Pittsburgh Troupe Turns To Radio-Style Drama During Pandemic

90.5 WESA: Most theater companies have adapted to the coronavirus pandemic with live-streaming and other newfangled technologies. PICT Classic Theatre is using them, too, but with a vintage twist.

What Is the Role of the Artist Today?

HowlRound Theatre Commons: This time of multiple pandemics requires deep reflection on individual and institutional values and practices. COVID-19, quarantine, climate catastrophe, and a public health crisis—marked by inequitable resource allocation and tragically disproportionate health outcomes—alongside the global response to George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police and the social justice uprising that followed, have made systemic and structural racism an articulated, visible public narrative in ways that bring us to what, as Angela Davis said recently, “Is a moment that no one could see coming but many have spent fifty years preparing for.”

As shutdown continues, Broadway industry looks for an advocate

Broadway News: When the Broadway League announced theaters would be closed through May 30, 2021, industry members were not surprised by the news.

Some had already received a head’s up from their productions, while others saw the extended shutdown as inevitable given the continued spread of coronavirus and the development timeline for a vaccine.

Black-Owned Philly Bookstore Creates Civic Intervention As Afrofuturist Theater

90.5 WESA: Before Jeannine Cook opened Harriett’s Bookshop on Girard Avenue in Fishtown earlier this year, she had been an educator. She still has a few tricks from the classroom up her sleeve.

“How do you get your student to pay attention?” she said. “You do something out of the ordinary.”

The movement will be beautified

Art Feature | Chicago Reader: As we reflect on the year so far and think forward to November, political art has never been more important. The Latinx community, which has a long history of "artivism," has brought power to racial struggles for decades and helped unite Chicago and capture the fervent energy this summer. In a culturally rich and diverse but segregated city, Latinx artivism shows there is power in community, especially in the midst of a pandemic that disproportionately hits Black and Brown Chicagoans the worst.

White NYC Theater Actors Get More Jobs and More Pay According to New Study

www.backstage.com: Despite industry calls for diversity, white actors continue to get more roles with higher pay, than BIPOC actors, according to a new study. The Asian American Performers Action Coalition, an advocacy group focused on advocating for diversity in the American theater, has released the findings of their newest demographic study, called “The Visibility Report: Racial Representation on New York City Stages.”

As Industry Calls for Change, Live Nation Starts Black Tour Directory

Rolling Stone: In response to calls to diversify the mainly white live-music industry, concert giant Live Nation launched the Black Tour Directory Tuesday, October 13th, a new online resource for tour organizers that the company hopes will create more work for black live-industry workers.

San Francisco Will Pay Artists $1,000 a Month in Universal Basic Income

Reason.com: San Francisco will become the latest city to experiment with a universal basic income (UBI). Sort of.

In an effort to assist the city's struggling arts community in bouncing back from the pandemic, Mayor London Breed announced last week that she'd be rolling out a cash transfer program for artists.

Sold Out: Arizona Nonprofit Cuts Crowds, Pivots To Immersive Theater

www.forbes.com: Coronavirus-related shutdowns have devastated the performing arts industry nationwide — but one small theater in the southwest is seeing sustained sellouts even without the large crowds.

Theater Works, in Peoria, Ariz., re-opened in early September with ‘CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER,’ an immersive theater experience based on Alice in Wonderland.

Winter Is Coming. Concert Venues Are Terrified

Rolling Stone: Todd Mayo says it was like finding buried treasure when he started The Caverns. Mayo was spelunking, excavating a cave on a plot of land he’d purchased — when he realized that the scenic space in Pelham, Tennessee could be an impressive outdoor music venue. Since its founding in 2018, The Caverns has hosted shows for the likes of The Flaming lips, Los Lobos and Steve Earle.

Shernaz Patel on the Changing Landscape of Theatre from Stage to Screen

The Theatre Times: Shernaz Patel holds on to the memory of the last time she set foot on stage, in early March this year in Australia, to perform The Siddhus of Upper Juhu. The world had yet to wake up to the brutality of COVID-19 at that point, and now, more than six months after theatres shut down due to lockdown, she reminisces: “I miss the smell of theatre.”

It's time for artists to speak out against government gaslighting

Exeunt Magazine: I’m old enough to remember March 2020, when the media were falling over themselves to proclaim the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak as “Dishy Rishi” and Prime Minister in waiting. The Job Retention Scheme was seen as almost unbelievable act of generosity and the British people were supposed to line up and tug their forelocks in appreciation. Yes, it was a golden time, unless you had been in a job for less than a year or worked in an industry that required large numbers of people to congregate in small spaces. Industries like the creative arts.

