Tools To Gift This Christmas (2024 Guide)

This Old House: Do you have a friend or family member who loves to make small repairs and upgrades around the house? Your favorite DIY-er will love to get tools that can help them prepare for the projects they’ve already started planning for the new year. Since Christmas is fast approaching, now is the time to pick which gifts you’ll be giving to the DIY enthusiasts in your life. Here are some of the best power tools, hand tools, and home improvement gadgets to gift this holiday season.

Olney Theatre Center selects 2024/25 Vanguard Arts Fund projects

DC Theater Arts: Olney Theatre Center announced the three collaborative projects it will develop with week-long workshops as part of its Vanguard Arts Fund (VAF) during the 24/25 season. The first of the projects, In Dahomey (a collaboration between Monty Cole and Breon Arzell), takes up residence in Olney Theatre’s William H. Graham Actors’ Hall, December 9 – 15, 2024.

United Airlines Provides Seamless Travel for Film and TV Productions

www.indiewire.com: Getting the cast and crew of a film or TV show from Point A to Point B can be one of a production’s biggest challenges — especially if air travel is involved.

Touring Tax Measures in Europe: Music Groups Propose Solutions

www.billboard.com: European artists, managers, independent labels and venue operators are calling on policymakers to overhaul “outdated and discriminatory” tax measures that they say are being “unfairly” applied to thousands of musicians touring Europe.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Theater / Ideas: When you’re stepping outside the well-trodden path and trying to create something new, you often have to find inspiration outside of the discipline itself. I have found inspiration in unlikely places: books on local economics, environmentalism, small business practices, where I’ve found ideas that make me think about theater differently.

Eras Tour Photos: Taylor Swift's Best Moments

www.billboard.com: Since Taylor Swift kicked off The Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, the global trek has dominated the touring industry and given fans endless moments of joy, from surprise guests (from openers like Gracie Abrams to a certain NFL star named Travis Kelce) to rerelease announcements — Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) — and so much more.

Review: 'Die Hard' Marks a Fun-Filled Midnight Radio Return, N'At

onstagepittsburgh.com: Head to Google, and you will find tens of thousands of folks asking the burning question, “Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” Bricolage Productions, back in the Midnight Radio business after a five-year hiatus, has this to say on the subject: an emphatic, “Yes!”

Holey Moley Golf Club is Santa Monica’s new putt-putt wonderland

www.timeout.com/los-angeles: Mini-golf surprisingly doesn’t have much of a presence in L.A. Given its reputation as a quintessential date or birthday-party activity, you’d think the city would be swarming with options. There’s Castle Park in Sherman Oaks—an outdoor classic, windmill and all—and Golf N’ Stuff (of Karate Kid fame) all the way in Ventura or Norwalk and… that’s pretty much it. Until this month, that is.

Can you define pornography? Neither can the government

ACLU: For years the government has tried to censor or burden access to sexual content in an attempt to block minors from accessing so-called explicit content. At the ACLU, we know that these efforts unlawfully burden adult access to sexual materials and do not actually keep kids safe. That’s why we’re headed back to the Supreme Court to challenge a Texas law that burdens access to sexual material in the name of protecting kids.

“Die Hard n’At” at Bricolage Production Company

The Pittsburgh Tatler: Yinz lookin’ to get inta the hawliday spirt? Our friends dahn at Bricolage got a gift fer yinz: they brung back their Midnight Radio series after a five-year hiatus, with Die Hard n’At, a made-fer-Stiller-Nation take on the classic Christmas action movie Die Hard.

Avolites announces Prism ‘early access’ Edition Release of its popular media software

LightSoundJournal.com: Avolites announces the release of Prism ‘Early Access’, the latest edition of its popular media software. Prism ‘Early Access’ (E.A.) edition can be downloaded for free via the Avolites website[1] and becomes operational when used in conjunction with an AVOKey (Avolites licence key[2]). The full Prism ONE paid license[3] release is currently scheduled for the Spring 2025; when the ‘Early Access’ edition of Prism will be superseded.

9 Best Theater Moments of 2024

The New York Times: Climate protesters disrupting a performance of “An Enemy of the People,” the outdoor walking scene in “Sunset Boulevard” and the giggles prompted by a character’s reaction to a hunky celebrity’s glutes in “Hold On to Me Darling”: The rewards of live theater were aplenty this year. Here, nine other stage moments that especially stood out, listed chronologically.

See Which Theatre Artists Made the 2024 Native Son 101 List

Playbill: Native Son, a content and storytelling platform for Black gay and queer men, has published the annual list since 2020. Recognizing a variety of Black gay and queer men who have created impact throughout the year, the 101 List shines a light on leaders, mavericks and innovators who achieved unprecedented cultural heights and historic firsts, and those who are using their platforms to break through barriers in their respective roles, professions, and areas of expertise.

