Post Gazette: "The White House is occupied by a youthful couple and their two preteen children, pockets of the world are at war, and 'Camelot' will be onstage, expressing the ideals of powerful nations struggling with the concept of might vs. right.
That's 'right' as in 'the right thing to do,' a sign of the changing times since the Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe musical 'Camelot' debuted in 1960 and was turned into a lavish 1967 film.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Attack Theatre not 'Trapped' in the past
Post Gazette: "Anniversaries can be for reminiscing or for looking ahead to what's next.
Attack Theatre's upcoming production at the New Hazlett Theater on the North Side is a mix of both. As part of the modern dance company's 15th season, it will restage starting Friday three works from its repertoire and premiere a new piece in 'Attack Theatre Presents Show #58.'
Attack Theatre's upcoming production at the New Hazlett Theater on the North Side is a mix of both. As part of the modern dance company's 15th season, it will restage starting Friday three works from its repertoire and premiere a new piece in 'Attack Theatre Presents Show #58.'
Attack Theatre's new show honors the magic of everyday moments
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Artists are so creative, not to say tangential, these days in coming up with titles for their work that sometimes it seems no one thinks of the literal meaning.
Attack Theatre's co-director, Michele de la Reza, says she's been asked so often what the title of their next production, 'Show #58,' means that she set up a Facebook competition for the best answer.
Attack Theatre's co-director, Michele de la Reza, says she's been asked so often what the title of their next production, 'Show #58,' means that she set up a Facebook competition for the best answer.
Stage Right cast feels magic of 'Disney's Sleeping Beauty Kids'
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The forces of good versus evil come alive Disney-style in Stage Right Student Theatre Company's production of 'Disney's Sleeping Beauty Kids.'
Cast member Carolyn Cole, of Jeannette, a junior at Greensburg Central Catholic High School, says she and her fellow actors are 'feeling the magic' of performing the stage adaptation of the classic fairytale -- even though there are challenges in taking on one of the major roles.
Cast member Carolyn Cole, of Jeannette, a junior at Greensburg Central Catholic High School, says she and her fellow actors are 'feeling the magic' of performing the stage adaptation of the classic fairytale -- even though there are challenges in taking on one of the major roles.
Stephen Petronio Company celebrates 25 years
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Anniversaries serve many useful purposes. For creative artists they naturally suggest a retrospective show.
Of course, for audiences the value of retrospectives depends on the quality of the work. Stephen Petronio had a lot of dance to select from in creating a 25th anniversary show for his dance company. He has 'long been one of the brainiest and hippest of New York's modern-dance choreographers' according to the New York Times.
Of course, for audiences the value of retrospectives depends on the quality of the work. Stephen Petronio had a lot of dance to select from in creating a 25th anniversary show for his dance company. He has 'long been one of the brainiest and hippest of New York's modern-dance choreographers' according to the New York Times.
Costume Designers Guild Award Nominees Announced
The Hollywood Reporter: "The Costume Designers Guild Award nominees were announced Thursday.
The ceremony will be held Feb. 22 at the Beverly Hilton, hosted by Sex and the City's Kristin Davis.
The ceremony will be held Feb. 22 at the Beverly Hilton, hosted by Sex and the City's Kristin Davis.
Broadway's 'Spider-Man' Gets New Flying Finale
The Hollywood Reporter: "The new finale now includes a flying scene where the superhero propels triumphantly around the theater, according to the New York Times. The Hollywood Reporter previously wrote that previews in the play were closed to the press the week of Dec. 13 so that the ending could be retooled.
To the Waterbury Board of Education
American Theatre Wing: "To the members of the Waterbury Board of Education:
Stephen Sondheim, a singular voice in the American theatre, famously wrote the lyric, “Art isn’t easy.” I am reminded of this as I read of the current debate within the Waterbury school system over the Arts Magnet School’s proposed production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson, another singular voice in theatre.
Stephen Sondheim, a singular voice in the American theatre, famously wrote the lyric, “Art isn’t easy.” I am reminded of this as I read of the current debate within the Waterbury school system over the Arts Magnet School’s proposed production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson, another singular voice in theatre.
45% Of Students Don't Learn Much In College
huffingtonpost: "A new study provides disturbing answers to questions about how much students actually learn in college – for many, not much – and has inflamed a debate about the value of an American higher education.
The research of more than 2,300 undergraduates found 45 percent of students show no significant improvement in the key measures of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years.
The research of more than 2,300 undergraduates found 45 percent of students show no significant improvement in the key measures of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years.
Downstage Center - George C. Wolfe - January, 2011
American Theatre Wing: "Playwright/director Geroge C. Wolfe discusses the seven year development of John Guare's A Free Man of Color, from approaching Guare with the idea of merging Restoration comedies and life in New Orleans leading up to the Louisiana Purchase, to receiving a script that would have run some five hours, to the just-finished production at Lincoln Center Theater. He also recalls his earliest directing urges as a child in Frankfort KY; provides the details of the first play he ever wrote, Up for Grabs, while a student at Pomona College; recounts the 'horror' of his first professional productions, his musical Paradise! in both Cincinnati and New York; describes the sudden success of The Colored Museum and the subsequent development of Spunk, the latter being the first time he directed his own work; explains who he sees as his collaborators when he's both writing and directing; recounts his combative but ultimately fruitful work with Gregory Hines on Jelly's Last Jam; lays out the whirlwind of work that surrounded the Broadway production of Angels in America and his concurrent hiring as artistic director of New York's The Public Theater; acknowledges that his role as The Public's producer forced the artist in him to take a back seat; considers his ongoing artistic relationship with actor Jeffrey Wright; reveals the conceptual work that animated the household objects that were so integral to the story of Caroline, or Change; and answers the question of whether he will ever write another play.
