Confessions of a Serial Intern

HowlRound: By all measures of intern metrics, my experiences as an intern at seven theater organizations in New York and Chicago have all been pretty wonderful. I’ve cultivated crucial relationships with artistic leaders in the new play world I have always aspired to play in. I have had significant insight into the structures and functions of a hefty handful of respected institutions. I’ve gained access to the work of writers that I would never have known about otherwise. I’ve improved my writing and communication skills, become savvy to industry politics, and gained an insider vocabulary that enhances my credibility as a serious theater practitioner. But the “dark side” of the internship has taught me not to speak up or make independent decisions, and demanded my gratitude for the privilege of having my intelligence and labor exploited. I’ve learned to accept whatever breadcrumbs I’m given. I’ve learned to apologize incessantly or, even better, shut my trap. I’ve become accustomed to working outside of the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, and gotten used to sucking up sexism. Internships have been responsible for eroding my sense of my own value.

Electrical Safety in the Theatre

Theatre Safety Blog: Electricity can pose a serious hazard in the workplace, however, it is unlikely that we’ll be doing much without it in the foreseeable future. Lighting, sound, rigging, projection, and tools all require it. A 12-year study by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identified 244 workplace deaths that were the direct result of an electrical accident. Misuse or neglect of electrical equipment puts employees at risk of electrical shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. Making your crew / staff / guests / employees aware of the risks and teaching them to following basic safety principles will help reduce the chance of electrical-related accidents at your venue.

The Rise of the New Groupthink

NYTimes.com: SOLITUDE is out of fashion. Our companies, our schools and our culture are in thrall to an idea I call the New Groupthink, which holds that creativity and achievement come from an oddly gregarious place. Most of us now work in teams, in offices without walls, for managers who prize people skills above all. Lone geniuses are out. Collaboration is in.

J-O-B

BAM is in search of a new Director of Building Operations. The responsibilities and job description are detailed below. I know that this may seem unrelated to Production, but we think that it takes a Production Manager attitude and skill set to do this job right. BAM is a big place – 3 buildings with a budget that approaches $50 million. This would be an opportunity for someone to take a new direction and a perhaps a bigger role all at once while still staying very close to the Arts.

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), an internationally recognized presenter of contemporary performing arts and cinema, seeks Full-Time Director of Building Operations to plan, direct and coordinate activities concerned with the security, public safety, operation, repair, maintenance and minor construction of BAM facilities, equipment, buildings and grounds to minimize interruption and improve efficiency.
Job Responsibilities:

• Ensure that external and internal building security services, maintenance functions, labor and associated costs will continue within budget and with minimum interruption/downtime
• Ensure that BAM campus buildings are clean, safe and appropriately climate-controlled
• Establish working relationships with all departments occupying BAM-campus buildings to ensure that their concerns are addressed; and, especially that fundraising events, performances and regular work days proceed smoothly and efficiently.
• Efficiently utilize available funds to complete current jobs in order to reduce costly repairs in the future.
• Write and administer Building Operations department budgets
• Hire, train and supervise management, unionized and non-unionized building service personnel
• Assign staff to duties such as security, maintenance, repair or renovation and may obtain bids for additional work from outside contractors
• Review reports of expenditures for previous fiscal year and proposed improvements to facilities in order to prepare budget estimates for upcoming fiscal year
• Liaise with and monitor work of contractors
• Planning, designing and development of plant facilities, formulation of work-related operating rules and procedures
• Oversee purchase of security and public safety-related supplies, building and maintenance supplies, machinery, equipment and furniture
• Negotiate vendor service agreements and participate in the selection of contract services
• Work closely with Capital Projects to ensure that all building alterations and construction are performed in accordance with building standards and local code requirements
• Interpret collective bargaining agreements, conduct and/or attend disciplinary hearings, up to and including arbitrations. Attend collective bargaining agreement negotiations
• Ensure institutional compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations and/or BAM policy
• Inspect plant facilities and review inspection reports to determine repairs, replacements or improvements required
• Oversee implementation of fire safety, disaster and emergency preparation plans
• Solicit and analyze bids
• Plan and coordinate department’s projects
• Arrange interoffice relocation of staff; refurbish offices and other workspaces
• Outfit offices with furniture, supplies and other items in accordance with budgetary guidelines

To view this opening, click on the link: Director of Building Operations

Directing, acting, presentation top-notch in 'Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train,' a play that challenges established religions

Post Gazette: Although it left a sour taste in the mouths of Steelers fans, the Tebow craze was another way of illustrating our concerns about the public vs. private observance of religious beliefs. Was the Denver Broncos quarterback's ceremony in the midst of thousands of spectators a genuine moment with his God or an empty gesture?

Pillow Project's improvisation leads to artistic synergy

Post Gazette: You never know what you may find in the dark at the top of the stairs, where Pearlann Porter holds her Second Saturdays at the aptly named Space Upstairs in Point Breeze.
Ms. Porter's company, The Pillow Project, takes on a new configuration and conceptual emphasis with each monthly outing, much like an artistic shapeshifter.

