Online Survey, from Behind the Scenes, to Help Develop a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative

Stage Directions: Behind the Scenes, in response to concerns about the rising number of suicides and the prevalence of alcohol/substance misuse within the entertainment industry, is beginning work on a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention initiative and wants to get a sense of how many people in the industry are experiencing anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, problems with alcohol/substance misuse, or reactions to traumatic events.

Bandersnatch and the challenges of choice

Immersology: Cameron and I just wrapped up 85% of the decision tree of Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch (time to call it “good enough”), and it brought up a number of problems I’ve been thinking about regarding choice in immersives. Consider this to be a Bandersnatch meta-review.

If you haven’t played it yet, go do so. I’ll wait. Or not—I’ll limit spoilers, as what I want to examine here is the structural aspects of the experience, but note that reading this article beforehand may frame your experience of it.

Intiman's Board Clashes with Staff, Leaving the Theater's Future in the Air

Slog - The Stranger: Senior members of Intiman's board are in crisis mode. They're saying the theater is out of cash and needs to drastically reduce staff by the end of the month or else close soon in order to gracefully exit the scene. The staff is saying the theater is not in crisis mode. In fact, they've got a plan that would solve the immediate financial need and start the new year with a surplus. They just need the board to approve that plan. But the board isn't buying the plan and won't budge. Now nobody knows what will happen to the embattled, nearly 50-year-old institution, which this year finally dug itself out from under $2.7 million in debt and earned an arts award from the Mayor.

On Tour With Ailey's Production Stage Manager

Dance Magazine: Watch any performance by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and it's impossible to deny the level of passion onstage.

But offstage, just past the wings, there's another woman who's passionately at work, clad in black and wearing a headset: Kristin Colvin Young, the company's production stage manager.

BWW Exclusive: Ali Stroker Talks OKLAHOMA! in the New Series ABLE

www.broadwayworld.com: Production company SoulStir Creative announced the release of "ABLE: a series", now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. ABLE addresses the missing conversations about disability in the entertainment industry.

ABLE is directed by Cassidy Cole. Current guests include Danny Woodburn, Amy Buchwald, Maysoon Zayid, Ali Stroker, Evan Ruggiero, John McGinty, Christine Bruno, Ann Talman, Nicholas Linnehan, and Ben Dworken.

Stage Russia HD Expands Its Offerings with Fourth Season

The Theatre Times: Stage Russia HD — which brings high-quality filmed performances from the Russian stage to audiences around the world — is moving into new genres and media with its fourth season. This year, for the first time, its offerings include not just filmed stage performances but also two cinematic films: the animated biopic Rezo about renowned screenwriter and puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze, and the documentary Force of Nature Natalia about top ballerina Natalia Osipova.

Frank Chaves Opens Up About the End of River North

Dance Magazine: For choreographer and former River North Dance Chicago director Frank Chaves, this weekend is a reemergence. Since 2005, Chaves has managed syringomyelia, a degenerative spinal cord disease which results in spasticity, chronic pain and loss of mobility. The first major work he choreographed while using a wheelchair full-time was In the End—his last before retiring in 2015 from River North, the company he had led since 1993 and which folded unceremoniously about a year after he left.

Hollywood Onstage: Musicals Adapted From Movies

The Theatre Times: In a 2004 original musical about creating an original musical – cheekily titled [title of show] – one writer asks, “So movies make good musicals?” His writing partner responds: “Well, they make musicals.”

This year, Australian theatre audiences have seen stage adaptations of the films School of Rock, Billy Elliot, Saturday Night Fever and Muriel’s Wedding. Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s adaptation of Bring It On, based on the 2000 cheerleading movie, has already played in Melbourne and Perth and opened in Sydney last week.

At Least One Theater Chain Is Increasing Security for Joker Screenings

io9.gizmodo.com: We’re drawing nearer to Joker’s theatrical release, and as we do we’re seeing more theaters across the country respond to the possibility, credible or otherwise, of the film being a possible flashpoint for incel violence.

SNL: Billie Eilish performed "Bad Guy" while recreating a famous Fred Astaire effect from Royal Wedding.

slate.com/culture: It’s rare for the musical guests on Saturday Night Live to involve much in the way of special effects: the show is live, the timetable is tight, and the budget for lavish musical numbers is earmarked for John Mulaney singing about bodega bathrooms. But for this year’s season premiere, Billie Eilish went all out, performing “Bad Guy” while recreating one of Fred Astaire’s most famous effects.

