Going Global For Nutty Professor?

“The Globe has very broadly discussed Jerry’s project. We love Jerry, who, of course, worked with (artistic director) Jack O’Brien on ‘Damn Yankees.’ I’ve supported his effort and advised him on what it would take to get the project to the Globe. If the project moves along and it makes sense for Jerry and the Globe to work together, that would be terrific.”

US House Seeks To Open Cable Market

“The biggest telecommunications legislation in a decade, approved 321-101, would make it easier for telephone companies to enter the subscription television market. A national franchise process would replace the current system where potential providers must negotiate contracts municipality by municipality, sometimes taking months and years.”

A Plan To Open London Theatres On Sundays

“While people are cramming into cinemas, museums and concert halls, the vast majority of theatres remain obstinately shut. It’s mad. It’s anomalous. Now, at last, something is being done about it. Nicholas Hytner, the director of the National Theatre, who has already revolutionised seat prices with his £10 Travelex-sponsored ticket scheme, is now working hard on his next big idea: to phase in Sunday opening.”

UK Arts Leaders Praise Government Arts Leadership

“A decade of strong funding under Labour has transformed society, says their manifesto, Values and Vision: the Contribution of Culture. There has been an “explosion of creativity” said Hytner, artistic director of the National Theatre. Britons now engage with culture “to a degree undreamed of a decade ago”, according to Sir Nicholas, director of the Tate. Seven of Britain’s top 10 attractions are museums or galleries; 85% of foreign tourists visit for our museums; 66% of the population attended at least one cultural event in the past 12 months.”

A 27,000-Year-Old Human Face

The drawing was discovered in France in February. “No one is ever going to put a name to this face. Its owner lived before writing, agriculture, or towns existed, before there were states that kept records, and long before a Greek man named Herodotus decided to write something called “history”. The only reason we can be sure the people who painted in caves during the Ice Age were as human as we are – that is, they used their brains in the same way we do – is that they made art. No other animal makes art. And now the earliest art has a human face – literally.”

What Happened To Rock’s Great Bassists?

“Most of those who operate in music’s lower registers are hardly making the most of their time. The finger-stretching that once characterised the best bass-playing has all but disappeared: these days, rock’s remaining bassists tend to find out what chords the guitarist is playing, memorise what are known as the “root notes” and thrum along.”

Will Jerry Lewis “Nutty Professor” Musical Ever See The Light Of Day?

“They have no composer or lyricist. Those are not minor details when you’re putting on a musical. They also aren’t announcing the name of the book writer(s) yet, which does not suggest Mr. Lewis is working with anyone with any experience at all in doing a musical. They hope to do a tryout at the Old Globe in San Diego in 2007 but apparently, no one’s bothered to tell the Old Globe about this. It’s a little late to be booking for ’07, plus a brand-new musical by new people will probably need more outta-town tryouts than a few weeks in San Diego before it’ll be Manhattan-ready.”

Guillem Joins Sadler’s Wells

Star “ballerina Sylvie Guillem has been appointed associate artist at Sadler’s Wells by artistic director and chief executive Alistair Spalding. The dancer has been a guest principal at the Royal Ballet since 1988 and has appeared with companies such as the Paris Opera Ballet, the Kirov and La Scala.”