Hugh Jackman, performing in previews of "Steady Rain" (opening September 29), stops the performance for a cell phone ring in the audience. Happened last Wednesday. AP: NEW YORK – Hugh Jackman knows how to stop the show. He did it recently when a cell phone call interrupted a preview performance of "A Steady Rain," the Broadway play that stars Jackman … Read More
Knickers Twisted
Letter to the Editor recently: Increasingly common My wife and I recently attended a performance of Moonlight and Magnolias at Twin City Stage ("Movie Stage," Sept. 13). What we were hoping for was a wholesome comedy. What we experienced was a profanity-laced production that made frequent use of a variety of obscene language. This is the type of language that … Read More
New Rightwing Outrage: The Arts
Yup. That's what you're going to hear about, starting this week and going on for the next few weeks. Here's the "scandal" in a nutshell, as described by the rightwing "journalist" who "broke" it: I was invited by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to take part in a conference call that invited a group of rising artist and … Read More
Associated Press Analysis: “‘Racist’ Claims Defuse Once Powerful Word”
Shorter version: Except that the AP analysis is actually kind of stupid and facile: Everybody's racist, it seems. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson? Racist, because he shouted "You lie!" at the first black president. Health care protesters, affirmative action supporters? Racist. And Barack Obama? He's the "Racist in Chief," wrote a leader of the recent conservative protest in Washington. But if … Read More
Reponses of Note
Actual letter: Dear Ms. Amato: Sorry you had to wait over 13 years for a response, but this just came to my attention. I am not Cameron Mackintosh, nor am I in any way affiliated with "Cats". That said, when you spend your money to go and attend "Cats", that alone is sufficiently humiliating regardless of what happens during the … Read More
Theatre News: Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal To Star In “Rent” For Another Fifteen Years
The Broadway national tour of Rent starring Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal will continue into at least January 2025. When the tour launched this past January with original stars Adam Pascal as Roger, Anthony Rapp as Mark and Gwen Stewart as the "Seasons of Love" soloist, dates had only been announced to August. The tour's website now reveals dates to Jan. 21, 2025. Playbill.com … Read More
Everything In Life Is Only For Now
That includes Avenue Q, the little show that could. It's closing on September 13, after a six-year run.
You Still Can’t Take It With You
I learned today from the local Yes Weekly that "You Can't Take It With You", a show I was in last year with the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, is being produced again by the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem this year on the exact same dates. Either that, or Mark Burger is recycling an article from last year.
Arts NC License Plate
Pretty cool, huh? No, it's not available. Legislation hasn't been passed to approve the new plate, but Arts NC is working hard to get it done. Their message to you: The arts specialty plate has taken front and center in our advocacy efforts the last two weeks as the Senate and House debate revenue sources and the budget remains … Read More
What I Did For Love
An anonymous patron who recently saw the production of Sordid Lives that I am a part of: I just want to tell you how much we enjoyed the play. I learned recently that my hours at work are being cut and am losing my health insurance (at almost 62 years old) & have been in bummed mode lately. I bought the tickets … Read More
Is There A Gender Bias In Theater?
The New York Times covers a new study conducted by Emily Glassberg Sands, a Princeton economics student. It's common knowledge that play by men get produced more often than plays by women. But why? Is it merely because there are more male playrights than female playwrights? Or is there discrimination at play? To answer these questions, Ms. Sands conducted three … Read More
The Other Tony Awards
From The Onion. A good laugh…. High School Tony Awards Honor Nation's Biggest Drama Club Nerds The graphic kind of goes by fast, but here are some of the other "High School Tony Awards" listed in the video above: Best Old Man Backache Best Daughter of Director in a Leading Role Best Sexing Up of a Gypsy Costume by a … Read More
Liveblogging The Tonys [UPDATED with video]
A night at the theater on TV. (My choices below are in yellow)… 8:10 — Things I would have changed about the opening number: (1) I would have made sure Elton's mike was on. (2) I would have given mikes to the cast of West Side Story (3) I would have taken Stockard Channing's mike away (4) I would have … Read More
This Day In Theatre History
250 years ago today: On this day [May 31] in 1759, lawmakers in Pennsylvania adopt a law forbidding the performance of plays. The law was adopted in response to pressure from religious groups, particularly Baptists, who found theatrical performances immoral. Anyone found guilty of putting on a play was fined 500 pounds. Fuckin' religious right.
New York, New York
Light blogging for a while as I am in NYC. Doesn't look like much is going on anyway (we're still bickering about torture?). I caught August: Osage County on May 17, which happened to be the last performance by Estelle Parsons. The play is phenomenal, but…. Well, I hate to be one of those people who thinks the original cast … Read More