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A.O. Scott Annotates The Court Order Freeing The Five-Year-Old Held By ICE

“Judge Biery’s decision … is much more than dry judicial reasoning. It’s a passionate, erudite, at times mischievous piece of prose. … In fewer than 500 words, Judge Biery marshals literature, history, folk wisdom and Scripture to challenge the theory of executive power that has defined Trump’s second presidency.” - The New York Times

Bruce Springsteen’s Protest Song In The Age Of Digital Spread

What distinguishes Streets of Minneapolis is not just its fidelity to the tradition of the protest song, but its mode of circulation as a rapid response in the digital age. - The Conversation

Amazon Pulls “Melania” From Movie Theatre After Cheeky Marquee Promotion

It all started with a joke on a movie marquee: “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. ‘Melania’ starts Friday.” - Seattle Times

Testing Trumps Claims About Closing The Kennedy Center

One is that the center needs major upgrades. That is true. The other is that those upgrades require full closure of the entire campus for multiple years. That is suspect. - The Conversation

The Blazing Avant-Garde Theater Actress Who Up And Disappeared

Libby Howes came to New York in 1975 and fell in with The Wooster Group. Her work there thrilled viewers, and Helen Shaw was blown away just by old film of Howes performing. But in 1981, after a psychotic break, she disappeared. Shaw investigated what became of her. - The New York Times

Why Boys Are Worse At Reading At Every Grade

Test score data presents averages. Many girls struggle to read, and many boys excel at it. But overall, boys are about three-quarters of a year behind girls in reading in fourth grade, and roughly a year behind in 12th grade. - The New York Times

Washington Post Decimates Its Arts Staff In Paper-Wide Layoffs

While a list of all those who've lost their positions is not yet available, multiple arts and culture reporters have confirmed the layoffs. - The Violin Channel

Philadelphia Museum Of Art Reverses Its Disastrous Rebrand

The decision, it said, reflects “the recommendations of an interdisciplinary task force of museum trustees and staff, which examined the process and rollout of the rebrand, and commissioned surveys of museum staff, trustees, members, and the Philadelphia-area public.” - ARTnews

Audiences Singing Along At Broadway Musicals — Is It Getting Out Of Hand?

"Encouraging audience enthusiasm while upholding basic theater etiquette has become a tricky balance, but attracting fans itching to sing along is also a badge of popularity. … Where people draw the line on what’s “too crazy” may be the animating question of our time.” - The Washington Post (Yahoo!)

“Resistance Theater” Spreads As Trump’s Second Term Goes On

“The Unquiet series, organized by Sara Candela, a poet, is part of a larger movement in which artists, writers and theater groups across the country are creating work in response to the Trump administration’s attacks on arts and their communities.” - The Guardian

What Gustavo Dudamel Told Domingo Hindoyan About L.A.

Dudamel is the outgoing music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Hindoyan is the incoming music director of Los Angeles Opera; they have known each other since their youth in Venezuela. “His advice was,” said Hindoyan, “L.A. will follow your imagination ... push boundaries. L.A. will follow.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Sony Spent $457 Million To Buy The “Peanuts” Franchise. Now What Will The Conglomerate Do With It?

It’s going to “leverage the iconic IP across music, film and global distribution platforms,” as one would expect. On the music side, this means “integrating Peanuts characters and storylines into the company’s music, video and live event offerings;” the film/TV side intends to “broaden the franchise’s reach” worldwide. - Variety

30th Anniversary Performance Of Michael Flatley’s “Lord Of The Dance” Canceled And Then Uncanceled At Last Minute

Amidst ongoing lawsuits between Flatley, creator of the Irish step-dancing spectacle, and Switzer Consulting, whom he contracted to manage the show’s touring operations, Switzer announced on Tuesday morning that it was canceling the Thursday event in Dublin, leading Flatley to rush to court for an emergency injunction. - Press Association (UK) (Yahoo!)

Former Muppets Exec Sues Jim Henson Company

"Jason Lust, a former senior executive … who helped shepherd some of The Jim Henson Company's most successful modern movies and TV series, … filed the lawsuit last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, asserting breach of contract. The complaint … seeks at least $7.5 million in damages.” - TheWrap (MSN)

Alvin Ailey Company Gets Dedicated $10 Million Endowment For Artistic Director

Daria L. Wallach, a retired financier and the chair of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation’s board of directors, and her husband are the donors. - The New York Times

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