How Long Can An HDMI Cable Be Before You Start Losing Quality?

www.slashgear.com: Whether you're setting up a gaming console or installing a home theater system, choosing the right HDMI cable is an important part of the process. Depending on the size of your space, you may need to use longer cables, especially if you're having to reach across the room or even into another room.

Grit Stash: Sandpaper Storage

Make:: Sandpaper is one of those things that can be a challenge to store. Bunches of random loose sheets thrown in a box or drawer, rubbing together and losing their grit, or inside cardboard sleeves obfuscating how many sheets you have left, or worse, mysterious partial sheets with no grit numbers on the back.

Waves Expands Curves Series With New Curves Resolve

ProSoundWeb: Waves Audio has announced the release of Curves Resolve, the third installment in the company’s Curves Series of intelligent mixing plugins that’s designed to help manage frequency masking and congestion between tracks and across complex mixes.

KV2 Audio delivers world-class sound to three major musicals across Madrid and Barcelona

LightSoundJournal.com: Cinderella, Cabaret, and Tootsie recently lit up the stages of Madrid and Barcelona in a spectacular display of musical theatre. The monumental task of designing the audio systems for each show across three separate venues was given to Poti Martin, of Poti Martin Sound Design (PMSD), who implemented KV2 Audio solutions to bring all three musicals to life.

The First-Ever Evening Art Installation in NYC's Union Square Will Debut in February

www.timeout.com/newyork: Sure, those festive holiday lights have officially burnt out, but that doesn't mean things have to be dark and dreary this winter: the Union Square Partnership (USP) is graciously adding some light and liveliness to the darkest time of the year with its new interactive art installation, "Patterned Behavior" by MASARY Studios, on view every evening (dusk to 10pm) from now through Tuesday, February 17.

Disguise and ASB GlassFloor partner to bring AR visualization to arenas

InPark Magazine: Disguise and ASB GlassFloor announced a strategic partnership that turns the arena floor into a fully customizable interactive digital surface. This will enable coaches to visualize ball tracking data as well as players’ live positions, movement speed and performance metrics right on the playing surface, allowing teams to win more matches.

CMU Drama Professors and Alumni Encourage High School Students To Find Their Voice

News - Carnegie Mellon University: The master class at Creators Academy in Brooklyn, New York, was part of the annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented at the Tony Awards by CMU, in partnership with the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League. This year’s recipient, Gary Edwin Robinson, and his theatre students spent an October day with CMU faculty who shared their expertise in acting, musical theatre and dance.

Statutory Damages: The Fuel of Copyright-based Censorship

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Imagine every post online came with a bounty of up to $150,000 paid to anyone who finds it violates opaque government rules—all out of the pocket of the platform. Smaller sites could be snuffed out, and big platforms would avoid crippling liability by aggressively blocking, taking down, and penalizing speech that even possibly violates these rules. In turn, users would self-censor, and opportunists would turn accusations into a profitable business.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball Unveils Broadway Theatre Configuration

Playbill: You better purr! Cats: The Jellicle Ball, the reimagined revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running musical, newly set in the underground world of Ballroom, has pulled back the curtain on what the show will look like when it comes to Broadway later this year. The musical is coming to the Broadhurst Theatre beginning March 18, ahead of an April 7 opening night.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Cancels Summer 2026 Programming

Playbill: Massachusetts' Williamstown Theatre Festival will not present programming in summer 2026. The summer theatre company will resume in 2027. The company says it will use the intervening time "to activate a new phase of artistic research, development, and year-round engagement," aimed at creating a sustainable model of newly year-round programming, with the annual summer Festival as a cornerstone.

A Many-Headed ‘Lear,’ a Theatrical ‘Dinner With André’

AMERICAN THEATRE: The royal “we” reportedly dates to the 12th-century reign of Henry II, the English king best known to me as the one who had his former bestie Becket knifed over a church-state dispute (yes, I learned much of my history from the theatre), and who had, possibly in light of that very killing, a strong motivation to double down on the purported divine right of kings: By “we” he meant “God and I.” Talk about pulling rank.

CES 2026: Editors’ Picks for the Best of the Booth Experiences

www.eventmarketer.com: CES is a much-evolved show these days. Spread out across three official venues, with many other unofficial ones now in play, creating that punch of brand sizzle (a la the Google Assistant: The Ride) requires a combination of visibility efforts. It’s one of several insights we walked away with from the global trade show for consumer technology, which took place January 6-9 in Las Vegas, a key “pulse check” tentpole for the event and exhibit industry each year.

All Digital Signage, Some Snark

Sixteen:Nine: In a recent conversation with George Pappas, CEO of i5LED, he shared how his company distinguishes itself in the dvLED screen market. Sacramento, California-based i5LED focuses on unique product development and closely controls its supply chain with trusted partners in Taiwan, China, and Malaysia, avoiding mere reselling of displays.

