The list of candidates to lead the Kansas City Symphony is down to three. Critic Paul Horsley has his favorite, but reports that the race is divided. And, he says, some changes to the makeup of the selection committee are worrisome.
Tag: 06.26.04
The End Of Reruns? Yeah, Right!
So American TV networks are abandoning reruns and going to a 52-week season. American TV execs, a curious species prone to hyperbole, are calling it an “epochal” change. A “revolution.” An “unprecedented” demolition of rules that have stood for decades. What they really mean is: “If this doesn’t work, we are so screwed.”
The Story Behind “The Producers” Toronto Flop
People are asking why The Producers is closing early in Toronto. Why did the show flop? “Should a show really be considered a flop when it runs for 33 weeks in this town, delighting 400,000 people and pulling in an average of $1 million a week at the box office? Think of this as a tale of great expectations. The New York producers of The Producers were sure they could enjoy a run of more than a year in Toronto, and they did their financial planning based on that assumption. That begins to explain how The Producers could lose money in Toronto.”
Musical Theatre Works Folds
“Musical Theatre Works, the not-for-profit company devoted to creating and developing new musicals, is out of money and will shutter immediately, the Manhattan company announced June 25.”
The Tech-Savvy Orchestra
New devices such as the Concert Companion – which displays text describing what’s going on in the music as a concert plays – add a new dimension to the symphony experience. The question is what its adds, wonders William Littler.
Information Ought To Be Free (It’s In Our Best Interests)
“The high subscription cost of prestigious peer-reviewed journals has been a running sore point with scholars, whose tenure and prominence depend on publishing in them. But since the Public Library of Science, which was started by a group of prominent scientists, began publishing last year, this new model has been gaining attention and currency within academia. More than money and success is at stake. Free and widespread distribution of new research has the potential to redefine the way scientific and intellectual developments are recorded, circulated and preserved for years to come.”
Lollapalooza – Too Old To Live
Lollapalooza had a established name. And a pretty good lineup for this summer’s season. So why did the traveling music lineup kick the bucket? “The bristling embodiment of a generational zeitgeist, it wasn’t. Quality programming aside, Lollapalooza 2004 had the disturbing aura of an ‘oldies’ package tour.”
English Writers’ Group Caught Up In Free Expression Dispute
“English PEN, the writers’ organisation dedicated to freedom of expression and the support of persecuted writers, is caught up in an in-house row over freedom of expression.”
Theatre’s Facts-On-File, 2003 Edition
The American theatre community’s annual report on its health makes interesting reading. “In an economy that is seemingly in recovery — yet one in which the threat of uncertainty seems constant — the report is a curious mix of good news, not-so-good news, and plenty of well-considered spin. The announcement that the nonprofit theatre industry contributed a total of $1.4 billion to the U.S. economy, in the form of salaries, benefits, and payments for goods and services, is certainly a positive, yet this was also the figure cited in Theatre Facts 2002. Still, that figure is considerably more impressive than the $923 million figure cited in Theatre Facts 2001.”
Schools Assess Artwork They Own
Across America, schools are making inventories of the artworks in their possession. “The steps come with a growing recognition that schools for decades have received valuable artwork that has not always been preserved or used well.”