More on Slammiversary Tragedy

Wrestling News Confidential: "Southaven police are investigating a fatal accident at TNA’s Slammiversary on Sunday night, in which a worker was killed and another injured at DeSoto Civic Center. TNA reports that the accident occurred following the conclusion of the event as technical crews worked to disassemble the TNA set."

Holland filmmaker helps people learn trades needed on sets

chicagotribune.com: "Candace Lilley has done a little of everything as a single mom trying to support her two daughters.
She has built and sold houses, painted parking lots, waited tables, tended bar and even assisted doctors performing surgery.
Finally, at age 39, Lilley believes she has found her calling. The Holland woman has decided to pursue a career in the motion picture industry -- right in her own hometown."

Actors’ strike would disrupt Mass. film making

The Patriot Ledger: "When the recent three-month writers’ strike shut down most TV productions in Hollywood, Massachusetts’ fast-growing film industry saw virtually no negative impact.
But this state’s movie industry won’t be as fortunate if the Screen Actors Guild goes out on strike after its contract with a consortium of TV and film studios expires on June 30."

Next Blue Man Group act: Bargain with union

ReviewJournal.com: "The ruling Tuesday could be a final turn in a labor dispute that has been ongoing since 2005, when the performance group moved its show from Luxor. Blue Man refused to negotiate after stagehands voted in the union, IATSE Local 720."

Blue Man Group Ordered to Bargain with Las Vegas Stagehands

Stage-directions: "After a lengthy struggle of legal battles with appeals by Blue Man Group, stagehands at the Venetian show are one step closer to a contract with IATSE Local 720 in Las Vegas. The United States Court of Appeals in Washington ordered Blue Man Group to the bargaining table in a ruling issued Tuesday."

Scharff Weisberg At Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum Of Art | Jun 2008

Live Design: "Scharff Weisberg has again teamed up with internationally-renowned contemporary artist Doug Aitken to provide AV support for another of his large-scale outdoor public projects, this time as part of Life on Mars, the 2008 Carnegie International at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Art. The exhibition not only poses the questions, “Are there other forms of life in the universe?” and “Can art help us explore the universe?” it asks if the human race has turned Earth into an alien planet itself."

Brain Storm

Live Design: "One of the questions I often get asked at the Live Design Projection Master Classes at LDI is: Where do the ideas come from? What is the genesis of the first design idea? I have given the topic a great deal of thought."

Q+A With High End Systems On The Acquisition By Barco

Live Design: "Upon learning of the acquisition of High End Systems by Barco, the editors of Live Design made some inquiries and were able to get an exclusive online Q+A with Merritt Belisle, chairman of High End Systems Inc. Here’s what he had to say about the transaction and the future of High End."

Barco Acquires High End Systems Inc. | Jun 2008

Live Design: "Barco announces the acquisition of High End Systems, Inc (HES). Based in Austin, Texas, High End Systems employs 156 people and is a profitable company with $44 million USD sales in 2007. With the merging of two strong industry players, this acquisition reinforces Barco’s leadership position in the fast converging video and lighting segments. The total value of the transaction is $55 million USD, which implies an EBITDA multiple of around 8 on the past 12 months. The impact on 2008 EPS is estimated to be about neutral due to the required IFRS restatements."

Out of this Furnace

Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections: "It’s been 30 years since the classic novel of immigration, labor and industry in the Pittsburgh area was adapted for the stage. Now, Unseam’d Shakespeare Company takes the story back to the boards, along with a look at the new face of immigration in the ‘Burgh."

A tough season on Broadway

The Barrie Examiner - Ontario, CA: "The total gross for the season, according to the Broadway League (the industry's trade association), was $937.5 million US, about a million dollars shy of the previous year. And attendance slipped slightly as well, to 12.27 million, down from 12.3 million the preceding season."

Carnegie Mellon Carnival 2008 -

Carnegie Mellon Carnival 2008 -: "Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has a Spring Carnival every year where organizations build large booths that compete for various prizes. This is a time lapse video for 2008 of the students building and subsequently tearing down the huge and impressive structures they've build."

'Sit Down' writers striking at Sony

Variety: "As first reported by Deadline Hollywood Daily, writers on the show have stopped working after learning that Sony Pictures TV had placed the show under IATSE jurisdiction, rather than through the Writers Guild of America."

J-o-b - technical

Theatre Technician job description:

Duties include assisting the Technical Director with the construction and implementation of scenic requirements for all Pitt Repertory Theatre productions, and assisting with the maintenance of all shop related equipment. Additional duties include assisting the Master Electrician with maintenance and organization of hang and focus crews, and lighting equipment.

Good theatrical carpentry skills required; rigging, welding and electrics experience a plus. Must be able to work at heights, lift a minimum of 70 pounds, build from shop drawings and work calmly and efficiently with others under pressure of deadlines. Candidates must be able to manage time well and work effectively with students.

Minimum of two years experience in the scene shop of an educational or professional theatre required.

Position is 20 hours per week. Occasional nights and weekends required.

Julie Ray

Head of Design and Production
Department of Theatre Arts
University of Pittsburgh
412.624.6764
jaa28@pitt.edu

New Course

Fall 2008

99-305: The Year is 1905

Organization and Expectations

Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Instructors: Gregg Franklin and Indira Nair

This course is designed as an exploration of Einstein’s life and work, especially the work he did in 1905, often called Annus Mirabilis, or “Miraculous Year” because of his work that changes the face of physics. It is designed to introduce you to the conceptual frameworks of physics and the history of physics along the threads of intellectual inquiry that led to the 1905 works.

Introduction to Course

Our hope: That you gain an understanding of:

--the scientific work Einstein did, particularly in 1905; the historic and scientific context, eventual implications in society; Einstein’s way of thinking, his conceptual foundations, beliefs, creativity and leaps of insight

-- Several concepts such as energy, force, field, photon, quantum, conservation-- the development in physics in the early part of the twentieth century—the birth of quantum physics, relativity. The historical progression leading up to these.