Still ‘popular’: ‘Wicked’ soars again in its return to Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle: After more than two decades on stage, “Wicked” remains, in Glinda’s words, undeniably “popular.” And it’s easy to see why. With an inventive story, resonant themes and an iconic score, the show continues to strike all the right notes.

Dr. King’s Call for Economic Justice Still Guides the Fight for Workers’ Rights Today

IATSE - IATSE: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words remind us that equality cannot exist in fragments. A society cannot proudly defend political rights while overlooking or denying the economic conditions every human being needs to live with dignity. Dr. King understood that the struggle for justice did not end at the ballot box. It extended into workplaces, homes, hospitals, and schools, into the everyday spaces where people fight for stability, opportunity, and respect. His vision for equality demanded not only legal fairness but economic security, for without both, true freedom is incomplete.

‘Sex Lives of Puppets’ explores candidly carnal conversations about sex, no strings attached

Chicago Sun-Times: Nothing ruins a Las Vegas sex party like a phone call from your spouse in which she explains that she’s just discovered a lump in her breast. Sex is messy, complicated; it is true for humans and, it turns out, for puppets too. They have hang-ups. They’ve got saggy bits. They enjoy kinks.

Building Digital Guardrails: Toward a Privacy-First Framework for Immersive Safety

Arts Management and Technology Lab: As virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies merge with AI-driven platforms, the line between physical and digital life is rapidly disappearing. In these immersive environments, questions of ethics, accountability, and safety have become increasingly urgent.

The Sphere Could be Headed to Your City (With a Smaller Footprint)

gizmodo.com: The company behind Las Vegas’s Sphere announced plans on Monday to bring a smaller version of the orb-shaped venue to the National Harbor outside Washington, D.C.

Metropolitan Opera Announces Layoffs, Salary Cuts & Postponement of a New Production

OperaWire: The company’s General manager Peter Gelb told the New York Times that he was forced to take these steps due to concerns with the Saudi Arabia deal, under which the Saudis agreed to subsidize the Met in exchange for the company performing at the Royal Diriyah Opera House near Riyadh three weeks each winter. He added that although he remained confident that the deal would happen, his decision to make cuts was due to concerns about the future of the Saudi arrangement.

Trump appoints James McCrery and others to U.S. Commission of Fine Arts

www.archpaper.com: Members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) appointed by the Biden administration were terminated by the Trump administration in October 2025. Every CFA seat was vacant until this month, when the Trump administration began appointing members to the government agency tasked with reviewing design plans.

Chicago hosts a festival entirely dedicated to puppetry—and you won’t believe what it has in store

www.timeout.com: Since the dawn of time—or at least since someone first glued string to a wooden limb—puppetry has been one of the world’s most polarizing art forms. Some find puppets downright adorable; others are still unpacking childhood trauma involving carved smiles and unblinking eyes. Chicago, however, has clearly chosen a side. The city’s appetite for puppets is downright ravenous, which is why the 8th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival kicks off its 12-day takeover tomorrow, January 21.

A guide to DC-area theater summer camps

DC Theater Arts: While summer may seem far away with a major snowstorm in our forecast, DC-area parents know that January is prime time for securing coveted summer camp spots — and early bird discounts. The DC Theater Arts staff has curated a list of theater summer camps and classes available for children and teenagers within a 30-mile radius of DC.

Korg Intros microAUDIO Interface Line Ahead Of 2026 NAMM Show

Synthtopia: microAUDIO offers a pristine, open sound with a strong sense of depth and generous headroom in a compact, desktop-ready design. Studio-grade preamps are tuned for musical gain with minimal noise, prioritizing clarity while avoiding excess circuitry. Both models support 24-bit/192kHz audio and include balanced inputs and outputs for high-quality recording and playback.

AXS Sues Over ‘Spoofed’ Mobile Tickets, Renewing Scrutiny Over Transfer Restriction Schemes

TicketNews: AXS has filed a federal lawsuit against SecureMyPass.com, accusing the ticket‑delivery service of “spoofing” AXS Mobile ID tickets to help brokers transfer tickets outside the official AXS app — a practice AXS says has caused fans to be denied entry to concerts and sporting events.

An Interview with, Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Matt Soibelman, Who Sings the Role of Abbot in ‘Curfew River’

onstagepittsburgh.com: Based on the Japanese Noh play Sumidagawa River. In Curlew River, a woman driven mad by the mystery of her lost son learns her boy’s unfortunate fate from a chance encounter with a Ferryman while crossing a river. These will be its first-ever performances in Pittsburgh.