Why music has such profound effects on the brain

PBS NewsHour Weekend: Why does music give us chills, motivate us to work out and make us feel connected to one another? Neuroscientist and opera singer Indre Viskontas explains the power of music and its effects on our brains in her new book, "How Music Can Make You Better."

Education Beyond the USA: Profiling The National Institute of Dramatic Art

www.broadwayworld.com: We're reaching outside of the US to bring hopeful students a wider picture of where they can attain training in the theatre arts! First up, we're looking at the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia. Get an idea of their degree programs, audition process and even hear from some of their faculty below.

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:

Three reasons why NOT to start that show, project, or business.

The Producer's Perspective: I’m either the best person to write this blog . . . or the worst.

Because, look, I have a lot of ideas . . . and I like to launch. ��

And while that has paid off for me more often than not, it also got me in trouble earlier in my career, stretching me too thin and not giving me enough time to focus on the more important projects. You know, the ones that could have the biggest impact on my professional and personal life.

Posted by David at 9/27/2019 10:34:00 AM

Billy Porter Makes History at Emmys

www.cmu.edu/news: With an Emmy Award Sunday night, Billy Porter is one step away from an EGOT.

Porter was one of four Carnegie Mellon University alumni who were recognized at the 71st Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22 in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on Fox. At least 16 CMU alumni were nominated in 12 categories this year.

Posted by David at 9/26/2019 10:53:00 AM

Is The Violence And Sorrow Of The World Too Strong For Art?

Butts In the Seats: Somewhat apropos of the whole value of arts theme of my posts this week, novelist Michael Chabon had a letter titled “What’s the Point,” printed in The Paris Review announcing that he would be stepping down after 9 years as Chairman of the Board at the MacDowell Colony.

When he starts out, he basically sounds defeated, observing that despite overcoming his introverted tendencies to advance the slogan that, “MacDowell makes a place in the world for artists, because art makes the world a better place,” the world is much worse now than 9 years ago.

Posted by David at 9/27/2019 10:38:00 AM

Up Close and Personal with the Costumes of New York City Ballet Galas Past

Pointe: Autumn in the Big Apple means one thing: New York City Ballet's Fall Fashion Gala. Since its inception in 2012 by Sarah Jessica Parker, the gala has produced dozens of new ballets, complete with original costumes designed by the fashion industry's biggest names. Ahead of this year's gala—which takes

Posted by David at 9/27/2019 10:37:00 AM

Meet the new wave of female builders

The Washington Post: Angela Cacace’s career began with a magazine contest. The D.C. barber had moved to North Carolina for her husband’s job and so successfully remodeled their kitchen that she won a contest in This Old House. Encouraged by the story’s editor to pursue her contracting dreams, she enrolled in a local building program. “I was so nervous on the first day of class,” she recalls, “but six of the 12 students were women — I was blown away. I remember an instant feeling of confidence that we had a place here.”

Posted by David at 9/25/2019 10:48:00 AM

Industry reacts to ‘busiest PLASA Show in years’

ETNow.com: This year’s PLASA Show was the busiest in years, welcoming a six per cent increase in overall attendance, with visitors hailing from over 63 countries. PLASA has also announced that the show will move to London Olympia’s larger ‘Grand Hall’ for 2020 reflecting the show’s upward trajectory and allowing a greater number of stands and show features, all on one level.

Is The Violence And Sorrow Of The World Too Strong For Art?

Butts In the Seats: Somewhat apropos of the whole value of arts theme of my posts this week, novelist Michael Chabon had a letter titled “What’s the Point,” printed in The Paris Review announcing that he would be stepping down after 9 years as Chairman of the Board at the MacDowell Colony.

When he starts out, he basically sounds defeated, observing that despite overcoming his introverted tendencies to advance the slogan that, “MacDowell makes a place in the world for artists, because art makes the world a better place,” the world is much worse now than 9 years ago.