How women are fighting back against harassment on LinkedIn

www.fastcompany.com: Like many professionals, I start my day with a cup of coffee and a quick scan of LinkedIn. It’s part of my mental “power hour” where I catch up on what happened overnight and fill my brain with the news, insights and trends that will help me do better work each day.

The company that has a monopoly on ice cream truck music

thehustle.co: In 1973, an electrical engineer named Bob Nichols was watching the film The Sting when a song on the soundtrack — Scott Joplin’s 1902 ragtime hit, “The Entertainer” — caught his ear.

The right clip of that song, Bob realized, would make for an irresistible ice cream truck jingle.

The Science of Virtual Reality: How VR Helps with Memory Retention

VRFocus: Much of the current interest in virtual reality (VR) centres around how it might be a new format to better engage the brain in learning, and how this new medium impacts memory retention, and to better engage the interest of those viewing VR.

5 Ways Music Production Is Like Cooking (+ What That Means for Your Mixes)

Pro Audio Files: I’ve often thought that if I hadn’t decided to pursue music production as a career, the only other thing I might approach with the same level of passion is cooking. Even in my life as a music maker, preparing food is an important part of my day, and something I get a lot of satisfaction from.

Firehouse Productions Brings Live Energy to NBA Bubble With JBL Professional Audio Solutions

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: To bring the energy and excitement of a typical basketball experience to an NBA season that was anything but typical, Firehouse Productions deployed two complete Harman Professional Solutions audio systems featuring state-of-the-art JBL Professional loudspeakers and Crown amplifiers.

Severe Lack of Diversity in UK Senior TV Leadership Jobs, Survey Finds

Variety: Even as the U.K. celebrates Black History Month, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people are seriously underrepresented in senior TV leadership jobs, a survey conducted by the Creative Diversity Network (CDN) has found.

Standing as One at Silverstone for #WeMakeEvents Global Day of Action

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: Persistent and torrential rain didn't dampen any spirits or enthusiasm at Silverstone Circuit in the UK where moving light manufacturer Robe UK, rental and production company Clearsound and Silverstone's events and conference team transformed the world-famous race track's "Wing" building and conference center "resplendent red" for the evening of September 30, 2020.

SAG-AFTRA Heralds Guidelines for Preventing Sexual Harassment

Variety: On the third anniversary of reports on the Harvey Weinstein sex scandal, SAG-AFTRA has unveiled new resources to help prevent sexual harassment and build safer working conditions for members.

PLASA Online to Begin Monday for Five Days of Business, Technical, and Product Sessions

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: Next week from October 12 - 16, PLASA, the lead association for the entertainment technology industry, is hosting PLASA Online, a five-day program of curated business, technical, and product sessions. Each session is designed to provide education, guidance, and inspiration during this challenging time.

Mosaic Theater heads into fall season recommitted to anti-racism

DC Metro Theater Arts: A monthslong period of intensive introspection and evolution at Mosaic Theater Company, led by a recommitment to anti-racism, has culminated in the company’s recent announcement of fall programming, new play development, and virtual engagement initiatives, coupled with acknowledgement of the ​BIPOC Demands for White American Theatre​.

NBC ripped by local news staffers in NYC over ‘unfair’ COVID-19 testing

nypost.com: Employees at NBC’s local news station in New York City claim they’re being treated like second-class citizens when it comes to the company’s coronavirus testing policies, The Post has learned.

Employees of WNBC, NBC’s local affiliate in New York, are demanding they receive COVID-19 tests like their colleagues at NBC News, MSNBC and even “Saturday Night Live,” who are being tested at least once a week, sources close to the situation said.

Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle Blasts SAG-AFTRA For Launching “Sham Investigation” Into Equity’s Internal Affairs

Deadline: SAG-AFTRA’s national board unanimously approved a resolution Thursday night reaffirming its longstanding jurisdiction over the taping of live shows, and accused Equity of taking part in a “surreptitious campaign to encroach upon SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction.” The board’s resolution, announced on Friday, also directed SAG-AFTRA counsel “to conduct an investigation of Equity’s activities seeking to poach SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction, with a particular emphasis on its ‘Media Committee’ and the many agreements it has made for so-called ‘remote’ work that falls squarely within SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction, taking thousands of days of work from performers who should have been working under SAG-AFTRA contracts.”

Milwaukee 6T Linear Utility Crimper

Pro Tool Reviews: The Milwaukee M18 Force Logic 6T Linear Utility Crimper provides linemen with a fast and versatile way to crimp. It offers a slim grip and an enlarged trigger designed specifically for use with Class 3 gloves. The handle design also provides excellent balance as well as a 340° rotating head. Overall, this linear crimper looks like it fits in really well with the rest of the Milwaukee tool power utility industry lineup.

