How a Romare Bearden Masterpiece Inspired August Wilson

The New York Times: The playwright August Wilson, a Pulitzer Prize winner for “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson,” drew inspiration from the piece for “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” a standout in his 10-play Century Cycle, focused on the residents of the predominantly Black Hill District in Pittsburgh.

On-Set Visual Effects Workers on Star Wars Productions Join IATSE

IATSE: A group of U.S. visual effects workers engaged directly by Star Wars franchise productions has joined the IATSE for collective bargaining purposes. The new bargaining unit includes U.S. workers who contribute to titles including, but not limited to: The Mandalorian & Grogu, Ahsoka, and Starfighter.

AI-powered drill press

Woodworking Network: According to the company, the SNIPER is designed to eliminate time-consuming manual alignment by using its Sniper Vision Targeting System to identify the intended drilling point and automatically position the spindle over the target.

Ryan Murphy to Receive Norman Lear Award at Showrunners Breakfast

variety.com: Variety‘s annual Showrunners Breakfast will return on August 14, featuring two spotlight conversations with a curated group of this year’s Emmy-nominated showrunners, plus the Norman Lear Creative Conscious Award presentation to Ryan Murphy.

Anti-Leatherman plier multitool hails from German legacy knifemaker

newatlas.com: When it comes to plier multitools, the classic Leatherman family has served as the de facto format for over 40 years, sometimes even working as a proprietary eponym. But it's not the only style of plier-equipped multitool out there, as German legacy knifemaker Böker reminds with the new Naturensöhne MK II NXT, a streamlined multitool that takes on a single-handle format more similar to a Swiss Army knife. It's built to travel swiftly and lightly across the great outdoors, slicing, sawing and cranking its weight's worth when things need to get done, and done right.

Trump Gutted the Kennedy Center. A Tour Guide Wants You to See It Anyway.

The New York Times: Some days no one turns up for a tour at all. Most days there are only a few, including those curious about all the reports of ruin. When people do come, what do they see?

SDCC Stunner: Hall H On Borrowed Time?

www.forbes.com: As San Diego Comic-Con 2026 wound down on Sunday, the organizers dropped a bombshell at the annual “Comic-Con Talkback Panel,” a forum for attendees to ask questions and vent grievances about the show. As fan after fan raised issues about getting into Hall H, the fabled 7,500 seat auditorium where the biggest studios make their biggest announcements during the show, Comic-Con Chief Communication and Strategy Officer David Glanzer made a seemingly offhand remark that raised eyebrows around the room.

Study Reveals That Creativity Has Been Declining Since the 1990s

mymodernmet.com: While both intelligence (IQ) and creativity (CQ) scores were climbing in the U.S. before 1990, creativity has since taken an alarming downward turn. Research by Kyung Hee Kim, a professor at William & Mary University, found that imaginative creativity for both children and adults has declined significantly over the past few decades.

Flexible PCBs: Not Only For The Few

Hackaday: Flexible printed circuit boards are a fascinating technique for making electronics venture beyond the two-dimensional, but surprisingly they’re not something many of us have worked with. [Jessica Stanley] gave a talk at the recent Electromagnetic Field event in the UK, exploring the different ways to make your electronics bend.

Interactive experience and gaming brand Time Mission announces 15+ location expansion for 2027

InPark Magazine: Time Mission, the social gaming location-based entertainment (LBE) brand, announced plans for its most ambitious expansion to date, with 15 to 20 new locations planned for 2027 and six venues currently under construction across the United States and Europe.

The New Hazlett Theater Has Announced Its First Artistic Director

Table Magazine: Melissa Cardello-Linton, a Pittsburgh native who spent the early part of her career working in live performance in New York, has been named the Artistic Director of the North Side theater. It’s a first for the institution; in the 20 years since the New Hazlett Theater became its own organization, it has never had an Artistic Director.

Trump Orders Warnings Placed at ‘Inaccurate’ Smithsonian History Museum

The New York Times: President Trump on Friday ordered warning signs and exhibits installed outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to alert the public that the museum does not, in his view, accurately reflect American history.

New Hazlett makes big changes amid thorny theatrical landscape

Pittsburgh City Paper | News, Dining, Music, Best Of, Arts, Film: In the wake of a rocky year for some of Pittsburgh’s largest theater companies, the New Hazlett Theater is staking its future on locally produced work. The North Side theater announced the appointment of Melissa Cardello-Linton as the company’s first-ever artistic director as well as the launch of a new program aimed at local, original show production.

Portland mayor supports PSU performing arts center, smaller Keller

Oregon ArtsWatch: The lengthy behind-closed-door deliberations about the future of the Keller Auditorium are finally about to go public, and likely spark even more conflict over whether to replace the downtown performing arts center with a new, city-owned venue at Portland State University.

Award-winning theatre to see at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026

www.whatsonstage.com: A whole host of performers will be arriving in Edinburgh next month as the Festival Fringe kicks off. Among them will be a variety of award winners and newcomers, all looking to show off their latest work to audiences. These are just some of the shows that have already received a stamp of approval.

Best AI Tools for Event Planning (2026)

www.asianefficiency.com: For curated, invite-only events, Luma builds the cleanest event pages and handles guest management end to end. For large public events where discovery matters, Eventbrite’s built-in audience and multiple ticket tiers do more work. Canva handles the visuals, ChatGPT does the planning and strategy, and Notion tracks every detail in between — a full stack that runs about $10/month beyond the tools you already pay for.

Deaf West Theatre to Host First-Ever New York City Gala

www.broadwayworld.com: Deaf West Theatre will present The 35th Anniversary Gala – One Night in New York on Monday, September 28 at Joe’s Pub, honoring Academy Award-winning actor Troy Kotsur, five-time Tony Award-winning producer Eva Price, and Tony Award-winning directors Bill Rauch & Zhailon Levingston.

Judge Extends Pause on Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger for Extra 14 Days

variety.com: Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin is scheduled to hold a hearing on Aug. 3 on a request for a preliminary injunction that would block the deal indefinitely. Paramount is asking for additional time to make its case against the injunction.

Blog: RAGTIME's Immigrant Heritage Night Was 'Fuel to Keep Engaging in the Fight'

www.broadwayworld.com: Just last month, the Vivian Beaumont Theatre hosted a special event in recognition of National Immigrant Heritage Month. On June 23, Lincoln Center Theater honored a remarkable group of visionary leaders for a special evening at Ragtime to celebrate the extraordinary ways immigrants have shaped – and continue to shape – the cultural, intellectual, and civic fabric of this country.

Bosch 12V Max Cordless Pocket Drill

Tested and Reviewed by Popular Mechanics: Bosch has an established reputation for making cordless drills that are small yet capable of handling their fair share of fasteners. (The brand also makes the miter saw we recommend for most people.) Such is the case with the Bosch 12V Max Two-Speed Pocket Drill/Driver, the brand’s most diminutive cordless drill. I spent several weeks testing this drill, using it to handle odd jobs around my house and running it through a series of driving and drilling trials.