"Behind The Passion" – The Story of Thomann

LightSoundJournal.com: From a small village store to a global stage: The story of Musikhaus Thomann is truly one of a kind—and one that deserves to be told. “Behind The Passion”, our documentary celebrating 70 years of Thomann, offers a rare and intimate look behind the scenes, sharing the heartfelt and often challenging journey of the man who built this family business into what it is today.

How to Use AI to Edit Soundbites From Numerous Interviews Together

No Film School: We’ve all been there, sitting in front of our computer ready to start an edit with hours of interviews from multiple cameras needing to cut everything down together into one story. It’s not impossible, and it can actually be quite fun, but it’s almost always a lot of work.

RAYGUN: THE MUSICAL Sydney Premiere Canceled After Olympic Breaker Threatens Legal Action

www.broadwayworld.com: The show was shuttered after lawyer's representing the Olympian threatened legal action in the event that the performance happened as scheduled. The show's creator and star, Steph Broadbridge, said in a video posted to Instagram that the breakdancer’s “lawyers got in touch with the venue and threatened legal action.”

Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's The Nutcracker Dazzles in Christmas Wonderment

onstagepittsburgh.com: Each year, as the holiday season draws near, there are countless symbols, themes, metaphors, and representations of Christmas. The spirit of Christmas is all around, from songs to decorations to movies to presents, large and small. But what does Christmas mean to you? A special memory from years past, a favorite tradition, a favorite place, or a favorite meal.

Iscar and Autodesk Digital Manufacturing Partnership

Fusion Blog: CAM programmers often struggle to select and best utilize the right tools, especially for difficult-to-machine materials. Painstakingly browsing tooling catalogs and programming parameters wastes valuable time that could be spent machining.

Biggest AI Music Stories 2024: Drake, TikTok, Lawsuits & More

www.billboard.com/: Still, it’s been an eventful year in the emerging sector of AI music. And who would have thought Drake’s name would come up so often? From the Toronto rapper using AI to deepfake Tupac’s voice on a Kendrick Lamar diss track to “BBL Drizzy” becoming the first AI-generated song to receive a sample clearance, he’s had a greater impact on the conversation around AI music than almost anyone, dating all the way back to Ghostwriter’s “Heart On My Sleeve” last year.

Back To Basics: Despite The Countless Tools Available, Sometimes Simpler Is Better

ProSoundWeb: While I can’t prove it, I believe we’re living in the golden age of live audio, with loudspeakers, consoles and processing that’s better than ever. Never before have we had such ability to accurately reinforce live music, and moreover, it’s never been easier to alter, shape and tone said music.

Check out the massive holiday animation that takes over the Louis Vuitton store in NYC every half hour

www.timeout.com/newyork: Now through December 25, the iconic brand is projecting a 240-foot-tall festive animation on the hard-sided trunk facade of its flagship store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, which is currently undergoing a massive renovation.

Want to see a magic show about race? Wait, what?

Intermission Magazine: It’s a fairly common reaction when I tell folks about my work as a magician. I’ve devoted my career to eschewing the standard fare of “childlike wonder” so often attributed to magic for weightier topics like catastrophic personal loss, social disconnection in an increasingly techno-reliant world and, most recently, racial inequity in this incredibly colonial inheritance we call Canadian theatre.

Unwrapping Cartier's NYC Holiday Magic w/ Chris Werner Design

www.limelightwired.com: Each holiday season, Cartier's Fifth Avenue Mansion in New York City becomes a festive landmark, renowned for its elegant and imaginative decorations. This year, the iconic building is adorned with a stunning temporary installation, featuring illuminated decor across its 5th Avenue and 52nd Street facades.

Angelina Jolie's 'Maria': Recreating Lavish Life of Maria Callas

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Larraín and Dyas visited all of Callas’ favorite places in Paris, including her Avenue Georges Mandel apartment, which since has been renovated. After some pushback, its current owner allowed access to the unit but no photography, so Dyas drew the apartment and then made a sketch (below) of what Callas’ apartment would look like in the film, taking some creative liberty to allow for easier flow. “We didn’t really get a chance to see anything as it was, except maybe the fireplace. It was a shame,” Dyas says.

Jews Depicted on TV Play Down Their Identity: Study

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Against larger Hollywood trends towards embracing cultural identity, Jewish characters on TV are still depicted as hiding or playing down their Jewishness, according to a new study from USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Gets a New Exhibit About Marine Life

www.timeout.com/chicago: Believe it or not, it has been 53 years since the historic rotunda space at the Shedd Aquarium has welcomed a new exhibit. Today, Wonder of Water officially takes over the area, featuring two habitats—a freshwater ecosystem and a saltwater one—with live corals, plants and a vast variety of different fish.