ASM Intros Leviasynth 16-Voice Hybrid Synthesizer

Synthtopia: Ahead of the 2026 NAMM Show, Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) has introduced the Leviasynth, a new 16-voice, 8-oscillator digital / analog hybrid synthesizer.

Smart Color-Changing Nails You Can Adjust With an App

mymodernmet.com: Imagine a manicure that can shift from subtle nude to bold crimson in seconds, without a drop of polish or a visit to the salon. That once speculative idea became tangible at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where digital beauty brand iPolish introduced app-controlled press-on nails capable of changing color on demand.

AUDIX Unveils New Wireless MicroBoom (MBW) Line

ProSoundWeb: AUDIX has announced the introduction of the new Wireless MicroBoom (MBW) condenser microphone line, a forerunner of the company’s new digital wireless ecosystem that builds upon the MicroBoom range for applications such as choirs, houses of worship, vocal ensembles, theater and stage productions, orchestras, acoustic groups, locating recording, presentations, broadcast, sports, and live events.

New Jersey, Illinois See Major Gains In Film and TV Production As California Loses Ground

www.hollywoodreporter.com: When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in to law a doubling of California’s tax incentives for film and TV projects from $330 million to $750 million annually in July, the move sent a signal that the state was finally taking runaway production seriously. Yet that piece of legislation may just be the first step needed to keep more of Hollywood in Hollywood, if the latest U.S. production figures are any indication.

The forces shaping attractions in 2026

InPark Magazine: When I sit down to write the yearly strategy plan for Gantom, I begin, as most do, with a SWOT and environmental analysis. I review top stories from 2025, industry research, and trend reports to identify the environmental forces shaping the attractions industry. Those environmental forces inspired a recent episode of Green Tagged, and also this article.

Illinois gains ground on Georgia as production shifts from California Reel Chicago News

reelchicago.com: As Hollywood continues to look beyond California for cost-effective production hubs, Illinois is emerging as one of the fastest-rising film and television states in the country, now gaining ground on longtime powerhouse Georgia, according to new fourth-quarter 2025 data from industry tracker ProdPro.

Which Torque Wrench Type Is The Most Accurate? It's Complicated

www.slashgear.com: From my experience teaching mechanics to properly torque fasteners in the aerospace industry, the potential accuracy of any torque wrench type is often defeated by user error. However, some torque wrench types allow users to achieve more accurate results thanks to their design features.

Broadway Salutes, honoring behind-the-scenes workers, returns for 16th year

www.broadwaynews.com: On Jan. 20, the Broadway League and the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) will come together to celebrate the 16th annual Broadway Salutes. The annual event honors workers in every single department, venue and office tied to Broadway, who have worked in the industry for more than 25 years, acknowledging individuals at the 25-year mark, 35-year mark, and 50-plus mark.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Consider Ticket Resale Cap as Critics Warn of Unintended Consequences

TicketNews: Wisconsin lawmakers are weighing a proposal aimed at curbing high-priced ticket resales, but opponents argue the measure could ultimately hurt consumers by reducing competition in the secondary market while doing little to address pricing practices controlled by event operators and primary ticket sellers.

Can Hollywood Avoid a Strike This Time?

www.hollywoodreporter.com: Six months. A 17 percent dip in entertainment employment in the L.A. area. Billions in estimated economic activity lost to the state of California. Could it happen again?

5 Great Gift Ideas For The Craftsman Tools Enthusiast

www.slashgear.com: Craftsman has been one of the more legit players in the power tool arena for the better part of the past 100 years. Given that fact, it's a safe-enough bet that many a DIYer has at least one item in their home garage or workshop that bears the brand's iconic logo. But if you count yourself among the many Craftsman diehards in the world, it's probable that you have several of the Brand's power tools lying around that you regularly use either on your car, in your home, or out in the yard.

Teatro de la Luna to present acclaimed theater-mime 'GO'

DC Theater Arts: Teatro de la Luna is pleased to kick off 2026 with GO, a physical theater-pantomime show performed by actor-mimes Pablo Guillén and Rodin Alcerro. The production runs January 30 through February 8 at Casa de la Luna, conveniently located near Georgia Avenue-Petworth station in Northwest DC.

Steven Bartlett Says Only 7% Nail This Question in His Hiring Test

Business Insider: "The Diary of a CEO" host and entrepreneur Steven Bartlett swears by his scenario-based "Culture Test" in hiring, and says there's one question he loves, but that's rarely answered correctly. Speaking on the "Hot Smart Rich" podcast, Bartlett said he uses a 35-question test rather than asking about academic grades to determine how people will act in a given situation and identify high-performing employees.

