THEATRE

How Alan Cumming Is Transforming A Small Scottish Theatre

His vision was to turn Pitlochry Festival Theatre into both an artistic retreat and a producing powerhouse. It was to invite exciting creatives to Perthshire and create and premiere a show, then for that show to be sent on to London, New York and elsewhere. - The Stage

UK Equity Ratifies New Contract For London’s West End, Avoiding Strike

“Running from April 2026 to April 2029, the agreement will see minimum rates rise by at least 13.5 per cent over three years. It also improves holiday entitlement and family leave, supports better work-life balance, strengthens equality and inclusion provisions, and recognises additional responsibilities.” - WhatsOnStage (UK)

At The Open Auditions For Off-Broadway’s “Spring Awakening” Revival

“These aspirants arrived by plane, by bus, by subway, in braids and vests and milkmaid dresses, clutching headshots and binders and gigantic water bottles. ... A few dozen joined the line before dawn. By noon, more than a thousand sat and stood and swayed.” - The New York Times

Sure, We’ve Canceled A Bunch Of Previews, But Our “Game Of Thrones” Play Is Just Fine, Says RSC

“Ticketholders for five preview performances of the play, Game of Thrones: The Mad King, were more than a little dismayed last week when the shows, scheduled for July 20-24, were canceled. ... A show on Saturday, July 25, was also called off just hours before the curtain was set to rise.” - The New York Times

What ‘A Chorus Line,’ Now Celebrating Its 50-Plus Anniversary, Taught Us About Theatre

“A Chorus Line celebrates artists’ commitment while demonstrating — both at the story level and in the way the script itself was assembled — how easy it is to bully or exploit them.” - The New York Times

The Hadestown ProShot Film Was So Popular This Weekend That It’s Getting An Extended Run

The live show capture came close to toppling Hamilton from its perch. - Deadline

Kenneth Branagh Returns To The Site Of His First Grand Success

“His time in Stratford was professionally formative, but rocky. Branagh tangled with the management over workloads and pay, and eventually felt that he had to move on to flourish.” That worked out pretty well for him, too. - The New York Times

How A Romare Bearden Collage Inspired One Of August Wilson’s Best Plays

Wilson “discovered Bearden in 1977, when The Prevalence of Ritual, a 1964 series of Bearden’s collages collected in a volume, captured his attention.” - The New York Times

Is This The End Of Nonprofit Theatre?

Oskar Eustis thinks so, but not a bad thing: “We’re faced with the need to prove to the people in our individual communities that we matter enough to them that they should support us. … Now, that’s not a very bad demand to put on an art form.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)

The Irish Government Promised Money And Priority To Renovating A Theatre, But It’s Mired In Red Tape

Abbey Theatre "is one of the State’s most important cultural institutions. It was founded by William Butler Yeats and Augusta Gregory in 1904; the 1966 structure has been described by the government as a ‘deficient’ building for audiences and performers.” - Irish Times

UK Government Leaves Theatres Out Of New Tax Break For Other Venues

“The Government has announced a 20% reduction in business rates bills for pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England from April next year. … However, the decision to exclude theatres from this targeted relief has raised questions: many theatres and arts centres share (similar) operational models, overheads and community functions.” - WhatsOnStage (UK)

The End Of Big Broadway Musicals?

“We’re in this environment where I’m watching a lot of shows not quite find the audience that can sustain them at the level that they need to be sustained because the costs have gone up so much.” - The Hollywood Reporter

A Coachella For Broadway Theatre?

For decades, theater fans have flocked to Broadway hoping to catch their favorite performers onstage. But what if, instead of seeing one show, they could spend an entire weekend surrounded by stage stars — watching concerts under the stars, singing show tunes around a campfire, dancing at a Broadway rave? - People

Oskar Eustis, Longtime Director Of New York’s Public Theater, To Step Down In 2028

“He plans to (depart) on July 31, 2028, his 70th birthday. His departure will signal a transition ... not only for the Public, but also for theater in New York, where Eustis is among the last of a group of long-serving artistic directors who for decades oversaw the city’s biggest nonprofits.” - The New York Times

Australia’s Musical Theatre Crisis

Exactly who or what is to blame for the closures is hard to diagnose. Producers have cited astronomical transportation costs as a major factor, perhaps unwilling to blame audiences’ increasing reluctance to pre-book. Industry-wide fixes are even trickier to identify. - The Guardian

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