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The Takeaways From The Tonys

Audacious newcomers, especially Maybe Happy Ending, had themselves a night. - The New York Times

Live Updates From The Tonys

At the preshow, “Buena Vista Social Club, a musical about a Cuban band, picked up awards for choreography, sound design and orchestrations, while Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix series, won for sound, lighting and scenic design.” - The New York Times

What Can We Expect From Tonight’s Tony Awards?

“Singing robots. Undead frenemies. A dead train robber, and a dying cave explorer. A fumbling group of spies, and a bumbling group of pirates. Also: Hamilton.” - The New York Times

Why Broadway Performers Make A Hot, Buggy Summer Trek West To St. Louis’s Muny

The Muny seats 11,000 people, in a bug-prone, humidity-drenched St. Louis outdoor theatre. It’s getting a Tony tonight. - The New York Times

Why The Time Was Right For George Clooney’s Broadway Play To Get Broadcast On National TV

"The pressures that deformed the news in Murrow’s day have only grown more intense, and its defenses weaker. The last line of protection is those people sitting in the dark, watching George Clooney remind them what they have to do.” - Slate

Has Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Become Our Best Playwright?

 “Obviously, I’m very neurotic. I’m always trying to understand what’s happening and why. My friends every day talk about what they’re anxious about, and yet no one’s asking for the theater to address that anxiety — but that’s what it’s supposed to do.” - Washington Post

The First Authorized Stage Adaptation Of James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room” Makes Its Debut

“There have been many efforts to adapt Baldwin’s works since he died in 1987, nearly all unsanctioned or unsuccessful in earning approval from his estate. … Giovanni’s Room in particular has been attempted several times” (including an abortive screenplay by Baldwin himself) — making this world premiere in Philadelphia an event. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Who/What Should Win Tonys, Statistically Speaking

 Every year, I run a statistical model based on precursor awards, which categories a show is nominated in, blended critic predictions, and betting markets to project the odds that each nominee will emerge victorious in every category. - The Hollywood Reporter

Trump Is Going To “Les Mis”. So?

Trump is a fan. At campaign rallies he would make his entrance to the anthemic "Do You Hear the People Sing?" blaring from loudspeakers. The U.S. Army Chorus performed the song at a ball for the country's governors at the White House, hosted by the President and First Lady. - NPR

Producers Can Make A Fortune Presenting Movie Stars In Broadway Plays. The Stars Themselves? Maybe Not.

Really famous stars anchoring and co-producing a show — George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Bette Midler — can negotiate a good percentage of profit for themselves.  Most well-known movie and TV stars, however, get paid what looks like a hefty salary for stage actors but is nothing close to what they earn for screen work. - Forbes

Almeida Theatre, London’s Pint-Sized Powerhouse, Appoints Dominic Cooke Artistic Director

The 325-seat playhouse in Islington, which has a long history of spawning award winners and West End and Broadway hits, has chosen Cooke, formerly of the Royal Court Theatre, to succeed Rupert Goold (who’s moving on to the Old Vic) next year. - The Guardian

Edinburgh Fringe Loses Major Sponsor, Seeks City Help

No new sponsor has been found for the Fringe to replace Johnnie Walker, Fringe chiefs have admitted, as they draw up plans to demand tourist levy funds from Edinburgh Council. - The Scotsman

How The Broadway Cast Of “Purpose” Coped With Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Constant Rewrites

Glenn Davis: “The hardest day I’ve ever had as an actor: Branden rewrote our two scenes in the second act. ... We rehearsed the new scene that day, and then performed the old scene that night. And that was a juggling act because I got two scenes in my head.” - The New York Times

Philly Gets A Brand-New Festival Of Nouveau Circus

“The new 10-day event, the Philadelphia Contemporary Circus Festival, features more than 24 exhibitions, workshops, and artist showcases throughout Old City and Camden, … (offering) offers audiences a look into circus operatic singers, acrobat-led theater dramas, and comedic oral histories led by, of course, a ‘professor clown.’” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

McNulty: Here’s What Play Ought To Win The Tony This Year

There was a time not so long ago when the future of the Broadway play was in serious doubt. The threat hasn’t gone away, and Tony voters shouldn’t pass up an opportunity to honor true playwriting excellence. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

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