Sunday, October 03, 2021

Worth a Look

Here are a few posts from last week's Greenpage that might be worth you time...

Can Williamstown Theatre Festival change a 'broken' culture?

Los Angeles Times: For more than 60 years, hundreds of young artists have spent their summers at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, hoping to start their careers on the right foot. Frequented by influential vacationers to the Berkshires, the months-long event is considered a rare opportunity for up-and-coming actors to share scenes with Tony Award winners, for emerging directors to learn from industry titans. Work the festival and securing gigs in the industry will be easier, thanks to the company’s standing, its vast network and its proved track record of transferring productions to New York City. Sure, the pay is low — or nonexistent — but the payoff is known to be well worth it.

 

A Facebook group got two shows canceled. Here's what that means for Bay Area theater

Datebook: It’s been a tumultuous few months on the Facebook group Bay Area Theater Folks. In July, the group’s outcry over a misleading COVID-19 policy at Chanticleers Theatre led the Castro Valley company to cancel remaining performances of its production of “The Four Poster.” Then, in the first two weeks of September, the group’s criticism of San Jose Playhouse’s all-white casting for a production of “Into the Woods” led that company to shut down the show before rehearsals started.

 

‘Jagged Little Pill’ Dispute Sparks Actors’ Equity Investigation

www.thewrap.com: Actors’ Equity Association is launching an investigation into the workplace environment of Broadway show “Jagged Little Pill,” the union for actors and stage managers announced Sunday.

 

Disney Sues Marvel Creators To Keep Character Rights

The Mary Sue: Over the past 13 years, Disney and Marvel have earned a staggering $22.93 billion dollars in total worldwide box office revenue for the Marvel cinematic universe. And that sum does not include merchandise, toys, clothing, theme park tickets, and the myriad ways that Disney profits off of the characters of the MCU.

 

Come Back to the Theatre? First, We Need to Talk

AMERICAN THEATRE: It’s hard to deny that there have been changes to the theatre field over the last 18 months. As a fall of in-person programming is already upon us, many theatres have already made efforts to make positive: moving away from 10 out of 12 technical rehearsals, diversifying their staffs, hiring theatremakers of color to help lead them forward, or instituting new equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Many of these changes have come in response to demands from movements like We See You, White American Theater, the activism of local theatre communities, and industry trade groups. But even at theatres that have made gestures in the direction of change—which isn’t all of them, by any stretch—questions linger.

 

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