Costume Design: Visually Supporting the Story and Characters
Below the Line: "“The actors are in the foreground, so the costumes are in the foreground,” comments costume designer, Jeffrey Kurland, Oscar-nominated for Bullets Over Broadway. Yet whereas a period or fantasy costume might pop off the screen due to the nature of the clothing and the spectacle of the films, the average viewer may not even notice contemporary costumes because they are so integrated into the experience of a film as a whole. If that is the case, how does one not only vote for costume design, but first recognize costume design that is award winning?
WTF Receives the 2011 Commonwealth Award for Achievement
Williamstown Theatre Festival Blog: "Given every two years by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Commonwealth Awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary contributions that arts and culture make to education, economic vitality, and quality of life in communities across the state. The Awards ceremony is also a chance for the Massachusetts nonprofit cultural sector to come together, assert its value, and make the case for public investment in its work.
Awards launched to recognise stars of the London fringe
The Stage: "A new set of theatre awards aimed specifically at off-West End and London fringe venues is to launch next month - with a ceremony hosted by Simon Callow.
The Off West End Theatre Awards, or the ‘Offies’, has been launched by offwestend.com - a website focussing on independent theatres in London. The inaugural awards ceremony will be held at Wilton’s Music Hall on Sunday February 27. Around 300 invited guests will attend, including many stage stars who began their careers working in fringe theatre such as Simon Russell Beale, Janet Suzman and Michael Pennington.
The Off West End Theatre Awards, or the ‘Offies’, has been launched by offwestend.com - a website focussing on independent theatres in London. The inaugural awards ceremony will be held at Wilton’s Music Hall on Sunday February 27. Around 300 invited guests will attend, including many stage stars who began their careers working in fringe theatre such as Simon Russell Beale, Janet Suzman and Michael Pennington.
'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' previews should be reviewed
latimes.com: "Even though 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' has delayed its official opening for the fifth time, the L.A. Times' Charles McNulty says critics should weigh in on previews of the expensive musical so that audiences will know what they're paying for: a problem-plagued work in progress.
The Midnight Ride Effect
Scientific American: "With the country on the verge of civil war in 1860, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a patriotic poem about Paul Revere, a little-known Massachusetts silversmith and minor hero of the Revolutionary War. “Paul Revere’s Ride” played fast and loose with the facts of the now famous 1775 events, but the narrative had the psychological effect the author intended. It got Americans wondering how history might have turned out differently without that heroic act—and how the country might never have come to exist. By focusing on the nation’s precarious origins, the poem bolstered nationalism at a time when it was sorely needed.
'Spider-Man' Divides N.Y. Critics
Backstage: "It is the most expensive show in the history of Broadway and it has not even officially opened. Despite packed previews and big box-office success, the producers of 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' have delayed the show's opening date for a fifth time, pushing from Feb. 7 to March 15. Lead Producer Michael Cohl attributed the postponement to the show's complex stunts and effects, saying it 'is 10 times more complicated to tech than anything else,' and assuring theatergoers that 'this will be the final postponement.'
Globe to build Jacobean theater
Variety: "Shakespeare's Globe theater has announced the go-ahead to complete the planned building of an indoor, 320-seat Jacobean theater adjacent to its 1,500 seat open-air home.
Fundraising will begin in February to recreate an English renaissance indoor theater. Major construction work is skedded to begin in November 2012, with a projected opening season from November 2013.
Fundraising will begin in February to recreate an English renaissance indoor theater. Major construction work is skedded to begin in November 2012, with a projected opening season from November 2013.
Director Michael Langham brought stability to the Guthrie
StarTribune.com: "Michael Langham, credited for reviving a flagging Guthrie Theater in 1971, died at age 91 Saturday as a result of pneumonia. Langham was artistic director at the theater from 1971 to 1977, directing signature productions of 'Love's Labor's Lost,' 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' 'The Taming of the Shrew' and 'Oedipus, the King.' For all his noteworthy skill as a director, he is remembered for stabilizing a company that was foundering eight years after its birth in 1963.
Brothers Size playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney is busier than ever as City Theatre stages his Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet.
Pittsburgh City Paper: "Though he's getting better known for a trilogy of plays set in a fictional Louisiana bayou town, Tarell Alvin McCraney feels ever further from having a home of his own. That's one price you pay when you're among the English-speaking world's hottest playwrights.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Video: “Magic, Memories, and You!” show premieres projected onto Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic KIngdom
Inside the Magic: "Tonight at a special media-only event, Disney premiered their new “Magic, Memories, and You!” show on Cinderella Castle. That’s right, it takes place ON the castle. That is, the entire show is projected onto the castle’s surface.
Depression On The Rise In College Students
NPR: "Researchers say severe mental illness is more common among college students than it was a decade ago, with most young people seeking treatment for depression and anxiety. A study presented at the American Psychological Association found that the number of students on psychiatric medicines increased more than 10 percentage points over the last 10 years.
Report: First two years of college show small gains
USATODAY.com: "Nearly half of the nation's undergraduates show almost no gains in learning in their first two years of college, in large part because colleges don't make academics a priority, a new report shows.
ABTT Theatre Show 2011 for June 15-16
Lighting&Sound America Online - News: "Building on the success of previous years, the 33rd ABTT Theatre Show., scheduled for June 15-16, promises to deliver a packed showcase, while celebrating The Association of British Theatre Technicians 50th anniversary.
