NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Houston-area schools scrap field trips to see ‘James and the Giant Peach’ over concerns about cross-gender casting at Main Street Theater

Houston Public Media: Nine schools in the Houston area have scrapped planned field trips to watch performances of "James and the Giant Peach" at Main Street Theater, which is attributing the cancellations to overblown and misinformed concerns about cross-gender casting for the famed children's story.

Posted by David at 4/28/2023 11:55:00 AM

Ticketmaster Slammed Over Coronation Concert Ticket "Shambles"

www.ticketnews.com: UK consumers are crying foul after a Ticketmaster mess related to a concert taking place as part of the Coronation process for King Charles next month. Many were informed via email that they had won tickets through a “ballot” process run by the ticketing giant, only to later find out that they were out of luck and the event was sold out.

Posted by David at 4/28/2023 11:53:00 AM

A tale of two Disney fire-breathing dragons

DePaoli on DeParks: By now, most theme park fans have heard about the recent unfortunate incident that occurred during Fantasmic! at Disneyland. The impressive 45-foot tall Maleficent dragon caught itself on fire instead of spewing a flame into the Rivers of America. But it wasn’t too long ago when an eerily similar situation took place at Magic Kingdom with another Maleficent dragon.

Posted by David at 4/28/2023 11:00:00 AM

Deaf Representation in Hollywood is Improving, but Still Falls Short

Variety: Deaf representation has come a long way in Hollywood. “CODA’s” release and subsequent best picture Oscar win marked an important moment for deaf audiences. It showed the most significant representation of the community on a global stage since 1986’s “Children of a Lesser God” earned Marlee Matlin a best actress prize.

Posted by David at 4/24/2023 10:41:00 AM

Guy Ritchie Won’t Use Real Guns on Film Sets After Rust Shooting

The Hollywood Reporter: Guy Ritchie says he won’t be using real guns on his movie shoots in the wake of the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021. “That whole thing has changed now, the whole game has changed,” Ritchie told Newsweek in an interview ahead of his latest movie, Afghan War drama The Covenant, hitting theaters this weekend.

Posted by David at 4/28/2023 11:25:00 AM

 

‘Prima Facie,’ Suzie Miller and Justin Martin’s play about sexual assault, is leading a cultural and policy shift

www.broadwaynews.com: After practicing law for over a decade, Suzie Miller experienced a crisis. She served as a children’s rights and human rights defense lawyer in her native Australia, anchored by the deeply held principle that she was “protecting all those people that go to court so they don’t go to jail,” Miller recalled. But then, as part of her work, she began taking statements from victims of sexual assault. “I thought, ‘There’s something really wrong here and it’s scaring me,’” she remembered. “I didn’t know if I could continue practicing.”

Prolight + Sound 2023: Day Two

LightSoundJournal.com: Second day at ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt with new products from Meyer Sound, L’Acoustics, Adam Hall, Avolites, Ayrton, GLP, PixelHue, ELATION, ZZIPP Group.

International Cultural Exchange – The Benefits and Challenges

WIT journal: Does one even have to make an argument for the rewards of working internationally? The merits are easily grasped. It broadens horizons, changes perspective, helps you leave your comfort zone and stretch yourself. It introduces you to new people, builds friendships and creative interactions that may last for years, and, besides, traveling is really fun.

FocusOn: Pioneer DJ Serie XPRS2

LightSoundJournal.com: Today we talk about an important new development in Pioneer DJ XPRS2 series, an evolution of the well-known XPRS, with two new satellites and subs ideal for portable use, with high-level acoustic characteristics in a neat and elegant form factor. A product that could be useful to many… But let’s go in order.

3rd Season of Roundabout's Refocus Project Will Highlight Asian American and Pacific Islander Playwrights

Playbill: This year will highlight the works of Asian American and Pacific Islander playwrights. Roundabout will workshop and produce free readings of each play this summer in the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, followed by streaming versions of the readings in the fall.

Dueling Debuts: 'Young Americans' at Pittsburgh Public; 'American Fast' at City Theatre

onstagepittsburgh.com: If you’ve been planning your local theater-going for the next month, you must have noticed the coincidence. It’s not that Pittsburgh Public Theatre Downtown and City Theatre on the South Side open shows within a week of each other – nothing new there. But for April and May, their overlap cuts a little closer than just timing.

Simon Godwin Named Aspen Institute’s Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Aspen Institute Arts Program has named Simon Godwin to be the 2023-24 Harman/Eisner artist in residence. Godwin, the artistic director of Shakespeare Theatre Company, will work throughout Washington, D.C., New York, and Aspen in his residency.

Houston-area schools scrap field trips to see ‘James and the Giant Peach’ over concerns about cross-gender casting at Main Street Theater

Houston Public Media: Nine schools in the Houston area have scrapped planned field trips to watch performances of "James and the Giant Peach" at Main Street Theater, which is attributing the cancellations to overblown and misinformed concerns about cross-gender casting for the famed children's story.

Jerry Mitchell to receive 2023 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

www.broadwaynews.com: Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell will receive the 2023 Isabelle Stevenson Award. The Tony Awards Administration Committee has recognized Mitchell for his dedication and contributions to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) as well as his three decades of volunteer service through the arts. The honor will be presented as part of the 76th annual ceremony on June 11 at the United Palace.

Review Roundup: NEW YORK, NEW YORK Opens On Broadway!

www.broadwayworld.com: A group of New Yorkers come together to chase their dreams of music, money and love in the new Broadway musical as spectacular as the city itself. If they can make it there, they’ll make it anywhere. Be a part of it. This new musical is inspired by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion Picture New York, New York written by Earl M. Rauch.

Nominations for NYC’s 67th Annual Drama Desk Awards

DC Theater Arts: Nominations for the 2022-23 Drama Desk Awards – the only major NYC theater awards for which productions on Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway compete in the same categories – were announced today at noon. Founded in 1949, the critics organization began presenting its awards in 1955, and, as they did for the first nineteen years, they will have gender-free performance categories this year, each with twice as many nominees as the former gendered categories.

Ticketmaster Slammed Over Coronation Concert Ticket "Shambles"

www.ticketnews.com: UK consumers are crying foul after a Ticketmaster mess related to a concert taking place as part of the Coronation process for King Charles next month. Many were informed via email that they had won tickets through a “ballot” process run by the ticketing giant, only to later find out that they were out of luck and the event was sold out.

The Stages Keeping SF’s Indie Theatre Scene Alive

KQED: San Francisco’s independent theatre community was dealt two successive blows in the last six months: In December, EXIT Theatre’s complex on Eddy Street closed, and just three months later Pianofight shuttered its multi-space venue around the corner on Taylor.

Unions and Studios Nearing Deal Regarding Language in California Set Safety Bill Sparked By Rust Tragedy

Below the Line: The Motion Picture Association and a coalition of Hollywood unions are nearing a deal regarding the language in SB 735, which is otherwise known as a set safety bill that would govern film and television productions in the state of California. The bill was proposed in the wake of the terrible tragedy that cost Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins her life on the New Mexico set of Rust.

