50 years ago this past April, Martin Luther King wrote, and The Atlantic published, what one scholar has called “twentieth-century America’s most quoted and inspiring manifesto in defense of humane civil disobedience.” In honor of the anniversary, Smith performed portions of the letter at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival.
Author: Matthew Westphal
Toronto’s Notorious Mayor Is Now A Fan-Fiction (Anti-)Hero
The endless stream of controversy and scandal – culminating most recently in an alleged crack-smoking video – surrounding arch-conservative Mayor Rob Ford inspired one Toronto editor to devote an entire issue of her magazine to new fiction about him.
Pasadena Playhouse Ends Its Lifetime Subscription Deal
“The curtain has come down on one of the best theater-going deals anywhere: lifetime subscriptions to the Pasadena Playhouse that were offered briefly in 1994 for a one-time, $5,000 donation.”
How Calgary’s Arts Organizations Are Dealing With The Floods
“While the Calgary Stampede is promising its show will go on next week ‘come hell or high water,’ … Calgary Arts Development [has] launched an effort to determine the impact of the flooding on arts organizations and independent artists, so that ‘appropriate relief’ can be provided. Groups are still assessing the damage.”
The Power Of Turkish Telenovelas
Turkey’s wildly popular prime-time soap operas are now seen in well over 40 countries, most of them in the Muslim world. The shows’ success is giving Turkey a whole new level of cultural influence – and bringing new images and ideas of male-female relations to Arab societies.
New ‘Cover Versions’ Of Shakespeare
“Following the current trend for modern retellings of classic stories … a ‘major’ new project reimagining Shakespeare’s canon for a 21st-century audience” debuts in 2016 with Jeannette Winterson’s take on The Winter’s Tale and Anne Tyler’s version of The Taming of the Shrew.
Say Goodbye To The Met Museum’s Metal Buttons
“Citing the rising cost of the tin-plate pieces and the flexibility of a new paper ticket system using detachable stickers, the Met will end the buttons’ 42-year run on Monday, the same time it switches to a seven-day-a-week schedule instead of being closed on Mondays.”
Italian Police Recover Trove Of Etruscan Antiquities
“Italy’s specialized art theft police force has recovered a trove of Etruscan objects described by officials as being ‘of inestimable economic and scientific value’.”
Performers Stiffed As Producer Of Coronation Street Musical Is Liquidated
“Cast and crew involved in the failed Coronation Street musical Street of Dreams say they have given up hope of receiving thousands of pounds owed to them, after administrators were unable to prevent production company Reckless Entertainment from going into liquidation.”
Ms. Kauffman Gives Another $20 Million For Music And Dance In Kansas City
The philanthropist, who made the lead gift for the city’s beloved new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, has made a challenge grant to launch the building of a new downtown performance center for the conservatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.