Not so long ago, if you lived more than half a mile from the castle, it wasn’t hard to avoid the crowds and madness if that’s what you wanted. Not anymore, and that’s not only because of the Fringe’s massive growth; it’s that no place can remain a secret anymore. - The Observer (UK)
The company will develop brand and franchise strategies for titles including The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and Starlight Express. - TheatreMania
“This year offers a ‘brigade of old gits’, as the actor Andy Linden says, some of them veterans such as Miriam Margolyes, who first performed there with Cambridge University Footlights in 1963, and others remarkably making their debuts in their 70s and 80s.” - The Guardian
“A customized black track suit. Papier-mâché Little Shop of Horrors fly traps. Friendship bracelets in a range of colors and designs. … Fans are combing stars’ Instagram feeds and TikTok reels for clues to their favorite snacks, their astrological signs and even the names of their pets.” - The New York Times
The evolving plan to build two Portland-owned performing arts centers capable of staging touring Broadway shows has cleared two early hurdles. - Oregon Arts Watch
Performers are delighting crowds with bubble blowing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, using a mixture of dish soap, water and lube — and occasional acrobatics. - The New York Times
“Aurora Theatre Company announced in May that it was suspending production next season, Bay Area theater fans have feared the worst: permanent closure of yet another beloved institution. On Monday, Aug. 11, Artistic Director Josh Costello shared that the company was taking decisive steps toward disbanding.” - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
“ATG, which owns dozens of theatres across the UK and has produced recent versions of Cabaret and Pretty Woman, is likely to line up against US bidders for TodayTix, which brought paperless tickets to London and also owns the Secret Cinema events company.” - The Sunday Times (UK)
Their hearts were in vaudeville. But we were all in Kentucky. Side by side by side, we stood near the entrance of the Vent Haven Ventriloquist ConVENTion — the annual international hajj for ventriloquists — where dummies condomed nearly every right arm. - n+1
“(This is) in part because European cities are teeming with foreigners who use English as a lingua franca and want to connect through laughter. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many people who had been stuck at home watching Netflix comedy specials and YouTube clips suddenly craved a live experience.” - The New York Times
“Thayne Jasperson … IS still thrilled to be in the room where it happens, finding new ways to make sure starring in a pop culture phenomenon doesn’t become just another job. It’s a running joke that he’s moved into the building. Fans predict he’ll haunt the place one day.”- The Washington Post (MSN)
It is an uncertainty that haunts the AI-themed plays on this year’s Edinburgh fringe. It also accounts for their apocalyptic mood. Do we even have a future, they all seem to ask, or are we bequeathing it to the machines? - The Guardian
There’s not a lot (other than a slightly more welcoming exterior) that will look different to an average theatergoer. However, the facilities backstage had become dilapidated enough that some performers refused to work there; that’s been remedied, and the technical equipment has been upgraded as well. - The New York Times
“Little on Broadway looks the way it did on Aug. 6, 2015, when Hamilton opened; that’s what happens when a show runs 10 years, sells more than four million tickets and earns more than $1 billion — not counting tours, international productions and the 2020 movie.” - The New York Times
“National Theatre Productions is the commercial arm of the National Theatre, created to oversee touring productions and West End transfers of NT shows. ... The NT plans to reduce (NTP's core team of 24) by 70% to just seven by the end of the restructuring period.” - The Stage (UK)
