“As we grow older the balance between men and women actors never changes, but the opportunities for men somehow far outnumber those for women. As a result of this imbalance, women have become disposable in the modern theatre.”
Tag: 03.28.16
Why Aren’t More Broadway Plays Live-streaming?
“At first glance, theater productions seem like a good fit for the streaming-platform models established by Netflix and Hulu and Amazon, since Broadway fare appeals to a passionate niche audience that can’t always make it to New York to catch a show. But there are a slew of hurdles, including negotiations with stage unions and rights holders still fairly new to working out their positions on digital distribution, and the fact that many of the productions most likely to arouse widespread interest among viewers — “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” “Wicked” — won’t allow a capture of an entire performance to hit the Internet until after the production has closed.”
The Weird And Wonderful Stave Churches Of Norway
“Stave churches are wooden houses of worship that combine the austere, peaked architecture of Christianity with the Nordic designs and motifs of a Viking great hall. … Using the same woodworking prowess that made the Vikings such adept shipbuilders, traditional stave churches were often built using nothing more that expertly crafted joints and joins, with no nails or glue.”
Five New American Operas Telling American Stories
“Anew crop of commissions for U.S. opera houses are focusing on the home front, adapting works that are distinctly American in scope and are set in the country.” Commenters offer a few more candidates. (includes video clips)
Watching ‘Batman V. Superman’ In 4D So You Don’t Have To (And It’s A Good Thing You Don’t)
“4DX purports to further immerse you in your film experience with these physical effects. Why simply watch Superman get rained on when you can get uncomfortably wet at the same time? Why just commiserate with Batman when he’s punched in the back by an evil henchman, when you can get punched in the back by your very own chair? Genius!”
The Bolshoi’s Backstage Wizards
“Whereas 240 years ago the Bolshoi company consisted of just 43 members. Now the theater’s staff numbers more than three thousand. Not just performing artists, [Bolshoi director Vladimir] Urin says, but ‘a whole army of skilled technical staff – stagehands, makeup artists, costume designers, and lighting technicians.'”
Ten Surprising Facts About The Bolshoi Theater
For instance, it was once owned by an Oxford mathematics professor, and at one point Stalin had to talk Lenin out of tearing it down.
A Brief History Of Ventriloquism (It Freaked Out The Ancient Greeks)
“You might not think of Lamb Chop, the adorable hand puppet that graced the appendage of world-famous ventriloquist Shari Lewis, or the impertinent wooden dummies operated by Edgar Bergan as having ancestors, but they do. One of them is a snake in a human mask. But let’s back up.”
Could Morris Dancing Become Cool In The 21st Century? (It’s Trying)
“There are some interesting changes afoot within the Morris community as the tradition has adapted to remain relevant in modern times. Among those changes: the inclusion of women, the adoption of Steampunk aesthetics, and the blasting of Guns ‘n’ Roses.”
How Learning The Tango Taught A Man To Walk Again
After a few months of “dancing” in a close embrace, Gabriella Condrea started to slowly pull away from Tho Nguyen so he could stand for a little while on his own, his posture primed and his confidence up. It took just over a year, but one day when Condrea pulled away, Nguyen looked at her and said, “Watch this,” then took three steps without support. It was the first time he had done so in 20 years.