Sagebrush Church In New Mexico Upgrades With 1 SOUND

ProSoundWeb: The worship center of Sagebrush Church, one of the largest in Albuquerque with seating for up to 3,000 people in a theater-style layout, has a new sound reinforcement system utilizing 1 SOUND loudspeakers to support full bands, weekly services, events, and live-streamed productions.

16 Obscure Tools At Home Depot You Probably Didn't Realize Existed

www.slashgear.com: Home Depot is not only America's largest home improvement retailer, but is also the largest in the world, with over 2,300 stores. If you're a frequent Home Depot shopper, you might think you're very familiar with the products on the shelves of your local store, but there will inevitably be a few obscure products that you've walked past without knowing. Then, there's Home Depot's website, which is another matter entirely and sells all sorts of unexpected items.

'All the Devils Are Here' review: Patrick Page and the Bard's villains

Los Angeles Times: There’s something refreshingly 19th century about Patrick Page’s traveling Shakespeare seminar, “All the Devils Are Here,” which opened Thursday at BroadStage in Santa Monica. The show, a touring tutorial he created and performs solo, allows Page the opportunity to animate with barnstorming crackle a rogue’s gallery of Shakespearean scoundrels.

Enter ‘Stage Right:’ Central Ohio home to nation’s only conservative theater company

NBC4 WCMH-TV: If all the world’s a stage, Robert Cooperman feels half of it is missing its spotlight. “Artists will look at society or an issue in our culture and say, ‘I don’t like that,’ and they might write a play about it. … Why can’t people who are more conservative do that?” Cooperman said. “When we do it, it’s considered political. And when the other side does it, it’s considered art.”

‘I can’t waste this’: Michael Sheen on his riskiest role yet – saving Wales’s national theatre

Stage | The Guardian: Since Thornton Wilder wrote Our Town in 1938, it is said that not a day has passed when the Pulitzer prize-winning show hasn’t been performed. “Every time I read it, I come away with the feeling of having been woken up,” says Michael Sheen, star of the upcoming touring production of Wilder’s play about a close-knit community in small-town America. “With this urgent sense of ‘I have to not waste this.’”

Looking forward to…

The Pittsburgh Tatler: It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, Dear Readers, but I thought as we all charge back into normal life after the holidays, it would be good time for me to send out a heads up about some of the upcoming shows I’m looking forward to in the coming month or so.

Washington National Opera Finds New Venue Following Kennedy Center Split

Playbill: Following the announcement of their departure from the Kennedy Center in the wake of President Trump's takeover, the Washington National Opera has successfully found a new venue at George Washington University, where they will stage two operas this coming spring.

Robe launches major RoboSpot software updates

LightSoundJournal.com: Building on the momentum of recent technical milestones such as the integration of sACN and RDM Net support, combining the recent v7.4 “New Year, New Features” release with the previous v7.3 “Operator’s Picks” update, these software enhancements directly address feedback from lighting designers and operators worldwide, delivering unprecedented precision, customization, and workflow efficiency.

What I discovered at rehearsals for TIFT’s world premiere musical All the Cows Are Dead

Intermission Magazine: On the first day of rehearsals for Ben Page’s All the Cows Are Dead, the idiosyncratic new musical premiering at Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) in Barrie, director Will Dao offered a playful instruction: “Everyone in the room should feel like a detective,” he told the cast and creative team, implying it requires focused collaboration to solve the mystery of staging a show.

Green Day to Kick Off Super Bowl LX Opening Ceremony

variety.com: Bay Area natives Green Day will kick off Super Bowl LX’s opening ceremony, the NFL announced on Sunday. It all takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. According to the announcement, the band “will open Super Bowl LX by ushering generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field with a dynamic performance of their most iconic rock anthems.”

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Mamdani Says Theater Should Not Be ‘a Luxury’ as He Hands Out Free Tickets

The New York Times: New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was elected on an affordability agenda focused on free buses and child care. On Friday, he extended that agenda to the arts, handing out vouchers for free tickets to a long-running theater festival of experimental work and declaring that culture should be more accessible to the city’s residents.

Engaging with art is good for your health, new analysis reveals.

Artsy: We all might think that art is good for us, but now scientists are adding to research that’s making it official. Daisy Fancourt, a professor of epidemiology at University College London, is about to make a case for the arts that is anything but subjective.

Entertainment industry ramps up discussions about AI, creators and innovative tech at CES

PBS News: The world's largest tech showcase does not come without theatrics. Innovations and gadgets like a lollipop that sings to you as you consume it, a laundry-folding robot and a "smart" LEGO brick have stolen the spotlight so far at CES 2026. But underscoring this year's programming is a strong focus on an industry that relies on a similar theatrical flair: entertainment.

