It is certainly not a popular theory, but it’s quite possible that, at this moment, America’s cultural venues may be larger than needed. Now companies must grapple with sustaining their homes at a critical time when audiences may not be attending in the same way they were 50 years ago, 25 years ago, or even in early 2020. -...
Ennosuke Ichikawa IV — scion of an eminent kabuki family, the force behind an updated style called super-kabuki, and a popular television star — was found unconscious near his now-dead parents. All had overdosed on psychotropic drugs, and Ichikawa IV, caught in a sexual harassment scandal, had written a suicide note. - The Guardian
"About 94% of (Actors Equity) members who voted backed the deal with the Society of London Theatre, which will see them get 16.7% pay rises over the next two years. Some members including understudies could be in line for up to a 43% rise in payments." - London Evening Standard
The nature of celebrity has changed. Social media has made us as interested in people’s kitchens as we are in their performances on TV. We want to know the whole story about them, we want to go on a journey with them and invest in their lives not just their talents. - The Stage
"The award marks an astonishing turnaround for Pasadena Playhouse, which was on the verge of shutting down in 2010, when it laid off most of its staff, canceled the remainder of its season and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection." - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)
"The promising numbers are both comparable to pre-pandemic totals, if still falling short. … This season's figures reflect a drop of 16.83% for attendance and 13.76% for grosses from" the 2018-19 season, the last one unaffected by COVID. "They're also, unsurprisingly, a giant leap from last season's numbers." - Playbill
Evidently, this new blend of live theatre and film may be just what the cinema industry needs to help fight back against at-home streaming and floor-to-ceiling TVs. - ArtsHub
Many leading playwrights also work as screenwriters — and are thus members of the striking Writers Guild of America. When that union refused to grant a waiver for the Tony ceremony, Tony Kushner, Jeremy O. Harris, Lynn Nottage, Martyna Majok, and colleagues started working the phones. - The New York Times
Spielberg and his production company, Amblin Partners, "are shopping it with Patrick Marber adapting (the Closer writer/director was the play's original director when it opened in London and he directed the current Broadway incarnation also), and the series will be directed by Stephen Daldry." - Deadline
The most surprising aspect of “The Naked Comedy Show” might be how asexual it is. The audience is meticulously polite, quick to laugh. The jokes were less bawdy than what you might find at the Comedy Cellar. There’s even an incongruous innocence to some of the sets. - The New York Times
That is to say, fan videos of Six made it a megahit. The closing number was "written specifically to be recorded and shared on social media ... and turns musical theater into a full-on pop concert." - Los Angeles Times
The money-saving measure is "not as grim as it sounds," the comedian says. But performers are almost entirely priced out of the city - how will this end? - BBC
The abrupt closure comes less than three weeks after the theater, known for adapting beloved books into short musicals and for devising dance parties and shows for toddlers and even infants, canceled one production and announced an emergency fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $750,000 by July 1. - San Francisco Chronicle
"Public speaking is always ranked in polls as among our greatest fears. Stand-up must be worse. But 'The Naked Comedy Show'? This monthly showcase represents the Everest of anxiety." - The New York Times
Aa a joint project of the La Jolla Playhouse and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, designer David Israel Reynoso and theater company Optika Moderna have created a walk-through piece about lucha libre, the flamboyant freestyle wrestling circuit. - KPBS (San Diego)
