SAG-AFTRA to Members: ‘Your Union Has Your Back’ on Coronavirus

Variety: SAG-AFTRA has reassured its 160,000 members that it will push hard for a safe working environment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Your safety is paramount,” SAG president Gabrielle Carteris and SAG national executive director David White said in a message sent Thursday to members.

When the Show Must Go On, Even Amid a Coronavirus Outbreak

The New York Times: Venice’s ornate opera house, La Fenice, has survived floods and been rebuilt after devastating fires. So it was determined to keep going after the coronavirus forced it to cancel its performances: This week a string quartet gathered in the empty, eerily silent theater and played Beethoven, streaming the concert online and winning an ovation of handclap emojis.

New York and Broadway brace for economic impact from coronavirus

Broadway News: On Wednesday, NYC & Company, the marketing agency for the city, revised its tourism outlook downward, projecting a decline in visitors in March, April and May related to the virus and economic volatility. While the impact on New York theater may yet be mild — with some weakness in recent sales and one Off-Broadway cancellation — the projections add to economic worries surrounding the virus and its upcoming impact on tourism-dependent industries.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Six Health Safety Tips for Events

www.eventmarketer.com: Face masks are out, hand-washing is in, and managing attendee fear is paramount. Welcome to events in the age of the coronavirus (Covid-19). With the rapidly evolving virus taking hold of the industry, we compiled tips from two doctors serving the event industry, as well as information on what major venues across the globe are doing to handle the crisis, to help you better communicate and plan amidst the current outbreak.

Review Roundup: MTC's THE PERPLEXED - What Did the Critics Think?

www.broadwayworld.com: Two families, whose lives have been tumultuously intertwined for decades, gather in the massive library of a Fifth Avenue apartment to celebrate the nuptials of their children. Nothing goes smoothly and as the big moment approaches, the burning question is: can everyone put aside long-smoldering jealousies and deep-seated grudges and just get through the ceremony? The Perplexed, a bitingly witty new play, reunites Tony winner Richard Greenberg with MTC's award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Meadow.

I Am A Haunted House uses dance, new media, and a Hollywood legend to re-examine the past

Dance | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: In the annals of camp, there are few moments more iconic than the infamous wire hangers scene from Mommie Dearest, the 1981 biopic based on the bestselling tell-all book about Joan Crawford. It’s a moment so connected with the late Hollywood star that local multimedia artist, Scott Andrew, says most people don’t think of her at all beyond that.

Review Roundup: COAL COUNTRY at the Public - What Did the Critics Think?

www.broadwayworld.com: In 2010, the Upper Big Branch mine explosion killed 29 men, and tore a hole in the lives of countless others. In this riveting, emotionally stunning new work based on first-person accounts by survivors and family members, Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, award-winning writers of The Exonerated, and three-time Grammy Award-winning country/folk legend Steve Earle dig deep into the lives and loss of the most deadly mining disaster in recent U.S. history. Jessica Blank directs this haunting world premiere that gives voice to those yet unheard and shines a piercing light on the deadly forces of greed and the enduring power of love.

Prolight + Sound 2020 Postponed until 26th to 29th May

LightSoundJournal.com: Given the increasing spread of Covid-19 in Europe, Messe Frankfurt has decided to postpone Prolight + Sound 2020. The trade fair was originally planned for 31 March to 3 April. The health of exhibitors, visitors, contractors and employees has top priority for Messe Frankfurt. The new dates for the Global Entertainment Technology Show are from 26 to 29 May 2020. Visitor admission tickets continue to be valid.

ETC equipment freeing for immersive Cages

et cetera...: In theatre, the word “immersive” is often tossed around to describe the flimsiest of attempts to create a pre-show atmosphere.

It’s a gamble that mostly comes up short. By contrast, Woolf and the Wondershow’s production of Cages succeeds in spectacular style. The show takes place in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse that has been transformed into a Victorian wonderland.

Redefining Dinner Theatre Off Broadway

Theatre Development Fund – TDF: Dinner theatre used to mean audiences enjoyed a meal while watching a show. But over the past few years, a handful of adventurous New York productions have been using food to enhance their stage stories.