Lightwave Lasers Brighten Arizona Mountain During Fiesta Bowl
PLSN: "Nike rallied to the support of the University of Oregon's football team, the Ducks, commissioning Lightwave International's laser projections from the 2011 Fiesta Bowl stadium grounds to the face of a mountain about two miles away.
The rocky face of Camelback Mountain served as a projection canvas for a laser light show, with images hundreds of feet wide including the Nike Swoosh, the phrase, 'Just Do It,' and the 'O' logo for the Ducks.
The rocky face of Camelback Mountain served as a projection canvas for a laser light show, with images hundreds of feet wide including the Nike Swoosh, the phrase, 'Just Do It,' and the 'O' logo for the Ducks.
MASS. MARKET: Despite Oscar buzz, local film industry needs a rebound
The Patriot Ledger: "When Hollywood gathers for its annual Academy Awards ritual in Los Angeles next month, it’s a safe bet that Massachusetts flicks will be in the spotlight.
You’ve got “The Social Network,” which is practically a lock for a Best Picture nomination. Other locally-set films, such as “The Fighter” and “The Town,” will likely earn a few nods as well.
But back in the Bay State, the film industry might not be breaking out the champagne just yet. Sure, the latest crop of Massachusetts movies is a great reflection of our state’s talented crew base, diverse scenery and generous tax credits. But these films are being celebrated after the number of movies that were shot here declined for two straight years.
You’ve got “The Social Network,” which is practically a lock for a Best Picture nomination. Other locally-set films, such as “The Fighter” and “The Town,” will likely earn a few nods as well.
But back in the Bay State, the film industry might not be breaking out the champagne just yet. Sure, the latest crop of Massachusetts movies is a great reflection of our state’s talented crew base, diverse scenery and generous tax credits. But these films are being celebrated after the number of movies that were shot here declined for two straight years.
A Whimsical Look at Imagined Broadway Flops
NYTimes.com: "With its cascading delays and cast injuries, the troubled birth of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” on Broadway has attracted a great deal of attention. Thus inspired, City Room paged through yellowed clippings to bring you some other notable theatrical misfires through Broadway history.
Wireless Update: What Does the FCC Decision Mean for Your Church?
Church Production Magazine News: "The ongoing changes regarding wireless frequency availability are complex and, as mentioned in previous articles, for the present time, reflect a constantly shifting landscape. The most recent changes, adopted and released on September 23, 2010 (but not yet published in the Federal Register as of this writing), are detailed in an 88-page Second Memorandum Opinion and Order document. These changes focus on availability of TV channels that wireless systems such as microphone, in-ear monitor, and intercom systems can operate in without interference from Television Bands Devices (TVBDs).
Federal officials criticize state safety agency's inaction in fatal fall
ReviewJournal.com: "Federal safety officials are accusing Nevada's workplace safety agency of failing to combat reluctance, evasion and falsehoods from two local employers when the state investigated the fatal fall of a 20-year-old part-time stagehand at the MGM Grand hotel in 2009 .
Arena Stage Hosts #NewPlay Festival and Convening on New Play Development
Stage Directions: "The discourse surrounding new play development continues within the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, as the company presents the #NewPlay Festival from January 19-30. In addition to performances and readings of plays supported by the National Endowment for the Arts New Play Development Program (NEA-NPDP), the #NewPlay Festival will also include a four-day convening bringing together more than 100 theatre practitioners from across the country to further the dialogue around new play development.
'Dracula' team nearly yanks clothes, props from flop show
NYPOST.com: "The final performances of 'Dracula' last weekend played less like a Gothic thriller and more like the backstage farce 'Noises Off.'
The antics -- which Tony-win ning costume designer Willa Kim calls 'the most bizarre experience of my career' -- began Friday, the day The Post reported that the artistic team was owed $100,000 in fees and expenses by the show's producers.
The antics -- which Tony-win ning costume designer Willa Kim calls 'the most bizarre experience of my career' -- began Friday, the day The Post reported that the artistic team was owed $100,000 in fees and expenses by the show's producers.
Chandelier one of the stars of "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular"
ReviewJournal.com: "The one that spectacularly assembles itself each night at the start of the show. Later, for even more thrills, it whooshes down for a simulated crash right over the heads of gold-circle patrons.
It even has a name: Maria.
It even has a name: Maria.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
NFTRW Weekly Top Five
Here are the top five comment generating posts from the past week:
Why and How I Switched to a Standing Desk
Lifehacker: "I spend about 45 to 50 hours a week working on my computer. Up until a week ago, I did that work sitting on my ever-expanding behind.
Last Monday I adjusted my desk to standing height (pictured right). I spent the week working on my feet, and I'm never going back to a sitdown desk again. Here are some questions and answers about the change.
<-- Comments Here Last Monday I adjusted my desk to standing height (pictured right). I spent the week working on my feet, and I'm never going back to a sitdown desk again. Here are some questions and answers about the change.
Black Swan: Interview with Darren Aronofsky
Clothes on Film: "Director Darren Aronofsky came to prominence with 1998’s Pi, a bold and imaginative take on the body shock genre. His latest film Black Swan harks back to that work; the tale of a young ballerina undergoing psychological transformation, her identity thrown into question on the most visceral of levels.
<-- Comments Here Confirmed! Disney's Aladdin to Play Seattle's 5th Avenue in July 2011 2011/01/12
broadwayworld.com: "BroadwayWorld.com's Seattle sources have exclusively confirmed for us that Disney's Aladdin will indeed open at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in July of 2011. The stage production will feature all the songs from the film as well as restored songs from early drafts of the score.
