OpenAI disputes authors’ claims that every ChatGPT response is a derivative work

Ars Technica: This week, OpenAI finally responded to a pair of nearly identical class-action lawsuits from book authors—including Sarah Silverman, Paul Tremblay, Mona Awad, Chris Golden, and Richard Kadrey—who earlier this summer alleged that ChatGPT was illegally trained on pirated copies of their books.

Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers: ‘I just don't want to be forgotten’

www.kcrw.com: Each time union camera assistant Kelly Simpson hears that successful Hollywood actors and writers have made another big cash donation to their guilds’ emergency strike funds, she feels conflicted.

Hollywood's Double Strike Gets Immense Support in Gallup Poll

www.thewrap.com: Add this to the pile of evidence that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have the public on their side: more than two-thirds of those surveyed in Gallup’s annual labor support poll say they side with writers and actors on the picket lines in their months-long strike.

The success of Love Never Dies highlights something missing from UK theatre

www.whatsonstage.com: Theatre Royal Drury Lane hosted something of a resurrection act last week – with a special, three-show staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Glenn Slater, Ben Elton and Frederick Forsyth’s Love Never Dies, seen for the first time this week after amends made to the piece during its Australian run.

Food Network's Worst Cooks in America gets shut down as crew goes on strike

www.yahoo.com: Reality TV has broadly been unaffected by the ongoing writers' and actors' strikes. But that doesn't mean it's without its own labor issues. A new strike has shut down an upcoming season of Food Network's Worst Cooks in America

IATSE Local 56 Certifies Opéra de Montréal

IATSE: Almost 20 years after a Supreme Court of Canada decision determined that tenants of Place des Arts were not legally bound by the Union’s collective agreement with Place des Arts, IATSE Local 56 secured an organizing victory and was able to win a certification for the last of Place des Art’s main resident companies.

Workinman Interactive Workers Unionize

Animation World Network: Workers at Workinman Interactive are unionizing with the backing of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), forging a new path as the first union specifically for dedicated video game workers under IATSE in the United States.

Live Nation Faces Lawsuit After Stagehand Injured on Tour

www.digitalmusicnews.com: The report of the lawsuit comes from Pitchfork, who says the lawsuit was filed in Dallas County District Court in Texas. Steve Genovese says he was working for a contractor contracted by Live Nation to build the stage for the AT&T Stadium concert that weekend.

Threat to IATSE closes Burbank offices, cancels weekend event

Los Angeles Times: The Burbank offices of the film-crew union International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 80 remained closed Saturday and at least one weekend event there was canceled after the group received a threatening letter.

Why You Should Consider the Switch from Hard Hats to Helmets

Builder Magazine: Although hard hats have been used to protect workers’ heads in the industrial and construction industries for over 100 years, the product hasn’t seen a significant upgrade since the 1980s, states Scott Greenhaus, executive vice president at Structural Group, during an Associated General Contractors webinar on the topic.

The Ultimate Dumpster Diver: Jan Jongert’s Superuse Studios

Architect Magazine: Jan Jongert takes reuse seriously. As he walks you through the buildings he has designed, the architect—a partner at global firm Superuse Studios—tallies what percentage of them was made from materials that were repurposed from other building sites or even other uses.

‘One Piece’ Production Designer on the Question That Stumped Eiichiro Oda

collider.co: There are some things you can only become aware of when the time comes to make it look as real as possible. When it comes to One Piece, both the anime and manga series benefited from the liberties that the pages and the 2-D animation provide.

Shutterstock Free Transitions for Premiere Pro

nofilmschool.com: Movement is what makes films and videos stand out as a unique art form. That's why transitions like fast-paced action wipes, zooms, and glitches are key components for video editors to use when stitching together shots or scenes.

MPTF, IATSE, Teamsters, Food Drive Supports Entertainment Industry Workers Amid Work Stoppages

IATSE: On August 24th, the power of unity and solidarity was on full display on the Motion Picture and Television Fund Campus (MPTF), where an incredible team of over 200 volunteers from IATSE, Teamsters, the MPTF, LA Food Bank, and LA County Federation of Labor hosted a food drive to assist those impacted by the ongoing work stoppages in the film and television industry.

Netflix EU creator pay

nofilmschool.com: If you're out on the lines during the summer of labor in 2023, one of the things that comes up over and over again is streaming residuals. Everyone is talking about it. The ask is pretty simple: if you create something for a streamer and it's a hit, actors and writers want to be paid.

Colorpik Pen draws from its surroundings to draw in 16 million colors

newatlas.com: With regular felt pens, users are limited to the colors of the pens in a set. As you might have guessed, though, the Colorpik Pen is different – it can reproduce 16 million colors, which are scanned from the user's environment.

'waves of code' light installation explores media reflexivity in the digital age

www.designboom.com: Young media artist Liu Jiayu presents her latest artistic practice titled Waves of Code, an artwork generated after a discussion between the creative and ChatGPT. The artist’s research and practice in light and projection media over almost a decade have led to the realization that technology now shapes our experiences, serving as a somatosensory interface and main medium for information consumption.

Christopher Nolan Cut 30 Days From 'Oppenheimer' Filming to Boost Budget for Los Alamos Set

TheWrap: Christopher Nolan shaved 30 days off the shooting calendar for “Oppenheimer” in order to make the movie more realistic. Production designer Ruth De Jong told the “Team Deakins” podcast earlier this month that the blockbuster about the development of the atom bomb was supposed to have a longer production timeline, but the director reduced the number of shooting days in order to prioritize the production design.

Ripple effects from Hollywood strikes reach other industries

CANVAS Arts: The company had struggled for years, tossed around by pandemic-induced production shutdowns that began in March 2020. Last year, though, business for Valentino's Costume Group had finally picked back up. Hoping to capitalize on that good fortune, the shop moved in January to a North Hollywood space twice the size of its old building.

Everyday Carry (EDC): The Right Tools For The Job

ProSoundWeb: How many freelance stagehands does it take to plug in a cable? It sounds like the setup line of a joke, but it’s actually the subject of a memorable discussion with a colleague. At a gig a while back, he’d asked a freelance stagehand to plug in a cable at the back of a rack. It was dark, particularly in the recesses of the rack, and the stagehand couldn’t see the channel numbers (let alone the jacks).

2024 Oscars: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Predictions

IndieWire: Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie” required the makeup and hairstyling team (overseen by Ivana Primorac) to embody the plastic essence of the Mattel dolls through the actors. But it did not necessarily demand a plastic look. Instead, they went for a more grounded concept built around the human ideal. Skin smoothness, color, and proportions were all worked out.

Ontario Directors Guild Adds to Fund For Members Impacted By Strikes

The Hollywood Reporter: The Directors Guild of Canada’s Ontario branch has voted to donate up to $100,000 more to the Actors Fund of Canada to offer financial relief to its often freelance members impacted by the ongoing Hollywood writers and actors strikes.

Manhattan's first film studio to rise on Hudson River pier: report

nypost.com: It’s Hollywood on the Hudson. A group of New York City’s big-moneyed investors have joined forces to build a $350 million production-studio complex — Manhattan’s first ever — on a dilapidated pier jutting out into the Hudson River, according to a report.

Blame It On The Sockets: Forensic Analysis Of The Arecibo Collapse

Hackaday: In case you somehow missed it, back in 2020 we started getting ominous reports that the cables supporting the 900-ton instrument platform above the 300-meter primary reflector of what was at the time the world’s largest radio telescope were slowly coming undone.

Fran Drescher says actors strike she's leading is an 'inflection point' that goes beyond Hollywood

AP News: Fran Drescher believes that the walkouts that have shut down Hollywood are about something much bigger than the actors union she leads, or the writers striking alongside them, or the entertainment industry.

Adele Stops Show to Defend Fan Bothered by Security for ‘Standing Up’

Rolling Stone: They can stand if they want to! Adele paused her show in Las Vegas over the weekend to defend a fan who was approached by security several times and told to sit down while he stood up and sang the lyrics to her music.

Miley Cyrus Says Levels of Observation, Ego While Touring “Isn’t Healthy for Me”

The Hollywood Reporter: Miley Cyrus says part of why she hasn’t toured in nearly a decade is because the demands of performing on the road do not always offer “an equal amount of recovery and rest,” and that the relationship a musician has with crowds as “subject and observer isn’t healthy for me.”