Eliminating Artifacts When Shooting LED Video Screens: Global Shutter Camera Technology

 Church Production Magazine: Most of us have seen slowly moving dark bands or thin lines when shooting video with large LED displays in the frame. The LED screen could be the focus of the shot or just in the background, but either way, these unwanted artifacts detract from the visual experience and vary in size, number, intensity, and movement depending on multiple factors.

Bloomfield Garden Club puts eclectic artists on a backyard stage

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Drag diva Veronica Bleaus (John Musser) arrives in a Bloomfield backyard on the bed of a silver Toyota Tacoma. Scott Andrew, a multimedia artist and longtime collaborator, turns on a hose.

“John is desperately trying to perform while I am essentially hosing him down,” explains Andrew, who teaches animation and video at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. “We don’t really take ourselves too seriously when we’re working together.”

DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 | Major Upgrades for DeWalt Storage

PTR: Tool storage is a huge segment for several manufacturers. While many folks are going to stick the the brand they like, there’s nothing that says you can’t put Craftsman tools in a DeWalt toolbox. That’s why getting it right is such a big deal and why the DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 makes some significant improvements.

Gal Gadot to star as Cleopatra, sparking dispute over Israeli in role

The Times of Israel: Israel-born actress Gal Gadot announced Sunday that she would team up again with “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins in a new film about the legendary Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.

“I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life,” Gadot wrote.

Metabo HPT Cordless Impact Driver Review | WH18DBFL2 Black Edition

www.protoolreviews.com: The Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2 cordless impact driver looks tempting with its $99 kit price. We wanted to know if it’s something serious Pros should consider so we ran it through a series of tests. What we found might just change what you should expect from a budget-friendly impact driver.

SAG-AFTRA Board Reaffirms Jurisdiction Over Taping Of Live Theater For TV, Film

Deadline: The usually fractious SAG-AFTRA national board of directors unanimously has approved a resolution reaffirming the union’s jurisdiction over the taping of live theater productions, accusing Actors’ Equity Association of taking part in a “surreptitious campaign to encroach upon SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction.” The board, meeting Thursday night in special session, also directed SAG-AFTRA counsel to conduct an investigation into Equity’s “activities seeking to poach SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction.”

I’m a Broadway Dancer Facing the End of Life on Broadway. Now What?

Dance Magazine: Before the theater industry vanished overnight, I was a dancer in the Broadway company of Chicago. When Broadway shuttered on March 12, I filed for unemployment and fled New York City. Today, when the Broadway League announced that Broadway would remain closed through May of 2021, I was still 2,000 miles from home, sitting in an apartment in downtown Salt Lake City, watching the sun go down in an orange blaze behind the smoke from California and Colorado that had colonized the Utah skies for weeks.

Actors' Equity Releases a Statement On the Extended Broadway Shutdown

www.broadwayworld.com: "My heart breaks for everyone who works on Broadway or depends on it to make their living. Today the Broadway League made the difficult but responsible decision to put the safety and health of their workers and audience first. This is a deeply painful time for everyone who depends on the arts for their livelihood. We are at this moment because, seven months into the pandemic, our nation still lacks a coherent national strategy for masks and testing which could help bring the virus under control,"

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Report: Coachella Postponed Again to October 2021

www.ticketnews.com: Coachella, the enormously popular music festival in California, is once again moving its date back, Rolling Stone reports. Traditionally held in April, it was bumped to October this year due to the coronavirus, then bumped to April 2021 when it became clear that the virus would not be at a point where state authorities would allow a mass gathering in the fall.

Posted by David at 10/09/2020 11:47:00 AM

Colleges cancel diversity programs in response to Trump order

www.insidehighered.com: Two campuses are halting diversity efforts in relation to the White House’s recent executive order against “divisive concepts” in federally funded programs.

In a campus memo, the University of Iowa’s interim associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, Liz Tovar, said, “Let us state unequivocally that diversity, equity and inclusion remain as core values within our institution.”

Posted by David at 10/08/2020 11:31:00 AM

NFL game broadcasts in 2020: Explaining the fake crowd noise, other TV oddities amid COVID-19

Sporting News: The NFL's TV partners are doing everything they can to make sure game broadcasts in 2020 look more like what viewers are accustomed to and less like reality. But the reality that is a pro football season being played amid a global pandemic can't be completely hidden.

Posted by David at 10/09/2020 11:43:00 AM

Combat Fatigue With the Army's 'Aggressive Napping' Strategy

lifehacker.com: After more than a century with an image problem, napping is getting a rebrand, courtesy of the U.S. Army. Many of our perceptions of naps—and the kind of people who take them—go back to Victorian times, when women were seen as physiologically weak and frail and prone to fainting, requiring periods of rest and recovery to get through the day.