<-- Comments Here Troubled Spider-Man musical has new ally: Glenn Beck
The Globe and Mail: "The Spider-Man musical on Broadway has a big-name cheerleader with a big megaphone – Glenn Beck. The conservative commentator has seen the $65 million Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark twice, and he's giving it glowing reviews both on the air and on his Twitter account. “This is better than Wicked!” he raved Wednesday on The Glenn Beck Program, which has an estimated 6 million listeners.
<-- Comments Here August Wilson, Mark Twain and “The N-Word”
AmericanTheatreWing: "I found myself particularly upset last week when I first read that David Snead, superintendant of schools in Waterbury CT, was planning to shut down an Arts Magnet School’s production of August Wilson’s play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone because it contained a hateful racial epithet, one sufficient incendiary that all reportage on the matter substituted the phrase “the n-word” in its place.
<-- Comments Here Department of Consumer Affairs Now Satisfied with Spider-Man Advertising
Playbill.com: "New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs, the New York Times reports, is now satisfied with the updated advertising for the new musical Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, which now more clearly indicates that the production is currently in previews prior to its official opening March 15.
‘Spider-Man’ Producers Defend Delay
NYTimes.com: "The producers and director of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” defended on Friday their decision to postpone the musical’s opening by another five weeks, saying that a show of this unprecedented complexity could not unfold according to Broadway tradition. New productions usually have four weeks of preview performances to work out kinks and not the record-setting 15 of “Spider-Man” before critics review it.
<-- Comments Here
Monday, January 17, 2011
Department of Consumer Affairs Now Satisfied with Spider-Man Advertising
Playbill.com: "New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs, the New York Times reports, is now satisfied with the updated advertising for the new musical Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, which now more clearly indicates that the production is currently in previews prior to its official opening March 15.
Black Swan: Interview with Darren Aronofsky
Clothes on Film: "Director Darren Aronofsky came to prominence with 1998’s Pi, a bold and imaginative take on the body shock genre. His latest film Black Swan harks back to that work; the tale of a young ballerina undergoing psychological transformation, her identity thrown into question on the most visceral of levels.
Why and How I Switched to a Standing Desk
Lifehacker: "I spend about 45 to 50 hours a week working on my computer. Up until a week ago, I did that work sitting on my ever-expanding behind.
Last Monday I adjusted my desk to standing height (pictured right). I spent the week working on my feet, and I'm never going back to a sitdown desk again. Here are some questions and answers about the change.
Last Monday I adjusted my desk to standing height (pictured right). I spent the week working on my feet, and I'm never going back to a sitdown desk again. Here are some questions and answers about the change.
August Wilson, Mark Twain and “The N-Word”
AmericanTheatreWing: "I found myself particularly upset last week when I first read that David Snead, superintendant of schools in Waterbury CT, was planning to shut down an Arts Magnet School’s production of August Wilson’s play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone because it contained a hateful racial epithet, one sufficient incendiary that all reportage on the matter substituted the phrase “the n-word” in its place.
Registration for the Student Design Competition Opens SOON, Are You Ready?
iSquint.net: "Attention ALL students, are you ready for the 2011 Student Design Competition? If not, don’t worry, you have PLENTY of time to get ready! Beginning January 28th, we’ll begin to accept submissions to the design competition, but you don’t have to rush to enter. You have most of the spring semester to download the FREE software and build your entry. The competition will close on April 15, 2011, so plenty of time.
Famed Stratford director Michael Langham dead at 91
The Globe and Mail: "Mr. Langham succeeded founding artistic director Tyrone Guthrie at Stratford in 1956 – the festival's final season under a canvas tent – and held the reins until 1967. He continued to direct at the festival until 2008, when he returned to stage his signature play, Love's Labour's Lost, for the fourth time with the company.
A Fire in MoMA's Belly: The Modern Buys David Wojnarowicz's Censored Video
Yahoo! News: "The censorship of the late artist David Wojnarowicz's 'A Fire in My Belly' at the National Portrait Gallery has touched off a wide-ranging solidarity campaign from museums and other institutions, screening the video to protest its repression. Now the furor has provoked a still stronger statement: Glenn D. Lowry, director of New York's Museum of Modern Art, announced this morning that the institution has acquired both the 13-minute version of 'A Fire in My Belly' and a 7-minute edit made by Wojnarowicz. According to a press rep, MoMA acquired the work through New York gallery PPOW, which represents the artist's estate, and the museum claims to be the first institution to collect the video. It goes on view immediately.
Robot Japan 2011 - Dance Contest (Video)
Robots Dreams: "One of the most surprising and delightful aspects of hobby level robotics in Japan is the wealth of different competitions and styles. On any given weekend you can find humanoid robots battling it out in the ring, micromouse robots solving and racing through mazes, line followers blazing around the track, underwater robots plunging to new depths, and flying robots soaring skyward autonomously.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Something to Cheer About: Bring It On: The Musical Begins Atlanta Run Jan. 16 After Ice Delay
Playbill.com: "An ice storm in Atlanta prevented the Alliance Theatre from presenting the Jan. 15 first preview of the new musical Bring It On, but the 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM Sunday Jan. 16 shows are on.
Romulus Linney, Prolific Writer of Erudite Plays, Dies at 80
Playbill.com: "Romulus Linney, a respected playwright who wrote dozens of plays on a wide variety of subjects over a multi-decade career, and who achieved a different sort of fame in later years as the father of actress Laura Linney, died Jan. 15 at his home in Germantown, NY. He was 80.
Tony and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical Next to Normal Closes on Broadway Jan. 16
Playbill.com: "The Goodman family of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal gathers to face the music one last time. The acclaimed rock musical about an American family on the brink ends its almost two-year Broadway run Jan. 16 at the Booth Theatre.
