ArtsJournal2 – Page 677 – ArtsJournal Wayback

Tech Is In A Big Showdown, And It’s Taking Place Inside Your House

Will Google, Microsoft, Amazon, or something entirely new win this round of understanding how humans speak naturally? (It’s a big deal because real artificial intelligence depends on this point. Oh, and the machines are always listening.)

Are We Having A Bit Of A Cultural Moment For Comedians In Theatres?

Yes, and it’s because theatres are different venues from comedy clubs. One comedian: “There are some parts of [my show] that are very emotional just for the sake of being open, honest, and vulnerable onstage. … I don’t know that that’s a quality that can fly in a stand-up club that has a two drink minimum, where people are there for a night out to laugh and you have to make them laugh.”

We’ve Had Seven ‘Live’ Musicals On TV Now; What Have We Learned?

Here are five lessons, including the perhaps obvious pop singers aren’t Broadway singers, and they don’t show up well next to talent like Audra McDonald and Kelli O’Hara (but! They bring viewers!).

Theatre, Out Of Its (Scripted) Echo Chamber In The Wake Of Brexit And Trump

Lyn Gardner isn’t cool with the usual suspects thrashing it out on stage without considering their audience. “If the arts, and theatre in particular, wants to genuinely respond and enter into meaningful dialogues with those who feel excluded and disenfranchised, it needs to look outward not inward.”

Mavis Staples Just Got A Kennedy Center Honor, But She Says Today Isn’t So Different From The Civil Rights Era

The singer, who was barely into double digits when she started singing gospel music with her family, has thoughts about what’s happening now: “I watch the news sometimes and I think I’m back in the ’60s. It’s all happening all over again. This kid Chance The Rapper, he’s very good at explaining what’s happening in the world today.”

In Hallmark Christmas Land, Everyone Is White (And Straight), And It’s Canada’s Fault

Um. “When asked to elaborate on the nature of his company’s difficulties regarding hiring actors and actresses of color, Abbott cited the fact that the majority of production takes place in Canada … and the channel’s high volume of production.”

Can A Hit Norwegian Show About Sexy Teens Make It In The U.S.?

In Norway, the show “Skam” has become a hot button for national conversations about consent, dating, pressure and much more. So let’s rephrase the question: Will the English-language versions of “Skam” be as careful to get everything about teenagers’ lives right?

The Million People Who Make Up The ‘Symphony’ Of Brasilia

The thing about Brasilia is that it’s so carefully planned and geometric that it’s hard to find the place where people meet up. One photographer, originally from a rural town, figured out where to find everyone: The central transport station.

What’s Winning (And What Has Won) At The New York Critics’ Circle Awards?

The news as it happens … and then collected after it happens. (We’ll post some analysis articles tomorrow.)

Author: ArtsJournal2