THEATRE

Barack And Michelle Obama Are Now Broadway Producers

Higher Ground, their production company, is one of the main backers of this spring’s 16-week run of David Auburn’s Tony- and Pulitzer-winning play Proof, starring Don Cheadle and Ayo Edibiri (in their Broadway debuts) and directed by Thomas Kail, who staged Hamilton. - Variety

Costs To Produce Theatre In Britain Have Doubled In The Last Ten Years

The annual Theatre in the UK report from the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre says that, despite soaring attendance, many theatres in Britain are expecting to post operating deficits — because, as costs have risen, ticket prices have not been raised so as not to drive away audiences. - The Stage

Broadway Is Now So Expensive That American Plays Are Debuting In London Instead

“The message I’m getting,” says the chief at one respected theatre in the British capital, “is that to come to London, hire a theater like ours, pay for the flights and accommodations for the U.S. creatives and casts, it still works out cheaper.” - The New York Times

Quentin Tarantino Has Written A Theatre Farce For The West End

The stranger-than-fiction truth is that Tarantino has written an original, old-fashioned British farce, in the door-slamming, trouser-dropping, mistaken identity vein of Brian Rix or Ray Cooney. - Daily Mail

It’s Such A Brutal Time For Both Theatre And Arts Journalism

So what’s an NYT theatre critic to do? “There are so many things beyond our control ... but somewhere amid all the hubbub, someone is making something, and you need to pay attention.” - The New York Times

How The Musical Suffs Emerged From The 2016 Election

“To me, a great protagonist for a musical is somebody who wants something so desperately, who is going to be relentless to the point of recklessness. … Alice lived until 1977. She was the author of the Equal Rights Amendment. She never stopped.” - Boston Globe

One In Five Broadway Theatergoers Is Going Alone

“Nearly 20% of Broadway theater tickets are now being purchased by solo attendees — double the rate from just a couple of years ago, according to audience data for the 2024-25 season from the Broadway League.” And one theater owner, ATG Entertainment, is tapping into that crowd with a “Solo Seats” initiative. - NPR

What Will Happen To DC Theatre Without A WaPo Theatre Critic?

The Washington Post's theatre critic chair sits empty after layoffs, leaving D.C.'s robust theatre scene wondering who's watching—and whether anyone still cares. Local companies now face the existential question: make art for critics, or just make art? — American Theatre

One Of Seattle’s Top Theater Companies Lays Off Staff

“The 5th Avenue Theatre Company, Seattle's primary producer of Broadway-scale musicals, is eliminating about 14 staff positions and pausing some education and engagement programs amid cash flow problems, the nonprofit announced Friday.” - The Seattle Times

Exiled Belarussian Theatre Brings Dissident Work To Venice Biennale

The exhibition, titled “Official. Unofficial. Belarus.,” is a group show presenting work by Belarusian artists who works challenge the long-standing authoritative regime in their native country. - Artnet

How Jonathan Groff Became A Now-Rare Thing: A Male Musical-Theater Superstar

Says director Michael Mayer, “He’s now established himself as someone who can open and sustain a show. And this at a time when star power is pretty much one of the only things that can guarantee viability for a musical.” - The New York Times

Belarus Free Theatre To Appear At Venice Biennale

“The Belarus Free Theatre, an underground theater group in exile since 2020, announced Wednesday that it will stage the exhibition ‘Official. Unofficial. Belarus.’ as an official collateral event of the 61st Venice Biennale.” - ARTnews

Follow One Of Broadway’s Top Electricians Through His Workday

Jimmy Fedigan has worked on 125 shows, working up from substitute spotlight guy to overseeing the entire technical production of the musical Chicago. In this video, he walks us through various aspects of his job, from the scene shop where sets get built to backstage shortly before curtain time. - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)

This Little Company Brings The Ephemerality Of Theater To A Whole New Level

Every month, in an American Legion hall or women’s center (anywhere but a theater) in Los Angeles, Public Assembly presents three 12-minute plays that it has developed over the previous four weeks from pitches submitted from the audience at the previous month’s show, which is advertised only by word-of-mouth. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Why Is There A Shortage Of Understudies In Toronto Theatres?

For at least three years running now, shows in Toronto have been disrupted because theatres did not have adequate understudy coverage. - Toronto Star

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