Shakespeare by numbers: how mathematical breakthroughs influenced the Bard’s plays

theconversation.com: Mathematical motifs feature in many of Shakespeare’s most memorable scenes. He lived and wrote in the late 16th century, when new mathematical concepts were transforming perceptions of the world. Part of the role of the theatre was to process the cultural implications of all these changes.

Guy Ritchie Won’t Use Real Guns on Film Sets After Rust Shooting

The Hollywood Reporter: Guy Ritchie says he won’t be using real guns on his movie shoots in the wake of the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021. “That whole thing has changed now, the whole game has changed,” Ritchie told Newsweek in an interview ahead of his latest movie, Afghan War drama The Covenant, hitting theaters this weekend.

A tale of two Disney fire-breathing dragons

DePaoli on DeParks: By now, most theme park fans have heard about the recent unfortunate incident that occurred during Fantasmic! at Disneyland. The impressive 45-foot tall Maleficent dragon caught itself on fire instead of spewing a flame into the Rivers of America. But it wasn’t too long ago when an eerily similar situation took place at Magic Kingdom with another Maleficent dragon.

Film Workers Say a Gun on the Hip of a New York City Film Producer Led to a Strike

jacobin.com: During a production meeting on March 8, “James,” a member of First Shift’s grip and electric department, says that he spotted something unusual on Taub’s hip. (Boll and Taub have threatened crew members with lawsuits for discussing the working conditions on First Shift; thus, Jacobin has granted workers pseudonyms for this story.) It looked like a holster for a gun. James shared his suspicions with the 1st AD and the two asked Taub about it when the meeting ended.

Moment Factory: Lighting up the night

InPark Magazine: Astra Lumina opened in October, 2022, at Anakeesta, a family theme park located on a mountaintop in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The park was opened in 2017, after the Great Smoky Mountain wildfires destroyed much of the area. As a separate add-on ticket, Astra Lumina was created to help extend guest visits into the evening.

Jordan Fisher Reflects on Being the First Actor of Color to Play Anthony in Broadway's Sweeney Todd

Playbill: Jordan Fisher may be known as a go-to actor for newer musicals: he’s done Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. But the 29-year-old is passionate in pointing out that his real love is classic musical theatre. “At the Red Mountain Theatre Company back in Birmingham, I trained in classical musical theatre…it was Sondheim, it was Meredith Willson, it was Rodgers and Hammerstein,” the actor explains.

Sometimes You Are More Creative Without The Brainstorming Session

Butts In the Seats: Nina Simon may have left museum administration and being an agent of change behind to write books, but she still manages to live and think right on the cusp of things. Today, I receive an article from her substack site where she reflects back on the process of creative collaboration when she was working at a museum versus her interactions with her editor as an author.

Photos/Video: Watch Highlights from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' Easter Bonnet Competition

www.broadwayworld.com: The theater community rallied together once again with spirited skits, dynamic dance and brilliant bonnets as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' Easter Bonnet Competition returned April 24 and 25, 2023. The performances celebrated in-theater Red Bucket appeals that raised $3,601,355 for meals and medication, health care and hope for those who need them most.

2023 Momentum Festival Mixes Past and Future

onstagepittsburgh.com: City Theatre’s 2023 Momentum Festival of New Plays will run May 18-21, coinciding with the final week of its season finale, the rolling world premiere of American Fast by Kareem Fahmy. The festival features public readings of three new plays in progress and a documentary featuring City Theatre’s 2016 production of Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington.

Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics announce inaugural theater awards

www.broadwaynews.com: GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, will recognize Broadway and Off-Broadway productions with the new Dorian Theater Awards. The inaugural honors will celebrate both mainstream and LGBTQ-themed productions, beginning with shows in the 2022-2023 season.

Sean San José Receives Rainin Fellowship for Theatre

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Kenneth Rainin Foundation has announced the four 2023 recipients of the Rainin Fellowship, an initiative that supports visionary artists working across disciplines in the Bay Area. This year’s Rainin Fellows include Sean San José (theatre), Mohammad Gorjestani (film), Joanna Haigood (dance), and Related Tactics (public space), an artistic collaboration between Michele Carlson, Weston Teruya, and Nathan Watson. Administered by United States Artists, the annual fellowship awards four artists and artist collectives with unrestricted grants of $100,000, as well as supplemental support tailored to address each fellow’s specific needs and goals, including financial planning, coaching and mentorship, and legal services.

“New York, New York,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Shucked” lead 2023 Outer Critics Circle nominations

www.broadwaynews.com: The Outer Critics Circle, an organization of out-of-town writers who cover New York theater, has announced nominees for the 72nd Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. Winners will be announced on May 16 ahead of an official awards ceremony on May 25 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Interview: Olivier-Nominated LIFE OF PI Composer Andrew T. Mackay on Discovering the Show's Sound

www.broadwayworld.com: The Olivier Award-winning Life of Pi, which originally opened in the West End, is now coming to life on Broadway every night at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Lolita Chakrabarti's stage adaptation of Yann Martel's best-selling novel, follows sixteen-year-old Pi, who is stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with four other survivors: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger.

Broadway Across America’s Black Theatre Coalition fellows pave the way for more diversity in theater administration

www.broadwaynews.com: On January 9, seven young professionals walked into local Broadway Across America (BAA) offices in New York, Boston, Baltimore and Salt Lake City as novices to the business side of theater. They were the second cohort of Black Theatre Coalition (BTC) fellows at BAA. Fourteen weeks later, these fellows gathered in New York, newly armed with professional skills, a network of colleagues and accomplishments to launch full careers in theater administration.

Outer Critics Circle announces nominations for its 2023 Awards for Broadway and Off-Broadway

DC Theater Arts: In a press release this morning at 10:00, the Outer Critics Circle – founded during the 1949-1950 Broadway season by theater journalist John Gassner as the official organization of writers on NYC theater for out-of-town publications, now representing more than 90 newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, online news organizations, and national publications – announced its 72nd Annual Awards nominations honoring achievements in the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway season, with April 23 as the cut-off date for nominators to have attended shows, and winners to be revealed on Monday, May 15.

‘Maisel’ costumes enhance storytelling with boldness, color

New Delhi Times - India Only International Newspaper: In the cavernous Brooklyn warehouse where “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” was filmed there are towers of pillbox hats, double-stacked racks of dresses and coats in rainbow order, and vision boards teeming with fabric swatches.

TECHNOLOGY: Hearing Dialogue Is a Problem in the Streaming Age. Luckily, There Are Apps for That.

CineMontage: Have you heard? Audiences are complaining about unintelligible dialogue in non-theatrical content on their TVs, about having to use subtitles and having to “remix” content live using the remote to turn down loud scenes and turn up quiet ones.

John Leguizamo Interview About Hollywood Racism

IndieWire: John Leguizamo’s Latino crusade goes back decades. Over the past 30 years, his performances and outspoken off-screen presence have merged autobiography and activism, as he delivers assertive Latino personalities while advocating for more representation. From his acerbic and autobiographical one-man shows (“Mambo Mama,” “Freak,” “Latin History for Morons”) to dynamic screen roles such as “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newman,” “Carlito’s Way,” and “Moulin Rouge!”, Leguizamo’s persona has essentially become a brand transferrable to any number of pop culture templates.

