“Conductor Grant Gershon is extending his tenure with the Los Angeles Master Chorale by five years through the end of the 2019-20 season, company leaders announced on Wednesday. Gershon, who joined the choral group in 2001, will take on the title of artistic director starting in July.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
London Theatre Finally Begins Looking Toward Europe’s Vanguard
A clutch of successful productions are – in outlook, approaches to staging, and sometimes even choice of directors – finally bringing serious theatre in the British capital toward dialogue with its counterparts on the Continent. Yet, argues Andrew Haydon, there’s still some distance to go, especially in presenting new European plays in translation.
Chipotle Cups Will Now Feature Stories By Jonathan Safran Foer, Toni Morrison, George Saunders, Malcolm Gladwell
It all started when Foer was eating at Chipotle one day and found that he had nothing to read. (includes stories by Foer, Morrison, and Michael Lewis)
The ‘West Side Story’ Of Avian Mating Dances
It’s “a drama of conflict, comedy and sex” that plays out in the American West every April, as groups of male sage grouse strut, fan their tail feathers, and puff the twin yellow sacs on their chests as they try to impress the hens. (includes video)
Neil LaBute: ‘Better For Me Not To Be A Mormon Than To Be A ‘Bad’ Mormon’
“I was doing things blatantly that Mormons were not supposed to do. Members of the church are asked not to see R-rated movies and here I was making R-rated movies – spending most of my days crafting them. At some point you hold up these two different ideas of yourself and choose between them.”
Syrian Refugee, Once A Movie Star, Gets Hollywood Ending
After a 30-year career in Arabic film, TV and theater, Jihad Abdo could barely go out in public in Syria without being followed by fans. Then, as civil war broke out, he fell afoul of the Assad regime and fled. He wound up as yet another out-of-work actor in L.A. – until he happened to meet (of all people) Werner Herzog.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 05.14.14
Two Steps Forward, A Half-One Back, In Detroit
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts | Published 2014-05-14
Plan B
AJBlog: Engaging Matters | Published 2014-05-14
Laughter in the dark
AJBlog: Performance Monkey | Published 2014-05-14
Walk, Do Not Dance!
AJBlog: Dancebeat | Published 2014-05-14
Artist-Activist Daniel Beaty
AJBlog: CultureCrash | Published 2014-05-14
Remembering Joe Wilder
AJBlog: RiffTides | Published 2014-05-14
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France Fires President Of Picasso Museum
“The French government dismissed the embattled president of the Musée Picasso on Tuesday amid an employee revolt and a bitter debate over delays in reopening the museum, which has been closed for renovation for almost five years.”
The Perennial Cannes Backlash Is Only Getting Worse
“The artistic director of the prestigious film festival responds to accusations that the event is insular, sexist, and stodgy.”
The Reason Why Hollywood Churns Out So Many Boring Superhero Movies
Derek Thompson: “Hollywood has become sensational at predicting what its audiences want to see. And, ironically, for that very reason, it’s become better at making relentlessly average movies.”