Universal Music Group Bets on ‘Responsible AI’ With NVIDIA — Even as Fans Warn of a Creativity Backlash

TicketNews: Universal Music Group (UMG) is signaling that artificial intelligence is no longer just an experiment, but a cornerstone of its future. In a major announcement Tuesday, the music giant unveiled a collaboration with NVIDIA designed to change how billions of fans interact with music—while maintaining that artist rights and compensation remain the “North Star” of the initiative.

Betty Boop, Blondie and Nancy Drew enter the public domain in 2026

PBS News: Betty Boop and "Blondie" are joining Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh in the public domain. The first appearances of the classic cartoon and comic characters are among the pieces of intellectual property whose 95-year U.S. copyright maximum has been reached, putting them in the public domain on Jan. 1. That means creators can use and repurpose them without permission or payment.

Xreal's Cheapest AR Glasses Just Got Better (and Cheaper)

gizmodo.com: Xreal is back at CES 2026 with some improvements to its most affordable AR glasses. The Xreal 1S (a sequel to the Xreal One) are now $50 cheaper at $449 and have improved specs to boot. Cheaper and better, you say? Alright, I’m listening.

VeteranCast Member and Uniontown Native Justin Wirick Brings Experience and Gratitude to 'Wicked'

onstagepittsburgh.com: Flying into the Benedum Center for the first time since 2018, the mega-musical Wicked is prepared to ‘defy gravity’ from January 14th to February 15th. But before Glinda drops the “a” in her name, I had the pleasure of speaking with ensemble member Justin Wirick. Born in Uniontown, PA, Justin is celebrating his 16th year with the touring company of Wicked. Having performed in over 4,500 shows since joining the cast in 2010, Wirick is looking forward to returning to his hometown for the next month.

Entertainment industry ramps up discussions about AI, creators and innovative tech at CES

PBS News: The world's largest tech showcase does not come without theatrics. Innovations and gadgets like a lollipop that sings to you as you consume it, a laundry-folding robot and a "smart" LEGO brick have stolen the spotlight so far at CES 2026. But underscoring this year's programming is a strong focus on an industry that relies on a similar theatrical flair: entertainment.

Universal Pixels brings in-the-round Radiohead show to life

AV Magazine: Radiohead’s hotly anticipated return to touring demanded a live production that matched their instinct for reinvention. Working with a talented group of live production specialists, the band designed a show that moved and evolved with each audience across the 20 dates and five cities of their European tour.

This Month in Theatre History

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Majestic Theatre opened in Chicago’s then-tallest building on New Year’s Day, 1906. Occupying the lower floors of the Majestic Building, which also housed a hotel, the theatre was designed by Cornelius Rapp of the architectural firm Rapp and Rapp. Following Illinois’s legal regime of racial segregation, the venue’s design featured disparate entrances for white and Black audiences, who were seated in different levels of the theatre

Apple Creator Studio Offers New Tools For Electronic Musicians, Subscription Option

Synthtopia: Apple today introduced Apple Creator Studio, a subscription application bundle that brings together a comprehensive collection of tools for content creation on Mac, iPad and iPhone. Apple Creator Studio includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Mainstage and several other applications – pro-level tools for music creation, video editing, photo editing and more.

NoiseWorks Audio Announces New VoiceAssist Vocal & Dialogue Tool

ProSoundWeb: Noiseworks Audio has announced the release of VoiceAssist, a new AI-assisted vocal and dialogue tool that builds on the company’s DynAssist plugin and significantly expands the workflow. Designed to reduce the time required for voice cleanup while keeping engineers in control of the final result, VoiceAssist combines six intelligent voice-focused processes into a single ARA-enabled environment. The result is a faster, more integrated approach to vocal and dialogue editing.

Wisconsin Appeals Court Rules StubHub Owes State $17 Million in Back Taxes and Penalties

TicketNews: A Wisconsin appeals court has ruled that StubHub is subject to state sales tax on ticket resale transactions, reinstating more than $17 million in disputed taxes and penalties tied to the platform’s operations from 2008 to 2013.

In Canadian Stage’s A Doll’s House, the house is a window within

Intermission Magazine: In A Doll’s House, Nora Helmer strives to appear as the perfect wife amid the extreme constraints of familial and societal oppression. But as much as the play is Nora’s story, it’s her home that holds the titular role and offers a window into her inner world.

Rising California Film & TV Tax Credit Productions Signal Growing Industry Momentum Amid 2025 Production Losses

FilmLA: FilmLA Research today issued an update regarding regional filming activity for Q4 of 2025 (October-December). On-location production activity for the period totaled 4,625 Shoot Days (SD), a 5.6 percent increase from the prior quarter (July-September, at 4,380 SD). Overall, 2025 finished with an annual total of 19,694 SD, a number -16.1 percent below the 2024 total (at 23,480 SD).