Broadway has first record-breaking Thanksgiving week in six years

www.broadwaynews.com: Broadway’s robust box office ducats rendered week 28 of the 2024-2025 season the highest-grossing and best-attended Thanksgiving week in recorded history. Gross for the week ending Dec. 1 totaled $46,046,759 for 38 productions, representing a 23.3% jump from the week prior

Eva Longoria Doesn't Think Hollywood Has an 'Evil Agenda'

variety.com: A champion for diversity within the American film industry, multi-hyphenate Eva Longoria said she doesn’t think there is “an evil agenda” when it comes to major studios shunning minority creatives. Speaking at the Red Sea Film Festival, the director said that she doesn’t believe “there are studio execs in a tower saying, ‘I don’t want to hire people of color.’ They hire people who they worked with their entire lives. If they worked with Tom, Bob and Frank, they are going to hire Tom, Bob and Frank.”

Pantone announces Mocha Mousse as 2025 Color of the Year

www.archpaper.com: Color stans eagerly await the annual announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year. It serves as a vibe check or prescription for the year ahead. In the age of heightened political anxiety, the never-ending search for a work-life balance, and wellness kicks, Pantone seems to have identified a color trend that captures this spirit: Mocha Mousse.

Carlos Betancourt creates 3D-printed stars to be installed underwater

www.dezeen.com: In collaboration with architect Alberto Latorre, artist Carlos Betancourt has installed a series of 3D-printed stars along the shore of Miami Beach for Miami art week, models of structures that will eventually be placed underwater to act as a "hybrid coral reef".

‘Could’ve gave it to a real trans person’: ‘Squid Game’ season 2 is under fire for not hiring a trans actress for trans role

The Mary Sue: Three years after becoming one of Netflix’s most popular shows, Squid Game season 2 is gearing up for its premiere. The survival thriller series follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a cash-strapped man who enters a game show called Squid Game in an attempt to win money. However, in the arena, he and the other 455 competitors realize the price of losing the game is death. Even so, the contestants continue competing in children’s games in hopes of winning the grand prize. The show was praised for its performances and thoughtful commentary on capitalism and inequality.

Language in the Driver’s Seat in ‘Racecar Racecar Racecar’

AMERICAN THEATRE: A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backward and forward: “Was it a cat I saw?” or “Dammit, I’m mad” or, my nerdy favorite, “A man, a plan, a canal: Panama.” In Kallan Dana’s new play Racecar Racecar Racecar, which starts performances at A.R.T./New York on Friday (and runs through Dec. 22), a father and daughter on a road trip occasionally play a game of palindromes to pass the time, though they stick to one-word examples: noon, bib, sis, rotator, deified, and, of course, racecar and Dad.

Famous movie prop "accident": 1870s Martin Guitar destroyed during filming of "The Hateful Eight"

Boing Boing: There's a scene in Quentin Tarantino's 2015 Western, The Hateful Eight, where Kurt Russell grabs Jennifer Jason Leigh's guitar and smashes it against a wooden column. Turns out that wasn't just any old guitar — it was a priceless 1870s Martin acoustic on loan from the Martin Guitar Museum.

Broadway League Names Jason Laks New President | Playbill

Playbill: The Broadway League, a trade organization counting Broadway producers, theatre owners, and national tour presenters among its membership, has named Jason Laks as its new president. Laks has been serving in the role on an interim basis following the mid-season departure of Charlotte St. Martin earlier this year. Prior to this role, Laks was the League's executive vice president and general counsel.

The ARRI ALEXA 265 is a 65mm Cine Camera That Can Fit Into Your Hand

No Film School: We did not have the beginning of December penciled in as a time when major cinema camera brands might announce a major new camera, but here we are. In the middle of the busy holiday season, ARRI has made a surprise announcement of a new small and lightweight ALEXA 265 camera which is set to revolutionize 65mm cinematography.

Is Nessarose a huge win for "Wicked"? It's complicated

Salon.com: When the “Wicked” film casting call went out in 2022 for Nessarose – the wheelchair-using younger sister to future Wicked Witch Elphaba – the enthusiastic response from disabled actresses was seen all over social media. In my Facebook feed alone I had several wheelchair-using friends who were excited to audition and, more importantly, were ecstatic that director Jon M. Chu was making a point to cast the character authentically. It was definitely far more than the long-running Broadway show had done, never actually casting a wheelchair-using actress over the last 20 years of its run.

Kicking Eye-High With Radio City Rockette Karmen Moore

Dance Magazine: Karmen Moore had always dreamed of joining the Radio City Rockettes. But while completing her degree in dance performance at Southern Methodist University in 2023, she mainly focused on auditioning for contemporary and modern companies. A last-minute trip to New York City landed Moore at the Rockettes open call. She ended up making it through to the Rockettes Conservatory and, after another audition specifically for Conservatory dancers, officially joined the iconic line in November 2023. “Auditioning was something I wanted to do to honor my childhood self,” Moore says.

How Harlequin Floors Creates a Springboard for College Dancers

Dance Magazine: A lot goes into a successful dance career—drive, facility, and hours upon hours of training are just the beginning. The kind of floor on which a dancer spends those hours can make the difference between fearless dynamism and hesitancy, or even an injury-free season and one spent rehabilitating. For decades, Harlequin Floors has made it its mission to supply dance organizations with the best quality flooring so their artists can thrive.