Demystifying The Magic Of Theatre

The Theatre Times: In the play, Colors of Trans 2.0, when the transgender performer Living Smile Vidya bares her surgically reconfigured body in a moment of aching vulnerability, it induces gasps from onlookers accustomed only to cis experiences. In Jhalkari, when the Rani of Jhansi (Dipika Pandey) comes across her doppelgänger, she instantly drops her regal guard and recognizes in a stranger an irresistible kinship. It’s a compelling moment in which barriers of caste and class become immaterial. This, despite the actors looking nothing like each other.

How Coronavirus Is Affecting the Con Circuit

The Mary Sue: The coronavirus scare is causing school closures, quarantines, and runs on grocery stores as panic and precautions ramp up in the United States and more and more cases are confirmed. For us geeks, who often like to stay safe in our nice, quiet houses this would be fine—except it’s the start of con season.

South by Southwest Still On, Despite Concern Over Coronavirus

Consequence of Sound: The news surrounding the coronavirus seems to get ever scarier by the day, and its impact is undeniable. Huge acts like Green Day and BTS have had to cancel Asian tours, production on Mission Impossible 7 has been delayed, and just today the release date for the new Bond film No Time to Die was pushed back as nearly 70,000 movie theaters in China have closed. However, the growing epidemic hasn’t shut everything down. It appears South by Southwest, Austin’s long-running annual tech, film, and music conference launching in under two weeks, is still on as planned.

Shrink me down and let me live in the Carnegie Science Center’s Miniature Railroad and Village

Just Jaggin' | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: You probably know me as “the funniest guy in my office.” What you may not know is I am also Pittsburgh City Paper’s preeminent model railroad enthusiast. If I had a beat, it would be the Carnegie Science Center’s Miniature Railroad and Village,® having covered the past two yearly additions to the 100-year-old model: Donora’s Cement City and Kaufmann’s Clock. So you could imagine how details of the model’s 100th anniversary fundraising campaign almost derailed me.

Coronavirus Hits Content Business as Hollywood, Tech Brace for Losses

Variety: The rapid spread of coronavirus, which has already killed more than 3,000 people and infected as many as 90,000, has gripped a fearful global population and threatens the livelihood of countless workers as major events are canceled and businesses shut their doors to prevent transmission. Meanwhile, reacting to news of the worldwide spread of the virus, the Dow had its worst week since 2008, and plunged 1,191 points on Feb. 27, its worst single-day point drop in history, before staging a huge Monday rebound.

Olivier Awards Nominations: ‘& Juliet,’ ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Lead

Variety: A musical re-imagining of a Shakespearean tragedy and a revival of one of the most famous shows in theater history dominated the Olivier Award nominations on Tuesday.

The musical “& Juliet,” a campy re-interpretation of “Romeo & Juliet,” led the field with nine nominations, including nods for best musical, actress in a musical for Miriam-Teak Lee, and best score.

NCAA Urged To Hold March Madness Without Fans Over Coronavirus Scare

brobible.com: The NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins on Tuesday, March 17th. The women’s college basketball tournament begins on Friday, March 20th. And if the National College Players Association (NCPA) has its way there could be no fans in attendance at the games due to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.

We previewed Cirque du Soleil's Disney tribute, 'Drawn to Life'

www.themeparkinsider.com: After standing dark for more than two years, the Cirque du Soleil theater in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort came alive again today for a media preview of its new production, "Drawn to Life."

The Broadway League Issues Statement on Coronavirus

www.ticketnews.com: Over the last few weeks, coronavirus has begun to spread across the world. The League said it is “closely monitoring the evolving situation” and the “safety and security of theatregoers and employees is our highest priority.”

Chicago’s Most In-Demand Set Designer

Chicago magazine | Arts & Culture March 2020: Yu Shibagaki has had a prolific few months. On top of designing sets for two plays showing in Chicago in March — School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play at Goodman Theatre and Her Honor Jane Byrne at Lookingglass — Shibagaki worked on a third, How to Defend Yourself, which closed at Victory Gardens last week.

Inside City Theatre's 2020-21 season announcement

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: City Theatre's 2020-21 season comes in with a fright of fancy — a multimedia production of "Frankenstein" — and continues to deliver on its new-play mission.

The new season includes two plays developed by the company, the return of Dominique Morriseau and Adam Rapp's "The Sound Inside," which was on Broadway as recently as January.

Various Artists Cancel Concerts Amid Coronavirus Concerns

www.ticketnews.com: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is quickly spreading across the world with a death toll of 3,100 and nearly 90,000 confirmed cases, the Washington Post reports. Amid the increasing outbreaks, a handful of artists have begun to cancel tour dates.

