ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

THEATRE

Chicago’s Victory Gardens In Turmoil As Artistic Director Out

Three resident theater companies that present work at Victory Gardens have pledged not to work there until the artists’ complaints are addressed. - The New York Times

Adapting To The Medium: Acting In Video Games

Games are kind of ragtag, and there’s not really a standard. For actors, there’s never been a guide what to expect, from auditions to showing up on set.” - Los Angeles Times

Netflix Sues Creators Of Bridgerton Musical

Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the songwriting team behind the project, initially developed the musical on social media. The duo went on to score the No. 1 slot on iTunes U.S. pop charts and even won a Grammy this year in the category of best musical theater album. - Variety

All Done: For “Inexplicable Reasons” Mockingbird Won’t Return To Broadway

Aaron Sorkin and Bartlett Sher emailed the play’s cast and crew late Thursday to inform them of the decision, and they blamed the original lead producer, Scott Rudin, who had stepped away from an active role in the show after being accused of mistreating collaborators. - The New York Times

On Stand-Up Comedians And Their Water Bottles

"Their purpose seems obvious — to quench thirst, duh — but stage actors get dry mouths, and no Hamlet puts down his sword to pick up an Evian. The water bottle is the prop that clues us in that a comic — not a character — is at work." - The New York Times

Casting Shakespeare’s Richard III Amid Today’s Questions About Opportunity And Representation

The ways three major productions this summer have cast the role — a disabled white actor (England's Royal Shakespeare Co.), an able-bodied Black actress (New York's Shakespeare in the Park), and an admired white male Shakespearean (Canada's Stratford Festival) — feed right into current debates. - The New York Times

In Search Of The Giant Boot From The Original Broadway “Into The Woods”

The enormous footwear, attached to an enormous leg, appeared to be slung over the roof of the theater where Sondheim's musical opened. The inflatable appendage was "the beacon that called us all to the theater," and the producers of the new Broadway revival want it back. - The New York Times

Quebec’s Plan To Help Theatres Rebuild After COVID

The challenge for larger companies like Stratford, which depend heavily on earned revenue, is how to afford to operate at partial attendance as they rebuild. - The Globe & Mail (Canada)

London-Based Touring Theatre Companies Say They’re Facing A “Russian Roulette” Choice In Relocating

Arts Council England's Transfer Programme is pushing companies to move away from the capital into the underserved rest of England. But those whose work is mostly outside the capital already say that moving would block them from getting London funding but with no guarantee of Transfer Programme money. - The Stage

Chicago’s Goodman Theatre Appoints An Alumna As Its Next Artistic Director

"Susan V. Booth, a former Goodman literary manager and currently artistic director of the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, will be the new artistic director of Chicago's most prestigious theater company. Booth, 59, will replace Robert Falls, who ... (is) stepping down after 35 years in the job." - MSN (Chicago Tribune)

The Best New Theatre Building In Years

What makes the Patterson the best new theater I’ve seen in years is the clear prioritization of the theater itself, which sits like a treasured heirloom in a custom case. The silence and the dark are part of that, creating a plush space that is paradoxically full of emptiness. - The New York Times

Rethinking The Baker’s Wife

Or rather, rethinking who she is, and how we conceptualize her, with the three actors who have played her in Into the Woods on Broadway. - American Theatre

Frida Kahlo: The Musical

Actually, just Frida, the Musical, coming soon to regionals, with Broadway in mind for 2024. "The musical’s creators hope the show will offer a new look at Kahlo’s life — illuminating previously untold details and personal stories about the beloved artist." - Washington Post

A New Hotel That’s All Broadway

All through the hallways and suites and lounges of the Civilian, a new 27-story, 203-room hotel a block from Times Square, guests can face everything about Broadway except the music. It’s a veritable shrine to Broadway design. - Washington Post

London’s West End Has Its First New Theatre In 50 Years

Inside the 602-seat venue, called @sohoplace, "sophisticated acoustic design means there is no need for mics or bellowing onstage – and most impressively, no noise from the nearby transport network. ... Although the opening production will be staged in the round, the space is flexible enough to accommodate several configurations." - The Guardian

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss

function my_excerpt_length($length){ return 200; } add_filter('excerpt_length', 'my_excerpt_length');