Claypaky presents new products at LDI 2024

LightSoundJournal.com: Claypaky is showing at the Las Vegas Convention Center a world premiere, several “first time at LDI” fixtures and some other products.

The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2024

KQED: There’s no denying that theater continued to face massive obstacles in 2024. With audiences still choosing to stay home in large numbers, fundraising campaigns were often as common as season announcements, while consequential closures of legacy institutions stung the ecosystem as a whole.

The 10 Best Booths at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024

Artsy: This year’s edition of the fair welcomes 286 galleries from 38 countries (up from 2023’s total of 277) and includes a new high of 34 first-time exhibitors. The fair’s broad reach is particularly evident in its representation of South and Central American galleries, with 19 galleries hailing from Brazil alone.

‘Let’s Make a Dance.’ At Nature Theater, the Body Rules.

The New York Times: It started with a dance. For Nature Theater of Oklahoma, that’s not unusual. Pavol Liska, who directs the company with his wife, Kelly Copper, said, “Dance becomes a kind of cell that contains the full DNA of everything.”

U2 Impersonators in Paris Spark Anger and Confusion at Bataclan

www.rollingstone.com: At first glance, the footage that ricocheted all across the internet earlier this week appeared to show Bono and the Edge performing U2‘s 1991 classic “One” at sites all across Paris. One of the videos was filmed right in front of the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 fans were murdered in 2015 at an Eagles of Death Metal concert while U2 were prepping for a show at the nearby Bercy Arena.

How ‘Bob Marley: One Love Captures’ a Legacy Through Costumes with Anna B. Sheppard

The Art of Costume: In Bob Marley: One Love, the vibrant costumes are as integral to the storytelling as the reggae beats that defined a generation. Costume designer Anna B. Sheppard uses color and texture to highlight the contrast between the warmth of Jamaica and the starkness of London, capturing the essence of Bob Marley’s journey. In this exclusive conversation, Anna shares how her team’s deep admiration for Marley shaped the film’s costumes of Bob Marley: One Love, the stories behind the designs, and the hope she has for audiences to leave the theater uplifted by a celebration of love, culture, and resilience.

Samsung Glasses Are Coming in 2025 (Probably)

Lifehacker: Smart glasses aren't a new idea, but as the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses show, they're now at a stage where they work well and don't look terrible. As the tech improves and gets cheaper, more models are likely to show up—including, in the near future, a pair from Samsung.

Maria by the numbers: How many wigs, costumes did Angelina Jolie use?

GoldDerby: Pablo Larraín‘s latest feature film “Maria” is written by Steven Knight and tells the story of world-renowned opera singer Maria Callas, as portrayed by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie (“Girl, Interrupted”). The Netflix biopic has been receiving awards buzz since it premiered at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this summer, and now we have a much better idea about the extreme lengths Larraín’s team took in order to recreate Callas’ fascinating world.

Holiday Festivities and Elizabethan Theater

Folger Shakespeare Library: Whether it’s trimming the tree or spinning the dreidel, preparing special foods for shared feasts or joining in community singalongs, many of us have holiday traditions. Ditto for people in Shakespeare’s time, whether it was crossdressing, roleplaying, acting in amateur theatricals, eating pancakes, or sports—which may sound familiar when you think of Shakespeare’s plays.

This Is What the Giant Tonga Eruption Sounded Like

gizmodo.com: What do the Costco Guys and the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano have in common? They both bring the boom, as evinced by a recent study of the latter’s noise when it blew its top.

6 Theatre Workers You Should Know

AMERICAN THEATRE: Bullis currently works as the technical director and facilities manager for Detroit Repertory Theatre. “I doubt I’m known for much,” Bullis said, “but I’m proud of my willingness to learn new skills and mediums to help see each show’s vision through.”

Disneyland 70th anniversary: Everything coming in in 2025, 2026

attractionsmagazine.com: Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. will celebrate its 70th anniversary from May 16, 2025 through summer 2026 (specific end date TBA). Disney announced the news Dec. 5, 2024. The celebration will encompass both the original Disneyland Park (which first opened July 17, 1955) and its younger sibling, Disney California Adventure Park (which opened in 2001).

Christie to showcase two new products at LDI Show 2024

InPark Magazine: Christie will unveil two new products at LDI: Spyder-S Series – with five variants for multi-screen windowing processing for live events, broadcast, and sports venues – and Mastering Gateway – for seamless HD, 4K, and 8K video distribution over IP networks for post-production, live events, and broadcast. Both products will be on display in the Christie booth (booth #1125) at LDI, from December 8-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees are invited to meet with the Christie Broadcast and Professional Video Group to learn more.