‘Beef’ Was So Close to Doing What Movies and TV Shows Failed To Do

collider.com: Netflix's Beef is a dark comedy about two feuding Asian Americans, Amy (Ali Wong) and Danny (Steven Yeun). To say that Beef is a masterwork of film and television would be an understatement. Full of small but profound nuances, Beef tells a well-rounded story that perfectly exemplifies the phrase "art imitates life."

6 Longest Running Broadway Shows

New York Theater: Below are the six longest-running shows currently on Broadway, with descriptions and links. This feels the right time for an update given that “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest show in Broadway history, closed after 35 years on Sunday April 16, 2023, its 13,981st performance, and two of the shows on this list recently celebrated significant anniversaries.

Interview: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Martyna Majok On Why Stories Like COST OF LIVING Belong on Broadway

www.broadwayworld.com: Playwright Martyna Majok was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her her play Cost of Living, which debuted on Broadway this fall. This award-winning play about caring and being cared for, and the ways in which we need one another, featured Katy Sullivan (Ani), Gregg Mozgala (John), Kara Young (Jess) and David Zayas (Eddie).

Writers Guild Strike Deadline Meets Studios Cost-Cutting Efforts

The Hollywood Reporter: Hollywood has been cornered into a new period of fiscal austerity, with top studios adjusting to the sobering realities of streaming and the larger economic environment — even as entertainment labor unions are applying significant pressure to boost labor costs. This economizing ethos has forced adjustments big and small: Features are filming less in Los Angeles or New York; some crews are working shorter days and longer weeks; mid-budget affairs are becoming tougher to greenlight.

New opera ‘Geniza: Hidden Fragments’ was inspired by medieval Jewish texts

dctheaterarts.org: We will never fully know what life was like before us — history is an eternal puzzle that we piece together from the fragments our ancestors left behind, and there are often too many missing pieces to see the full picture. This unknowing is only strengthened by a yearning to understand history and its occupants as a means to understand ourselves — what can the past teach us about our future? Who lived and died so we may do the same? It is this longing to understand, to see the past and our ancestors so fully and complexly, that makes Geniza: Hidden Fragments such a triumph of opera and the human experience.

Forgotten Scorsese film flop gets a second chance — on Broadway

nypost.com: The new Broadway musical “New York, New York,” opening Wednesday at the St. James Theatre, ends with the iconic title number that kicks off with the lyric “Start spreadin’ the news!” It’s an ear-worm everybody knows. You hear it at Yankees games, Fourth of July fireworks displays and during special occasions in Times Square. The ditty is synonymous with the city — not to mention Frank Sinatra.

The Elumenati

www.inparkmagazine.com: Immersive design and engineering firm The Elumenati celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023. The company’s founders, Dr. D’nardo Colucci and Dr. David McConville, worked in virtual and augmented reality in the 1990s, and formed their own company in 2003. The Elumenati’s first products were fisheye-based projection systems; early consulting and custom installation projects included the Cambrian Seascape in the Field Museum’s Evolving Planet exhibition, which is still running today.

See the Outfits Worn by Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, and Other Legendary ‘Divas’ Going on View in a Splashy Costume Show at the V&A

news.artnet.com: Iconic outfits worn by Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, and other “divas” will star in a new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) this summer. The show, simply titled “Diva,” celebrates era-defining performers and the various looks they donned in their heydays. Some 250 objects, including dresses, accessories, and photos, will go on display; many have never been shown in public before.

CODA Audio AiRAY ensures protest is heard

www.lightsoundjournal.com: Organised, peaceful demonstrations are a part of democratic life across the world. A recent example which took place in the Netherlands epitomised the spirit of such events when more than 25,000 people gathered at the Zuiderpark in The Hague to air shared grievances about aspects of government policy in advance of provincial elections.

Costuming Alien 3: The Nightmare Survives

theartofcostume.com: Listen up, space nerds! It’s Alien Day (April 26th), that time of year when we embark on an intergalactic journey to discuss the costumes of the iconic film series, Alien. Last year, we explored the costumes of the epic 1986 sequel, Aliens. That means it is time to get into the controversial third installment directed by David Fincher, Alien 3 (with that slick stylized spelling, Alien³). Let’s suit up and dive into the universe of Alien costumes!

Arena Stage names Hana Sharif as its new artistic director

dctheaterarts.org: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announced that its Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Hana Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, as its next Artistic Director. She will succeed Molly Smith, who is retiring at the end of June after 25 years with the company. Joining Executive Producer Edgar Dobie at the helm of the landmark regional theater, the trailblazing Sharif will be only the fourth artistic director in the company’s history.

Review Roundup: Laura Linney & Jessica Hecht Star In SUMMER, 1976 On Broadway

www.broadwayworld.com: This deeply moving, insightful piece is about connection, memories, and the small moments that can change the course of our lives. Over one fateful summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Diana (Linney), a fiercely iconoclastic artist and single mom, and Alice (Hecht), a free-spirited yet naive young housewife. As the Bicentennial is celebrated across the country, these two young women in Ohio navigate motherhood, ambition, and intimacy, and help each other discover their own independence.

Corinne Denny Named Managing Director at Phamaly Theatre

www.americantheatre.org: Phamaly Theatre Company has named Corinne Denny to be their new managing director, effective this week. She succeeds Sasha Hutchings in the role. Additionally, the company has named AJ Watson their new production accessibility manager.

2023 Tony Awards Pre-Show Will Stream for Free on PlutoTV

www.playbill.com: The Tony Awards' embrace of live streaming will continue in 2023 with The Tony Awards: Act One, a 90-minute pre-show of live and exclusive content set to broadcast on Pluto TV June 11 beginning at 6:30 PM ET. Hosts and further details are to be announced.

More Prescribing Arts To Cure You

insidethearts.com: Artsjournal linked to a piece in a University of Florida journal about a program the university is piloting in the hopes of eventually rolling out a national program of prescribing arts to solve mental and physical ills. I have written about similar programs before where doctors prescribe arts and nature to patients.

Avolites Announces the New T3 Mobile Professional Lighting Console

www.lightsoundjournal.com: Avolites has announced its new T3 and T3-Wing professional lighting controller solution, designed and built as the lightest, smallest footprint, most affordable and exciting design look in the Avolites product range.

Can Film and TV Sets Cut Down On Emissions? IATSE Has a Few Ideas

The Hollywood Reporter: Jason Fitzgerald was standing in front of a boxy e-generator the size of a small trailer, recalling how the technology helped enable a tricky scene on an upcoming Christmas movie starring The Rock.

DGA Reminds Members No-Strike Clause Is in Place Through June 30

Variety: The DGA reminded its members this week that the union has a “no-strike clause” which will remain in place even if the WGA goes on strike after May 1. The union sent out an email on Tuesday to answer members’ questions about a possible writers’ strike. The DGA contract does not expire until June 30, so the directors cannot go on strike before then.

Review Roundup: PRIMA FACIE Starring Jodie Comer Opens on Broadway

www.broadwayworld.com: Tessa (Comer) is a thoroughbred. A young, brilliant barrister. She has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning, until an unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.

