Off the wall — literally

Berkeley Rep Blog: "Before and after performances of American Idiot at the Roda Theatre, you'll find a crowd of people in the lobby writing on the wall. Not to worry, they're all scribbling on the graffiti wall specifically designed to showcase their thoughts, emotions, and messages. Reading the wall, we found that audiences members had come from as far as New York, Denver, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, Texas, and Washington, D.C., to see the first previews."

Declining Commercial Appeal

Backstage: "The economic downturn has affected just about every sector of the national workforce. Commercial and voiceover actors have not been immune. Though many in the industry—from performers to their union representatives—say it's tough to gauge exactly how many people are having a hard time finding commercial and voiceover gigs these days, all agree that things seem slow and that advertising spending is in flux."

Cast and creators recall the birth of Broadway's 'Avenue Q'

Post Gazette: "What's an unemployed puppet to do?
The question takes on cosmic -- and very real significance -- when 'Avenue Q,' the funny, often raunchy musical tribulations of twentysomethings, closes Sunday on Broadway after a six-year run of more than 2,500 performances."

O'Donnell and cast at the New Olde Bank take on Moll Flanders

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "When he decided to bring Daniel Defoe's mammoth novel 'Moll Flanders' to the stage, Sean O'Donnell left himself no shortage of challenges.
The first of those was: How to take a 500-page book that covered the entirety of Flanders' life, included dozens of characters and was set in multiple countries on two continents and make it work at his New Olde Bank Theatre in Verona."

Army Archerd, Showbiz Chronicler, Dies at 87

Playbill News: "Army Archerd, who chronicled the projects and practitioners of show business for a half a century through his column in Variety, died Sept. 8 in Los Angeles, the trade publication reported. He was 87."

Jordan Roth Succeeds Rocco Landesman as Jujamcyn Theaters President

Playbill News: "Jordan Roth, who joined Jujamcyn Theaters in 2005 as resident producer and became vice president the following year, has succeeded Rocco Landesman as president of that company, which owns and operates five major Broadway houses."

On the London Stage - At the English National Opera, a Season for Theater Directors

NYTimes.com: "Where have all the theater directors gone? These days, it seems, to the English National Opera. As London’s other main destination for opera — the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, remains this city’s grand international pooh-bah — the ENO next week embarks upon a 2009-10 season rife with theater names at the helm, as if to reflect an increasing fluidity between the worlds of theater and opera that is scarcely the province of this venue alone."

Wajahat Ali’s ‘Domestic Crusaders’ Portrays a Pakistani-American Family

NYTimes.com: "For Khulsoom and Salman, hard-working immigrant Muslims from Pakistan, life in the American suburbs in the post- 9/11 era is not working out the way they had planned."

Top 10 Apps for Scheduling a Meeting Online

The Best Article Every day: "Meetings suck. But if there’s one thing worse than meetings, it’s playing email tag to schedule them. Is your company still sending out mass emails to ask for preferred meeting times? It’s the pits, isn’t it? Yes, Outlook has a hack whereby you can solicit responses for scheduling, but it’s not much of an improvement. There’s a better way, and it’s a ridiculously simple concept. A Web app lets you pick a range of dates on a calendar and then notify your colleagues so they can pick the times and dates that work for them. You then view the responses and you’re done."

Open Letter to Rocco Landesman

<100k Project: "First of all, allow me to congratulate you on being confirmed as the new Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Over the past 18 months, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Mr. Bill O’Brien and Ms. Carol Lanoux Lee in the Theatre Program, both of who have been encouraging, helpful, and inspirational."

Doing It Wrong

Roadies in the Midst: "**** Sound Nerd Speak ****
I have had quite a few people ask me 'how did you come up with the sub layouts?' So, I started thinking about the train of thoughts that is passing by here at the moment. My first experimentation into 'subs pointed the wrong way,' was the Sub Cannon stuff I did with Peppers."

Spinning the Times

'kül: "For those of you out there who don't quite understand why one should bother with 'plays' when the 'real world' is out there, Spinning the Times is for you. Each of the five monologue plays is based on a headliner from the New York Times, and each demonstrates the rare gift fiction has to enhance the truth--that is, to be the lie that tells the truth. That's not to say that all five of the female Irish playwrights excelled at Origin Theater Company's challenge--some of the plays make deeper interpretations, or have a more ferocious topic at hand--but make no mistake: there's something in each piece that'll make you spin."

PLASA London 2009

On Stage Lighting: "PLASA, the biggest lighting and sound industry trade show in the UK is less than a week away. On Stage Lighting will be there to bring our readers some insight and interest from amongst the bucketful of LED products and meeja servants, sorry - servers, that will doubtless be there."

New Book: Concert Lighting: Techniques, Art and Business, Third Edition

iSquint | Entertainment Lighting News & Review: "Looking to learn more about how to design and work on lights in a live event venue or concert setup? The latest book from Focal Press can help. In it’s third edition, Concert Lighting: Techniques, Art and Business by James Moody and Paul Dexter take you on tour to get a first hand experience about what it takes to live on the road and work in one of the most demanding work conditions, the live concert world."

