Chicago Puppet Festival the setting for an ancient Iranian tale

Chicago Sun-Times: Hamid Rahmanian is waging a war — one he started about 16 years ago. His army: hundreds of shadow puppets, many brandishing shadow spears, bows and arrows, swords. His battle strategy is plucked from the pages of “Shahnameh,” a 1,000-year-old, 55,000-verse epic poem that has, he says, “engulfed” his life. For Rahmanian, the ancient text, written in Persian, has become a way to fight the stark stereotypes of Iran so often seen in the West.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in January

Folger Shakespeare Library: Happy New Year! As the ball dropped, the confetti fell, and the year began, we started to wonder what 2024 had in store for us Shakespeare-lovers and theater-goers. To answer that question, we reached out to our theater partners across the United States to see what they were up to this month.

‘Gutenberg!’: A Guide to the Inventor Behind the Broadway Musical

The New York Times: Written by Scott Brown and Anthony King and starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells (reprising their “Book of Mormon” buddy act), the show has drawn mixed reviews and strong box-office returns. But even before it opened, its mere existence on Broadway sent book and library nerds vibrating with anticipation and a bit of disbelief.

Detroit Auto Show returns to January slot in 2025 |

New Pittsburgh Courier: The North American International Detroit Auto Show is set to make a grand return to its traditional January schedule in 2025, according to an announcement by the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA). The esteemed event, which shifted to September in recent years, will now be held from January 10-20, reinstating its renowned winter timing.

Hope of end to actors’ charity row dashed after elections suspended

Charities | The Guardian: Hopes of an immediate resolution to the bitter and long-running dispute at the top of a high-profile actors’ charity have been dashed after elections to form a new ruling council were dramatically suspended amid concerns over voting.

How Two Canadian Immigrants Played Crucial Role In The Sphere

brobible.com: The Sphere continues to be the most viral entertainment venue in the world. People all across the globe are fascinated by the giant glowing orb of LED lights outside of the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

SFFILM's Sloan Science in Cinema Announce 2023 Grant Winners

nofilmschool.com: The Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowships supports the development of their narrative feature screenplays and is designed to ensure that narrative feature films that tell compelling stories about the worlds of science and technology continue to be made and seen. The winners are Vivienne Shaw and Fradique.

Conductor Xian Zhang on How Madama Butterfly Is 'Universal'

Playbill: A Met classic, Anthony Minghella’s powerful staging of Madama Butterfly returns this month, with soprano Aleksandra Kurzak starring as the tragic heroine. On the podium is Chinese conductor Xian Zhang, now in her eighth season as music director of the New Jersey Symphony and third year as principal guest conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Zhang recently spoke to the Met’s Christopher Browner about the experience that launched her conducting career and her connection to Puccini’s heartbreaking masterpiece.

Charlotte St. Martin to Step Down From The Broadway League

Playbill: Longtime Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin will retire from her role effective February 16, ending an 18-year tenure with the trade organization. St. Martin will continue serving in an advisory capacity for special events through the 2024 Tony Awards, with Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jason Laks serving as acting president during an official search for St. Martin's successor.

‘The Great Gatsby’ Musical to Open on Broadway in April 2024

The Hollywood Reporter: The musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed novel will debut at The Broadway Theatre on April 25, the show’s lead producer Chunsoo Shin announced on Tuesday. Directed by Marc Bruni, Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada are set to reprise their Off-Broadway roles as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, with previews beginning March 29.

ETC Makes Notable Donation to BTS at LDI

Behind the Scenes: ETC presented Behind the Scenes with a check for $13,000 at last year’s LDI Conference and Tradeshow representing the additional 2023 proceeds from sales of the company’s iRFR and aRFR (Radio Focus Remote) applications. Since the launch of the iRFR app in 2009, ETC’s mobile app sales have generated over half a million dollars in donations to the charity.

Review: Tania El Khoury’s ‘Cultural Exchange Rate’

Observer: The lights have been dimmed. On the ground floor of the Invisible Dog, benches, a coat rack, a table, a chandelier and stacked lockers arranged in an L-shape have been tightly organized and greet us in an otherwise large space that fades into darkness. The chandelier contrasts with the industrial make of the Boerum Hill building, exuding an uncanniness that echoes throughout the performance’s theme. This is the New York City premiere set of Tania El Khoury’s “Cultural Exchange Rate,” which engages with identity, belonging and exile.

Rona Siddiqui and Lisa Loomer Receive 2024 Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre

Playbill: Established in 1988 under the will of Tony and Pulitzer winning A Chorus Line lyricist Edward L. Kleban, the prize honors the most promising lyricist and librettist working in the American musical theatre. In recent years, the annual prize has totaled $100,000 each, paid over a period of two years to the recipient.

