Bringing Broadway adaptations to the big screen can be a dicey proposition. For every "Wicked," there is a box-office flop, such as Universal's "Cats." - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
About 450 institutes are reliant at least in part on state subsidies, from theatres and opera houses to nightclubs and galleries. They're attempting to force a rethink over the €130m cuts. At around 12 to 13% of the current annual budget, they have been described even by those proposing them as “brutal”. - The Guardian
Adam Moss: "(it) is full of notes-to-self that provide a real-time map of what was going through his mind. … It’s rare for a writer to allow you this far in to see how a novel is written; most are secretive, superstitious about exposing a process that even they don’t understand." - Vulture
“This is the year that people really realized that you can build general-purpose robots,” she said. What is striking about these achievements is that they involve very little explicit programming. The robots’ behavior is learned. - The New Yorker
Artists across genres and mediums have, for decades, found great storytelling potential in Baum’s characters and mythology. But the mode that Oz has continued to lend itself to best is musical theater, a genre predicated on suspension of disbelief and thus well suited to conveying Oz’s odd earnestness. - The Atlantic
"Throughout his career, he has struggled with stage fright, he said, especially when dancing in groups. ... But for “Dear Lord, Make Me Beautiful,” a new large-scale, evening-length production that deals with themes of aging, change and vulnerability, he knew he needed to be present onstage." - The New York Times
Says the daughter of actress Ingrid Bergman and filmmaker Roberto Rossellini, "Of course it opens the door, because people are curious to see you. But I don’t know that it was an advantage. The judgment is much more severe, and you don’t have time to grow." - The Guardian
"Silverpoint Holdings, the current owners, are now offering the bronze cast for sale through Art Encounter, a Las Vegas gallery led by father-son duo Rod Maly and Brett Maly, for a price of $100 million — which includes the one-of-a-kind mold used to make it." - Artnet
"With his childhood friends Jerry and David Zucker, Abrahams formed the filmmaking trio, called Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker, and popularized the spoof genre of the 1980s" with Kentucky Fried Movie, the Naked Gun series, Ruthless People, and, most indelibly, Airplane! - Variety
"Capital Public Radio released Thursday its financial statement for a year marked by financial turmoil, providing the first detailed breakdown — since the release of two scathing accounting reviews over the past 14 months — of debts the station accumulated mostly through signing two leases for downtown buildings." - The Sacramento Bee
"The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to pay $43.3 million to resolve a long-running lawsuit brought by a group of female employees who alleged gender pay discrimination at the Burbank entertainment giant." As is frequently the case in such settlements, Disney did not admit fault. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
The orchestra's 2023-24 annual report shows a sixth consecutive year of a balanced budget as well as endowment growth of 11% to $296 million; audience numbers have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. - Ideastream Public Media (Cleveland)
The two-time Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee will assume the role at the beginning of 2026 after what will have been 12 years directing the Almeida Theatre across the Thames — and joining him will be his associate director, Rebecca Frecknall. Goold succeeds another award-winning director, Matthew Warchus. - The Guardian
"Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday she has a plan to reduce the popularity of 'narcocorridos.' … (She) vowed to launch a campaign to promote other, less violent musical styles that aren’t as linked to drug traffickers in an effort to stop glorifying them." - AP
The movie is energized by the emotional implications of the gap between her unflagging devotion to music and, essentially, music’s abandonment of her—the loss of many of the best qualities of her voice. - The New Yorker