Disney VFX Workers Announce Intent to Hold Unionization Vote

gizmodo.com: Just three weeks after 52 visual effects workers at Marvel Studios announced they had filed a unionization vote with the National Labor Relations Board, 18 more internal VFX employees at Marvel parent company Disney have now also moved to form their own union, indicating a growing sea change in the demands of the historically non-union VFX industry.

Striking Actors, Writers Seem To Be Winning In Court Of Public Opinion

www.forbes.com: The writers and actors strikes continue to draw out without an end in sight. But could the court of public opinion—a critical component in an industry that relies on consumer support—hold enough sway to force either side to compromise?

How to Paint IKEA Furniture

Family Handyman: IKEA is a DIYers dream. There are so many IKEA hacks out there, from adding peel and stick wallpaper to creative assembly to fit your needs. But one thing’s clear: We love adding our own personality to IKEA furniture. One way to do that is with a splash of paint.

City Theatre Taking It to the Streets for The Bash, Then Heads 'Somewhere Over the Border'

onstagepittsburgh.com: City Theatre’s South Side campus has been buzzing since its big red doors closed on the 2022-23 season in May. This summer, there’s been activity aplenty on Bingham Street, in the construction shop and the black box Lillie Theatre, which has been home to productions by local companies including New Horizon Theater and Corningworks.

VFX Workers at Disney File for Unionization Under IATSE

The Hollywood Reporter: Visual effects workers at Walt Disney Pictures have filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board that could allow them to unionize with IATSE. The news comes as Disney-owned Marvel VFX workers are currently organizing for their own union election amid the writers and actors strikes.

Recording Success: Taking Elemental Steps Can Make A Big Difference

ProSoundWeb: Have you ever wondered why some recording artists and producers are more successful in the studio at accomplishing their goals than other people who are equally or more musically talented? As a recording engineer, here’s what I’ve noticed about successful people in the studio.

Direct and Indirect Exposure Electricity Fatalities

NFPA: There are two ways to contact energized electrical parts or equipment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) database, and those are direct or indirect. Direct exposure to electricity includes contact directly from the power source to the person, such as touching a live wire or getting caught up in an arc-flash. Indirect exposure typically occurs when an object is unintentionally electrified.

TikTok Has Broken Hollywood And No One Knows What To Do About It

www.slashfilm.com: The entertainment industry is in a weird spot right now. Streamers and studios keep purging exclusive material that hasn't made the jump to physical media, seemingly intentionally creating a new library of lost media in favor of tax write-downs. The AMPTP has forced a dual strike between the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, effectively shutting down the industry and already making a huge dent in box office performances.

Netflix Agrees to Pay Royalties to Creators of German Series

Variety: Netflix has agreed to pay creatives in Germany additional royalties based on the success of its local series productions. The performance-based royalties will be paid to talent working in front and behind the camera on German Netflix series. The payments will be in addition to wages covered by production companies and based on the number of streams made by the series on the platform.

A sound mind

Performance | santafenewmexican.com: On paper, Santa Fean Madi Sato’s expansive life history reads as a meditation on mourning, embracing Indigenous heritage, and survival. Set to music, those powerful ingredients swirl into an other-wordly mashup of narration, pieces of familiar songs, and haunting chants aimed at evoking emotions mere words cannot.

Back to the Future's Gareth Owen Didn't Go to College For Sound Design, Now He Has a Tony Award

Playbill: Anything and everything one hears when entering the world of Back to the Future: The Musical at Broadway's Winter Garden—including the powerful vocals of Casey Likes, the many jokes delivered by Tony winner Roger Bart as well as the sounds of thunder, the opening of a beer can, and, of course, a time-traveling sequence that leads the audience to a roar of applause—is thanks to Gareth Owen.

Robe at PLASA 2023 - Preview

LightSoundJournal.com: Robe looks forward to the buzz and energy of another PLASA expo at Olympia, London, 3rd – 5th September, where it will be launching three fantastic new products and debuting a brand-new live performance concept on stands A70 & C28. Designed to create drama, excitement and anticipation, visitors will be drawn to the booths by Robe putting a real live production at the heart of the event.

A Big Trend at This Year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe? Murder Mysteries

Playbill: Shouting breaks the silence on a quiet street in a language that's unrecognizable. Neighbors find a flat in disarray, a bloodied razor, and a brutal double murder. Who—or what—could have done something like this?

New Elation Proteus™, Fuze™ and KL™ to show at PLASA 2023

LightSoundJournal.com: Elation is excited to present an exceptional line-up of new lighting tools September 3-5 at the PLASA tradeshow at Olympia in West London. Discover how Elation continues to push the boundaries of possibility in the world of entertainment lighting. Visitors to Elation Stand D50 will be some of the first in the UK to see the latest cutting-edge luminaires in the company’s Proteus™, Fuze™ and KL™ lines, along with other innovative lighting solutions designed to elevate the live entertainment experience.

Quantum Theatre finds rare Treasure in Hamlet lead

Pittsburgh City Paper: Few Shakespearean works are as rich with subtext as Hamlet. The over 400-year-old play still fascinates audiences and, as a result, has received more than a few modern interpretations on stage and screen. The already fraught story receives another jolt of complexity through Quantum Theatre, who returned to the Carrie Blast Furnaces — an abandoned steel mill-turned-historical site where, in 2019, the company staged Shakespeare's King Lear — to present a new take on the work.

Similarities Between Different Audio Disciplines Part 1

SoundGirls.org: I have been fortunate enough to lead a very diverse career in sound design and audio engineering. Live theater and events – my bread and butter for many years – gave me advanced equipment and signal flow experience; the ability to collaborate closely; and to problem-solve on my feet. Game audio and film sound encourage me to dig deep creatively and focus on sonic details. Broadcasts and podcasts have made me very good at mixing quickly and have expanded my knowledge of equipment. I have had several conversations about how all these industries are related, yet I still find many people who believe one can only specialize in a single sector.

London theatregoers escorted from Grease the Musical by police

London | The Guardian: Theatregoers were escorted from a London performance of Grease the Musical by police on Saturday night, to cheers of approval from the rest of the audience. Footage posted online shows eight police officers and staff from the Dominion theatre lining the stairway in the balcony as audience members chant “out, out, out!”.

Riedel Communications honored with Television Academy Engineering, Science, and Technology Emmy® Award for its Bolero Wireless Intercom

LightSoundJournal.com: Riedel Communications has been named a recipient of the Television Academy’s 75th Engineering, Science, and Technology Emmy Awards. Riedel’s innovative Bolero ADR (Advanced DECT Receiver) wireless intercom system has been recognized by the esteemed organization for its contributions to and impact on television production. Since its introduction in 2017, Bolero has been deployed in hundreds of productions, often enabling development of new workflows and use cases.

Chatham Baroque Announces 2023-24 Concert Series

onstagepittsburgh.com: Chatham Baroque’s 2023-24 Concert Series, features a daring and visionary schedule of performances from the Baroque era and early music, encompassing various eras, ensemble setups, and global influences. This season brings historical music to life by presenting an enticing blend of Chatham Baroque’s own performances alongside those of esteemed guest artists. Additionally, it presents an impressive selection of internationally acclaimed visiting ensembles and virtuoso musicians from across the globe.

Pinky Swear Productions: Theater by and for badass women

DC Theater Arts: Some theaters are built on a wing and a prayer. Pinky Swear Productions was built on a wink and a swear. A pinky swear — you remember that indelible promise made on an elementary school playground when recess ruled the day. Two friends — or foes — make a promise and swear it by hooking and shaking their pinky fingers.

Was it worth it? Edinburgh fringe acts give their verdict on the festival

Edinburgh festival 2023 | The Guardian: By the end of the Edinburgh fringe, anyone who has been here all month will tell you how tired they are. There have been highs – after a tentative return last year, most people feel the fringe has found its feet again and audiences are back in bigger numbers. But also lows – not all performers saw those audiences in their rooms and everyone mentions accommodation costs.

Fall Out Boy visuals fly high with Hippotizer

TPi: American emo-pop-punkers Fall Out Boy embarked on their 2023 US tour, which played amphitheatres across the country backed with LED and projection driven by Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers.