Jocelyn Bioh: Specific and Universal

AMERICAN THEATRE: I’m so curious about your process. Something that I admire about your work is that the worlds are so specific. From School Girls to Nollywood Dreams to Jaja’s, there’s a real sense that your imagination has fully inhabited the spaces. By the end of Jaja, I felt like I was sitting in the salon chair for a full day, soaking in the full complexity of the women. I could actually feel my hair being tugged.

On Theatre, Home, and Housing

HowlRound Theatre Commons: The idea of “housing” can be very abstract, existing in government offices far from the materiality of how people actually live. It is the ability to reconnect the two that The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe (TMBHM) brings to this most fundamental of issues.

Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Hello, Dolly!

Playbill: The original production premiered on Broadway January 16, 1964. With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and book by Michael Stewart, Hello, Dolly! tells the story a meddlesome matchmaker who brings together the young clerk of a wealthy Yonkers merchant and his assistant with a widowed milliner and her assistant, while making sure she herself gets to marry the merchant.

emmanuelle moureaux's colorful installation veils visitors amidst a myriad of butterflies

www.designboom.com: Emmanuelle Moureaux’s ‘100 colors butterflies’ takes center stage at Lancôme’s The Art of Absolue exhibition in Shanghai, themed Perpetual, Beyond Time. No.48 in Moureaux’s ongoing 100 colors series, which started in 2013, the installation aims to evoke emotions through vibrant hues.

Hands On Show Networking Workshop at USITT 2024 Seattle!

John Huntington: I’m excited to bring my Introduction to Show Networking workshop to USITT for the first time! Expenses are kept low on this conference so this is a real bargain and this workshop will be as inexpensive as it can be. Space is limited!

Giselle Byrd Named Executive Director of The Theater Offensive

AMERICAN THEATRE: The Theater Offensive (TTO) has appointed Giselle Byrd its new executive director following a nationwide search. The theatre and film producer, talent manager, and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate will be the first Black trans woman to lead a regional theatre company in the United States. TTO’s executive director search was led by Geoff Chang of the Arts Consulting Group.

TDF’s Deeksha Gaur: If You Build the Audience, They Will Come

AMERICAN THEATRE: I think of Theatre Development Fund (TDF) as a sort of cousin of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and not only because we’re headquartered in the same building in midtown Manhattan, and not only because my first full-time gig in New York City, for a few years before I started at TCG’s American Theatre, was as a content editor for TDF.

Sphere Developers Officially Pull-Out of London Offer

www.ticketnews.com: The developers behind the famed Las Vegas MSG Sphere were attempting to bring the highly acclaimed venue to London, however, after the city’s mayor spoke-out about his opposition to the proposal, plans have officially been withdrawn.

Ali Wong Becomes First Asian Lead Actress Winner at 2023 Emmys

The Hollywood Reporter: Ali Wong has made history. The comedian continued Beef’s awards sweep with television’s highest honor, winning the Emmy for best actress in a limited series.

Lempicka Creators Carson Kreitzer and Matt Gould Wrote ‘Woman Is’ In a Day

Playbill: Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer's Lempicka begins performances at the Longacre Theatre March 19, with opening night set for April 14. Gould, who composed the show’s music and co-wrote the book, shared some insight behind the rousing Act One finale, “Woman Is.”

Elton John Gets an EGOT With 2023 Emmys Win

The Hollywood Reporter: Elton John is the latest member of the EGOT club, scoring his first Emmy for best variety special (live). The 2023 Emmy Awards win for the musician’s Farewell From Dodger Stadium special, which he secured during Monday night’s telecast, joins his Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.

Niecy Nash-Betts Cries, Thanks Herself in Rousing Emmys Speech

variety.com: Niecy Nash-Betts took home the Emmy for best supporting actress in a limited series, bringing the awards show audience to its feet with her rousing acceptance speech.

During a Black Night at The 2024 Emmys, Quinta Brunson and Ayo Edebiri Make History

www.theroot.com: On Monday, Quinta Brunson and Ayo Edebiri walked away with the Emmys—and as history-makers for their respective wins as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Who Is the Emmys Goblin? This "Drag Race" Star Has Claimed the Look

www.businessinsider.com: We're calling it now — the best look on the 2024 Emmys red carpet was literal goblin glam. And behind the viridescent body paint was "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 15 alum Princess Poppy.

Will increased state incentives bring more TV and film productions to Houston?

