Otherwise, everything else collapses – and you don’t need to be writing science fiction to use science. “Science provides a clear and pragmatic framework with which to view the murkier and less-than-perfect world of humans, giving resonance and beauty to a fictional story while also being a metaphor for its larger theme. Science also asks questions about the world, as do characters in a novel.” – LitHub
Tag: 04.26.19
As The Humanities Collapse, Who’s To Blame?
Tenured professors, perhaps? This article thinks so. “As far back as 1972, The New York Times reported that the [American Historical Association] was ‘facing open discontent in its ranks as a result of the recession, academic budget trimming and an oversupply of trained historians,’ which engendered a ‘job crisis’ that showed little sign of abating. Nevertheless, for nearly a half-century, historians have failed to organize to halt the disappearance of positions. This must now change.” – The Chronicle of Higher Education
Artists Need To Back Up Off Of Critics’ Necks
The internet has democratized many things, including, in some case, criticism that isn’t thoughtful. But professional critics still take their knowledge, and their craft, seriously. “Lively arguments about talked-about shows – like the discussion of the Fleabag finale – can quickly spread. But social media also provides a platform for performers to reveal their thin skins, or for armies of fans to descend upon anyone who dares to dislike a favoured star or film franchise.” – The Guardian (UK)
The Author Of ‘American Marriage’ Is Not An Overnight Success
Tayari Jones had several well-reviewed books before American Marriage too off last year. She remembers, “I published my first book in 2002 and I remember that I was at Bread Loaf [Writers’ Conference]. A lot of [other emerging writers] had been on NPR and other things and I hadn’t done any of these things. I remember I sat on my bed in my little Bread Loaf dorm room and I just cried. How will I ever catch up?” – Shondaland
To Sing The Unflappable Siegfried, One Cannot Have Fear
At least, that’s what tenor Andreas Schager claims. “But his path to singing Siegfried at the Met … was unusual. Mr. Schager, who was born Andreas Schagerl in the small town of Rohrbach an der Gölsen, started his career in operetta (precursors to modern musical comedies) and lighter tenor roles.” – The New York Times
The Cure For Our Times May Be Theatre
When a critic sees 12 plays in 10 days: Theatre “restored my vision, or at least handed me a roadmap of our location, emotionally and psychically speaking — one that extended beyond Manhattan, the country, and the curve of time. I sat down with people to contemplate the troubles of King Lear, Tom Robinson, and Socrates, recalling that, though the common cruelties of the day may be unique, how people cope with them is not.” – Los Angeles Review of Books
The Path From Dancer To Artistic Director In Dallas
Melissa Young began her career as a dancer with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and since then, she’s been rehearsal director, academy director, associate artistic director, and interim artistic director – and now she’s got the job permanently. She saw the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater when she was a teenager, and, she says, “from that moment on, I knew THIS was what I had to do. There was no turning back. There was no plan b to fall back on.” – Paper City Magazine
Harvey Weinstein’s Trial Is Postponed Until September
Media were removed from the courtroom for a while during Friday’s proceedings as well. Why? “Prosecutors want to call additional women with similar allegations to help establish a pattern of misconduct. The number and identities of those women has been kept secret. The defense has argued that calling such witnesses would prejudice the case, and asked the court to close Friday’s hearing on the subject to avoid tainting the jury pool. The prosecution also asked that the hearing be closed.” – Variety
How To Translate ‘King Lear’ Into ASL
First, of course, you need to be familiar with the original. Russell Harvard, who’s playing the Duke of Cornwall to Glenda Jackson’s King Lear on Broadway, also had to help figure out how good Cornwall would be at lip-reading – and how that might change the play. – American Theatre
The Ever-Growing Imbalance Between Stars And Critics
You’d think an ill-conceived, badly written mini-screed might not be worthy of worry for critics. You’d be wrong – dangerously so, when it comes to stars “taking on” the low-paid people who cover their art. Check out this week’s Dumpster fire of a screed, for instance: “Using the hard-earned clout of the Me Too movement to deflect critique of the fashion-celebrity industrial complex is not a feminist crusade.” – HuffPost