Michael Langham, Influential Director of Canadian and American Theatre, Dies at 91
Playbill.com: "Michael Langham, whose long and influential directing career saw him helm productions on Broadway, run the Stratford Shakespeare Festival for a decade, and man the Guthrie Theatre during the 1970s, died Jan. 15 at his home near Cranbrook, Kent, in England. He has contracted a chest infection before Christmas and failed to recover. He was 91.
Second City Customizes a Show for Rochester
NYTimes.com: "SKEWERING the city where a comic is playing is one of the oldest tricks in the stand-up handbook. It’s also one of the easiest: Philadelphia has crazy sports fans. It rains a lot in Seattle. And in Rochester. ...
In Washington, Arena Stage Leaves the Light On for Playwrights
NYTimes.com: "WHEN Molly Smith began envisioning a third theater space here for Arena Stage, as part of the recent $135 million transformation that she led as artistic director, she grappled with how to distill her ideas into a clear form. Then one day she found herself staring at her hands. “I cupped them together, and there it was, that was our theater,” Ms. Smith recalled. “When you look inside two cupped hands, you have a cradle. That’s what I wanted: a small, enveloping cradle where we could nurture and stage newly birthed American plays.”
Less Than A Week Till Super Saturday in NYC and Save $50 on Registration!
iSquint.net: "The count down has begun, there are only 5, yes 5 days left until Super Saturday. No, it is not some huge blowout sale happening in New York City. I am talking about the Stage Seminars, Stage Lighting Super Saturday. Here is more about Super Saturday.
What really goes on in the rehearsal room?
guardian.co.uk: "To most theatregoers, the rehearsal room is a mysterious space: a crucible, sealed off to the public, from which a production will eventually emerge. I once asked the director Katie Mitchell why she didn't allow observers into her rehearsals and she bridled. To explore a play fully, she said, an actor had to discard self-consciousness and become wholly vulnerable. It's like being seen in your pants. Would I like people to watch me in my pants, she asked? No, I said hurriedly, I really wouldn't.
Loews Philanthropists Dress Up the Met's Costume Institute With $10 Million Gift
Yahoo! News: "The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, the glamorous branch of the Fifth Avenue institution best known for hosting a star-studded annual gala, has received a massive $10 million gift from New York philanthropists Jonathan and Lizzie Tisch. The couple has donated the money toward renovations for the costume department's existing gallery — last refurbished in 1992 — and a major expansion. Their contribution will fund the creation of a 4,200-square-foot exhibition space, which will be named the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Gallery, and will also help finance additional of storage facilities and the development of a new conservation center.
Troubled Spider-Man musical has new ally: Glenn Beck
The Globe and Mail: "The Spider-Man musical on Broadway has a big-name cheerleader with a big megaphone – Glenn Beck. The conservative commentator has seen the $65 million Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark twice, and he's giving it glowing reviews both on the air and on his Twitter account. “This is better than Wicked!” he raved Wednesday on The Glenn Beck Program, which has an estimated 6 million listeners.
Dates set for world premiere of Disney's 'Aladdin' at 5th Avenue
Seattle Times Newspaper: "The stage version of the Disney animated musical 'Aladdin' will have its world-premiere run at the 5th Avenue Theatre July 7-31 in Seattle. The show will feature the hit 1992 film's Academy Award-honored musical score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and a cast and creative team drawn from Seattle and Broadway.
Town Hall acoustics are just one of the 'instruments' used by the Deep Listening Band
Seattle Times: "They've done it in a cistern at Port Townsend — so there's no reason they can't do it in Town Hall. 'They' are the Deep Listening Band. And 'it' is the creation of digitally processed, 3-D sonic landscapes that have to be experienced to be believed. DLB has been in residence at Town Hall for the past week, tinkering with the interface between their instruments (trombones, piano, 'virtual accordion' and an assortment of noise-making doodads), their Expanded Instrument System (described by them as 'an evolving electronic sound-processing environment') and the acoustics of Town Hall's Great Hall.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
John Wells: How Showtime's 'Shameless' Almost Didn't Happen - Live Feed
Hollywood Repoorter: "For Wells, the adaptation of the BBC series about a working-class family whose kids wind up parenting their drunk father, the bulk of getting Shameless to the small screen on Showtime started with a two-year process securing rights from the BBC series' Channel Four and Company Pictures that creator Paul Abbott — an exec producer on the remake — didn’t own.
SAG-AFTRA Approve Three-year Film and TV Contract
The Hollywood Reporter: "The combined SAG and AFTRA membership ratified a new motion picture and television deal with the AMPTP today by a healthy margin of 93.52 percent to 6.48 percent. The tentative deal was reached in November, and endorsed by the unions’ boards last month.
‘Spider-Man’ Producers Defend Delay
NYTimes.com: "The producers and director of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” defended on Friday their decision to postpone the musical’s opening by another five weeks, saying that a show of this unprecedented complexity could not unfold according to Broadway tradition. New productions usually have four weeks of preview performances to work out kinks and not the record-setting 15 of “Spider-Man” before critics review it.
Magic bandsaw action
Boing Boing: "Wood Working in Action's YouTube demo of mad bandsaw skillz is a fantabulous blend of deft conjuror's handwork and breathtaking near-amputations. Be sure to watch for the thrilling finale!
Everything Worth Knowing About Arduino
Gizmodo: "Arduino! It's a wonderful thing, this open source hardware, and it pops up around here quite often. You can't get much better of an arduino primer—both what it is and where it came from—than this brilliant documentary.