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Japanese architect designs Christmas trees that will be turned into furniture

Woodworking Network: Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has designed two "Christmas trees" that are being exhibited in the lobbies of two high-end Toyko hotels, the Tokyo EDITION Ginza and the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon. Made from timber components, the trees will be crafted into furniture to be used at the two hotels. The exhibition will run until December 25 at the Tokyo Edition Ginza and until December 26 at the Tokyo Edition Toranomon.

Posted by David at 12/05/2024 12:58:00 PM

Music Content Creators Set To Lose Quarter Of Income Thanks To Generative AI

www.forbes.com: Music creators will lose billions because of generative AI, the first-ever global study of the economic impact of AI on the sector shows. The research, for the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, finds that the market for generative AI music and audiovisual content will rise from €3 billion ($3.2 billion) now to €64 billion ($67 billion) in 2028.

Posted by David at 12/05/2024 12:57:00 PM

WICKED Movie Gets Trigger Warning In UK For 'Upsetting' Response to Green Skin

www.broadwayworld.com: In 2021, the BBFC revealed that parents would like content warnings on racism and discrimination being shown in media so they can make informed decisions. The research also concluded that some parents found value in exposing their children to instances of discrimination to "prepare them for real life."

Posted by David at 12/04/2024 10:36:00 AM

'Wicked' Success and a Look Back Hollywood's Bumpy Road to Oz

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Jon M. Chu’s musical Wicked (Part One), starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, is set to defy gravity over the coming weeks as the blockbuster event of the holiday season. Adapted from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s long-running Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical, itself based on Gregory Maguire’s fantasy novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked has the kind of built-in fan base most Hollywood musicals can only dream of.

Posted by David at 12/03/2024 11:33:00 AM

Questions confronting theater at the onset of possible tyranny

DC Theater Arts: For decades, the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region has been well regarded for producing theater with social vision and impact and progressive values. With the election over, now what? What lies ahead for the DMV theater community? Will the region find itself in dark times? Will the theater community be or think itself immune? Will the community be part of some nonprofit resistance to the national shift right?

Posted by David at 12/02/2024 02:02:00 PM

 

IATSE Joins Hollywood Commission's MyConnext Misconduct Reporting Platform

IATSE: IATSE today announced that the MyConnext Resources & Reporting Tool for safer workplaces is now available for members working anywhere in the United States on motion pictures, television, streaming productions and commercials. The online platform provides members with an expanded toolset specifically built to help protect freelance entertainment workers.

Adam Siegel named Second Stage Theater’s new executive director

www.broadwaynews.com: Second Stage Theater, a nonprofit company which produces on Broadway, has announced its next executive director. Adam Siegel will step into the position on April 1, 2025, following a month-long transition period. Siegel will succeed Lisa Lawer Post, who has served as interim executive director since February 2023 following the departure of Khady Kamara. Post will depart the organization, which operates Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater, on April 1.

Momma Rose’s Many Faces, From Ethel Merman to Audra McDonald

The New York Times: To those who worship at the church of the American musical, it was a holy night. For on a Thursday in late November in the city of New York, the faithful had assembled to witness what might be described as the Sixth Coming. Momma Rose was being reborn once again.

Photo Captures Everyone Who Helped Restore the Notre Dame

mymodernmet.com: It’s been five years since a devastating fire heavily damaged the famed Notre-Dame cathedral, and now the Parisian landmark is finally about to reopen. Tourists and locals have long been waiting for the beloved church to return to its former splendor—something that couldn't have been achieved without hundreds of workers. To truly capture all the effort that went into this project, French president Emmanuel Macron shared a photo showing all the people involved in the restoration of Notre-Dame.

Ithaca College In New York Discovers New Workflow With Focusrite

ProSoundWeb: With more than 30 years of experience in the music recording industry, including working at the Hit Factory studios in NYC, Brian Dozoretz, as manager of Recording Services, oversees a team of 40 student employees, providing training on audio software and hardware. Additionally, he manages an archive of 70-plus years of concert recordings in various legacy formats. His professional roles span recording, mixing, mastering, producing, and studio management, and his work has involved collaborations with world-class artists, producers, and engineers on GRAMMY-winning projects.

Biggest Live Music Stories 2024: Sphere, Coachella, Live Nation & More

www.billboard.com: The concert business continued to reach new heights in 2024, just three years after the global pandemic brought the live music industry to a standstill. Today, the top 100 global tours generate a combined $10 billion, Live Nation’s share price has hit a new record high and the number of artists generating $50 million on their tours is larger than ever. While the industry still faces challenges, the concert business once again approaches the end of the year poised for another 12 months of record growth.

Design View With… TAIT’s Jim Shumway

Design Week: I’m excited by the notion of more organic engineering, thinking about how we might be able to create way more interesting magic tricks out of things that are lighter, thinner, more invisible. Just constantly pushing what people believe is possible. On the rock and roll side of our building, we’re extraordinary at re-using the same ingredients to make a different meal. I’m excited to discover there are flavours we don’t know about yet thanks to organic engineering advancements.

pantone picks mocha mousse as its color of the year 2025

www.designboom.com: Pantone announces its eagerly awaited Color of the Year 2025: PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a soft brown shade that embodies the warmth and indulgence of the simple pleasures in life. Inspired by the textures of cacao, chocolate, and coffee, this progression from last year’s Peach Fuzz signals an evolution in the wish for comfort, moving into a more grounded dimension.

Alisha Tonsic completes leadership team at Theatre Communications Group

www.broadwaynews.com: Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the completion of its new leadership. Alisha Tonsic will serve as the co-executive director of national operations and business development for the national organization for theater.

How the Art Basel Miami Beach Director Planned This Year's Fair

Business Insider: Inside the contemporary-art gallery Bortolami, there's a stillness unperturbed by the bustling sounds of its Manhattan neighborhood. It's especially peaceful on a sunny Tuesday afternoon when Bridget Finn — a veteran gallerist, archivist, and art dealer — arrives for our editorial shoot.

Defunct Disneyland parades to be part of '90s Nite in 2025

attractionsmagazine.com: A new (old?) (new-but-old?) procession called “’90s on Parade” will debut at Disneyland After Dark: ’90s Nite on March 4 & 6, 2025 in Anaheim, Calif., and will spotlight Disney parades of the 1990s, as announced Dec. 5, 2024 on the Disney Parks Blog. Disney specifically mentioned the production will have “nods” to “The Lion King Celebration” and “Mulan Parade.”

IAAPA Expo 2024 | review of event

blooloop: IAAPA Expo is a leading event for the visitor attractions industry. It unites industry experts to explore innovative products and services, as well as offering engaging educational sessions and valuable networking opportunities. IAAPA Expo 2024 took place from November 18 to 22 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Miami Art Week 2024: The Best Events, Shows and Fashion Collabs

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Film and television A-listers, sports and music stars, fashion houses, chefs, art dealers, gallerists—and the curatorial advisers and consultants who tie them together—clamor to show they can decipher a duct-taped banana from a Basquiat while hawking canvases, clothing collaborations, liquor, and even pizza and soap, throughout more than 10 art fairs and six days of nonstop events.

Finishing Options for Machined Parts

www.protocase.com/blog: Adding a finish to machined parts and enclosures is not solely about aesthetics; it also enhances protection and performance attributes. At Protocase, we’ve got tons of finishing options to fit what you need, including a variety of finishes for machined parts.

Japanese architect designs Christmas trees that will be turned into furniture

Woodworking Network: Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has designed two "Christmas trees" that are being exhibited in the lobbies of two high-end Toyko hotels, the Tokyo EDITION Ginza and the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon. Made from timber components, the trees will be crafted into furniture to be used at the two hotels. The exhibition will run until December 25 at the Tokyo Edition Ginza and until December 26 at the Tokyo Edition Toranomon.

Fleetwood Mac Producer Settles Lawsuit Over Broadway's ‘Stereophonic’

www.billboard.com: The creators of the hit Broadway play Stereophonic have reached a settlement to resolve a copyright lawsuit claiming they stole elements of the show from a memoir about the infamous recording of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.

Music Content Creators Set To Lose Quarter Of Income Thanks To Generative AI

www.forbes.com: Music creators will lose billions because of generative AI, the first-ever global study of the economic impact of AI on the sector shows. The research, for the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, finds that the market for generative AI music and audiovisual content will rise from €3 billion ($3.2 billion) now to €64 billion ($67 billion) in 2028.

The Amazon has an historic opera house that is a destination for some famous singers, musicians and local fans.

NPR: Now a story about the mighty Amazon rainforest that isn't about its biodiversity or threats from climate change. It's about opera. Yeah, deep in the Amazon sits a century-old Renaissance theater complete with its own philharmonic. NPR's Carrie Kahn reports from Brazil.

Xreal One Has Built-In 3DoF Tracking & A Wider Field Of View

www.uploadvr.com: By default, all previous Xreal glasses just acted as a fully head-locked external monitor for whatever device (such as your phone) you connect over USB-C. Achieving rotational 3DoF tracking so the screen stays in place when you rotate your head required using the Xreal Beam or Beam Pro adapter, unless you were using a PC or one of the few specific Android phones with integrated Xreal support.

Nicole Kidman Remembers Late Mom at THR Women in Entertainment 2024

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Nicole Kidman paid tribute to the mentors who have supported and uplifted her, including her late mother, during her acceptance speech for The Hollywood Reporter’s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at THR‘s Women in Entertainment gala, presented by Lifetime, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

'Fallout' Emerges at CCXP Brazil With a Massive Gulper Display

collider.com: Big things are happening in São Paulo, Brazil before the doors to the convention center open for CCXP. The annual fan convention serves as a showcase for all things pop culture, with panels, displays, photo-ops, and more about the latest in television, movies, video games, and comics.