-- Frameworks of the culture and sociology of science, including ethical and other aspects – science as a process

--the process of the doing of science, how it has changed over the last century and implications of this

-- Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr and Oppenheimer and others as scientists and as people of their time.

To this end, we have followed some precepts in preparing the readings and planned to course to —

- Provide the history and stories of how the ideas came to be

- Provide some original “voices” to show progress in thinking in the words of people who made the science happen

- Provide frameworks in the history and philosophy of science

- Return to a topic or theme at various times in the course so you build a structure for yourself that integrates the themes

- reinforce the readings and discussions through class writing and discussion and assignments that help you recapitulate a theme in a new context so the integration takes place.

Books Required

1. David Bodanis, E = mc²: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation, Berkley Publishing, 2000. (E= mc²)

2. Walter Isaacson, Einstein, (Einstein), paperback editionSimon &Schuster, 2008.

3. Reading Packet (to be bought from Cathy Ribarchak, Warner Hall 6^th Floor); Will announce when ready- Cost: payable by check to Carnegie Mellon, $25.00 (copyright and copying) when you get readings from Cathy.

4. Another staple reference is the website of the American Institute of Physics, www.aip.org

In particular, see http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/

CFA Announcements

Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts Announcement:

Carnegie Mellon's Miller Gallery Holds Largest Exhibition Of Quilt Artist Nancy Crow's Work, June 12Aug. 15________________________

The Regina Gouger Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University presents "Nancy Crow: Works from 1988-2008," featuring more than 50 quilts that make it the largest exhibition ever of Crow's work. Former Miller Gallery Director Petra Fallaux curates the summer exhibition, which opens with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m., June 12, and runs through Aug. 15.

At 7 p.m., June 11, Crow will lecture and sign copies of her books in McConomy Auditorium in the University Center.

Link to the press release: http://www.cmu.edu/news/archive/2008/May/may19_crowexhibition.shtml

Link to Nancy Crow's web-site: http://www.nancycrow.com/

Nancy Crow: Works from 1988-2008

REGINA GOUGER MILLER GALLERY Carnegie Mellon University

Upcoming Exhibition

Nancy Crow: Works from 1988-2008 curated by Petra Fallaux June 12-August 15, 2008

Opening Reception: June 12, 5-8PM

Nancy Crow Lecture with booksigning afterwards: June 11, 7PM McConomy Auditorium at the University Center Free, no registration required Co-sponsored by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh

The Regina Gouger Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University presents Nancy Crow: Works from 1988-2008 featuring over 50 quilts and making it the largest exhibition ever to be organized of Nancy Crows work. The exhibition, curated by gallery interim director Petra Fallaux, will run from June 12 through August 15, 2008 with an opening reception June 12, from 5-8pm. Nancy Crow will lecture followed by a booksigning on June 11, at 7 pm in McConomy Auditorium in the University Center.

Rather than assembling a greatest hits compilation or chronological survey of Nancys career, Nancy Crow: Works from 1988-2008 will present the works with an eye towards uncovering the artists process of discovery in these pivotal years. The exhibition includes examples of the Bow Tie, Chinese Souls and Linear Studies series, as well as over thirty works from the Color Blocks and Constructions series, including new quilts that have not yet been exhibited or published.

Between 1988 and 2008, we witness artist Nancy Crow taking control of the color luminosity of her fabrics, while freeing herself from the straightedged ruler. By exclusively mixing her own dyes and applying them in multiple applications, Crow brings out the utmost intensities and subleties in color values and hues. Having mastered the art of free cutting, she at the same time achieved a compositional freedom that made new constructions with dazzling lyrical lines and authentic shapes possible.

Nancy Crows vocabulary is now easily recognized as a distinctive language of quiltmaking, analogous to the languages developed by master painters, star architects, or the musical phrasings of great improvisational jazz musicians. From subdued hues to exuberant and intense palettes, from fast and furious complexity to spare and intricate tri-color compositions, Crow fine-tunes her final compositions with dead-on precision. The artists scrupulous honesty and unwavering dedication to her art make her one of the most authorative as well as genuine voices in contemporary art today.

Visit Nancy Crow's website at http://www.nancycrow.com

Nancy Crow

Constructions #83: Anxiety! 2006 to 2007 79.25"x81.5"

Nancy Crow

Constructions #84: No! 2007 75"x70"

Nancy Crow

Markings#8: Broken Quiet 2006 to 2007 55.5"x60.75"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Regina Gouger Miller Gallery is located on the Carnegie Mellon campus. Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m.5 p.m. TuesdaySunday. Visitor parking is available in the East Campus Parking Garage, located on Forbes Avenue just east of the Morewood Avenue intersection.

Exhibitions at the Miller are supported in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, individual sponsors, the School of Art and the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon.

For more information contact Regina Gouger Miller Gallery 412.268.3618 or go to http://www.cmu.edu/millergallery. For more information on the College of Fine Arts contact Eric Sloss at 412-268-5765 or email ecs@andrew.cmu.edu.

Regina Gouger Miller Gallery | Carnegie Mellon University Gallery Hours: Tue.Sun. 11:30 am5 pm; Closed Monday

Rigging Seminars

Attention!
Riggers and Rigging Companies - Lighting, Sound, Stage, & Scenery Companies
Inspectors, Consultants, Engineers, & Architects - Contractors and Installers
Venue Owners and Managers - College and University - Students, Staff, and Professors -
Manufacturers - IATSE Members

Please Mark Your Calendar!
2008 Schedule

Chicago
IL

July 14-17 2008


Seattle
WA

October 6-9 2008


Rigging Seminars is the largest and longest-established entertainment rigging training program in North America.

Who should sign up for Rigging Seminars?
Beginners and advanced riggers find the classes valuable, practical, and immediately useful.

What will you learn at Rigging Seminars?
Learn safe and efficient rigging techniques for sound, lighting, video, scenery, and special effects.

Where can you apply what you learn at Rigging Seminars?
You can apply what you learn to productions staged at theatres, circuses, arenas, stadiums, schools, hotels, museums, conference centers, outdoor venues, and studios.

