Category: theatre

“Until recently, this debate over whether actors literally lose themselves in their roles was largely a matter of conjecture. However, a pair of research papers in psychology published this year has provided some concrete evidence, and results suggest that actors’ sense of self is changed profoundly by their characters.” – Aeon

Or, more specifically, whom are they for? “Doing it just for an audience ties criticism to weird stuff about selling a show, which I’m sort of uncomfortable with. But if critics are reviewing just for the maker, then is it really inaccessible to an audience who are maybe not so involved in theatre?” – HowlRound

The hours are good, the patrons can be terrible, the dreams live … for a while. “A lot of actors, directors and writers work front of house, with most of us spending our days auditioning, writing and on other creative endeavours. FOH is a stepping stone and it fits in with the hours, so we can go from the side of the stage selling ice creams or Aperol Spritzes to on stage performing. But many of us are struggling. We feel stuck.” – The Stage (UK)

Vine and Instagram did it first (and, let’s be honest, Vine was great, RIP Vine), and now TikTok is the new way for kids to become social media-famous. How the heck is a school supposed to deal with 20 or 30 famous 14-year-olds? Make “drama clubs for the digital age, but with the potential to reach huge audiences.” – The New York Times

Swings are more than understudies – they have to learn multiple roles within one show. Twenty-year-old swing Debôrah Godchaser, who was barely born when Lion King opened, says she’s learned to control her nerves and just trust that she knows the choreography. – BBC

The conventional wisdom on curtain times has long been broken, and it’s proving beneficial to producers and audience. More show-by-show tinkering can only continue to evolve theatregoing practice, which is essential in an era when most entertainment can be scheduled on demand. – The Stage

Some see other current trends—the conversion of old structures, the blurring of boundaries between disciplines, the increasing move of visual artists into performance, the popular interest in all things digital – will be reflected in future theatre design. “We are still in the supposed old ways of thinking. But yeah—change is on its way.” – American Theatre

“With overdoses at troubling heights and recovery no longer a sotto-voce secret, a new wave of plays dealing with the realities of rehab and the challenges of sobriety have started to emerge, often created by playwrights who have dealt with such problems themselves. And part of their mission, the writers say, is to destigmatize these struggles.” – The New York Times

“In this paper we first explore the U.S. economic and financial outlook to better understand the environment and its risks. Then we follow trends for theatres’ finances and operations, starting with the years prior to the last recession, to identify key trends in the not-for-profit resident theatre industry. We conclude with recommendations of steps to take for recession preparedness given the identified vulnerabilities.” – SMU Data Arts

“After nearly a quarter century as the artistic director of one of Off Broadway’s most acclaimed nonprofits, [Tim] Sanford is announcing his departure. The theater’s next season — its 50th — will be his last as artistic director, and at that point he will have led the organization for half of its history. He will be succeeded by his longtime deputy, the theater’s associate artistic director, Adam Greenfield.” – The New York Times