Donna Zakowska (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer) interview

GoldDerby: Costume designer Donna Zakowska worked on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” for all five seasons of the Amazon Prime Video comedy and received Emmy nominations for each – with a win for Period Costumes for the second season of “Mrs. Maisel.”

How Cirque de Soleil copes with climate change

www.cfobrew.com: Cirque de Soleil has seen the effects of climate change on a firsthand basis. It’s been holding outdoor shows in its big top tents for nearly 40 years, and it’s had to adapt to extreme heat and more intense thunderstorms.

These Artists Are Bringing Attention to Feminist Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe

Playbill: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe official program can be an overwhelming thing to sift through. Looking at a listing of nearly 3,500 shows tend to make one's eyes glaze over. The official Fringe website allows users to filter the category of shows they are looking for, such as musical, comedy, interactive, shows from LGTQIA+ creators, shows from disabled creators. But there is no subdivision for shows by women. Enter the FemiFringe Guide.

TechLED at PLASA SHOW 2023: shines a light on sustainability

LightSoundJournal.com: TechLED will showcase its dazzling range of UK-manufactured lighting effects on stand G30 at this year’s PLASA Show (Olympia London, Sept 3-5). Contributing the lowest possible airmiles to low-energy LED effects, the show-stopping range from UK-based Abstract, is a must-see for any UK installer with a green agenda and an eye on sustainability.

What’s It Like to Go to an Edinburgh Fringe Show That You Can’t See

Playbill: Are you afraid of the dark? Hi I'm Jeffrey Vizcaíno, the Director of Social Media for Playbill, and good lord, do I have an experience to tell you about. Now first, imagine that a friend says to you, “Hey, wanna go sit in a small, enclosed room in complete darkness, void of any light and then have the most intense ASMR experience of your life?”

Amazon Prime Master Crafts Recap: Artisans Draw Back the Curtain

Variety: Moderated by Variety’s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay, the five panels included “Music to Our Ears,” with music supervisors, sound editors and mixers; “World Building” with cinematographers, production designers and a VFX supervisor; “Looking the Part,” with costume designers and makeup artists; “Names and Faces” with casting directors; and “The Final Cut” with producers.

Review: Wainlux K8 Laser

Make:: The Wainlux K8 is an interesting approach to the desktop hobby laser market. At 10Watts, fully enclosed, and retailing at roughly $400, it is firmly aimed at those who want the use of a laser without tons of space or a big budget.

Allen & Heath dLive Shines at The Bahamas' 50th Independence Celebration

TPi: For the 50th Independence Celebration, Rashad Mcphee (aka Shaddy Einstein), FOH engineer and owner of rental company Audio Doctors, was handed the task of ensuring an audio experience for the thousands of attendees. The responsibility of handling the FOH mix for such a significant event demanded a reliable and powerful mixing console, and Einstein opted for an Allen & Heath dLive system.

Meet the Experts TV production designers roundtable interview

GoldDerby: “I’m just waiting for the phone call to be whisked away to Prague or something and do some really cool medieval or period piece and get to go to old cemeteries,” says “What We Do in the Shadows” production designer Shayne Fox about what would be a dream job for her. We talked to Fox as part of our “Meet the Experts” Emmy-nominated production designers panel along with Sam Lisenco (“The Bear”), Jessica Kender (“Daisy Jones and the Six”), Judy Rhee (“Poker Face”) and Mark Scruton (“Wednesday”). Watch our roundtable discussion above. Click each name above to watch that person’s individual interview.

This Is How AI Affects the Writers and SAG-AFTRA Strikes

collider.com: As of this publication, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the labor union which represents film and television writers, as well as SAG-AFTRA, which represents on-camera performers, are both still on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents all the major studios, broadcast channels, and streaming platforms.

The Benefits of Nesting Software and How Autodesk Fusion 360 Can Help

www.autodesk.com: In the world of fabrication and manufacturing, efficient material usage is crucial. Nesting software is a powerful tool that can help optimize material usage, and the Fusion 360 Nesting & Fabrication Extension enables users to leverage this functionality seamlessly.

Vari-Lite brings new UI to rest of line

TPi: Vari-Lite have announced Neo 4.1 software for all current and legacy Neo Series products. The new update brings features first seen on the Neo X Series consoles to the entire Neo family, eliminating the need to ‘unlock’ universes and adding an updated user experience.

VFX Workers Vote to Unionize at Marvel for the First Time

www.vulture.com: Call it the Hollywood-labor-organizing version of Avengers Assemble! On the heels of more than a year’s worth of damning disclosures around Marvel Studios’ systematic overworking and underpayment of visual-effects workers on its blockbuster movies and streaming series, VFX crews at Marvel have finally petitioned to demand union recognition from the studio.

These Are the Best Books to Learn Better Time Management

lifehacker.com: Efficient time management takes, well, time to perfect. There are a variety of hacks out there to help you schedule, focus, and complete your work, but it’s still hard to actually do all of that without the right guidance and mindset. If you’re struggling with time management, it might be worth spending some time digging deep on the topic and reading what experts have to say.

22live sets out its stall as Australian Pink Floyd hit winning formula with Martin Audio

LightSoundJournal.com: The Australian Pink Floyd show, which provides an authentic tribute to the original band, has long used Martin Audio PA on tour. For the band’s late 2022 UK tour Paul Timmins, now hire director and one of the founders of the recently formed pro-audio service company, 22live, was reunited with the long-term team of band manager Kevin Hopgood, production manager Chris Gadd, and FOH engineer Trevor Gilligan.

HSM #11: c. 1785 Hand Sewn Natural Linen Stays (Of Success!)

The Quintessential Clothes Pen: I recently finished up a series of blog posts that document the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a new pair of 18th century stays. Here is the link to the most recent post (and I’ll include a link to all of the posts in the series at the end of this post).

‘The Lost Colony,’ historic Outer Banks play, ends its redface acting

The Washington Post: The outdoor stage grew dark. Humid night air closed in, cicadas buzzing, the waters of the Albemarle Sound lapping in the background. Native American drumming and singing swirled out of the shadows, then fell silent. A spotlight illuminated Kat Littleturtle. “Every place on Earth,” she began, “has a story to tell.”

‘Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium’ sound mixers

GoldDerby: “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” streamed via Disney+ on November 20, 2022. It was the musical icon’s last concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and the final American stop of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.” The special has earned three Emmy nominations: Best Variety Special (Live), Best Sound Mixing for a Variety Series/Special and Best Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.

Trigger Pulled On 'Rust' Set, Alec Baldwin Could Face Charges

brobible.com: A forensic report released on Tuesday, August 15 revealed that the trigger on the revolver that killed cinematographer Haylna Hutchins on the set of the Western film Rust was actually pulled despite Alec Baldwin’s assertions that it wasn’t.

3D printer nightmare fuel: Bambu X1C and P1P started printing while owners were asleep

The Verge: When owners of Bambu’s extremely well-regarded 3D printers woke up on August 15th, some found their printer had gone rogue. Some woke up to failed prints. Some found a second copy of a previous print. And at least a few found their Bambu X1C or P1P had started smacking itself apart — damaging components — while trying to print a second copy atop the object they’d actually asked for.

At Edinburgh Fringe, Small Shows With Big Ambitions

The New York Times: Shortly after I arrived in Edinburgh for this year’s festival, I had lunch with a Scottish friend and her young son. The boy was enthralled by the colorful posters plastered all over the city advertising upcoming shows in the Fringe, the scrappy sidebar to the highbrow Edinburgh International Festival. This year, the Fringe — which runs through Aug. 28 — comprises over 3,000 shows, and many posters featured eye-catchingly silly titles. My friend’s son was particularly amused by “Sex Job,” “My Sleepybum” and “A Shark Ate My Penis.” His delighted guffaws were a fitting prelude to my stint in Edinburgh.

Wednesday production designer Mark Scruton video interview

GoldDerby: “When I first got the scripts and when I sat down and thought about how I was going to approach it, I think I very consciously decided that I wasn’t going to go back and re-watch the movies or re-watch the TV shows,” explains “Wednesday” production designer Mark Scruton, whose work on the show earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More).