5 Critical Lessons From The Last Hollywood Writers’ Strike

www.forbes.com: Members of the Writers Guild of America voted on Monday to authorize a strike if the negotiating committee does not reach a new deal with Hollywood studios before the current contract expires on May 1.

By the triple Hecate’s team: Engaging Shakespeare as actress, director, and novelist

Folger Shakespeare Library: Whenever I engage with Shakespeare, I do so as a lifelong fan. Way back in my elementary school years, my Saturday mornings were dedicated to watching Shakespeare: The Animated Tales, the 25-minute cuts of the play perfect for a little, story-loving girl. Middle school saw me enrolled in the TWIGS afterschool acting program at the Baltimore School for the Arts.

Worker Says He Makes $30 an Hour as a Stagehand

www.dailydot.com/news: For those currently seeking work, Jared, a TikTok user and member of the band Sundame (@sundame), has some advice: join a stagehand union. In a video with over 618,000 views, the TikToker shows stagehands working at a show for country artist Luke Combs.

‘Rust’ California Set Safety Bill Sparks Some Crew Opposition

The Hollywood Reporter: Though top entertainment labor unions have publicly come out in support of a California set safety bill inspired by the tragedy on Rust, a vocal group of crew members is pushing back on the proposal, claiming legislative overreach.

Disneyland Fans Joke and Mourn the Flaming Demise of Murphy the ‘Fantasmic!’ Dragon

www.thewrap.com: For over 30 years, Disney fans have flocked to Disneyland to see “Fantasmic!,” a nighttime show that celebrates the power of imagination. But no one could have imagined seeing the dragon used during the show’s climax to burn down to the ground in a tower of flames.

At Dallas Theater Center, Layoffs and Cutbacks and Cancellations

AMERICAN THEATRE: When the Dallas Theater Center opened Into the Woods earlier this month, the tension backstage could only be described as agonizing. Just days earlier, 37 staff members, including the entire acting company, were informed that they would be laid off following the company’s gala in mid-May.

Ali Musical Gets Pre-Broadway Premiere In Champ’s Hometown Louisville

Deadline: The Broadway-bound Ali musical, based on the life of three-time world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, will have its world premiere in the late sports superstar’s birthplace in Louisville, Kentucky in Fall 2024, Deadline can reveal.

The MFA Squeeze: Maintaining Excellence in a Changing Landscape

AMERICAN THEATRE: Across the country, as graduate training programs select candidates for incoming cohorts, administrators are also making tough decisions about program offerings due to budgetary restrictions. The pandemic has had an outsize effect on universities, and the economic downturn of the past three years is forcing some graduate theatre training programs to pull back on recruitment efforts, reduce class sizes, and cut production budgets.

Four Playwrights Receive Liberation Theatre Company Writing Residencies

AMERICAN THEATRE: Liberation Theatre Company (LTC) has selected four emerging playwrights to join their Writing Residency Program for 2023-24. This year’s new residents include Rudy Bamenga, Olga El, Anthony T. Goss, and Jerrica D. White.

Metropolis: from sci-fi masterpiece to chamber musical

limelightmagazine.com.au: Fritz Lang’s science fiction film Metropolis is hailed as a landmark. Made in Germany during the Weimar period, it transposed the class politics of its time into the realms of a future dystopia controlled by industrialists from atop their colossal skyscrapers. Far below toiled the workers, like an army of ants among giant machines.

Prolight + Sound starts in Frankfurt am Main

LightSoundJournal.com: The global entertainment technology industry is back in Frankfurt. From 25 to 28 April, 457 companies from 34 countries will present innovative solutions for spectacular events, impressive productions and outstanding visitor experiences. For the first time since 2019, Prolight + Sound will take place without global travel restrictions.

New experiment in preventing theater industry toxicity: Term limits

Datebook: When Ariel Craft left her role as Cutting Ball Theater executive artistic director last June, the remaining team members knew they didn’t want to return to business as usual, launching a search to find a replacement visionary who could become the new face of the organization.

Review Roundup: Sean Hayes Stars In GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR On Broadway!

www.broadwayworld.com: It's 1958 and Jack Paar is hosting "The Tonight Show." He's booked his favorite guest, a pundit as hilarious as he is unpredictable: Oscar Levant, who once famously proclaimed, "There's a fine line between genius and insanity, and I have erased that line." In 90 short minutes, Oscar will have audiences howling, censors scrambling, and - when it's all over - America will be just a little less innocent than she was before.

Cirque du Soleil looks toward a beautiful future with new show Echo

Montreal Gazette: The world-renowned Montreal-based circus’s first original production since the pandemic began is set to officially open under the blue-and-gold Cirque big top in the Old Port on Thursday. The show was originally called Under the Same Sky and was meant to open in Montreal in March 2020. We all know what happened next.

A guide to Pittsburgh maker spaces for your next big project

Pittsburgh City Paper: The last thing you want is to accidentally chop off a finger. Whether you are a skilled craftsman or just starting out, learning to use tools safely is paramount. Maker spaces are great resources for anyone with a project, whether it's for home improvement, an artistic venture, or simply learning to craft and use power tools safely. These spaces share appliances and educational classes, many with memberships that foster a community of people who love to make things. Here’s our list of the best maker spaces in Pittsburgh.

Broadway Across America’s Black Theatre Coalition fellows pave the way for more diversity in theater administration

Broadway News: On January 9, seven young professionals walked into local Broadway Across America (BAA) offices in New York, Boston, Baltimore and Salt Lake City as novices to the business side of theater. They were the second cohort of Black Theatre Coalition (BTC) fellows at BAA. Fourteen weeks later, these fellows gathered in New York, newly armed with professional skills, a network of colleagues and accomplishments to launch full careers in theater administration.

Checking In On The Black Immersive Creators Grant As Deadline Looms

by Noah J Nelson | Apr, 2023 | No Proscenium: For the second year in a row the Black Immersive Creators Grant is set to change the creative fate of a maker somewhere in the United States. We’ve talked about the grant before here on No Proscenium, but with the deadline looming we wanted to check back in with the grant’s board and see where things are with less than a week left for applications.

The Need for Scholarship on Black Queer Theatrical Culture

HowlRound Theatre Commons: As audiences, theatremakers, theatre students, and scholars in the United States continue to push for increased inclusion and broader representation on stage, there has been an increase in productions written by—and centering the stories of—Black queer individuals: A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical and for Best Book of a Musical in 2022, Fat Ham by James Ijames won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and Donja R. Love’s latest play Soft premiered at MCC Theater in 2022, to name a few.

Creating Your Mission Statement as a Creative Entrepreneur

SoundGirls.org: As a creative person, it can be a pretty big shift to think like a business owner. Entrepreneurial instincts aren’t exactly natural for all of us, just as musicality isn’t as natural for some as others. As I’ve worked with artists, songwriters, musicians and creatives of all kinds, I’ve found that creating a “mission statement” of sorts can get the ball rolling into a disciplined music business that is an authentic reflection of who you are.

