He had to walk and play at the same time, which was difficult with his impaired sight and depth perception. The orchestra had worked out a plan to cover for him should he suffer any sudden problems onstage. Law and Tyan sensed that, given the importance he attached to “Fiddler,” his decline might accelerate once the play was over. Six weeks after the last performance, he went into hospice care and, less than forty-eight hours later, died
Blog
How Very Smart Thinkers Have Been Seduced By Big Brother
Perhaps we should blame it all on Plato. Ever since he introduced his concept of the “philosopher king,” countless intellectuals have been besotted by the notion of finding and working hand in hand with the ideal Big Brother, often with lethal results.
‘Broadcast News’ Is Terrific, But There Was An Disastrous Alternate Ending That Would Have Wrecked It
When the movie was first in previews, audiences wanted Holly Hunter’s newscast-producer character to end up with one of her two guys. So James L. Brooks, against his better judgment, shot a scene to provide that happy-ish ending. As Jane Craig (Hunter) said in another context, “It’s awful.” Jason Bailey explains.
Good Design Is A Public Good (Why Is This So Hard To Understand?)
“The conventional wisdom is that design costs more and is only a luxury. Yet people from all walks of life deserve good design. The power of design to dignify will never be fully explored until average people have some sense that they deserve better.”
The Beloved, Popular Books That Got Rejected Over And Over Again
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was turned down 121 times by publishers; Stephen King’s Carrie, 30 times; Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, 36; Catch-22, 22 times (of course). Emily Temple’s list includes other surprising titles – including (!) The Diary of Anne Frank.
How Traveling To Learn Lost Its Edge
“In a world where travel has lost many of its mental and physical exertions, one meets people who fly thousands of miles to do a bit of shopping in Dubai, to lie on a beach in Bali, or to watch a cricket match in Adelaide… Some travellers travel enormous distances and keep all their preconceptions intact.”
The New York Times Comedy Critic Explains How He Works (And Decides What’s Funny)
Jason Zinoman: “The first question I ask of a show isn’t whether or not it’s funny. Rather, I look to understand: What is the comic trying to do, and how interesting or new is it?”
Christmas Movies Are Really Propaganda For Capitalism
“In Christmas movies, audiences can bank on heartwarming plots where grouches become kind and misers become charitable. But Christmas movies also tend to reinforce the myth of the “good capitalist,” favoring stories about individual virtue over any real social change. The way Christmas movies tell it, the generosity of individuals is sufficient to mitigate the harms of class inequality.”
Let Go Of The Guilt – Science Has Officially Approved The Practice Of Re-Gifting
Kate Wheeling: “It’s that time of year again: The day after Christmas. The holiday-season stress is over; the only thing to worry about now is what you’re going to do with that pair of Sauna Pants from Aunt Midge, who, bless her heart, still hasn’t grown out of her as-seen-on-TV phase. I’m here to tell you that science says you can just give them away. You’re welcome.”
They’re Producing ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ In Yiddish (What Took So Long?)
Lyricist Sheldon Harnick and director Jerry Saks will consult on the New York production by the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene. And, evidently, the author of the original Yiddish-language Tevye-the-Dairyman stories will be a character.