Who teaches at Rigging Seminars?
Rigging Seminars is taught by the most experienced entertainment rigging instructors in America. They literally wrote the books on rigging!
Instructors:
Seattle – Jay O. Glerum and Harry Donovan will teach a combined stage and arena rigging course.
Chicago – Harry Donovan will teach an intensive arena rigging class.

Don’t hesitate! Register roday!


Need more details on hotels, our refund policy or other Information on Rigging Seminars?
Questions? E-mail us at:
riggingseminars@mac.com.

Rigging Seminars
2416 Third Ave. West
Seattle WA 98119
ph 206-283-4419
or Fax to: 206-282-9362
Toll-free: 888-248-8491

ESTA Technical Tech Track

ESTA takes you right to the heart of the industry with a series of technical sessions led by the people who are making it all happen. From members of the technical standards working groups and seasoned techies, these sessions are jam-packed with essential information for designers, technicians, and all industry professionals who want to know what entertainment technology is really all about! Free to all ESTA members with an ESTA sticker on their LDI conference badges.

ETCP Certificants: Many of these sessions/courses count towards renewal credits for ETCP re-certification. Look for RC-E for courses that count for ETCP Certified Entertainment Electricians and RC-R for courses that count for ETCP Certified Riggers. In order to receive the appropriate credits, you must sign the "Certificant Attendee Sign-In Sheet" which will be provided by the instructor or panel moderator at the conclusion of the training.

Handling Cryogens Safely

Friday, October 24

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dry ice, liquid carbon dioxide, and liquid nitrogen are used extensively in creating fog effects, but there are some rules and tips for meeting regulatory requirements and for handling them safely during transport, storage, and use—and for dealing with the Authority Having Jurisdiction when the AHJ balks at having large amounts of cold, inert gas in a venue. RC-E

Moderator: Karl G. Ruling, ESTA; Panelists include Larry Schoeneman, Interesting Products; Don Phillips, Le Maitre Special Effects; Martin Michaud, MDG Fog Generators

Decoding the New Fall Protection Code

Friday, October 24

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

ANSI/ASSE Z359.1, Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components, has been massively revised and four new, related standards created that deal with managing fall protection programs, safety requirements for positioning and travel restraint systems, and safety requirements for assisted-rescue and self-rescue systems, which are all packaged together as ASSE’s Fall Protection Code. Much of the fall arrest hardware used in the past does not meet the requirements in the new Code. Learn how the new Code affects fall protection systems used in the entertainment industry. RC-R

Moderator: Jerry Gorrell, Theatre Safety Programs; Panelists include Kyle Kusmer, Entertainment Structures Group; Bill Sapsis, Sapsis Rigging

Stage Roofs and Seismic Loads

Friday, October 24

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Portable stage roofs used for outdoor concerts need to be sturdy enough to survive modest winds and procedures need to be in place to lower them or to evacuate the area if stronger winds arise—but what do you do about seismic loads in areas where there might be earthquakes? The session will focus on addressing seismic loads for portable stage roofs used in municipalities where the International Building Code is used to evaluate temporary structures. RC-R

Moderator: Bill Sapsis, Sapsis Rigging; Panelists include: Shawn Nolan, Nolan Engineering Services; Jeff Reder, Entertainment Structures Group; Steve Walker, Steve A. Walker & Associates

Networking Live Demo

Saturday, October 25

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

This live demonstration of networking is a special two and one half hour session that teaches attendees how to set up and configure a data network for entertainment lighting, or other control applications in the live entertainment field. From WAPs to nodes and switched, the emphasis will be on wired and wireless Ethernet. RC-E

Moderator: Mitch Hefter, Entertainment Technology/a Philips group brand; Panelists include: Mike Lay, Strand Lighting/a Philips group brand; Dan Antonuk, ETC; Philip Nye, Engineering Arts; Kevin Loewen, Pathway Connectivity; Gary Douglas, Horizon Controls

Catwalks for Technicians, not Models

Saturday, October 25

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Everything you ever wanted to know . . . well, a lot you need to know, about the design of lighting catwalks for entertainment venues. Straight versus curved. Expanded steel versus plywood or concrete decks. What do you do when the AHJ wants a child-proof handrail, and you need to hang lights?

Moderator: Bill Conner, Bill Conner Associates LLC.; Panelists include: Robert Tooker, Production Resource Group; Charles Swift, Graham, Swift & Company, LLC; Daniel Clark, Entertainment Structures Group

Photometric Errors with LEDs, or “Caught by the Short Waves”

Saturday, October 25

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

The standard CIE photopic luminosity function deviates from what we now believe is the response of the human eye at the violet end of the spectrum—right where some LED luminaires put out a significant amount of power. The result is that different light meters give different readings when used to measure LED luminaires, and the readings do not match what we see with our eyes. The presenters will demonstrate these measurement anomalies and how the photopic luminosity function is derived.

Panelists: Mike Wood, Mike Wood Consulting LLC; Karl G. Ruling, ESTA

Electrical Power Measurement Techniques

Sunday, October 26

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Electrical Power Measurement Techniques is a double-length, three-hour session that teaches attendees how to use meters safely to measure voltage, load, phase relationships, et cetera in temporary power distribution systems. Essential training for those who need to know about the power of electrical systems! RC-E

Moderator: Roger Lattin, IATSE Local 728; Panelists include: Steven Vanciel, The Walt Disney Company

Rising Above It All: Lifting Technology Pros and Cons

Sunday, October 26

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

There are many ways to make a stage lift go up and down: Gala Spiralift, Serapid LinkLift Rigid Chain, screw jacks, hydraulic cylinders. What are the relative advantages of each, and why specify one or the other?

