“Reportedly £30,000 in debt after his illness, it could be argued that Paul Potts’ appearance on Britain’s Got Talent could not have come at a more opportune moment, as he acknowledged on winning. Fast forward seven months and Potts has not only topped the album charts but performed all around the world. From Mexico to New York, Canada to Portugal and Amsterdam to Helsinki, he has wowed audiences.”
Tag: 01.17.08
Are Book Prizes Still Relevant?
‘Does the damned thing matter any more?’ was a question asked more than once. So does the world (the reading world) need the Man Booker Prize?
Even In An Online World, Public Libraries Thrive
Today, libraries are more popular than ever. In part that’s because they are a prime example of what urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place calls a “third place.” The first place is home, the second place is your workspace, and the third is a public space where you can simply drop in, relax, read a book or magazine, talk with other people.
Actors Protest Eviction From Carnegie Hall Studios
“The 33 remaining residential and commercial tenants of two towers that rise above the midtown Manhattan hall — including half a dozen elderly, rent-control artists and musicians — are fighting eviction. Hall administrators say the space is needed for a renovation to create room for education programs.”
Record Year For London Theatre Box Office
Legit attendance in the British capital hit a record high in 2007, rising 10.3% to 13.6 million and generating ticket sales of £469,729,135 ($926.3 million).
Study: Surgeons’ Coordination Improves After Video Game
Surgeons playing certain Wii games saw big improvement in their coordination. “The fine hand control required to play these games acts as a warm up and hones scalpel skills the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Centre team claim.”
Stephen Colbert Gets His Portrait In The Smithsonian
“His portrait was hung Wednesday at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington for a six-week showing in what the museum considers an “appropriate place” _ right between the bathrooms near the “America’s Presidents” exhibit. Museum officials stress it’s only temporary.”
Dreamworks Working On “Shrek” Musical
“Shrek, the star of the blockbuster animated movies, will appear in a new musical set to premiere at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre Aug. 14-Sept. 21, before moving to New York in November. The first such venture by DreamWorks, “Shrek the Musical” could set up a new Broadway rivalry, going toe to toe with Disney musicals drawn from that company’s animated films.”
Eschenbach To National Symphony?
Those are the backstage rumors, writes Peter Dobrin. Chritophe Eschenbach is in the last few months of his contract as music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra…
Smithsonian Legal Woes Now Include Assault Charge
“A former Smithsonian janitor tearfully alleged in federal court this week that a vice president of the museum complex’s business unit assaulted her during an altercation 4 1/2 years ago, but the top official testified that the story was mostly fabricated.”