DiGiCo Delivers Sonic Consistency For The Kooks On Tour In Europe

ProSoundWeb: The latest European Tour by English indie rock band The Kooks, slated to kick off in February 2026 and run straight into the festival season, will see both front of house engineer Russ Miller and Ralph Smart at the monitor position using DiGiCo Quantum326 consoles supplied by rental company Adlib.

Rhubarb! Festival director Ludmylla Reis wants artists to embrace ‘the detour’

Intermission Magazine: Rhubarb’s current director, Ludmylla Reis, cares deeply about the structure and flavour of every theatrical experience they prepare for others. The multi-hyphenate’s formative years as a director, curator, writer, and dramaturg were shaped by their time in an anarchist theatre troupe in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they grew up and completed their BFA. That experience — a continuous dance between structure and structureless-ness — continued to inform Reis’ practice when they moved to Canada in 2016 to pursue an MFA in directing at the University of Ottawa, and remains relevant in their current role at Buddies.

A look at some of the worst fires in bars, nightclubs and music venues

PBS News: A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year's Day has left dozens of people presumed dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities.

How U.S. Immigration Policies and Uncertainties Are Affecting Dance Artists

Dance Magazine: If you ask a U.S. immigration expert what’s changed over the past year for performing artists, you’ll get 14 bullet points linked to text-heavy web pages. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “With the new regime in the U.S., new challenge­s have arisen,” says Matthew Covey, executive director of Tamizdat, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that facilitates and advocates for international mobility and cultural exchange.

For Robert Falls, Goodman Theatre's "Holiday" Is a New Kind of Work

www.newcitystage.com: Robert Falls may have stepped down as artistic director at the Goodman Theatre three years ago, but suddenly he’s everywhere on the Chicago theater scene. He directed a critically acclaimed production of “Amadeus” at the Steppenwolf Theatre that is ending a two-month run in January, and this winter is directing the late Richard Greenberg’s adaptation of Philip Barry’s 1928 comedy “Holiday” at the Goodman.

Universal Music Group Bets on ‘Responsible AI’ With NVIDIA — Even as Fans Warn of a Creativity Backlash

TicketNews: Universal Music Group (UMG) is signaling that artificial intelligence is no longer just an experiment, but a cornerstone of its future. In a major announcement Tuesday, the music giant unveiled a collaboration with NVIDIA designed to change how billions of fans interact with music—while maintaining that artist rights and compensation remain the “North Star” of the initiative.

How to Use a Keyless Drill Chuck: Techniques and Troubleshooting

www.protoolreviews.com: The invention of keyless chucks was revolutionary in making cordless drills easier to use. While they’re now the dominant style, if you’re new to power tools, you might not know how to use a keyless drill chuck. If that sounds like you, we’ve got your back!

Top Church Production Stories of 2025 for Worship and Tech Teams

Church Production Magazine: In 2025, Church Production focused on covering the issues and challenges church production teams face every week. The stories that drew the most attention were those that offered clear guidance, practical perspective, and insight into how technical decisions support worship and ministry.

Shakespeare and America

www.folger.edu/blogs: Shakespeare is everywhere in America—on our stages, on our screens, and in our everyday conversations. This year, as America commemorates the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, we’re exploring the larger-than-life role played by an English playwright from more than 400 years ago in American entertainment, education, and history.

Players 50 2026: The Music Makers

Newcity Stage: Musical theater is flourishing at Northwestern University, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Masi Asare. “We have amazing students who love musical theater,” says Asare, “and we teach units that focus on the unique structures and timing of the musical theater format.”

Carving a Way Forward: The Indigenous Futurity of ‘Skeleton Canoe’

AMERICAN THEATRE: Inside Lincoln Center, one of America’s most prized performance spaces, Mark Denning (Oneida Nation), the cultural consultant and dramaturg for Skeleton Canoe, asked the audience in a pre-show speech to measure time not in years, but in inches. He added that if Indigenous peoples’ time on this land now called America were counted in inches, it would stretch the length of three football fields.

Largest LED display in US college football to be unveiled

AV Magazine: The largest main video display in US college football is to be unveiled at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The 1,600 sq metres LED display is one of 16 from vendor Daktronics that will have a combined surface area of 2,500 sq metres.

Google’s updated Veo model can make vertical videos from reference images with 4K upscaling

Ars Technica: Google’s Veo video AI made stunning leaps in fidelity in 2025, and Google isn’t stopping in 2026. The company has announced an update for Veo 3.1 that adds new capabilities when you provide the model with reference material, known as Ingredients to Video. The results should be more consistent, and output supports vertical video and higher-resolution upscaling.