'Little Mermaid' brings new music to the Andersen fairy tale

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: For four high-school students, landing the leading role in one of four performances of "The Little Mermaid" is a dream come true.
Mari Boyle, a junior at Greensburg Salem; Missy Graf, a senior at Greensburg Central; Nicole Stouffer, a senior at Mt. Pleasant; and Jessica Kotik, a freshman at Penn Trafford will share time in the spotlight as Muriel in Stage Right student company's musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.

Texas in 2014!

sightlines: Fort Worth, home of the Bass Performance Hall, and a major center for performance in Texas, has been chosen as the site for the 2014 USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo.
David W. Will, USITT’s Vice-President for Conferences, recommended the location which was approved by the Board of Directors, allowing final negotiations to secure the site.

Caught in the Floodlights: Scenes from a Disaster at the Weston Playhouse

burlingtonfreepress.com: The Weston Playhouse regularly stages dramatic scripts, but on Aug. 28 endured a drama of its own when the remnants of Hurricane Irene struck Vermont. The storm and resulting flood caused substantial damage to the professional theater that's been producing plays in southern Vermont, along the banks of the West River, for 75 years. The story of the Playhouse, from the devastation of the flood to the company's triumphant return to the stage five days later, is as dramatic a tale as any playwright could dream up.

Hollywood Union Members Sign Petition Asking MPAA & Hollywood Unions To Stop Supporting PIPA/SOPA

Techdirt: The opposition to SOPA and PIPA continues to come from all sorts of places. The latest interesting one? Union members who work on movies and TV... whose bosses signed them up as supporters of SOPA and PIPA against their wishes. They've put together a petition urging the MPAA, IATSE, IBT, WGA, SAG, DGA, and AFTRA to formally oppose both SOPA and PIPA

Johanna Day Breaks Hand During Onstage Scuffle in God of Carnage

Playbill.com: The parental battle royale of God of Carnage took a realistic turn last weekend at the Huntington Theatre Company when Tony Award nominee Johanna Day broke her hand during an on-stage slap.

Build Virtual Projects with Your iPad

Toolmonger: Computer Aided Design has come a long way in the last decade, but most of the heavy-duty pro-level apps are still much too complex for the average guy to use for fun. Google offers a much simpler tool called SketchUp (free) that’s popular among the high-end DIY crowd. But what if you’re out and about — like, say, stuck in a waiting room — and want to visualize your latest carpentry concept? There’s an app for that: Woodcraft.

ETC Releases New Beta Software – PixelToy

iSquint.net: ETC Recently announced the release of some new software that one of their awesome developers came up with for their internal “Innovation Quest” called pixelToy. The software creates dynamic pixel mapped content in real time.

No such thing as bad publicity for the city slickers

The Independent: Art suffers the moment other people start paying for it," muses the cartoonist and author Hugh MacLeod, in his book on keys to creativity.
This month, in a move that put MacLeod's words into action, the poets Alice Oswald and John Kinsella withdrew from the shortlist for the TS Eliot poetry award, because the £15,000 prize is sponsored by an investment management company.

Corporate vs. Government Influence on the Arts

Createquity.: Britain’s Independent has a short feature on the growing influence of corporate arts sponsorships in the wake of recent cutbacks from the government. While the article doesn’t offer much in the way of data or even examples demonstrating the purported trend, writer Emily Jupp does manage to get some beautifully candid on-the-record quotes from corporate representatives about the real reasons they’re supporting the arts

Virtual Dressing Room Lets You Try Outfits Without Taking Off Clothes

DesignTAXI.com: Calabasas-based company FaceCake Marketing Technologies has developed a real-time virtual dressing room that allows users to virtually change outfits without taking off their clothes.

'Spider-Man' producers punch back at Julie Taymor

Yahoo! News: Producers of Broadway's "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" have fired back in their legal fight with one-time director Julie Taymor, claiming the woman they once called a visionary failed to fulfill her legal obligations and refused to collaborate on changes to the $75 million show.
In a countersuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Taymor and her company, LOH Inc., the producers argued that the show "is a success despite Taymor, not because of her."

New SAG-AFTRA to Feature an Array of Officers and Delegates

The Hollywood Reporter: If SAG and AFTRA merge, the new union will be called “SAG-AFTRA” and it will look something like a hybrid of its two forbearers, according to a still-confidential proposal that was finalized Sunday by a joint committee of the two unions.

SAG/AFTRA Merger: What's Next as Committee Approves Key Proposal

The Hollywood Reporter: After nine days of meetings, the AFTRA and SAG Group for One Union have approved a merger package to send to the two unions’ boards for approval. The move was expected.

Globe defends invitation to Israeli theatre company Habima

The Stage: Shakespeare’s Globe has defended its decision to feature Israeli company Habima in its Globe to Globe festival later this year.
The company is due to perform The Merchant of Venice in Hebrew during the international festival at the Bankside venue in May. It will mark the company’s first visit to the UK.

