Matthew Westphal – Page 1805 – ArtsJournal Wayback

U.S. To Return Assyrian Artifacts To Iraq

“American officials on Monday are expected to repatriate about 65 objects to the Iraqi government, among them the head of a massive statue that was stolen in 2007 or 2008 from the same ancient Assyrian archaeological site where Islamic State militants have been rampaging in recent weeks.”

How “Newsies” Was Transformed From A Flop Movie Into A Hit Stage Musical

Composer Alan Menken: “We never thought of the movie as something meant for the stage. But there was such a hunger for that to happen for a generation of kids because they loved it so much. We felt the need to turn it into a worthwhile meal.”

How Cate Blanchett Actually Redeems Cinderella’s Stepmother

“Lady Tremaine’s abuse of Cinderella is not the result, her performance makes clear, of some sui generis malevolence; it is instead the direct result of the cruelties her own life has heaped upon her. And those, in turn, are the direct result of her being a woman.”

Louise Erdrich Wins Library of Congress Prize For American Fiction

“The prize, which will be awarded during the National Book Festival on Sept. 5, is given to writers with ‘unique, enduring voices’ whose work addresses the American experience. Past winners include John Grisham, Toni Morrison and E.L. Doctorow.”

Bill Watterson Speaks! “Calvin And Hobbes” Creator Gives Rare Interview

“Although I’m certainly glad cartoons are finally getting some respect as an art, I’m fairly ambivalent to see cartooning as a legitimate academic offering. If comics need to be deconstructed and explained, something is really wrong with them.”

Bassem Youssef, “Egypt’s Jon Stewart,” In Exile

“His life in Egypt became ‘an unpredictable roller coaster,’ he says. ‘And I’m getting old for amusement parks.'” And yet: “I refuse to put myself in a position where I’m some sort of fugitive. If you’re dissing the country from outside, the brand will lose credibility.”

Older Americans Are Flocking To The Stage

“The 50-plus crowd is stage-struck. Across the country, growing numbers of older adults are joining theater companies and signing up for classes in acting, directing and playwriting. Many – empty-nesters or newly retired – have never set foot on a stage and are seeking new outlets. But many others … caught the acting bug in high school or college, before pursuing other (paying) careers.”

The African War Orphan Who’s Not Just A Skilled Ballerina: In Holland, She’s A Genuine Celebrity

Michaela DePrince, adopted from a Sierra Leone orphanage at age 4, is now, at 20, a member of the Dutch National Ballet. Since the publication last year of her memoir and a subsequent TEDx talk in Amsterdam, she has become a box office draw for the company and has been fending off requests for everything from media interviews to modeling gigs to stints as spokeswoman for international charitable organizations.

A Rabbi And An Atheist Talk Good And Evil

And they didn’t walk into a bar, they walked into the 92nd St. Y. They’re Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, and Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman, founder of Sinai and Synapses, “an organization that aims to bridge the gap between scientifically grounded views and spiritual belief.”

Author: Matthew Westphal