Moderator: Bill Conner, Bill Conner Associates LLC.; Panelists include: Jim Niesel, Arup; Charles Swift; Graham, Swift & Company, LLC; Shawn Nolan, Nolan Engineering Services; Steve Walker, Steve A. Walker & Associates

The following courses are presented in conjunction with The ESTA

Foundation’s Seminars & Training Committee:

New This Year: Aerial Rigging at Cirque du Soleil

Thursday, October 23

9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Class limit: 12

Off-site (location TBA)

$425 ($525 after September 19)

Aerial rigging is a signature aspect of Cirque du Soleil productions. While these systems can be very complex, they build off of basic principles with safety and reliability as top priorities. Tony Galuppi, currently the head of rigging for Cirque du Soleil’s technically challenging production, KÀ, will take participants through a one day course on the basics of aerial rigging. RC-R

Taught by: Tony Galuppi, Head of rigging KÀ/project manager of rigging, Cirque du Soleil

Target audience: Anyone interested in rigging and specifically aerial rigging as done in Cirque du Soleil shows.

Session highlights:

1. Aerial rigging principles
2. Safety practices
3. Uses of aerial rigging equipment in the industry

New this year: Theatrical Special Effects

Thursday, October 23

9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Class limit: 20

Off-Site at Advanced Entertainment Services

$425 ($525 after September 19)

A professional-level class on special effects application and equipment, from systems and real-life applications to compliance and safety. Each technical section will include experienced technicians expert in the area, and will include examples of functioning

equipment as well as applicable safety information. Effects covered include confetti, snow, wind, rain, water effects, atmospherics, flames, and firearms. All participants will receive a binder with class outline, specification sheets and diagrams, references, and

space for notes. RC-E

Taught by: Gregory Meeh, award-winning special effects designer, founder, and president of J&M Special Effects; and Matt Dillingham, president of Advanced Entertainment Services

Target audience: All designers and technicians interested in the creation of special effects for the stage.

Session highlights:

1. Overview of special effects with illustrations from 35 years of special effects design by Gregory Meeh
2. Rain bars developed for An Inspector Calls
3. Use of LN2, Dry Ice, LCO2 glycol, glycerin, mineral oil
4. Fuels: gas, gel, solids, fluids. Standards: NFPA 160
5. Indoor pyrotechnics

Now a two-day course: Stage Rigging Fundamentals with Jay O. Glerum*

Wednesday and Thursday, October 22 - 23

Class limit: 50

$595 ($695 after September 19)

Participants must bring a copy of Jay O. Glerum’s Stage Rigging Handbook (third edition), a pad of paper, pencil, and hand held calculator.

Rigging expert Jay O. Glerum, Jay O. Glerum & Associates Inc. presents a new two-day version of his standing-room-only workshop, Stage Rigging Fundamentals, for rigging in theatres, concert halls, studios, churches, and schools. Each area of the course will be

taught in more depth and detail. RC-R

*Approved trainer for ETCP renewal credits

Target Audience: Anyone who wants to learn the essentials of stage rigging.

Seminar Highlights—the course will cover the essentials of rigging as follows:

1. The physics and metallurgy of rigging
2. Hardware selection and application
3. Counterweight system operation procedures

Jesha's Giant Mantis

Thanks to Norm for the pics!

Register Online for USITT-The ESTA Foundation Training

Signing up for USITT and The ESTA Foundation joint training has become even easier with online registration for the four days of training in either basic or advanced lighting programming techniques. Sessions will be held July 7 to 10 at the North Carolina School of the Arts and will be taught by Richard Cadena and Martin Eric Rimes.

The training is designed for lighting programmers, technicians, and electricians...so sign up today.

Choose from the Basic Programming Track (Expression) or the Intermediate/Advanced Programming Track (Whole Hog II). Each day builds on the information and techniques discussed the day before. Complete information is available here.

Registration deadline is June 16, so those interested are urged to act quickly. Registration forms may be downloaded here, or visit http://www.esta.org/news/eventdetails.php?eventID=119 and follow the registration link.

Make sure to use the 10 percent discount for all USITT members for this special training opportunity.

 This year's MOMENTUM festival at City Theatre, taking place this weekend
(Thursday through Sunday), includes a number of CMU students and alumni,
including Stuart Carden, Chase Newell, Adam Berry, Kyle Beltran, and Tyree
Robinson. MOMENTUM is four days packed with new plays, lively discussions, a
free writing workshop, and socializing with artistic colleagues from around
the country. It's always a great and fun weekend.

City Theatre and BNY Mellon present

MOMENTUM 08

Hear a hot musical plus three new play readings and get the inside scoop
from a pack of theatre pros during City Theatre's sixth annual festival.

Thursday, June 12

6:30 pm    Kickoff Reception    

7:30 pm    Reading of Long Story Short by Brendan Milburn & Valerie
Vigoda

Friday, June 13

6:30 pm    Playwrights Panel - The momentum08 writers expose the inside
scoop on navigating a career in theatre, musical, TV, and film writing.

8:00 pm    Reading of Speak American by Eric Simonson

Saturday, June 14

2:00 pm    Reading of Him by Daisy Foote

4:30 pm    New Play Panel: State of the Art - Tracy Brigden and renowned
dramaturgs, producers, and agents reveal what's new and most exciting in
theatres across the nation.

8:00 pm    Reading of Long Story Short by Brendan Milburn & Valerie
Vigoda

Sunday, June 15

2:00 pm    Reading of When January Feels Like Summer by Cori Thomas

5:00 pm    Writing Workshop: Musical 101 - A workshop on musical theatre
writing by the composer and lyricist team of Brendan Milburn & Valerie
Vigoda. No experience necessary.

7:00 pm    Reading of Speak American by Eric Simonson

Ticket Information

Each Event: $5

All-Event Pass: $10 (Free for City Theatre Subscribers)

All events located at City Theatre

For Tickets call 412-431-CITY (2489)

Also playing at City Theatre during the Momentum weekend:



Bust by Lauren Weedman

Thursday-Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 5:30 & 9:00pm, Sunday at 2:00pm



Tickets range from $20 to $46. For more information and to purchase tickets
call 412.431.CITY

momentum08 is supported by BNY Mellon and City Theatre's New Play Circle

About the Plays

Long Story Short
by Brendan Milburn & Valerie Vigoda
directed by Tracy Brigden
Based on the play An Infinite Ache by David Schulner

A hip contemporary score is the soundtrack to a couple's musical romance
from an inauspicious first date through the unforeseeable ups and downs of a
lifelong relationship.