Theater: The Best Shows of 2011

The Huffington Post: Talking about the best shows of the calendar year feels a bit odd since the theater season runs from the fall through the spring. That's why Tony Awards are held in June. But the calendar is king so it's time for a best of the year wrap-up. I've seen 165 theatrical events this year (including every new show on Broadway), an average of more than three a week. I always make an annual list of my favorite movies (I see hundreds), albums (I listen to hundreds), TV shows and books. But I've never made a list of my favorite theater shows because I've never seen enough of the big events to pass judgment. You can't name the best films of the year if you haven't at least seen The Descendants and Tree Of Life and A Separation. How could you name your favorite shows if you hadn't seen The Book Of Mormon? This year I have. It's a rare privilege and I know it.

J-O-B - TD

Technical Director

JOB DESCRIPTION:
This position reports directly to the Production Manager and supervises Scenery Assistant, Carpenters, Props, Electrics, Sound, Charge Painter and Deck Chief/Automation Technician.  This is a full-time, salaried position.
The T.D. will supervise and regulate shop activities and personnel.  The T.D. will consult with and advise the Production Manager with respect to budget and hiring contract labor.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as liaison with scenic, lighting, and sound designers and determine in consultation with the Production Manager, the technical and budgetary feasibility of scene, prop, and lighting designs.  Supply technical information and budget estimate information for seasonal projections.

• Determine construction methods, schedules, materials, and mechanics for the scene, lighting, and sound design of each production, Academy shows, and for the annual fund-raising projects.

• Recommend design changes where appropriate to match the given personnel and financial resources available.

• Determine assignment of work in the shop, and supervise and assist where needed in the construction of all scenic elements.  Work on specialized scenic construction projects as required.

• Produce construction drawings as needed.

• Supervise the installation and striking of each set, including all rigging and mechanical devices.  Insure proper functioning and safety of all moving scenic elements.

• Maintain and enforce schedules for all builds, load-ins and strikes.

• Ensure budgetary control of materials and labor for all productions and assigned projects.

•  Supervise safety and maintenance of the scene shop, stage, and all shop equipment.

• Recommend candidates for staffing the scene shop to the Production Manager.

• Recommend staff changes and take appropriate disciplinary action when necessary.

• Organize the use of shop spaces, storage areas, and organize and supervise the usage of the stage by Scenery, Props, Electrics and Sound.

• Other duties as assigned

REQUIRED TRAINING/EXPERIENCE:
A minimum of five (5) years experience in theatrical construction or its equivalent.  A minimum of two years technical supervisory experience.  Proven ability as a carpenter, draftsman, and theatre technician with experience in rigging and utilizing standard mechanical devices (electric winches, turntables, pneumatic cylinders,  etc.) is required. Experience with loading in rental scenic elements on a national tour level. Ability to communicate effectively with guest artists and colleagues.  Ability to bid accurately and execute designs within a specific schedule.  Good communication skills and the ability to organize and direct crews. Proven skills and aptitude in word processing and spreadsheet programs.  Understanding of basic budgeting and bookkeeping practices.

This position starts as soon as possible.

PLEASE SEND A COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO:

Technical Director Job Search
LYRIC THEATRE OF OKLAHOMA
1727 NW 16^th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73106

Or email:

Jfowler@lyrictheatreokc.com

Lyric Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, age, disability, U.S. veteran status, or sexual orientation.

John Wells on the Timidity of Network TV, Indecency, and Portraying Sexually Active Gay Teens

ThinkProgress: At Showtime’s panel for Shameless this morning, John Wells (who gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today) suggested that the aperture of network television has narrowed such that he wouldn’t be able to sell some of his most popular shows today.

Trinculo’s Attic Introduces the Juliet Candle

iSquint.net: The use of candles is a perennial problem for live stage productions. Trinculo’s Attic’s new electronic candle provides a quality, affordable solution. By replicating the amplitude and frequency of an actual candle in a programmable miniature electronic module, this new candle precisely mimics the flicker of a real burning candle flame. In side-by-side comparisons, viewers have been unable distinguish the real from the artificial candle.

"Smash" Premieres Online Jan. 16 Prior to February Network Debut

Playbill.com: The new hour-long musical drama "Smash" — the scripted TV series about theatre people putting together a new Broadway musical — will make its network debut as planned 10 PM (ET) Feb. 6 on NBC-TV, but its first wide launch will be Jan. 16 through digital services.

Review: Prison drama opens window on enduring questions

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Faith, forgiveness, redemption and responsibility struggle within the characters and the drama of "Jesus Hopped the A-Train."
Produced by barebones productions, it's being given a neatly conceived staging through Jan. 29 at the New Hazlett Theater, North Side.
Stephen Adly Guirgis' prison drama delves into the big and timeless questions: Can accepting Christ into your life wipe clean a rap sheet of murders, or are some crimes beyond forgiveness? Is it OK to lie to a jury and get an acquittal when the punishment is greater than the crime committed?