Should Cut Lists be Banned?

Popular Woodworking: "It is my opinion that a cut list is one of the most useless additions to woodworking project articles. Yes, these charts, or pages in some cases, do contain beneficial information, but many woodworkers rely solely on the lengths, widths and thicknesses of the cut list when they mill project parts. And they shouldn’t."

Susan Hilferty - September, 2009

American Theatre Wing: "With her Tony-winning costume designs for the hit musical Wicked virtually circling the globe, costume designer Susan Hilferty describes the detailed process by which the show's creative team conceived their own vision of Oz, and the level of work required to execute the show's distinctive costumes."

I feel there's something between us. Oh wait. It's a wall.

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "A lot of customers I talk to are scared to buy tickets at box offices.
I wonder why . . .
Could it be the bullet proof glass and the creepy sounding microphones?"

Tool Pr0n: CNC Laser Tube Cutters

Toolmonger: "Laser cutters and computer-aided machining got together in a shed a while back, and the net result is a neat new technology for cutting profiles in tubing of all dimensions. Among many other uses, high-budget race teams use these machines for cutting their tube frame members."

Give Your Projects a Final Polish With a Standard Checklist

WebWorkerDaily: "Soon after I clicked the “Publish” button on my blog dashboard, I realized I had made a mistake.
I’d read my post through three times before hitting that button, but somehow missed adding a crucial word — the word “don’t”. Inadvertently, I had told my readers that they “have to sacrifice too much to lessen their cost of living,” . Furthermore, two of the hyperlinks I had added were broken.
I am a sloppy self‑editor, mostly because I am forgetful. I realized it was time to create a standard checklist to remind myself of all the steps I have to take before clicking “Publish”."

Ahead of the Class: Money Lessons for College Freshmen

Bargainist: "Many college freshmen think they’re heading off to a university to take classes on psychology and literature, but one of the first lessons they need to tackle is budgeting and saving money. And it’s best if you don’t have to learn these money lessons the hard way. Want to get ahead of the class? Here’s a crash course in personal finance."

Which theatre has the best scenery?

guardian.co.uk: "After 10 years in business, Keswick's Theatre by the Lake finally had its big moment last week, when the Guardian's Comment pages declared that 'no other theatre in Britain sits in such a splendid spot'. Regrettably, I have yet to go there – although I did write an article in the programme for the current production of Blackbird, so the management obviously has very good taste. Any theatre with a view of sheep, mountains, water and trees surely ticks all the right boxes for a beauty spot. Indeed, the theatre's own website claims it is 'one of the most beautifully located theatres you can find in England'. So which of England's – or, for that matter, the rest of the world's – theatres can rival it?"

Jujamcyn Names Jordan Roth President, Signaling a Broadway Youth Trend

NYTimes.com: "Ushering in a new generation of Broadway power brokers, Jordan Roth, a 33-year-old producer, finalized a deal on Tuesday to buy a stake in and to lead Jujamcyn Theaters, one of the theater district’s biggest landlords."

Berg Is New Regional Chief at Equity

Backstage: "Berg, a 17-year staffer with the union, has been Equity's senior business rep since 1999. He replaces Wasser, who has spent 13 years as eastern regional director. Berg will take over responsibilities for the region's operations, collective bargaining and contract negotiation, the union said in a statement."

West Allegheny's expanded arts education is 'long overdue'

Post Gazette: "West Allegheny parents continue to lobby the school board for improvements to the elementary school visual arts and music programs.
Nancy Volk, president of the Arts Advocacy Council booster group, presented more than 200 signatures on a petition Aug. 19, requesting additional staff and longer class periods for art and music as well as courses such as technology, physical education, library and world languages.
'It's time to make this happen,' said Mrs. Volk, of Findlay. 'It is long overdue.'"

ESTA Announces New Projects for Rigging-Related Standards

Stage Directions: "At its July 18 meeting ESTA's Rigging Working Group approved the initiation of two new projects:
* BSR E1.38 - 20xx, Temporary Ground-Supported Structures Used to Support Equipment in the Production of Outdoor Entertainment Events, Excluding Stage Roofs
* BSR E1.39 - 20xx, Entertainment Technology ˆ Recommendations for the Use of Fall Protection on Temporary Suspended and Ground- Supported Structures"

Jeff Awards Releases Nominations for 2009 Equity-Level Awards

Stage Directions: "The Jeff Awards have announced 179 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2008, and July 31, 2009. The 41st Annual Jeff Awards ceremony, honoring excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area, will be held on Monday, October 19, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The Jeff Awards for non-Equity productions was held on June 9."