See the reading now and the fully staged world premiere production on City
Theatre's Mainstage in October 2008.

Speak American
written and directed by Eric Simonson

In 1904 Pittsburgh, immigrant steelworkers struggle to learn the language
and ways of a new home and country, while their young English teacher learns
a lesson of her own in the dehumanizing tactics of Big Steel.

See the reading now and the fully staged world premiere production on City
Theatre's Mainstage in May 2009.

Him
by Daisy Foote
directed by Stuart Carden

Tensions mount in the modern conflict of nature vs human nature when three
siblings inherit their distant father's sanctuary, his own secret wilderness
reserve.

When January Feels Like Summer
by Cori Thomas
directed by Billy Porter

Global warming heats up the new year for two homeboys, a garbage man, an
Indian shopkeeper and her transgendered brother surprised by unexpected love
connections.

Stage review: 'Out' puts a funny spin on serious issues

Post Gazette: "Richard Greenberg's 'Take Me Out' hits for the cycle: It's smart and funny with tart substance and plenty of heart -- not just sweet sentiment but the complex real thing, which includes ache and wonder."

Pittsburgh Playworks Lab shows off its creations

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "When Jozef Spychala moved back to Pittsburgh in August with plans to start a lab for local playwrights, people told him it would never work.
Less than a year later, he's happily proving them wrong."

Michele Lee Is Mame for Pittsburgh CLO in July

Playbill News: "Pittsburgh CLO announced June 13 that Tony- and Emmy-nominated star Michele Lee will play the title role in the musical Mame July 8-13 at the Benedum Center."

Crew Needed for Television Show

Craigslist: "Forgotten Pictures, Pittsburgh based Production Company, is currently looking for qualified individuals to assist in the production of a 13 half hour episodes to be shot in and around the Pittsburgh area."

Additional FILM CREW Needed! (Action / Romantic-Comedy Film)

Craigslist: "As of today, June 13th, 2008, I am searching for a couple of crew members to help with a new Action / Romantic-Comedy Film, set to shoot July 6th - 18th (Give or take a day or two)."

Mr. Smalls seeks Audio Engineer for paid summer Internship

Craigslist: "Mr. Smalls is looking for an experienced audio engineer to run a recording studio at Woodward Skate Camp for the summer camp season."

Predictions for the Tony Awards

NYTimes.com: "Really, we never learn. After a primary season that proved scientific polling has the precision of a coin toss, after years of losing 10 bucks in the office Oscar pool (darn you, documentary short subject), after Big Brown did whatever he did last week at the Belmont Stakes, you would think we would have come to our senses."

Work. Together. Anywhere

MakeUseOf.com: "Acrobat.com claims to offer the first real online word processor, web based file sharing and storage, ability to create PDF’s, online screen sharing and web conferencing."

On the Role of Study Advice in the Age of Grade Inflation

Study Hacks: "Earlier this week I was surprised to read that Dartmouth College, my alma mater, graduated three valedictorians this year; all three students having earned perfect 4.0’s."

The Week In Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger: "It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select"

A memorial site for Kevin (Angus) Sinex

Backstage at BackstageJobs.com: "Kevin Sinex was killed during the load-out for TNA’s Slammiversary last Sunday, June 8th, when the scaffolding he was on collapsed. He was the fourth member of a production crew killed this summer season."

SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, NOW WALK OUT! WGA Writers Stalk Off IATSE TV Toon; Sony Kept Lying It Would Be WGA Show

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily: "I've just been told that the 14 WGA writers and writer/producers on Sony's newly ordered TV animated series Sit Down, Shut Up! have walked off the show scheduled to air in primetime on Fox. It's a dispute over who has jurisdiction over the writing staff: the WGA or IATSE."

Austin mapping out course of its creative future

statesman.com: "The Create Austin Cultural Master Plan, commissioned by the city, is the product of almost two years of planning involving dozens of public and private sector leaders who drafted the plan to chart a course for Austin's cultural development in the next 10 years."

Local arts are a big business

Ledger-Enquirer.com: "'We were just stunned,' said Paul Pierce, chairman of the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance, which presented its finding to the Columbus Council last week. 'We have total assets of nearly $70 million. We've got $30 million in endowments deposited in local banks.'"

Performing arts flourish on college campuses

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Lifestyles: "While still lagging business majors by a wide margin -- there are nearly twice as many business students in the state -- the arts' popularity has increased faster than any of the other 10 most popular majors in the past decade. The number of arts majors is up 110 percent since 1997."

L.A. arts agency funding cut less than 1%

Los Angeles Times: "Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had proposed cutting the Cultural Affairs Department's spending by 6.1%, but the final $9.98-million department budget for 2008-09 passed by the City Council is down just $89,000, or less than 1% of this year's figure."

Lawmakers look to tweak film incentives

Green Bay Press-Gazette: "The state film's incentives have been successful by anyone's measure: They've attracted a big-budget Johnny Depp movie, independent films and TV shows. Businesses supporting the industry also are popping up."

Mass. sees arts as vital to economy

The Boston Globe: "The Patrick administration today launches an initiative to expand so-called creative industries in the state, appointing a first-in-the-nation 'creative economy' director to help expand a diverse sector that ranges from individual artists to cultural institutions to video game makers."

New York's film, TV incentives could tax L.A.'s economy

Los Angeles Times: "A dramatically expanded state tax credit for film and television productions has made New York a more appealing shooting locale than ever, bringing a wave of projects into the city this summer. Barring an actors strike, local soundstages expect to have more demand than they can fill in the coming months."

The artists among us

Marketplace: "Census data show a lot of people mark their career as 'artist.' What does it take to be an artist and how true are the stereotypes?"