Beaty hopes his one-man show gets you 'Through the Night'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: On Saturday, New York City-based writer and actor Daniel Beaty brings poetry, storytelling and soul to the City Theatre mainstage with his one-man show "Through the Night."
Subtitled "a soul aria," Beaty's performance weaves together six stories of African-American males, all of whom are striving to create their individual dreams of a better life. Their issues and dreams are universal.

Dutch Festival will celebrate art, culture, cuisine

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: A pair of world premieres, as well as several U.S. premieres, are among the plans for Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Distinctively Dutch Festival, set to begin Feb. 18.
In all, 18 events will take place during the four-month festival of art and cultural exhibits and performances, which Gabri Christa hopes will make Pittsburghers more aware of the richness of the contemporary Dutch art world.

Stagehands union calls off protests during First Night - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The 35,000 visitors expected tonight for First Night will celebrate New Year`s Eve, Downtown without seeing any banners or getting any leaflets from union stagehands who did not get to work the event.

Stagehands Union to Protest at First Night

Program Notes: Earlier today, I talked with Pittsburgh Cultural Trust CEO and President Kevin McMahon, who says he remains optimistic that the Trust will reach a settlement with members of IATSE Local No. 3 before New Year's Eve, and avoid a First Night protest. The two parties have been in talks for days, and "Those conversations are continuing," McMahon told me. "I like to be optimistic about these things."

Some agents deny clients regional theatre work, claims Samuel West

The Stage: Actor and Equity councillor Samuel West has warned that UK theatres and young performers are losing out, claiming that some agents are dissuading their clients from taking regional theatre work in the hope of landing them TV roles.

The Death of Honesty

Hoover Institution: For a number of reasons, people do not always stick to the truth when they speak. Some of the reasons are justifiable—for example, humane considerations such as tact and the avoidance of greater harm. Reassuring an ungainly teenager that he or she looks great may be a kind embroidery of the truth. In a more consequential instance, misinforming storm troopers about the whereabouts of a hidden family during the Nazi occupation of Europe was an honorable and courageous deception.

Audra McDonald in ‘The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess’

NYTimes.com: The hurricane that’s said to be headed for Catfish Row has yet to arrive early in the second act of “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” which opened on Thursday night in a new, slimmed-down reincarnation at the Richard Rodgers Theater. The climate so far might be described as mostly cloudy and mild, as might this version of the show. But suddenly an elemental force takes possession of the stage, and its tremors course through the audience.

Suzan-Lori Parks' Porgy and Bess

Studio 360: Porgy and Bess was groundbreaking: an opera about poor African-Americans in South Carolina, starring a cripple, a tramp, and a drug dealer. This weekend a new production opens on Broadway entitled The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, but it’s not the one George and Ira presented in 1935. Audiences will get new dialogue, back stories, and orchestrations courtesy of playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, director Diane Paulus, and musical director Deirdre Murray.

Did ‘The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess’ Meets Its Goal?

NYTimes.com: The creative impetus behind “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” the adaptation of the classic 1935 opera that opened at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Thursday, was to make the work more accessible, fresh and realistic for today’s musical theater audiences. In a New York Times article last August, before the production was introduced at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., Audra McDonald, who portrays Bess, said “none of us wanted to do a ‘Porgy and Bess’ where the audience would sit back comfortably and just, ahhhhhhh, soak in the big gems from the Gershwin score.”

Sean Graney’s ‘These Seven Sicknesses,’ Sophocles at Flea

NYTimes.com: In the spirit of “Gatz” (7 hours) and “The Demons” (12 hours), Mr. Graney’s “These Seven Sicknesses,” which begins performances on Thursday at the Flea Theater in TriBeCa, is something of a marathon. Set in a modern hospital-like space, the work is an adaptation of the seven Sophocles plays that still exist in their entirety: “Oedipus Rex,” “Oedipus at Colonus” and “Antigone” (known as the Theban plays); as well as “Ajax,” “Women of Trachis,” “Electra” and “Philoctetes.” With two meal breaks, one for dinner and one for dessert, the night will clock in at about five hours. Mr. Graney, 39, said the plays in their original forms could run as long as 12 hours back to back.

In ‘The Jacksonian,’ Beth Henley Confronts Violence

NYTimes.com: SOME crucial details elude her, but what Beth Henley remembers clearly about the violent death of Kathy Ainsworth, her sister’s fifth-grade teacher, is the short shorts.
“She was with the K.K.K., but I don’t know who shot her or why,” Ms. Henley recalled in a recent interview at Geffen Playhouse here, where her new play, “The Jacksonian,” opens next month. “I just know that it was up on my sister’s bulletin board — a news report that her teacher had been shot in hot pants.”

How to Say No (Without Being an Asshole)

LifeHacker: We aim to please, and so saying "no" to a request can be a hard thing to do. We don't like to introduce negativity into the conversation, cause a possible confrontation, or have someone think less of us because we don't agree. That said, it's often important to turn things down. We can't do it all. Here's how you can say no to just about anything without being an asshole.