Up Close and Personal with the Costumes of New York City Ballet Galas Past

Pointe: Autumn in the Big Apple means one thing: New York City Ballet's Fall Fashion Gala. Since its inception in 2012 by Sarah Jessica Parker, the gala has produced dozens of new ballets, complete with original costumes designed by the fashion industry's biggest names. Ahead of this year's gala—which takes

Lighting Designer Clifford Spulock Moves to Emotional Rhythms of The Wedding Singer

Stage Directions: From the very opening of The Wedding Singer, which thrusts the audience into the middle of a spirited wedding party, the Tony-nominated musical serves up an unabashedly heartfelt flurry of emotions as it follows the story of wanna be rock star Robbie Hart as he loses and then finds love. It is a basic tale that resonates with virtually anyone -- and in the retelling of it this summer at Boca Raton’s Olympic Heights Performing Arts Center, Clifford Spulock added to its impact with a vividly expressive lighting design that featured CHAUVET Professional fixtures.

Guest Post: How Live Music & Multicultural Arts Helped New York Bounce Back

Pollstar: To a whole generation of New York residents and tourists, Central Park is a global symbol of cultural diversity and best-in-class entertainment whose iconic landscape has set the stage for park design across America.

But the park had to undergo its own transformation away from its era-defining period of grit, grime and crime. In 1990 alone, according to NYPD data, there were 368 serious crimes reported in Central Park. Across a seven-year period, several of the pervasive crimes became best known by their tabloid nicknames (the Preppie Killer, the Zodiac Killer, the now-exonerated “Central Park Five”) and contributed to a general sense of unease that kept many people from engaging in city life.

Vimeo collected detailed facial scans without consent, lawsuit alleges

Ars Technica: Vimeo is collecting and storing thousands of people's facial biometrics without their permission or knowledge, a recently filed lawsuit alleges.

The "highly detailed geometric" facial maps, according to a complaint, are being collected and stored in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy ACT, or BIPA, according to a complaint filed last week in Illinois state court.

Three reasons why NOT to start that show, project, or business.

The Producer's Perspective: I’m either the best person to write this blog . . . or the worst.

Because, look, I have a lot of ideas . . . and I like to launch. ��

And while that has paid off for me more often than not, it also got me in trouble earlier in my career, stretching me too thin and not giving me enough time to focus on the more important projects. You know, the ones that could have the biggest impact on my professional and personal life.

Review Roundup: What Did Critics Think of MEAN GIRLS on Tour?

www.broadwayworld.com: Mean Girls features a book by nine-time Emmy Award winner Tina Fey, based on her screenplay for the film, music by three-time Emmy Award winner Jeff Richmond; and lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin. Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs.

'The Irishman' Continues the Terrifying De-Aging Trend. Make It Stop!

The Mary Sue: First, I’m going to be honest: I’m very excited for The Irishman. Second: I absolutely hate the idea of using de-aging technology and not just casting actors to play different ages. Before we dive into the film that pulled legend Joe Pesci out of retirement, let’s watch the trailer for Martin Scorsese’s latest for Netflix.

“Cambodian Rock Band” at City Theatre

The Pittsburgh Tatler: Lauren Yee’s new play Cambodian Rock Band is one of the most-produced plays in the 2019-20 American theater season; Yee herself is the second-most produced playwright this year. That’s welcome news, not only because it is evidence that the American theater is making more space for works by women and writers of color, but also because it demonstrates a recognition that regional theater audiences are hungry for stories that explore an expanded diversity of lives and experiences.

Black Keys No Transfer Disclosure for Wiltern Impossible to Locate

www.ticketnews.com: A week ago, hundreds of fans were left in the lurch when they arrived at a Los Angeles performance by The Black Keys. With what most say was zero warning, the band had made tickets to the performance at The Wiltern non-transferrable, meaning any fan who purchased tickets to the sold-out show on the secondary market was denied entry, by order of the band they had paid hundreds of dollars to see.

Scintillating Surrealism in Bricolage's "Project Amelia"

Pittsburgh in the Round: In many ways, technology and theater exist at opposite ends of a spectrum: the one is typically replicable and individualized, while the other is usually unique and communal. Bricolage’s latest production, Project Amelia, sets its goals almost impossibly high in setting out to create an immersive theatrical experience that not only incorporates technology but also makes it an integral part of the show while simultaneously asking audience members to consider it critically. The overall effect is incredibly impactful, and my first thought after leaving the show was, “I want to do that again!”