Local production updates on ‘American Rust,’ ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ ‘Deliverance’; ‘Piano Lesson’ goes to Atlanta

TribLIVE.com: The familiar sounds of Hollywood on the Mon echoed up the grassy slope of Grant Avenue Park: “Last looks,” “Rolling! Quiet please!,” “Cut!,” “Going again right away” and the occasional, “Bus coming through!” (Though South Second Street was closed to cars, bus routes were not disrupted by the production.)

What it takes to make a suit fit for the Moon

BBC Future: I It will be the ultimate catwalk. In 2025, when Nasa's Artemis III mission returns humanity to the Moon, billions of eyes will focus on two astronauts. And what they're wearing. Although the astronauts will undoubtedly bounce, rather than sashay, upon the lunar surface.

“The book of his good acts”: Shakespeare’s First Folio onstage and on the page

Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare’s First Folio celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2023, and I confess that most of what I know about its creation I learned from Lauren Gunderson’s play The Book of Will, the 2017 stage comedy that depicts the efforts of King’s Men actors John Heminges and Henry Condell to gather and publish all of Shakespeare’s plays in one extraordinary volume. Happily, I can now report that Shakespeare’s Book, Chris Laoutaris’s handsome and informative new nonfiction account of the same events, confirms that Gunderson got much of it right.

Your mullet is more than a haircut, it's a political statement – a hair historian explains

theconversation.com: From Paul Mescal at the Baftas to Emma Corrin’s Governors Awards “mixie” haircut, the 1970s-inspired shaggy mullet is everywhere. But the now-popular “business up front and party in the back” style has a political history stretching far beyond the red carpet and the influence of pop icons such as David Bowie. In fact, descriptions of mullet-like hairstyles feature prominently in the very first Anglo-Indigenous encounters of the 17th century.

BAFTA TV Craft Awards 2023 Winners

The Hollywood Reporter: HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and the BBC/AMC medical comedy-drama This is Going to Hurt emerged with the most honors following the 2023 BAFTA Television Craft Awards ceremony, celebrating the best behind-the-scenes TV talent of 2022.

Claypaky new products at Prolight + Sound 2023

LightSoundJournal.com: The SKYLOS is an ultra-versatile and weather-resistant fixture, with incredible light output and outstanding construction features: much more than just a classic searchlight! The Skylos will certainly also be appreciated in the touring sector, where LDs are constantly on the look-out for dense, solid beams of light and ever-greater light output.

Resorts World Las Vegas Brings a Hint of Burning Man to Sin City with TRANSFIX

The Knockturnal: Each of the installations bring their own unique components that can inspire, evoke emotion and insight connection – a true visceral experience just upon first glance. However, once you learn the thought and meaning behind the works, your connection to the pieces heightens like with Marco Cochrane’s ‘R-Evolution’. Cochrane’s monumental sculpture standing over 45 feet tall and weighing 32,000 pounds instantly grabs the attention of guests.

Disneyland Dragon Animatronic Catches Fire, Parks Suspend Effects Globally

The Hollywood Reporter: Disneyland and other Disney parks are temporarily suspending fire effects like those used in the Fantasmic live show after an animatronic dragon caught on fire in California on Saturday night.

10 Disney Classics That Should Be Adapted for Broadway

collider.com: For almost thirty years, Disney has adapted many films from its animated and live-action library into Broadway musicals. They range from one-to-one recreations of the movie refitted to a staging environment to complete reinventions that improve the original piece. Most of these shows remain popular with audiences and critics, with some becoming among the longest-running shows in Broadway history.

Showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell on Paving the Way for BIPOC Writers

Variety: If you’re an aspiring TV writer in Canada, it’s quite possible your script is in Anthony Q. Farrell’s slush pile. The Canadian showrunner is always reading projects and helping new writers get their start, and now that he’s got a few weeks of downtime before his summer projects fire up, he’s finally sitting down to read them.

d&b performs come rain or shine with Bethel Music

LightSoundJournal.com: Bethel Music, one of the foremost names in the contemporary worship movement in the US, recently headed to South Africa for a two-night concert series. Alongside a much-anticipated appearance in Pretoria, Bethel Music led an evening of song and praise with the Henry Pike Worship Band at Meerendal Wine Estate, Cape Town on March 25th.

Gregory Doran: ‘Shakespeare defines things when you can’t’

Gregory Doran | The Guardian: If Gregory Doran – Greg to his friends – were a character from Shakespeare, he would be best cast as Kent from King Lear because he has the steadiness, kindness and faithfulness of a self-appointed servant. But instead of being loyal to a madman in a storm, it is to Shakespeare that Doran has devoted 35 years, in Stratford-upon-Avon and, for the past decade, as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s artistic director.

Chronicling our pandemic times with humor, heart, and a sense of community in ‘Plays for the Plague Year’ at NYC's Joe’s Pub

DC Theater Arts: With the COVID-19 closure of theaters on March 12, 2020, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, a Pulitzer Prize winner and The Public Theater’s Writer-in-Residence, decided to put the time in lockdown to good use by writing a play a day. Originally scheduled to open at Joe’s Pub at The Public in November 2022, her anthology of Plays for the Plague Year was, ironically, shut down by the pandemic when she tested positive for the virus.

‘Shakespeare can help us survive war’: Ukrainian academic toasts bard in UK visit

Ukraine | The Guardian: Ukrainians need not only weapons but culture and art in order to survive the onslaught of war, says Prof Nataliya Torkut, head of the Ukrainian Shakespeare Centre.

“the fisherman, the butterfly, eve & her lover” at CorningWorks

The Pittsburgh Tatler: A challenge of conceiving the climate change crisis is that, unlike other events and problems, we can’t directly see or feel it, because there is no position from which to view it in its totality. To borrow from philosopher Timothy Morton, climate change is a “hyperobject,” something that is “massively distributed in time and space relative to humans”; that is, it’s happening all around us, all the time, at a pace and scale that defies direct perception.

Kolton Krouse wasn't going to audition for Broadway's 'Dancin'’ — now they're starring in it

Broadway News: Actor Kolton Krouse wasn’t sure whether they would audition for “Bob Fosse’s Dancin’.” “I actually kind of stopped dancing during the pandemic,” Krouse said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is what I want.’”

Fans React As Dodgers Turn Out The Lights Before HR Ball Lands

brobible.com: Over the past couple of years, Major League Baseball teams have tried to ramp up their celebrations when they win, a closer comes into the game, or when someone hits a home run.

Deaf Representation in Hollywood is Improving, but Still Falls Short

Variety: Deaf representation has come a long way in Hollywood. “CODA’s” release and subsequent best picture Oscar win marked an important moment for deaf audiences. It showed the most significant representation of the community on a global stage since 1986’s “Children of a Lesser God” earned Marlee Matlin a best actress prize.

Ruth Carter And Eventbrite Are Bringing Racial Equity To The Arts Industry

Blavity News: On a rare, snowy February afternoon, soon-to-be two-time Academy Award winner Ruth Carter nestled into an intricately decorated corner of her California home and hopped onto a Zoom call. Flashing onto the screen with her small Black dog in tow and walls lined with African art, she joyfully greeted Tayleur Crenshaw and Xavier Henderson, two California-based creatives who lead the organizations Gold Beams and SoulfulofNoise. Eventbrite brought the three creators together with Blavity for a conversation on community, creativity and collaboration in the arts.

