Stories

Pittsburgh’s Theater Scene Faces Loss Of Its Resident Talent

With the merger of the city’s two largest stage companies and the programming of inexpensive-to-produce small-cast shows, Pittsburgh's gig market for theater artists is shrinking. There may not be fewer shows, but the bigger ones are tours or imports. So there’s a real fear that talented theatermakers will move away. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Death Becomes Her” Sets Broadway Closing Date, North American Tour

The musical, which garnered good reviews and 10 Tony nominations but only one actual Tony, will close June 28 after a 20-month run which didn’t recoup its initial investment. A multi-year tour will begin in September in Cleveland. - Variety

World Premiere Of Wynton Marsalis’s Symphony No. 5 Postponed

Subtitled “Liberty,” the work was due to premiere the last weekend of May, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and conductor Marin Alsop. A joint statement said, “All parties agreed that additional time would best support the long-term life of the new symphony.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

The Antonio Stradivari of Brooklyn?

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center actually programmed a gala in honor of luthier Sam Zygmuntowicz — because so many of its members, and other leading string players (including Joshua Bell and Maxim Vengerov), have instruments of his. - The New York Times

The Guy Who’s Taking Over Stephen Colbert’s Time Slot Just Bought BuzzFeed

Byron Allen, a former stand-up comedian whose Allen Media Group owns 13 local TV stations, The Weather Channel and other outlets, announced a $120 million deal to acquire a 52% controlling stake in BuzzFeed. And he’s leasing from CBS Colbert’s former Late Show time slot for his comedy show Comics Unleashed. - Variety

Texas Public Radio To Merge Operations With News Site San Antonio Report

“The move, unanimously approved by both organizations’ boards of directors, is expected to launch July 1. Leaders say the initiative will allow the two nonprofit newsrooms to share resources, streamline operations and direct more funding toward journalism and community reporting rather than overhead.” - Inside Radio

International Booker Prize, For First Time, Goes To Novel Written In Mandarin Chinese

Taiwan Travelogue, written by Yáng Shuāng-zi and translated by Lin King, takes the form of a travel memoir by a (fictional) Japanese novelist on a culinary tour of occupied Taiwan in the 1930s, charting her complex relationship with her local interpreter. The novel won a U.S. National Book Award in 2024. - AP

Artistic Director Of Utah’s Ballet West To Step Down After 20-Year Tenure

Adam Sklute, who came to Salt Lake City in 2007, will depart at the end of next season. His tenure, the longest in Ballet West history, saw the company stabilize its finances, increase its subscriber base, triple its budget, and sextuple its school's enrollment. - KSL (Salt Lake City)

The Americanization Of Tourism

We’re selling vibes, textures. A sunset on the hills in Chianti, riding a bike on an island in Sicily. Imagine us discussing it in parliament with an Italian accent: l’importanza del made in Italy. We use the English expression unironically. It’s aimed at Americans. - The Dial

Ex-San Antonio Phil Conductor Launches New Orchestra For City

As the troubled San Antonio Philharmonic, which has canceled more concerts than it has played this year, appears to edge toward collapse, Jeffrey Kahane, who resigned as the Philharmonic’s music director in February, has announced the founding of a new orchestra and education initiative called Harmonium of Texas. - San Antonio Express-News

Pompidou And Hong Kong’s M+ Strike A Five-Year Deal To Exchange Art

The major exhibition featuring collections from both institutions will be staged first in Paris at the Centre Pompidou, after its five-year renovation, around 2029 or 2030, before being hosted at the M+ with a focus on visual culture in France and China. - South China Morning Post

Cannes Wrestles With AI

The 79th Cannes may go down as the time the world’s grandest film festival for the first time wrestled with the onset of AI — its arrival has been felt like a tsunami on the French Riviera. - AP News

Is Your Name Emily? Free Drinks For You!

Showcase Cinemas has just announced that if anyone called Emily buys a ticket to see the film Finding Emily this weekend, they will receive a free medium-sized Coca-Cola in return. - The Guardian

New York Magazine Investigates Contributor For Alleged Plagiarism

“Ross Barkan, who is a contract writer for the magazine, … has been accused of plagiarism after publishing at least three stories with striking similarities to other published work.” - NPR

Judge Delays Approval Of Anthropic Authors Settlement

Calling out lawyers for requesting more than $320 million in legal fees when each author only expects a $3,000 payout, some objectors asked the court to delay approving the settlement until a more reasonable plaintiff compensation plan is constructed. - Ars Technica

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