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- A $125,000 Offer Saved The Muppet Show
Good Morning,
The Muppet Show, which turned 50 last month, was made in England because Lew Grade, a British producer with an empty studio outside London, offered Jim Henson $125,000 for one episode, on condition he shoot there. Henson had two failed ABC pilots and a stalled CBS deal behind him (Variety).
Daniel Weiss, 69, became director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art a month after the board fired Sasha Suda; vice chair Osagie Imasogie says a search would have been “performative” (ARTnews).
In 1947 the Minneapolis Institute of Art paid $10,000 for a “King Chak Mool” later exposed as a forgery. The dealer, Earl Stendahl, also ran looted Mesoamerican objects into Los Angeles collections, according to a new Getty Research Institute book (Hyperallergic).
Quebec novelist Thélyson Orélien admits plagiarism in articles he wrote in 2012-14 but denies using AI for C’était ça ou mourir, which the Goncourt jury dropped on September 25 (The Canadian Press).
La Scala’s workers voted to strike on October 20, opening night of Gounod’s Faust, with one vote against among more than 450, over a 15 percent raise (Moto Perpetuo).
One Minnesota school pulled 80 books last year, including The Handmaid’s Tale, after the state outlawed book bans (Star Tribune). South Grand Prairie High School in Texas canceled Little Shop of Horrors because a girl was cast as Seymour (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
All of our stories below.
- “The Muppet Show” Is Now 50. It Almost Didn’t Happen At All.
After the success of Sesame Street, Jim Henson badly wanted to make a his own show. But there were two failed pilots for ABC and development plans at CBS stalled. Things looked hopeless — until producer Lew Grade came along. (One perhaps-surprising fact: all five seasons of the show were shot in England.) – Variety
- Meghan O’Gieblyn On The Limits And Opportunities Of Knowing Ourselves
When we read her work, we come to understand her in part through her acts of self-discovery, how, not unlike Montaigne, she comes to know herself by reckoning with the ways in which she may have remained unknown to herself. – The Point
- Daniel Weiss Is A Mr. Fix-It. Can He Fix The Philadelphia Museum Of Art?
He has been fixing institutions for his entire career, from his very first job, at the Kennedy Center’s gift shop, to the Metropolitan Museum, which, when he became CEO, had issues not dissimilar to those at the PMA when he became director last year. So far, the staff appears to be happier. – ARTnews
- The Art Trafficker Who Flooded LA Museums
The Stendahl Art Galleries were a key driver in the illegal looting, smuggling, and sale of these objects to its Los Angeles clientele. The Galleries’ archive is now housed at the Getty Research Institute (which published this book), allowing for a deep investigation into the shady dealings of an art dealer. – Hyperallergic
- LA Opera’s New Music Director: Making LA Opera Distinctly LA. But How?
“LA Opera should be an identity, unmistakably, just be L.A. Never imitate any other opera capital in the world. We are not New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Berlin, Vienna. So, what is L.A.? It’s creativity. It’s cinema, theater, visual art, technology, and all these together, that makes the LA Opera.” – San Francisco Classical Voice
- We’re Losing Our Skills As We Lean Into Technology
We have fallen into habits that are steadily deskilling the human body, eroding capacities honed by evolution to support our wellbeing as we move through the world. Some of these capacities are weakening through disuse: we have come to rely on our phones, for example, and now, increasingly, on AI. – Aeon
- Untangling The Myths Around Cormac McCarthy
Many of those myths — that he was an outsider to the publishing world, a loner, reluctant to do press — come from a 1992 feature article published in The New York Times Magazine which was, it turns out, quite misleading. (However, McCarthy really was a lousy boyfriend and husband.) – The New York Times Magazine
- Complicating The Morality Of Colonialism?