Chekhov-Inspired Gulls Will Make World Premiere in Pasadena July 17

Playbill News: "The Boston Court Performing Arts Center presents the new musical that is loosely based on Chekhov's classic work. Playwright Salamone (Hillary Agonistes) has penned book and lyrics for Gulls, which features a score by McIntyre (Moscow)."

Sunday's Tony Awards Promise Suspense, Low Ratings

Bloomberg.com: Muse Arts: "Who cares about Kobe Bryant and Game 5 of the National Basketball Association finals on Sunday night? Broadway's 62nd Annual Tony Awards promises plenty of drama."

Plans Unveiled for Five Free NYC Park Productions

Backstage: "Summer in New York means free performances in city parks, and the nonprofit City Parks Foundation will administer again this summer a variety of programs that bring free theatre, dance, and music to the masses."

Actors' Gang, iActor Team Up

Backstage: "The Actors' Gang, a Los Angeles theatre company co-founded by author Tim Robbins, has teamed up with iActor, the Screen Actors Guild online casting network, in an attempt to revive interest in live theatre and to train actors in the age of reality television."

Tax bill would give actors their big break

Yahoo! News: "The Senate bill raises the income limit under which an actor or other performing artist can get the standard income tax deduction and also write off performance-related expenses such as headshots and transportation to and from auditions as 'adjustments to income,' rather than having to write these expenses off as itemized deductions."

Tony-contending musicals bring new audiences to Broadway

Los Angeles Times: "THERE ARE telltale moments when Lin-Manuel Miranda, the star and creator of 'In the Heights,' knows who's in the audience to see his new musical about Latinos in Upper Manhattan: Whenever he mentions the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico in a rap song, or watches cast members unfurl the Mexican flag, ecstatic cheers ring out."

'Church Basement Ladies', the Musical, to Get Chicago Premiere With "MASH" Star

Yahoo! News: "Curt Wollan will direct the show that was a smash in Minneapolis, where it played for 130 straight weeks. It's based on the best-selling book 'Growing Up Lutheran' by humorists Janet Letnes and Suzann Nelson. The libretto is by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen."

'Legally Blonde' making Elle transition

Variety: "The Broadway tuner version of 'Legally Blonde' has worked out the sked for its reality-TV replacement star, with the as-yet-unannounced actress stepping into the lead role of 'Blonde' two days after MTV airs the finale of casting skein 'Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods.'"

Sondheim's 'Bounce' goes Public

Variety: "The latest teaming of Stephen Sondheim and helmer John Doyle and a new play by John Guare that will star Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def are among the offerings of the 2008-09 season at Off Broadway’s Public Theater."

Stage preview: Canadian actress joins PICT as 'Salome'

Post Gazette: "Seductive ladies, music and sports -- it adds up to pretty fair preparation for her current gig in the title role of 'Salome,' Oscar Wilde's lushly written poetic drama about the notorious Biblical seductress. Now in previews and opening Saturday, it extends Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's mini-festival of Wilde's works."

City gathers 'MOMENTUM'

Post Gazette: "The two shows already on City's schedule for world premieres next season get several days of rehearsal followed by two readings each, two days apart, to allow for rewriting. 'Long Story Short' is a contemporary musical by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda, based on ' An Infinite Ache' by David Schulner, an account of a musical romance from an inauspicious first date through the ups and downs of a long relationship, directed by Brigden. 'Speak American' by Eric Simonson ('Work Song,' 2004) is set in 1904 Pittsburgh, where immigrants learn about a new language and new country and their young teacher learns about the tactics of Big Steel."

Unseam'd fits classic story into its mission

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For director Marci Woodruff, bringing 'Out of This Furnace' to the stage is the fulfillment of a nearly 30-year ambition."

MOMENTUM:08 helps tap into creative sides

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "In 2002, when artistic director Tracy Brigden began City Theatre Company's annual MOMENTUM festival, she envisioned it as a big event that would attract theater people from far and wide."

Longtime director still getting to know 'Salome'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Alan Stanford has had a relationship with 'Salome' for nearly 20 years.
And he's not planning to sever it anytime soon.
'The plan is to keep going until we're around 80,' he says. 'You keep rediscovering things. If you are dealing with great writing and great scripts, they are worth revisiting.'"

Cast, director find 'Travels' a challenging journey

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "To the average theatergoer, Apple Hill Playhouse's 'Travels with My Aunt' is a heart-warming story about eccentric Aunt Augusta (Shirley Ratner) and her grown nephew, Henry Pulling (Scott Ludwick)."

Children's theater takes 'Aladdin' in new direction

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Young audiences who loved Disney's popular animated movie 'Aladdin' will be taking a magic carpet ride in a different direction with the Johnny Appleseed Children's Theater production of the same name."

'Snow White' blends drama, comedy

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The classic children's story about the fair maiden, the seven tiny men and the wicked queen will unfold on a live, outdoor stage in South Park during the next two weeks."

Nail in Skull

Breaking News Videos from CNN.com: A Kansas man survived a nail that was lodged into his skull. Affiliate KCTV reports.

Fonzie and Friends Will Tour in 'Happy Days'; Cast Album Now in Stores

Yahoo! News: "Casting and a complete tour schedule have yet to be announced, although some markets have gone public with dates for the show. Garry Marshall, who created the famous TV series on which the musical is based, penned the libretto. Music and lyrics are by Academy Award winner Paul Williams."

Goodbye, cruel wind

guardian.co.uk Arts: "Gone With the Wind was set to be the biggest show in town. Cast member Ray Shell gives the inside story as to why it flopped so badly"

'STRANGE' TALK IN TONYS

New York Post: "EVERYBODY on Broadway's been complaining about how boring and predictable this year's Tony Awards are going to be.
And yet, if you look closely at your Shubert Alley tea leaves, you can discern the makings of an upset or two."

NEA: Actors on the Rise in U.S.

Backstage: "Actors claiming that the competition is fiercer today than it used to be now have data to bolster their point. In 2005, there were nearly 40,000 people in the United States whose primary job was acting, a 10.6 increase from the previous 10 years, according to a study released Thursday by the National Endowment for the Arts. However, the rate of growth for actors is less than the overall growth rate for artists — about 16 percent, roughly equal to the overall workforce in the United States."

