“Comedy survives every moment.” And good thing it does, Stewart said, because “comedy doesn’t change the world, but it’s a bellwether. We’re the banana peel in the coal mine. When society is under threat, comedians are the ones who get sent away first.” - Washington Post
That's where you'll find the papers of Neil Simon: "7,700 manuscripts, letters and other material that Simon’s widow, Elaine Joyce, has donated to the Library of Congress." - Washington Post
Critic Marty Hughley responds to an opinion piece by the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and he's fine with audiences quieting the heck down. For instance: "Why is the shushing rude, but the intrusive sound that precipitates it isn’t?" - Oregon ArtsWatch
Doran, who has worked with the RSC for 35 years and was its leader for nearly a decade, has been on personal leave since his husband, actor Antony Sher, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last September and passed away in December. - The Guardian
"Dave Malloy, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for the show, has filed a petition ... (saying) he is owed 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' for productions of the musical that took place in Japan in 2019 and in Korea in 2021." - The New York Times
"The Molières were designed to bridge the gap between (the) two opposing production models. ... The distinction has long structured French theater and shaped its aesthetics," with commercial theatre tending toward light entertainment and state-funded companies more intellectualized and experimental work. The gap, however, hasn't been bridged. - The New York Times
"There's something in the water,” said Nish Kumar. ... "I've had a few conversations with other comics and there's a sense that something doesn't quite feel right." And while the shift seems more noticeable since the pandemic, COVID lockdowns don't seem to be the sole explanation. - The Guardian
Francesca Moody, who produced at the festival the original stage version of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, is one of several frequent participants who said the entire Fringe enterprise could "collapse" if the cost of accommodations in Edinburgh for artists and visitors can't be brought under control. - The Stage
Founded in 2000 by Felix Barrett, the British firm has developed a passionate fanbase thanks to its unique form of immersive theater, which leaves audiences free to choose what to watch and where to go in vast, decorated spaces. - Deadline
Jeremy Gerard: "There are so many reasons to mourn its passing, but I will dedicate my Kaddish to this: We critics tend to be solo fliers. ... We rarely play well with others. But the Festival was an exception, demanding collegiality." - American Theatre
The pitch is to build something like Netflix or Spotify, where members pay an affordable monthly subscription fee in exchange for access to all the content they want. While there are a limited number of tickets per performance, members can sign up for any open spots and go to as many shows as they like. - Gothamist
If Long Wharf remained, fundraising would be necessary for capital needs for a complex it did not own and that was not easily accessible to a disenfranchised community it wanted to engage. - New Haven Biz
The theatre owners "announced the decision as many governments and businesses nationwide have been loosening restrictions, but with cases rising in New York City and the virus forcing several Broadway shows to cancel performances in recent days." - The New York Times
Rafson becomes Producing Artistic Director of the influential Off-Broadway troupe as of June 21, succeeding John Doyle, known for his stripped-down productions of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, Company, and Assassins in which the actors play instruments as well as speaking and singing. - Playbill