About Face Theatre Erases Debt

Stage Directions: "Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and the About Face Board of Directors announced the success of their “Face the Future Campaign,” in a statement today. The campaign earned more than $200,000 for the company, erased debt and raised funds for artistic programming and the foundation of a new cash reserve. The success of the campaign has enabled the company to launch the upcoming season, including the all-new Chicago XYZ Festival, a showcase for innovative artists presenting work at all stages of development, sponsored by the Boeing Corporation."

Students turn waste into art

The Tartan Online: "Plastic grocery bags have gotten a bad rap in today’s green-conscious society. But what if your average Giant Eagle grocery carrier could be a building block in the creation of a space? Is it possible for waste to be transformed into an enjoyable environment? These questions are answered in the Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) installation, aptly titled LDPE Loop, created by four Carnegie Mellon fourth-year architecture students: Filip Agren, Max Arocena, Conor Doyle, and Liz Duray."

NFTRW Top Five

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

Even More Research: Technology Is Making Kids Better Writers, Not Worse

Techdirt: "Every few months or so, we read about some freaked out reporter/columnist/pundit/politician complaining about how the internet and texting are destroying kids' ability to write. Yet, pretty much every study on the subject has found the opposite to be true. Study after study after study after study after study have all found that kids today are better writers than in the past."

Posted by David at 9/05/2009 12:58:00 PM

Five Signs Your Resume Is Passe

DivineCaroline: "The workplace is not what it was five years ago. Neither is the job hunt. The most successful candidates are those who are ready and willing to adapt to a changing landscape. But it doesn’t matter how ready you are for the modern workplace if your resume ’s straight out of 1994."

Posted by David at 9/05/2009 12:57:00 PM

Ransom demands must stop.

Backstage at BackstageJobs.com: "Playbill just reported yet another theatre that is having financial difficulty. This time it’s Willows Theatre, in Martinez, California. Unfortunately, they are resorting to a tactic that, while (thankfully) rarely used, is very good at getting attention. In this case, it is claiming that unless they get $350,000 by November 1, they will be forced to close.
Sound familiar? Probably because you’ve already heard it from theatres such as About Face, House Theatre of Chicago, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre (which failed), Magic Theatre, and a few others just in the past 2 years. I’m calling it the Ransom Demand, and frankly, I’m sick of it."

Posted by David at 9/06/2009 12:12:00 PM

Hello, Sweet Prince - Jude Law Brings His Hamlet to Broadway

NYTimes.com: "THERE could be no more apt and atmospheric place to play Hamlet than at Kronborg Castle, built here in the 16th century at the edge of the sound separating Denmark from Sweden. Laurence Olivier did it and so, over the years, did Richard Burton, John Gielgud and Kenneth Branagh."

Posted by David at 9/06/2009 12:10:00 PM

Gone Fishin': 9 to 5 Closes Sept. 6, But Tour Is Planned

Playbill News: "The cast of 9 to 5, the Broadway musical based on the movie comedy about women in an oppressive office workplace, will pack its belongings in a box on Sunday night. The Dolly Parton-Patricia Resnick show closes Sept. 6 at the Marquis Theatre."

Posted by David at 9/06/2009 12:09:00 PM

Extreme steel 'Velcro' takes a 35-tonne load

New Scientist: "For all its usefulness, Velcro hardly inspires excitement. But German engineers have taken inspiration from the mild-mannered fastener to create a version of the hook-and-loop concept with enough steely strength for extreme loads and environments."

Posted by David at 9/05/2009 12:58:00 PM

Ransom demands must stop.

Backstage at BackstageJobs.com: "Playbill just reported yet another theatre that is having financial difficulty. This time it’s Willows Theatre, in Martinez, California. Unfortunately, they are resorting to a tactic that, while (thankfully) rarely used, is very good at getting attention. In this case, it is claiming that unless they get $350,000 by November 1, they will be forced to close.
Sound familiar? Probably because you’ve already heard it from theatres such as About Face, House Theatre of Chicago, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre (which failed), Magic Theatre, and a few others just in the past 2 years. I’m calling it the Ransom Demand, and frankly, I’m sick of it."

Big City - Sharon Wheatley on Juggling Babies and Broadway

NYTimes.com: "Not long after the actress Sharon Wheatley wrote her first parenting column in the Actors’ Equity Association’s newsletter, a reader e-mailed her to say he had heard about a parent support network for actors a few years earlier — but it turned out to be for people who were transitioning out of theater."

Vows - Sarah Kabanuck and David Miller

NYTimes.com: "IN “La Bohème,” the lovers Mimi and Rodolfo are pried apart by disease, poverty, failure of nerve and, ultimately, death. When Sarah Joy Kabanuck and David Miller played the roles on Broadway in 2003, some strange magnetism seemed to be forcing them together."

For Colman Domingo, a Sense of Loss Pervades His Triumphs

NYTimes.com: "IN the last scene of the Spike Lee movie of 'Passing Strange,' which captures a curtain call for the musical, Colman Domingo is crying. This tall, sculptured, vamp-ready actor — who during each performance had played the flamboyant, stoic choir director Franklin Jones, the Germanic radical Joop and the Berlin performance artist Mr. Venus — has tears streaming down his face."