“My pessimism is reinforced by the zero-sum view of economics that typically accompanies the zero-sum view of moral agency around colonialism. A major piece of evidence for the ‘colonisation explains everything’ thesis is economic.” – 3 Quarks Daily
- Getty Images Is A Giant. It Was Worth $4.8B A Few Years Ago. Now It’s In Bankruptcy. What Happened?
Getty Images is preparing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after years of financial struggles, a failed merger, and growing competition from technology that can create images in seconds. – Fast Company
- The Awards Show That Defines Troubled: Golden Globes V Golden Globe
Two months after the remnants of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association sued Penske Media Corporation for its part in Dick Clark Productions‘ purchase of the Golden Globes in 2023 with allegations of monopolization and fraudulent misrepresentation, the Penske-controlled Golden Globes is going after the Golden Globe Foundation for trademark infringement and unfair competition. – Deadline
- Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition Has Spectators Flocking To Battle Of Hastings Re-Enactment
“Each fall, about 1,000 history enthusiasts gather in Battle, a town in southern England, to recreate the Battle of Hastings (the main event depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry) … on the very landscape where the conflict unfolded on Oct. 14, 1066. This year … the crowds have been more teeming than usual.” – The New York Times
- Indivisible: Lee Krasner And Jackson Pollock
The blockbuster that just opened at the Met, “Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous,” is probably, canvas for canvas, the best painting show in America this year. It does something I thought impossible, which is make Abstract Expressionism—the most fossilized of American art movements—seem new again. – The New Yorker
- The Essential Anne Carson: Fragments Across Time
Fragmentation is frequently associated with the crisis of representation in 20th-century literature. Carson reveals that the ancient textual tradition already contains discontinuities that resist the modern desire for completeness. – The Conversation
- Netflix Is Cutting 1000 Jobs As Stock Price, Customer Growth Stumble
Netflix is cutting 6% of its staff, or roughly 1,000 positions globally, its biggest round of layoffs since 2022, as it struggles with slowing growth and customer engagement. – The Wall Street Journal
- Workers At La Scala Vote To Authorize One-Day Strike
That day, October 20, is opening night for a new production of Gounod’s Faust, directed by Johannes Erath and conducted by Daniele Rustioni. House employees are demanding that their next contract include a 15% increase in gross pay. – Moto Perpetuo
- A Company For Lapsed Ballet Dancers To Return To Training And Performing
“There have long been ballet classes for children, and classes for adult beginners have grown in popularity. But there are relatively few designated spaces for serious former students to practice and perform at a high level, with no dreams of going pro.” Enter the Ballet Salon. – The New York Times
- 80 Books Were Banned In Minnesota Last Year. They Were All At One School.
Among the titles involved were The Handmaid’s Tale, The Kite Runner, and a cookbook. Outraged students protested. And, mind you, this was after Minnesota passed a law forbidding book bans in public schools. – The Minnesota Star Tribune
- Author Of France’s Hit Novel Of The Fall Denies Using AI But Admits To Past Plagiarism
“The novel by Thélyson Orélien, C’était ça ou mourir, which translates to ‘It was either that or dying,’ came under scrutiny last month over allegations of AI use. This was followed by other news reports that raised questions about passages in the author’s previous work.” – The Canadian Press
- Sculptors’ Favorite Plaster Is Being Discontinued, And They’re Freaking Out
“The specialty plaster is a type of gypsum product known as Hydrocal, which … is durable enough for metal casting but soft enough for direct sculpting. In addition to artworks, it is used in architectural restoration projects, dental molds, orthopedic molds and the customization of prosthetic limbs.” – The New York Times
- New York Public Radio’s CEO Steps Down After Only Eight Months
The press release said only, “The Board of Trustees thanks Christy (Tanner) for her contributions to NYPR and wishes her well.” Her predecessor, LaFontaine Oliver, is stepping in as interim Acting President and CEO. – Gothamist
- A Texas School District Cancels “Little Shop Of Horrors” Because A Girl Was Cast As Seymour
District officials canceled South Grand Prairie High School’s production largely out of concern about breaking Texas’s recent law banning drag performances in front of minors. Meanwhile, the student actress points out that denying her the chance to perform because she’s female violates Title IX. – Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Senior Director – Management and Administration – Center Theatre Group via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
Center Theatre Group (CTG) is seeking candidates for a new senior leadership role, created to reflect the opportunities and challenges offered by being part of the dynamic leadership team at one of the largest professional theatres in the country. The Senior Director – Management and Administration is a key member of the Executive Office and supervises three teams. The role combines traditional General Management work — contract negotiation, union relations, and season/production planning support — with broader oversight of Operations & Facilities and Human Resources. Reporting to the Managing Director/CEO, this position centralizes supervisory and administrative work currently spread across multiple departments into a single point of accountability for CTG’s contracting, production, operations, and people functions.