Houston Public Media: Last year, the Texas Legislature passed a much larger budget of incentives to support television and film production in the state. The previous legislative session earmarked some $45 million for those incentives while the latest regular session increased that number to $200 million.

The Datacolor Spyder Checkr Video Brings Data to Color

nofilmschool.com: Whenever I sit down to look at my footage from a project, my workflow usually consists of using a display LUT or a Color Space Transform (CST) modifier in DaVinci Resolve to correct my footage from RAW or Log.

Major southern US church upgrades to Outline

LightSoundJournal.com: World Changers Church International (WCCI) was founded in 1981 by the renowned author, conference speaker and bible teacher Creflo Dollar and remains a leader within the local, national and international community, providing simple, practical teaching and understanding of the Bible. It is a thriving Christian worship center which in 1995 moved to its present location, the 8,500-seat World Dome in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

IATSE: As members of the IATSE, we pay homage to the lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., recognizing his vital role in the Civil Rights Movement, and his support for unionized labor. Dr. King understood that the labor movement’s importance was not only fair wages and better working conditions, but that it was the one true path towards social and economic freedom for all workers.

PhysFestNYC: Send in the Clowns?

New York Theater: I saw three shows that featured clowns at PhysFestNYC, billed as the first-ever festival in New York City to showcase physical theater, which is wrapping up its ten-day run on Sunday. Physical theater doesn’t have to feature clowning, judging from the festival line-up: The 16 shows presented by some 100 theater artists seem to include mime, dance, performance art, even puppetry but, yes, lots of clown shows

Don’t kick the seats and switch off your smartwatch: Guardian critics on how to be a better audience member

Culture | The Guardian: It might come from a place of generosity – sending out a reassuring signal to actors, making an effort to add to the atmosphere – but forced laughter is obvious, and en masse it has the ear-piercing sound of a road drill.

‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’: Thrilling And Immersive Theater

Observer: Fans will be forgiven if they were skeptical of Netflix bringing the world of hit series Stranger Things into a London theater. How could the TV show, which relies heavily on fantastical and often horrific imagery, be translated as a play? But in the hands of director Stephen Daldry Stranger Things: The First Shadow is thrilling and immersive, impressively showcasing practical effects that feel unsettlingly realistic.

Actors’ charity vote to reignite dispute involving Penelope Keith

Charities | The Guardian: A long-running and acrimonious dispute at an actors’ charity involving some of the best-known names of the British stage and screen is to return to the spotlight next week amid claims of boardroom coups and electoral gerrymandering.

Second City teachers call off strike after reaching tentative contract deal

Chicago Sun-Times: The laughs will go on next week at The Second City after unionized teachers at the storied Old Town comedy company reached a tentative contract agreement and dropped plans for a strike that had been set to start Tuesday.

Burbank Play, Exploring Walt Disney's Fight Against Unionization, Sets Off-Broadway Return

Playbill: Running March 12–24 at the wild project, Cameron Darwin Bossert's play explores the conflict between the then 39-year-old Disney founder and the animator Art Babbitt, which led to the animators strike of 1941 and the recognition of the Screen Cartoonist's Guild, later The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839.

Robe helps De Tocht production look icy cool

LightSoundJournal.com: De Tocht is an exciting new ice-based musical production staged in the purpose-built 1475-capacity Friso Theater in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Directed by Eddy Habbema and choreographed by Marc Forno, the production design was created by Luc Peumans, artistic director of Painting with Light (PWL), whose brief encompassed lighting, video and scenography, an ambitious collage of visual disciplines to capture all the skating action presented in “spectacular” style.

'Lift' Director on Making of Airplane Fight Sequences With Kevin Hart

www.businessinsider.com: Though director F. Gary Gray ("The Italian Job," "The Fate of the Furious") is no stranger to elaborate action sequences, he admits he still felt anxious developing his latest project, the Netflix heist movie "Lift."

Carrie Cracknell on Creating a Feminist Carmen at the Met

Playbill: "Fearless, unconventional, daring." That’s how director Carrie Cracknell describes the title character of Carmen. But it’s also an apt description of her new production of Bizet’s indelible masterpiece, which opened at the Met on New Year’s Eve, conducted by Daniele Rustioni and with mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina in the leading role. Cracknell recently explained how, when tackling this beloved repertory favorite, she finds power in the present.

How 'Mission: Impossible 7' Pulled Off Epic Train Scene

variety.com: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’s” infamous train scene was meant to take place aboard the Orient Express, as it roars through the Swiss Alps; which for production is a big request if you’re not shooting on location.

