-
Nov 22, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
Richard Strauss got the idea for Spirit Series many years ago, when he found himself the widowed parent of a 10-year-old daughter. His goal was simple but ambitious: to create a program that would enhance a child’s education through the art of storytelling.
-
Nov 14, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
In his 1983 memoir, Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman wrote, “Nobody knows anything.” It was his response to the impossibility of predicting how industry power players will receive a film. “Every time out, it’s a guess, and if you’re lucky, an educated one,” he added. Goldman’s words have become a mantra for awards season prognosticators—and his wisdom has never been truer than this year.
-
Oct 31, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
A casual web search will tell you that there are hundreds of film programs at public and private universities across the U.S. So how can prospective students narrow down their options? What are admissions departments looking for, and what materials should you include in your portfolio? We asked admissions experts from three of the nation’s top film schools for their insights into what makes an application stand out from the rest.
-
Oct 16, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
Even if you’ve never seen a live show at the Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles, you’re likely familiar with some of the characters who were invented there. Ever heard of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark? The Roxbury Guys? Or how about the one and only Pee-wee Herman? Their creators (Cassandra Peterson, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, and the late Paul Reubens, respectively) all cut their teeth on that very stage.
-
Oct 16, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
Even if you’ve never seen a live show at the Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles, you’re likely familiar with some of the characters who were invented there. Ever heard of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark? The Roxbury Guys? Or how about the one and only Pee-wee Herman? Their creators (Cassandra Peterson, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, and the late Paul Reubens, respectively) all cut their teeth on that very stage.
-
Oct 3, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
When “A Chorus Line” opened on Broadway in 1975, audiences first heard the opening strains of “I Hope I Get It,” in which performance hopefuls sing about how badly they want a chance to strut their stuff on the Great White Way. Almost 50 years later, actors’ dreams have expanded beyond the stage and screen to encompass platforms ranging from streaming services to TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
-
Sep 18, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
Queer representation in film has greatly improved in the past 40 years—according to GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index’s 2023 report, 28.5 percent of films included an LGBTQ+ character. But it has taken decades to get there. In the 1990s, there was a notable burst of new directing talent who wanted to boost an underrepresented group and created the New Queer Cinema. Here is a look at five of the movement’s most instrumental filmmakers, and the works that propelled them.
-
Aug 15, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
Last month, social media erupted over the news that Emmy-winning standup John Mulaney and regular Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel both turned down the offer to emcee the 2025 Academy Awards. And as of press time, the 76th Primetime Emmys ceremony, which airs Sept. 15 on ABC, has still not announced a host. So why is nobody champing at the bit to take these seemingly prestigious gigs? One obvious reason is that there are fewer eyes on awards ceremonies these days.
-
Aug 14, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
You can’t pass an acting conservatory without hearing the words “sense” and “memory” floating through the air like pollen. But these are incredibly useful tools in enhancing the emotional timbre of a performance. And according to veteran acting coach and studio director Terry Knickerbocker, they’re firmly rooted in classical techniques—including those of legendary acting sages Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg, whose approach Knickerbocker teaches in his Brooklyn acting school.
-
Aug 14, 2024 | 
backstage.com | Jason Clark
When Dolly Parton was famously asked how many wigs she has, she replied, “Well, at least 365 because I wear at least one a day.” If you’re the hair department head for a Broadway show, you’re not on the hook 365 days a year, but it’s awfully close. You could have upwards of 60 wigs to maintain for an eight-show-a-week continuous run.
