Author: Matthew Westphal

Why Debbie Allen And Nigel Lythgoe Decided L.A. Needed An International Dance Festival — And How They Put One Together In A Year

Los Angeles already had one dance festival, but Lythgoe, producer of So You Think You Can Dance, knew that if he hadn’t heard of it, it wasn’t getting enough publicity. So he and Allen created a big new one, and here he tells Jennifer Stahl how they did it. “Los Angeles has so much going for it dance-wise,” he says, “but we don’t sort of come together and show off.” – Dance Magazine

After More Than 30 Years, Eddie Murphy Is Doing Stand-Up Comedy Again

“Over the years, Murphy has teased fans with talk of a comeback, but this time, inspired by [his new movie, Dolemite Is My Name], he appears to mean it. He signed a deal with Netflix to put out a new special next year, and has a theater tour lined up, which means he could be in clubs working out jokes soon.” Jason Zinoman meets the star to talk about the reasons for his return and how he is and isn’t different from the megastar Murphy of the ’80s and ’90s. – The New York Times

French Billionaires Actually Hand Over €300 Million They Pledged For Notre-Dame Restoration

A few months after public concerns arose about their delay, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnualt has signed a formal agreement with the Fondation Notre-Dame for the €200 million he pledged toward the cathedral’s restoration after the April 15 fire. François Pinault and his son François-Henri Pinault of the luxury goods company Kering will execute a similar contract for their €100 million donation next Monday. – The Art Newspaper

Saying Its Mosaic Façade Is ‘Irreplaceable’, Judge Blocks Sale And Demolition Of Philadelphia’s Painted Bride Art Center

A Philadelphia Orphans’ Court judge ruled that the sale — The Bride, the nonprofit that owns the center, had sold it for $4.5 million to a developer who planned to build condos on the site — would “all but ensure the destruction of what many individuals consider to be a true treasure.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Climate Activists Threaten Boycott Of Royal Shakespeare Company

Why? Because the RSC accepts sponsorship money from BP, which funds the company’s program offering £5 tickets to young adults. Says an open letter just sent to the theatre, “If we, as young people, wish to see an affordable play at your theatre we have to help to promote a company that is actively destroying our futures by wrecking the climate.” – The Guardian

Are Ticket Prices Really The Main Barrier To Attracting Audiences?

“The popular misconception that price is the chief barrier to access to the arts has taken hold in the sector, while in reality, price is only one of a complex set of factors affecting engagement with ‘hard to reach’ groups. Tim Baker concludes it’s time to start a debate about the true meaning of affordability.” – Arts Professional

Music Composition Professor At Univ. Of Texas Accused Of Years Of Sexual Harassment — And Administrators Knew

Writer Sammy Sussman reports on allegations of inappropriate comments and touching, aimed at both male and female graduate students, by a composition professor at UT-Austin’s Butler School of Music dating from 2001 to at least 2014. These include alleged incidents that were reported to the University at the time — but nothing happened beyond a single investigation. – Van