Tag: 01.03.20

The Making Of ‘Maiden’

The Oscar-shortlisted documentary Maiden wasn’t easy to make – in some ways, it was almost as hard to make as the incredible, history-making voyage it depicts. For one thing, all of the filming the crew did on the ship was on VHS tapes that had been literally cut and spliced by various news crews on different continents. – Los Angeles Times

A Kentucky Opioid Recovery Program Uses Traditional Stringed Instruments To Keep People Engaged (And Employed)

While some in recovery opt for yoga or prayer groups, the group that chooses to connect with Kentucky’s musical heritage is doing well. “The art of crafting an instrument by hand requires keen focus, attention to detail and commitment to a goal — qualities that can help during recovery, in concert with therapy, peer-support groups and other rehabilitation work, experts say.”  – The New York Times

Time’s Up Releases New Guidelines For Casting And For Nude Scenes

Time’s Up is trying to prepare actors and would-be actors for situations that have been rather iffy in the past (by “iffy,” we mean “containing lots of possibilities for assault and rape”): “Some of the ‘specific circumstances’ addressed in the guide range from preparing for chemistry reads (sometimes-intimate audition scenes between two actors) and casting directors who say, ‘Come back sexier,’ to ‘experiencing sexual assault mid-shoot’ and ‘being asked ‘to have actual sex’ instead of simulated sex’ during production.” Just … argh, Hollywood. – Los Angeles Times

Yes, We Do Need More New Recordings Of Classical Music

Anthony Tommasini says new recordings are vital, no matter how many we’ve got from the past: “New takes on standard repertory works — if not as essential as recordings of works by living composers or of overlooked scores from the past — can enrich and enliven the art form. It’s empowering for performers and audiences alike to have recordings of these scores by artists we can hear today.” – The New York Times

Ballet, Too, Must Move Past Its (White, Imperialist) Roots

Says one artistic director, “Addressing this issue can’t happen by simply replacing white bodies with those of color. ‘The storylines have to change,’ Vilaro says, noting that some narratives told onstage still uphold the stereotypical racial tropes.” That means new works, new narratives, and company-wide discussions about tough topics. – Dance Magazine

Hi, It’s 2020, Why Are Women Having To Prove Women’s Stories Are Valuable … Again?

Seriously, WTF, 2020 awards season? Last year, 2019, was “a year in which a slate of female-driven and directed movies topped the box office – Hustlers, directed by Lorene Scafaria, raked in over $156m this fall – or received critical acclaim and attention (Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood). And yet the pillars of acclaim in the industry – awards, at once irrelevant and its own cottage industry of symbolic importance – still almost never reward female-directed films, or films about women at all.” – The Guardian (UK)

After 15 Years, The New York Musical Festival Has Shut Down For Good

Debts, staff resignations, and what the board described as a “national arts funding crisis” meant that the festival – which premiered more than 400 musicals in the summer, some of which made their way to Broadway – not only shut down immediately, but also declared bankruptcy. The artistic director and other staff had been working without pay since August and said they were not informed in advance of the board’s decision. – The New York Times