Hello, Sweet Prince - Jude Law Brings His Hamlet to Broadway

NYTimes.com: "THERE could be no more apt and atmospheric place to play Hamlet than at Kronborg Castle, built here in the 16th century at the edge of the sound separating Denmark from Sweden. Laurence Olivier did it and so, over the years, did Richard Burton, John Gielgud and Kenneth Branagh."

Gone Fishin': 9 to 5 Closes Sept. 6, But Tour Is Planned

Playbill News: "The cast of 9 to 5, the Broadway musical based on the movie comedy about women in an oppressive office workplace, will pack its belongings in a box on Sunday night. The Dolly Parton-Patricia Resnick show closes Sept. 6 at the Marquis Theatre."

Edinburgh critic's notebook

Variety: "Such is the power of the Edinburgh Intl. Festival and Fringe that the population of the Scottish capital doubles during August. The city pulses with cultural tourists, and the relationship between actors and audiences is at its most intense. This summer, that relationship emerged as a theme in itself."

Rob Ashford looks to make his mark

Variety: "In London, Rob Ashford is a hot director with two Donmar Warehouse hits to his name.
Which would seem less unusual if he weren’t a West Virginia-raised, Gotham-based Broadway vet and Tony-winning choreographer who works consistently in New York but has yet to make his mark here as a director."

'Little House on the Prairie' New Jersey bound

Variety: "After rumors that the tuner would make a quicker-than-expected leap to Broadway, though, the property went back into development, effectively hibernating for the past year as producers and creatives ironed out kinks. Now the show is set to begin performances at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse on Sept. 10 -- the first five-week leg of a national tour that may bypass the Rialto altogether."

Look out licensing houses, here comes Seth!

PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "One of the most popular business bloggers in the world took a swing at the theatrical licensing agents yesterday, with this blog about a non-pro production of Grease that cost the theater company $3k in royalties to put on."

When it's time

Berkeley Rep Blog: "Last night was the invited dress for American Idiot, or, as director Michael Mayer put it, 'the first tech rehearsal we'll make it through without stopping. We hope.' As implied, 'invited dress' was a dress rehearsal (all sets, lights, costumes, sound, in place) — with a very special extra factor: an audience."

Looking for Free Stock Photos? Try Everystockphoto

WebWorkerDaily: "Text is much more compelling if you illustrate it with a photo. If you don’t have the time, or the skill, to take your own pictures, there are several free stock image libraries available; many WebWorkerDaily posts are illustrated with images from stock.xchng, for example. However, sometimes it’s hard to find exactly the right type of image, and jumping from one online stock library to another can take time. That’s where free meta-search engine Everystockphoto can help."

Closed Circuits

99seats: "So, as I mentioned here, I've been stewing on some thoughts, partly stirred by Ian Thal's comments to this post that came along at just the right time. Ian wrote:
There's a real need for arts conservatories to train students in technique and history of various forms, and this certainly has great values when it comes to painters, illustrators, filmmakers, dancers, actors, and techies-- artists who need practical training.
I found this funny because I'd just been talking to a friend about my undergraduate college."

Even More Research: Technology Is Making Kids Better Writers, Not Worse

Techdirt: "Every few months or so, we read about some freaked out reporter/columnist/pundit/politician complaining about how the internet and texting are destroying kids' ability to write. Yet, pretty much every study on the subject has found the opposite to be true. Study after study after study after study after study have all found that kids today are better writers than in the past."

Extreme steel 'Velcro' takes a 35-tonne load

New Scientist: "For all its usefulness, Velcro hardly inspires excitement. But German engineers have taken inspiration from the mild-mannered fastener to create a version of the hook-and-loop concept with enough steely strength for extreme loads and environments."

Five Signs Your Resume Is Passe

DivineCaroline: "The workplace is not what it was five years ago. Neither is the job hunt. The most successful candidates are those who are ready and willing to adapt to a changing landscape. But it doesn’t matter how ready you are for the modern workplace if your resume ’s straight out of 1994."

Help this Zombie Pilot "Fly"

Craigslist: "I'm doing a pilot for a series about various groups of survivors enduring a zombie infestation."

Looking for special effects artist

Craigslist: "We are an established Independent film company in the Pittsburgh area. We are looking to expand and would like to do films with better special effects work"

SHOW REVIEW: 'Ka'

ReviewJournal.com: "See 'Ka' again to remind yourself of the promise Las Vegas entertainment held in 2005.
The sky's-the-limit mentality wasn't confined to high-rise condos and CityCenter. It also was clear that with Cirque du Soleil's checkbook pointing the way, the Strip's ability to custom-build a title was going to lead to some amazing places."

Green Day musical extends run

Variety: "Extension for the show, which kicks off its world preem run today, has been prompted by record box office and 'unprecedented demand for seats,' per the Bay Area theater."