Best and Worst Hollywood Movie to Broadway Musical to Hollywood Musical?

New York Theater: “The Color Purple” and “Mean Girls,” were both Hollywood movies adapted from books (Alice Walker’s novel “The Color Purple” and Rosalind Wiseman’s non-fiction “Queen Bees and Wannabees,” respectively), which were then adapted into Broadway musicals, which were more or less the basis for the newly released movie musicals, “The Color Purple” and “Mean Girls.”

Pittsburgh Theater Isn’t Just For Fancy Folks, It’s For Yinz

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents: Coming up in local Theater (and Theatre) this winter and spring are the following shows. I’m looking forward to something on each schedule. It was 11 years ago that I began intentionally reviewing, mostly the arts but some other occasional ventures. I don’t profess to be an expert on any of these things. But I do write from my heart and my lived experiences.

Hollywood Commission Shares Workplace Harassment Report

IndieWire: The 2023 Hollywood Commission, founded by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Nina Shaw, has found that fewer people are reporting workplace harassment, not because fewer incidents have occurred, but because of a shared knowledge that studios won’t respond appropriately.

Studios’ Now-or-Never Choice: Sue AI Companies or Score a Major IP Deal

The Hollywood Reporter: Last year, Hollywood took stock of the potential — and dangers — of generative artificial intelligence. As use of the human-mimicking chatbots evolved into a sticking point in the strikes, creators took to the courts, accusing AI firms of mass-scale copyright infringement after their works were allegedly used as training materials. In the backdrop of these legal volleys, a question stands out: Why haven’t any major studios sued to protect their intellectual property like other rights holders?

Stealing Jokes Is Taboo, So Why Do Comedians Keep Doing It?

The Hollywood Reporter: In early January, comedian Katt Williams went on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast and took aim at Cedric the Entertainer for stealing “my very best joke.” The bit in question — which involved a pantomime of driving with music blasting — was first performed by Katt in a 1998 appearance on ComicView, then reproduced by Cedric (according to Katt) for his set in Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy. Cedric called the accusations “revisionist history” on Instagram.

Stephen Sondheim is cool now

NPR: Stephen Sondheim — composer-lyricist for A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, and more than a dozen other musicals — is having "a moment" as one of his Into the Woods lyrics might have put it.

The return of NYC Broadway Week with 2-for-1 tickets to 23 shows

DC Theater Arts: From January 16 through February 4, 2024, NYC Broadway Week returns with its twice-a-year 2-for-1 ticket offer, with 23 participating Broadway shows in the current season. Sponsored by Mastercard, presented by NYC Tourism in partnership with The Broadway League, and supported by NYC Media & Entertainment, the program gives theatergoers 50% off each ticket on select dates, with a minimum of two tickets purchased

Study reveals which Zoom background items make you look more competent

newatlas.com: Before you hop on your next Zoom call, you might want to tailor your background in a very particular way, says a new study. Doing so could make everyone else on the call perceive you as being more competent – whether or not you really are.

New Legislation Looks to Protect Performers From Deep Fakes

The Hollywood Reporter: A bipartisan coalition of House lawmakers have introduced a long-awaited bill to prohibit the publication and distribution of unauthorized digital replicas, including deepfakes and voice clones.

Last of Us, Bear, Apple among DGA noms in TV, Commercials and Docs

Reel 360 News: The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has unveiled the nominees for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials, and Documentary categories for 2023. The winners will be announced at the 76th Annual DGA Awards on February 10, 2024, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Contest Will Provide Free A Chorus Line Licensing to Under-Resourced Schools

Playbill: Concord Theatricals is celebrating the 50th anniversary of A Chorus Line and the 80th anniversary of its late composer Marvin Hamlisch's birth with a special competition that will award free licenses of the musical's Teen Edition to 10 schools in low-income communities. One Singular Sensation: A Chorus Line Licensing Competition is open to all U.S. high schools, with Title 1 and other under-resourced schools especially encouraged to enter.

Poor Things, The Bear, Barbie among ADG noms

Reel 360 News: The anticipation is building as the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) joyfully reveals the nominees for the highly anticipated 28th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards.

‘Yellow Face,’ Starring Daniel Dae Kim, on Broadway in September

The Hollywood Reporter: Daniel Dae Kim will star in the Broadway premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face next season. The play, which is inspired by real events, follows a playwright protesting the casting of white actors playing Asian roles in Miss Saigon, and then mistakenly casting a white actor as an Asian lead in his own play.

