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New Projects Casting - Industry & Georgia Politics - In-Person Events Return - Diversity & Inclusion

By Sean Gregory, April 06, 2021

Eye922
Happy April, UTD!

I hope everyone had a lovely Passover week and Easter weekend for those who celebrate 🌷 it's been great to see some signs of life springing up around the parks in NYC here this past week, a much needed reminder that warmer times are ahead and our winter hibernation is coming to an end.

Mark your calendars now for our next slate of events coming up in April and May - Abi and Annie will be tackling the emerging post-pandemic landscape and how to stay on top of everything being offered in 2021! Click on each link for more info.

Busy week in the industry, so let's get to it!

TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Bests NOMADLAND at SAG Awards

SAG-AFTRA presented their awards for film & TV project Sunday evening, with many of this season's usual suspects picking up additional wins, and a few standout newcomers taking home top prizes. Aaron Sorkin's THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 came away with SAG version of Best Picture - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture - besting Chloé Zhao's NOMADLAND, which previously took the top film award at most other major award shows this year. SCHITT'S CREEK cleaned up the TV comedy field, with THE CROWN taking home the prize for Best Ensemble for a Drama Series, all but punctuating awards season for television, as we await the 93th Academy Awards at the end of the month. Check out the full list of winners here!

With the top of the awards season for films slowly creeping toward us in Oscars' night on April 25th, show organizers are currently playing with the idea of rotating guests in and out of the Union Station venue in order to keep air circulating and not having folks around each other for extended amounts of time. This year's Grammys test piloted a similar model, as pods of nominees and performers were switched out every 45 minutes, and cleaning crews sanitized the areas in between groups. The Academy is set to meet today to discuss seating procedures and other plans for the event with studio representatives and producers.

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Industry Reacts to Georgia Voter Law

In the aftermath of the dangerously restrictive elections bill signed into law in Georgia last week that would restrict access to voting for thousands, if not millions throughout the state, many companies have spoken out against the bill's disenfranchisement of groups that would otherwise rely on the voting access it has since denied, particularly communities of color in the state. Of note, media giants like Disney have yet to make their stance known on the issue, underscoring the complicated relationship that companies acclimated to taking advantage of the state's robust tax credits are currently involved in.

In the hours following Atlanta-based Delta Airlines' CEO Ed Bastian's condemnation of the law as "unacceptable," the Georgia House passed a bill that would stamp out tens of millions in jet-fuel tax credits. Hollywood remains skeptical of a full boycott of filming in the state: ViacomCBS made their opposition to the bill known, sharing in a statement that they "believe in the importance of all Americans having an equal right to vote and oppose the recent Georgia voting rights law or any effort that impedes the ability to exercise this vital constitutional right," becoming one of the first studios to widely condemn the legislation. Tyler Perry, who maintains one of the largest film and TV studios in the state, didn't mince words for his part, remarking that the "unconstitutional voter suppression law... harkens to the Jim Crow era," but remained confident that, like the state's previous attempts at passing the anti-abortion bill and LGBTQIA+ discrimination bill, the Department of Justice would ultimately block the bill's constitutionality.

The call to boycott doing business in the state is not so cut and dry as one may think. Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, while calling the bill "a reminder of Georgia's dark past," said to remain vigilant of desires to abandon any business that does not fully condemn the bill, saying that it may only further damage minority communities. Other Hollywood magnates are still moving forward with their boycott plans: Mark Hamill and director James Mangold have both vowed to not return to Georgia to film future projects, and the WGA issued a statement saying they supported its BIPOC members "who are deeply troubled by the new law and the damage it does to them and to their state," and warning that "[i]f Georgia wants to benefit from the thousands of good jobs our industry brings to the state, it cannot attack the democratic rights of its own people."

It's a Fest

Summer 2021 may mark the re-emergence of the in-person film festival, as many organizers look to maintain the integrity of their viewings while still remaining wary of the general uncertainty regarding limits on public gatherings. Tribeca Film Festival has become the first event in North America to announce a complete return to in-person showings, creating a full itinerary for some of NYC's largest venues for the 12-day festival. Outdoor viewings at Brookfield Place New York, Pier 57 Rooftops, Hudson Yards, and more are currently being workshopped for the event, set to take place June 9-20th.