The Big List

Theater For The Future: "Theoretically, the big list would allow for the tracking of deep patron data – such as city-wide theatergoing habits of individual patrons. This would be a massive first step for small storefront theaters who are trying to gather real, actionable marketing data."

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"

‘Phantom’ Still King of Romance, Chills

Bloomberg.com: "After 8,984 performances and with no end in sight, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1988 hit “The Phantom of the Opera” survives into a ripe age that makes it deservedly Broadway’s longest-running musical as well as an international favorite."

How Cirque du Soleil's hippy circus took over the world

guardian.co.uk: "In 1984, a group of 20 street performers put together a circus show in the small town of Baie-Saint-Paul in Quebec, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of explorer Jacques Cartier's claiming of Canada for France. Few could have guessed that this ragtag bunch of French-Canadian hippies, calling themselves the Cirque du Soleil ('circus of the sun'), would soon set off on a journey of world domination."

Willows Theatre Company asks fans for help

sfgate: "The Willows Theatre Company, which began entertaining Contra Costa County audiences 34 years ago with well-known musicals and popular comedies, will close at least one of its two theaters if it can't raise $350,000 in the next two months, officials say."

Student Debt Grows Dramatically

WSJ.com: "Students are borrowing dramatically more to pay for college, accelerating a trend that has wide-ranging implications for a generation of young people.
New numbers from the U.S. Education Department show that federal student-loan disbursements—the total amount borrowed by students and received by schools—in the 2008-09 academic year grew about 25% over the previous year, to $75.1 billion. The amount of money students borrow has long been on the rise. But last year far surpassed past increases, which ranged from as low as 1.7% in the 1998-99 school year to almost 17% in 1994-95, according to figures used in President Barack Obama's proposed 2010 budget."

Lady, Be Good: Fabrique Is Ella in Pittsburgh, Starting Oct. 1

Playbill News: "Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of Ella, the regionally hot bio-musical about jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, will feature Tina Fabrique, who has played it to acclaim around the country. Co-creator Rob Ruggiero again directs."

Casting Announced for World Premiere of South Coast Rep's The Happy Ones

Playbill News: "Raphael Sbarge, Geoffrey Lower, Nike Doukas and Greg Watanabe will star in South Coast Repertory's world premiere of Julie Marie Myatt's The Happy Ones, the story of an Orange County, CA, man who must rediscover his optimism in the wake of tragedy."

In Zayd Dohrn’s Plays, Glimmers of a Fugitive Childhood

NYTimes.com: "When Zayd Dohrn began writing 'Sick,' a play about a Manhattan family going to extremes to shield themselves from pollution, he tapped into anxieties around him: he was living in Beijing at the time, during the height of the SARS epidemic, and he had moved there from New York, where environmental fallout from the Sept. 11 attacks was widely feared."

Decoding Emerging College Majors

CollegeSurfing Insider: "I love reading articles about college major trends because that’s a good way to gauge which career fields are up-and-coming and eager to hire. Lucky for us, writers at The Chronicle of Higher Education did some legwork in yesterday’s story, “5 College Majors on the Rise.”"

"But... I'm Too Shy To Network!"

Jezebel: "In 2008, I started attending conferences with Carmen, had a pocketful of business cards that I only distributed a few of, and felt really uncomfortable and nervous in crowds. This year, she asked me for tips on networking. What changed?"

Stuart Carden appointed Writers’ Theatre Associate AD

Chicago Theater Blog: "Writers’ Theatre has appointed Stuart Carden associate artistic director.
“I’m so excited to be in collaboration with Stuart,” said Michael Halberstam, executive director the Writers’. “He has a rich background in literary development, a keen and ambitious scope of work as a director and a passion for the administrative challenges that come with supporting artistic direction. In a very short time I believe we will see Stuart’s strength of perspective and influence find its way onto the stages of Writers’ Theatre.”"

The Cole Drill

Toolmonger: "The Cole Drill is a type of ratchet drill that consists of a post assembly clamped to the workpiece (such as an I-beam or large tube) and a drill assembly attached to the post that feeds downwards by a screw and turns with a concentric ratchet. The assembly allows great drilling pressure at low speed so that large diameter holes can be drilled in steel entirely by hand."

The Provenance of Beauty: A South Bronx Travelogue

WNYC Culture: "The Provenance of Beauty: A South Bronx Travelogue is sightseeing tour-cum-performance piece that captures a neighborhood in flux. The project’s stage is literally the South Bronx streets; its seats, a moving bus. An audio guide is pumped through headphones, and features a narrator (who performs live at the front of the bus) and two prerecorded characters. Words are synced to the landscape passing by. It’s produced by Foundry Theatre, and poet Claudia Rankine wrote the text, which highlights neighborhood fixtures and landmarks."