East Tennessee State University Unveils Innovative New Program on Physical Theatre

circustalk.com: Tailored for undergraduate students, the Physical Theatre Concentration presents an intriguing avenue to explore theatrical practices grounded in physicality, expressive movement, and imaginative play. Drawing inspiration from diverse disciplines like theatre, dance, and circus arts, this concentration offers a spectrum of coursework anda rich curriculum.

Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ Will Be Adapted for the Stage

The Hollywood Reporter: A stage adaptation of Prince’s film Purple Rain is under development, with a world premiere in the works. The adaptation will feature a score by Prince, who died in 2016, a book by Pulitzer-Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, whose play Appropriate is currently on Broadway, and direction by Lileana Blain-Cruz, who recently helmed Skin of Our Teeth on Broadway.

Pulling back the curtain on performance spaces

needhamobserver.com: If you’ve ever seen one of the Broadway-caliber shows put on by Needham High School students, you would never guess that behind the scenes, the quality and management of the performance spaces in town is sorely lacking.

Returning to Work: Reopening Broadway Post-COVID

SoundGirls.org: Broadway was dark for 18 months starting March 12, 2020. I was head sound on a musical when we shut down. When all the COVID closures were ramping up, I knew Broadway would close soon, but I didn’t know it would be that soon—nor did I think it would be for so long. Nobody did. And I did what pretty much everyone in our business did during the pandemic: Actively sought ways to not lose my freaking mind while wondering if I would have to answer the question of who I am without a gig. I stripped wallpaper and re-alphabetized my bookshelves and my spice cabinet. I shredded 20-year-old paperwork and vacuumed my attic. You know, the usual.

How John Deere Hijacked Copyright Law To Keep You From Repairing Your Tractor

reason.com: Discussions about the repairability of high-tech devices tend to focus on mass-market products: smartphones, laptops, video game consoles, and other commonplace devices. Less apparent is the repairability of tractors, cultivators, combines, and other heavy agricultural equipment that are equally reliant on computers and software. As with smartphone or laptop repairs, farmers and right-to-repair advocates have long complained that agricultural equipment manufacturers have used software to lock owners out of their products.

Gen Z's Are Bringing Their Parents With Them To Job Interviews

brobible.com: According to a survey of 800 managers, directors and executives involved in the hiring process, 19% (or close to one in five) reported having a recent college graduate bring a parent with them to their job interview.

Photos Show the Biggest Style Trends of 1994

www.businessinsider.com: You might be surprised to realize that 1994 was 30 years ago — and how much style has changed since then. It wasn't out of the ordinary to see the year's biggest stars rocking jeans, overalls, or miniskirts on the red carpet. Animal print and simple dresses were also in vogue, complemented by sheer black tights.

Echo Director Says ASL "Dictated Our Entire Visual Style"

consequence.net: The Disney+ series Echo is groundbreaking in a lot of respects — it’s the first Marvel Disney+ series to be rated TV-MA, the first series to be released under the “Marvel Spotlight” banner, and the first show to star an actor like Alaqua Cox, a Native woman who happens to be an incredible fighter, as well as deaf.

Meruelo Studios delivers pristine sound for its Live Performance Productions with dBTechnologies

LightSoundJournal.com: Meruelo Media is California’s largest minority-owned broadcast media group, with a broad portfolio of television and radio stations that includes juggernauts Power 106, KLOS-FM, 93.5 KDAY and KWHY-22 TV, serving a combined audience of nearly four million. Meruelo Studios, the company’s full-service broadcast production facility located in Los Angeles’ mid-Wilshire district, is in the former home of the GAM Arts Center, a landmark recognized for its distinctive architecture and a space that once served as a rehearsal hall for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Shifting the Spotlight: Exploring the Scarcity of Female Voices in Iraqi Theatre

The Theatre Times: Upon the release of Contemporary Plays from Iraq in 2017, my focus shifted to translating works exclusively written by female playwrights. The aim was to boost visibility and amplify their voices globally. To my surprise, research unveiled only one female playwright in Iraq. Further exploration revealed a notable scarcity of female playwrights in the Arab world, with men dominating the genre.

Clear-Com at ISE 2024

LightSoundJournal.com: As a leader in professional voice communication solutions, Clear-Com® is set to make waves at ISE 2024 as it returns to the prestigious event, scheduled to take place in Barcelona from January 30 to February 2, 2024.

Julia Jordan Set Aside Playwriting to Win Gender Parity in Theater

The New York Times: Ask the playwright Julia Jordan what the need was for the Lilly Awards, which she co-founded in 2010 to honor women in theater, and the answer is a mix of anecdote and statistic.