Film at Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art have announced plans to mix both in-person and virtual elements for the 50th anniversary of their New Directors/New Films (ND/NF) festival later this spring in New York. "From intimate, personal tales to political, metaphysical, and spiritual inquiries, the films in the 50th edition of New Directors/New Films embody an inexhaustible curiosity and a fearless desire for adventure," festival co-chair La Frances Hui said in a statement. The event will be streamed virtually between April 28th and May 8th while hosting in-person events at Film at Lincoln Center from April 28th through May 13th.

COVID Updates & Reopening

NYC Comptroller Scott M. Stringer is calling for vaccine eligibility for all performing arts and cultural workers in the state, highlighting the importance of getting the industry back on its feet and revitalizing the arts and its adjacent sectors in the city. "Vaccinating our cultural workers is essential to resuscitating the arts industry, bringing tourists back to the five boroughs, and energizing the cultural economy," Stringer wrote in a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYS DOH Commissioner Howard Zucker. Broadway theaters began welcoming limited audiences in March as a part of the state's NY PopsUp initiative with the St. James Theatre leading off the Broadway revival with performances from Savion Glover and Nathan Lane for frontline workers BCEFA and The Actors Fund.

Audiences may only need to wait a few more months for their Broadway fix. Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin confirmed that a handful of shows are "tentatively holding September dates for reopening or opening,"and several more eyeing October and November returns. St. Martin added the possibility of returning sooner if a dramatic downturn in COVID infection rates prevailed, but that September seemed to be the likeliest date for now. Other venues of less than 10,000 people in New York officially opened their doors at 33% capacity last week, offering a glimmer of hope that more in-person events may be on the horizon in the state.

Sony Pictures has announced plans to return to their Culver City, CA lot on June 1st, barring any unexpected spikes in COVID cases in the next two months. The company will be making significant upgrades to the office's cleaning and filtration protocols before employees return to the site after Labor Day, marking the first major studio to set a return-to-work date this year.

Actors' Equity will be hosting a public webinar for theatre workers tomorrow at 12 PM EST to discuss the COVID vaccine, namely tackling availability for arts workers in the country, testing protocols for returning to work, and more. AEA President Kate Shindle will be joined by top epidemiologists in the US in partnership with the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition. The panel comes a week after the union set forth its newest set of COVID guidelines and safety protocols for companies to use as members return to the workplace.

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Film & TV

Television writers are doing their part to adapt the monolith of cultural and societal reckoning that occurred throughout the US in the past year, and if the past and upcoming weeks of television are any indication, we are about to see a new era of storytelling on the small and big screen. NBC's TRANSPLANT, a recent honoree at the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s Media Awards, has been praised for its portrayal of Muslim men and women and the plight of Syrian refugees. Fellow medical drama NEW AMSTERDAM has made it a point to address the effects of systemic racism in healthcare, having written some of this season in the days and weeks after the murder of George Floyd.

Last week's NEW AMSTERDAM episode tied in a real-life instance of anti-Asian verbal assault that series actress Christine Chang endured earlier in the pandemic, a response that showrunners felt was their duty to share in 2021: "Hollywood has for so many decades perpetuated harmful stereotypes, and now we really need to make it a priority to dismantle that." Writers for THE OFFICE are being taken to task by actress Kat Ahn after she shared her own story of racism and belittlement from her time on the show, saying that the portrayal of Asian characters as "just one big, walking stereotype without any personality or individuality... is problematic."

WarnerMedia has teamed up with Black List to amplify underrepresented voices in the community by way of social media. The company will work with HBCUs and other organizations to select up to 600 participants that will receive the opportunity to have their scripts evaluated by a professional in the industry and receive feedback. The scripts will also be viewable for all users of the platform, allowing the writers access to other industry insiders that may be looking to develop new works. "We know that changing and growing the pipeline will take a collective effort, and this is part of our larger commitment as members of the creative community to increase opportunities for those who don’t have access through traditional means," WarnerMedia’s senior VP of equity and inclusion said in a statement.

