Critics and criticism keep making news, so after appearing here on the home page, such items will move to our new “Criticism in Controvery” page. Examples to date: the flap over a Cleveland music critic, Pulitzers ignoring the drama jury, Theresa Rebeck taking on critics, and Tonys...
“Right to an opinion – or wrong?” is Michael Phillips’ Aug. 12, 2010, Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune column about the lawsuit by classical music critic Donald Rosenberg against the Cleveland Orchestra and his own paper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, which took Rosenberg off the Orchestra beat in response to complaints about...
For the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, the 17-member Pulitzer board rejected the three finalists selected by its own five-member Drama jury, instead awarding the Pulitzer to “Next to Normal.”This is an old story. The Pulitzer for Drama began in 1917 (although no play that year...
The ATCA website is for news about theater critics and Theresa Rebeck criticism, not about the theater in general. But playwright Theresa Rebeck’s stem-winding March 15 Laura Pels keynote address is more than theater news in general, and it certainly bears directly on theater criticism. So follow the link...
Gerald Weales: formally retired but still writing Oct. 15 — Gerald Weales, winner of the 1965 George Jean Nathan Award (the highest national award reserved for theater criticism) and an ATCA emeritus member, says, “After more than a half century of reviewing, I formally retired. My farewell...
Critic David Rooney Variety, the so-called show biz bible, has jettisoned the full-time theater critic position held by David Rooney, simultaneously saying it will continue to review theater with the same frequency. (How many of us have heard that before?) Links to two commentaries: “The iceberg...
March, 2010 — The critics (in this case, the 20-some members of the New York Drama Critics Circle) will get back the Tony Awards vote next year, according to a March 25 announcement by the Broadway League and American Theatre Wing, the Tonys’ joint proprietors....
Sept. 27 — Three actors, a director, music director, librettist, playwright and one who defies category make up the eight 2010 selections of the Theater Hall of Fame, to be inducted ceremoniously on Jan. 24, 2011, beneath the names of more than 400 previous members...
Michele Lowe The Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation and the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) are pleased to announce that playwright Michele Lowe has been awarded the 2010 Francesca Primus Prize for her play Inana. Lowe will receive her award at an upcoming ATCA conference. The Primus Prize is...
Brooks Atkinson said the American theater started with Eugene O’Neill — but the mayor of New London asked what did he ever do for New London except write a couple of books. ATCA spent July 13-18 finding out what at this years’ annual conference. Following are some quick responses to our...