“Love letters written by Sylvia Plath’s husband to his mistress have been acquired by Emory University’s Robert W. Woodruff Library. Despite writing to Assia Wevill to ‘please burn all my letters,’ the collection includes more than 60 letters from British poet laureate Ted Hughes to Wevill and six from her to him – as well as a number of notes, sketches, fragmentary diary entries and a few photographs of Wevill.”
Tag: 01.08.07
Ballets Russes Dancer Ruthanna Boris, 88
“Ruthanna Boris, a versatile dancer and choreographer who was the first American ballerina to be a star of one of the prestigious Ballets Russes troupes of the ’40s, died Friday at her home in El Cerrito, Calif.”
Hitless Wonder – A UK Without Hit Plays
Why don’t London hits get produced in regional theatres? “We have now created a situation in which there is a demand for hundreds of premieres across the country every year, often in studio theatres. But there is no promise of subsequent productions. Writers – realising there is very small financial reward for this, and small audiences – are soon lost to television and film.”
Suing To Be A Star?
“A UCLA study released in December 2006 argues that, though 69 percent of roles were reserved for white actors, minority actors have an option to improve their job prospects by suing the entertainment industry for violating their rights under Title VII, the equal employment opportunity clause of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
Invitation To Criticize
The Guardian’s critics recently began blogging. It’s taken a little getting used to. “I’d like to think this was a good thing. Certainly, it is an education. Like backroom comedy writers dragooned into performing late-night stand-up in a club full of tetchy drunks, this paper’s critics have had to learn to deal with hecklers very quickly.”
Are Record Labels Ready To Ditch Digital Music Locks?
Most record labels prefer music formats such as the ones sold by Apple’s iTunes, because they make it harder for people to share music. But “evidence is mounting that major labels may start to prefer the MP3 format, as impossible as that used to seem. Here are seven reasons why MP3 is the future of the music industry.
Sobol Story – No One Wanted It
The controversial Solbol Prize, which offered $100,000 and a publishing contract to the winner, has been canceled for lack of interest. “First announced last September, the Sobol prize was immediately attacked by agents, bloggers and other critics for the entry fee and for requiring that Sobol officials serve as the winners’ literary representative. Industry policy prohibits agents from charging money to read manuscripts.”
The Music Of Suspense
Alfred Hitchcock’s “characters are haunted by tunes for good reason. And while the achievements of his films and their scores have not lacked elaborate celebration (he worked with the best film composers of the 20th century and left his mark on their development), Hitchcock had something else in mind that may not be fully appreciated.”
What Christopher Wheeldon’s New Company Means
“Wheeldon has taken an enormous risk, abandoning the comfortable role of resident choreographer at City Ballet for a venture with unknown prospects. At the same time, in a world of relatively few big-name ballet choreographers, Mr. Wheeldon’s announcement has prompted comparisons with giants in the field — like George Balanchine, the co-founder of City Ballet with Lincoln Kirstein, or Serge Diaghilev, the impresario behind the legendary Ballets Russes.”
Hey New York – Time For Your Stunt Double
New York City is looking for a bigger piece of the movie and TV production business. “It’s frustrating to see shows set in New York that are not made in New York. Something like ‘CSI: NY’ spends maybe five days a year here. You can see that it’s a fake New York.”