The recipe for realistic theatre gore? Jelly, oatmeal and raw meat

Stage | The Guardian: Bodies hacked to pieces, brains dribbling out of skulls, tongues sliced out of screaming mouths … Theatre has long been filled with the most macabre visions of guts and gore. But it is a tricky business to make such scenes work for today’s audiences, who are acclimatised to screen violence and perhaps even numbed by it.

Practical Uses of AR in Arts and Culture

AMT Lab @ CMU: Since its first iteration, Augmented Reality (AR) has been disrupting education, health, entertainment, and many other fields. By enhancing the senses and abilities it has delighted but also aided in solving difficult problems. In arts and culture, AR has transformed static museum displays and provided special effects for stage productions.

SXSW, Ultra Music Festival To Go On Despite Coronavirus Concerns

www.ticketnews.com: The show must go on, at least in Austin and Miami. The cities will house two of the world’s most popular gatherings this month – South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin and Ultra Music Festival in Miami – with officials deeming the events will take place despite growing concerns over the coronavirus.

U.K. Freelancers Worry About Livelihoods Amid Coronavirus Spread

Variety: U.K. broadcasting union Bectu has warned about the impact coronavirus could have on TV and film freelancers’ livelihoods.

The union has been fielding calls from freelance workers keen for information on whether they are still entitled to payment even if their work is canceled because of coronavirus.

Women Count V: Women Hired Off-Broadway 2014/15 through 2018/19

urban excavations: The Women Count report series collects and publishes analyses of production credits to assess gender parity in theater hiring decisions. Since 2014 we have asked: whose plays are being done, who is directing them, and how many women are being hired for theatrical off-stage roles in New York’s theaters beyond Broadway? The goal of the report series is to change the conversation from anecdotes to action plans to support advocacy efforts on behalf of women playwrights, performers, and off-stage theater workers.

Opinion: It's time for critics to step in

Broadway News: “Crrrritic!” Estragon sneers as the trumping put-down in the battery of insults he trades with Vladimir in “Waiting for Godot.” You might say that for theater critics, it’s been downhill ever since. And when are critics not crrrritics? That’s easy: When we don’t write rrrrreviews.

Live Entertainment Expo TOKYO

LightSoundJournal.com: The 7th edition of Live Entertainment Expo TOKYO recently came to a close, amidst a rather “tense” world climate due to the now infamous Coronavirus. Despite this “emergency”, it seemed to us that the public, mostly national, responded with enthusiasm and appreciation of the format that Live Entertainment Expo has conceived and then perfected over the years.

Chutti Artiste Margi Raveendran Nair’s Make-Up Transforms Kathakali Actors into Characters

The Theatre Times: Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Margi Raveendran Nair’s hands are rock steady as he carefully draws thin white stripes on a black background. Eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed, he is a picture of concentration as each white line is added to complete the chutti (make-up) of Sadanam Vishnuprasad playing the role of the villainous Nivathakavachan in Kalakeyavadham Kathakali for a play at Margi Natyagriham in the city.

Triumph from tragedy: how Greece's theatre roared out of a national crisis

Stage | The Guardian: After a three-day visit, it would be presumptuous to sum up Athenian theatre. But in that short time, I saw five productions, met numerous artists and learned a lot. My immediate impression was that Athens is a hive of theatrical activity: some 1,500 productions a year covering everything from Aeschylus and Sophocles to Pinter and Albee.

How the Chicago Costumes Have Evolved Over 25 Years

Playbill: When you hear the word Chicago, what do you see think of? Fishnets? Black lace? Sheer black muscle shirts? The sleek and sexy look of the long-running Broadway musical revival has become a brand unto itself—so much so it overshadows the original production in the zeitgeist. Did you even realize that the original Bob Fosse production contained color? Still, maintaining the brand—and the costumes that inspired it—over the course of the past 25 years is an exercise in creativity and restraint.

Black History Month: Costume Designer Paul Tazewell On Breaking Barriers On Broadway And Beyond

CBS New York: All February, we’ve been highlighting leaders and trailblazers for Black History Month.

Meet a man whose artistry and custom-made way of storytelling is part of a many a stage production, including his life-changing work as costume designer for an epic Broadway musical.