Skyrocketing Tuition: College Costs Could Reach $422K For Children Born Today

ThinkProgress: Parents of children born today should be prepared to pay a hefty price for college tuition, if current trends in tuition costs don’t change. According to new analysis by The Daily, the class of 2034 will pay an average of $288,000 in 2011 dollars at a four-year private school and $123,000 at an average public school.

SDCF Masters of the Stage - In Conversation With... Moisés Kaufman - July, 2011

American Theatre Wing: Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director's vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.

five.sentenc.es

swissmiss: five.sentenc.es is a personal policy that all email responses regardless of recipient or subject will be five sentences or less. It’s that simple. Not new, I know, but good to remind ourselves of.

SAG-AFTRA Merger Plan Finalized

Backstage: A formal plan to merge the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has finally been drafted, but members of both performers’ unions will have to wait a while longer before they can read it. SAG and AFTRA announced early Monday morning that the Group for One Union—the so-called G1, a joint panel of leaders from the two unions—has agreed upon a merger package that will be presented to and voted on by SAG’s national board of directors at its Jan. 27 meeting and AFTRA’s national board at its Jan. 28-29 meeting. The unions intend to withhold details of the package until after the board meetings.

Peter Dinklage Pays Tribute to Assaulted Dwarf in Acceptance Speech

The Hollywood Reporter: After winning a best supporting actor Golden Globe for his role in HBO's Game of Thrones, Peter Dinklage seized the spotlight to raise awareness of a crime committed against Martin Henderson, a British actor and dwarf.

AFTRA, SAG Committee Reaches Merger Proposal

Reuters: A committee of the American Federation of Television Artists and Screen Actors Guild has reached an agreement for the two unions to merge, the labor organizations said Monday.
The proposed agreement now goes to each union's boards of directors and then for a vote of the membership.

ESPN's SkyCam Becomes Self-Aware, Starts Attacking Iowa Players

deadspin: It was bound to happen eventually: the wire-suspended ESPN SkyCam came crashing to the ground late in Friday's Insight Bowl in Tempe, nearly decapitating Iowa's Marvin McNutt and leaving the Worldwide Leader's Sean McDonough to apologize with a sheepish "Sorry folks."

Stagehands’ rings a reminder of Bluesfest’s near disaster

ottawacitizen: Stagehand Kevin Wright was on the main stage at Bluesfest the night it collapsed — and he has the ring to prove it.
The ring is mounted with a piece of aluminum from the shattered stage roof, which came crashing down after a freak storm blew in at unusually high speed on the evening of July 17, 2011.

Stage Write iPad App

YouTube: Revolutionary ipad app for directors, choreographers, stage managers - create dynamic spacing charts, document choreography and traffic patterns, record blocking in a flash! Created by Jeff Whiting (director/choreographer). Available on iTunes for iPad 1 and iPad 2.

City Theatre's 'Through the Night' explores men's vulnerabilities

Post Gazette: For a man with dozens of voices swirling in his head, Daniel Beaty has a singular vision of "the solo play," his way of explaining his acclaimed shows such as "Through the Night," which he will perform on City Theatre's Main Stage starting Saturday.

The games Bricolage plays: For its 10th year, theater company plans fun, adventure

Post Gazette: For its 10th year, Bricolage is having so much fun, the funky theater company is playing games with its audience.
On its just-announced 2012 season you'll find STRATA, described as an "original immersive urban adventure game."

Rob Marshall to direct movie of 'Into the Woods,' John Logan tackles 'Jersey Boys' film ... and more

Post Gazette: The back and forth between stage and screen, screen and stage, is evident most weeks of the year.
"Carnage," based on the play "God of Carnage," opened Friday as the latest theatrical production to get the big-screen, big-star treatment. Disney's "Newsies," with music by Oscar winner Alan Menken, is an example of an original movie that has been re-created for the stage and is scheduled to open on Broadway in March.

'Jesus Hopped the A-Train' asks the big questions

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Patrick Jordan's credo is that if you're going to put yourself through the torture of producing drama, you've got to be fully committed to the play and to doing it right.
That belief explains in part why barebones productions has not staged a play since the company's "Killer Joe" wowed audiences and critics in 2010.
The company returns Thursday with its 11th production, the Pittsburgh premiere of "Jesus Hopped the A-Train," which begins its run at the New Hazlett Theater on the North Side.
The play has been percolating in Jordan's brain since he saw it seven years ago.

Theatreworks spins a caring tale of the famed children's story

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The classic, beloved story about an unlikely, yet strong, friendship between a barn spider and a pig still touches hearts of young and old and brings smiles and tears, says the artistic director of a live play coming to Pittsburgh.
"Charlotte's Web," presented by Pittsburgh International Children's Theater, tells one of the most beautiful stories about friendship in literary history. It is based on the 1952 book by E.B. White.

Attack Theatre updates WWI's 'The Soldier's Tale'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Most fables date back to vague antiquity, but "The Soldier's Tale" was created during World War I, which makes it a relatively modern story.
Composer Igor Stravinsky and novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz wrote it in 1915 in Switzerland. Cut off from their sources of income, they created a little theater piece for a few actors and a handful of musicians that could tour from town to town to earn a little money. As often is the case, external limitations spurred the creative fires.

