RAISING THE BARRE: THE REINVENTION OF CLASSICAL BALLET
If you think Swan Lake or The Nutcracker when you think of ballet, think again. Many contemporary troupes are forging new ways to enchant modern audiences by demonstrating that ballet is a living dance form. Check out just a few of the ways in which ballet is being reinvented. Indie Rock Ballet: Goodbye Tchaikovsky, hello…The Shins? Last month, choreographer Trey McIntyre debuted with San Francisco’s Smuin Ballet a series of eight dance vignettes, set to tracks off the The Shins’ Oh, Inverted World album. Not only was there nary a pointe shoe in sight, but the male dancers shuffled across the stage wearing shorts and crew socks that evoked American Apparel more than Capezio. Avant Chamber Ballet: The Shins aren’t the only indie artist to receive the ballet treatment. The New York City Ballet’s Justin Peck recently choreographed a performance inspired by Osso’s Run Rabbit Run, a reinterpretation of Sufjan Stevens’ Enjoy Your Rabbit record. Performed this past weekend [Read More]published November 9, 2010 at 4:00pm CST
THINKING ABOUT LOMBARDI ON BROADWAY
I have had a lot of coaches in my life. I have only recently begun to understand why they matter so much. Or, not why they matter. Everyone knows why coaches matter – they tell you what to do, they organize teams, teach plays, make judgment calls and all that necessary stuff that comes with training and athletic competition. It’s more like how they matter that has come into light. On Tuesday night, I had the privilege of seeing Lombardi at New York City’s Circle in the Square Theatre. I was initially drawn to the play by producer Fran Kirmser, a single mom who seems an unlikely advocate for this project. I do not want, however, to take away from the value of the story, especially as it pertains to female athletes, by focusing on the gender of the producer. Let’s just say that the show was seamless, powerful, and, gasp, a woman is more than capable of producing a play about a male football coach. The casting of the show was spot on according to people more knowledgeable t [Read More]published October 22, 2010 at 10:53am CDT
MARCIA MILGROM DODGE: A DIRECTOR’S STORY
Marcia Milgrom Dodge has been working as a theatre director for 30 years. This past year she made it to Broadway for the first time with the critically-lauded production of Ragtime. The show did not make it, but Milgrom Dodge and the production received multiple Tony nominations. In this interview with PBS’ Need to Know, Milgrom Dodge talks about making a career as a working director around the country. Here’s to hoping it doesn’t take another 30 years for her to make it back to Broadway. Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know. A Broadway director’s unexpected date with Tony and#40;PBS- Need to Knowand#41; [Read More]published June 23, 2010 at 2:35pm CDT
published June 14, 2010 at 11:08am CDT
THE LILLY AWARDS — KRISTIN CHENOWETH’S STATEMENT
On Monday night a packed house gathered at Playwrights Horizons people in NYC to celebrate women working in theatre. A bunch of people including playwrights Theresa Rebeck and Marsha Norman who call themselves the “Committee for the Recognition of Outstanding Women in Theater,” pulled together an awards ceremony in a couple of weeks to celebrate the great women working in the theatre who seem to constantly be overlooked at awards time. I’m going to do a longer piece next week for The Women’s Media Center on the awards, but I wanted to share Kristin Chenoweth’s statement on her award. Rob Ashford read her statement because she was under the weather. and#40;Chenoweth was overlooked this year for her performance in Promises, Promises.and#41; I’ve asked Rob to speak in a higher voice so it’s almost like I’m there. It of course kills me that I’m not. I’ve been out 2 shows with a trachea infection. Sucks! You see, when I was first told that I, along with Mary Rodgers [Read More]published May 28, 2010 at 7:17pm CDT
THEATRE WOMEN CREATE AWARDS IN HONOR OF LILLIAN HELLMAN
This year a bunch of very high profile theatre writers and others decided that they were tired of women’s work being constantly unacknowledged, so they created The Lilly awards which will honor 17 women theater artists, as well as Mary Rodgers who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Awards, whose work has been produced in the past year in New York City. They call themselves the The Committee for Recognizing Women in Theater and#40;how much do you love that name?and#41; and include Julie Crosby, John Eisner, Gary Garrison, Tina Howe, Julia Jordan, Marsha Norman, Theresa Rebeck, Susan Rose, Tim Sanford and the Dramatists Guild of America which was created “out of a desire to celebrate the work of outstanding, successful and up-and-coming women playwrights, directors, designers and advocates in the theater.” They named the award for the amazing Lillian Hellman and#40;if you have not read any of her plays, you mustand#41; and here is one reason why this honor is most appropriate for Hellma [Read More]published May 21, 2010 at 4:17pm CDT
