Category: theater

Musical Theater Master Stephen Sondheim Dies at 91

NEW YORK—Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies, and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91. Sondheim’s death was announced by Rick Miramontez, president of DKC/O&M. Sondheim’s Texas-based attorney, Rick…


Theater Chain AMC to Accept Other Cryptocurrencies Along With Bitcoin

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. boss Adam Aron said the theater chain would accept ether, bitcoin cash and litecoin alongside bitcoin for ticket purchases, as cryptocurrencies gain acceptance among mainstream investors and companies. “Cryptocurrency enthusiasts: you likely know @AMCTheatres has announced we will accept Bitcoin for online ticket and concession payments by year-end 2021. I can…


Orange County’s Top Performing Arts Organizations Require Customers to be Vaccinated and Masked

The biggest performing arts organizations in Orange County recently joined together on Aug. 23 to announce they will be requiring all customers 12-years-old and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks to attend shows. In partnership with Arts Orange County—the countywide arts council—Irvine Barclay Theatre, Musco Center for the Arts, Pacific Chorale,…


The Bibiena Family: The Doyens of European Theater Design

In 1716, poet Alexander Pope received a letter from writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who had just seen a performance of “Angelica vincitrice di Alcina” in Vienna. “Nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent; and I can easily believe what I am told, that the decorations [sets] and habits [costumes] cost the Emperor thirty…


Flickering Flames: The Primordial Power of the Movies

Night. Somewhere in Northern Europe. (8,000 B.C.) Picture a cave with a fire burning just outside its mouth. Prehistoric men, women, and children are seated on the cave floor, every face alit with awe and wonder, under the spell of a master storyteller. Before them, an elder, dressed in animal skins and a headdress with…


Segerstrom Bringing Broadway Back at Full Capacity

Seats for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Broadway series could fill to full capacity this November as the venue plans to host some of theater’s biggest hits with no limits on ticket sales. The performing and visual arts center confirmed with The Epoch Times on May 6 that it will be operating at full…


Orange County Arts to Receive $5 Million in Rescue Funds

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on April 27 approved an allocation of $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to support arts-related small businesses and non-profit organizations. The funding came as local arts organizations continue to struggle with economic losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey by Arts Orange County (Arts…


State Loosens COVID Rules To Allow For Indoor Events, Performances

LOS ANGELES—In a major advancement in the state’s COVID-19 economic recovery, California health officials announced changes April 2 that will allow a resumption of indoor activities such as concerts, conferences and theater performances—and a return of fans to indoor sporting events. The rules, however, include strict capacity mandates based on counties’ tier placement within the…


The Antidote to the Theater of Misery: The Natural Theater

Look I know it’s not a perfect show . . . but none of that matters . . . it does what a musical is supposed to do . . . it gives you a little tune to carry in your head . . . A little something to help you escape from the dreary…