6 Tips For Writing Better Emails

PickTheBrain: If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you have an email account. You may well have several – perhaps separate accounts for professional and personal contacts.
It’s easy to assume that we know how to use email effectively: it’s been around for long enough. But if you find yourself struggling to communicate effectively by email, these six tips should help

Open Source PID Controller

Boing Boing: PIDs are often used in Sous Vide cookers, too. (Here's how to make one). If you are looking for a reasonably priced PID controller, here's a new source: Brett Beauregard's open source PID controller, for $85.

11 Tips to Mastering the FAFSA

Mainstreet: In a continuing trend of a widening gap between the cost of higher education and the family income required to pay it, 2012 is shaping up to be a struggle for parents and a boon for colleges, nonprofit or not. For financial aid expert Kal Chany, the corporatizing of higher education is driving the trend.

A Banner Year for Special Makeup Effects

Below the Line: Every autumn in the entertainment industry, the many below-the-line crafts in a year’s films are often under appreciated by a celebrity-oriented press corps, both foreign and domestic, who often seek nothing but a parade of stars come the lengthy awards season. Yet, the various crafts in a film, with the artists behind those trades, in addition to the unquestionable impact of those fields on the look and sound of a film, are certainly worthy of equal footing to the on-camera talent. And makeup artistry and hairstyling stand as crucial elements to a film on par with costume design in the presentation of an onscreen actor or actress.

Academy Announces Scientific and Technical Awards

Below the Line: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that eight scientific and technical achievements represented by 28 individual award recipients will be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards presentation at the Beverly Wilshire on Feb. 11.
Unlike other Academy Awards to be presented this year, achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards need not have been developed and introduced during 2011. Rather, the achievements must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures.

Critic's Notebook: In Václav Havel's plays, politics was personal

latimes.com: What defines a political artist? Ideology? Activism? Revolutionary fervor?
The question preoccupied me recently as I spent time rereading plays by Václav Havel, the dissident playwright turned Czech president, who died late last year. And the answer I discovered in "The Memorandum," "The Increased Difficulty of Concentration" and "Largo Desolato" had less to do with platforms and protests than I remembered. In fact, the only programmatic agenda I came upon was an unwavering defense of the individual, which just so happens to be the only agenda that will never grow obsolete.

Berlin theater performs play live on Facebook

latimes.com: If Shakespeare was correct all those centuries ago that, indeed, all the world’s a stage, then social media is the newest venue. Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theater this week premiered Theodor Fontane's "Effi Briest” on Facebook, in what it dubbed the first live performance for the social networking site.

Look Solutions Provides Fog on the High Seas

Stage Directions: Las Vegas-based Advanced Entertainment Services (AES) has been supplying cruise ships with special effects equipment for the last 20 years, including vessels for the Carnival, Holland America, Costa, Radisson and Crystal cruise lines. AES recently outfitted the Carnival Magic, the newest ship from Carnival Cruise Lines, with Viper S and Power-Tiny foggers from Look Solutions.

Opinion: Improv Acting And Game Development

Gamasutra: When I was a first-year student at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center, I was required along with the other first-years to take an improvisational acting class. At first glance it may seem like a weird requirement for a graduate level non-theatre program, but man, improv can teach you SO MUCH about working on teams in a creative environment.

Stagehands-- Long Version

Lisa Miles Violin: You’d think a city with a vibrant cultural district would have plenty of work for their professional theatrical and stage employees, no? It hasn’t been so. Many events, with many stages set up and running with entertainment over the years, but not much use of Pittsburgh Stagehands.

Obituary: Scott L. Denier / Locally renowned theater producer

Post Gazette: Pittsburgh stage actress Robin Walsh vividly remembers first meeting Scott L. DeNier at the local theater impresario's house in 1997. He made her get down on all fours and bark like a dog in his living room.
Ms. Walsh was auditioning for a lead in "Sylvia," a comedy about the love triangle among a man, his wife and his new dog.
Calling it a "very strange encounter," Ms. Walsh hoped that she was at a legitimate audition and not at the home of some "maniac."
It turned out to be the former. She got the role and began a collaboration with Mr. DeNier that lasted through several more stage appearances with his one-man Starlight Productions.

Chris Jones picks the top 10 Chicago theater shows in 2011

chicagotribune.com: Here are the top 10 theater shows of the more than 200 I saw in Chicago this year -- in order of merit, as reductive as that inevitably ends up being, and without regard to their point of origin. Some were forged from distant points; most were conceived right here in our town. All came with astonishments.

