REOPENING: “You Live Outside New York. Are You Ready to Return to Broadway?” by The New York Times – “New Yorkers are reluctant to return to the theater this fall, according to a survey commissioned by The New York Times. What about out-of-towners, who make up more than two-thirds of the Broadway audience? What would it take for them to be comfortable?” http://bway.ly/dxeovm
TV & FILM: “California Gives Green Light for Film and TV Production to Resume June 12” by Variety’s Gene Maddaus – “The state Department of Public Health also issued extensive guidelines for schools, day care facilities, and casinos. But it put out just a single paragraph on music, film and TV production, essentially punting detailed rules to local health officials and to labor-management negotiation.” http://bway.ly/gv0vwb
BREAKING THIS MORNING: For the first time in 102 years, The Muny stage will remain empty this summer. With ongoing consideration for all information and guidance available regarding the COVID-19 global pandemic, The Muny announced today the postponement of their 2020 season lineup until the summer of 2021. Current season ticket holders will be contacted personally with more information regarding their options and next steps. In lieu of the originally announced 2020 season lineup, a complete schedule of virtual alternative programming will be announced soon.
“Fun Home Actors From Off-Broadway, Broadway, West End, and National Touring Productions Will Reunite for Virtual Fundraising Event” by Playbill’s Andrew Gans – “Actors from the Off-Broadway, Broadway, national tour, and West End productions of the Tony-winning Best Musical Fun Home will reunite June 10 on Zoom via Facebook Live for a Q&A to benefit The Actors Fund.” http://bway.ly/0muwb5
“Red Bull Theater Will Present Livestream Reading of The Government Inspector Starring Michael Urie” by BroadwayWorld – “The benefit reunion reading takes place on Monday, June 15, 2020 at 7:30 PM.” http://bway.ly/txmggr
“Broadway members push for industrywide change” by Broadway News’ Caitlin Huston – “Some institutions have gone beyond their statements, with “Tina,” for example, hosting a company-wide “truth” meeting for Black company members to air any grievances and asking other shows to do the same. Others have donated, including “Slave Play” which donated $10,000 to the National Bailout Fund while issuing a challenge to other shows, and “What the Constitution Means to Me” donating $6,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.” http://bway.ly/ic961w
— “Black Broadway Artists Call on the Community to Do Better in ‘Are You Listening, Broadway'” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/6l4f7t
— “Karen Olivo Vows to Not Work With All Who ‘Fund Organizations That Perpetuate Inequality'” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/28lxnx
— “Zakiya Young Shares Her Experiences as a Black Performer on Broadway” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/zvpl77
— “November Christine Speaks Up About Racism in Theatre” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/aj3xci
CASTING: “Binder Casting Joins Troika Entertainment in Clarifying New Tootsie Tour Casting Breakdown” by BroadwayWorld – ” … a casting notice … called for submissions from only people of color for the upcoming national tour of Tootsie. … Troika [Entertainment] said, ” … all roles in the national tour of TOOTSIE are open to people of all ethnicities. … We apologize for today’s ill-considered language and confusing miscommunication.”” http://bway.ly/2zj8l0
PETITION: “Petition to Make the Apollo Theater a Broadway House Surpasses 5,000 Signatures” by BroadwayWorld – “A petition has been created to make the Apollo Theater a Broadway house. Per the petition, there are currently 41 Broadway theatres, none of which have Black owners. … The historic theater meets all of the requirements of a Broadway house, including having 500 seats or more, being located in Manhattan, and employing members of the Actors’ Equity Association.” http://bway.ly/8422ny
OFF-BROADWAY: “How Have Off-Broadway Theatre Companies Responded to Black Lives Matter?” by Playbill’s Olivia Clement and Dan Meyer – “A list of the official responses from Off-Broadway organizations, as well as the actionable next steps they’ve outlined.” http://bway.ly/i8twn0
“The Tony Awards Are Postponed. How Will George Floyd and Coronavirus Impact Theater’s Rebirth?” by The Daily Beast’s Tim Teeman – “Yet again, theater confronts a set of urgent questions—about the disproportionately low number of works by playwrights of color being commissioned, the nature of the works being staged, the composition of the audiences watching those works, and the lack of diversity on stage and off.” http://bway.ly/md0vwi
VOX: “George Bush is only for now: How one song from Avenue Q kind of explains the tumult of the 21st century.” by Vox’s Emily VanDerWerff – ““For Now” sums up the musical’s ultimately sunny message: Nothing in life will last forever. … Equating a president you don’t like with bad sex or bad hair is a position of extreme privilege. … it’s a song designed to placate people like me, to turn a haircut or a president or systemic racism into a boss in a video game.” http://bway.ly/t93tu4
CORONAVIRUS: “Broadway actor Nick Cordero starts stem cell treatment in long battle with coronavirus” by New York Daily New’s Jessica Schladebeck – ” … Cordero has started stem cell treatment just two days after his wife was told to say “good bye” following his hard-fought battle with coronavirus.” http://bway.ly/ioggj0
CONVERSATION: “Giving it away for free – why the performing arts risks making the same mistake newspapers did” by The Conversation’s Caitlin Vincent – “To survive, arts organisations must establish a monetised business strategy for online performances and presentations. But this shift must be navigated carefully, particularly by companies that began with an open-access model and now risk alienating audience members.” http://bway.ly/mh13na
CBS NEWS: “Keeping Broadway’s lights on” by CBS News – “The seats may be empty, and the actors and crew nowhere to be seen, but every stage on Broadway has a lamp like the one burning continuously at the Walter Kerr Theatre (the home to “Hadestown”). It’s called a ghost light, and it’s a tradition that goes back to the late 1800s.” http://bway.ly/x7xy3y