Valencia High Alum helps Cirque du Soleil acrobats take flight

Santa Clarita Valley Signal: Acrobats bounce on trampolines. A man dangles from a lamp and a woman swings by her hair. BMX riders dazzle an audience. All of this is thanks to some behind-the-scenes magic from Sean Groves.

Groves, who grew up in Valencia, is the head of automation on “Volta.” From the Latin meaning “a sudden, quick change in emotion,” it is the 41st show and 18th big top by Quebec-based Cirque du Soleil.

Column: In the American theater, will highly paid artistic directors survive?

Chicago Tribune: In the 1980s, the Theatre Communications Group, a trade association for nonprofit theaters, wanted to explore the future of the so-called resident theater movement — the network of  professional, nonprofit theaters that had transformed the cultural landscape of America’s cities since Margo Jones, a.k.a. the Texas Tornado, and her revolutionary doings at her groundbreaking Theatre  ’47 in Dallas.

Who did they ask? Artistic directors, of course.

French Cleats And How To Use Them - Secure Cabinet Hanging

homefixated.com: If you caught our wooden bookshelf project, you may remember my saying it would be hung on the wall. But how exactly would you mount that sort of thing? The answer – in many cases – is a pair of wooden wedges known as the French cleat. We’ll show you how to use this easy technique to handle some of your trickiest wall hanging challenges. From kitchen cabinets to large pieces of art, French cleats are the simple, reliable solution you’ve been looking for.

Do You Speak Geek? The Unique Language Of Audio Analysis

ProSoundWeb: In my lifetime, the size of sophisticated audio analysis systems has evolved from table top, to under-airplane-seat, to computer bag, to cell phone. The cost has evolved from the price of a nice automobile to that of a Happy Meal.

As such, there are more audio practitioners than ever equipped to perform sophisticated loudspeaker and room measurements. Those who make the decision to get serious about this are faced with the daunting task of learning the ropes in order to get meaningful data from their measurement platform.

How to Count Blocks in AutoCAD and Other Measurement Methods

AutoCAD Blog | Autodesk: Almost every project will involve some form of quantification or measuring of data. In this article, we will delve into the many different methods AutoCAD provides to get you quantities for your project.

Vectorworks CEO Biplab Sarkar | 2020 Vectorworks Design Summit

Live Design: Another year, another software upgrade, and another conference. All exciting annual treats, but that's where the similarities stop. 2020 boasts multiple firsts, including an entertainment design keynote speaker and a West Coast location for the Vectorworks Design Summit.

Velvet Hearts! pays tribute to historic Black performers with variety show

Features | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: As Black History Month comes to a close this weekend, Velvet Hearts!, the multi-city troupe of queer burlesque, drag, and sideshow acts, will present Pay Tribute, a night of performances dedicated to groundbreaking Black artists who have paved the way for future generations. Now in its third year, the show — taking place on Sat., Feb. 29 at the Red Light Lounge in McKees Rocks — will likely be the only local event of its kind highlighting Black History, according to Pay Tribute host, Arla White.

Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter on Black History Month

Variety: Black History Month is a sacred time for me as a filmmaker as I reflect on those who walked the hard road so ours could be easier. I find inspiration in their journey, which reignites my passion to carry on sacred storytelling traditions and continue to show the world the incredible contributions of the black Americans who came before us.

Watch This Insane Timelapse Video of Rammstein's Stage Being Built

Consequence of Sound: Rammstein’s stage setup is no joke. The German industrial metal act shared a timelapse video that shows just how much work goes into constructing the massive structure.

Ground Breaker Tana Douglas

SoundGirls.org: Tana Douglas is known as the first woman roadie and got her start working Production in 1973 when Philippe Petit rigged a steel cable between the towers at the northern entrance to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Kathy Sander another roadie got her start in 1974 touring with Elton John). Without realizing it she had just done her first gig.

Final approvals granted for Teatro ZinZanni to rebuild on Embarcadero

Datebook: The future is once again looking concrete for Teatro ZinZanni.

The purveyor of circus and dinner theater, a fixture on the Embarcadero from 2000 to 2011, announced on Thursday, Feb. 27, that it got final approval from Mayor London Breed to rebuild its historic Palais Nostalgique — a Belgian spiegeltent, or mirror-walled circus tent. The structure is slated to be erected at a former parking lot on the Embarcadero at Broadway, half a mile from the venue’s old site at Pier 27 and 29.