John Wells: Hollywood Weighs In on One of the Good Guys

The Hollywood Reporter: As a kid growing up in Denver, John Wells dreamed of being a working writer. The fact that he became one, in a big way, doesn't surprise people who have worked with the writer-director-producer-showrunner on such series as China Beach, ER, The West Wing and Third Watch. To hear them tell it, Wells' work ethic and unflappable disposition are among the keys to his success (not to mention his legendary ability to multitask). As of Jan. 12, the multiple Emmy winner's accolades includes a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Wells, 55, who recently directed his first feature, 2010's The Company Men, and executive produces TNT's Southland and Showtime's Shameless, says he doesn't work in a silo. "I surround myself with talented people that I delegate to," says the former WGA West president. "That lets me roam and be involved in a lot of things."

Person of interest: Tony Ferrieri

Post Gazette: The recent cabaret setting for City Theatre's "Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir" (Nov. 12-Dec. 18), complete with working bar and table seating, marked the 475th production design of Tony Ferrieri's career.

Plays that Bricolage had a role in launching

Post Gazette: Bricolage follows the plays that have originated or incubated through its programs such as the Bricolage Urban Scrawl and In the Raw series and gone on to become full productions.

Public Theater extends Ted Pappas' contract

Post Gazette: Ted Pappas and Pittsburgh Public Theater have solidified their future together, with the producing artistic director agreeing to stay on through 2018 and an eye toward new artistic endeavors for the company.
Michael H. Ginsberg, president of the Public's board of trustees and a partner at Jones Day, said the four-year contract extension is recognition of Mr. Pappas' artistic vision, commitment to the region and business acumen.

barebones productions launches 2012 with prison drama 'Jesus Hopped the A Train'

Post Gazette: In a busy January of new and new-to-Pittsburgh shows, barebones productions is first out of the gate with "Jesus Hopped the A Train," a gritty prison-set drama that fits the mold artistic director Patrick Jordan has set for the company.
"It's visceral; it's in your face; it's all real," Mr. Jordan said of the play by Stephen Adly Guirgis, the Tony-nominated writer of the recent Broadway hit "The Mother F• • • • • With the Hat."

Holly Hatcher-Frazier is a voice of reason on 'Dance Moms'

Post Gazette: In the reality television world of spray-tanned Guidos, desperate "Housewives" of Atlanta and too many Kardashians, who knew a self-described "boring" woman in pearls could be such a draw?
It certainly was a revelation for Holly Hatcher-Frazier, director of the Lower School at the private Winchester Thurston School in Shadyside. Widely considered the voice of reason among the adults on Lifetime's hit program "Dance Moms," Ms. Hatcher-Frazier is a true rarity on television.

Second City is ready to make its audience laugh — and participate

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: For Eileen Montelione, preparation is an essential part of improv comedy.
Montelione arrives in town Thursday as a performer in the Second City's green company, which will play four sold-out performances of the famed comedy troupe's new show "Laugh Out Loud" at the O'Reilly Theater, Downtown.
The show features classic sketches from the Second City archives, musical accompaniment and audience-participation segments.

Pappas signs through 2018 with Pittsburgh Public Theater

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Pittsburgh Public Theater producing artistic director Ted Pappas has agreed to a unanimous Board of Trustees request to extend his contract by four years.
Now in the second year of his current contract, the extension means that Pappas will continue as the theater's creative and executive director until Aug. 31, 2018.

SAG Offers Support for Unmasked Actress Suing IMDb

Backstage: Huang Hoang, the actress who on Friday was outed in her lawsuit against IMDB for publishing her age, is getting some big-time support from Hollywood's biggest acting guild.
Late Friday, the Screen Actors Guild issued a statement applauding Hoang for her "determination and courage" in "standing up to fight the unfair and abusive practice of publishing actors' private information online without their consent."

City Opera Lockout Leaves Upcoming Season Questionable

Backstage: New York City Opera has locked out its union musicians and choristers from today's opening rehearsal of the season after contract negotiations deteriorated over the weekend. The lockout leaves uncertain the fate of City Opera's first production, "La Traviata," and the company's upcoming truncated season.

'Replicator' 3D printer does two colors, makes Thing-O-Matic weep

DVICE: MakerBot's Thing-O-Matic 3D printer is totally worth it. We already established that. How can the company improve on its homemade toy-printing potential? By making it bigger and more powerful. That and giving it a cool name like "The Replicator."

Three Steps to Organize Your Career Search

CollegeSurfing Insider: The holiday frenzy may be over, but the new year often rings in an organizing frenzy that can eat up free time. Organizing strategies and tips that are meant for your pantry, closets, laundry room, storage spaces, and other areas also can be perfect when searching for a new career.

Powell's 2 store in Portland: Maker heaven

Boing Boing: In Portland yesterday I wandered in to Powell's Books. No, not the big, main Powell's Books, but the small satellite Powell's 2 store across the street. Ever been? It's just the technical book selection and, boy, is it Maker heaven in there!

Clear Channel Rebrands With New Name

The Hollywood Reporter: The company says the new name will better reflect the different ways the company delivers content to its listeners in the digital age, including iHeartRadio, the iHeartRadio Music Festival and other live events, as well as its stations on XM, HD Radio and other media.

