In 2012, Serebrennikov took over the stultified Gogol Theater, rechristened it the Gogol Center, and made it Moscow's most daring stage, regularly irking the government. Now, after years fighting trumped-up embezzlement charges, he's in exile, and the city has ousted the leadership and restored the old name. - The Moscow Times
"Actors' Equity and the union representing theatrical designers are separately taking Broadway musical Paradise Square to court for close to $350,000 total in owed benefit contributions, wages and other fees." - The Hollywood Reporter
The apparent strife between the theater's board and its staff and artists has culminated (unless things get still worse) in playwright Erika Dickerson-Despenza withdrawing permission to finish the run of her "cullud wattah," about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. - Chicago Sun-Times
Founded in 1986 to focus on new plays from and about the South, the company moved into a new space in 2018 that raised its expenses by 50%; shortly before the pandemic shutdown, Southern Rep cancelled a production and laid off six staffers. - The Times-Picayune / New Orleans Advocate
After Labor Day, Lea Michele, who has famously wanted the role for years, will play Fanny Brice, and Tovah Feldshuh will play her mother, Lynch's role. In August, Feldstein's understudy, Julie Benko, will take the title role, and she'll continue it on Thursdays after Michele's arrival. - The New York Times
"Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so ... has been a great joy and true honor. Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the ... difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated." - The New York Times
"Friends and colleagues who worked with him on this side of the Atlantic, and theater makers who never met him but look reflexively to his tenets — including openness and presence in the moment — spoke ... about Brook’s impact as an artist and a human being." - The New York Times
The actor took a while to decide, but when she said yes, she dug into Richard's words. "Is there a different experience the audience has when they hear misogyny come through a female body? Does it highlight it more? ... And I hope it does." - NPR
D'Lo is a "self-described queer/transgender Tamil Sri Lankan-American cultural-worker-activist-poet-writer-actor-comic" in L.A. He says, "as comedians we have a lot of power. We can say what we need to say in a way that people will receive." - Los Angeles Times
Arifa Akbar: "It is hard to tell if the industry is merely casting an appraising glance back at the gender politics of the past or if this is the legitimising of sexism under the cover of irony and knowing humour. Is yesterday's humour today's abuse – or vice versa?" - The Guardian
Jesse Green surveys the unpaid and underpaid work that has always been part of making theater in the US, especially early in a career — and the likelihood that instituting fair pay practices could mean that the field contracts, with fewer jobs and fewer shows. - The New York Times
This round of upheaval, sparked by the unexplained placing of the artistic director "on leave," has seen the last candidate for executive director withdraw, the acting managing director and resident playwrights and stage directors resign, and remaining staff criticize the board on the company's Facebook page. - MSN (Chicago Tribune)
"Hundreds of artists, performers, venues and promoters say it is becoming 'increasingly difficult' to justify the expense of taking part in the event, which will mark its 75th anniversary next month. More than 1,500 of them have called for 'immediate, meaningful action' to address a host of concerns." - The Scotsman
"A raft of productions from Black theatre-makers have been making waves, garnering critical acclaim and exciting audiences. Black writers and directors are relishing telling the stories that they want to tell and are undeterred in getting them on stage. ... This moment has been a long time coming." - The Guardian
When some local comedians realized that one basement comedy club is a designated bomb shelter, they started a regular show there. They call it Cultural Defense, and its popularity has surprised everyone. (It's not like American standup, though — more like a panel discussion with wisecracks.) - The New York Times
