Stories

The Donut-Hole Of Theatre Attention

Three and a half hours is the danger zone: the length of many an unabridged classic. The artists, too often, haven’t thought of the way time sits on our bodies and our minds. This is the play you’re most likely to feel restless in, like it has taken up too much of your day, like it has outstayed its...

Publishers Are Unprepared For Books That Have Been Written With AI

In response to questions from The New York Times about the A.I. allegations against “Shy Girl,” Hachette told The Times that its imprint Orbit has canceled plans to release the novel in the United States and that Hachette will discontinue its U.K. edition. - The New York Times

Venice Mayor Will Close Russia’s Biennale Pavilion If It Is Used For ‘Propaganda”

“Russia … is a problem, but the Russian people are not. I’m pro-Ukrainian, everyone knows that, I've twinned Venice with Odessa. (But) we must work to ensure that culture isn't censorship,” said Luigi Brugnaro. “If the Russian government were to carry out propaganda, we would be the first to close the pavilion.” - The Art Newspaper

Metropolitan Opera Debt Downgraded To “Junk” Status

A Caa1 is a credit rating that indicates very high credit risk and poor standing, often referred to as “junk” or “speculative” grade. It indicates that an organization is in danger of defaulting, though it is not yet in default. - OperaWire

Chuck Norris, Action-Movie Icon, Is Dead At 86

The martial-arts grandmaster starred in more than 20 films, including Return of the Dragon, Missing in Action, and The Delta Force, as well as the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger. - AP

CBS News To Lay Off 6% Of Staff

“It’s the second round of layoffs in six months at CBS News (a round in October canceled some streaming shows and overhauled the Saturday morning show), but these are the first in pursuit of (editor-in-chief Bari) Weiss’s new strategy, which she outlined to staff earlier this year.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Leader Who Received Death Threats At Oregon Shakespeare Festival Has A New, Safer Job

“Since January, (Nataki Garrett), whose era-defining OSF term lasted just four years, has been at another helm as interim artistic director of San Francisco's African-American Shakespeare Company, and she's optimistic that this new appointment will be less troubled. For one thing, she no longer retains a security detail.” - San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)

What Happened After Huntsville, AL’s Public Radio Station Dropped NPR Programming? Disaster.

Since WRLH ended its affiliation with NPR last October 1, the station has lost 75% of its listenership. This is notwithstanding the fact that the station continues to air programming from PRX, American Public Media and the BBC. - Michael Krall

Brooklyn’s BAM Names New President And Aims For Stability

“The Brooklyn Academy of Music (has) appointed Tamara McCaw, … who has served as interim president since last June, … as the center emerges from a period of shrinking audiences, declining revenue and turnover in its upper ranks.” - The New York Times

Pittsburgh’s Two Largest Theater Companies Merge

“Pittsburgh Public Theater, founded in 1975, and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, founded in 1946, will cease to exist under the plan approved by their boards. … The new, as-yet-unnamed troupe plans to announce its inaugural programming this fall and debut in January. For now, the two groups will continue their planned seasons." - WESA (Pittsburgh)

British Museum Is No Longer UK’s Most Visited Attraction

With a record 7.1 million visitors in 2025, London’s Natural History Museum surged past the British Museum to take the top spot. - The Standard (London)

When Daniel Radcliffe Married A New York Theater Critic Onstage

Sara Holdren of New York magazine recounts how she went to review Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway and wound up as the star’s love interest. - New York Magazine (MSN)

An AI Version Of Val Kilmer Is Cast In A New Movie

First Line Films announced Wednesday that Kilmer has posthumously joined the cast of a film titled As Deep as the Grave. The producers said that, before his death, Kilmer had signed on to perform in the movie but was unable to because of his health. - CBC

On The Popularity Of “Heated Rivalry” In Russia

“On Kinopoisk, Russia’s largest film-and-TV database and ratings site, it sits at 8.3/10 with more than 60,000 ratings. … As a scholar of Russian culture and someone who grew up there, I keep wondering why Heated Rivalry hits with such force in Russia.” - Los Angeles Review of Books

A History Of Famous Typos

James Joyce’s editors compiled a massive list of the book’s errors to be fixed in new editions. Joyce rejected some of the corrections, saying, “These are not misprints but beauties of my style hitherto undreamt of.” - Smithsonian

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