Rocker and rapper up for top Broadway honors

Reuters: "He is called Stew and describes himself as a rocker, not a playwright, so he finds it surreal to be up for four Tony Awards, more than anyone else."

Linda Stone on time management

Boing Boing: "Linda Stone -- who coined the terms 'continuous partial attention' and 'email apnea' -- has a great column up today on HuffPo about time-management, based on her survey of successful, busy (and often powerful) people about their strategies for managing it all. She's boiled down a set of good principles, and is looking for your feedback for further refinements."

Understanding relative coordinate input

Daily Autocad: "‘@’ character is used for relative coordinate input. Putting it at the beginning of an entry, the place you are on is considered as the origin and the desired coordinate relative to this origin is entered. Briefly, ‘@’ character means ‘with respect to’."

What If Copyright Only Applied To Commercial Use?

Techdirt: "Earlier this week, we wrote about the Cato Institute's new series on the Future of Copyright, with a wonderful first post about just how broken copyright has become, written by Rasmus Fleischer. Our own Timothy Lee has now penned the second piece in the series, wondering if a middle ground would be to just focus copyright laws on commercial use, and allow people to make use of copyrighted content for personal use. As he notes, throughout most of history, copyright laws really only did apply to commercial use, in part because personal use wasn't even an issue."

How to Be a Productive Procrastinator

NPR: "Why do today what you can do the day after tomorrow? Procrastination expert Timothy Pychyl and self-professed 'structured procrastinator' John Perry discuss the latest research on this type of behavior and how to prioritize what's really important."

5 Must Have Tools For DIY

Stepcase Lifehack: "Not all lifehacks happen in front of the computer. There are plenty that require a little sweat, and a few tools. You probably already have the absolute basics of tools: a hammer, a screwdriver — maybe even a cordless drill. These are the basic necessities for keeping an apartment in reasonable shape, let alone a house. If you’re serious about voiding a few warranties or upgrading your gadgets on your own, though, there are a few tools you really need in your toolbox."

Front Row - A True Ensemble Performer

NYTimes.com: "Charlie Sutton, an ensemble player in “Cry-Baby,” came to New York from Miami five years ago to dance. “But you can only dance until a certain age,” Mr. Sutton said, pragmatically. He is 24. Practically ancient, he is thinking of ideas for a future career, chiefly in fashion, and is testing the water by using his colleagues as mannequins."

Music Review - Opera and Theater Stars in ‘Show Boat’ at Carnegie Hall

NYTimes.com: "Carnegie Hall is justly renowned for its splendid acoustics. Yet because the sound of Isaac Stern Auditorium, the hall’s principal performance space, is so warm, rich and present, using amplification there has typically been a challenge. Like a prickly diva, Ms. Carnegie recoils when microphones and speakers are set up on her stage."

Comedy pilot filling various crew positions

Craigslist: "One More Time Productions, an independent production group (co-op with Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Point Park University), is currently seeking a variety of individuals to aid in the production of a single camera style comedy pilot."

'Xanadu' team hits 'Big Time'

Variety: "'Xanadu' producer Robert Ahrens will re-team with book writer Douglas Carter Beane and helmer Christopher Ashley for 'Big Time,' a tuner that aims to land on Broadway in spring 2010 following an out-of-town tryout in 2009."

Stage review: 'Out of This Furnace' stokes region's industrial history

Post Gazette: "Immigrants who labored for low wages inside Pittsburgh's hot, dangerous steel mills tasted hardship daily while their might and sweat powered America's Industrial Revolution."

Review: 'Take Me Out' scores

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "That baseball is the most American of sports is an oft-spoken but relatively meaningless cliche.
Richard Greenberg's play 'Take Me Out' makes the idea meaningful even to those of us who know nothing about the sport."

New plays and newcomers salvage Broadway season

Yahoo! News: "The total gross for the season, according to the Broadway League (the industry's trade association), was $937.5 million, about a million dollars shy of the previous year. And attendance slipped slightly, too, to 12.27 million, down from 12.3 million in the preceding season."

NEA to direct funds to developing and producing new plays

Los Angeles Times: "Don't anybody tell Max Bialystock and Nathan Bloom, those scamming producers from 'The Producers,' but the National Endowment for the Arts is kicking in $280,000 for developing and producing new plays during the next 2 1/2 years."

Phony Tony Voting Blights Broadway's Big Night

Bloomberg.com: Muse Arts: "Many of the Tony Awards announced on Sunday evening's CBS telecast of the ceremony will be given out in flagrant violation of Tony rules."

$300K grant to support upgrades, green vision plan at Construction Junction

Pop City: "Construction Junction (CJ), the region’s only nonprofit recycled building material store, is about to get a lot greener. A $300,000 Heinz Endowments grant will allow CJ to issue an RFP for architectural services as part of a multi-phase green vision plan."

Behind the curtain at Disney World's Cirque show

CNET News.com: "If you've seen the Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows Ka, Love or O, you've probably been led to expect that every one of the company's performances is full of wonderful technical achievements.
The truth is that it doesn't take that much technology to make a great Cirque show, as the folks who put together La Nouba, the Cirque's show here, explained to me Tuesday."

3D Modeling: Drawing a 3D Bearing in 15 minutes » Autocad, Autolisp, Autocad Tutorial, Autocad Customization, Software Reviews, Autoca

Daily Autocad: "You’ll comprehend drawing a simple 3D bearing with standard dimensions by using REVOLVE and 3DARRAY commands."