Kyle Gerhart chooses DirectOut for Creed and InPhase

LightSoundJournal.com: DirectOut manufactures high-end audio solutions that are the product of choice for many live sound engineers. This includes Kyle Gerhart, front of house engineer for Creed and owner of InPhase Productions LLC. Gerhart made the change to DirectOut PRODIGY and MAVEN after technical difficulties in 2024.

Betty Boop, Blondie and Nancy Drew enter the public domain in 2026

PBS News: Betty Boop and "Blondie" are joining Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh in the public domain. The first appearances of the classic cartoon and comic characters are among the pieces of intellectual property whose 95-year U.S. copyright maximum has been reached, putting them in the public domain on Jan. 1. That means creators can use and repurpose them without permission or payment.

Waves At The Heart Of Simple Plan 2025 World Tour

ProSoundWeb: Front of house engineer Frank Joly (Pierce the Veil, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Les Trois Accords) deployed a Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console for the 2025 “Bigger Than You Think!” world tour of multi-platinum Canadian pop-punk and alternative rock band Simple Plan.

Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Theatrical Stage Employees

AFL-CIO: This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 64 of our affiliates. Next up is Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Ticketmaster Hit With Class Action Alleging Illegal Tracking and ‘Surveillance’

TicketNews: A proposed class action filed in California federal court accuses Ticketmaster of unlawfully using third-party tracking technology to capture and transmit users’ browsing data to major advertising and analytics firms without adequate notice or consent.

Musicians Can Win Back Music Rights Globally, Appeals Court Rules

www.billboard.com: A federal appeals court issued a first-of-its-kind ruling that says musicians can enforce U.S. copyright termination rules across the globe, adopting a novel legal theory that record labels and publishers have warned will disrupt “a half-century of settled industry norms.”

Anthropic Is a $350 Billion Problem for Hollywood About to Strike

theankler.com: Anthropic is not a movie studio, a streamer or even a consumer tech product — but it may pose a greater long-term threat to Hollywood than anything we currently talk about.

The many layers of performance and specifications in motion control

www.motioncontroltips.com: In high-precision motion control, system performance is often judged simply by the specifications of the mechanics alone. The actuators are typically sorted by a standard set of specifications such as repeatability, accuracy, and load capability. For many applications, this is all that’s required. Others will need an understanding of those specifications to make sure the basic assumptions for them are met during installation. Achieving true precision, however, requires a deeper understanding of the full motion control system from the mechanics to the motors, drives, and controls.

Stop Block Hack For Beginners

www.obsessedwoodworking.com: A stop block is a small jig that guarantees repeatable, consistent cuts by giving stock a fixed place to register against a saw fence.

Judging Panel Revealed for 2026 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize

Playbill: Founded in 1978, the Prize is the largest and oldest international prize honoring female and non-binary playwrights across the world who have written English-language plays. The winner of the 2026 Prize will be announced on February 26 in a special invitation-only celebration at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

Parallel Guide Jig For Table Saws

www.obsessedwoodworking.com: The parallel guide jig is a shop-made alignment tool that references the table saw’s miter slot to create a dead-parallel reference face for aligning a misbehaving fence.

Eric Price and Phillip Christian Smith named recipients of 2026 Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre

www.broadwaynews.com: The Kleban Foundation has announced the recipients of its 36th annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre. Eric Price was named most promising musical theatre lyricist and Phillip Christian Williams the most promising musical theatre librettist. The prizes will be presented by Kleban board members Richard Maltby Jr. and Maury Yeston in a private ceremony at the offices of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers on Feb. 2.

Review Roundup: Carrie Coon, Namir Smallwood and More Star in BUG on Broadway

www.broadwayworld.com: Manhattan Theatre Club is presenting the first Broadway production of Tracy Letts' acclaimed play Bug. The Broadway premiere of sci-fi thriller is directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer. Read reviews for the production! Bug stars three-time Emmy Award nominee and Tony Award nominee Carrie Coon as Agnes White, Namir Smallwood as Peter Evans, Randall Arney as Dr. Sweet, Jennifer Engstrom as R.C., and Steve Key as Jerry Goss.

Public Domain in 2026: 'Georgia on My Mind,' 'Dream a Little Dream of Me'

www.rollingstone.com: Each year, dozens of classic songs, movies, and other cultural works reach the 95-year copyright maximum in the U.S., officially becoming part of the public domain. In 2026, a few beloved compositions from the 1930s are now free for anyone to use.

San Francisco's Iconic Bottom of the Hill to Close After 35 Years

www.ticketnews.com: San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill, an intimate, 360-cap venue in Potrero Hill, has welcomed rock superstars like Green Day, Oasis, The White Strips, and Alanis Morrissette over the years. However, after 35 years in operation, the venue has officially decided to close its doors at the end of 2026.