About Center Theatre Group
At Center Theatre Group, we believe theatre creates an extraordinary connection between artists and audiences. As one of the nation’s most influential non-profit theatre companies, we provide the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country at the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Whether it’s producing new work through our robust artistic development programs or engaging people of all ages and backgrounds across Los Angeles through our community and education programs, we put theatre at the center of it all.
Center Theatre Group commits to creating a safe space where access, belonging and a positive workplace culture are rooted in all levels and aspects of our work. We aim to attract, nurture and retain staff in a supportive home where we can be our best selves. We celebrate our commonalities and embrace our differences in order to ensure that everyone has access to our work onstage, behind the scenes and in the community.
Job Description
Primary Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Strategic Partnerships
- As a member of the Executive Office, supervise Management, Operations & Facilities, and HR Departments, coordinating work across all three functions.
- Participate in executive-level meetings with other members of the senior leadership team.
- Serve as a company representative for industry organizations, including but not limited to the League of Resident Theatres (LORT).
- Represent Center Theatre Group as part of the civic and theater scene; attend CTG openings, and special events.
- Support the Managing Director/CEO and Artistic Director on organizational strategy, budgeting, and special projects.
- Coordination of interdepartmental administrative functions such as employee onboarding.
- Foster department culture that is fair, collaborative, supportive, and safe, in keeping with CTG’s Code of Conduct, Core Values, and commitment to access, belonging, and culture.
- Other duties or projects as assigned.
Management Team, Budgeting & Contracting
- Oversees the Management Department, which includes the General Managers and Company Management teams.
- Supervise the General Managers (CTG Productions and New Work Development; CTG Presentations) in the negotiation and execution of contracts with directors, choreographers, designers, actors, and other creative personnel within union regulations and approved budgets.
- Oversee commissioning, co-production, special producing partnerships, and enhancement agreements with support of the General Managers, ensuring compliance with LORT/AEA/USA/SDC collective bargaining agreements and representing CTG in co-production agreements among partner theatres.
- Supervise the negotiation of royalties, production licenses, and rights agreements for CTG-produced, co-produced, and presented work.
- Partner with the Artistic Team, and Director of Production on season planning, including production budgets, schedules, and budget tracking with the support of the General Managers.
- Review production financial projections and viability assessments prepared by Management staff to inform season planning and the overall annual budget.
- Oversee the General Managers execution of production budgets in coordination with senior members of the Production and Artistic Teams.
- Supervise KDT rental management and contracting.
Operations & Facilities
- Oversee Operations and Facilities Department, including Operations and Facilities Director, building services teams, equipment management, maintenance planning, and vendor management across CTG’s venues.
- Partner with the Managing Director/CEO on long-range facilities planning and capital budgeting, including coordinating with architects, engineers, and contractors on active capital projects and tracking project timelines and budgets.
- Serve as staff liaison on facilities-related matters to the Board, as needed.
- Chair the organization’s Safety Committee, overseeing workplace safety policies, incident review, and compliance with OSHA and other applicable safety regulations.
- Develop and oversee CTG’s approach to venue security and emergency readiness, including risk assessments, crisis response planning, staff protocols, and relationships with outside agencies.
