“Declining church attendance is playing a role, as is the growth of nondenominational congregations … that pine for a more modern aesthetic. … To attract business, some artisans are even steering clear of using the term ‘stained glass’ because it carries connotations of fusty old churches … [and are] targeting projects without religious overtones.”
Tag: 12.22.14
Casting, And Wrangling, The Kids In NY City Ballet’s “Nutcracker”
It’s a tricky process, says the company’s children’s ballet master: “You want the best kids for the part, but they have to be the right size. So much is based on the look of it, and they have to fit together.
Forget Standing In Line At The Mall: Today’s Kids Talk To Santa By Video Chat
“With children glued to screens at ever-earlier ages – the average age of initial interaction is 11 months, according to one study – a raft of digital services have emerged to put Santa in the palm of their little hands.”
John Waters Has Remade “Pink Flamingos” With, And For, Kids
Says the auteur of the G-rated 74-minute video Kiddie Flamingos, “It’s a conceptual art piece. It’s really only your perverted mind that makes it not innocent.”
60 American Theatre Directors Protest Firing Of Theater J Artistic Director For “Political Reasons”
Saying in an open letter that they were “outraged” by the dismissal, the directors called on the JCC’s governing board to renounce the decision and the nationwide theater community to protest “in all possible ways.”
It’s Official: Renée Fleming Is Headed To Broadway
The soprano superstar will reprise her role as an opera diva in playwright Joe DiPietro’s Living on Love, in which she performed this past summer at the Williamstown Theater Festival.
British Theatre Unions Working On New Agreements For Non-West End Houses
“Industry body UK Theatre is working with unions Equity, BECTU and the Musicians’ Union on a joint initiative to overhaul its existing collective agreements for performers, backstage staff and musicians working outside the West End.”
The Best Director On American Television?
Matt Zoller Seitz nominates Michelle MacLaren. “Her visual chops are undeniable, but the managerial skills she honed while toiling on the logistical side of showbiz are an equally important part of her success. TV is art made under pressure. … MacLaren approaches the job with a stoic unflappability leavened by nonchalant Canadian cheer.”
Forget Santa – We Should Really Believe In La Befana
“There’s nothing wrong with Saint Nick, per se. But it’s all a bit much, and we can do better.” Betsy Woodruff suggests we all celebrate a witch who drinks wine and eats sausage instead of milk and cookies.
Are International Museum Franchises Really A Good Idea?
“The biggest question hovering over satellite museums is the most basic: why would sophisticated cities with their own rich cultural heritage and traditions feel the need to establish institutions that foreigners think they need?” A point-counterpoint forum between art journalist (and ArtsJournal blogger) Lee Rosenbaum and art historian and gallery director Maymanah Farhat.