The Jobseeker's Secret Weapon: If This, Then That

Apartment Therapy: If you haven't used IFTTT, we think you should check out one of the greatest free web services around. IFTTT stands for If This, Then That, and the name is practically self-explanatory. If one of the several triggers you setup happens, then the service activates whatever multiple commands you designate. But how does all this help you find a job?

Production Resource Group (PRG) Scenic Technical Design and Engineering Internship

SmartRecruiters Free Applicant Tracking and recruiting software: This work will assist PRG and also provide the interns with a comprehensive overview including: Understanding and reading drawings; Understanding of AutoCAD functions including opening drawings, finding dimensions and plotting; Electro-mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems and their usage; Standard mechanical components, their usage and selection criteria; Mechanical Parts Suppliers; Component catalogs and decoding part numbers; Mechanical concepts of horsepower, force, line pull, torque, power, speed, and their relationships; Control aspects of Mechanical Design; Effects Lists and their function; Understanding of best case practices; Understanding of client relationships; Interdisciplinary convergence with Lighting / Audio / Video

Jovanotti Concert Stage Collapses, One Worker Killed, Eight Injured

PLSN: Scaffolding and truss crumpled at about 2 pm prior to a Dec. 12 rock concert featuring Jovanotti at the 6,943-seat PalaTrieste. The collapse killed one stage worker and injured eight others, according to press reports.

News Brief: College Magazine Names CMU #9 Most Hipster Campus

Carnegie Mellon University: Carnegie Mellon University, perhaps best known for its top engineering and computer science programs, can now add another accolade to its long list as one of the country’s most hipster campuses.

High-tech Strip shows usher in demand for specialized support workers

Las Vegas Sun: Mathieu Guyard’s safety hinges on the effectiveness of Kevlar wiring with a minimum breaking strength of 7,000 pounds, high-speed winches and performer-held controls that raise and lower the French-born acrobat as fast as 11 feet per second.
At 5 feet 9 and a very fit 162 pounds, he’ll rise as high as 50 feet above the “Ka” theater stage at the MGM Grand, directed by a stage manager who utters cues to the actors via lightweight earpieces that receive radio signals. The audience of 1,800 people takes it all in from seats with multiple speakers behind and in front of them.

FATAL ITALIAN STAGE COLLAPSE RAISES AUS FEARS

The Music.com.au: A fatal stage collapse in Italy has prompted calls from the Australian industry that ‘it could still happen here’.
A collapsed stage of Italian rock star Jovanotti has claimed the life of an apprentice stage hand in Italy. The collapse happened in Trieste, a sea-side town in the country’s north east, as the stage’s construction crew were nearing completion.
Entertainment technology trade magazine CX reported the story saying, “ Australia’s production industry are vulnerable and audience lives at risk due to lack of diligence, unrestricted import of poorly engineered staging, and crucially no peak industry representation.”
According to Pollstar, Italian news agency ANSA reported that rescue crews said the stage’s front buckled and collapsed, crushing workers with scaffolding.

Czarnowski Sponsors Denver Training Program for Convention Workers

Exhibitor News Network (ENN): Czarnowski, a leading exhibit marketing firm, today sponsored a full-day safety training program for members of the Denver Theatrical, Stage, Film and Exhibition Employees Union, IATSE Local 7. The CZero Accident Plan, delivered by trainer Frank Marino, delivers detailed and specific industry training on use and safety related to ladders, scaffolding, rigging and other show floor equipment.

Ground-Breaking Road Map to Jobs in Hollywood

PR.com: All The Doors comprises a series of interviews with those indispensable behind-the-screen wizards who make movie magic actually happen. The book tells what they do, how they do it, how they got their jobs and what adventures they've had. It provides an insider's look at how movies are really made. It suggests myriad unconsidered avenues of entry. And it offers a chart of IATSE Guilds and Locals, with phone numbers, e-mail addresses and websites, for reader follow-up queries concerning employment.

Opera Singer Wendy White in Stable Condition After a Fall at the Met

NYTimes.com: The mezzo-soprano Wendy White fell from a platform eight feet above the stage during a performance of Gounod’s “Faust” at the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday night and was taken to the hospital. The Met said she did not appear to be seriously injured and was in stable condition but was undergoing tests.

Closer Look: UploadStudio's The Project Hub

Live Deisgn: File-sharing services abound these days with the likes of Dropbox, YouSendIt, iDisk, etc. but what’s lacking in all of them is both the mindset of entertainment production and the ease of use that is still necessary for those less-than-tech-savvy coworkers. Enter The Project Hub from UploadStudio Ltd.

You Should Be A Media Server Programmer, Really

Live Design: So you wanna program media servers, huh? Well, why do you want to do that to yourself? You know that there’s only one department that usually has to stay after school longer than the lighting guys, and that’s the vid-iots. I guess that some of us are just not satisfied with the easy ways out in life. Let’s face it: Lighting’s easy, right? Media sever programming? That’s just not that easy, which is exactly why it’s a great segment of the industry to join.

J-O-B - Production Director

Ordway Production Director