Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
Michigan Theatre Board Resignations Mark a Necessary First Step
After months of turmoil at the Michigan Theatre in Jackson, the reported resignations of two board members feel like a necessary first step toward accountability.
Claybourne Elder’s ‘Company’ Story Is Exactly Why We Need to Get Serious About Work-Life Balance in Theatre
Claybourne Elder’s story about being pressured to perform Company on a scheduled night off should make the theatre industry sit with itself for a minute.
College Officials Allegedly Ordered Last-Minute Set Change Over Political Concerns
Officials at Cape Fear Community College reportedly told students to remove the words “No Kings” from the set of The Bacchae before opening night.
Why Two Strangers May Be Broadway’s Most Interesting Business Experiment
Broadway keeps chasing bigger budgets, bigger spectacles, and bigger risk. Meanwhile, Two Strangers is hanging around without blockbuster grosses or sky-high ticket prices. That may be more important than people realize.
No, Taking Photos During Curtain Call Is Not “Insulting”
Actor Lesley Manville says taking photos or video during curtain call is “insulting.” I disagree. There is plenty of audience behavior worth calling out right now, but this is not one of them.
Theater Critics Need to Stop Commenting on Performers’ Bodies
After reading a review of West Side Story, where a critic decided to comment on a performer’s body instead of simply reviewing the work onstage, we need to remind critics to stop treating performers’ bodies as fair game.
A Community Theatre Used AI on Its Cast. That Should Alarm Everyone.
A community theatre got backlash for using AI in promotional images, including altering an actress’s body. That crosses a line and community theatre, of all spaces, should know better.
How Is Tyler Perry Co-Producing on Broadway While Still Flagged by Actors’ Equity?
Tyler Perry is now part of the producing team for Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. He is also still on Actors’ Equity’s Do Not Work list.
Isa Briones Calls Out Disruptive Audience Behavior at ‘Just in Time’
Isa Briones is speaking out after an audience member reportedly shouted “Dr. Santos” at her during a performance of Just in Time, prompting a broader conversation about theater etiquette on Broadway.
The Rocky Horror Show Team Needs To Clearly Tell Fans What’s Welcome
Rocky Horror fans want to know the rules. Other audience members want to know what they are walking into. Right now, both sides are being left frustrated.
With Pink, the Tonys Are Stunt Casting Their Host
If Broadway uses stunt casting to sell tickets, why wouldn’t the Tonys use it to sell a broadcast?
The Jeff Awards Have No One to Blame but Themselves
Chicago theaters are leaving the Jeff Awards behind, and the real story is not the backlash. It’s the judgment that caused it.