Why now? “As an adult, I’ve try to keep my performing past under wraps. Being a theater nerd was never cool to begin with, but … polite society seems to find something sad about being nostalgic for the activities you loved in adolescence. But now that we’re in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, shame is no longer a concern of mine.” – Slate
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Theatres Pivoted To Digital As Fast As They Could Before Shutdowns, So What Will Come Of All That Streaming?
Could some of this be the future of online theatre? “In response to this crisis, Actors Equity Association created a new, temporary streaming agreement available for select producers to record these performances, sell tickets through the theatre’s website, then stream the production online for one-time viewing by ticket buyers. In essence, the idea is to make the patron experience as close to a true theatrical experience as possible.” – American Theatre
Actors Are Also Out Of A Job – All Of Their Many Jobs At Once
So what are they doing instead of booking, acting, producing, and bartending? Hosting livestreamed music classes for kids in the morning and asking watchers to donate $5 if they have it; building creative communities; and, well, kicking up the “coronavirus content” subgenre. – The Atlantic
All The World’s Living Rooms Can Be Stages, With The Right Plays
Ben Brantley: “Remember that plays — even those lofty classics that show up on college reading lists — are meant to be spoken and heard. And saying their lines aloud, no matter how clumsily, helps you hear the music and cadences in them. This is true not only of Shakespeare, but also of linguistically rich latter-day writers like August Wilson, Caryl Churchill, Edward Albee, [and] Suzan-Lori Parks.” – The New York Times
For Commercial Dancers In Los Angeles, All Revenue Streams Are Gone
There’s no touring, no practicing for Coachella, no videos filming. There’s nothing. “As the entertainment business comes to a halt, commercial dancers and choreographers — the performers who animate film, TV and music videos — said the experience has been surreal and stressful.” – Los Angeles
Despite Attempts To Negotiate Rent Freezes In NY, Landlords Are Trying To Boot Small Galleries
Despite petitions with thousands of signatures and attempts at local legislation, many galleries aren’t eligible for small business loans and other relief. “April 1 is quickly approaching and small storefront gallery owners who spoke with Hyperallergic say they are feeling increasingly anxious and helpless.” – Hyperallergic
The University Of Michigan Finally Fires Opera Singer David Daniels Over Sexual Misconduct
Daniels, once a leading countertenor and now facing a separate criminal charge for sexual assault in Texas, “was deemed not eligible for severance pay. According to the university, Daniels is the first tenured faculty member to be dismissed since it adopted its current bylaws in 1959.” – NPR
The National Symphony Orchestra Lays Off All 96 Musicians With A One-Week Notice
Despite a $25 million stimulus package for the Kennedy Center, the musicians of the NSO were told late Friday night that their April 3 paycheck would be their last, and their health care would end at the end of May if concerts have not resumed. Unsurprisingly, given that their collective bargaining agreement requires six weeks of pay before layoffs for economic hardship, “the union has filed a grievance challenging what it believes is an illegal action.” – The Washington Post
For Your Weekend Listening, NYT Music Critics Choose Best Recordings Of Each Of Beethoven’s Symphonies
But with live performances suspended by the coronavirus pandemic, we classical music critics decided to take matters into our own hands and create our dream cycle, featuring our favorite recording of each symphony with just one rule: No conductor or orchestra could appear more than once. – The New York Times
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Lays Off Staff, Cancels Through Labor Day
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, one of the oldest and largest American nonprofit theaters and a popular travel destination, said on Friday that it would lay off 80 percent of its 500 employees, cancel half of this year’s productions and postpone any live performances until after Labor Day. – The New York Times