- Oversee emergency response training and preparedness for staff, volunteers, and front-of-house teams during performances and events.
Human Resources & Union Relations
- Oversee Human Resources Department, including supervision of the Director of HR, employee relations, and compliance with employment law.
- Serve as the first point of contact for HR staff on employee-related matters.
- Partner with the Director of HR and Managing Director/CEO on high-risk or complex employee relations issues.
- Serve as lead for labor/management questions with AEA, SDC, USA, AFM, Wardrobe, Ticket Sellers; oversee collective bargaining execution, compliance, and reporting in association with LORT.
- Work with Managing Director/CEO, Director of HR, Director of Production and other key staff on resolution of union grievances and collective bargaining compliance issues, coordinating directly with union representatives and legal counsel as needed.
- Work closely with the Director of Production on IATSE contract and relationship.
- Work with HR and other members of the Executive team on comprehensive employee training and programming.
- Work with staff leadership and affinity space leaders to foster an environment of belonging at CTG.
- Oversee the handling of HR-related concerns involving visiting artists and creative teams, in partnership with General and Company Management.
Center Theatre Group provides a dynamic working environment in which duties and responsibilities may change. Employees are expected to be flexible and responsive to changes in the scope of their duties.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in theatre management, arts administration, or a related discipline preferred; advanced degree a plus.
- 8+ years of senior arts management experience, including direct experience negotiating union contracts (e.g., AEA, SDC, USA, IATSE); LORT or Broadway Tour contract experience a plus.
- Demonstrated experience overseeing Human Resources and/or Operations & Facilities functions, ideally within a nonprofit or unionized environment.
- Strong track record supervising multi-department teams and managing organizational change.
- Excellent negotiation, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential HR, legal, and contractual matters.
- Familiarity with theatrical/production budgeting processes.
- Demonstrated commitment to fostering an equitable, inclusive workplace culture.
Minimum Requirements
- Ability to sit, type and work at a computer for extended periods of time.
- Ability to lift, carry 25 pounds
- Willingness and ability to work 40 hours per week. Flexibility to work overtime as needed.
All employees are required to pass a background check.
In order to ensure a safe and healthy workplace, CTG recommends that all employees stay current with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.
Compensation
CTG is offering a salary range of $180,000 to $200,000, and a generous benefits package including retirement plan options, escalating paid vacation, sick, personal days and holidays, and health benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts and employee assistance program.
Application Instructions
TOC Arts Partners is supporting CTG on this search by seeking highly qualified candidates to share with CTG leadership, who will be conducting the full search. TOC Arts Partners is a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector.
To apply, visit the online application and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.orgApplications will be accepted until this role is filled. We encourage you to apply by October 20, 2026 for priority consideration. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. Please note that applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview, and all applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.
We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
From Center Theatre Group
Center Theatre Group is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, color, ancestry, disability, age, national origin, pregnancy, veteran/military status, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by law. CTG will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
- David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation Director-The Gund at Kenyon College
The Gund at Kenyon College (The Gund), a contemporary and modern art museum for shared learning and connection, seeks a leader with expansive vision and a deep understanding of modern and contemporary art to serve as David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation Director (Director).
The Director will shape The Gund’s continuing dynamic growth and will have full management responsibility for the museum, its team, and its operations. The Director will build compelling and inspiring programming that is both connected to Kenyon’s academic community and which will expand the museum’s significance within the greater contemporary and modern art world. The Director will develop new ways to execute The Gund’s strong curatorial programming, prepare the museum for the anticipated major expansion to its already strong collection, and create messaging and execute plans for new and transformative funding sources.
Reporting directly to the President of the College and working closely with The Gund’s independent Board of Directors, the Director will ensure that The Gund’s profile continues to grow as an important place for contemporary and modern art fully integrated into the academic experience at Kenyon College. The Gund has engaged Management Consultants for the Arts to lead the search, and interested candidates may read the complete job profile and apply for this position by visiting this link: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/director-gund
The Gund hopes to make a hiring decision by the First Quarter of 2027, with the selected candidate transitioning into the position sometime shortly after that. The salary range starts at $175,000 annually and includes a full benefit package. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at twenty-three other of the nation’s finest liberal arts colleges.
Kenyon College also offers health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in Kenyon College’s Staff Handbook.
Named for the late architect and philanthropist Graham Gund, The Gund has grown remarkably since it was established on the Kenyon College campus in 2011. The Gund is itself an architectural destination and far more than a place to view art. The Gund is an energized teaching museum—open to all and a creative hub for collective experiences and academic inquiry. More information on The Gund can be found at https://www.thegund.org/.
- Was This The First-Ever Mirror-Selfie?
Okay, not the first painted self-portrait, but a photo taken by Mia Jackson (younger sister of early photographer Julia Margaret Cameron and grandmother of Virginia Woolf) sometime in the late 1850s is evidently the oldest known image in which the camera is deliberately aimed at the subject in a mirror. – Artnet
- Who Are The Most-Faked Artists?
Art trickery can get tricky. And yet it persists. Some experts estimate that around half of the secondary art market consists of forgeries and misattributions. – ARTnews
- As Electricity Failures Drag On, Theatre Companies In Havana Perform By Candlelight
“Since January, when the US imposed a fuel blockade in a bid to upend the communist-run government, (Cubans) have had to contend with blackouts spanning days. … On a recent Friday evening, …candles flickered outside the theater hall, while the inside was lit by an array of rechargeable lights in all shapes and sizes.” – Reuters
- Think You Can Spot AI Writing? Probably Not
A question that is turning us all into different kinds of readers—skeptical, antagonistic, and less willing to give our fellow humans the benefit of the doubt. Trying to figure out what AI writing looks like is turning writer and reader into adversaries. And I’m going to tell you why. – The Walrus
- Non-Fiction Is In Trouble?
What if, like a thumb on the scales tipping debut novels toward more favourable outcomes, nonfiction’s bleaker fate was also a product of accumulated choices—choices about where the money goes and how the story of these books gets told? – The Walrus
- Is “Hadestown” Proof Live Theatre Works In Movie Theatres?
Hadestown has already surpassed Hamilton for the highest grossing opening weekend for a live theatre film in North America, bringing in $10.2-million USD during its debut weekend. – ArtsHub
- Book-Banning In US Schools Reached Record High In 2025-26
“PEN recorded nearly 12,000 instances of book banning affecting 7,370 unique titles across 114 U.S. school districts during the 2025-26 academic year, a record high since PEN began tracking literary censorship in American public schools in 2021.” The “vast majority” of the bans were in Texas and Florida. – Publishers Weekly
- African Filmmakers Pile Into AI, But Not Without Bumps
The episode felt somehow symbolic for this moment in the history of AI in Africa, where excitement over the technology’s transformative potential for the continent’s filmmakers often runs counter to the practical realities on the ground. – Variety
- Richard Tognetti On 50 Years Of The Australian Chamber Orchestra
While the ACO is perhaps best known, outside Australia at least, for its championing of new music alongside the classics, at home it’s Tognetti’s openness to music from other genres, and the rich cross-fertilisation that results, for which he’s equally celebrated. – Gramophone
- Why King Arthur Still Resonates In Our Popular Culture
Arthur and the chivalric culture he evokes remain part of our cultural lexicon, as shown by his continued reimagining in popular media. – Jstor
- The New York City Ballet Star Who’s Retiring After An Actual Near-Death Experience
Two years ago, Adrian Danchig-Waring suffered a herniated disc which ended up completely dissolving into fluid, and an epidural injection led to a severe bacterial infection. He lost 25 pounds and the ability to walk. Then he made a deal with the universe … – The New York Times