We Need A New Federal Theater Project!

New York Theater: “One of the things we’re talking about internally has been the way in which the scale of this catastrophe — a wholesale shutting down of the field — is only really comparable is the Great Depression. We’re looking at 20 percent or higher unemployment! So what lessons can we find in the Federal Theater Project? Under the New Deal, the government’s super-spending effort that put America back to work in the ’30s, the Federal Theater Project only accounted for 0.5 percent of the Works Progress Administration spending, which, if you applied that to the current bailout, would come to $10 billion.

The Helen Hayes Awards night plus reaction you didn’t see from 4615 Theatre Company

dctheatrescene.com: The Helen Hayes Awards were last night, so I slipped into my good tux, straightened my black tie, and took the Metro down to the waterfront. I hoofed it to the Anthem; saw some buddies; shook some hands; slapped some backs. I squeezed up to the crowded bar and ordered a martini; the bartender accidently put his finger in the glass but what the hey. Somebody gave me a hug…

Netflix inks ‘very long-term’ deal for Vancouver production hub

Globalnews.ca: If you’re the kind of Canadian viewer who notices when Vancouver shows up in a TV series, get ready to be spotting it more often.

Streaming giant Netflix has inked a “very long-term” deal with a Burnaby production centre to make the Lower Mainland one of its three international content hubs.

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Day 6 at The Tabor Opera House. September 26, 2020.

Drypigment.net: Saturday was our last big day to lower scenery from the attic at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado. It was the sixth of seven workdays in a row. We did manage to hit our goal of lowering all remaining shutter scenes, plus a few other pieces, to the stage floor. The attic looks positively bare. Only eight borders remain for me to document today. That being said, some scenic pieces still remain in the loft above the attic and on platforms high above stage right and stage left.

'There will be positives': artistic directors on theatre's terrible year

Theatre | The Guardian: Last summer, the Observer profiled a group of newly-appointed artistic directors – a fresh surge of talent taking its place at the top of six of our best-loved theatre companies. A notably diverse cohort, they were bursting with optimism and ideas for shaking up the industry. Our theatre critic Susannah Clapp, introducing the new talent, looked forward to seeing how they would transform the theatrical landscape – with the caveat that “it is hard, though, to guess what changes will be wrought”.

Alan Cross: Before radio, there was the Théâtrophone

National | Globalnews.ca: We’ve long taken the ability to summon up audio entertainment on demand, be it through radio, CDs, tapes, and records, or via the internet. But the first method of transmitting audio into private homes has been completely forgotten.

Long before voices and music were transmitted through the air — and even before people owned phonographs and records — the well-to-do in cities like Paris, Lisbon, Brussels, Stockholm, London, and even New York were able to listen to music and theatre productions without having to go anywhere. And in stereo, too.

BWW Interview: How Emmy Award Winning Set Designer Matthew Anderson is Rebuilding NYC's Restaurant Industry

www.broadwayworld.com: The ongoing global health crisis has affected businesses all over the world, many of which have been forced to shutter their doors- leaving millions of people out of work- in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. The arts and hospitality industries have been hit especially hard, with the hospitality industry in New York City facing a decline of over 400,000 jobs, and the arts industry facing around 1.4 million jobs lost overall in the United States.

Entertainment Changes Coming at Walt Disney World

www.themeparkinsider.com: First the good news for fans: Disney is bringing back the For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration show, starting October 5. It's part of the return of live musical shows to the resort, following both Disney's agreement with the Actors’ Equity Association union that represents stage performers at the resort as well as increased attendance at the parks.

Grab a brush, take a stand. 10 Pittsburgh Solidarity for Change murals are going up in the next month

nextpittsburgh.com: Spurred by his own experiences with police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, the Homewood resident and executive artist of the Moving the Lives of Kids Community Mural Project is mobilizing other like-minded artists, college students and community members to design and create a series of art walls promoting unity and social justice.

NFTRW Weekly Top Five

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

Metropolitan Opera closed until fall 2021 due to coronavirus concerns

Broadway News: The Metropolitan Opera announced Wednesday that it will be closed until fall 2021 due to the continuing threat of COVID-19.

The Met had previously hoped to restart its season on Dec. 31, 2020, but now says it has been advised by its health officials to wait until the fall, or a time at which “a vaccine is widely in use, herd immunity is established, and the wearing of masks and social distancing is no longer a medical requirement,” according to a press release.

Posted by David at 9/25/2020 11:21:00 AM

Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration Goes Virtual for 2021; Live Elements Still to be Determined

www.broadwayworld.com: With January 1, 2021 now 100 days away, the organizers of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square provided a preliminary teaser of how the event will change in response to the changes and challenges of 2020: a virtually enhanced celebration that brings Times Square and The Ball to you digitally no matter where you are, scaled-back and socially-distanced live elements still to be determined, and an extremely limited group of in-person honorees, socially distanced, who will reflect the themes, challenges and inspirations of 2020.

Posted by David at 9/25/2020 11:21:00 AM

Equity reports an 'enormous' rise in complaints of racism

Theatre | The Guardian: Equity, the UK trade union for creative practitioners, has seen a massive upsurge in cases of racism reported across the stage and screen industries. Paul Fleming, the union’s incoming general secretary, said the complaints raised by members include “dignity issues” and racist language used in dressing rooms and auditions.

