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THEATRE

Playing A Sumo Wrestler On Stage Takes Months Of Exacting Choreography

“As Peña and Dring committed to having the actors wrestle, and doing so smoothly and within budget, they hired two fighting directors — one as an intimacy director and another as a sumo consultant — to ensure safety, accuracy and precision.” - The New York Times

This Ukrainian Theatre Troupe Is All Women, Though Not By Choice

Because so many men are fighting against the Russian invasion, "We only had the female part of the troupe left. So we thought, ‘Well, if men played women in Shakespeare’s times, why not give it a try?’” - Seattle Times (AP)

Is It Possible To Mount A History Play About Civil Rights In Florida Right Now?

“‘We’re sort of really trying to ride a fine line of when we talk about the play and how we talk about the play,’ said Karla Hartley, the producing artistic director. ... 'So we don’t sort of draw the ire of certain people in the state government.’” - The New York Times

As A First-Amendment Lawsuit Continues, The NEA Drops One Of Its Anti-Trans Requirements

“The news is mixed, however. While artists may now apply for funding without attesting to the new ‘gender ideology’ requirement, the NEA has not agreed to remove its new eligibility criteria” - but the ACLU lawsuit continues. - American Theatre

That Time “Rocky Horror” Flopped On Broadway (An Oral History)

The stage version of the now-cult classic movie had very successful runs in London and Los Angeles before it came to Broadway — and somehow nosedived, just a year before midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show made the film the phenomenon it has been for fifty years now. - The New York Times

Why Did Toni Morrison’s Only Play Disappear?

Dreaming Emmett, about the murder of Emmett Till, ran in Albany for four weeks in 1986 and then vanished; rumors had it that Morrison herself collected every script and other record of the play and destroyed them. It turns out that’s not what happened at all. - New York Magazine

Baltimore Theatre Refuses To Comply With NEA’s New Anti-DEI Guidelines

Baltimore Center Stage, Maryland’s state theater, says it will refuse to comply with the NEA’s new guidelines — which state that applicants “will not operate any programs promoting ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’” or “gender ideology” — at the cost of its own potential federal funding in the future. - Baltimore Banner

“Hamilton” Cancels Its Run At Kennedy Center In Wake Of Trump Takeover

Lead producer Jeffrey Seller: “Political disagreement and debate are vital expressions of democracy. These basic concepts of freedom are at the very heart of Hamilton. However, some institutions are sacred and should be protected from politics. The Kennedy Center is one such institution.” - Variety

2025 Olivier Award Nominations: “Fiddler”, Imelda Staunton, Adrien Brody, John Lithgow, Romola Garai (Twice)

Garai received nods as best supporting actress (play) for both The Years and Giant, which led the dramas with five nominations each. A revival of Fiddler on the Roof scored 13 nominations. Staunton received her 14th Olivier nom for Hello, Dolly!; Oscar-winner Brody and Tony- and Emmy-winner Lithgow got acting nods. - The Guardian

New David Byrne Immersive Theater Piece To Set Up In Historic Chicago Landmark

The piece, titled Theater of the Mind and based on current research in neuroscience, will be housed in a 19,000-square-foot space inside the Reid Murdoch Building on LaSalle Street for an indefinite run. (And what was the previous David Byrne immersive theater piece? Here Lies Love, the Imelda Marcos disco musical.) - Axios

Chicago’s Brand-New Social Change Theater Festival

“All of the performances (are) staged readings, with actors working from scripts without the costumes and sets of a full production. The goal is to workshop brand-new plays that cover big themes, from criminal justice reform and climate change to gender identity.” - WBEZ (Chicago)

The Off-Broadway, And Nonprofit Theatre In General, Strikes May Be Just Beginning

The first wave is a so-far monthslong strike at Atlantic Theater. “After stagehands at the Atlantic began organizing, the union tried reaching out to the company’s leadership—which then hired Littler Mendelson, a law firm known for representing Amazon and Starbucks in their anti-union efforts.” - American Theatre

Change And Continuity At The World’s Oldest Active Theatre Company

A new director (formal title: general administrator) will soon be taking up his position (one appointed by no less than the French President) at the Comédie-Française. He's Clément Hervieu-Léger, 47, and like most of his predecessors, he's a longtime member of the company who both acts and directs. - The New York Times

Does A Fast-Growing Fringe Theatre Circuit Obviate Edinburgh Fringe’s Relevance?

Many of these shows started at the Edinburgh Fringe. However, hang around the environs of Adelaide Fringe’s artist hubs and you will soon hear two burning questions: “Is Edinburgh dead?” and “In 2025, can you have success without playing it?” - The Stage

“The Hunger Games” Is Now A High-Tech Immersive Play

A new 1,200-seat venue in London’s Canary Wharf is being purpose-built to house the production, with a script adapted by playwright Conor McPherson (The Weir, Girl From the North Country). Previews begin on October 20. - The Guardian

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