Exhibit Designer Toolbox: The Sticky Subject Of Tape

ExhibiTricks: "Tape is one of those things that you often use, but rarely think about.
For now, I thought I'd highlight some unusual tapes for you to add to your exhibits (and prototyping!) toolkit"

Debunking Parkinson's Law

Study Hacks: "The phenomenal success of Tim Ferriss’s recent book, The Four-Hour Work Week, brought to prominence a distressing trend that has been recently plaguing the self-help community: citing rough summaries of scientific principles as evidence for unrelated how-to advice.
The principle, in particular, that I’m interested in here is Parkinson’s Law. Informally, the law states:
“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
This was the opening sentence of the humorous essay Professor Cyril Northcote Parkinson published in The Economist in 1955. The essay went on to explain the results of a study of the British Civil Service. (Click here for an expanded version of the essay published in Parkinson’s eponymous book on the subject).
Unfortunately, as we’ll see, in modern usage the study itself has been discarded in favor of this one sentence opening — a tendency that obscures its true meaning."

How to Write (in a thousand words or less)

Stepcase Lifehack: "I’ve written about editing, eliminating distractions, getting started – it’s time to get down to basics. Too many people don’t know how to write. Period. Yeah, they can make marks on paper, but when it comes to making a clear, compelling, and meaningful statement, especially one more than 140 characters long, they fail.
So here, in no particular order, are 17 ways to make your marks on paper as good as they can be."

Miller’s X-Factor

Toolmonger: "Miller recently added a new set of digital features to their Elite series of auto-darkening welding helmets. The new masks include settings for welding, cutting, and grinding, as well as an “X-Mode” setting that electromagnetically senses an arc and then automatically switches to a predetermined shade level, with a reaction time of 1/20,000 of a second."

‘Macbeth,’ the Scottish Play, Gets a Polish Makeover

NYTimes.com: "“Three. Two. One. Fire!” With a satisfying boom, flames exploded into the air on the banks of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. Standing a few feet away, Grzegorz Jarzyna, a Polish theater director sporting a slick leather jacket and a soul patch, looked on approvingly."

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! to Play Boston and Baltimore in 2008

Playbill News: "Patrick Page in the Broadway
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, a holiday hit at the St. James Theatre (in 2007) and the Hilton Theatre (in 2006), will hit the road later this year."

National Tour of August: Osage County Launches in Summer 2009

Playbill News: "The dysfunctional family of Tracy Letts' August: Osage County will tour the nation beginning in San Francisco in summer 2009."

Met's cinema shows hit high note

Variety: "The Metropolitan Opera's live high-def theatrical transmissions -- seen worldwide by more than 920,000 people during the 2007-08 season -- are creating new fans and sparking renewed interest among existing opera fans."

OSHA looking into fatal accident

Desoto Times Online: "Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have received a copy of a police report detailing Sunday night’s deadly accident at the DeSoto Civic Center.
Southaven Police Det. Lt. Mark Little said he provided the report after the agency contacted him about the accident."

Stuntman dies in bizarre fire filming John Woo epic

Yahoo! News: "A stuntman filming John Woo's new movie in Beijing was killed in a bizarre fire when a small boat rammed into the set of an ancient warship, state media said on Tuesday.
At least three people were injured in the accident during the shooting of the battle epic 'Chi Bi,' or 'Red Cliff.'"

Students count down to the moment they can fly in 'Peter Pan'

St. Lucie County : TCPalm: "To fly, students will wear a harness that connects them to a cable that is controlled by a stagehand backstage, said Jason Schumacher, a flying director for ZFX Flying Effects of Louisville, Ky., who taught crews how to operate the flying system. Each student who will fly has their own operator, who will be responsible for lifting the actor above the stage and helping the student move around while in the air."

Man dies after scaffold collapses at Civic Center : DeSoto

Memphis Commercial Appeal: "Investigators are checking into a Sunday night accident in which a worker was killed and another injured at DeSoto Civic Center following a professional wrestling event.
The stagehand killed was identified Monday by DeSoto County Coroner Jeffery Pounders as Kevin Sinex, 45, of Windemere, Fla."

Filming of Hannah Montana Resumes After Ferris Wheel Accident

Best Syndication: "Filming has resumed on the new Hannah Montana Movie after a freak storm and wind caused lighting equipment to collide with a Ferris wheel full of people. Large lights are commonly used in movies to add light to the scene. The accident caused injuries to those riding the wheel, but the cast was not on the set when it occurred."

Carnegie Mellon Adelaide campus branded a failure

AdelaideNow: "Griffith University higher education expert Gavin Moodie has branded the state and federal government's four-year-old experiment an 'expensive failure' with the money better spent on improving South Australia's three main public universities."

End of vaudeville spelled doom for Majestic Theatre

Pantagraph.com: "During the height of the vaudeville era, troupes of comedians, musicians, acrobats and actors arrived in Bloomington by train twice weekly, bringing with them carloads of sketch props, scenery, absurdly garish costumes, and trained animals. Vaudeville, it was said, was “big businesses with a bounce.”"

Isolated SAG Actors Guild Blunder On To Possible June 30 Strike

Hollywood Today | Newsmagazine, with Attitude.: "The Screen Actors Guild is becoming the Hillary Clinton of the Hollywood labor movement – asking too much, isolated and alone, and staying at the negotiating table too long. SAG’s brinksmanship already guarantees that there will be a significant disruption in movie production even if there is no strike. And now efforts to undermine the recently negotiated AFTRA contract not only could blow up in SAG’s face, but may also expose the soft under belly of the largest actor’s union and just how big a threat it faces in coming years."

Book Reviews: Heads & Tales: Uncle Bill's Musings on the Theatrical Experience

Live Design: "Bill Sapsis has written a book! Actually, he has been writing it for years. Heads & Tales: Uncle Bill's Musings on the Theatrical Experience is a selection of articles from the many that were published in Sapsis Rigging's newsletter HEADS! starting in 1993. They have been updated and reworked to create the nine chapters of a book that is rambling — but hardly pointless — funny, and enlightening."

Nashville Weighs In On White Space Debate

Live Design: "A number of leading Nashville-based music interests told the Federal Communications Commission today that allowing millions of wireless devices to operate in the same spectrum as wireless microphones without failsafe protections would be a “catastrophe.” United in one voice, the music interests said they are “disturbed” by manufacturers who are anxious to produce new television white space devices and, in the process, are pushing the FCC to “discount—even overlook” the poor performance prototype technology platforms have had in the FCC’s labs."