SAG, AFTRA Members Approve TV-Film Deal
Backstage: "Members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have voted to approve a new agreement covering scripted prime-time television and theatrical film, the unions announced Friday. SAG’s TV-theatrical contract and AFTRA’s scripted prime-time television contract were negotiated jointly with producers late last year.
Shakespeare Theatre offers broadcasts from London's National Theatre
Washingtonpost.com: "Audiences here have been watching broadcasts of big-time theater staged 3,600 miles away through a partnership with the National Theatre. And so it is that this spring, Washington audiences will get to see 'Fela!' and Danny Boyle's take on 'Frankenstein' without draining their frequent flier miles.
Spider-Man and Equity: By Nick Wyman, AEA President
Actors' Equity.org: "I have been very disturbed and distraught by the serious injuries sustained by our member Chris Tierney at the December 20th performance of SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. My thoughts and prayers have been with him for the past ten days, and I have been in touch with him by phone and e-mail. Chris is a study in toughness and grace. Hemingway defined guts as 'grace under pressure.' Guts is what Chris Tierney has consistently displayed both before and after his accident.
Confirmed! Disney's Aladdin to Play Seattle's 5th Avenue in July 2011 2011/01/12
broadwayworld.com: "BroadwayWorld.com's Seattle sources have exclusively confirmed for us that Disney's Aladdin will indeed open at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in July of 2011. The stage production will feature all the songs from the film as well as restored songs from early drafts of the score.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Daryl Roth Productions and Splinter Group Combine for New Company DR Theatrical Management
Playbill.com: "Daryl Roth Productions and The Splinter Group have joined forces to create DR Theatrical Management, a new company that will provide general management, executive producing and event production services to Off-Broadway commercial productions in New York and their interests on the road.
Ellen Stewart of La MaMa - An Appraisal
NYTimes.com: "It was almost exactly 16 years ago that I made my first visit to La MaMa in a professional capacity, as a new theater critic for The New York Times. I’d been there before as a civilian, usually under the influence. (I believe it was where I first saw a foghorn-throated drag queen named Harvey Fierstein.) But even then La MaMa had for me the whiff of another time, the patchouli scent of the 1960s, when downtown theater was longhaired, renegade and rude.
Building a prop from a photograph
Props: "When you are building a prop, you are often working off of some kind of reference material. In many cases, a photograph is the only reference you have. I’ve learned a couple of tricks over the years to help me construct a prop from a photograph.
Connecticut School Official, Objecting to Racial Term, Wants to Block Wilson Play
NYTimes.com: "The schools superintendent in Waterbury, Conn., is seeking to shut down a production of one of August Wilson’s great dramas, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” because some of the teenage actors would have to utter the word “nigger” as called for in the script, according to a report in the city’s Republican-American newspaper.
In at the deep end: the Young Vic's directing boot camp
The Guardian: "In a small, scuffed room inside Bolton's Octagon theatre, some teenagers are writing words on a wall in chalk. 'CONFIDENT,' writes one, in decisive capital letters. 'Happy,' writes another. A third chalks up the word 'Cute', decorating it with flowers.
'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' Opening Night Delayed Again
WSJ.com: "The problem-plagued Broadway musical 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' is delaying its opening night for the fifth time, putting off the first official performance until March 15, the show said in a statement Thursday night.
The show said it needs time to work on a new ending. The creative team, led by director Julie Taymor with music by U2's Bono and the Edge, is also working on the second act, which some theatergoers have found confusing.
The show said it needs time to work on a new ending. The creative team, led by director Julie Taymor with music by U2's Bono and the Edge, is also working on the second act, which some theatergoers have found confusing.
'Spider-Man' opening postponed yet again
The Theater Loop: "The Broadway opening of 'Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark' has, unbelievably, been postponed yet again. The new opening date has been set for Tuesday, March 15. Prior to Thursday, critics were slated to see the show during the first weekend of February.
$5M grant brings Ireland to Chicago
Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago theaters, galleries and concert halls will help showcase the full range of Irish culture in the coming year as part of Imagine Ireland, a $5.2 million project underwritten by the Irish government.
Chicago tryout for politically-charged musical ‘White Noise’
Chicago Sun-Times: "The politically charged new musical “White Noise” will have a Chicago tryout soon at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, and plans are under way for the show to go to Broadway with Whoopi Goldberg among its producers.
Steppenwolf’s ‘Detroit’ headed to New York in early fall
Chicago Sun-Times: "“Detroit,” the play by Lisa D’Amour that debuted at Steppenwolf Theatre last fall, is headed to Broadway. Set in the suburb of a midsized city not necessarily that of its title, the drama looks at the situations of two couples in adjacent houses whose lives are spiraling out of control as a result of both the economic downturn and themselves.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
'Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles': the faux Fab Four at Heinz Hall
Post Gazette: "The home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra was in a curious state Tuesday night, with people attempting the Twist and letting out the occasional scream. An earlier announcement had asked the audience to please not smoke, whatever one may be smoking -- nothing about cell phones, a hint that this would not be a typical Heinz Hall show.
KidsWorks' 'Pinocchio' keeps its ties to original work
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "An interpretation of a classic fairy tale that is true to its roots is the next KidWorks production at the Theatre Factory.
The adaptation of 'Pinocchio' by William Glennon (1923-2002) being staged at the Trafford theater more closely resembles 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' -- the original version of the 1881 story by Italian playwright Carlo Collodi -- than the more familiar 1940 Walt Disney animated film about the wooden puppet who becomes a real boy.