Theatre

The LA Stage Alliance has officially ceased operations effective immediately, in response to misrepresenting a nominee at its Ovation Awards last week. The decision comes after LASA mispronounced the name of nominee Jully Lee at last week's Ovation Awards while showing a photo of her fellow castmate in place of her own. Lee was nominated for her performance in East West Players' HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO, which featured a full company of Asian-American actors. "The mispronouncing of our names combined with the sentiment that all Asians look alike is not new," East West wrote in an Instagram post after announcing that they would leave the organization. "However it particularly stings when the evening is supposed to be about raising the visibility of LA’s theater community and celebrating our artists."

The move from LASA comes as the industry continues to grapple with the fallout of the shooting in Atlanta and the widespread rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans in the past year. The National Asian Artists Project put out a statement condemning the racist actions of individuals in the US and abroad: "These aggressions and events have impacted our families and friends across the nation, leaving many with increased fear in their everyday lives."

The Shubert Organization has released its latest installment of the Shubert Advocacy Series, which "aims to give a platform to organizations who will provide compelling and engaging conversations, so that their voices, missions, and experiences can be heard." This episode features Broadway's LaChanze and Vanessa Williams from Black Theatre United, Brandon Michael Nase and Tiana Okoye from Broadway for Racial Justice, and X Casting NYC's Victor Vazquez, who sit down to discuss the state of representation and authenticity in the industry, and the much-needed changes that need to happen in theaters across the globe moving forward.

SUBMISSION: Black Theatre Coalition and Broadway Records are seeking submissions from Black musical theatre writers for a new album consisting of all-Black new works set to debut this year. Both new and established Black musical theatre writers are encouraged to submit their work to be considered. The deadline is Monday, May 17th!

The theatre has undoubtedly lagged behind in its inclusion of disabled folks onstage, behind the scenes and in the audience, and as a new age of representation emerges from the important conversations spurred on by the events of the past year, it is time for theaters to be doing their part in recognizing their role in marginalizing the disabled community and taking steps to insure inclusion means in inclusion for all moving forward. TCG's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion department has pulled together a list of articles and resources of columns, op-eds, and calls to action for the theatre community to continue their promises made last summer to underserved communities: "As the theatre field reckons with the demands of We See You, White American Theater and other accountability movements, it is crucial not to lose sight of the intertwined struggles for equity and inclusion waged by and on behalf of the most vulnerable and historically excluded."

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Quick Bites

A New York City landmark has found its new home: BroadwayWorld offered us a first look at the new location of the Drama Book Shop on 39th St, one block away from its previous location. Though no open date has been finalized, part owner Lin-Manuel Miranda shared his joy for when the day comes: "To the next generation of dramatists, actors, directors, composers, choreographers, designers, and theater enthusiasts: the stage is set...Come in. Discover. Enjoy."

President Biden shared his plans for upgrading the nation's infrastructure on Wednesday that would include access to cheaper high-speed internet for much of the country. A controversial piece of the bill would also boost corporate tax rates to 28%, a move that may prove counter to the efforts of studios and media companies' lobbying for a 21% rate less than four years ago.

Netflix has shared its goal to go completely carbon-neutral by the end of next year, announcing its Net Zero + Nature protocol to continue reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in the years ahead. "[W]e aspire to entertain the world," Netflix sustainability officer Emma Stewart, PhD wrote in a post. "But that requires a habitable world to entertain."

New year, new Shakespeare sonnet? A scholar in Leeds, UK, claims to have found a previously undiscovered piece of writing from the Bard from around 1606, potentially written during quarantine from the bubonic plague. The authenticity of the piece has yet to be verified, with many wondering if it can truly be attributed to Shakespeare or another writer from the time period. Oh, and did I mention that it was written on toilet paper? (Yeah okay it's an April Fools joke but honestly, it took me a minute 🧻)

GAME OF THRONES is set to receive the stage treatment sometime in the next few years, as reports confirm that series creator George R.R. Martin has teamed up with Duncan MacMillan (1984, EVERY BRILLIANT THING) to pen an adaptation eyeing Broadway, the West End and Australia in 2023. The newest jaunt in Westeros is to be set in "a pivotal moment in the history of the series," and will reportedly feature a handful of recognizable names from the series. Dragons on stage? I'm here for it 🐉

What to Watch & Read

That's all for this week, folks! Don't forget to register for our upcoming events in April and May, and be on the lookout on our social media for more events and site updates to come 👀

Peace and love ️✌️