“Has Broadway finally found the younger, more ethnically diverse audience it’s been seeking for years? In a season when blockbuster musicals like “Young Frankenstein” and “The Little Mermaid” were dismissed by critics, the remarkable success of “In the Heights” (13 Tony nominations) and “Passing Strange” (seven nominations) suggests the quest for new audiences is gaining momentum.”
Month: June 2008
Surprise – Network Prime Time Still Rules
“The networks were expected to be forced to sell smaller percentages of their prime-time inventories because of a lack of demand. But sales for most of the networks are expected to rise from last year, thanks to a combination of increased ad rates and advertisers’ willingness to buy more ad space earlier than last year.”
Tax Breaks For Performers!
“Struggling actors and other performers would get a break under federal tax legislation introduced Thursday that doubles the limit under which they can deduct business expenses.”
Police State? Critics Blast Proposed New Canadian Copyright Law
“Bill C-61 spells out consumers’ rights in how they are allowed to copy media and clears up some grey areas. Existing laws do not specifically allow consumers to copy books, newspapers, periodicals, photographs, videocassettes and music. The new bill would expressly allow them to make one copy of each item per device owned, such as a computer or MP3 player. The bill would also expressly allow consumers to record television and radio programs for later viewing.”
Thieves Storm Brazilian Museum, Snatch Picassos
“Heavily armed robbers have stolen two engravings by Pablo Picasso from an art museum in downtown Sao Paulo. A museum spokeswoman for the Pinacoteca do Estado museum said thieves made the bold theft on Thursday morning.”
Music Critic Resigns After Revelations He Used Ghost Writer
San Antonio Express-News music writer and columnist Ramiro Burr, resigned from the paper after allegations emerged “that he hired a ghost writer to produce more than 100 stories and columns since 2001.
Post Mortem For Gone With The Wind
“The show we’re now performing is not the one the critics saw, but we’re still damned by those terrible reviews. Just as the owners of the Titanic didn’t anticipate the need for extra lifeboats – why, when their ship was deemed unsinkable? – nobody thought we’d need a money chest to keep Gone With the Wind afloat. We planned for every eventuality but failure.”
Why I Don’t Care About Book Reviews
“The book itself is the focus of my interest – the ambling or swift-paced development of a story over the number of pages the author has decided it will take. Reviews of book don’t interest me, in the same way that simply reading the plot of a novel on Wikipedia doesn’t, and Pierre Bayard’s advice on bluffing literature doesn’t either.”
In The Clubs – A New Model For Classical Music?
“Nonclassical, run by Gabriel Prokofiev, DJ, producer, composer and grandson of the great Sergei, is a monthly classical club night that mixes live performances from instrumentalists and singers with sets from electronica DJs. Talking during the performances is not frowned upon – in fact, it’s positively encouraged – and drinks are served at the bar throughout the night.”
Charles Saatchi Sweeps In, Buys Up Entire Student Shows
“Three students from the Royal Academy Schools were astonished yesterday when the man who made the fortunes of Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and the Chapman brothers picked their entire graduation show. Hours before the public was allowed in to to see the exhibition the walls came out in a rash of bright red dots.”