The Dallas City Performance Hall “still hasn’t established a strong identity – there’s no sign or marquee outside – and attendance has often been disappointing. But performers, presenters and critics praise acoustics in the 750-seat auditorium, with welcoming public spaces and a helpful staff.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Matthew Bourne Is Expanding His Company
“The choreographer said his organisation was about to enter a period of ‘development and growth’ over the next two years, which will include the revivals of the ‘crowd-pleasing hits'” – The Car Man and Edward Scissorhands – alongside new large and medium-scale projects … [including] a dedicated rehearsal and studio space.”
What Congress Is Up To That American Dance Organizations Should Keep An Eye On
Dance/USA gives a rundown of the relevant issues on the Capitol’s dockets, from sequestration to visa requirements for foreign artists to NEA appropriations.
For Those North Carolina Folks That Banned Invisible Man, Instant Karma Has Struck
“Ban or no ban, high school students in Randolf County, North Carolina, will have easy access to Invisible Man. Thanks to a former resident, the novel’s publishers will be giving away copies for free.”
Carolyn Cassady, 90, The “Grande Dame Of The Beat Generation”
“[She] was a central figure in the real-life circle of friends whose travels across the country in search of kicks and revelation were immortalized in On the Road. She was the inspiration for the character Camille, the second wife of Dean Moriarty, the ‘wild yea-saying overburst of American joy’ who makes the novel go go go.”
Character Actress Jane Connell, 87
“[Her] comedic flair tickled audiences for nearly six decades as she made her way from California nightclubs to the Broadway stage and beyond. … There were nearly as many Off Broadway shows … as well as national tours, regional productions and a great deal of television.”
Gay Culture: Not So Much “Dying” As Transitioning
Justin Sayre: “Within that trend [of assimilation with the mainstream], for the first time gay culture can be truly about gay people. You know, in decades past, we always had to siphon out a gay storyline or a gay subtext from mainstream culture. Now we can tell really strong, complex gay stories openly. It’s a much more interesting time, in a way.”
The Joy Of Watching Movies On A Plane
“[It’s] the purest hit you can get: mainlining movies straight into your brain, unfiltered by environmental factors. … There is no friend or partner with whom to confer, no vexing stranger munching popcorn, no professional-critic colleague sighing extravagantly at the boring bits. Unlike at home, there is none of your own clobber around you; unlike on the tube, you’re in this for the duration.”
Santiago Calatrava’s Clients Are Getting Ticked Off
“In numerous interviews, other architects, academics and builders say that Mr. Calatrava is amassing an unusually long list of projects marred by cost overruns, delays and litigation. It is hard to find a Calatrava project that has not been significantly over budget. And complaints abound that he is indifferent to the needs of his clients.”
Talks Heat Up As Minnesota Orchestra Approaches D-Day
“With a weekend deadline fast approaching, the two sides in the Minnesota Orchestra dispute are talking intensely and confidentially. But if there is progress, it has not been visible. Meanwhile, sources say private efforts are underway to raise money that might help bring a contract settlement before Sept. 30.”