Meeting The Public Is The Most Important Incentive For Those Who Do Theatre: An Interview With Walter Prete

The Theatre Times: Walter Prete is a playwright, author, actor, educator, dramaturg, and director. Born in 1991 in Ruffano, in the province of Lecce, Walter Prete approached the world of theatre as an actor at a very young age. In 2013, he founded the theatre company ALIBI – independent free artists – in Salento with some colleagues. And two years later, the theatre company Essenza in Corigliano d’Otranto (Le). In 2015, within ALIBI, he combines his activity as an actor with that of a playwright with his debut show “Muttura”, which over the years has garnered a large number of prizes and awards.

Mitchell Travers (George and Tammy costume designer) video interview

GoldDerby: A perfect example of that kind of costuming – plus Travers’ relationship with Chastain – can be found in the third episode, “We’re Gonna Hold On,” which features Tammy wearing a showstopping red dress during her first-ever performance in Las Vegas.

SAG-AFTRA Just Made a Big Change to Its Interim Agreements

IndieWire: SAG-AFTRA just made a big change to which projects and producers can sign its interim agreements, terms by which hundreds of projects have already agreed and put a handful of actors back to work.

Goodman Theatre, Paramount Theatre & More Nominated for 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards

www.broadwayworld.com: The 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards nominees include 214 theater artists across 32 categories of excellence in theater production among shows from 35 companies. During the most recent season, which ran from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, Jeff Awards members attended 105 Equity productions. From these, 88 productions became “Jeff Recommended” and therefore eligible for award nominations.

Marillion convention in Berlin with Robe moving lights

LightSoundJournal.com: UK-based Rock band Marillion has built up a formidable and near cult-like following over a career spanning five decades that has spawned 20 studio albums plus a string of top 40 hits since their formation in 1979. For the last 21 years, they have staged biennial 2 and 3-day summer convention events for fans, which include special live performances plus additional Marillion world activities.

BOOK TALK by Deborah Savadge

WIT journal: Do yourself a favor and read the new Ann Patchett novel, Tom Lake, before Reese Witherspoon makes the mini-series with perhaps, if they haven’t aged out of it, Meryl Streep as retired actor Lara Kenison, and the three Gummer daughters as Lara’s children. The novel begins with community theatre auditions for Our Town and spends a lot of time in a cherry orchard. But the main backdrop is an upper Lower Michigan summer stock company, the Tom Lake of the title, which is producing Cabaret, Our Town, and Fool For Love in repertory.

Best Production Design at the Oscars: What genres win the most?

GoldDerby: Below-the-line categories at the Oscars just don’t get the attention they deserve. The artistry on display helps to bring to life a movie. Visual effects are such a key part of the storytelling of “A New Hope.” Costume design is vital to the storytelling of “Phantom Thread.” And production design is so key in “Parasite,” “Avatar,” and “The Lord of the Rings” in so many different ways.

Absolute encoders — facts and misconceptions

www.motioncontroltips.com: There are two parts of motion control systems often overlooked or misunderstood; encoders for either the motor rotation or the actual position of the actuator, and the limit and home sensors used for mechanical safeguarding and positional orientation. Encoders are ubiquitous on nearly all motion for industrial applications. Home and limit sensors are also used for almost every application. However, in an effort to limit cost or perceived complexity, machine builders may determine that the use of a home sensor and in some cases, limit sensors, is not required. They either mistakenly rely only on the encoder or don’t understand the encoder they are using.

Maui Film Festival Director on Community Spirit After Tragic Fires

The Hollywood Reporter: “They have called it the worst disaster that’s ever happened to Hawaii — but we’re all doing our best to keep everything moving forward and getting better for everybody. A lot of the upcountry got its ‘ōkole kicked, and Lahaina doesn’t really even exist anymore,” says Barry Rivers, the director of the Maui Film Festival, which he founded in 2000, on a phone call a few days after fires ripped through the island of Maui. The fire has destroyed the village of Lahaina and unleashed a death toll that now stands at 106 even as search efforts continue.

Hollywood's Diversity Progress Remains Sluggish, USC Study Says

TheWrap: The University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released its annual report Thursday on Hollywood’s track record on including women and people of color in front of and behind the camera, and the data shows little improvement in 2022.

Theater Camp Costume Designer on Designing T-Shirts for Ben Platt, Career

The Hollywood Reporter: While in production for Theater Camp, costume designer Michelle J. Li took a trip down memory lane to visit her high school theater department to figure out what kids were really wearing these days. “I wanted to gain a sense of authenticity,” Li tells The Hollywood Reporter. With a background in theater that led her to the Carnegie Mellon drama school, along with a lifetime of attending Broadway shows with her family, Li, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, always knew she would end up in a creative field.

Staging experts Frameset UK makes last minute changes a breeze

www.eventindustrynews.com: Frameset UK is at the forefront of innovation, offering versatile stage sets that can be quickly adapted to meet event organisers changing requirements. Based in Alresford, Hampshire, Frameset creates flexible sustainable staging solutions which are used all over the world!

Daisy Jones and the Six production designer Jessica Kender interview

GoldDerby: “Obviously I think all of design starts in research,” says Jessica Kender, the production designer for the limited series “Daisy Jones and the Six” who earned an Emmy nomination for Best Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More).

2023 Jeff Awards nominations announced

Chicago Sun-Times: More than 200 theater artists in 32 categories from acting to directing to scenic design to music scores and beyond have been nominated for 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards, it was announced Monday. The awards (Chicago’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards) recognize excellence in Equity theater productions across the Chicago area.

Øya Festival Recap + Review: Go Green or Go Home

consequence.net: It’s not terribly surprising that a music festival hosted in late summer in Oslo, Norway would be idyllic. Øya Festival, the annual gathering at the capital city’s Toyenparken, has been running since 1999 and grown from a more local-focused affair into an event worthy of global attention.

The Most Iconic Hip-Hop Sample of Every Year (1973-2023)

kottke.org: This started off a little slow for me but once it hit the early-to-mid 80s, I was hooked — and bobbing my head uncontrollably throughout. The visualizations really help you see how the various samples were modified, repeated, and layered to achieve the desired sounds — geniuses at work. Man, watching stuff like this makes me want to learn how to do this.

For Working Actors Teaching Their Craft in College, Those Who Can Do, Teach

HowlRound Theatre Commons: As I train to teach, a flood of terrifying questions has beset me: Why teach acting in a university? Do I really have to market my classes as well as teach them? How does a cis straight white guy like me break the legacy of white supremacist theatre through my teaching? And how can I get a screen-addled student out of their chair to take risks in front of their peers?

Giving 1929 Another (More Successful) Try |

seamracer.wordpress.com: Ten years after my first attempt at sewing a dress from 1929, I am now doing it all over again. This go around is so much better than my first try, which – while not for lack of effort – is cringe-worthy for me to see now. I have redeemed myself with this 2023 version of a 1929 dress! I now have what may be my favorite 20s era dress, and I daresay my most wearable one, too.

Prism Sound warns customers not to be fooled by fakes

LightSoundJournal.com: Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is warning customers to be careful after counterfeit versions of the company’s award-winning Lyra audio interface were found to be on sale in the Far East. The UK manufacturer is now investigating who is behind the fake units, which according to CEO James Woodburn are badly constructed and potentially dangerous.

Hollywood AI Crisis: Will Artificial Intelligence Eliminate Acting & Jobs?

Variety: Filmmaker Justine Bateman doesn’t think there is a thriving future for actors in filmed entertainment as we know it. She believes that artificial intelligence will ultimately suck the creative marrow out of Hollywood.

streaming transparency

nofilmschool.com: We're in the summer of strikes, and one of the things being talked about at every turn is the idea of residuals--and how there is no transparency when it comes to who's watching what. Well, I think streaming transparency is one of the most important roadblocks to rebuilding Hollywood after the pandemic.

Alec Baldwin Could Be Charged in 'Rust' Case Again, Trigger Was Pulled

Variety: Baldwin was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. But the charge was dropped after the defense noted that the gun had been modified, which raised doubts about whether it was working properly at the time of the shooting.

Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Report: Asian Representation Has Risen

The Hollywood Reporter: For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has released its signature comprehensive report on the diversity of movies in front of and behind the camera.

Poker Face production designer Judy Rhee video interview

GoldDerby: The mystery series “Poker Face” travels to a new location in every episode, and “that was the biggest challenge of the show” for production designer Judy Rhee, whose work earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More). “It was like making 10 different short films every 10 days.”

Sam Lisenco (‘The Bear’ production designer) video interview

GoldDerby: “There was always this conception that a sensitivity to the realism of the kitchen environment as a workplace was paramount,” explains production designer Sam Lisenco about his work on “The Bear,” which earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour).

