“Why was the Bard so fascinated with the fall of the Roman Republic? Why do we tend to turn to this play when we worry about society’s future? … Isaac [Butler] talks to theater critic Helen Shaw and English professor Andrew Hadfield about what was going on in Shakespeare’s time that led him to look back to ancient Rome. We also talk to theater directors Rob Melrose and Tyler Dobrowsky about the choices they made in their recent staged renditions of Caesar.” (podcast)
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When, And Why, Theater Audiences Fall Asleep In Their Seats
Peter Marks: “It is every patron’s right, I suppose, to consume theater in any way they see fit, as long as it is not a nuisance to others. The steady mechanical breath of sleep can be an audible distraction at a quiet play, and yes, a throat clearing or a whispered word of correction is required if snoring commences. But the greater injustice, it seems to me, is the one unconscious theatergoers do to themselves. Buying a $100 seat is an inordinately expensive way to take a nap. Is every theater piece really that dull to some percentage of the crowd, I wonder, or are we just coming to public events ever more sleep-deprived? “
The Icky Stuff Librarians Find In Returned Books
“When a Washington librarian made a polite request for patrons to cease using cheese as a bookmark in her library’s books, librarians across the Twitterverse chimed in with their tales of strange library book finds. The May 1 tweet by Anna Holmes was reportedly triggered by the discovery of a Kraft Singles slice, which to some librarians was a tame deposit.” (slideshow)
Sharks Recognize Jazz, But Classical Confuses Them: Study
“Researchers at Sydney’s Macquarie University … trained juvenile Port Jackson sharks to swim over to where jazz was playing, to receive food. It has been thought that sharks have learned to associate the sound of a boat engine with food, because food is often thrown from tourist boats to attract sharks to cage-diving expeditions – the study shows that they can learn these associations quickly. The test was made more complex with the addition of classical music – this confused the sharks, who couldn’t differentiate between jazz and classical.”
How Justin Peck Brings The Everyday World Into Classical Ballet
“He has made movement based on the revving of a lawn mower, the popping of toast from a toaster, the tentative resting of a head on a shoulder. His style is hyperathletic – galloping solos that last for 10 straight minutes, high jumps reminiscent of basketball players’ reaching for the hoop – but it retains a roughness around its edges.”
What Does The Dance In Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’ Signify? Let The Choreographer Tell You
Sherrie Silver: “There are a lot of dark themes in it, so they wanted us to be the light of the video. You know how kids are innocent and kind of unaware of what’s going on? We were there to smile and bring joy to everyone watching it, because the background is bringing so much darkness and reality. … [We] wanted to bring joy to it, in the middle of madness. That’s what kids do and that’s what dance does – especially African dance.”
Broadway ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ To Proceed After Harper Lee Estate And Producers Settle Lawsuits
“That settlement means that the play, with a new script by the prominent Hollywood screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, will be allowed to go forward.” In March, Lee executor Tonja Carter sued lead producer Scott Rudin, claiming Sorkin’s script violated their contract; in April, Rudin countersued for at least $10 million, saying that Carter’s suit could cause the play’s cancellation and the loss of investors’ money.
Fort Worth Symphony Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya To Step Down In 2020
Over what will have been 20 seasons, “Harth-Bedoya has dramatically transformed what had been a rather rough-hewn ensemble into a well-disciplined orchestra. He led the orchestra in performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Washington’s Kennedy Center and in 13 CD recordings.”
Junot Díaz Resigns As Chairman Of Pulitzer Prize Board
“The Pulitzer Prize board has opened an independent review of sexual misconduct allegations against the award-winning novelist Junot Díaz, who is stepping down as chairman, the board said on Thursday. ‘Mr. Díaz said he welcomed the review and would cooperate fully with it,’ the Pulitzer board said in a statement.”
James Levine’s Broadcasts Pulled From Met Opera’s Sirius XM Channel
In the wake of the conductor’s sexual abuse and harassment scandal, the Met has withheld from broadcast on the satellite and online radio network all of the recorded performances Levine conducted during his 40-year career at the company. Management said that Levine’s recordings “will be reintroduced to the programming at an appropriate time.”