Posted by David at 10/07/2020 11:27:00 AM

At this Virginia theater, the show -- and the masks -- must go on

CANVAS Arts: To be or not to be. Seven months into the coronavirus pandemic, live theaters are struggling to raise the curtain.

John Yang is back to take us to one regional company in rural Virginia that hopes it's found a way for the show go on, safely.

It's part of our ongoing American Creators series on rural arts and Canvas, our coverage of arts and culture.

Posted by David at 10/09/2020 11:19:00 AM

Report: Coachella Postponed Again to October 2021

www.ticketnews.com: Coachella, the enormously popular music festival in California, is once again moving its date back, Rolling Stone reports. Traditionally held in April, it was bumped to October this year due to the coronavirus, then bumped to April 2021 when it became clear that the virus would not be at a point where state authorities would allow a mass gathering in the fall.

Celebrating Peter Cooke

Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama: Earlier this summer, I wrote to all of you to inform you that Peter Cooke, AM PhD, decided to step down as head of the School of Drama to resume his practice as a designer and consultant, and to continue teaching in international arts academies. Today, Peter formally retires from the university and, later this fall, will be recognized as University Professor Emeritus of the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon.

NFL game broadcasts in 2020: Explaining the fake crowd noise, other TV oddities amid COVID-19

Sporting News: The NFL's TV partners are doing everything they can to make sure game broadcasts in 2020 look more like what viewers are accustomed to and less like reality. But the reality that is a pro football season being played amid a global pandemic can't be completely hidden.

Steven Tanger Center: Grand-Scale Networking Entertains

www.soundandcommunications.com: When the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic finally recedes, the new Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, located in downtown Greensboro NC, will be ready, boasting its imposing array of audio and video systems. A member of a challenged cohort of live-performance venues finished just as an especially virulent outbreak shut down live performances and events, the Tanger Center nonetheless will serve a city that has high expectations of it.

The Best of All Possible Costumes: An Interview with Costume Designer Judith Dolan

The Theatre Times: In March 2020, Colden Lamb had the opportunity to sit down with award-winning costume designer Judith Dolan and ask her about her work on multiple productions of Candide with legendary director Harold Prince.

Personal Mention

www.cmu.edu/piper: Peter Cooke retired on Sept. 30 after nearly 12 years as head of the School of Drama to return to his practice as a designer and consultant, and to continue teaching in international arts academies. In a note to drama alumni, College of Fine Arts Dean Dan Martin praised Cooke for his creativity, generosity, artistry, mentorship and many accomplishments in support of the school.

SAG-AFTRA Locked In Dispute With Actors’ Equity Over Taping Of Live Theater

Deadline: SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association are locked in a jurisdictional dispute over the taping of live theatrical presentations. SAG-AFTRA has long held that jurisdiction, but says that it’s offered AEA a waiver to help out their fellow actors during the coronavirus shutdown of live theaters across the country. According to SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity has rejected the terms of the waiver.

There’s Not Much Work for Actors. Now Their Unions Are Fighting.

The New York Times: For unemployed theater artists, there has been one bright spot during a pandemic that has prevented live performance: streaming.

But now two major entertainment industry unions are locked in a battle over that work, with compensation, health insurance, and even permission to perform at stake.

Microphone Techniques To Get Great Recorded Electric Guitar Sound

ProSoundWeb: Because of its fundamental importance in popular music, the electric guitar is the subject of intense scrutiny and wide differences of opinions. Just what makes a good guitar sound? Compared to all the subtle and not so subtle sounds that come out of an electric guitar amp, fidelity judgments of vocal sounds are easy to make!

SAG-AFTRA Cuts Workforce Again Due to COVID-19

Variety: SAG-AFTRA is cutting its workforce for the third time this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will leave it with about 400 employees.

At this Virginia theater, the show -- and the masks -- must go on

CANVAS Arts: To be or not to be. Seven months into the coronavirus pandemic, live theaters are struggling to raise the curtain.

John Yang is back to take us to one regional company in rural Virginia that hopes it's found a way for the show go on, safely.

It's part of our ongoing American Creators series on rural arts and Canvas, our coverage of arts and culture.

CMU alum Victoria Pedretti thrilled to return to Netflix in 'Haunting of Bly Manor'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Victoria Pedretti is right: Asking how someone spent the last six-plus months of the COVID-19 pandemic is an annoying ice-breaker.

“Most of the time, people don’t really go, ‘What have you been doing for the last six months?’ But for some reason, that’s a question now,” said the 25-year-old actor and Carnegie Mellon University alum.