Venue Apologizes for Forcing Ghost Fans to Remove Face Paint at Concert

consequence.net: A Missouri venue has issued an apology for enacting a policy that forced fans to remove face paint at a Ghost concert on Friday (August 11th).

Staying In Balance: Matchbox 20's Sonic Evolution Unfolds On The Slow Dream Tour

ProSoundWeb: Bringing audio to life for the show, a six-member crew possessed of multiple skill sets rides herd over an L-Acoustics-based rig providing the requisite flexibility to tame venues as diverse as arenas seating 19,000 and sheds with a capacity of 6,000. With Montreal-based Solotech’s Nashville office chosen to deliver all of the components responsible for the show’s sound, the system’s mains comprise a half-dozen of L-Acoustic’s K1 cabinets over 12 K2s per side.

Illinois Prevents Parents From Hoarding Kid Influencer Earnings

gizmodo.com: Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law a first-of-its-kind bill entitling young social media influencers to a percentage of earnings for monetized videos they appear in. The law, which could accelerate interest for similar legislation in other states, marks one of the first known examples of lawmakers successfully amending child labor laws to protect young workers from parents cashing in on their online labor.

Self-Raising Is a Deaf-Led Solo Show. Its Questions Are For Everyone

Playbill: Every year while Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes over the city, it coincides with several other festivals. One such event is the Edinburgh Deaf Festival, which runs this year August 11-20. Some of the shows overlap between the two, with the Edinburgh Deaf Festival offering over 60 events this year including theatre, comedy, workshops, exhibitions, and more. Thirteen shows are deaf-led at Fringe this year, and one of those is Jenny Sealey’s Self-Raising.

The Theater Art of Ralph Lee. A Pig Beast for Sam Shepard, a Griffin for Brecht, a Monk for Wu Ch’eng-en…

New York Theater: The creatures created by Ralph Lee (July 9, 1935 – May 12, 2023) come alive even when display in an art exhibition rather than moving on stage, as evident in “Myths, Legends, & Spectacle: Masks and Puppets of Ralph Lee,” part of the Third International Puppet Fringe Festival at The Clemente Cultural Center. Below are photographs of some of the art work in the exhibition, with the full text from one of the wall labels, which describes the work he did in New York theater, from Broadway to Off-Off Broadway — such as the masks for Bertolt Brecht’s play “Galileo” at Lincoln Center, and the Pig Beast head for Sam Shepard’s play “Back Bog Beast Bait”

To see or not to see: Edinburgh fringe’s startling plays about perception

The Guardian: Seeing is believing, right? That is a phrase used repeatedly by Mamoru Iriguchi and co-star Gavin Pringle in What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed/What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open (★★★★☆). It is an amusingly hand-stitched investigation into ways of seeing, performed in one of Summerhall’s small basement rooms at the Edinburgh fringe.

How Do the Suits on ‘Suits’ Stack Up? A Menswear Expert Weighs In

Vanity Fair: Everyone and their mother is apparently obsessed with Suits right now. Although it ended its original run nearly four years ago, the USA legal drama—which starred Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Gina Torres, and Meghan Markle, in her last major acting role before she became the Duchess of Sussex—has seen an astounding resurgence this summer. According to Nielsen, Suits was streamed on Netflix and Peacock for a combined nearly 4 billion minutes in a single week after premiering on Netflix on June 17. That’s a whole lotta Suits.

'Til Death Do Us Part' Production Designer Interview

nofilmschool.com: What do you get when you mix John Wick and Runaway Bride? You get Timothy Woodward Jr’s new action, horror, comedy Til Death Do Us Part. Jeffrey Reddick, the creator of Final Destination, is one of the film’s producers, so audiences should not be surprised to see a few gruesome death sequences and fights in Til Death Do Us Part.

Silvina Knight, James Mackinnon (‘Star Trek: Picard’ makeup) interview

GoldDerby: “That’s always the best part,” reveals makeup artist James Mackinnon about the bonds formed between actors and makeup artists on a big budget show like “Star Trek: Picard.” For our recent webchat with MacKinnon and collaborator Silvina Knight, he adds, “There’s not one moment in three seasons where I went, ‘oh, crap! We could have done something different or better.’

What We Do in the Shadows production designer Shayne Fox interview

GoldDerby: “It totally hit different. To be the production designer and to get the nomination just feels different,” says “What We Do in the Shadows” production designer Shayne Fox about her Emmy nomination this year for Best Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour). This is her second Emmy nom for her work on the show, but when she was last recognized in 2020 it was as a set decorator.

‘Below Deck Down Under’: Cast Member Stance on Unwarranted Sexual Advances Amid Scandal

collider.com: The Australian Bravo reality TV series Below Deck Down Under has caught everyone’s attention this week by doing exactly what we ask from every show being produced...and that is ensuring the physical and mental wellbeing of everyone on the set.

X-Treme Creations - Inflatables as a sustainable event decoration

www.eventindustrynews.com: As consumers have become more demanding, events and festivals feel the pressure to stand out visually in order to create a full experience and leave a strong impression on visitors, and in the media. In the same time organizers are facing the need of lifting their event to a higher level of durability and sustainability. Combining these 2 aspects can be challenging, as it requires efficient, state of the art decoration solutions with a limited ecological footprint.

Broadway Cares Sends Emergency Grant to Help Hawaii Wildfire Victims

www.broadwayworld.com: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is sending a $50,000 emergency grant, made in the name of the Broadway community, to the Maui Food Bank in Hawaii to provide immediate relief for those suffering from cataclysmic wildfires that destroyed the historic coastal town of Lahaina on the island of Maui.

Ukraine Fringe: Festival For The Brave To Be Held In Blended Form From August 21st To September 3rd

The Theatre Times: The first edition of Ukraine Fringe – under the slogan Festival for the Brave – will be held in blended form, in Kyiv and online, from August 21st to September 3rd, 2023. Ukraine Fringe grows out of the only English-language theatre festival in Ukraine PRO.ACT Fest that after its 5 years of existence changes its format.

‘It’s like a cult’ … the Edinburgh fringe acts willing audiences to take part

The Guardian: As I cross the threshold of US comedian Moses Storm’s Edinburgh fringe show, I’m handed a white coat. Now part of an identically dressed crowd, I descend into the basement venue. Ambient music hums and fairy lights twinkle. Then a drumbeat punctuates our chatter and two figures wearing ram’s head masks march slowly into sight. A bell rings. For some reason, we all stand.

800 Performers, 9,000 Audience Members, 1 Big Castle: How the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Comes Together

Playbill: Michael Braithwaite used to be a puppeteer on the Harry Potter films. In the late ’90s, early 2000s, he was a creative director at Jim Henson's Creature Shop and he was asked to work on the first two films in the wizarding franchise. Potter-heads might remember Braithwaite’s work—he was one of the puppeteers in the devil’s snare scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a monstruous vine plant which he also helped build. “I got lost in that one day for half an hour,” he recalls. “I was so keen to stay out of the camera shot, so I stayed down and stayed quiet until I finally got a cramp and came out and found the studio deserted. Somebody had called lunch, and I hadn't heard.”

Meyer Sound PANTHER carries Dead & Company through the final chapter of a musical epic

LightSoundJournal.com: By any measure, the numbers for the Dead & Company Final Tour of 2023 are impressive. Although among the top-grossing acts since its first tour in 2015, with this year’s outing the band shattered all of their previous totals. Across 28 shows in 19 cities, according to Billboard Box Score, Dead & Company grossed $114.7 million and sold 845,000 tickets.

Drag performers join Berlin Nightclub employees in protest

Chicago Reader: At 8:30 PM on the first Friday of August, prominent drag performer Irregular Girl was putting on her lashes, making a home cocktail, and waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up for her monthly event, Strapped (Berlin Nightclub’s premiere dance party catering to lesbians of all genders), when she decided to cancel the show. She had just received a call from Jolene Saint, a bartender and security guard at the Lakeview venue, as well as a lead organizer for the recently unionized Berlin employees. Saint asked that Irregular Girl, her show coproducer Siichelle, and her cast not cross the picket line that night as union members protested outside the venue to speed up contract negotiations with Berlin’s owners, Jo Webster and Jim Schuman.