Brow Beat : Blackface, Reconsidered

Slate.com: "I wrote a piece in yesterday's New York Times about Sophie Tucker, whose earliest recordings, some almost a century old, have been released for the first time in decades on a new CD. I describe Tucker's rise from the burlesque and variety stage circuit to vaudeville stardom and note her origins as a 'coon shouter'—a performer of blackface songs."

BONO A 'SPIDER-MAN' SUPERHERO

New York Post: "WHEN last we checked in on David Garfinkle, the hapless pro ducer of 'Spider- Man, Turn Off the Dark,' currently shaping up to be the most expensive train wreck in Broadway history, he was looking very much like David Hedison in 'The Fly.'
'Help me! Help me!' he squeaked as he struggled to break free of my web -- and get his $45 million musical back on track."

Rock legends headed to Broadway

Variety: "Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins are coming to Broadway, with the tuner 'Million Dollar Quartet' headed to Gotham for a planned spring run.
'Million Dollar' has been playing to strong response in Chicago since it opened there in October."

Dance Alloy's summer program keeps local kids in step

Post Gazette: "The music bounces off the walls at the Dance Alloy studios from the moment you open the front door.
As you stand in the entrance hallway, the rhythmic drumbeats of the 'Slumdog Millionaire' soundtrack act like a lure into the main studio. Inside the room, jazz instructor Michelle van Doeren urges 30 young dancers to tap their inner Indian spirit to the throbbing strains of 'Jai ho!'"

Attack Theatre strategizes season from new home

Post Gazette: "Dancers are always searching for new moves, but Attack Theatre has taken that search to a whole new level for next season.
The 'newness' begins with its home. When the company's lease expired at its studio on Penn Avenue in Garfield, founders Michele de la Reza and Peter Kope started looking for a fresh base of operations."

Review: Blue Mango has promising debut with 'Moonshine and SkyToffee'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "A new theater company, Blue Mango, had a promising debut last Friday at the New Hazlett Theater, North Side.
Committed to non-traditional and color-blind casting, the company performed 'Moonshine and SkyToffee,' a stage adaptation of two short stories by Indian writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer."

Apple Hill Playhouse classic 'The Rainmaker' still has lessons to teach

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "It won't take long for audiences of 'The Rainmaker' to realize that the romantic comedy is set in another place -- and another time.
The story by Richard Nash focuses on a Western family whose father and two brothers are trying to save their daughter and sister, respectively, from the sad and lonely life of a spinster.
The funny thing about the situation is that the woman in question, Lizzy, is only 27 years old."

Theater project 'Yinzerspielen'merges two schools of acting

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "On Wednesday, a two-year, cross-cultural collaboration between German and American theater students comes to fruition with the opening of 'Yinzerspielen' in Oakland.
'Yinzerspielen' combines the Pittsburghese term for 'you guys' with the German word 'spielen,' which means 'to play,' including in the sense of 'to play on the stage' as an actor."

Collaboraction in Chicago Lures Wary Theatergoers With Money-Back Guarantee

NYTimes.com: "Are customers always right — even if they want their money back after seeing a play? That’s the question that’s stirring chatter in Chicago, where a production recently offered to refund the full cost of a ticket to any unsatisfied patron."

‘Angels in America’ to Be Revived at Signature Next Year

NYTimes.com: "As part of its 2010-11 season dedicated to the work of Tony Kushner, Signature Theater Company will mount the first New York revival of his Pulitzer- and Tony-winning “Angels in America” since it closed on Broadway in 1994, Signature’s artistic director, James Houghton, said on Tuesday."

Field Research

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Blog: "One of the things I love about my job is that it continually provides me with opportunities to learn about worlds I never would have seen otherwise. Yesterday morning was a perfect example: I accompanied a group of artists from Fake (director/playwright Eric Simonson, actor Al Wilder, and dramaturg Rebecca Rugg) to the Field Museum, where John McCarter, the museum president, took us on a two hour behind-the-scenes tour as research for the play. Al plays two different museum directors in Fake, so he had a number of questions for Mr. McCarter about his day-to-day responsibilities and the joys and stresses of the job."

The Rule of One: A Simple Technique to Create a Relaxed Student Life

Study Hacks: "Last week, I received an e-mail from a student who I’ve advised in the past. His new semester was about to start and he was worried about his schedule.
“I think I’m overcommitting myself,” he told me. “I considered dropping some activities, but it’s hard because I want to do them all.”"

Cool scene from dance show: Shadowland

Boing Boing: "Amazing dance scene from Pilobolus's SHADOWLAND: the 'Transformation' excerpt."

Spalding Gray: Tell Stories, Listen — Make Art

100k Project: "If we are in need of testimony as to the importance of participation in the arts, Gray’s words provide it. What he refers to as being “media-ized” is actually the process that turns art into a commodity and the public into passive consumers who buy their creativity instead of doing it themselves."