The adaptation of 'Pinocchio' by William Glennon (1923-2002) being staged at the Trafford theater more closely resembles 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' -- the original version of the 1881 story by Italian playwright Carlo Collodi -- than the more familiar 1940 Walt Disney animated film about the wooden puppet who becomes a real boy.
'Takes' mingles dance, multimedia for fleeting magic
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Writing grants, it turns out, can be good for more than raising money. The process of putting creative concepts into words can be a clarifying process for the artists.
That's what choreographer Nichole Canuso discovered when she and Lars Jan, who does media installations, sought funding for a big project they wanted to do together. The grant, from the Pew Center for Art and Heritage, supported the research and development of her new piece 'Takes,' which lasts just under an hour.
That's what choreographer Nichole Canuso discovered when she and Lars Jan, who does media installations, sought funding for a big project they wanted to do together. The grant, from the Pew Center for Art and Heritage, supported the research and development of her new piece 'Takes,' which lasts just under an hour.
'Nunsense' holy-rolls back into town for new stint
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "'I don't really know the secret. I just wrote what was funny and made me laugh,' says Goggin, who is directing the production of 'Nunsense' that returns Wednesday for a two-month run at the Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown. Lenora Nemetz, Terry Wickline, Leah Hillgrove, Christy Rodibaugh, Brittany Ross who appeared in the 2010 production will return as Sister Robert Anne, Mother Superior, Sister Mary Leo, Sister Mary Hubert and Sister Mary Amnesia.
Steve Johnson's Unused Animatronic Hulk is Incredible [Video]
ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews: "Truly, Steve Johnson is the richest fuel for the internet's geek blog engine. The special effects master known for his creature work on such films as The Abyss, Ghostbusters, Spider-Man 2, and Where the Wild Things Are was the source of some of our most popular blog posts after he released never-before-seen photos of costume concepts for Superman Lives, the aborted Tim Burton film that was to star Nicolas Cage as a bizarre glow-in-the-dark Man of Steel.
Cinematography: A Brave New Blend of Film and Digital
Below the Line: "ASC member and DP Tom Sigel, who had a slew of releases this year with Frankie and Alice, The Conspirator and Leap Year, considers the way cinematography accolades for 2010 will be assessed in light of what happened last award season: “Last year’s Academy award to Avatar (for DP Mauro Fiore) was quite controversial among cinematographers because of the extent of digital and CGI material in the final product.”
SDCF Masters of the Stage - 2002 Symposium: Directing Revivals - June, 2002
American Theatre Wing: "At its 2002 Musical Theatre Symposium, SDCF hosted a panel on directing revivals featuring director/choreographers Jeff Calhoun (Big River 2003 Revival), Robert Longbottom (Flower Drum Song 2002 Revival) and Susan Schulman (Sweeney Todd 1989 Revival) and moderated by Victoria Traube. The panelists discuss how directing revivals is different and how it is the same as directing new work, particularly focusing on the relationship with composers, lyricists and bookwriters who are still alive and around to see their work revived.
How much does touring Broadway impact the economy.
PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "This report details the economic impact that Broadway had on the nation in 2008-2009 by exporting its productions from Times Square to Tennessee, Florida, California, and just about everywhere in between. Yep, Broadway truly is the longest street in the US. We're all a lot closer than we think.
Theatres trump restaurants and pubs in recession, says market research
The Stage: "British theatre continues to buck the recession, according to a new report revealing the resilience of the performing arts sector compared with restaurants, pubs and clubs.
Research published by market analysis company Mintel grouped survey respondents according to their leisure activities. Of those who go to the pub, 43% said they had already cut spending, compared with only 21% of theatre audiences. In addition, 5% of theatre-goers said they intended to go more, compared to just 1% of pub-goers.
Research published by market analysis company Mintel grouped survey respondents according to their leisure activities. Of those who go to the pub, 43% said they had already cut spending, compared with only 21% of theatre audiences. In addition, 5% of theatre-goers said they intended to go more, compared to just 1% of pub-goers.
Hamlet, Frankenstein and Fela all due at the Guthrie, on high-def video
StarTribune.com: "Twenty bucks for a movie may seem like a lot, but it's cheap compared to flying to London to see the productions that are being shown at the Guthrie this winter and spring as part of the National Theatre Live series. The productions -- which despite the series name are not being show live -- are screened in high-def video in the Guthrie's proscenium theater
No joke! Brave New Workshop seeks to buy Hennepin Stages
StarTribune.com: "If Minneapolis City Council approves deal, the workshop would open a second space in theater that once hosted 'Tony n' Tina's Wedding.'
Mary Poppins - On Stage - Theater Reviews & Features
Pittsburgh City Paper: "It's hard not to take something like Mary Poppins personally. I mean, what are the chances that one show could contain every single thing I hate about theater?
‘Dralion’ leaps high, but falls short
The Boston Globe: "It’s a rare Cirque du Soleil production that lacks a consistent “wow’’ factor. Alas, “Dralion’’ is such a show.
Jacob’s Pillow set for season of premieres
The Boston Globe: "The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival’s 2011 season, running June 18-Aug. 28, will feature six world premieres, seven US premieres, and three US company debuts among more than 300 events. The festival will present free and ticketed performances by companies from across the United States and around the globe, including Argentina, Cuba, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, South Korea, and Switzerland. Those free performances should benefit from the June 22 grand reopening of the newly reconstructed Inside/Out stage.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
New Year, New PLASA
Lighting&Sound America Online - News: "The new year sees the launch of the enlarged PLASA trade association, following the formal merger between industry trade bodies ESTA and PLASA on January 1.
