WELCOME to the #TheatreClique Round Up — my (mostly) weekly newsletter dedicated to clicking on some of the most interesting, intriguing & noteworthy writing about drama, theatre & performance (at least, so says me)…
This Week's #TheatreClique-ing:
For this week’s opener, I lift Brown Alumni Monthly’s moving mini-profile of noted choreographer/educator/advocate (and my college pal) Miguel Gutierrez on the occasion of his 2021 graduation from college…
And here is some what’s been clicking since my last newsletter…
Variety’s Jazz Tangcay gathers powerful testimony from IATSE members on why they voted to authorize a strike • LATimes’ Charles McNulty reports on various acts of protest in response to LA’s Center Theatre Group’s recent season announcement featuring barely any women writers • Boston University News Services’s Emma Picht reports on IATSE Local 11’s dramatic walkout at North Shore Musical Theatre • Washington Post’s Peter Marks details the internal strife leading to the cancelation of American Shakespeare Center’s fall season • at Broad Street Review, Wendy Rosenfield reports on the protest (and counterprotest) at the reopening of Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre • and Vulture’s Jackson McHenry reports on The Flea’s provisional reopening as “a metamorphosed version of itself” and in collaboration with The Flea Collective (which formed last year upon the organization’s abrupt dissolution of its notorious artist programs)…
Washington Post’s Geoff Edgers reports on the complex challenges of balancing Covid safety faced by performers and producers seeking a return to in-person events • Albuquerque Journal’s Adrian Gomez talks to longtime Tricklock Company member Julie Hendren about the recent founding of Revo Inc and “the best way to build [theatre] forward in this new world” • playwright/essayist Sarah Ruhl ruminates (beautifully) on questions of healing, transformation and intimacy stirred by the act of wearing masks in the theatre • at BroadwayDirect, producer/podcaster Ayanna Prescod talks with actor/advocate/Tony-winner Adrienne Warren about her return to the Broadway stage (and the title role in Tina — The Tina Turner Musical) • TimeOut’s Adam Feldman goes deep in a fascinating Q&A with actor/advocate Celia Keenan-Bolger upon her return the role of Scout in Broadway’s To Kill a Mockingbird • for Backstage, Matthew Nerber listens to undergraduate student actors reflect on what it’s like to “be back” in school studying theatre…
actor/advocate Sis threads a critical reflection on early responses to the news of her being cast as “Ado Annie” in the national tour of the Daniel Fish production of Oklahoma! • actor/advocate Ser Anzotegui makes history as the first non-binary actor nominated in traditionally all-male category at Imagen Awards • at Ms. Magazine, Kirsten Brandt reflects on the entrenched biases against casting older women in major roles on stage and screen • and BroadwayNews reports that Hadestown’s Amber Gray will share the role of Persephone with Lana Gordon as a measure to allow Gray greater time with her family, a measure that joins Jagged Little Pill in exploring how “role sharing” might accommodate the needs and challenges experienced by new parents performing on Broadway…
Amauta Firmino offers “The Dramaturg’s Perspective” on contemporary theatre-making in conversation with Alexi Chacon at The Broadway Rail • at TheUndefeated, Diep Tran talks to playwright Douglas Lyons on the occasion of his Broadway debut with Chicken & Biscuits • actor/archivist Luisa Lyons threads a retort to those claiming that Netflix’s Diana somehow confirms that pro-shots aren’t good for live theatre • at The Brooklyn Rail, Kyle Turner talks to multimedia writer/artist Gage Tarlton about his recent immersive play staged entirely on OnlyFans • the newly rebooted site Did They Like It? aggregates reviews for Lackawanna Blues • and singer/songwriter Eleri Ward offers this performance of her indie-folk-Sondheim stylings at a recent cabaret performance…
Definition Checks:
In which I offer resources in response to informational questions raised in last (or in anticipation of this) week's meeting of Movements for Diversity in American Theatre.
Q1: what is Indigenous Peoples Day?
Q2: who is Yolanda Bonnell?
Adventures in (Remote) Theatre-going:
Wherein I highlight some of my personal priority destinations for the upcoming week.
bug by Yolanda Bonnell — free livestream reading on Friday 10/15 at 630pCT/730pET • presented as part of New Native Theatre’s “Well Red Series 2021” • FREE (email rsvp required)
Designing Women — streams at designated times through 10/24 • from Fayetteville Arkansas, TheatreSquared presents “a world premiere play bringing the megahit television series to life for our current age” • $25 (limited streaming spots available).
Here! Have your choice of a FREE BOOK!
For more on why I want to send YOU a free book in the mail — click HERE…
Until next time, dear #TheatreClique, please share this newsletter with those friends, colleagues and students who might appreciate the opportunity to encounter the many voices gathered in each week’s edition. Errors and oversights published in the newsletter will be corrected in the archival versions. And, in the meantime, keep clicking those links — good writing needs good readers and our theatre clicks count!