“Addams Family” announces creative team

Chicago Theater Blog: "The creative team for the Broadway production of The Addams Family, to be directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, will include two-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (lighting), Acme Sound Partners (sound), Obie Award-winner Basil Twist (puppetry), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (music direction), Larry Hochman (orchestrations), Greg Meeh (special effects), and Rick Sordelet (fight direction)."

Saltimbanco Falters?

Fascination! Newsletter: "We’ve often wondered how well an arena show does during its brief stops and now the Columbus Dispatch, a news source in the Columbus, Ohio area where Saltimbanco stopped recently, sheds a little light on that subject - unfortunately it’s not a bright one."

Bad boys take center stage in LaBute short plays

Reuters: "Here's an interesting pairing of short plays by Neil LaBute: 'The New Testament' is a world-premiere showbiz satire, directed by Bjorn Johnson. The hard-hitting marital drama 'Helter Skelter,' directed by LaBute, debuted last year in London."

'Spider-Man' musical swings back

Variety: "Marvel Comics characters never stay dead -- and neither will tuner 'Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark.'
Word among legiters has it that production on the troubled musical will start up again Wednesday with a call to resume work on the show, which has been halted since early August due to what producers call a cash-flow problem.
The industry had recently been hearing that 'Spider-Man' could possibly pick up sometime this week or next, although no official confirmation has been issued by producers or the show's reps."

Battleground New York

Backstage: "With ballots for the Screen Actors Guild elections due to be returned and counted in three weeks, the competing factions are in full campaign mode. And the frontline in the battle for the union's national board of directors appears to have been drawn in an unlikely spot: New York."

Rising Star Nominations Open October 1

USITT Sightlines: "Nominations for USITT’s 2010 Rising Star Award, sponsored and created by LDI/Live Design, can be made through the USITT website starting October 1."

Preserving Our Past

USITT Sightlines: "For the celebration in Kansas City, Missouri of USITT@50, one particular session should not be missed. Preserving Our Past: Documenting, Digitizing and Restoring Our Theatre Heritage celebrates the efforts to preserve the collection of Masonic sketches produced by the Great Western Stage Equipment Company of Kansas City (1925-1960s). This local scenic factory, like the legion of studios located across the country, equipped vaudeville and legit theatres as well as Masonic Temples providing richly detailed painted and illusionary backdrops until 1929."

Philips and Lighting Science Group Settle All Litigation

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: "Lighting Science Group Corporation and Royal Philips Electronics have settled all of their commercial and intellectual property disputes by way of a comprehensive agreement that revives their former commercial alliance."

State budget impasse chases Shyamalan film to Canada

printthis.clickability.com:It wasn't the Devil that made M. Night Shyamalan do it. It was the Harrisburg budget impasse.

With uncertainty about whether Pennsylvania's film tax credit will be authorized in the state budget - now in Day 56 of limbo - the supernatural thriller (which Shyamalan wrote and is producing) has relocated production to Toronto.

Union that works DeVos Performance Hall volunteers for wage freeze when working for four local arts groups

MLive.com: "Stagehands working in DeVos Performance Hall offered to take wage freezes for the next two years when working with the four locally based arts organizations that are the primary users of DeVos Performance Hall."

Backstage: Peoria has a chance to make a difference - Peoria, IL

pjstar.com: "It's a once-in-a-decade, planets-in-alignment opportunity, if Peoria's cultural leaders want it: A chance to make a thoughtful case about why the health of small arts communities in places like Peoria should matter to a national arts leader concerned with the nation as a whole."

A.R.T. Props Looking for Clutter

Stage Directions: "In preparation for their production with British theatre company Punchdrunk (making its U.S. premiere), the American Repertory Theatre is putting out a Greater Boston-wide appeal for thousands of items to be part of their upcoming production of Sleep No More."

Writers’ Theatre Welcomes Stuart Carden as Associate Artistic Director

Stage Directions: "“I’m so excited to be in collaboration with Stuart,” said Michael Halberstam, executive director the Writers’. “He has a rich background in literary development, a keen and ambitious scope of work as a director and a passion for the administrative challenges that come with supporting artistic direction. In a very short time I believe we will see Stuart’s strength of perspective and influence find its way onto the stages of Writers’ Theatre.”"

Joyce Theatre Stagehands Ask Local One IATSE to Represent Them

Stage Directions: "Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has requested voluntary recognition from the Joyce Theatre Foundation as the collective bargaining representative of the stagehands employed at the Joyce Theatre. A vast majority of the stagehands employed by the Joyce recently signed authorization cards selecting Local One to bargain collectively on its behalf."

Center Theatre Group Reveals More of Non-Text-Based Initiative

Stage Directions: "When Center Theatre Group announced they were receiving $1 million to develop works that were non-text-based, the relief at the good news of yet another large grant going to new play development (following the Arena Stage’s announcement of their $1 million grant the week before) was quickly followed by consternation surrounding that “non-text-based” quote. Would CTG turn into simply a presenting house? Where is the space for the writer? Or designers? I started my conversation with Diane Rodriguez, director of new play development at CTG asking her about the 'non-text-based' language, and why they went in this direction."