Applications are open for Black Theatre Coalition/Broadway Across America fellowships

www.broadwaynews.com: The Black Theatre Coalition/Broadway Across America (BTC/BAA) Fellowship program is now accepting applications through Sept. 29. This marks the third year the two organizations have partnered to offer the educational intensive.

‘Sound of Music’ comes to Bavarian-themed Leavenworth, Wash., every year

The Washington Post: Paul Davis is a lawyer at the Department of Energy, but he’d always wanted to play Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.” His dad was a naval officer, like the character, and Davis’s family would watch the movie over popcorn and root beer when it came on TV at Christmastime. “I grew up identifying as a von Trapp,” he says.

Reengineering Education in the Adagbabiri Community Through Theatre for Development

HowlRound Theatre Commons: The importance of education in the development of a nation cannot be overstated, and the lack of educational access leaves citizens without the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to adequately contribute to their personal development and that of their communities and nation. In Nigeria, there are about twenty million children who do not attend school. They do not have access to quality education. While some of these children are forced into child labor to support their families, some are left roaming the streets because their parents cannot afford school materials, even where primary and post-primary education are free.

Cord Jefferson on the Writers’ Strike: “This Is an Existential Threat to All of Us”

GQ: As the Hollywood writers strike rages on—and with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) having joined the WGA in the fray in July—the stakes for the future of the entertainment industry have never been higher. Writers and actors want fair pay and assurances that artificial intelligence won’t be taking their jobs, among other things; some industry insiders reportedly believe that the studio executives are “going to let it bleed out.” How we got here is anything but straightforward, thanks to AI, the rise of streaming platforms, and a new wave of tech execs who are now running Hollywood.

Telling Universal Stories

www.cmu.edu: “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aquaman,” and “Frozen 2” — these blockbuster movies have global appeal. The stories resonate with audiences regardless of their background, culture or nationality. They have also achieved commercial success, bringing in massive revenue in both the U.S. and China.

Red Kite, Where Community Takes Flight

AMERICAN THEATRE: Jacqueline Russell wanted to show everyone the sky. That’s one reason she immediately created robust offerings specifically for people with disabilities in her early days founding Chicago Children’s Theatre. “We wanted to make going to theatre part of their lives too,” said Russell, who serves as the company’s artistic director.

Theatrical Stage Employees Ratify Historic Pink Contract

IATSE: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) proudly announced that members working under The Broadway League and Buena Vista Theatrical d/b/a/ Disney Theatrical, IATSE Pink Contract have overwhelmingly voted in favor of the proposed contract. With a 65.5% turnout, the vote passed with 678 members (70.4%) in favor, and 285 (29.6%) against.

Community members take center stage in Seattle Rep’s ‘Tempest’

The Seattle Times: For one weekend, Seattle Rep’s Bagley Wright stage will play host to dozens of nonprofessional performers, alongside several Equity actors, in a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”

17 of the best political Edinburgh Fringe shows to watch this year, tackling issues from gender to climate change

theconversation.com: I’m at the Edinburgh Fringe this year directing CREEKSHOW, a play about the gentrification of Deptford. While here, I’ve watched as much politically minded work as I’ve been able to. With 3,031 registered shows a complete survey would be impossible, but below are some of my picks of the more interesting political shows on offer this year.

Elation Professional KL PAR FC, What You Need To Know

www.limelightwired.com: Meet Elation Professional's KL Par FC. Engineered to produce both saturated colors and accurate whites without sacrificing any output, the KL Par FC is a color mixing wash fixture dynamic enough to make a visual statement, even in large venues. High output and a dynamic color range are so versatile that lighting faces for cameras and coloring stages for live performances are both no issue.

CREATE PA: Film & Theater Works offering free training program

nextpittsburgh.com: To Morgan Overton, the primary goal of the newly-formed career training program CREATE PA: Film & Theater Works! is both fully attainable and urgently needed. “We want to expand what training means for folks who want to contribute their skills and talents to film, theater and entertainment,” Overton says. “CREATE PA is an investment in the people who make these stories come to life.

The Utah Pantages Theatre – Salt Lake City, Utah

After the Final Curtain: On December 1, 1920, the Pantages Theatre opened in Salt Lake City, renowned as Utah’s most ornate theater. Designed by Benjamin Marcus Priteca, the official architect of the Pantages circuit, the theater could accommodate 2,300 guests. Priteca had designed more than 20 theaters for the company, making him the preferred architect of Alexander Pantages. The theater cost a staggering $2 million, equivalent to $34 million in present-day terms. Priteca, famous for his work with Pantages, decorated the interior in the Italian Renaissance style, a popular choice in Pantages theaters that became known as “Pantages Greek.”

‘It’s the first major work about the referendum’: how Scotland’s big moment finally made good drama

The Guardian: On a glorious summer’s day in rural Perthshire in 2014, an extended family sit down to eat dinner and talk politics. It is just weeks before Scotland will vote no to independence, by 55% to 45%, in a referendum that may be era-defining or a historical footnote – just one of the puzzles of perspective posed by award-winning playwright Peter Arnott in his latest work Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape.

Birds of Shakespeare: The loon

Folger Shakespeare Library: For August, we visit the loon, my favorite summertime bird. Despite this bird’s reputation for having a laughing call, there is nothing funny about its appearance in Shakespeare’s collected works. The Bard mentions this handsome diver just once, in Macbeth. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most bird-adorned plays, with 23 avian references, placing it behind Hamlet (24), The Taming of the Shrew (25), Romeo and Juliet (26), Troilus and Cressida (27), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (27), and Henry VI Part 3 (28).1 Compared to its overall word count, it has the second-highest bird density after A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

HERE LIES LOVE Will Offer Free Childcare Services During Four Upcoming Matinee Performances

www.broadwayworld.com: Here Lies Love has announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration on Broadway with the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), Broadway Babysitters, and Open Jar Studios, through which free childcare services will be offered during Here Lies Love's Saturday, September 23nd 3:30pm matinee performance.

S.F. Fringe Festival shows a venue’s closure doesn’t mean the end of theater

Datebook: In December, she shut down Exit Theatre’s Eddy Street venue — a decades-strong hub for small, boundary-pushing theater — but emphatically without closing Exit Theatre the company. That means she still produces Exit Theatre work in a 35-seat venue in Arcata, in Humboldt County, and mounts the 32nd annual San Francisco Fringe Festival, albeit on a smaller scale. Fifteen titles rotate on just one stage at sister Tenderloin venue the Exit on Taylor.

‘Harmony’ complete cast and creative team announced

www.broadwaynews.com: The upcoming Broadway production of “Harmony” has shared its full cast and creative team. The previously announced musical, which features music by Barry Manilow, lyrics by Bruce Sussman and a book by Sussman, will begin previews on Oct. 18 ahead of an official opening night on Nov. 13 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

Texas-Based VORTEX Repertory Company Sues State Over Drag Ban Bill

www.broadwayworld.com: Under this law, businesses that host drag shows in the presence of minors would be fined with a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. It would also prevent cities and counties from providing permits and licenses to events that include drag performances.

How Dancers Help Create the Low-Tech Magic of Onstage Puppetry

Dance Magazine: Kennedy Kanagawa never imagined that a cow puppet would earn him his Broadway debut. Primarily a musical theater actor and dancer, Kanagawa has been playing the role of the cow, Milky White, in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods for over a year—first at New York City Center Encores!, then on Broadway, and now on the national tour.

Houston Theater Week is back for its second year

Houston Public Media: Houston's second annual Theater Week is back and is offering a wider range of live shows than before. Based off of New York's Broadway Week, tickets are being offered in a two-for-one deal by over a dozen participating theaters, including Houston Grand Opera, the Alley, Main Street, and Jones Hall.

Striking Writers and Studios Agree to Restart Negotiations

The New York Times: As television and movie writers started their 101st day on strike on Thursday, the leaders of their union said they had agreed to formally restart negotiations with studios for a new three-year contract.

The VORTEX Files Lawsuit Against State of Texas Over Drag Bill

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) has filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas on behalf of the VORTEX Repertory Company, multiple LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce, and multiple individual performers. The suit alleges that Senate Bill 12 (SB12), which targets LGBTQ+ Texans, violates the civil rights and freedoms of every Texan to express themselves through performance.

