So you want tickets to the Goodspeed’s new musical in Connecticut? Great. They’ll cost you $47. Oh, but you’re not a member? That’s another $50. Or $500. What’s going on here, wonders Frank Riszzo. “Are we in the Theater Twilight Zone? Is it a case of ticket price-gouging?”
Tag: 08.17.03
Painting – Nothing New Under The Sun In 17,000 Years
Picasso, on visiting Lascaux, reportedly remarked that “we have discovered nothing new in art in 17,000 years.” NYU professor Randall White writes in a new book that, “all of the major representational techniques were known at least by the Magdalenian [Period, beginning about 18,000 years ago]; oil- and water-based polychrome painting, engraving, bas-relief sculpture, sculpture in the round, charcoal and manganese crayon drawing, molded clay, fired ceramic figurines, shading, perspective drawing, false relief, brush painting, stamping and stenciling.”
The Losing End Of Art
“There’s nothing like the art market for bringing a glint of piggish excitement to an investor’s eye. Trouble is, only the savviest – or luckiest – can hope to make a penny out of it. If you believe what art dealers tell you, times are hard.”
The Virtual Movie Score
As a listener, you probably don’t realize it (and that’s the way it’s supposed to be) but a good deal of the music you hear in films these days is composed and performed electronically – with barely a live violinist or horn player in sight…
DVD Movie Piracy Sharply Up
DVD piracy is a growing problem in the UK. “The sale of bootleg videos and DVDs is a growing problem, up 80% in the last year, according to the Federation Against Copyright Theft. That means piracy has cost the UK film industry £400m in the last 12 months, the research said.”
Why Are Our Best Plays About Losers?
In a country known by the world for its pride of success, materialism and optimism, why are the most celebrated plays about what she calls ‘losers’? Think about it. Willy Loman, Blanche DuBois, O’Neill’s own barely disguised family. Even the most beloved commercial comedies – think about the schlumps in Neil Simon’s earliest hits – are organized around types that, outside our boundaries, would hardly be identified as winning Yanks.” Compare that to Hollywood movies and the heroes they portray.
Kicking California’s Arts Council While It’s Down
The recent California state budget cut the California Arts Council budget to $1 million. But legislators aren’t done yet – they’re now looking at axing all state general funding for the arts. “In recent days, the Democrats’ budget plan was altered to cut off all state general funds to the Arts Council, leaving a small staff to handle $1.5 million in federal funds and fees from the sale of special Arts Council license plates.”
Readers Ask: What Is Art?
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel asked readers to ask questions about the arts – among the queries – do orchestra musicians count? Do dancers get tired of performing “Nutcracker” over and over again? And that classic: What, exactly is art?
Culture By Refugee
“With every new crisis in Cuba, Miami gains another layer of contributors to the cultural scene. ‘We were victims of a macabre totalitarian experiment in Cuba, but we have arrived with a lot of energy, with the will to create and to contribute here.’ The vision of the new exiles, colored by the freshness of their experience in Cuba, their rigorous cultural training on the island, and their travels to perform abroad, adds more layers to the Cuban arts community, which has been diversifying since the Mariel boatlift brought in 1980 an impressive cast of writers and painters.”
CBS’ Diversity Plan
US broadcast TV networks have been repeatedly dirticized for their lack of diversity. Now CBS says it has a plan. “The CBS Diversity Institute, announced Wednesday, combines mentoring programs for new writers and directors with existing talent showcases for minority performers.”