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THEATRE

The Volunteers Who’ve Pitched In To Keep UK Theatre Going

A theatre belongs to the people who make it more than just a building. That includes the volunteers just as much as it does the stars, staff and audience. - The Guardian

“Slave Play” In London Will Have Two Performances For Black Audiences, And Even The Prime Minister Has An Opinion

As during the play's Broadway run, the West End production will have "Black Out" nights, as playwright Jeremy O. Harris calls them, when Black playgoers can enjoy the show (in Harris's words) "free from the white gaze." More than in New York, some people are flipping out over this. - BBC

These Standup Comedy Workshops Are Driving Britain’s Right Wing Nuts

Why? Because the workshops, funded by the BBC, are for members of groups under-represented in standup: women, disabled, and LGBTQ people, yes — but also, crucially, working-class people. - The Guardian

Netflix Becomes A Broadway Producer

The company will pick up its first Broadway credit this spring as a producer of “Patriots,” by Peter Morgan, the creator of the hit Netflix series “The Crown.” - The New York Times

Newly Discovered Letter: Arthur Miller Explains Tragedy And “Death Of A Salesman”

"As I see it, the force of the Elizabethan form lay in its ability to follow the mental processes of its protagonists wherever they might lead. The same may be said of mine." - The Atlantic

Mr. Fruit Salad Explains Why His Absurdist Standup Comedy Is An Excellent Vehicle For Exploring Grief And Loneliness

"Absurdism is like smoke – it shifts before your eyes and takes on strange, beguiling patterns, but if you try to close your hand around it, it will disappear. Other moments in life that seem to contain the most meaning – when the world reveals itself to you – are like this too." - Psyche

An Idea To Make Theatre Sustainable Again

"I’m trying to get artists to think of themselves as owners, not employees. So there’s a direct connection between the bottom line and their bank account. But the artists are in charge! They decide what plays to do, who is doing what, how much money will be spent on a production, and so forth." - Howlround

Edinburgh Fringe Frustrated As Its Bid For Long-Term Funding Is Rejected

In fact, the enormous theatre festival hasn't been on Creative Scotland's list of "regularly-funded organisations" (those with three-year "core funding" grants) since 2018, and the agency says it gives the Fringe money through other channels. - The Scotsman

North Carolina Theatre In Raleigh Cancels Season And Files For Bankruptcy

"The theater’s board announced the decision Friday, citing 'external forces during and after the pandemic,' including higher production costs, the loss of corporate and personal sponsorships, a decline in sales and a slow return of audiences to live venues." - The News & Observer (Raleigh) (MSN)

Texas High School Cancels Student Production Of “The Laramie Project”

When notifying parents, school district leaders in the Fort Worth suburb of Keller gave no reason for cancelling the docudrama about the 1998 murder of gay student Matthew Shepard; a spokesman later said administrators wanted a play like previous productions of Mary Poppins and White Christmas. - The Dallas Morning News (MSN)

As ‘The Outsiders’ Makes Its Way To Broadway, The Young Cast Visits Its Oklahoma Inspiration

The cast and crew took a “granular, history-flecked tour of the place where, about 60 years earlier, S.E. Hinton’s coming-of-age story was written and set. Hinton, 75 and still a beloved local, was a star attraction." - The New York Times

Why Is Second City Moving To First City?

In Brooklyn, “on the site of an old record shop and club, the company has built a 200-seat mainstage, a 60-seat second stage, several classrooms, where improv and comedy writing are taught, and a restaurant." - NPR

Do Historically Black Colleges And Universities Provide An Edge For Their Theatre Alumni?

Says one HBCU alum, Broadway director and theatre founder Kenny Leon, “I was trained to believe in myself and know that anything is possible. You didn’t have to go to Juilliard, Harvard, or Yale. All you have to do is understand the practicality.” - American Theatre

“The Real Tragedy Of This Play Is That Everyone’s Right All The Time”

That's what one cast member said, during rehearsals at New York's Public Theater, about Itamar Moses's The Ally, in which the characters hash out a myriad of today's thorniest issues — and they all have good points to make. - The New York Times

Long Lost Gershwin Musical Manuscript Found

The approximately 800 pages of material included the musical’s complete orchestration, with parts for flute, cello, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin, bass and piano. - Michigan Live

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