Charles McNulty: “They sent a message of support to artists with fresh and forward-leaning sensibilities, no matter if these endorsements occasionally came at the expense of recognizing worthier work.” – Los Angeles Times
Category: theatre
‘Hadestown’ Leads 2019 Tony Nominations With 14 Nods
“But the nominations were notable not only for those they honored, but for those they ignored. To Kill a Mockingbird and Network, two costly dramas that have been big hits at the box office, did not get nominated in the best new play category. But they did not come away empty-handed — Mockingbird was nominated in nine other categories, and Network in five.” – The New York Times
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Wins 2019 Regional Tony Award
“The award recognizes the influence TheatreWorks has had on the art form locally and nationwide, as an incubator for scores of artists, developing and premiering countless new works, many of which have gone on to long life elsewhere.” – San Francisco Chronicle
Theatre Needs To Tell Bold Stories Of Those Who Stood Up To Power And Survived
A young director who had three weeks to devise a musical with 14 over-50 LGBTQ-identified actors says that her generation needs to hear more about the past, and that they’re good for theatre. “Stories from untold perspectives– with one hand in reality and one in imagination – are what interest me. As a writer, they unlock the immeasurable potential within a subject. As a director, they challenge you to avoid the deadly valleys of stereotype and assumption and implore you to take the tricky hillside treks through discomfort and authenticity.” – The Stage (UK)
The Cure For Our Times May Be Theatre
When a critic sees 12 plays in 10 days: Theatre “restored my vision, or at least handed me a roadmap of our location, emotionally and psychically speaking — one that extended beyond Manhattan, the country, and the curve of time. I sat down with people to contemplate the troubles of King Lear, Tom Robinson, and Socrates, recalling that, though the common cruelties of the day may be unique, how people cope with them is not.” – Los Angeles Review of Books
How To Translate ‘King Lear’ Into ASL
First, of course, you need to be familiar with the original. Russell Harvard, who’s playing the Duke of Cornwall to Glenda Jackson’s King Lear on Broadway, also had to help figure out how good Cornwall would be at lip-reading – and how that might change the play. – American Theatre
Suggestion: Canadian Theatre Needs A New Funding Narrative
Jesse Lavercombe: “I think Canada needs a new narrative for itself that isn’t so much about buttressing a fortress or perfectly defining our national identity, but participating in a larger conversation. I’m not advocating for changes in CanCon regulations, and I’m certainly not advocating for less public funding (because it pays my rent, which in Toronto ain’t cheap), but those efforts shouldn’t come from a place of insecurity. Our public funding should be dedicated to raising the bar of our work and showing off that work to the world, not protecting us from the threat of our big brother to the south.” – Howlround
From Noh To Manga Musicals, A Survey Of Theatre In Japan
“This special issue … looks at theatre and performance in the Land of the Rising Sun, from its foundational traditions to its most up-to-date innovations, and considers its place within contemporary Japanese culture, among East Asian cultures broadly, and in the global context.” – American Theatre
A Dome And A Home: The Theatre From The Calais Jungle Travels Around France Offering Welcome To Migrants
Since it was set up in the (now-removed) refugee camp in the Channel port in 2015, Good Chance Theatre‘s dome has become a pop-up playhouse, setting up in several locations around Paris and providing a gathering place for previously alienated migrants. – American Theatre
Multi-Dimensional Theatre: Shakespeare Performed By Cast Split Between Hearing And Deaf Actors
In a first for Canadian mainstage theatre, the 15-member acting ensemble of Josette Bushell-Mingo’s innovative bilingual production, an offshoot of the Citadel/Banff Professional Program, is almost equally divided amongst deaf and hearing artists. They perform in American Sign Language and spoken English — in addition to “the language of the body.” – 12th Night