The decision to close “Billy Elliot” came after a somewhat precipitous decline in ticket sales that accelerated through the late spring and summer amid competition from new musicals like “The Book of Mormon” and “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” hit revivals like “Anything Goes” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and “Memphis,” the durable recipient of the 2010 Tony for best musical.
Tag: 10.04.11
Total Shocker: Songs About Sex Sell
“A recent study of popular song lyrics done at the State University of New York in Albany shows not only that messages about sexual relationships dominate the songs at the top of the charts, but also that songs about sex sell better than other songs.”
TV’s Mixed-Up Rules On Obscenity
“The old rules about obscenity and offensive language are now hard to discern. Nobody knows where a line is drawn. It’s all a muddle. For instance, there are words and phrases commonly used on network TV programs airing at 8 p.m. that would not appear in this newspaper.”
Australia Proposes Major Rethink Of Its Cultural Policy
“Significantly, the proposed policy is not an arts policy but a cultural policy, and it threatens to swallow up the traditional or heritage arts — classical music, theatre and dance — in a much bigger area of activity called the creative industries.”
UK Independent Book Shops Going Extinct?
“More than 800 bookshops have shut in the past five years, including almost 400 independent outlets, according to new figures from the Booksellers Association of UK and Ireland.”
Louisville Orchestra Contract Negotiations Deteriorate
“The Louisville Orchestra’s management rejected a contract proposal from its musicians Monday night, according to a news release from the musicians, who earlier in the day apparently rebuffed management’s latest contract offer.”