Category: theatre

“[W]hen a family history has been segmented by the Holocaust and spans generations, continents, religions and ultimately sensibilities, separating truth from mythology can be like trying to unmix two shades that went into making the same can of paint. That, at least, is one way to interpret the battle between Elizabeth Rhodes and Gabor Lukin over the estate of the Hungarian playwright and novelist Ferenc Molnar, who died in 1952.”

“When the musical version of ‘The First Wives Club’ opens July 31 at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, audiences can expect some juicy drama — outside the theater doors, that is.” Two New York producers who plan to take the show to Broadway “have allegedly stiffed their former employees out of money, and — like the heroines of the musical — the wronged parties are seeking sweet revenge.”

“The annual New York Musical Theater Festival, where Broadway productions such as Next to Normal and [title of show] received helpful developmental stagings, has formed a new production exchange program with the Daegu International Musical Festival in South Korea.”

“Judging by this spellbound Mexican audience [at the sold-out screenings in Mexico City], Hytner’s production not only reached theatre fans who couldn’t travel to the National but may also have won over converts to the theatre.”

“The Magic Theatre is giving up one of its two performance spaces at Fort Mason Center,” and artistic director Loretta Greco is calling it “both an artistic decision and a fiscal one.” “Even before she was hired early last year, she said, she’d raised the question of whether the Magic needed two theaters for a six-play season. With only four plays in the 2009-10 season, it was time to take a step that ‘decreases our rent immensely.'”

“Despite increases in ticket revenue and contributions, the Guthrie Theater reported a small budget deficit — its first in 14 years — for the fiscal period that ended March 31. The deficit was $67,898 on expenses of $27.88 million, and the organization will cover that with funds from prior surpluses.” Ticket sales were strong until September, when they “headed south and never recovered.”

“The Stratford Shakespeare Festival has been in discussion with Toronto’s annual Luminato arts festival to bring The Tempest – starring Christopher Plummer – to the stage next year, a source close to the talks says. … At first glance, it might not make much sense for Stratford to cannibalize its own audience by staging a play in Toronto,” but the festival has been strapped for cash lately, and Luminato has plenty.

“[I]n the end, the Tonys are run by and for the commercial theater. They’re marketing tools, and any hue and cry about ‘integrity’ is beside the point. If the producers don’t want journalists around, well, it’s their party. Which is not to say the press shouldn’t take its revenge.” Here are a few ways to do it.

“People are not coming to the theatre as often as they would like to, or as often as they can afford to, because the experience is not magical. Frankly, it is inconvenient and deeply uncomfortable at the best of times.”

“Over the past year we’ve seen a few encouraging signs that good work can have a viable life away from the box-office-burnishing glow of Broadway.”