At the Edinburgh Festival, Wrestling With Identity

The New York Times: Questions of nationhood, identity and belonging loom large in three politically themed productions at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival. The tagline for this year’s edition is “community over chaos,” and there was plenty of both in “Thrown,” a National Theater of Scotland production running at the Traverse Theater through Aug. 27.

Broadway Across America Announces Leadership Changes

www.ticketnews.com: Broadway Across America (BAA), presenter and producer of live theatrical events in the United States and Canada, has announced changes to its leadership and executive team. Currently serving as co-CEO of the company, Rich Jaffe is going to be the sole CEO after the co-CEO Jeff Daniel departs on August 15. Susie Krajsa, who has served as BAA’s president since 2018, will now lead BAA’s regional teams.

Can’t Decide What Fringe Show to See? Shake the App!

Playbill: Edinburgh Festival Fringe can be a little overwhelming. The month-long theatre arts festival boasts close to 3,500 shows performed nearly 300 different performance spaces. So, how in the world are you supposed to decide what to see? You could always sort through the mass of listings on the Fringe website. Or you can check out some of the lists of recommended shows from particular venues. OR…you do what Jeffrey Vizcaino, Playbill’s director of social media, and I (Playbill's features editor) did on one of the first days of the festival.

This Tony-winning Bay Area theater needs to raise $3 million to stay afloat

Datebook: In 2019, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley had just won the Regional Theatre Tony Award and was planning to send its founder, Robert Kelley, into retirement after a 50-year tenure that built the Bay Area’s third-largest nonprofit theater company from scratch. Four years later, it’s now started an emergency fundraising campaign, Save TheatreWorks Now, which seeks to raise $3 million by November to complete the company’s 2023-24 season.

HAMILTON Goes Digital With A Revolutionary Roblox Experience

www.broadwayworld.com: Super League has partnered with the internationally-renowned musical Hamilton,to launch the exciting new immersive experience Hamilton Simulator on Roblox, a global immersive platform where over 66 million people connect and communicate daily.

'Two Perspectives on Disability': In Conversation with Richard Three at Shakespeare in the Ruff -

www.intermissionmagazine.ca: Growing up as a physically disabled child in the mainstream education system, I was used to being the only disabled person in the room. I didn’t know other disabled children or adults. My whole concept of disability was about me and my own body. The notion of being part of a disability “community” was entirely foreign to me. So when I began forging friendships with other disabled people in my early twenties, it felt like my whole worldview was turned on its head.

Olney Theatre Center extends National Players hiatus

DC Theater Arts: Olney Theatre Center is extending the hiatus of the National Players through 2026. Planned improvements to the Olney Theatre campus, including the 1938 Original Theatre and its adjoining production areas, means the facilities to house and rehearse the Players will be offline until completed.

Vari-Lite removes need to “unlock” Neo Series consoles, brings new UI to rest of line

LightSoundJournal.com: Vari-Lite announced Neo 4.1 software for all current and legacy Neo Series products. The new update brings features first seen on the Neo X Series consoles to the entire Neo family, eliminating the need to “unlock” universes and adding an updated user experience.

Will a New Law Combatting Height and Weight Discrimination Affect Hiring Practices in Dance?

Dance Magazine: At a very early age, most dancers are taught to frequently examine their bodies in the mirror. Identifying unique physical traits and strengths often takes a backseat to recognizing “weaknesses”; areas of improvement that, if not addressed, can prevent a young dancer from becoming the moldable instrument choreographers crave. All of this often contributes to a young artist’s first impression of what a “dancer body” ought to be, establishing a mentality that can be frightening and dangerous and that has held many—myself included—back from pursuing a professional dance career.

Costume Designer Dajia Milan Dives into The Further of Insidious: The Red Door

The Art of Costume: Since 2010, the Insidious franchise has been terrifying audiences by blurring the lines between the world of the living and the very sinister real of The Further. Now in 2023, the Lambert family is once again in trouble in the new climactic film Insidious: The Red Door. Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne, and Lin Shaye return for this haunting conclusion along with Patrick Wilson who not only plays a leading role, but makes his directorial debut.

Made In America Fest Cancelled; Poor Sales Rumored

www.ticketnews.com: Made in America Festival, scheduled for Labor Day Weekend in Philadelphia, has been called off. Curated by Jay-Z and set to feature Lizzo and Sza as headliners, Made in America was formally cancelled with a post to the event social media on Tuesday, with organizers citing “severe circumstances outside of production control.”

Georgette Verdin, After Interrobang

AMERICAN THEATRE: Sitting down with Chicago director Georgette Verdin in early July had a bittersweet tinge to it. Interrobang Theatre Project, where Verdin served as managing artistic director, quietly announced earlier this year that they would officially be concluding their operations at the end of August. It’s another gutting blow for the Chicago storefront community, especially for a robust cohort of theatres that got their start in the city in the late aughts.

Puppet wisdom

Chicago Reader: “Did they have puppets 10,000 years ago?” I asked in response to a story Blair Thomas, founder and artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, was telling us about humanity’s long-term relationship with puppets. Thomas replied without missing a beat.

Cirque du Soleil brings Big Top razzle-dazzle to corporate events

Washington Business Journal: At Cirque du Soleil, the adventure starts with an idea. Whether an organization is looking for an event to celebrate with its team, highlight the loyalty of a long-term client relationship or plan an unforgettable date – Cirque’s dedicated team can assist in creating a one-of-a-kind experience.

Festival Survival Guide

SoundGirls.org: As another season of festivals is here, I thought it useful to make a survival guide for those of us who work these chaotic events during the Summer months. As I found out all too soon in my career, there was no survival guide on how to make sure you got through it all in (mostly) one piece. For anyone who needs it, I hope this helps.

Broadway Across America announces new senior leadership team

www.broadwaynews.com: Broadway Across America (BAA), an industry leader in presenting touring productions in North America, has announced changes to its leadership. BAA is a subsidiary of the John Gore Organization, which is also the parent company of Broadway.com, BroadwayBox.com, “The Broadway Show,” Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands (including Broadway News).

Is College for Puppets?

www.chronicle.com: McClung, a professor and director of costuming at West Virginia University, also sees value in the inanimate. Cluttering her office are blocks of foam, sheets of tissue paper, bubble wrap, takeout containers, a bag of plastic party cups, and a small balloon that reads “Thank You.” It’s junk, but she might find a use for it. “I’m not a hoarder,” McClung said. “I know it seems a little questionable. But there’s a purpose!”

She’s made theater in Oakland for decades. Now Ayodele Nzinga finally has her own venue

Datebook: PianoFight Oakland, the 100-seat downtown theater previously known as the Flight Deck, has a new lead tenant in the Black Arts Movement Business District Community Development Corporation, also housing resident theater company the Lower Bottom Playaz.

Not your traditional clowns: ‘Drawn to Life’ performers talk unique artistry at Disney and Cirque show

www.clickorlando.com: When you think of a Cirque du Soleil show, you are likely to think about the groundbreaking acrobatics, beautiful costumes and some standing-ovation choreography. You also might think of some of the comedic acts that are brought to life through clowns.

Broadway Across America Announces New Exec Team With Rich Jaffe As CEO

Deadline: Broadway Across America, a leading presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, has announced a new executive team, with current co-CEO Rich Jaffe named sole CEO.

“The Notebook” Musical Heads to Broadway in Spring 2024

www.ticketnews.com: Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novel The Notebook, which proved achievement with a-2004-film adaptation, as well, featuring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the lead roles, is coming to Broadway next spring. Making its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022’s fall, the new musical bears credits of Ingrid Michaelson for music and lyrics, Bekah Brunstetter for the book, and Michael Greif along with Schele Williams for direction.

What an alpine rescue team can learn from the Cirque du Soleil

coloradosun.com: The margin of error is 5 millimeters. “Five millimeters is big for us,” said Andrew Barrus, technical director of the Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza” show. “It’s huge!” responded a volunteer from the Alpine Rescue Team, a three-county search and rescue organization based in Evergreen.

‘MJ’ on tour: Team behind Michael Jackson musical wants to be startin’ somethin’ great

Chicago Sun-Times: It’s nearly impossible to overstate the impact Michael Jackson had on pop culture. His dance moves alone remain indelible: He introduced the robot. He seemed to defy physics with the moonwalk, and gravity with the lean in. His groundbreaking, cinematic videos played like mini-movies. His work remains enshrined in his music catalog and shows up everywhere from NCAA gymnastics routines to Jeep commercials.