Actors' Equity issues statement on coronavirus

Broadway News: Actors’ Equity has provided its staff and union members with guidance on “maintaining business continuity,” should a large coronavirus outbreak occur, the union said Thursday.

Disneyland, Legoland, and Universal Studios Close in Japan Over Coronavirus Outbreak

gizmodo.com: Tokyo Disneyland, Legoland Japan, and Universal Studios Japan will close their gates for at least two weeks on Saturday over concerns about the coronavirus outbreak that has sickened at least 226 people and killed four in Japan alone. The closures were announced on Friday after the Japanese government suggested a two-week ban on large public gatherings and the shuttering of schools on Wednesday.

CBS Suspends ‘The Amazing Race’ Production Over Coronavirus Fears

Variety: CBS has temporarily shut down production of Season 33 of “The Amazing Race” amid the increasing number of cases of coronavirus worldwide, Variety has learned exclusively. The move was undertaken “out of an abundance of caution,” as the respiratory virus has not impacted anyone directly involved with the show.

Japan Joins a Wave of Countries Temporarily Shutting Down Museums in an Effort to Limit the Spread of the Coronavirus

artnet News: As the deadly strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread across the world, Japan is taking emergency measures by closing its museums for at least two weeks at the instruction of the minister of education, culture, sports, science, and technology.

How 18,000 students proved theater experts wrong

Intimate Excellent: There hasn’t been that much rapturous cheering in Madison Square Garden since the Knicks won their last championship in 1973. But the thunderous hollering heard this Wednesday at the sold-out arena was not for a basketball game. It was for a play.

The Fiery Colors Of War – Provided By MIX® LED Technology -

www.rosco.com: Our scene opens inside a military airplane filled with soldiers. An explosion rocks the fuselage. The pilot can be heard off-camera.

“MAYDAY, MAYDAY … EMERGENCY … CRASH LANDING … ARMY ‘THREE-TWO-FOUR’ … POSITION, ONE-FOUR-FIVE WEST … SIX-FOUR, POINT EIGHT NORTH … NO INJURIES … NEED ASSISTANCE … REPEAT … MAYDAY, MAYDAY … CRASH LANDING …”

The plane is going down. The lighting inside the plane turns red. It’s time to bail out!

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

CMU Costume Studio Creates Onstage Magic Behind the Scenes

www.cmu.edu/news: The storytelling that happens on stage goes beyond an actor's performance — it begins in the very fabric of their costumes. At the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, costume design and production students use fabric, design and their imaginations to visually enhance an on-stage performance.

Posted by David at 2/24/2020 10:42:00 AM

Tyra Banks' ModelLand theme park: Tickets on sale for up to $1,495

www.usatoday.com: The model, television personality and businesswoman, 46, is launching ModelLand an attraction in Santa Monica, California, that will "emulate a fantasy version of the modeling world with state-of-the-art interactive entertainment where beauty, fashion, tech, theatre, retail and an eating extravaganza collide," her website describes.

Posted by David at 2/26/2020 10:22:00 AM

A time management coach's tips on getting better organized

www.fastcompany.com: As a time management coach, I clearly care about organization. On a daily basis, I work with goal-oriented individuals trying to find the right balance. That being said, you may be surprised to hear that being overly focused on organization can be counterproductive. I explain with these five tips to living more peaceful and productive lives.

Posted by David at 2/24/2020 10:39:00 AM

How to Overcome Creative Obstacles

Adobe 99U: Many of us are busy, overextended, and doing our best to cram as much as we can in a day. No wonder many of us struggle to find time to properly ruminate on a big idea that’s been lingering. It might flourish into something significant, but only if you give it the space and attention it needs. You might think that multitasking is the answer, and fruitlessly keep adding it to the bottom of your to-do list.

Posted by David at 2/28/2020 10:22:00 AM

Stage Managers in Performances

Dramatics Magazine: FOR MANY STAGE MANAGERS, opening night feels like a finish line. All the months of preparation, weeks of work, rehearsals, tech, and previews culminate in one night of celebration, in one (hopefully) amazing performance. There’s much rejoicing, many congratulations, and more than a few fond farewells as the director, designers, and artistic team head off to their next projects.

Posted by David at 2/28/2020 10:30:00 AM