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THEATRE

How Broadway’s Latest Revival Of “Cabaret” Became A Red-Hot Ticket Despite (Or Because Of) Wildly Divergent Reviews

For every rave like Entertainment Weekly's ("jaw-droppingly gorgeous from start to finish"), there's a critique like this from The New York Times ("too often a misguided attempt to resuscitate the show breaks its ribs"). Director Rebecca Frecknall and stars Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin consider why. - The Washington Post (MSN)

In An Unexpected Development, Disney Princesses Have Been Leading A Diversity Charge On Stage

One nonbinary Black actor who played Belle says, “I was really encouraged to do my own interpretation, ... and I got to have a say in my costumes—like, I wasn’t in a blue dress, I was in a blue jumpsuit, and wore red Doc Martens boots.” - American Theatre

The Three Friends From Texas Who Have Become Broadway Stars

The three "have offered one another couches to sleep on and airfare for auditions. They write and produce music and musicals together. They hype up one another before callback auditions, promote the others’ gigs on social media and cheer wildly from the mezzanine during performances.” - The New York Times

This Long-Awaited Festival Of Pacific Arts Will See The Revival Of A Dramatic Trilogy

The Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, originally planned for 2020, is back - and “longtime collaborators playwright Alani Apio and artistic director Harry Wong III saw an opportunity to realize a shared dream 30 years in the making: to simultaneously stage all three plays in Apio’s The Kāmau Trilogy.” - American Theatre

A First: All Of This Year’s Stratford Festival Directors Are Women

That women directors are leading all three Shakespeare productions at the festival this season signifies an important shift for the company, which for decades favoured men over women for prestigious directorial opportunities. - Toronto Star

Theatre’s Video Revolution

There are several factors behind the proliferation of live video in theatre. Partly, it is just because directors have been excited to explore the creative opportunities it offers. - The Stage

How Actors Memorize Their Lines

Repeating items over and over, called maintenance rehearsal, is not the most effective strategy for remembering. Instead, actors engage in elaborative rehearsal, focusing their attention on the meaning of the material and associating it with information they already know. - Nautilus

How Director Mary Friedman Solved The Riddle Of Sondheim’s Notoriously Challenging “Merrily We Roll Along”

"Casting, casting, casting is the obvious answer," writes Charles McNulty, "though there’s a bit more to it than that." Friedman and star Jonathan Groff explain. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)

It’s True: Audra McDonald Will Play Mama Rose In “Gypsy” On Broadway This Fall

“It’s one of the great roles in musical theater, and I’ve always thought maybe some day I could try it,” she said. “It scares me to death, but I certainly feel old enough now, and having experienced motherhood, perhaps I have what is needed to dive in.” - The New York Times

Co-Producers To Be Barred From Crowding Onstage To Accept Tony Awards

Co-producers meaning, in this case, the many individuals who provided or raised money to run the production — and these days, it takes a lot of them to get a show onto Broadway. The organizers say there's insufficient time to get all of them safely onstage; nevertheless, some are mightily miffed. - Broadway Journal

Weeping And Wailing On Broadway (And This Is Good News)

Critic Elisabeth Vincentelli reports that audiences being moved to actual tears (and, yes, even wailing on occasion) has become surprisingly commonplace this season — and it's all because of the way the scripts and cast are connecting with viewers. - The Washington Post (MSN)

“Stereophonic” Was Going To Be David Adjmi’s Final Play, And It Made Him Crazy. Now It’s The Most-Nominated Play In Tony History.

"During the audition process, as characters recited certain lines over and over, Adjmi realized the play had become autobiographical. At one point, he felt physically sick. … Even now, Adjmi said he has a hard time watching the play, comparing it to 'having people watch you take a shower.'" - The Hollywood Reporter

Brooke Shields Elected President Of Actors’ Equity

"Shields got 2794 votes, vs. 1940 votes for stage manager Erin Maureen Koster and 834 for Chicago-based actress Wydetta Carter, according to a tally shared with Broadway Journal. Shields hasn’t served in Equity’s governance, unlike Koster and Carter, who continue to have top positions in its volunteer leadership." - Broadway Journal

Michelle Terry On The Vicious Abuse She Faced For Casting Herself As Richard III

"The misogyny has far outweighed the disability discourse. There was potential for ... a vital discussion around disability justice – which as an organisation (Shakespeare's Globe is) engaged in. But the level of hate and anger towards me was dangerous. Bad things happen to people when this stuff is allowed to run rife." - The Guardian

Director Matthew Warchus Announces His Departure From London’s Old Vic

The seven-time Tony and five-time Olivier nominee (he's won one of each) will step down in September of 2026, concluding an 11-year tenure that has seen the Old Vic present 25 world premieres and transfer multiple productions to the West End and Broadway. - Playbill

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