“Most couldn’t escape at least nodding to the controversy that flared when Voigt was denied the title role for being too fat and the dramatic transformation that cut the singer down to size.”
Month: June 2008
Wondering Why Sondheim Was A No-Show At The Tonys?
“Broadway was a little surprised that Stephen Sondheim didn’t show up Sunday night to claim his Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. Setting aside the fact that the award is a nice capper to a legendary career, two of Sondheim’s musicals – “Sunday in the Park With George” and “Gypsy” – were nominated for Best Revival.”
Worldwide Music Sales Plummet To Lowest Level Since 1985
“The equivalent of 1.86 billion albums were sold last year, down 11 per cent from 2.09 billion, according to figures published yesterday by worldwide music representative company IFPI.”
Bargain Painting Turns Out To Be Authentic Rembrandt
“The auction house thought the portrait was a 17th century Rembrandt knockoff, and valued it at just $3,100. But experts have confirmed “Rembrandt Laughing” — bought for a bargain price of $4.5 million at an English auction house in October — is a self-portrait by the Dutch master himself.”
An Iconic Building Gets A Refresh
More than any other American building, the home of the Yale School of Architecture holds a special, numinous place in the hearts of architects throughout the world. Now it’s being freshened
Spielberg, Dreamworks Talk Mega-Deal With Indian Media Giant
“The deal amounts to a marriage of some of the biggest names in the Hollywood and Indian business worlds. In Reliance, the DreamWorks team also would have an unusual and ambitious partner in the film business: an Indian firm with interests in telecommunications, financial services and entertainment that wants to build a media empire by financing Hollywood pictures.”
Academia, The Plagiarism Problem
“The admission of the leading psychiatrist Raj Persaud of a ‘cut and paste error’ – ie substantial plagiarism – in one of his books will come as no surprise to some academics whose grumbles about their work being pillaged by more starry writers have been getting louder by the week.”
Rethinking Richard & Judy’s Book Club – UK Publishing Titans
“Four years and many real books later, the R&J Book Club accounts for 26% of the sales of the top 100 books in the UK, and Amanda Ross, the club’s creator and book selector, is the most powerful player in British publishing. Now, though, the club faces a crisis.”
High School Musical – Trying To Recreate The Phenomenon
High School Musical is a small screen phenomenon. It has a huge following. But will it translate to the West End stage?
Questioning Quality (Not The Best Way To Go)
Want to know what your audience thinks about your play? There are much better ways than making them fill out audience surveys…