Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art names Madeleine Grynsztejn as its next director. “Grynsztejn, 45, will be the seventh person, and the first woman, to lead the 40-year-old MCA when she arrives in March. Until then, she will complete her duties as senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where she has worked since September 2000.”
Tag: 10.30.07
TV Networks Stumble In Promoting Diversity
“Closely mirroring last year’s findings, a coalition of minority advocacy groups Tuesday concluded that the four [American] major TV networks had made some progress in increasing ethnic diversity in front of and behind the camera but still fell short in demonstrating an overall commitment to cultural diversity in their prime-time lineups.”
Tharp Teams Up With Movie Composer
Twyla Tharp’s new ballet, which will receive its world premiere at American Ballet Theatre on June 3, will be set to a commissioned score by Danny Elfman, known primarily for his compositions for film and television, including scores for “Chicago,” “Edward Scissorhands,” and “The Simpsons.” It will mark Mr. Elfman’s first composition for ballet. The piece will also feature costumes by fashion designer Norma Kamali.
Checking In With Philip Gourevitch’s New Paris Review
“Figures supplied by the magazine seem to show a more than 70 percent increase in its paid circulation and doubled newsstand sales since Mr. Gourevitch took over. It’s still not an industry powerhouse, with distribution a relatively small 14,000 copies per issue. And as the memory of Plimpton fades, the onus will increasingly be on Mr. Gourevitch to convince readers (and writers) that this relatively small endeavor is more than just an extension of Plimpton’s personality–that without his promotional power it can be not only solvent, but relevant.”
Hollywood Writers Strike Would Be Bad News For TV Biz
“It hasn’t been a very good year so far in the TV season – viewership is down, the freshman shows are mostly unappealing, and even some returning favorites seem to lack spark. But the Writers Guild of America contract runs out at midnight tonight – trick or treat? – and a strike would make everything exponentially worse.”
Lost Ayckbourn Play Found
An early play by Sir Alan Ayckbourn has been found more than 40 years after it was presumed destroyed, completing the 70-volume canon of his manuscripts.
The Rise Of Family Theatre
“In terms of shows that all the family can genuinely enjoy together, rather than endure together, we’ve never had it so good. ‘I think people have always wanted family events, but what is new is that there’s an appetite for a new way of doing that’.”
Air Guitar Gets Some Respect
“Air guitar has shed its social stigma. The days of the lonely, teenage nerd standing before his mirror are over. Air guitar has come out of the bedroom and now proudly struts its stuff in public. In the past decade, a whole subcultural community based on the cult of air guitar has emerged. There are clubs, competitions, records, associations, fans and even air guitar stars. And now comes Air Guitar Nation, a documentary that chronicles the phenomenon.”
The Sainsbury Gift
“A year after his death, it has been revealed that Simon Sainsbury has made one of the most significant art bequests to the nation, a collection worth about £100 million. The Tate and National galleries have received 18 paintings, including works by Monet, Degas, Gauguin and Bacon, each one a masterpiece, from a benefactor who preferred anonymity during his lifetime.”
A Male Playwrights Initiative? What About The Women?
“What has happened to successful plays by women that they have not entered and remained in the theatrical repertory? What is it about women’s writing that precludes their share in longevity? Do they lack the vital testosterone of Swimming with Sharks or Dealer’s Choice; the ‘hitting the back wall’ syndrome as one famous director has put it?”