Category: theatre

“Beyond the cliches what you see most often in adults-as-children on stage is a kind of over-staged child – not so much a person as a sign, a symbol, some ‘thing’ that wants to mean ‘something’ (innocence, cruelty or whatever you like), a figure whose every action is legible, there to be read.”

“You have all these events where people are placed inside the playing area—densely immersive and very rich environments in which they literally wouldn’t open the doors if the sound system wasn’t on and all of that stuff wasn’t occurring.”

“A year or so ago, he discovered that he had no work to do (for two or three weeks!) and that he had never had a hobby. So he took up rock climbing.”

To a group of drama teachers talking to him about why school administrators make them bowdlerize the plays their students perform – such as Into the Woods – Sondheim said, “Well, you’ll be happy to know that Disney had the same objections.” (includes spoilers)

Or at least hollow them out and do a complete rebuild, argues Lyn Gardner. “Unlike some, I certainly don’t believe that all theatre buildings must be saved for posterity. The Victorians and Edwardians who built many of our West End theatre barns would have laughed at that notion.”

“Individuals who receive top billing above a show’s title are eligible to purchase awards; consortia of investors can purchase up to four Tonys. The purchasing program usually yields $250,000 or more each year to help finance the Tonys ceremony.”

“This is more than triple the amount it cost to buy a top-price seat in the West End only 10 years ago, when a record high was reached with a £49 ticket to see The Producers in 2004. Over the same period, house prices in London have increased by around 90%.”

“This is not going to be easy. … And since late February I have foregone shaving.”

“About 60 theatre groups and 10 dance organisations reported either “some” or “substantial” financial savings after taking action to operate in a more sustainable way.”

“Something you don’t hear too often in the middle of an improv set: ‘Okay, and for the next scene, my opening line will be ‘I really didn’t rape that girl’.’ That’s the moment when Sex Signals, one of the country’s fastest growing sexual assault prevention programs, stops being so funny.”