Critics aren't obligated to support theater we don't like.

Storefront Rebellion: "I'm reading with some fascination the comment debate on Chris Jones's review of Route 66's High Fidelity, which opened Monday night. I was there, but I'm not reviewing the show for TOC, so I'll leave my own opinions of the show aside until John Beer's review hits on Monday. But the bedrock of the comment by 'allison' that kicked off the conversation, and some of the comments that follow, deal in what I consider to be fallacies about a critic's job description; they also address some of what I talked about in my post here earlier this week. Not that he needs it from me, but I feel compelled to defend Chris a bit."

ESTA Announces that Revised RDM Standard is Available for Review

PLSN: "BSR E1.20 - 200x, a revision of the existing ANSI E1.20 - 2006, Entertainment Technology — Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512, is available for public review on the ESTA Web site through Oct. 19, 2009."

Just the MPTF Facts, Ma'am

The Wrap: "Last week, we received word that the Teamsters have joined SAG in standing up against the closure of the Motion Picture and Television Fund Long Term Care facility. Our momentum in ramping up the heat is moving faster than the spinning dial on my bathroom scale."

Sentences No One Wants To Hear In Production

Live Design: "There are many sentences in our industry that no one wants to hear. “Someone’s been hurt,” for example, sends a chill down my spine. “The client is unhappy,” though much less serious, also summons a bad feeling in the stomach. One sentence, “We’ll figure it out on site,” is often tossed around and seems innocuous. However, every time I hear it, my trepidation grows, and I consider raising my fees."

MOMA Exhibit On Drawing For Performance

Live Design: "The exhibit, which opened March 11 and runs to September 7, highlights set and costume studies, as well as more abstract suggestions of light and mood, spanning a century of visual experimentation on the stage"

LDI2009 Registration Is Live

LDI2009 Registration Is Live: "Registration is now live for LDI2009, and a wide variety of professional training and events"

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

Here are the top five comment generating posts from the past week...

Used to Be a Major Motion Picture - ‘Catch Me if You Can’ Onstage

NYTimes.com: "AS opening night approached early this month for the new musical “Catch Me if You Can,” about a con man on the run from the F.B.I., the director Jack O’Brien and his creative team were making changes to the production here almost hourly. Dialogue was added; dialogue was dropped. The pacing of some scenes was stepped up. Actors’ hand gestures and body language were tweaked. And one entire section — “mostly nuts-and-bolts exposition” — was excised entirely."

Posted by David at 8/30/2009 03:38:00 PM

Mona Lisa comes to life in high-tech art exhibit

Reuters: "For centuries, Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' and her enigmatic smile have inspired as much speculation as admiration. Now she's ready to answer questions -- in Mandarin."

Posted by David at 8/29/2009 04:46:00 PM

Ten Great Ways to Crush Creativity

Stepcase Lifehack: "Leaders have more power than they realize. They can patiently create a climate of creativity or they can crush it in a series of subtle comments and gestures. Their actions send powerful signals. Their responses to suggestions and ideas are deciphered by staff as encouragement or rejection. If you want to crush creativity in your organization and eliminate all the unnecessary bother of innovation then here are ten steps that are guaranteed to succeed."

Posted by David at 8/29/2009 04:45:00 PM

Sail Away: Disney's Little Mermaid Ends Broadway Run Aug. 30

Playbill News: "Disney's lavish Broadway musical, The Little Mermaid, plays its final performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Aug. 30 at 3 PM. When it closes, the musical will have played a total of 50 previews and 685 performances."

Posted by David at 8/30/2009 03:40:00 PM

Checklists for Parents of College Students

NYTimes.com: "Among the emails responding to my post about sending your son to college were two lists.
The first is from Houston Dougharty, vice-president for Student Affairs at Grinnell College, who has spent much of his 24-year career advising parents on how to prepare their children (and themselves) for this new chapter.
There are five things you must talk about before your kids leave (or shortly thereafter, if you read this and feel the need to play catch up…) he writes"

Posted by David at 8/29/2009 04:31:00 PM

How to e-mail a professor

Orange Crate Art: "I've read enough e-mails to know that many college students could benefit from some guidelines for writing an e-mail to a professor. Here they are"

Posted by David at 8/29/2009 04:30:00 PM

Swine flu hits CMU, PSU

Post Gazette: "Eight new cases of swine flu were confirmed at Carnegie Mellon University yesterday, bringing the total to 26 students with H1N1 influenza, and the number is expected to climb.
Penn State University also confirmed several cases, while other local universities reported no problems to date."

Posted by David at 8/27/2009 12:38:00 PM

Conservatory Hour

Monday, August 31, 2009

Conservatory Hour:

“Intents and Insights” for THE GRAPES OF WRATH

The director and production team will present their vision of this upcoming production.

In the Checco Studio A 4:30-5:30