“After the Tony nominees were announced yesterday, I put a single question to 15 of the 806 voters, theater professionals all: Did you see ‘Soul of Shaolin’? It played 24 performances in January and February at the Marquis Theater. Now the cast of 33 Chinese kung-fu monks are competing with Liza Minnelli, Will Ferrell and ‘Slava’s Snowshow’ for the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.”
Author: Laura Collins Hughes
Gauguin Cut Off Van Gogh’s Ear? Don’t Believe It.
“Doubtless Van Gogh was difficult, yet is there any solid evidence that Gauguin attacked him? No. To be fair, there aren’t many established facts in the strange case. … The evidence, such as it is, points to Vincent.”
Three Kids, One Tony Nomination — But Sharing Isn’t New
“It’s not the first time that multiple people share a single acting nomination at the Tony Awards. This year the three boys who portray the title star of ‘Billy Elliot’ on different nights on a rotating basis — David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish — compete for best actor in a musical. There are four previous examples in Tonys history.”
Nerd-Boy Nirvana: Fictional Characters, Virtual Smackdowns
“Who would win in a fight: Gandalf or Darth Vader? What about Neo vs. Harry Potter? ‘Heroes’ star Milo Ventimiglia is set to appear in and co-produce ‘Ultradome,’ a new scripted Web series where passionate fanboys settle hypothetical disputes in a special effects showdown.”
It’s Not Good Business To Spend $5M On A Film Premiere?
“While studios may still be splurging on a few of the major summer tentpoles like ‘Star Trek’ and the sequel to ‘Night at the Museum,’ the big [opening-night] bashes are fewer and farther between. … What studios have figured out is that they can get bigger bang for their buck by focusing less on excessive events that exist just to stroke cast, crew and invited guests — and instead focus on the media attention that the red carpet can bring.”
If History Is Written By The Victors, Wagner Must Have Won
“[F]or today’s composers and conductors, Mendelssohn comes a long way down the list. How did this genius composer come to be synonymous with the worst aspects of 19th-century music – its conservatism, nostalgia, sentimentality and superficiality?” Blame Wagner — again. “The tragedy is that Wagner’s critique has become – minus most of the racism – the default position when it comes to Mendelssohn.”
Are The Tories Gaining Cred With Britain’s Artists?
“The Conservative party was once a cultural void associated only with the likes of Bill Wyman and Jim Davidson but since becoming leader, [David] Cameron has enlisted the help of glamorous creative types.” Now, reports say, “Tracey Emin, once a virulent critic of Thatcherism, is close to entering Cameron’s big tent. … Is this Cameron’s Cool Britannia moment?”
Son: Tolkien Fans May Be Chilly Toward His Narrative Poem
“The reclusive son of JRR Tolkien has broken his silence to admit fears that fans of his father’s work may be ‘put off’ by the verse form of his latest posthumous publication. Responding via fax to a series of questions about The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, published for the first time today, Christopher Tolkien expressed the hope that it would show a different side to the author of the much-loved classic The Lord of the Rings.”
Billy Elliot Hauls In The Tony Award Nominations
“‘Billy Elliot’ racked up a whopping 15 noms for the 2009 Tony Awards, with the smaller-scale tuner perceived as its major competition, ‘Next to Normal,’ coming in at 11 nods. Among plays, the UK imports of revivals ‘Mary Stuart’ and ‘The Norman Conquests’ were neck and neck with seven noms each, while starry new offering ‘God of Carnage’ picked up six nods.”
Amazon To Unveil Bigger Kindle For Textbooks, Periodicals
“Amazon.comInc. on Wednesday plans to unveil a new version of its Kindle e-book reader with a larger screen and other features designed to appeal to periodical and academic textbook publishers, according to people familiar with the matter. … [New York] Times Co. Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. is expected to share the stage with Amazon Chief Executive Jeffrey Bezos at the event….”