How visual effects put ships (and sharks!) in the Colosseum

befores & afters: One of the most stunning sequences in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II is a naval battle that happens inside the Colosseum. Oh, and also, there are sharks. Visual effects supervisor Mark Bakowski recalls first hearing about the sequence in pre-production. “I remember sitting there with the producer who was showing me pictures and pointing at them and then looking at me, and then pointing at them,” he tells befores & afters.

Celebrating Dance Magazine Chairman's Award Honoree Mikhail Baryshnikov

Dance Magazine: The name Mikhail Baryshnikov is synonymous with artistic­ brilliance and the thrill of performance. But in the five decades since Baryshnikov’s sudden and highly publicized departure from what was then the Soviet Union, his name has also come to be linked with another equally valuable endeavor: the fostering of new and innovative­ works.

How the Visual Effects of ‘Death Becomes Her’ Changed Movies

The New York Times: A tagline for the 1992 release of “Death Becomes Her” billed the film as “Your basic black comedy.” In truth, it was anything but: A screwball mélange of satire, slapstick and gonzo body horror, the movie would have been notable enough for starring two Oscar-winning actresses, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, as lifelong frenemies who find immortality — and all the curses that come with it — via a magic elixir.

Chuck Fawcett and Steve Andersen establish FGR8, a new animatronics company

InPark Magazine: Built on a 30+ year legacy of innovation, invention, and magic, FGR8 designs, builds, and delivers detailed animatronic characters, bringing IP and beloved characters and stories to life for the biggest brands in the world. Their work has brought beloved characters to life for major brands and theme parks such as Disney, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Sesame Workshop, and many more.

Dressing the Supremes: Whitney Anne Adams Talks Passion and Perseverance in 'The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat'

The Art of Costume: In this captivating interview, Whitney Anne Adams, costume designer for the heartfelt film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, takes us behind the seams of her creative process designing the costumes. Whitney discusses her work designing for the three Supremes—Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean—crafting costumes that reflect their personalities and deep bond.

Juliette Binoche Is Taking Christian Louboutin to the Theater

The New York Times: In Homer’s “Odyssey,” Penelope waits 20 years for her husband, Odysseus, to come home after winning the Trojan War. Juliette Binoche waited even longer to reunite with Ralph Fiennes after “The English Patient,” the 1996 film in which they co-starred. Their collaboration this time: “The Return,” Uberto Pasolini’s reimagining of Homer’s epic, and a project the filmmaker worked on for 30 years.

Prolight + Sound 2025: 30th edition full of new features

LightSoundJournal.com: We recently went to the Press Lunch organized in Milan, Italy, by Prolight + Sound. An initiative that opens the dances on the 30th anniversary edition during which we witnessed a first overview of what’s new in Prolight + Sound 2025 thanks also to the presence of Mira Wölfel, Director Prolight + Sound and René Tumler, General Manager EVCC (European Association of Event Centers), as well as the staff of Messe Frankfurt Italy.

WICKED Movie Gets Trigger Warning In UK For 'Upsetting' Response to Green Skin

www.broadwayworld.com: In 2021, the BBFC revealed that parents would like content warnings on racism and discrimination being shown in media so they can make informed decisions. The research also concluded that some parents found value in exposing their children to instances of discrimination to "prepare them for real life."

Elation invites Lighting Professionals to “Experience Tomorrow” at LDI 2024

LightSoundJournal.com: Elation invites lighting professionals to “Experience Tomorrow” at Booth 2224 at LDI in Las Vegas (Dec. 8-10) where visitors can embark on a journey through lighting’s next frontier. Elation is set to captivate attendees with an immersive booth experience that will transport them to a retro-futuristic spaceport lounge of discovery—a gateway to new worlds where visitors can explore Elation’s latest advancements in professional lighting.

Artists, Then (as in the 17th Century) and Now

The New York Times: Quick! Which 17th-century female artist fought her way into the male-dominated art world, prevailed in a rape trial and alchemized her struggles into revolutionary art? If the name Artemisia Gentileschi doesn’t leap to one’s lips, Kate Hamill’s play “The Light and the Dark” at 59E59 Theaters offers a generous introduction.

Meet the young Philly singers who help make The Nutcracker magical

Broad Street Review: December is the busiest month of the year for the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale and Girls Choir, with concerts from Hammonton to Wayne, including two at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square. But the big event plays out over 30 performances of the Philadelphia Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Academy of Music. For three minutes every evening and matinee, they steal the show.

FILM & TV UNIONS AND GUILDS LAUNCH “FAIR” COALITION TO DEMAND RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRY POLICY & FAIR USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS

IATSE: Unions and guilds representing over 87,000 screenwriters, directors, performers, artists and crew in Canadian film & television joined together today to form FAIR, the Film & Television Alliance for Industry Responsibility. This new coalition is dedicated to ensuring accountable industry policy and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

Fleetwood Mac Producer, ‘Stereophonic’ Playwright Reach Resolution

www.thewrap.com: Two months after accusing the Tony-winning Broadway show of copying “the heart and soul” of their book “Making Rumours” about the iconic band, Caillat and co-author Steven Stiefel have filed to adjourn the initial conference ahead of Thursday’s scheduled date.