‘A national emergency’: UK theatres fear closure after more local funding cuts

Arts funding | The Guardian: The chill blast of damaging cuts to provincial arts venues has returned to Berkshire this weekend as the cash-strapped local authority becomes the latest to scrap its cultural budget.

The Man Who Invented Fifteen Hundred Necktie Knots

The New Yorker: Boris Mocka believes that, at one point, he had invented more necktie knots than anyone else on the planet—so many that he started to call himself a “tieknotologist.” Most people who wear ties are familiar with the four-in-hand knot, and perhaps the Windsor and the half-Windsor. But there are many others: the Plattsburgh, the Cavendish, the Hanover.

72K Fans Call for Congress to Break Up Live Nation, Ticketmaster

www.ticketnews.com: The ticket-buying process has caused frustration among fans more than ever over the past year as Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation control the industry with “platinum” and “dynamic pricing,” anti-competitive practices, and stressful presale queues and waitlists. Now, fans are speaking out; as a part of Fan Fairness Coalition’s “The Monopoly” campaign, live eventgoers have sent out more than 72,000 letters to Congress, calling for the merger to be broken-up.

To Own the Future, Read Shakespeare

WIRED: many times a year, as if on a hidden schedule, some tech person, often venture-capital-adjacent, types out a thought on social media like “The only thing liberal arts majors are good for is scrubbing floors while I punch them” and hits Send. Then the poetry people respond—often a little late, in need of haircuts—with earnest arguments about the value of art.

Sandpaper Alternatives For 3D Prints

Hackaday: A finished 3D print, especially plastic deposition types, often have imperfections in them from the process of laying down each layer of material and from the printer itself. For small batches or one-off parts, we might reach for a few pieces of sandpaper to smooth out these rough edges.

Opening date announced for Play Playground at Luxor Hotel

attractionsmagazine.com: “Play Playground is such a natural fit for Luxor,” said Chuck Bowling, president & COO of Luxor. “Our guests seek fun and adventure throughout their Las Vegas visits and will find […] a place for their inner child to let loose.”

The Under the Radar Theatre Festival Was Pronounced Dead. Here’s How It Was Reborn

Playbill: Last spring, Mark Russell was pulled into a meeting with his bosses at the Public Theater. It was the morning of May 15 and Russell thought he was coming in to tell them about the next iteration of the Under the Radar Festival, the experimental theatre event that the Public had presented since 2006. Instead, he was told that the Public was canceling the festival due to economic challengings coming out of the pandemic. “That means I was out of a job,” recalls Russell.

Big Feelings and Big Musicals in Seoul

AMERICAN THEATRE: While others were baking bread and doing puzzles, I got addicted to Korean television during the pandemic. My pandemic hobby became Korean language lessons. After three years of study, my Korean is not quite good enough to understand Korean musicals completely, but that was not going to stop me from seeing several shows on my recent trip to Seoul.

Carnegie Hall unveils a series of Well-Being Concerts with mindfulness, meditation and music

www.timeout.com: Forget the gown, tux, and fancy shoes. For this new concert series at Carnegie Hall, stretchy pants, cozy sweaters, and comfy footwear is welcomed. The iconic venue is hosting five intimate concerts this winter that combine elements of mindfulness and meditation with world-class musical performances. These hour-long Well-Being Concerts cost between $15-$30 and run through April.

Broadway-Bound Smash Musical to Give NYC Workshop

Playbill: The workshop follows an industry reading late last year, though the cast has changed somewhat since then. Variety is reporting that the workshop cast will include Brooks Ashmanskas, Alex Brightman, Robyn Hurder, and Krysta Rodriguez from the earlier reading, newly joined by Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Bella Coppola (SIX), Nihar Duvvuri, Casey Garvin (Some Like It Hot), Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), and Jonalyn Saxer (Back to the Future). Susan Stroman (New York, New York) is directing.

Give 'em a round of Santa-plaus! Meet the winners of the Fourth Annual IATSE Holiday Photo contest.

IATSE: This holiday season, the 2023 photo contest submissions were fir-sure the best yet! To our IA Kin in the U.S. and Canada, snow-body compares to the holiday cheer you spread and the A-game you bring. From bright light home displays to Grinch makeup looks, crew shots, festive magazine covers and the best family holiday cards, it’s always a pleasure to see how IATSE members sleigh the holidays.

MOULIN ROUGE! Pop-Up and Karaoke Event Opens in Times Square

www.broadwayworld.com: A special Moulin Rouge!-themed pop-up has opened in Times Square! The event is now being hosted at Beast & Butterflies, the restaurant on the rooftop of the M Social Hotel.

