Stories

“Glee”s Outsized Impact On Broadway

In the 11 years since the last episode of “Glee” aired, one thing has become clear: The TV series was a game changer for musical theater. - The New York Times

Stage Manager – The Most Stressful Job In The Arts

In theatre – and across dance, opera, musicals and concerts – the stage manager is like the air traffic controller of the production. Without them, chaos would ensue, yet they rarely get acknowledged. - ArtsHub

Houston’s Oldest Black Theater Company Is Now 50

“Back in the mid-1970s, the late George Hawkins, founder of the Ensemble Theatre, imagined a place where Black actors could find work and perform plays that mattered. Even after he passed away, in 1990, his legacy and that dream continue to grow as the Ensemble prepares for its 50th-anniversary season starting this fall.” - Texas Observer

Utah Bans Even More Books From Public Schools

Utah just banned seven more books from all public schools — the most it has ever banned in a single go since the state’s sensitive materials law went into effect. The additions bring the total number of books now prohibited in Utah public schools to 44. - Salt Lake Tribune

World Monuments Fund: Funding Is The Biggest Threat To World Heritage

Of 372 nominations for the 2027 Watch list, 65% of nominators cited funding shortages and economic development as a primary challenge, up from 55% in 2024. - The Art Newspaper

By Biological Definition, AI Is Life

There is nothing artificial about systems built from real atoms, powered by real electricity, running in real machines. The systems reproduce, vary, adapt, undergo selection and gather energy from their environment. By any working definition that draws on biology rather than philosophy or religion, that is life. - Noema

Choreographer Pam Tanowitz, Contemporary Dance Star, On Working With Ballet Companies

“Yes, I am a ballet outsider. I don’t have all the ballet steps at my fingertips but I have a list of ballet steps and I go through them like a laundry list and experiment. … It’s hard to separate the two systems now. I have my own ideas no matter what.” - The Times (UK)

After 40 Years, Segerstrom Center Is Thriving, Bringing L.A.-Level Performing Arts To Orange County

Building a Lincoln Center-style multi-venue arts center in a county that was a byword for conservative suburbia seemed improbable in 1986, but philanthropist Henry Segerstrom pulled it off. Now, after getting hit hard by the pandemic, the complex is back on track, with a $14.6 million surplus last year. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Judge Throws Out Alec Baldwin’s Lawsuit Against Prosecutor Who Tried “Rust” Shooting Case

“A federal judge on Wednesday threw out much of Baldwin‘s civil rights lawsuit against prosecutors in the Rust case, finding they are entitled to prosecutorial immunity. Baldwin sued last year, alleging he was the victim of an out-of-control prosecution that wrongly sought to convict him for the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.” - Variety

It Was Challenge After Challenge To Get Calder’s Clouds Back In Place At The Senate Office Building

They came down in the first place because they were too heavy, so they were remade. Restorers had to find a motor to move them the way Calder intended. Installing them in a Congressional building meant extra bureaucratic hurdles. And the particular black paint Calder used had been discontinued. - The New York Times

Moribund San Antonio Philharmonic Sues Brand-New Orchestra Harmonium Of Texas

“The Philharmonic alleges (Harmonium founder) Jeffrey Kahane misled the (Philharmonic) when he resigned (as its music director) in January … (and) that Kahane used ‘trade secrets’ to which he had access — including donor lists and an email marketing list — to assist him in starting the competing orchestra.” - San Antonio Express-News (Yahoo!)

Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Clears Final Hurdle As Judge Approves Lawsuit Settlement

“On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, who is overseeing the antitrust case aimed at blocking the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal approved Paramount’s settlement with the 12 Democratic state attorneys general who brought the case to resolve the litigation.” - Variety

Blind Man Sues British Museum Over Lack Of Bayeux Tapestry Audio Guide

“Dr. Yusuf Ali Osman alleges that the museum is breaching equality laws by failing to provide audio-described tours of the exhibition for blind visitors.” - The Independent (UK)

How Does Broadway’s Current Longest-Running Musical Keep Going? Celebrity Stunt Casting, Of Course

The lead producers of Chicago, Fran and Barry Weissler, now make a point of having someone in the cast with a following from outside Broadway — from film, scripted television, or, most recently, reality TV such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Vanderpump Rules, and America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. - Billboard

It’s Getting More And More Difficult To Tell What’s Real

Life on the internet has become, among other things, a test of patience and an experience of gruelling duration; the ad somehow continued for more than three minutes. A captive audience, it turns out, gets crude digital puppetry as its just deserts. - The New Yorker

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss