London's West End In Song "This year singing shows have been the West End's theatrical success story. Straight theatre productions have closed early but musicals are booked up way into 2007. Since the beginning of 2006 there have been 20 new musical productions in the West End." The Observer (UK) 12/10/06
Posted: 12/10/2006 7:57 amThe Writer As Director (Not So Easy) "The main advantage for writers is their internal ear - which knows the tune of how the lines are 'meant to be'. This is also the great disadvantage. At every first read-through, all the writer can hear is the actors wrecking these rhythms. And the first instinct is to tell them so. The director's (correct) instinct is, 'Not now'." The Guardian (UK) 12/09/06
Posted: 12/10/2006 7:54 amKilling Innovation - One Theatre's Demise Brighton's Gardner Arts Centre is a model of clever interesting programming, but it's closing because of money worries. "Thanks largely to the experience, intuition and artistic courage of the venue's programmer, Claire Soper, the Gardner has built a first-class reputation. It stands for all that an arts venue should be - risk taking, finding and supporting the next Mark Ravenhill or Peter Brook. Its loss will be a calamity, not only for Brighton and Hove, but for the UK's arts industry as a whole." The Observer (UK) 12/10/06
Posted: 12/10/2006 7:30 amA Little Dinner With That Play? Dinner theatre is a special event in many small communities. "Today running a dinner theater can be a struggle. Production and royalty costs are high, and with new food and a different cast each time. The National Dinner Theater Association now has just 32 members, down from 48 two decades ago." The New York Times 12/10/06
Posted: 12/10/2006 5:15 am