Category: theatre

The board of the American Jewish Historical Society, based in Manhattan, canceled a public reading of Rubble Rubble by playwright Dan Fishback, a critic of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. The play is about disagreements within a family over Israel and Palestine, but, says Fishback, “The people who made this decision had no access to my script. This was about my beliefs.” Criticism of the cancellation came swiftly, and one artist removed work of hers from display at the Society.

While the three-venue complex at London’s Southbank Centre saw its best attendance (93%) in 14 years, with a boost in box-office income, its report says that the NT has relied too much on revenue – by nature uncertain – from the likes of War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to offset government funding cuts.

“Nick Parr has resigned after just two years as chief executive of Dundee Rep, which boasts the country’s only full-time company of actors. He has left with immediate effect less than two months after the Rep’s new artistic director, Andrew Panton, took charge of his first show.” While the company saw revenue rise under Parr, last week a newspaper column argued that morale at the company was sinking due to a perceived change in culture there.

“This is a new wrinkle in the very old book of showdowns between producers and critics. It’s one thing to have a preview period for performers and stagehands to settle in; previews even used to be significantly discounted, a good-faith concession from producers to fans as shows found their footing. But using an entire tour stop as a critic-free preview zone? That’s not how out-of-town tryouts or tours run. Eventually reviewers  report.”

The high “Dolly” ticket, which is for weekend performances, reflects strong demand to see Bette Midler’s Tony-winning turn before her run ends on Jan. 14. And the front row provides an opportunity for fans to be quite close to her: She performs the title song on a passerelle, a walkway that arcs in front of the stage, and she often reaches out toward audience members, sometimes shaking their hands.

The tech companies certainly want it. Check this out: “A new immersive lab has opened in Brighton which will enable theatre companies to experiment with virtual reality technology.”

No, the “free market” does not deliver theatre to every corner of the U.S. It took the NEA to do that – and it took theatre people to agitate for an NEA in the first place. “Theatre artists and administrators from all over the U.S. knew firsthand that the absence of non-commercial funding was preventing theatre from reaching audiences who had no access to professional theatres. Theatre practitioners, critics, and leaders were determined to change that—and to put theatre into the national conversation.”

Lincoln Center Theater will produce the revival directed by Bartlett Sher, whose revivals of South Pacific and The King and I there were enormous successes. Unusually, the actors playing Eliza (Ambrose) and Higgins (Harry Hadden-Paton, who played Bertie Pelham on Downton) are roughly the same age. Also in the cast will be Norbert Leo Butz and Diana Rigg.

“Les Waters, who has served as artistic director for six seasons, will depart next summer to pursue personal projects, according to a press release sent Wednesday. … Waters has produced 78 plays and directed 18 in Louisville during his six seasons at the helm. His leadership ‘invigorated’ the Humana Festival of New American Plays, according to the release from Actors Theatre, and plays debuted at the festival were seen across the country. “