'Spamalot Diaries' spills how the hilarious hit happened

DC Theater Arts: Before the Broadway opening, Idle worked closely and intensely with the cast and crew, especially director Mike Nichols, choreographer Casey Nicholaw, and composer John Du Prez. Idle and Nichols had been longtime friends who vacationed and joked together, but this was their first time working together. Thankfully, their friendship survived the collaboration, and Idle includes even their arguments to show “that it is possible to disagree with someone and still continue happily working together.”

IATSE Joins Workplace Misconduct Reporting Platform MyConnext

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Starting Tuesday, the crew union IATSE is offering the tool to some 85,000 U.S. members who work across television, film and commercials. MyConnext, created to address calls in industry surveys for a tool to record bad behavior in the workplace, provides users with a means to log these experiences with a timestamp for their own personal use, with employers and/or their unions.

'Wicked' Success and a Look Back Hollywood's Bumpy Road to Oz

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Jon M. Chu’s musical Wicked (Part One), starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, is set to defy gravity over the coming weeks as the blockbuster event of the holiday season. Adapted from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s long-running Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical, itself based on Gregory Maguire’s fantasy novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked has the kind of built-in fan base most Hollywood musicals can only dream of.

Las Vegas Sphere plans to boost profits — how much fans will pay for tickets

Entertainment: Operators of the Sphere believe they’re getting the hang of boosting profitability for the giant performance venue now that it has been open for more than a year. Sphere Entertainment Co. has said the public can expect more events there — possibly multiple shows each day — and that one of the goals is to have something going on in the 17,000-seat venue every day of the year.

DISNEY ON BROADWAY: 30 YEARS OF MAGIC Extended At The Museum Of Broadway

www.broadwayworld.com: The exclusive exhibit, presented in partnership with Disney Theatrical Group and created exclusively for The Museum of Broadway, will be on-view through January 12, 2025, with special events celebrating 30 years of Disney on Broadway taking place throughout December at The Museum of Broadway.

Worker dies while dismantling Iron Maiden stage

IQ Magazine: Investigations are ongoing after a worker fell to his death while dismantling the stage following Iron Maiden’s concerts in Chile. The rock band performed two nights at the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium) in Santiago on 27-28 November, promoted by DG Medios.

AeroLock Connector Creates Faster Rigging Without Tools

New Equipment Digest: AeroLock connector technology eliminates common risks associated with traditional steel shackles and knotted synthetic connectors, making it a game-changer for high-risk industries like commercial marine towing, offshore operations, and heavy lifting.

Speaking in Draft: Emily Jung

Intermission Magazine: I got in touch with Emily Jung, one of the co-founders of the collective, who generously agreed to an interview. Jung, like so many talented artists in the Toronto theatre scene, is a multi-hyphenate. Outside of Labour in the Arts, she is the director of communications at the Theatre Centre, a playwright, and a visual artist. Noticing a lack of mentorship for early-career arts workers in the sector as a whole, Jung and her colleagues did a deep dive into the history of the Canadian theatre sector.

Magic mirrors turn Tesco shoppers in to Wicked witches

www.avinteractive.com: Grocery chain Tesco has rolled out an interactive marketing campaign that enables shoppers to become one of the two main characters from the new Wicked movie. The Witch Flavour Are You? campaign – which is promoting drinks brand Robinsons’ new glittery squash – features an augmented reality (AR) ‘magic mirror’ that can transform people into Elphaba or Glinda in real time.

Front Porch Theatricals Brings Home 'Baby' and 'Sunday in the Park With George' in 2025

onstagepittsburgh.com: On a celebratory night of songs and surprises, Front Porch Theatricals announced the company’s 2025 summer shows, both Tony Award rivals for best musical in 1984.

How Lin-Manuel Miranda's Family Almost Ruined His Broadway Debut

Playbill: Miranda visited The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon December 2 to share some wisdom ahead of Fallon's Broadway debut in the very same show; Fallon will join Miranda in the comedy January 28, and perform through February 2.

Watch: Documentary Details the History of the Tony Kiser Theatre

www.broadwayworld.com: As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Second Stage Theater will vacate the Tony Kiser Theatre at the end of this year. The company is begin let out of its lease at the venue, located in a former bank building at the corner of West 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue, due to high rent and "unfavorable" terms in the lease.

London Stage Adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove Will Be Screened Worldwide

Playbill: The world premiere stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove will be released to cinemas next year via National Theatre Live. The acclaimed production, which continues at the Noël Coward Theatre through January 25, 2025, will hit silver screens worldwide beginning March 27.