Perspectives from Two Teatros Doing the Work

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Alberto “Al” Justiniano is one of the founders and artistic director of Teatro del Pueblo. He curates Teatro’s Political Theater series and the Latino/Asian Fusion series with Pangea World Theater. He has been active as a director, playwright, screenwriter, and independent producer for both film and theater. Milta Ortiz is a Salvadoran American playwright who moonlights as poet, performer, and writer.

SDC and the Broadway League Reach Agreement on Contract to Include Associate Directors and Choreographers

www.broadwayworld.com: Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the national union of stage directors and choreographers, and The Broadway League (League), the national trade association for the Broadway and touring industry, have reached an agreement on a new four-year contract.

Obsession with ‘theatre etiquette’ could soon turn audiences away

The Independent: In her final essay collection before her death, I Remember Nothing, Nora Ephron included a list entitled “What I won’t miss”. On it, she included “email” – twice. “I know I already said it, but I want to emphasise it,” she wrote. Because you can never get on top of emails, and you can never get away from them. Just ask Andrew Scott, who revealed this week that he had to stop doing the “To be or not to be” soliloquy in Hamlet because a man was sitting in the audience, answering his emails.

At a Revamped Under the Radar, New York Greets a ‘Global Downtown’

The New York Times: The writer and performer Inua Ellams was born in Nigeria, is based in England and performs internationally. “As an immigrant, I’m most comfortable when I’m not at home,” he said during a recent conversation. “To go to another country and see if my concepts still stand the test of artistry, that’s what I love doing.”

Cirque du Soleil's JOYÀ Celebrates its Ninth Anniversary

www.broadwayworld.com: Almost everyone in North America has heard of Cirque du Soleil. The Canadian entertainment company that produces an odd hybrid of circus, acrobatics, and dance performance has several touring shows and resident productions in Las Vegas. It has a holiday show and an ice spectacular. But there is only one Cirque du Soliel dinner theater experience and it is in Mexico.

Claiming Our Places in the Legacy of Latinx Theatre

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Mark Valdez is an artist and cultural organizer whose forté is partnering with communities, organizations, civic institutions, and others, using theatre and creative tools to address community needs and lift up community voices and stories. He began his practice as the associate artistic director for Cornerstone Theater Company, a Los Angeles-based ensemble creating plays in/with/for communities there and across the nation.

Brooks jumped at chance to swap Cirque du Soleil for Olympic dream

Hillingdon Times: Olympic BMX bronze medallist Declan Brooks jumped at the chance to swap Cirque du Soleil for success at the five-ring circus. The 27-year-old toured around the US in 2017 as a two-wheeled trickster with the world's most famous circus company.

Blue Ridge Rock Speaks Out After Three Months of Silence

www.ticketnews.com: This past year’s Blue Ridge Rock festival ended in shambles; the event was called-off halfway through the weekend due to weather while fans claimed overcapacity. After months — and no signs of refunds in sight — organizers have released an official statement and apology.

Big 10: Where the Broadway Creative Teams of the 2022–23 Season Went to College

Playbill: Every year, Playbill conducts an annual report on the top 10 colleges represented on Broadway through their alumni performers, we call it the School of the Stars. That feature is so popular that because of wide-spread demand, we've now created a separate report on creative team credits. The surprising thing is: the top results actually do vary. Still, one college stands at the top this year.

RealTime Arts Developing Project to Give Voice to Ukraine's Children

onstagepittsburgh.com: How do children in Ukraine see their world and their future after two years of war? RealTime Arts heads into 2024 embarking on its next large-scale “hyperlocal-meets-international” project, along with presenting revisiting a couple of past performances.

5 Major Questions for The Theater in 2024 and Beyond

New York Theater: My questions about theater in 2024 are prompted by the major theater stories of 2023. The questions I have now mostly differ from the ones I had when I started these annual first-of-the-year posts about possible future trends in 2020 (which I began because I couldn’t pass up the pun: “Seeing 2020.”)

Robert Juliat Dalis 862 footlights take to the dance floor

LightSoundJournal.com: On 12 November in Paris, 163 Robert Juliat Dalis 862 footlights took part in the unique Chiroptera show, a collaborative project by JR, Damien Jalet and Thomas Bangalter. The public gathered at the Place de l’Opéra watched an impressive 20-minute ballet in front of the façade of the Palais Garnier, which was dressed in a huge trompe-l’œil fresco revealing the entrance to a cave, that masked the scaffolding currently covering the façade of the building as it is being restored.