Best Drill Bits for Metal: What We're Using in 2026

Pro Tool Reviews: Metal drilling is common, but since metal varies widely, so do the drill bits you should use. In this article, I’ll share the best drill bits for metal that we’ve used and recommend. I’ll also share the most important things to consider as you’re looking for the right bit to drill through soft metals like aluminum, hardened metals, and stainless steel.

EU called on to stamp out ticket touts by European live events industry

Access All Areas: More than 130 representatives from across Europe’s live events industry have signed an open letter calling on the EU to stop ticket resale abuse. The letter to EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath claims that, despite the introduction of stricter rules for reporting and removing illegal ticket resale offers, enforcement is severely lacking.

Milwaukee Packout Is Great, But This Underrated Alternative Costs A Lot Less

www.slashgear.com: Milwaukee Tools has ranked among the most respected tool manufacturers in the game for several decades now. As popular as the brand's hand tools, power tools, and accessories are in the consumer market, one could argue that the company's tool storage options have become a sort of standard bearer for the entire industry. The brand's Packout storage options have become synonymous with words like "innovative" and "durable."

Broadway Bound Kids Perseveres a Turbulent Landscape for Arts Education with a Star-Studded Benefit Concert

www.broadwayworld.com: The stage belongs to everyone and no one believes that more than Broadway Bound Kids (BBK), a nonprofit dedicated to providing empowering and inclusive arts education to New York City youth. BBK’s mission has always been to provide transformative and accessible performing arts programs to young artists and their communities that face societal and financial barriers.

Washington National Opera Launches New Website; Kennedy Center's Rick Grenell Throws Trump-Like Tantrum Over Breakup

OperaWire: The Washington National Opera has launched a new website with information about its program. The new website includes a letter signed by Andy Pharoah, Timothy O’Leary, Francesca Zambello, and Eric Larsen in which they announce the end of the company’s partnership with the Kennedy Center.

Leading with Risk, Trust, and Intuition: An Exclusive Interview with Director Charles Newell on Berlin's Rehearsal Room

The Theatre Times: A towering figure in Chicago theatre, Charles Newell—former Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director of Court Theatre and 2024 Joseph Jefferson Special Award recipient—discusses the five-year process of directing Berlin, illuminating how invention, team-building, and intuitive risk-taking shaped the production and offering heartfelt advice to aspiring directors.

Patent filing reveals upcoming Disney theme park holograms

Boing Boing: Theme park expert Len Testa revealed on his podcast The Disney Dish that Disney is developing a new holographic system for its ride systems that will appear to put characters closer to your vehicle than ever before.

What Do The Strange Code Symbols Stand For On Your Snap-On Tools?

www.slashgear.com: Snap-on has been making its own tools in the U.S. for decades now, and throughout that time, the company has become world-renowned for building some of the most durable and high-quality tools on the market.

Writing Across Taiwan and Macau: An Interview with Taiwanese Playwright Chiao-Jung Chen

The Theatre Times: It’s very hard to define Chiao-Jung Chen as one kind of artist, for she is someone who works fluidly across genres. She has worked as a playwright, a librettist, and a lyricist on various productions for the past ten years, with her plays and musicals being staged in both Macau and Taiwan. Outside the theatre, she is a comics writer whose work Sea You There and Us has garnered a worldwide fanbase. Her versatility makes any attempt to confine her to a single title seem blasphemous of her devotion to storytelling.

The Vivero celebrates new Latiné voices at City Lit

Chicago Reader: Latiné theater in Chicago has been having a renaissance in recent years, thanks in part to the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) and the annual Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. But particularly during a time when Latiné communities are under fascist assault, uplifting and supporting the voices of Latiné writers has taken on a new urgency.

How a school program from Baltimore is using hip-hop to teach social-emotional skills

PBS News Weekend: Nationwide, schools are looking for better ways to connect with students and support their emotional well-being. A Baltimore-based organization called “We Do It 4 the Culture” is using hip-hop and storytelling to help students learn empathy and express themselves.

Engaging with art is good for your health, new analysis reveals.

Artsy: We all might think that art is good for us, but now scientists are adding to research that’s making it official. Daisy Fancourt, a professor of epidemiology at University College London, is about to make a case for the arts that is anything but subjective.

Fast skates, high stakes: the raucous roller derby show taking over Sydney town hall

Theatre | The Guardian: The roller derby skater Maddy “BB Gun” Wilkinson has speed and scale on her side. The 24-year-old jammer (primary point-scorer) for the Adelaide team the Wild Hearses is 156cm tall (“I push just 5’ 1”, maybe”) and easily weaves between small gaps left by the opposing team, shielded by taller teammates from the scanning eyes of their rivals.