protocols for physically intimate scenes, as the industry had for physically violent ones. Joining forces with Tonia Sina and Siobhan Richardson, Rodis co-founded Intimacy Directors International (IDI) in 2015. Since #MeToo went viral in 2017, she has seen the business expand exponentially and is now training the next wave of this new profession.

Three Musketeers: 1941: An Interview With Playwright Megan Monaghan Rivas

New York Theatre Review: Inspired by characters from Alexandre Dumas’ classic adventure novel, this new play is set in the occupied Paris of World War II. The Third Reich has hung every balcony in the City of Light with swastika banners and filled the streets with the tramp of goose-stepping boots. While the French police pander to Nazi occupiers, in a secret room five brave women struggle to keep hope alive for themselves and their fellow citizens. The arrival of two strangers sets off a chain of events that might just turn the tide in this thriller about what happens when a group of women take up the chant, “All for one, and one for all!”