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

How the Life of Pi Puppeteers Bring a Zoo to Life on Broadway

Playbill: Backstage, in the rehearsal room, the animal puppets for Life of Pi hang on rolling racks. They are impressive to look at. The interior is a skeleton made from wood and aluminum, with joints made out of bungee cords to allow movement, and trigger mechanisms to manipulate ears or mouths. The exterior is crafted from a type of foam that is light, easy to carve, and able to take paint without melting. These puppets, co-designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, are works of art.

Posted by David at 4/21/2023 10:39:00 AM

'Crown to Couture': New exhibition puts event dressing through the ages on display

Euronews: London’s Kensington Palace’s State Apartments were historically the hub of royal court occasions and lavish parties and have seen numerous style icons pass through in the years since. The Apartments are now playing host to a huge display of red carpet couture alongside historic treasures in new fashion exhibition "Crown to Couture".

Posted by David at 4/21/2023 10:33:00 AM

WTF is "Mood Lighting?" & How Do I Create It?

www.limelightwired.com: There is an unexplainable sense of satisfaction when you, as a lighting designer or programmer, have built a look for a song, and it feels right. You may not even be able to articulate precisely what feels perfect, but you know that something has clicked. That's the feeling that got us hooked on this industry, right? The moment visual art, technology, and music align for a perfect show moment that everyone in the room undeniably feels.

Posted by David at 4/19/2023 11:09:00 AM

What social distancing? It's a spring awakening for St. Louis entertainment venues.

www.stltoday.com: We’re worlds away from spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down life as we know it. Arts and entertainment venues struggled, many opening virtual doors when they were forced to close their actual doors. The virus's omicron variant in 2022 continued to keep many visitors away and disrupt schedules.

Posted by David at 4/21/2023 11:10:00 AM

‘Disabled children need to know it is an option’: co-creating the future of dance

Stage | The Guardian: Several adults form a circle in a community hall, swerving their bodies and linking arms. One spirals around a chair, using it as part of their movement. This is Breakthrou’dance, a group in Stoke-on-Trent for disabled participants. They come together each week to do what Frontlinedance founder Rachael Lines calls “dancing with”, rather than the traditional model of following an instructor.

Posted by David at 4/19/2023 10:47:00 AM

 

JoAnn M. Hunter Brings Decades of Skill, Experience and Perspective to Bad Cinderella and SuperYou

Dance Magazine: JoAnn M. Hunter has given the term “triple threat” a new meaning as her long career on Broadway has evolved. A director, choreographer and collaborator who used to sing, dance and act, she is now a sought-after part of creative teams, in a field that has had few women of color in leadership roles. Andrew Lloyd Webber described her to The New York Times as “a wonderful collaborator who you can really talk to about what the show needs. She is hugely important to the look of the show.”

Review Roundup: THE THANKSGIVING PLAY Opens On Broadway Starring D'Arcy Carden, Katie Finneran, Scott Foley, and Chris Sullivan

www.broadwayworld.com: MacArthur Genius Larissa FastHorse's shocking satire flips the bird on one of America's most prolific myths. The Thanksgiving Play arrives on Broadway in a brutally funny and raw new production directed by Tony Award-winner Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown, Great Comet). When a troupe of really, really well-meaning theater artists attempt to put on a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving school pageant, things get messy. Hilarious and poignant, this delicious play skewers everything right, wrong, and woke in America.

Robe at Prolight + Sound 2023 preview

LightSoundJournal.com: Robe will be showcasing six fabulous new products – iFORTE® FS, iESPRITE®, iPAINTE®, iTetra2TM, iBeam350TM and FOOTSIE – as well as highlighting several other innovations including RoboSpot with full networking capabilities … at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt 2023 on stand D10 in Hall 12.1.

IATSE Commends Reps. Chu and Buchanan for Continuing Fight to Restore Tax Fairness for Arts Workers

IATSE: Today, Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) once again introduced the bipartisan Performing Artists Tax Parity Act (PATPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation provides a necessary update to the Qualified Performing Artist (QPA) tax deduction, correcting an unintended consequence of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act that drastically increased taxes for middle class creative professionals.

Performers announced for 2023 Easter Bonnet Competition

Broadway News: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has announced performers, judges and special guests for the 2023 Easter Bonnet Competition. The 34th annual presentation will take place at the Minskoff Theatre on April 24 and 25, following a four-year pandemic-induced hiatus.

Tim Sanford and Aimée Hayes Launch The Tent Theater Company, Dedicated to Supporting Elder Playwrights

www.broadwayworld.com: Tim Sanford, former artistic director of Playwrights Horizons, and Aimée Hayes, former producing artistic director of Southern Rep, have launched The Tent Theater Company, dedicated to providing artistic support, service, and advocacy to American Playwrights and cross-disciplinary theater makers over the age of 60. Sanford and Hayes have gathered an eclectic roster of 46 playwrights to articulate for each other, and for the broader community, the problems that late-career writers face.

Musical about ‘first working-class model’ Twiggy to open in London

Musicals | The Guardian: She was a teenager from Neasden when a photograph of her newly cropped hair catapulted her into a world of glamour and celebrity. “It happened almost overnight. One day I was an ordinary schoolgirl, and the next I was ‘the face of 1966’. It was madness but wonderful,” said Twiggy, the former model, actor and fashion designer.

What social distancing? It's a spring awakening for St. Louis entertainment venues.

www.stltoday.com: We’re worlds away from spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down life as we know it. Arts and entertainment venues struggled, many opening virtual doors when they were forced to close their actual doors. The virus's omicron variant in 2022 continued to keep many visitors away and disrupt schedules.

First Folio turns 400: The book that gave us Shakespeare

limelightmagazine.com.au: It has been 400 years since the publication of the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, a volume now known as the First Folio. Prepared by his fellow actors after his death, the book presented 36 plays divided into the genres of comedy, history and tragedy.

Q&A with "Our Verse in Time to Come" director Vernice Miller

Folger Shakespeare Library: The Folger-commissioned play Our Verse in Time to Come is playing at DC Public Library locations throughout April as part of Searching for Shakespeare, our festival celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare and the First Folio.

Shakespeare's environmentalism: how his plays explore the same ecological issues we face today

theconversation.com: Climate change, urban sprawl, air pollution, deforestation, depleted fish stocks, biodiversity and species loss: these are not exclusively modern problems that only sprang up in the last few hundred years. In fact, the common but misleading phrase “industrial revolution” masks the long history of resource extraction and ecological degradation in the British Isles stretching back at least to the arrival of the tin-hungry Romans.

review: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's%C2%A0'The Master's Program: Balanchine and Beyond'%C2%A0with the PBT Orchestra Delights Audiences

onstagepittsburgh.com: A classic night at the ballet floats you through stunning movements with flawless accompaniment. The beauty of the three acts in this performance maintained a continual strength and held palatable emotion that kept the audience wanting more.