THEATRE WATCH: LIFE PRETTY MUCH SUCKED FOR WOMEN ON BROADWAY THIS YEAR
Even though women buy the lion’s share of theatre tickets, it still seems that it is virtually impossible for women playwrights to get their shows mounted on Broadway. Usually there are great roles from women in male written shows, but this year there seemed to be a dearth of even those types of roles. And the strongest female performance in a play this year — Cate Blanchett in A Streetcar Named Desire — is not even eligible for a Tony because it was performed at BAM in Brooklyn and not on one of the Broadway stages. The NY Times on a day in and day out basis does a disservice to women in theatre in general and#40;ask any female playwright and she will go into a diatribeand#41; due to their lack of employing a female reviewer with any gravitas in the business. It matters that the Times doesn’t give a shit about the fact that its theatre reviewing ranks is dominated by two white, gay males. Look at their film reviews. The diversity of opinions and experiences of the two [Read More]published May 17, 2010 at 4:57pm CDT
WATCH AMERICAN IDOL VIDEOS, WIN A FORD FIESTA!
Are you a fan of American Idol? An automotive enthusiast waiting for the release of Ford's highly anticipated Fiesta? Well, this is just for you: Watch the Ford American Idol Music Video http://www.americanidol.com/ford/challenge/ of the week and answer a few trivia questions. That's all you have to do for your chance to win amazing weekly prizes, including: *2011 Fiesta, featuring the custom design of your choice by a Top 12 American Idol contestant *VIP trip for two to L.A. *Trip for two to the set of a Ford Music Video shoot *Two tickets to an American Idol show *$500 cash *Total approximate retail value of each weekly prize is $33,500! By entering, you'll also have a chance to win the grand prize: a custom-designed, Idol-inspired Fiesta and a trip for two to the Season Finale. and#40;Total ARV of Grand Prize is $33,000.and#41; Tune in to FOX every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8/7c to catch all the American Idol action.A total of eight w [Read More]published May 4, 2010 at 2:03pm CDT
SAD BROADWAY NEWS: THE MIRACLE WORKER TO CLOSE
Just read the news that The Miracle Worker starring Abigail Breslin and Allison Pill is going to close next Sunday. It didn’t get the greatest reviews, but a friend who saw it said the audience was full of girls who adored it. I think it was hard to get people to flock to this show even with the whole “girl power” thing going for it. It would have been great if people could have seen it as this year’s Wicked. But there are no flying witches, no great musical numbers and it’s an especially hard sell when the star doesn’t talk. But it’s still sad when one of the only shows that is about girls and women can’t cut it on Broadway especially because women are the ones who buy the lion’s share of tickets. On a side good note, Next to Normal an unlikely Broadway success because it is also about a tough subject, mental illness, has recouped its investment. Huge big deal. Closing Date for the Miracle Worker and#40;NY Timesand#41; [Read More]published March 29, 2010 at 1:51pm CDT
AWARDS WATCH: THE SUSAN SMITH BLACKBURN PRIZE
Enron by Lucy Prebble The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the most prestigious international prize awarded to a female playwright and#40;for writing in Englishand#41; has named the ten finalists for the 2010 award. The award is basically the Pulitzer for women. It raises the profile of female playwrights, and seven of the former Blackburn winners have also won the Pulitzer. The 2010 finalists include: The Aliens” by Annie Baker and#40;U.S.and#41; “The Language Archive” by Julia Cho and#40;U.S.and#41; “This” by Melissa James Gibson and#40;U.S.and#41; “it felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now.” by Lucy Kirkwood and#40;U.K.and#41; “The Shipment” by Young Jean Lee and#40;U.S.and#41; “The Nature of Love” by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and#40;U.K.and#41; “East of Berlin” by Hannah Moscovitch and#40;Canadaand#41; “The Swallowing Dark” by Lizzie Nunnery and#40;U.K.and#41; “Enron” by Lucy Prebble and#40;U.K.and#41; “Strandline” by Abbie Spallen and#40;Irelandand#41; The $20,000 wi [Read More]published January 19, 2010 at 1:22pm CST