Well, the way we choose which cow to kill for meat is related to milk output. Lowest producer gets the axe. The cows know this, and they produce as much milk as they can, to keep from - you know - being chosen...Go into the barn, sit down with the cows. At first, they'll seem real casual. But just watch them for a while, and before long you'll see just how much pressure they're labouring under.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Quote from Michael Healey's "The Drawer Boy"
Morgan in Michael Healey's The Drawer Boy:
Monday, May 20, 2013
Two More Octogenarians Going Strong
Cicely Tyson and Buzzy Pizzarelli |
Last month, during intermission at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, there was a heated debate in the rear orchestra about the age of the show's star - Cicely Tyson. A gentleman unseen to me consulted his smart phone and confirmed to his companions that according to the Times, many incorrectly give Ms. Tyson's age as 79 but in fact she is 88. At 88, Ms. Tyson graces the Broadway stage after some 30 years in Horton Foote's reflective play The Trip to Bountiful. Once her age was confirmed, I returned to my reverie, completely charmed by the fiery actress and thinking of my grandmother - a spirited nonagenarian herself.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Three Off Broadway Musical Theater Experiences
Catching up with my neighbor the other day, we got on the topic of Broadway. She mentioned that her brother was visiting town and asked what's new and interesting. I mentioned Pippin, Matilda and Kinky Boots. By the end of our conversation, she was very intrigued by Pippin; so I suspect her brother may be seeing the circus style revival during his NYC visit. Reflecting on our conversation though, had my neighbor asked what's new and different, I wouldn't have mentioned the splashy Broadway musicals; I would have steered her Off Broadway to Here Lies Love, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and maybe even Murder Ballad.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Need a Pick Me Up...Then Check Out "Old Hats"
These days, after crunching numbers all day, I usually need a pick me up by the middle of the week. Bill Irwin and David Shiner's slapstick and clowning around was just what the doctor ordered when I experienced their show Old Hats earlier this week.
With a near perfect mark from Stagegrade and described as "ebullient" by the Times, I am not sure what took me so long to see this show at the Signature Theater. But I'm glad I I finally did because I smiled until my face almost hurt.
With a near perfect mark from Stagegrade and described as "ebullient" by the Times, I am not sure what took me so long to see this show at the Signature Theater. But I'm glad I I finally did because I smiled until my face almost hurt.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Reality Check...The Business of Broadway is Tough and Not Diverse
Skim through Backstage's The 25 Most Powerful People on Broadway and note NO racial diversity; thank goodness for the few women who appear on the list.
First up (of course) are the men who run the Broadway theaters. Then there are several directors and producers. Finally, there are a couple of journalists and casting directors.
We...I get the picture; we...I understand who runs Broadway.
So, don't be surprise by Keli Goff's article Black Producers Still Rare on Broadway when you learn that there is only one African American duo who hands on produce Broadway shows - Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones. And they only joined the Broadway party in recent years.
And don't be surprise when you check out Alisa Solomon's The Not-So-Bountiful Trip to Broadway and learn that the number of black directors working on Broadway in last decade can be counted on one hand. By the way, congrats to Debbie Allen, Kenny Leon, Marion McClinton, Charles Randolph-Wright, and George C. Wolfe.
First up (of course) are the men who run the Broadway theaters. Then there are several directors and producers. Finally, there are a couple of journalists and casting directors.
We...I get the picture; we...I understand who runs Broadway.
So, don't be surprise by Keli Goff's article Black Producers Still Rare on Broadway when you learn that there is only one African American duo who hands on produce Broadway shows - Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones. And they only joined the Broadway party in recent years.
And don't be surprise when you check out Alisa Solomon's The Not-So-Bountiful Trip to Broadway and learn that the number of black directors working on Broadway in last decade can be counted on one hand. By the way, congrats to Debbie Allen, Kenny Leon, Marion McClinton, Charles Randolph-Wright, and George C. Wolfe.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Theater Stories From Around the Web
Why Straight Plays Can't Make It on Broadway [WSJ]
Broadway Shows Beloved By Tourists, Women And Geeks [Gothamist]
Showstopping: why Broadway audiences applaud too often [Guardian]
Want to Applaud a Broadway Show? Don't Get Up. Really [NYT]
Theatergoer Vomits Onto Audience From Balcony At Broadway's Grace [Gothamist]
An Open Letter To The Owner Of The Cell Phone That Went Off During The Final Moments Of Death Of A Salesman [Gothamist]
Theaters Vexed by the Text [WSJ]
From No Home to Back Home on Broadway [NYT]
The World's Most Memorable Theaters [Huff]
Stalked by the Philharmonic: When Fundraising Goes Too Far [NY Observer]
Women in the theatre: why do so few make it to the top? [Guardian]
Theater's Expiring Subscription Model [WSJ]
How Broadway Has Changed [Huffington]
11 Things You Should Know About August Wilson [The Green Space]
22 Signs You Were Raised By Stephen Sondheim [BuzzFeed]
Originally Published - 11/29/2012
Last Updated - 11/09/2013
Broadway Shows Beloved By Tourists, Women And Geeks [Gothamist]
Showstopping: why Broadway audiences applaud too often [Guardian]
Want to Applaud a Broadway Show? Don't Get Up. Really [NYT]
Theatergoer Vomits Onto Audience From Balcony At Broadway's Grace [Gothamist]
An Open Letter To The Owner Of The Cell Phone That Went Off During The Final Moments Of Death Of A Salesman [Gothamist]
Theaters Vexed by the Text [WSJ]
From No Home to Back Home on Broadway [NYT]
The World's Most Memorable Theaters [Huff]
Stalked by the Philharmonic: When Fundraising Goes Too Far [NY Observer]
Women in the theatre: why do so few make it to the top? [Guardian]
Theater's Expiring Subscription Model [WSJ]
How Broadway Has Changed [Huffington]
11 Things You Should Know About August Wilson [The Green Space]
22 Signs You Were Raised By Stephen Sondheim [BuzzFeed]
Originally Published - 11/29/2012
Last Updated - 11/09/2013
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