Chilina Kennedy, Kate Rockwell & More to Star in LOVE ALL World Premiere at La Jolla Playhouse

www.broadwayworld.com: Love All is the triumphant story of the rise of sports icon and social justice pioneer Billie Jean King. The trailblazer for equality faced tough competition on the court and adversity in the world, all against a backdrop of the massive social changes of the 1960s and '70s.

At Dallas Theater Center, Layoffs and Cutbacks and Cancellations

AMERICAN THEATRE: When the Dallas Theater Center opened Into the Woods earlier this month, the tension backstage could only be described as agonizing. Just days earlier, 37 staff members, including the entire acting company, were informed that they would be laid off following the company’s gala in mid-May.

Workers behind the scenes of Iowa's biggest productions seek 'voice, power and protection' through unions

Little Village: Hancher Auditorium’s relationship with the local stagehand union dates back to when the University of Iowa first created the venue. “Hancher opened the same fall that CAMBUS started [1972],” recalled Mark Falk. “That was my freshman fall. [I thought] ‘Look at all this new stuff, that’s cool.’ As long as there’s been a Hancher, IATSE’s been involved with it.”

How the Life of Pi Puppeteers Bring a Zoo to Life on Broadway

Playbill: Backstage, in the rehearsal room, the animal puppets for Life of Pi hang on rolling racks. They are impressive to look at. The interior is a skeleton made from wood and aluminum, with joints made out of bungee cords to allow movement, and trigger mechanisms to manipulate ears or mouths. The exterior is crafted from a type of foam that is light, easy to carve, and able to take paint without melting. These puppets, co-designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, are works of art.

9 Theatre Books to Check Out This April

Playbill: Shelter from those April showers or bask in the early spring sunshine, but make sure you bring along one of these new theatre reads. We’ve rounded up 9 new releases for Broadway bookworms, including a tween novel series from Mandy Gonzalez, and an analysis of works of theatre in times of crisis.

'Crown to Couture': New exhibition puts event dressing through the ages on display

Euronews: London’s Kensington Palace’s State Apartments were historically the hub of royal court occasions and lavish parties and have seen numerous style icons pass through in the years since. The Apartments are now playing host to a huge display of red carpet couture alongside historic treasures in new fashion exhibition "Crown to Couture".

Values-led, Commons-based Creative Producing

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Ramona Rose King: Hi my friend, thanks so much for sitting down with me today. I wanted to take some time on this, your last day as the creative producer of HowlRound, to reflect on the work you’ve done, what you’ve learned, and what others can learn from it, too. So to start, can you tell me a little bit about your journey with HowlRound and the Latinx Theatre Commons (LTC)? What originally drew you to this work?

Legislation focused on tax fairness for performing artists reintroduced in Congress

Broadway News: The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA), aimed at restoring tax fairness for entertainment professionals, has been reintroduced in Congress. The legislation was brought back to the House chamber on April 19 by Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Judy Chu (D-CA), who first introduced the bipartisan bill in July 2021.

Kennedy Center announces American College Theater Festival awardees

DC Theater Arts: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts virtually hosted more than 110 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). These student artists from across the United States have been recognized for their outstanding work from the eight regional festivals that were held January 10 through March 2, 2023.

Pittsburgh CLO Adds Marquee Names to 2023 Summer Lineup

onstagepittsburgh.com: A second casting announcement on Wednesday follows a partial lineup named in March, and includes some of musical theater’s marquee names. Those include 2021 Tony Award nominee Elizabeth Stanley (Best Actress in a Musical, Jagged Little Pill) as the Witch in Into the Woods and Olivier Award-winner Lesli Margherita as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.

The Thanksgiving Play: Broadway’s funniest and most daring new comedy

Broadway | The Guardian: The Thanksgiving Play came into being, more or less, as a dare. When theater companies told Larissa FastHorse that her script featuring Indigenous characters What Would Crazy Horse Do? was virtually “uncastable”, she set out to write a show featuring zero actors from any minority group. In a somewhat dispiriting twist, the stunt worked. The Thanksgiving Play has become one of the most produced pieces of theater in the US.

The Marvellous Elephant Man The Musical (Guy Masterson and Floating World Entertainment)

limelightmagazine.com.au: From circus freak to medical curiosity in Victorian England, Joseph (aka John) Merrick, continues to be a figure of fascination long after his death. The so-called Elephant Man has been the subject of numerous books, David Lynch’s celebrated 1980 film, and theatre productions including Malthouse’s excellent The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man in 2017.

update: Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks Opens Their 19th Season with 'Twelfth Night,' and a New Comedy on April 23

onstagepittsburgh.com: PSiP’s 19th season opens with the 10th Annual Week of Will on April 23, featuring staged readings of two comedies, Twelfth Night and the premiere of Shakespeare: First Drafts by Charles David “Stoney” Richards. The Bard’s 459th birthday celebration will begin with a tribute by Mrs. Shakespeare at Oakland’s Shakespeare statue on Sunday, April 23, and Week of Will wraps up with an international online puppet slam as a finale on Saturday, April 29.

Hiawatha Project Premiers 'Buoyant Sea' as part of the EQT International Children's Theater Festival May 19-21

onstagepittsburgh.com: In partnership with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Hiawatha Project presents a world premiere immersive “water-table-play” Buoyant Sea as part of the EQT International Children’s Theater Festival May 19-21 alongside works from Australia, Japan, Madagascar, and more!

Disney upped the ante for the 25th anniversary of ‘The Lion King’: behind the campaign that made waves

Broadway News: When “The Lion King” turned 20 (in 2017), Disney Theatrical Group celebrated. The team shared more behind-the-scenes details than ever before, threw a block party in Times Square and went big on an anniversary performance and afterparty — Elton John-live-onstage big. And yet, as the 25th Broadway anniversary peeked over the horizon in November 2022, the campaign surrounding “The Lion King” took the marketing of the long-running musical to the next level.

Broadway Team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty On 40 Years of Musicals

Observer: Stephen Flaherty, who wrote his first musical score at 14, was a sophomore at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music before Broadway conductor-composer-arranger-teacher Lehman Engel caught up with him. Impressed with the 20-year-old’s musical gifts, he advised Flaherty to quit college immediately, high-tail it to New York and join the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop.

'Fresh Air' pays tribute to the music of John Kander and Fred Ebb

NPR: The new Broadway musical New York, New York includes Kander and Ebb's songs from Scorsese's 1977 film. We listen back to an '83 interview with Kander and Ebb, plus '91 and '15 interviews with Kander.

Streaming of Prime Stage Theatre's and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh's World Premiere Production of 'Perseverance,' Available April 24

onstagepittsburgh.com: Each year partnerships with Prime Stage Theatre and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh engage the world in education, understanding, and actions against the atrocities of genocide. This year’s production is a live and virtual performance adapted from the book Perseverance: A Holocaust Survivor’s Journey from Poland to America.

Film, TV Filmed in Vancouver Underrepresented Women, Minorities: Study

The Hollywood Reporter: But a study from the Union of British Columbia Performers, representing local actors, and The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, has found American film and TV productions shot locally have, in recent years, significantly underrepresented or misrepresented women, people of color and other marginalized groups.