Who Are 2019's MacArthur 'Genius' Grant Winners? Here's The Full List Of Fellows

NPR: Twenty-six creators and thinkers drawn from a vast array of fields just got a big financial boost — and an even bigger name to add to their résumés. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation unveiled the winners of this year's MacArthur fellowships — often better known as the "genius" grants — recognizing the host of artists and scholars for their creativity and potential.

Defying Gravity…Safely: Approaches And Best Practices In Flying Loudspeakers

ProSoundWeb: Some in audio think that the term “rigging” only applies when loudspeakers are flown, but it also pertains to lesser endeavors such as placing a single loudspeaker on a tripod stand. The bottom line is that for any piece of production gear not sitting directly on the ground, steps must be in place to insure that it does not fall and injure someone (or worse).

A Look at the Video System for Aint Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations

Stage Directions: Set to the beat of their greatest hits, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations brings the untold story of the legendary quintet to Broadway, gathering ecstatic reviews and a Tony award. WorldStage is providing extensive video support for the musical at The Imperial Theatre where audiences thrill to the story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal as they follow The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Thirty years after its premiere, 'A Few Good Men' arrives at Pittsburgh Public Theater without updates

Theater | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Courtroom murder trials are inherently tense, but made even more so when the case involves marines who have sworn to live up to a certain code of ethics and honor. These issues are tackled in Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 play (and 1992 movie) A Few Good Men, which runs at the Pittsburgh Public Theater through Sun., Oct. 13.

ICYMI: Intimacy Direction in LA Theatre

At This Stage: On Saturday, September 21, 2019 from 11 am to 1 pm at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, LA STAGE Alliance hosted an Intimacy Direction Panel. Moderated by LA STAGE Alliance Programs Manager, Michaela Bulkley, with panelists Allison Bibicoff, Rachel Flesher, and Ann James (click here to read more about them!), we discussed the positive impact an Intimacy Director can have on a production and the rehearsal process.

Finding Color Inspiration With The Rosco Color Of The Week

Rosco Spectrum: I am guilty of using favored colors in repetition – I freely admit it. As lighting designers, where do we find inspiration for new colors? For me, it’s been seeing the Rosco Color of the Week posts on Rosco’s Facebook Page. I’ve been taking the feeling of the colors from the highlighted work and trying to find a way to match them in my designs. They also give me great ideas for different color combinations and contrasts I’ve never considered before.

Video Design of Aerosmith’s Las Vegas Residency

Live Design: Aerosmith's ongoing concert residency, Deuces Are Wild, began in April at the Park Theater in Las Vegas and will run through December. Deuces Are Wild features creative direction by Amy Tinkham and is produced by Steve Dixon, who worked with the band’s management to hire design and production studio Fireplay to design, direct, and produce the residency. With art direction by Jamie Lew, Deuces Are Wild features visuals by designer/animator Olivia Sebesky and content creation by visual effects company Pixomondo.

3 Tips for Working with an Integrator

Church Production Magazine: It's inevitable, sooner or later your church will be involved in a construction project. You'll have to work with an integrator or other consultant who's designing your tech systems and spaces. Here's some advice to help you get it right.

Those Who Reject Play: Immersive Design for Everyone Else

noproscenium.com: As an adult, do you still like to play? Use your imagination? Around others?

Since you’re reading No Proscenium, chances are good your answers are emphatically yes, yes, and… sometimes. But beyond our bubble of immersive design enthusiasts, if we reach out to the billions of people who haven’t even heard of “immersive” entertainment, how many of the masses would answer the same way?

How to Get over Your Self-Defeating Thoughts and Behaviors

www.lifehack.org: If you’ve found yourself repeating self-defeating thoughts and behaviors, it’s critical to understand the root causes of where these thoughts and behaviors are coming from. Self-defeat is something you can overcome. It takes recognizing the situations in your life and past struggles that caused such a down spiral of these self-defeating patterns.

Billy Porter Makes History at Emmys

www.cmu.edu/news: With an Emmy Award Sunday night, Billy Porter is one step away from an EGOT.

Porter was one of four Carnegie Mellon University alumni who were recognized at the 71st Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22 in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on Fox. At least 16 CMU alumni were nominated in 12 categories this year.

How an Indie Theatre Scene Took Root in Columbus, Ga.

