"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
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
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
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)
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
"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)
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
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
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
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
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
"Eric Ting is leaving his position as artistic director of California Shakespeare Theater, the company announced Wednesday, July 20, bringing to an end a dynamic, artistically vibrant seven-year tenure that has given the Bay Area some of its finest theater in recent memory." - San Francisco Chronicle
In a statement released this week, Ken-Matt Martin writes, "I have decided that I need to take a break from nonprofit theatre administration and would not immediately return if asked. ... (This case is an) example of the industry-wide need to seriously reevaluate our models and modes of operating." - American Theatre
"The award-winning British comedian Tom Parry ... led facilitators in Athens and Lesbos in teaching the infamously nerve-racking art of standup comedy. Speaking to migrants and non-migrants alike, he told them over Zoom that 'you don't need to be funny, you just have to be interesting'." - The Guardian
Not only is there the longstanding question of whether or not the actual English monarch was as evil as depicted, only a decade ago was it confirmed that he really did have a misshapen back. And now there's a debate over whether non-disabled actors should continue taking the role. - BBC