No female directors among DGA nominees
latimes.com: "The odds of a woman repeating as best director at the Oscars again this year got a lot slimmer on Monday as the Directors Guild of America announced its nominees for outstanding achievement in a feature film. The DGA nominations, very often a bellwether for the Academy Awards' best director nominees, selected five men for its shortlist: Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Tom Hooper, Christopher Nolan and David O. Russell.
Local movie supply house signs with Hollywood union
Detroit Free Press: "A leading Hollywood union has signed an alliance with Scenic Prop and Design, a Madison Heights-based movie and TV supply house, which could lead to new production jobs in metro Detroit.
Tomcat Hoist & Rigging Workshops Set for Feb. 16-19
PLSN: "Registration is open for the Tomcat 2011 Hoist & Rigging workshops on February 16-19 in Midland, Texas. A team of instructors will deliver the Hoist & Truss workshop and the Rigging & Truss workshop. This ETCP recognized training program will provide hands-on-learning for basic and advanced training in hoist or rigging skills.
Setting the stage: Behind the scenes at Sangamon Auditorium
The State Journal-Register: "The load-in begins at 8 a.m. sharp.
It’s a cold November morning, and more than two-dozen stagehands are working on a semi trailer packed with theatrical equipment and very little open space.
It’s a cold November morning, and more than two-dozen stagehands are working on a semi trailer packed with theatrical equipment and very little open space.
Dangling by a thread – SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK in Theory and in Practice
THE RYAN DIXON LINE: "“The Ancient Greeks reserved a special word for the sort of arrogance that makes you forget your own humanity. That word was Hubris.” — From an introductory essay included in the Playbill of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Note to Julie Taymor, Bono and The Edge: When creating a $65 million dollar musical beset by more accidents than those found in the diapers of my nine-month old niece, it’s not a good idea to feature an essay in your show’s program about Hubris.
Note to Julie Taymor, Bono and The Edge: When creating a $65 million dollar musical beset by more accidents than those found in the diapers of my nine-month old niece, it’s not a good idea to feature an essay in your show’s program about Hubris.
ROSE BRAND Precision Cut Fabric Stock Patterns Available
Briefingroom on LiveDesignOnline: "Rose Brand now offers stock patterns of popular Precision Cut Fabric designs to eliminate the creative quandary many customers experience when submitting their orders. They also enable speedier production and lower pricing.
ADG Announces Award Nominations
Below the Line: "With films running the gamut from The King’s Speech to Inception, the Art Directors Guild (ADG) has unveiled the nominees in competition for best production design in 2010. The nine categories cover work for theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials and music videos.
Peter Gabriel enjoys Yellowtail on Vimeo
Vimeo: "This is an excerpt from Peter Gabriel's March 2010 'Full Moon Club' video, in which he discusses how he enjoys using my 'Yellowtail' software as one of the graphics systems of his Spring 2010 tour.
A Change of Scene
Theatre Communications Group: "Several years ago I attended one of those weekend exhibitions affectionately known to stage designers as the Clambake—produced and organized by Ming Cho Lee and his wife Betsy, and now unfortunately defunct—devoted to showcasing the portfolios of graduating Master of Fine Arts designers from certain selected programs in an effort to introduce them to the professional world. The overall finish of their work, I noticed, was extraordinarily high—much higher than portfolios of my generation—and with few exceptions almost all of the design work in these portfolios was for theatre or opera.
PRG Names Ian Clarke Chief Technology Officer
redOrbit: "Clarke began his entertainment industry career as a stagehand in Plymouth, UK. In 1984 he joined Light & Sound Design Ltd. (LSD) as a touring lighting technician working throughout Europe. After a break, during which he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in electronic engineering, he helped pioneer the development of the company's Icon series of moving lights and hoist control system. He also managed the team of engineers responsible for the Icon M lighting fixture, which was the first luminaire to be based on digital projection technology.
Live Event Production Companies Report Gear Losses in Multi-State Scam
PLSN: "Live event production companies in the Denver, Atlanta and Nashville areas have collectively suffered losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and possibly more than $1 million, worth of audio gear to a man identifying himself as Greg Bruce, gregbaudio@gmail.com , 646-398-1662, 'tour technical director' of Sony Music. Other companies have also been affected by the alleged scam but have not yet made their losses public.
Bottom Line
We're All Gamers Now: "It's nearly impossible to navigate a day without bumping headfirst into some type of game. Whether you're clicking through Farmville or Mafia Wars online or racking up airline miles or credit card points in the physical world, the reality is that we're playing games every day. In many instances, we just don't realize it.
Internships
Light Opera Works - Company History: "Internships typically run three to six months, and can be tailored to your own schedule. Special mini-internships are also available during winter break.
Camelot
CMU students get tickets for only $15.75 and
Faculty/Staff get tickets for only $25.75 at Pittsburgh Public Theater
The musical event of the season: CAMELOT
By Lerner & Loewe
Directed by Ted Pappas
JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 20
The legend, imitated but never equaled. Fall in love again with the courage of King Arthur, the beauty of Guenevere, and the chivalry of Sir Lancelot. Experience the magic of this magnificent score by Lerner & Loewe, and the alchemy of a musical staged by Ted Pappas.
For tickets, contact Becky at 412.316.8200 ext. 704 or rrickard@ppt.org.
CLICK HERE to order online.
Student promo code: PPTCMU (or 20515)
Faculty/Staff promo code: PPTCMUFS (or 20516)
The promo code will then be applied to your order.
Tickets will be held at the O’Reilly Theater box office. Must present school ID when picking up tickets.
At the O’Reilly Theater
621 Penn Ave., Downtown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)