Posted by David at 9/25/2020 11:17:00 AM

LA: The L.A. River Is About To Become An Immersive Epicenter

by NoPro Newswire | Sep, 2020 | No Proscenium: The Guide To Everything Immersive: The nonprofit River LA, which works “ to bring people, water and nature together along all 51 miles of the Los Angeles River” has brought on experiential arts veteran Mikhael Tara Garver to head up a new multi-year initiative “Rio Reveals,” which gets its start next month with a media preview, followed by the public-facing Rio Records, “which combines art, music, history, design and storytelling into a collaborative, immersive online adventure for 100 guests per interactive performance.

Posted by David at 9/25/2020 11:23:00 AM

Why 'Six' plans to reopen in London this fall

Broadway News: As he looks to reopen “Six” in London this November, producer Kenny Wax has the advantage of having a small cast, an 80-minute show and relatively low running costs.

Still, working amid rising coronavirus infections and restrictions in the United Kingdom, Wax acknowledges there’s a possibility the production will be shut down. He’s choosing to move forward for one main reason.

Posted by David at 9/24/2020 11:22:00 AM

Ford Foundation announces $150 million in grants to arts groups of color

The Washington Post: Eduardo Vilaro, the artistic director and chief executive of New York’s Ballet Hispánico, has tried to ignore the slights. Well-heeled patrons who wouldn’t join his board because they favored older, Whiter organizations. Theater managers telling him they couldn’t present the company because they had already programmed a “minority-themed” group.

LA: The L.A. River Is About To Become An Immersive Epicenter

by NoPro Newswire | Sep, 2020 | No Proscenium: The Guide To Everything Immersive: The nonprofit River LA, which works “ to bring people, water and nature together along all 51 miles of the Los Angeles River” has brought on experiential arts veteran Mikhael Tara Garver to head up a new multi-year initiative “Rio Reveals,” which gets its start next month with a media preview, followed by the public-facing Rio Records, “which combines art, music, history, design and storytelling into a collaborative, immersive online adventure for 100 guests per interactive performance.

Restart-19 : Experiment Targets Safe Resumption of Live Concerts

LightSoundJournal.com: Restart-19 is an evidence-based scientific study conducted by the University Medical Center, Halle, in conjunction with regional government, aimed at investigating the Coronavirus risks associated with staging major cultural or sporting events in indoor arenas. The project has received almost a million euros in funding, a measure of just how desperate the situation facing the future of such events has become. The principle aim of the study was to determine which technical and organisational actions can most effectively minimise the risk of infection.

Performing in Winter: Creating COVID-safe Super Venues and Sharing the Stage

The Theatre Times: You pass through a wide doorway to a large space with good air circulation. Inside, an usher behind a screen scans your ticket and sends you onward. Signs on the carpet direct you to the large auditorium, which is arranged in clusters of seats, one per household. In the middle of the room, the stage is set for a full orchestra. Tomorrow the same stage will be used for a theatrical production. The lights go dim; the music starts.

Metropolitan Opera closed until fall 2021 due to coronavirus concerns

Broadway News: The Metropolitan Opera announced Wednesday that it will be closed until fall 2021 due to the continuing threat of COVID-19.

The Met had previously hoped to restart its season on Dec. 31, 2020, but now says it has been advised by its health officials to wait until the fall, or a time at which “a vaccine is widely in use, herd immunity is established, and the wearing of masks and social distancing is no longer a medical requirement,” according to a press release.

Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration Goes Virtual for 2021; Live Elements Still to be Determined

www.broadwayworld.com: With January 1, 2021 now 100 days away, the organizers of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square provided a preliminary teaser of how the event will change in response to the changes and challenges of 2020: a virtually enhanced celebration that brings Times Square and The Ball to you digitally no matter where you are, scaled-back and socially-distanced live elements still to be determined, and an extremely limited group of in-person honorees, socially distanced, who will reflect the themes, challenges and inspirations of 2020.

What is a Crossover?

SoundGirls.org: Crossovers are not the most glamorous or talked about gear in live sound, but they are an integral part of the signal chain. Also known as frequency divider networks, these devices filter and route the signal based on frequency. Without a crossover, the same signal gets fed to each driver in the system. Imagine the tweeter, mids, and sub all playing the same song reading the same balance of frequencies.

Artist Relief Fund Raises Nearly $20 Million

The New York Times: The Artist Relief fund, a national coalition of arts grantmakers that distributes $5,000 grants to creative professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic, has awarded $13.5 million to 2,700 individuals since April.

Off Broadway’s Acclaimed ‘Cambodian Rock Band’ Sets Post-Pandemic Tour

Deadline: Off Broadway’s Signature Theatre will take its acclaimed production of Lauren Yee’s play with music Cambodian Rock Band on the road, marking the theater company’s first production to tour. The production, with songs by L.A. band Dengue Fever and directed by Chay Yew, was praised by critics upon its Signature opening earlier this year, and has been mentioned by The New York Times as a potential contender for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nomination.

'Macbeth' as fast-moving radio drama from PG County Shakespeare in the Parks

DC Metro Theater Arts: How, exactly, does one make theater in the middle of a pandemic? People are sitting on the couch streaming The Umbrella Academy. Broadway is closed until January 3, 2021. Much of local theater is now online for the duration.