Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, J.J. Abrams and their fellows are now getting nine-figure production deals, with next-rung creators like Mindy Kaling and Seth MacFarlane landing eight figures. Why? First Netflix, and then deep-pocketed Amazon and Apple, are competing with traditional studios to lock down the intellectual property those individuals create and supervise, and there are very few people who can do what they do. – Fast Company
Blog
Why Doesn’t Dance Have Preview Runs The Way Theatre Does?
“Money is a factor. But even a few extra zeroes wouldn’t necessarily change the creative process for concert work, where priorities tend to revolve around giving an idea its fullest expression, not how it will be received by an audience.” – Dance Magazine
Perry Wolff, Producer Of Groundbreaking TV Documentaries, Dead At 97
Among his most famous and historic programs were the 1962 Tour of the White House with Jackie Kennedy; Hunger in America (1968), which shocked the public and led to changes in federal policy; The Selling of the Pentagon (1971), which infuriated the Nixon Administration and helped establish important First Amendment protections; the seven-part Of Black America (1968); and You and the Commercial, about television advertising. – The New York Times
College Gallery Shows Art Incorporating Confederate Imagery. Students Get Angry. Artists Are Stunned. Show Is Removed.
“One installation in the show [at Mary Baldwin University] included a bathroom sink with air fresheners — shaped like the silhouettes of statues of Confederate leaders — hanging from it. A medicine cabinet was mounted above the sink, and, inside, pill bottles containing watermelon seeds were labeled ‘make as directed.'” (A colleague had warned one of the artists, “The minute they know you’re white, and they see those watermelons, it’s all over.”) – The Washington Post
Rothko Chapel To Get Renovation, Including New Skylight
“[The $30 million project] will erect three new buildings to support the chapel’s ongoing social justice programming and is replacing the building’s ceiling apparatus with a new skylight and digital lighting system. This will cast gentle natural light by day and uniform illumination by night for the first time on Mark Rothko’s 14 monumental black canvases.” – The New York Times
Sarasota Orchestra Asks To Put New Concert Hall In City Park
“The Sarasota Orchestra, which has kept its supporters guessing for years about the possible location of a new concert hall, made a pitch to Sarasota city commissioners Tuesday night to build a new performance, administrative and education facility in the city-owned Payne Park. The orchestra … began discussing a move from its longtime home near the Sarasota Bayfront more than 20 years ago.” – Sarasota Herald-Tribune
This Company Didn’t Fire Sergei Polunin For His Homophobic Post, But They Asked Him About It. And What Did He Tell Them?
In January, the ever-troubled ballet star caused another stir with some offensive (and incoherent) remarks on Facebook, and he was promptly let go from a guest spot with the Paris Opera Ballet. The Bavarian State Ballet kept him on (despite pushback) to star in Spartacus but asked for an explanation. He said “that he wanted to provoke people to raise awareness about the dangers of obesity.” – Deutsche Welle
Booker Prize Has New Funder – From Silicon Valley
“Silicon Valley billionaire, philanthropist and author Michael Moritz and his wife Harriet Heyman’s charitable foundation, … Crankstart, has committed to an initial five-year exclusive funding term for the Booker, with an option to renew for a further five years. It will not give its name to the award.” – The Guardian
UK’s National Theatre Will Hold Special Casting Day For Trans Actors
“The event, the first of its kind held by the NT, will take place on April 15 in London, and is aimed at ‘professional actors who identify as transgender, trans*, genderqueer, non-binary, gender fluid and intersex’. … The Old Vic’s casting team will be attending alongside the casting department from the NT, and other industry creatives.” – The Stage
Why Isn’t The Wexford Opera Festival Getting, Or Even Being Told About, Its State Funding?
The Arts Council of Ireland released details of its 2019 grants two weeks ago, and Wexford was missing from the list with no explanation or target date for a decision. “When this kind of issue is out there and nobody wants to say anything meaningful about it you can reasonably suspect that there’s something to hide. And when the Arts Council delays decisions it usually spells trouble.” Michael Dervan looks into what’s going on. – The Irish Times