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Frida Kahlo: The Musical

Actually, just Frida, the Musical, coming soon to regionals, with Broadway in mind for 2024. "The musical’s creators hope the show will offer a new look at Kahlo’s life — illuminating previously untold details and personal stories about the beloved artist." - Washington Post

We’ll Be Hearing Her In All The Old Familiar Places

That is, our earbuds, Air Pods, headphones, etc. - Julia Whelan is an extremely popular audiobook narrator who's writing (and narrating) her own story too. - The New York Times

The Green Man Music Festival Isn’t Actually So Green

The government of Wales is under fire for helping the supposedly environmentally concerned music festival buy a farm for the festival to use "as a base for its expansion." - The Guardian (UK)

The Comics Industry Is Waking Up To A Huge New Trend

That is, comics that read from top to bottom, on smart phones - and whose audience is mostly young women. One author: "We have these opportunities to share these romance stories as American creators — as American women authors and comic artists." - The New York Times

The Pandemic’s Limitations Freed This Dancer And Choreographer To Create Something New

Luke Murphy's Volcano is "performed for an audience of eight, with each audience member in an individual booth." Sure, "it looked like 'financial madness,' but with Covid restrictions it 'actually became feasible' (because of support from the Arts Council, the festival and others)." - Irish Times

Classical Music Audiences Want Print, Not PDFs

"Those ushers who once carried proud armfuls of programs now wander the lobbies, outfitted (sometimes literally) with oversize QR codes, waiting to be scanned by passing patrons like a can of soup at the self-checkout." - Washington Post

Farewell, California Institute Of Abnormal Arts

"The gallery of curiosities alone was well worth the price of admission on a Friday or Saturday night. Human fetuses in jars, a preserved severed arm, Fiji mermaids ... The main attraction of the tour was a dead clown displayed in a transparent coffin." - Los Angeles Times

The New Disney Series’ Biggest Problem With Its Depiction Of A Teenager In New Jersey

Sure, Ms. Marvel absolutely nails the life of a Muslim teenager in the U.S. But "there’s been a cardinal unspoken rule when it comes to filming in Jersey: Come film our seedy underbellies, but don’t you dare make this place look inviting." - Slate

The Long Journey Of British Street Art

Have murals finally matured in the UK? "Powerful street murals can enhance a sense of place and local identity, and reach audiences who may not frequent more formal settings. ... This kind of art also has a vulnerability not found in museums or galleries." - The Guardian (UK)

The Supreme Court’s Dreadful Dobbs Decision May Accidentally Spur Data Privacy Advances

"'The circle of people who have to act like they’re in a spy movie is getting bigger and bigger,' says Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation." And state or national governments may decide to act. - Wired

Conductor Collapses From Podium And Dies In Munich

Stefan Soltesz, an Austrian conductor, was near the end of the first act of Richard Strauss' The Silent Woman at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich when he fell from the podium. One opera director collaborator said, "In a world of dilettantes, he was the real thing." - The New York Times

Report: How Canadians’ Listening Habits Are Changing

The yearly report shows a clear trend away from radio and physical media, led not surprisingly by younger Canadians. - Ludwig Van

Norman Lear At 100

“I think the big secret is never forgetting to wake up in the morning. It starts with getting out of bed,” Lear says. “But there isn’t a day when there aren’t stories to tell — exciting, relevant and of the moment stories.” - Variety

US Copyright Office Declines To Target Web Aggregators

The U.S. Copyright office, contrary to the approach taken in Europe, has declined to add an ancillary copyright for publishers to protect them from use of their content by aggregators. - MediaPost

A New Hotel That’s All Broadway

All through the hallways and suites and lounges of the Civilian, a new 27-story, 203-room hotel a block from Times Square, guests can face everything about Broadway except the music. It’s a veritable shrine to Broadway design. - Washington Post

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