Robert Horn On Growing a Broadway Musical From the Ground Up

Observer: It might surprise you to learn that Robert Horn—who won a Tony in 2019 for his side-splitting adaptation of the gender-bending Tootsie and will surely be a frontrunner this year for his unapologetically corny, from-the-ground-up original, Shucked—hails from a grim, grinding, achingly humorless childhood only Charles Dickens could do justice to.

Billy McFarland Says Fyre Festival II 'Finally Happening'

www.businessinsider.com: Billy McFarland, the creator behind the failed Fyre Festival, is floating the idea of a possible follow-up. "Fyre Festival II is finally happening," McFarland tweeted on Sunday. He also asked Twitter users to let him know why they deserved an invite.

VSO stagehands issue 72-hour strike notice, 10 months into contract talks

CTV News: The show may not go on at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra this week as stagehands prepare to strike, after 10 months of failed contract negotiations. International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 118 filed an official 72-hour strike notice against the VSO on Tuesday, marking a first in the union’s 118-year history.

New Actors' Equity-LORT Contract Includes Increased Salary, Increments for Playing Instruments, More

Playbill: Details have emerged from the new contract tenatively approved by Actors' Equity Association (AEA) for use with member theatres of the League of Regional Theatres (LORT). The agreement was initially announced March 27, with the details of the new contract shared with union members April 5.

WTF is "Mood Lighting?" & How Do I Create It?

www.limelightwired.com: There is an unexplainable sense of satisfaction when you, as a lighting designer or programmer, have built a look for a song, and it feels right. You may not even be able to articulate precisely what feels perfect, but you know that something has clicked. That's the feeling that got us hooked on this industry, right? The moment visual art, technology, and music align for a perfect show moment that everyone in the room undeniably feels.

Back to the Sandbox With ‘God of Carnage’

AMERICAN THEATRE: This one’s crying over a toy, that one’s vomiting, and another one let the hamster out of its cage—and we haven’t even talked about the children yet. But the rules of the playground don’t apply inside a yuppie couple’s Cobble Hill brownstone.

If You're Going to Edinburgh Fringe, Better Think Ahead About Where You'll Rest Your Head

Playbill: During the month of August, Edinburgh, Scotland turns into a major cultural hub. The city plays host not only to the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, but also the Royal Military Tattoo, Edinburgh International, the Book Festival, and even a couple of others. As reported by The Scotsman, over four million people flocked to the city in August of 2019. That’s nearly eight times the capital’s population of half a million. So where do they all stay?

On the Wheels of a Dream: The Making of Broadway’s Ragtime

Playbill: There are musicals, and then there's Ragtime. It was based on E.L. Doctorow's 1975 novel and telling a dramatized history of America at the turn of the 20th century. The 1998 Broadway production of Ragtime showed that American artists, too, could reach the epic heights—both in terms of storytelling and opulent physical productions—that had become wildly successful on Broadway through a string of big-budget West End transfers like Cats, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon.

‘Disabled children need to know it is an option’: co-creating the future of dance

Stage | The Guardian: Several adults form a circle in a community hall, swerving their bodies and linking arms. One spirals around a chair, using it as part of their movement. This is Breakthrou’dance, a group in Stoke-on-Trent for disabled participants. They come together each week to do what Frontlinedance founder Rachael Lines calls “dancing with”, rather than the traditional model of following an instructor.

The Original Wilhelm Scream Recording Session Has Been Found

www.pastemagazine.com: At this point, you’d probably be hard pressed to find a film geek who wasn’t intimately familiar with the Wilhelm Scream. The famous stock sound effect has been used hundreds of times in feature film and television since it was first recorded in the early 1950s, first out of necessity, and eventually as a knowing in-joke for audio engineers and eventually mass-market film audiences.

London museum to use AI to let visitors walk on Shakespeare’s early stage | William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare | The Guardian: Theatre lovers will be able to walk across the Elizabethan stage where Shakespeare presented Romeo and Juliet and Henry V at a London museum installation that uses the latest AI technology.

Audix unveils the PDX720 Signature Edition at NAMM 2023

LightSoundJournal.com: At NAMM 2023 Booth #14702, Audix introduced the PDX720 professional dynamic studio microphone, a top-notch addition that expands its current studio microphone portfolio. The PDX720 is designed for the most demanding studio recording engineers and producers, vocal recording, high-end home studios, professional podcasting and voiceover.

Interview: Heidi Blickenstaff on Why JAGGED LITTLE PILL Feels 'So Personal'

www.broadwayworld.com: Broadway staple Heidi Blickenstaff first played the leading role of Mary Jane Healy in Jagged Little Pill when the musical reopened on Broadway after the height of COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Blickenstaff's back in Mary Jane's shoes for the national tour, once again playing the opioid-addicted, suburban Connecticut mother trying to hold it all together while expressing all of her emotions through Alanis Morrisette's songs.

‘Bad Cinderella’ hemorrhaging cash as 2023 Tony noms approach

nypost.com: The situation has gone from “Bad” to worse. Over at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Bad Cinderella” on Broadway, advertising agency RPM and the production have cut ties — with just two weeks to go until Tony Award nominations are announced.

Is 'The Hotel Who: A Love Story' Any Good?

No Proscenium: Sometimes too much is too much and sometimes it’s not enough. Somehow, in the case of The Hotel Who: A Love Story, both happen at once. Before we get to what’s broken, let’s talk about what actually works. Because if this was a complete disaster it wouldn’t be so frustrating.

World Premiere Wisconsin: A Bold Idea, Locally Brewed

AMERICAN THEATRE: It seemed fitting that the night of World Premiere Wisconsin’s kick-off party at Ten Chimneys, the historic estate of theatre legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, began with a massive February snowstorm. Equally fitting: That weather event didn’t stop Wisconsinites from coming out in droves to celebrate this first-of-its-kind project, which began March 1 and runs through June 30 at a variety of venues across the state. If a global pandemic couldn’t halt the forward momentum of this festival, snow certainly wasn’t going to either.

‘Starter For 10’. Film that Launched Star Careers Will Be Stage Musical

Deadline: The 2006 film Starter for 10, which helped launch the big-screen careers of James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rebecca Hall, Dominic Cooper and James Corden, is being developed into a stage musical.

What’s next after the early 2023 steel price hike?

www.thefabricator.com: Monday mornings are for sheet mill price hike announcements—or so it seems lately. Cleveland-Cliffs, as I was writing this article in mid-March, announced it was up $100/ton ($5/cwt) on sheet prices in general and targeting a $1,200/ton base price for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in particular.

New play from Essential Theatre to mark third anniversary of George Floyd's death

DC Theater Arts: Commemorating the third anniversary of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, the Essential Theatre’s Women’s Works Program will present the Washington, DC, premiere of Dissonance by Marci J. Duncan in collaboration with Kerry Sandell and directed by James Webb. Dissonance is a two-woman play about race, love, and friendship.

Five Days In The Life

SoundGirls.org: We often are asked the question “What’s a normal day in your life in this industry?” Well, that’s a difficult question to answer because every day is so vastly different, and hardly anything goes as initially planned. As an example of this, I’ve taken the opportunity to write about my recent trip to France for work and the five days spanning that trip.