The NYT‘s music reporters almost never get to be as unbuttoned and joyful as they are in this piece, wherein four of them went out into the city and paraded, participated, or otherwise enjoyed four of the many, many music-making opportunities on the Solstice.
Tag: 12.22.17
Will Memphis Become The Home Of A National Black Theatre Museum?
It’s just an idea right now … an idea with a building, and a lot of support, attached. “Four black theater organizations have pledged support, and have expressed interest in moving their institutions to the new Memphis museum. These include the Baltimore-based Black Theatre Commons, Washington, D.C.–based August Wilson Society, St. Paul, Minnesota–based Black Theatre Association, as well as the Lorton, Virginia–based Black Theatre Network.”
The Philly Comic Book Store That Has A Lot More Than You Might Expect
The owner, who was just awarded a $50,000 Knight grant to expand the store: “I’m committed to helping comic book creators perfect their craft, partnering with artists, editors and writers in helping them figure out what can make their art stand out. Many of these creators haven’t had the same opportunities as other artists. There will be a new multipurpose room, which will serve as a space for a creator college. You have to be knowledgeable if you’re pitching comics to people.”
Does The New ‘Star Wars’ Film Save The Franchise From Itself?
It’s weird to say this about a Disney-owned film in a franchise that has arguably made war more popular and famous than any other film could, but The Last Jedi is different. It’s a film that “struggles to distance itself from the most toxic elements of Star Wars in order to chart a more progressive terrain.”
Genius Grantwinning Artist Gets To Wrap L.A. MOCA In A Block-Long Artwork
The artist is L.A.-based painter Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Crosby “is known for depicting intimate familial settings with layers of paint, photographs and found images — the latter of which are often drawn from news clippings and Nigerian lifestyle magazines. These she frequently bathes in tinted washes, giving the images a nostalgic feel.”
MacArthur’s $100 Million Plan To Bring The Muppets To The Middle East
“The five-year grant will fund a localized version of “Sesame Street,” distributed through television and digital devices, and home visits using “Sesame Street” content for an estimated 1.5 million children. Instead of the stars that Americans grew up with, like Big Bird, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch, the characters would be tailored to the region, speaking Arabic and Iraqi Kurdish.”
Charles Dutoit ‘Released’ As Royal Philharmonic’s Artistic Director ‘For The Immediate Future’; Six Other Orchestras Cut Him Off
“The orchestra has released a statement saying that it, along with Dutoit, ‘have jointly agreed to release him from his forthcoming concert obligations with the orchestra for the immediate future,’ adding that it is ‘committed to the highest standards of ethical behaviour’. … He has been sacked from other positions at the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, while orchestras in New York, Chicago and Cleveland have all cancelled appearances from him.”