Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
COVID Career Changes: Thoughts on Returning to Jobs in Theatre
“After such a difficult time, it’s been more than a relief to see friends posting positive social media updates about their return to the theatre now that we’re beginning to reopen. But for some, the forced COVID career change, though unwelcome, has been a time to reflect on their work in the theatre and to reevaluate what the future holds.”
'In The Heights' & Avoiding Hollywood's "Single Story" on Latinx Representation
“The statement Lin-Manuel Miranda released regarding the criticism towards In The Heights indicates that he understands that his choice to leave out some stories is a direct result of his biases and blind-spots. That would be less of a problem if more people, with different biases and blind-spots, were also telling uplifting stories about the Latino community.”
Check out these 'In the Heights' Easter Eggs!
“With the film adaptation of ‘In the Heights’ officially released to the general public (both in movie theatres, and on HBO Max), the time for Easter egg hunting has begun. Below are 13 of our favorite cameos, ranging from original Broadway cast members to legendary public radio hosts.”
Will "In The Heights" Be Seen In Theaters Or HBO Max? We Surveyed Our Readers To Find Out!
“With a brand new movie musical “In The Heights” coming out in theaters and HBO Max on June 10th, OnStage Blog conducted a survey of its readers to find out how many people were planning on seeing the movie and whether they were going to venture back into theaters to do it.”
Community Theatres Need to Stop Protecting Their Problematic Men
“Throughout my years of both being involved in community theatre and covering it, I’ve seen constant examples of theatre groups tolerating and ignoring the bad behavior of their male talent. This practice has led to serious issues such as sexual misconduct which could have been prevented if theatre officials took real action.”
Is 'The Greatest Showman' Good? OnStage Blog Debates...
“To me, if half the soundtrack stays with the audience after it ends, the movie musical succeeded. Is it a low bar? I guess, but ultimately, the goal of a movie musical is for the music to engage the audience long after the performance ends.”
How to Effectively Hire an Intimacy Professional
“Figure out why you want to hire,” Pace said. “What are you hoping they’ll bring to the table? Do you want someone who will do education or just choreography? Are you looking for a borderline co-director because the show is so intimate? Ask questions tailored to what you need, rather than what you think they should have.”
How Can Non-Diverse Community Theatres Become More Diverse - Pt 1
In the past week, there has been a newfound call to arms for theatres across the globe to make their stages more diverse when they resume operations. However, not every community theatre can do this. Not every community is diverse enough or has the talent pool to produce heavily diverse shows. So what steps can they take to bring more performers of color to their stages?
Yes, Everybody Wins: Participation Trophies in Youth Theatre
"Even even in communities outside of theatre, such as sports or academics, honoring a kid for “participation” is looked upon as frivolous nonsense. If “everybody wins,” then doesn’t nobody win? Doesn’t this create only extrinsic, rather than intrinsic, motivation? My answer is a resounding no.”
Stop looking at NYC as the only place where theatre is important
“New York City is an amazing place, but it doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all of the theatre world. Great work is happening everywhere and it’s time we really appreciate it.”
UK Theatres commit to only cast trans actors in trans roles
“While powers behind industries such as Broadway have been slow to act on calls for change, thankfully, dozens of theatres in the UK are taking it upon themselves and committing to real action - starting by promising to cast trans actors in trans roles.”
It's time for the Tony Awards and CBS to part ways
“If this is how CBS values the Tony Awards, it may be time for the American Theatre Wing and the network to go their separate ways.”