“Mobile County, the city of Mobile and the Alabama Historical Commission say work will begin ‘immediately’ on an Africatown Heritage House that will feature artifacts from the slave ship Clotilda … [which] is believed to be the last ship to bring a cargo of captive Africans into slavery in the United States, shortly before the start of the Civil War.” – The Press-Register (Mobile)/AL.com
Author: Matthew Westphal
What Coronavirus Content Is Showing Us About Ourselves (It Ain’t Pretty)
“The pandemic has clarified the dark bargain of our internet-connected devices: We look to them to protect our bodies and soothe our nerves, and in return, we hand over our minds.” – The New York Times
Stuart Whitman, Oscar-Nominated Actor And Action Star, Dead At 92
“With his tousled dark hair, roguish smile and boxer’s physique, Mr. Whitman was a half-century staple of film and television, appearing in studio blockbusters and John Wayne epics as well as exploitation films and horror schlock. … [He] earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a child molester in The Mark.” – The Washington Post
20 Top New Dance Works Of The Last 20 Years
“We polled contributors from around the country to put together a very subjective and not at all comprehensive list.” In addition to Best Dance Theater Work and Best Dance Film, there are such categories as Best Story Ballet Remake, Most Exciting Reinvention of Neoclassicism, Most Satisfying Confusion, and Most Creative Use of Tables. – Dance Magazine
Macmillan Gives Up Its War With Libraries Over E-Books
“In a surprise announcement today, Macmillan abandoned its controversial embargo on new release e-books in libraries, effective this week. ‘There are times in life when differences should be put aside,’ reads a brief memo from Macmillan CEO John Sargent addressed to librarians, authors, illustrators, and agents.” – Publishers Weekly
Lynn Nottage And Annie Baker Say Theaters Have Asked Them To Give Back Advances
“In a sign that American theaters are desperately worried about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, playwrights are reporting that they have been asked to return payments for productions that have been canceled or postponed.” – The New York Times
TikTok Told Moderators To Suppress Content By Users Who Weren’t Hot Enough
“The makers of TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing app with hundreds of millions of users around the world, instructed moderators to suppress posts created by users deemed too ugly, poor, or disabled for the platform, according to internal documents.” – The Intercept
Atlanta Is A Majority-Black City. Why Is There So Little Black Theater?
“Though Atlanta’s … bustling professional theaters staged 187 productions last year, only 22 were by playwrights of color.” Jesse Green went there to talk to black actors and directors, and to the directors of two big and largely white theaters, “to see whether a city that has long been a magnet for the black middle class is dealing any better with these matters than New York does — which is to say, not very well.” – The New York Times
120,000 Production And Tech Jobs Have Already Been Lost Due To Coronavirus, Says Union
“IATSE reported Tuesday that the COVID-19-related production suspensions snd event cancellations have resulted in the loss of 120,000 jobs held by its 150,000 members. A large number of those affected work in Hollywood production but IATSE also covers live events, conventions and all people-facing businesses that have been hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak.” – Deadline
Met Museum Expects To Be Closed Until July And To Lose $100 Million
The projections were included in a letter senior management sent to department heads on Wednesday. The museum has a three-phase plan that includes likely job losses, cutting operating costs, and reduced programming for at least a year. – The New York Times