2023 in review at Intermission Magazine

Intermission: After founding and leading the publication for seven years, including steering it through the pandemic, Philip Riccio decided it was time to pass the baton. While change can sometimes breed uncertainty, we’re thrilled to report that Intermission is stronger than ever. Under new leadership and with more partnered theatre companies than ever before, Intermission continues to play a crucial role in filling the gap in Canadian arts coverage.

Fantasia Barrino 'hated' starring in 'The Color Purple' on Broadway

nypost.com: Fantasia Barrino revealed Saturday that she “hated” playing Celie in the Broadway rendition of “The Color Purple” in 2007 because of trauma from a sexual assault that resurfaced when she took on the role.

2023 Top Ten

Here are the top ten comment generating articles of the Fall Semester:

Creating Authentic Looks: The Art of Costume Design in Video Games

gameishard.gg: In the fast-paced world of video game development, every detail matters. From compelling narratives to stunning graphics, game designers strive to create immersive experiences for players. One often overlooked aspect of game design is costume design. However, it plays a crucial role in bringing characters to life and enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Posted by David at 11/17/2023 10:31:00 AM

Lizzo Requests Dismissal of Former Dancers' Harassment Lawsuit

variety.com: Lizzo has requested a judge dismiss the lawsuit filed last month against her by three of her former dancers. The lawsuit filed by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez accused the Grammy winner of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment — accusations Lizzo’s legal team vehemently denies in a new legal document filed on the evening of Sept. 27.

Posted by David at 9/29/2023 10:15:00 AM

Lyric Opera’s SoundShirt offers new technology for deaf, hearing-impaired patrons

Chicago Sun-Times: The conductor steps to the podium and raises his baton in the darkened theater. The flutter of flutes. The quiver of strings. And then you feel something tingling, vibrating about your shoulders — almost as though a pair of bees have somehow found their way into the theater and under your clothing. It’s not an unpleasant sensation — just odd, very odd.

Posted by David at 9/21/2023 12:55:00 PM

Zooming in on our brains on Zoom

YaleNews: When Yale neuroscientist Joy Hirsch used sophisticated imaging tools to track in real time the brain activity of two people engaged in conversation, she discovered an intricate choreography of neural activity in areas of the brain that govern social interactions. When she performed similar experiments with two people talking on Zoom, the ubiquitous video conferencing platform, she observed a much different neurological landscape.

Posted by David at 10/27/2023 10:22:00 AM

Why Playbill Is Opening a Floating Hotel in Edinburgh

Playbill: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, featuring the newest and most adventurous works across theatre, musicals, comedy, and even opera. It’s a must-visit destination for any arts lover. If you’ve never been and have always wanted to go, Playbill wants to help you get there.

Posted by David at 11/24/2023 03:43:00 PM

Is 32 hour workweek better than a 4 day week?

www.fastcompany.com: I often think about the Maggie Smith line in Downton Abbey “What is a weekend?” Being a Countess, she didn’t know what a weekend was because she had no workweek. But there was a time in the not so distant past when working Americans also had never heard of a weekend for the opposite reason: They often worked six or seven days a week.

Posted by David at 12/01/2023 10:55:00 AM

Best Wicked Behind-The-Scenes Facts

www.buzzfeed.com: First, the process for painting actors green for Elphaba in Wicked is so streamlined now, it only takes roughly 20–30 minutes. Chromacake in Landscape Green by MAC is what is used for the green base, and it's applied using a paintbrush and a mixture of the Chromacake and water.

Posted by David at 11/02/2023 11:04:00 AM

Empowering accessibility in live events

TPi: Touring the European continent can be challenging at the best of times and with a greater focus on cultivating accessible spaces for the live events industry, Marisa Rinchiuso, who has a deteriorative neuromuscular disease, muscular dystrophy, recently embarked on her first experience on the road, assuming the role of Assistant Stage Manager on the European leg of The Weeknd’s latest stadium tour.

Posted by David at 11/03/2023 11:54:00 AM

LGBTQ Representation Hits Record in Film, GLAAD Study Finds

The Hollywood Reporter: GLAAD has released the 11th installment of its Studio Responsibility Index, an annual study that tracks “the quantity, quality and diversity” of LGBTQ characters in films released in a calendar year by 10 Hollywood distributors.

Posted by David at 9/15/2023 09:50:00 AM

How TikTok Is Changing Stage Design

WIRED: “You can have the world’s best idea, but if it doesn’t fit on the back of a truck then it’s a nonstarter,” says Ray Winkler, who’s been loading ideas onto the backs of trucks for close to 30 years now.

Posted by David at 10/09/2023 05:24:00 PM