London is considering a ban on smoking indoors. This means everywhere – including on stages of theatres. “Cigars and cigarettes feature heavily in many stage productions, from the Old Masters by Simon Gray to Kathleen Turner’s portrayal of Mrs Robinson in the stage production of The Graduate.” So what…. audiences will have to imagine smoking scenes?
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The Cost Of Raising Money
Fundraisers are a fact of business for most non-profits. But some of the lavish events suck up much of the money they raise. So what should a fundraiser cost?
From Wardrobe Malfunction To An Old Guy Singing
Last year, Janet Jackson’s wardrobe “malfunction” at the Superbowl sparked months of “morality” debates and crackdowns. “This year an old guy sang at halftime and a cheap dot-com ad — now there’s a Super Bowl chestnut — tried to send up the whole affair and failed. Does this mean we’re a more civilized, less sex-obsessed, fully cultured country? Nah, it was still mostly beer, boobs, cars and head-crunching football all day long.”
MacMillan: Of High Art And Classical Music
Scottish composer James MacMillan has raised a furor over his comments about music last week: “One can’t listen to classical music and especially serious contemporary classical music with the ears – that rather distracted mode of listening – that one uses for other forms of musical styles. The orthodox and politically correct view that there is no meaningful difference between high and low art, I think, must be challenged anew.”
BBC’s New Book Club
The BBC is starting a book club after seeing the success of other such clubs. “The shortlist of 24 books, designed to showcase the “best new books” on offer in the UK today, was whittled down from a longlist of over 300 by a panel of book-loving celebrities and literary experts.”
Popular Music? What’s That?
“Popular music” is no longer a homogenised entity: the very narrow band of commercial pop that is sufficiently ubiquitous to register with national newspaper leader writers is the tip of the iceberg. There has been a great rise in interest in underground, non-commercial music (helped by the availability of information and music files on the internet). Many people are hungry for anything that sounds a bit different, uses sound in a new way and sets itself apart from the naked consumerism of commercial pop.
LA Schools Computer Program Fails To Teach Reading
The Los Angeles School District has spent nearly $50 million on a computer reading program that failed to improve student reading skills and in some cases hindered achievement because schools did not use it properly…
Rich Parents = Smarter Kids
A new study in the UK says that the wealthier a child’s parents are, the more advanced a reader that child will be. “A government-funded study reveals that the gap occurs irrespective of natural ability, parents’ education or how often mothers and fathers read to their child.”
Study: Fewer Kids Taking Up Ballet In UK
“New research from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) has found fewer children over the age of 10 are attending ballet classes and taking exams in the discipline. The organisation blames the growing popularity of computer games and other changes in lifestyle. And there are fears that if the trend is not reversed, there could be fewer British ballet stars in the future.”
Hit Factory Closes – Victim Of Digital Recording)
“The Hit Factory, which opened 37 years ago, has played host to some of the biggest stars in music, including Paul Simon, Madonna and David Bowie. However, the rise in digital recording has affected business at the studio, which is relocating to smaller premises in Miami.”