“The musical, estimated at $20 million—at the time, likely the most expensive in Broadway history—opened at the Palace Theatre. The critics dismissed it as a theme park show. The Broadway crowd snubbed it too, giving the 1994 Tony for best musical to Stephen Sondheim’s short-lived Passion. But the family audience flocked to it. It became a blockbuster.” – Vanity Fair
Blog
What All Those English-Language Schools In Japan Really Signify
There are more than 5,000 English-as-a-Foreign-Language schools in the country — about 20% more than in China, which has more than 10 times the population. And their lessons come on top of the English classes included in Japan’s public school curriculum. And yet the Japanese rank among the worst in Asia in English proficiency. So what purpose do all the EFL schools there serve? Several purposes, actually. – Metropolis (Tokyo)
AAMD’s Failed Oversight: Murky “Clarification” of Its “Financial Flexibility” Resolutions
Better late than never (but not soon enough), the Association of Art Museum Directors is attempting to backpedal from its decision, six months ago, to temporarily loosen its tight strictures against the use of proceeds from art sales for anything other than acquisitions. – Lee Rosenbaum
Is Calling Beethoven By Only His Last Name Racist?
“On the one hand, then, initiatives toward diversity and inclusion are placing new names on concert programs, syllabi, and research papers, names that might not have been there 10 or 20 years ago—or even last year. But these names are appearing next to those that have been drilled deep into our brains by the forces of the inherited canon. This collision between increasing diversity and the mononyms of music history has created a hierarchical system that, whether or not you find it useful, can now only be seen as outdated and harmful.” – Slate
‘Homiesexual’ — Young Straight Guys Getting Cuddly With Their Bros On TikTok Draw Big Audiences
“The youth-oriented social media platform is rife with videos showing ostensibly heterosexual young men spooning in cuddle-puddle formation, cruising each other on the street while walking with their girlfriends, sharing a bed, going in for a kiss, admiring each other’s chiseled physiques and engaging in countless other homoerotic situations served up for humor and, ultimately, views.” And the vast majority of the fans are female. – The New York Times
NY Museums Reopened. But Are They Sustainable At 25 Percent?
Over a month after most of New York’s most prestigious museums reopened to the public, they are experiencing an existential crisis, fueled by the state-mandated reduced capacity of 25 percent. While the public face of New York City museums welcomes back these visitors with a smile and the promise of a safe experience, administrators behind the scenes anxiously wonder how long they can feasibly stay at that meager occupancy without making significant cuts to staffing or programming. – The New York Times
Feats Of Strength: Dancing ‘The Rite Of Spring’ As A 35-Minute Solo
For the Joyce Theater’s online season, choreographer Molissa Fenley has revived State of Darkness, her 1988 adaptation of the Stravinsky ballet for a single performer, with seven different dancers — as different as Sara Mearns, Annique Roberts, and Michael Trusnovec — giving their own interpretations. Gia Kourlas reports on how the project has come together. – The New York Times
Unpacking The New Stack Of Boxes At University Of Chicago
This is a bold building by, and for, bold thinkers — even if we don’t know yet whether it is truly meets the test of form that follows function. – Chicago Tribune
Five Years After Aneurysm, Joni Mitchell Still Struggling To Walk
In a Q&A with Cameron Crowe about a new disc of unreleased recordings, Mitchell said, “Polio didn’t grab me like that, but the aneurysm took away a lot more, really. Took away my speech and my ability to walk. And, you know, I got my speech back quickly, but the walking I’m still struggling with. But I mean, I’m a fighter. I’ve got Irish blood!” – BBC
Viola Smith, Who Blazed A Path For Women Drummers In Big Band And Swing, 107
Smith was called a “hep girl” and billed as the “fastest girl drummer in the world.” In the formerly all-male preserve of the big band and swing eras, “Smith sat behind a giant drum set that included a double bass drum, an instrument that would years later become a tool for hard-hitting rock drummers.” – The Guardian (UK)