AMERICAN THEATRE: In a recent weeknight in downtown Columbus, Ga., I was up late laughing with friends over pints of craft beer. This was a unique situation for me, as a mom with two young kids and a full-time-plus job. I was attending a one-off improv class hosted by Muddy Water Theatre Project, a brand-new pop-up theatre company founded by local artists Austin Sargent and Ben Redding. Truth be told, I needed more than one pint to get through some of the games; my heart pounded like it did during the improv classes I took at the local Springer Theatre Academy as a kid. But as I looked around at the 15 or so other adults—men and women ranging in age from 20s to early 50s—I was thrilled by what I saw.

OSHA Fall Protection Safety Violations Crackdown Leads to Record Fines

finance.yahoo.com/news: Fall Protection is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) leading #1 most frequently cited of all OSHA standards violated for the past four years running. This has led to OSHA cracking down and handing out record-setting fines and financial penalties for each safety violation found in the workplace.

PLASA 2019 - Show Highlights

LightSoundJournal.com: After a few years of uncertainty and seemingly scaled-back participation, it seems that PLASA is on its way back up. The move from Excel back to Kensington’s London Olympia took place 3 years ago now, and this has certainly worked wonders for the show. It would arguably be foolish to suggest that the show could return to its “heyday” era, where it filled two relatively expansive halls of Earls Court exhibition centre, however the proposed move to Olympia’s larger hall for next year’s edition of the show is certainly a display of optimism from the event’s organisers.

AB5: Newsom signs bill rewriting California employment law

Los Angeles Times: California businesses will soon face new limits in their use of independent contractors under a closely watched proposal signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, a decision praised by organized labor but unlikely to quell a growing debate over the rules and nature of work in the 21st century economy.

LD Jon Clark on Lighting an Outdoor Production of Evita

Stage Directions: One of the accepted technical challenges of London’s outdoor theater season are the major productions at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which run right through the summer. Working within the existing stage infrastructure, Lighting Designer Jon Clark helped interpret director Jamie Lloyd’s stripped back production of Evita, juxtaposing GLP’s new generation LED moving lights with traditional PAR cans.

Meet the new wave of female builders

The Washington Post: Angela Cacace’s career began with a magazine contest. The D.C. barber had moved to North Carolina for her husband’s job and so successfully remodeled their kitchen that she won a contest in This Old House. Encouraged by the story’s editor to pursue her contracting dreams, she enrolled in a local building program. “I was so nervous on the first day of class,” she recalls, “but six of the 12 students were women — I was blown away. I remember an instant feeling of confidence that we had a place here.”

The Activity Production Design for Made In America Festival 2019

www.livedesignonline.com: The Activity once again was involved in the overall production design of the Rocky, Liberty, and Freedom stages. “Our duties primarily include the design of lighting, video, scenic, and staging as well as the scheduling management of guest artist technical teams’ programming times between onsite previsualization time and time on the actual rigs,” explains Patrick Dierson, president of The Activity.

Working at Height: What's In Your Rigging Kit?

TheatreArtLife: I’m headed on a rope access job in a stadium and putting together my gear. Stadiums are a fun climb and a great workout. Lots of stairs and a lot of trips up and down a rope. There’s a lot of risk with stadiums because you’re forced to make a lot of decisions that may have some big implications on your overall quality of life.

How Does Commercial Theatre Fare In Delhi?

The Theatre Times: Grand sets, lavish costumes, technical extravaganza, celebrity actors, and pricey tickets — commercial theatre is trending as a promising genre that attempts to match audience expectations with the economics of art. Looking to tap newer markets and to shift the onus from sponsors and grants to audience engagement, upscale productions are tipping the scales to move the theatre ecosystem towards self-sustaining strategies.

Institute on Disabilities Partners with Peoples Light and The National Theatre to Present Revolutionary Smart Caption Glasses

Stage Directions: The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, College of Education, is collaborating with People's Light theater in Chester County, PA, and the National Theatre of Great Britain, on a project that will revolutionize arts accessibility for the deaf and hearing loss communities. Smart Caption Glasses allow people who are Deaf or experience hearing loss to view captions at any performance, from any seat in the theater, using Open Access Smart Capture technology developed by the National Theatre and Professor Andrew Lambourne.