Edinburgh Fringe 2023: how to immerse yourself in the world's biggest arts festival

theconversation.com: When the Edinburgh International Festival launched in 1947, it was inevitable that a fringe event would follow. Beginning with just eight companies of performers in five venues, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (known as “the Fringe”) is now the biggest arts festival in the world, and welcomes tens of thousands of performers across over 250 venues every August. Given the scale of the Fringe – almost 3,000 productions this month – navigating the array of shows on offer can be a challenge, so a visit needs some planning to make the most of your time and budget.

Situation Project appoints Samara Berger as director of impact and expands strategic plan

www.broadwaynews.com: Situation Project has announced a broader vision under the leadership of its new director of impact Samara Berger. The nonprofit organization provides New York City students from underserved communities with the opportunity to experience Broadway and live entertainment. Berger assumed the role in January and has worked since then to create the new strategic plan, which now includes three core pillars: culture, community and career.

Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 pumps up Puerto Rico’s Latin Urban Music Awards

LightSoundJournal.com: Two Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers powered the visuals for multiple wraparound LED screens which formed the backdrop for this year’s televised Premios Tu Música Urbano. The Awards, which celebrate Latin Urban music, were broadcast live from Puerto Rico capital San Juan’s 18,000-capacity Choliseo, and streamed live to fans worldwide on YouTube.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe to Partner With Nouveau Riche Productions to Address Inequality

Playbill: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will strategically partner with Nouveau Riche Productions to address the barriers that BIPOC artists face when trying to participate in the annual theatre festival.

Change for the Better: On Indigineity at the Stratford Festival -

www.intermissionmagazine.ca: Stratford is changing for the better. At least, that’s according to Tara Sky (who plays Cordelia in this season’s production of King Lear) and Joelle Peters (Eugenia in Women of the Fur Trade). Peters, Sky, and I met on a sunny morning at the Festival Theatre to talk about the productions this season’s in the Stratford Festival in which they are starring, and what it’s like being young, hip, Indigenous artists balancing busy careers while acting in a small town. King Lear and Women of the Fur Trade are powerful productions for very different reasons.

Taylor Swift Urged to Postpone LA Eras Tour Dates Due to Strike

www.ticketnews.com: Taylor Swift is being urged to postpone her upcoming run of six sold out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, in solidarity with hotel housekeeping workers who are on strike. The calls for the singer to pause her shows – which kick off Thursday and close out the North American leg of The Eras Tour – were made via an open letter signed by more than a dozen politicians and other officials, including California’s Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

How can Competitions and Conventions Become Inclusive Spaces for Transgender and Nonbinary Dancers?

Dance Magazine: As a young student caught up in the whirlwind of the competition circuit, Micki Reynolds didn’t have many opportunities to think about gender. But by their sophomore year of high school, “I started questioning if I felt a different way about my gender identity,” they say. And they began to see competition stages in a new light. “I became more hyperaware of gendered categories and costumes,” Reynolds says.

Pioneer PRO AUDIO Takes Five at Extrema Outdoor

LightSoundJournal.com: First staged in 1996, the Extrema Outdoor festival is one of Europe’s most popular electronic music events. Staged in the beautiful grounds of De Plas in Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium, the festival features seven stages on a site that includes deep forests, a clear lake with a beach, a campsite, and the luxurious Extrema Resort for those who prefer a glamping vibe. More than 150 artists appeared at the 2023 renewal which was attended by around 65,000 fans.

What Members Can Work On: Network Code vs. TV/Theatrical

SAG-AFTRA: This video lays out the differences between the Network Code and the TV/Theatrical Contract, detailing the types of TV programming that members are allowed to work on during the TV/Theatrical/Streaming Strike.

Immersed in the socio-political excesses of the Philippines’ Marcos regime in ‘Here Lies Love’ at the Broadway Theatre

DC Theater Arts: From the moment you enter the Broadway Theatre, your senses are bombarded with the sounds, look, and feel of a dance club of the disco era, and you are totally immersed in the glitz and glam of its excess. Whether you’re standing on the main floor of the now seatless orchestra section or sitting in the mezzanine, you are surrounded by the music, lights, projections, and players, and become an active participant in the phenomenal new musical Here Lies Love by David Byrne (concept, music, and lyrics) and Fatboy Slim (music), with additional music by Tom Gandey and José Luis Pardo.

The Complicated Triumph of ‘Here Lies Love’

AMERICAN THEATRE: In November 2014, I traveled to the city of Tacloban on the island of Leyte for research on a multidisciplinary project to understand the impact of communication during Super Typhoon Haiyan (also known as Yolanda). It was a full year after the deadliest typhoon in Philippine history made its landfall, killing more than 6,000 people and displacing 600,000 inhabitants. Parts of the city were growing steadily thanks to international aid; other parts remained wrecked and graffitied.

Aspiring fashion designers bloom at Billy Porter Phipps exhibit

Fashion | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens extended its Flowers Meet Fashion: Inspired by Billy Porter show due to high visitor rates. That means there is still time to see how local college and high school students became an active part of creating the exhibit’s dramatic, vibrant outfits.

Spirited Away: Stage production of Studio Ghibli classic to transfer to West End

The Independent: Spirited Away is the latest Studio Ghibli to transfer to London’s West End. Following the success of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of My Neighbour Totoro, which was the big winner at this year’s Olivier Awards, Hayao Miyazaki’s animated classic Spirited Away will also be given the theatrical treatment.

How Social Anxiety Disorder Can Impact Dancers

Dance Magazine: When Lydia Hance choreographed Oh, I have to wash my hair for her Houston-based dance company, Frame Dance, Kerri Lyons Neimeyer found a deep connection with the material. The piece explores experiences of social anxiety and the way it’s passed down through generations; Neimeyer, who serves as Frame’s education director in addition to dancing with the company, has been grappling with social anxiety disorder (SAD) since she was about 10 or 11 years old. Reflecting on her struggles, she recalls, “It just blew up by the time I was in high school. I couldn’t look at anyone going down the hall—it was really bad.”

Kennedy Center's 'Spamalot' is headed to Broadway this fall

The Washington Post: When Josh Rhodes directed and choreographed the Kennedy Center’s starry production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” this spring, the task of rapidly reviving the irreverent 2005 musical didn’t leave much time for additional ambitions. Still, the Kennedy Center has a history of transferring productions to Broadway — even if it hasn’t done so in more than a decade. And Jeffrey Finn, the arts center’s vice president and executive producer of theater, had already landed the rights to take “Spamalot” to New York.

Why drag restrictions and bans have failed to become law

NPR: In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children. But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much. Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.

Review Roundup: LET'S CALL HER PATTY Opens Starring Rhea Perlman, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer & Arielle Goldman

www.broadwayworld.com: Patty (Rhea Perlman) is an Upper West Side lady of more than moderate means who’s lived according to self-prescribed rules and routines: lots of exercise and very few calories. When her daughter Cecile (Arielle Goldman) experiences sudden whirlwind success as a sculptor and turns to cocaine to help cope, Patty, with help from her overextended niece Sammy (Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer), must navigate challenges that push her well outside her carefully curated comfort zone. LET’S CALL HER PATTY is a comedy about what it means to be a mother, a daughter, or anyone in the world doing their best to disentangle life’s mess.

Baz Luhrmann & ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Team Cheer Show’s Recoupment On Broadway, West End

Deadline: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 luscious pop classic movie starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent, has recouped its costs — not only the $28 million Broadway price tag, but it also recouped sizable sums in London’s West End and Australia.

Outline chosen for the Wesley Methodist Church In Singapore

LightSoundJournal.com: A modern worship location which demands perfect intelligibility throughout a large and unusually-shaped space to deliver the Word, music and all elements of praise – the results of a blind listening test lead to the installation of an Outline system at Wesley Methodist Church.

On Campus With Harlequin Floors: Inside 2 Universities' Dance Facilities

Dance Magazine: College is a time for dancers to challenge themselves, but students take the best risks when they’re assured a safe place to land. With five decades of experience, Harlequin Floors provides dancers with the support they need to leap higher, dig deeper, and defy their technical limits. With versatile studio and stage floors, dancers can focus on developing their artistry and making the transition from college student to professional performer.