“Nederlander executives say the program’s eventual goal will be something similar to frequent flier miles and credit card points, making benefits available to returning customers. Those benefits could include discount tickets, special events and even non-Broadway merchandise.”
Tag: 09.18.06
A Detroit Presenter Comes Out Swinging
Detroit’s Music Hall Theatre has been in a defensive position, running large deficits in the past few years. But the institution is abandoning its conservative ways this year, expanding to offer its most ambitious season ever. “In the upcoming season, 135 nights are already booked and officials say they expect the total to reach at least 170. Seventy percent of the nights now represent Music Hall’s own bookings. Last season’s operating budget of $6 million will swell to between $8 and $10 million this season.”
Another Turkish Writer Charged
Turkish writer Elif Shafak has become the latest Turkish writer to be charged with insulting Turkey for a comment on of the characters in one of her books makes about genocide. “Section 301 of the penal code makes it an offence to insult Turkish identity, and is being used in more than 60 cases against Turkish writers and journalists.”
Previously Unpublished Tolkien To Hit Stores
“An unfinished tale by J.R.R. Tolkien has been edited by his son into a completed work and will be released next spring, the U.S. and British publishers announced Monday.”
What Ails Ya: Does Toronto Need One Big Super-Orchestra?
Maybe what ails the Toronto music scene is too many orchestras, writes Robert Everrett-Green. How about combining them? “Simply put, a super-orchestra of 150 would be large enough to handle the increased schedules of opera and ballet, and to perform a shorter TSO season. That’s how the Vienna Philharmonic functions, as one emanation of a 163-member pool that also provides players for all the ballet and opera performances at the Vienna State Opera.”