Author: Matthew Westphal

Sexual Harassment In The Theater, And How Chicago’s Theater Community Is Combating It

“Auditions are tough, and casting directors may be unwilling to hire a so-called ‘problematic’ actor when there are so many talented people in line for the job. If you’re worried that one complaint could stall your career, you’re not alone. The dynamics of power persist from one type of performance to another, and we can learn from what happened in Chicago.”

How The Young Ernest Hemingway Invented ‘Ernest Hemingway’

“When it came to selling copy, Hemingway was one of America’s most versatile leading men, and certainly one of the country’s most fascinating entertainers. By then, everyone had long forgotten one of his earliest roles: unpublished nobody. It was one of the few Hemingway personas that never really suited him. In fact, in the early 1920s – strapped for cash, ravenous for recognition – he was frantic to rid himself of it.”

Top Posts From AJBlogs 06.08.16

Not so much power?
I’ve read some things about what Yannick might do as the Met’s music director, when finally he starts that job. … In some of what I’ve read, there seems to be an assumption that Yannick will have a lot of power. … read more
AJBlog: Sandow Published 2016-06-08

Warhol Damaged, von Rydingsvard Caressed: My Storify on Unexpected Encounters at the New SFMOMA
As you’ve probably guessed if you follow my Twitter feed, I’ve neglected the blog because I’ve been traveling in the San Francisco area, where I spent two rewarding, if exhausting, days (Friday and Monday) … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-06-08

MoMA’s Hidden ‘Electro-Library’ Show
It’s only a couple of vitrines, and they seem like overflow storage — as though they’ve been placed out of the way in the downstairs mezzanine of the Museum of Modern Art’s education building  … read more
AJBlog: Straight|Up Published 2016-06-08

Black and white and gray all over
Twitter, like the world itself, is populated partly by thoughtful, open-minded people and partly by knee-jerking robots of flesh and blood who are incapable of reacting other than automatically and reflexively to the external stimuli …read more
AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2016-06-08

Bach on the Piano
I have a good friend who’s a magnificent pianist, maybe sixty years old. Some years ago, my friend remarked: “You know, when we were young, there were a lot of major pianists. … They were all different, of course. But in every case you could understand why they were major pianists.” “Except for Pollini,” I said. “Except for Pollini,” he agreed. “Nowadays,” my friend continued, “anyone can be a ‘great pianist.’” read more
AJBlog: Unanswered Question Published 2016-06-08

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A Rotten Tomatoes For Books

“Book Marks will showcase critics from the most important and active outlets of literary journalism in America, aggregating reviews from over 70 sources – newspapers, magazines, and websites – and averaging them into a letter grade, as well as linking back to their source.”

Olafur Eliasson Installs A Giant Waterfall At Versailles

“A towering waterfall appears to fall from midair into the Grand Canal at the Palace of Versailles as part of Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson’s latest exhibition. Cascading from high above the surface of the pool, the Waterfall installation appears as a torrent of water of with no discernible source when viewed from the front steps of the palace.”

One Of Television’s First Pop Stars, A Piano-Playing Indian Pandit, Was Really A Black Guy From Missouri

“According to press releases from the time, [Korla Pandit] was born in New Delhi, India, the son of a Brahmin government worker and a French opera singer. … Not once in 900 performances did he speak on camera, preferring instead to communicate with viewers via that hypnotic gaze. … The way he came to fame is one of those only-in-America fables where the audience and the performer are both invested in the illusion.”