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THEATRE

The Jewish Foundations Of American Theatre

Though Jews had been an integral part of mainstream theater for decades — creating, presenting, teaching and consuming it — and had found in it the ultimate and most enduring expression of their artistry, seldom was the product Jewish on the surface. - The New York Times

Broadway’s Profitable Thanksgiving Week

With total attendance holding steady – and three fewer shows on the roster – the increase in receipts can be attributed to a 27% bump in average ticket price: $151, compared to the previous week’s $118. Overall, 90% of Broadway seats were filled during the holiday week. - Deadline

Many Of Chicago’s Minority-Led Small Theater Companies Are Growing — For Now

"Although the pandemic was devastating for all arts organizations, non-majority-run organizations received a lifeline (via) government funding. … These theater companies, many of them small storefront operations, were able to add staff and produce more work. The question is whether these groups will be able to sustain their momentum." - Crain's Chicago Business

Why Sondheim Is So Hard To Let Go Of

Ravishing individual songs may reassure us that no one is alone but, in the five decades since “Company” made his reputation, Mr. Sondheim had been creating group portraits of a crowded world where loneliness was an existential fact. - The New York Times

A Man Who Investigated The Crimes Of Ferdinand And Imelda Marcos Goes To The Broadway Musical About Them

"Having seen and enjoyed the show in New York, I now realize that I missed the obvious during my years in Manila. The Marcoses, the now-94-year-old Imelda in particular, had for years captured the affection and votes of ordinary Filipinos by entertaining them." - NPR

How They Turned The Saw Horror Franchise Into A Musical

"'This is a love story that I think people wanted for 20 years,' said Stephanie Rosenberg, the director of Saw the Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw." - NPR

Non-Profit Theatres Are Finding Ways To Survive

The leaders of these theaters define success differently than they did before the pandemic, but they are optimistic about the future and intent on connecting with new and younger audiences. - The Wall Street Journal

Rethinking Where Theatre Happens (And How It Changes Depending On Where)

At the height of the pandemic, each theatre focused on a medium that allowed them to reimagine storytelling unbound by the proscenium stage. From film and livestreams to podcasts, and even on-demand viewing, these theatres found new modes of expression that blur the lines between the outreach of small and regional theatres. - American Theatre

At Last, Native American Playwrights Are Getting The Chance To Tell Their Peoples’ Own Stories

Larissa FastHorse (The Thanksgiving Play), Mary Katheryn Nagle (Manahatta), and Madeline Sayet (Where We Belong) are three writers at the center of what they hope isn't just a wave. "I hope it’s not a moment," says FastHorse. "I hope it’s the beginning of an era." - AP

The Oscar-Winning Playwright-Screenwriter Running The Geffen Playhouse

Tarell Alvin McCraney (who wrote Moonlight) calls it "your friendly neighborhood playhouse": "I really want to make sure L.A. artists or artists who call L.A. home feel like they have a place." - Yahoo! (TheWrap)

Behold The League Of Live Stream Theatre

The League of Live Stream Theater, the nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing live performances to audiences around the world via livestream, can play a vital role in expanding access to high-caliber work of an adventurous spirit. - Los Angeles Times

The Musical About A Finnish-Candian Socialist Island Utopia Opens In Finland

"Although set at the start of the 20th century, play producer Mika Kaartinen says the theme of searching for a better life resonates just as strongly today." - CBC

An Epic Pandemic Theatre Trek

Part I, in which "a Lakota playwright, 7 Indigenous actors, and an L.A.-based ensemble survive a pandemic, cross thousands of prairie miles, and confront centuries of history to make a play." - American Theatre

No, Please Do Not Add Sex To Tom Stoppard Plays

Just why? Why? The irony of trying to sex up Arcadia "is that it makes the show infinitely less sexy." - Vulture

The Playwright Of ‘Vietgone’ Tried To Escape Theatre

But his family, and his family's stories, pulled him back in. Now he's writing what he calls, in shorthand, Vietgone 3. - The New York Times

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