New Projects - Oscar Noms - Re-opening - Upcoming Workshops - One Year Later

By Sean Gregory, March 16, 2021

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I don't know about you all, but I woke up yesterday with a refreshing burst of creative energy that I haven't really felt in weeks. It definitely came as a surprise only days after we hit the one year mark of Broadway's shutdown, but there are so many encouraging signs of life happening in New York, both in terms of the industry continuing to blossom as well as life in general just slowly starting to return to a new normal, and I have a renewed sense of optimism for the months ahead.

Take some time this week to set a few intentions for what you'd like to work on as we get further into the spring; I've been working on my vision board the past couple weeks, and it's been incredibly rewarding seeing what I'm hoping to get out of the upcoming year. Sending everyone a burst of creativity for this week!

Upcoming Workshops

Our busy March schedule keeps rolling! Join Annie and Abi for one of our FREE workshops to chat about the state of the industry and how to maximize your audition opportunities as projects continue to pop up:

Broadway: One Year Later

Impossible as it may seem, Friday marked one year since Broadway closed its doors for what was originally intended as a "few weeks" shutdown. The rest is, of course, history. We could all probably write our own books on how we've navigated the past year, what we've learned, and what we're most hopeful for in the year ahead. Take some time to read this in-depth feature from Deadline - aptly titled BEING ALIVE - that chronicles all sides of the shutdown and perfectly captures so much of the confusion, turmoil, misinformation, fear, uncertainty, and ultimately, the hope that each of us shares for the months to come.

More outlets have compiled accounts from various corners of the Broadway community, and they're all absolutely worth the read:

"At this point, we're thinking early fall, perhaps early September. That's the way things are pointing," Broadway League president Charlotte St. Martin postulated for Broadway's reopening last week, though many producers seem to be hedging their bets on a more conservative winter timeline later in the year. It's a tall order for St. Martin, who has remained steadfast in her commitment to only allowing audiences to return to the theatre district when it is safe to do so. A handful of Broadway houses will reopen for select live events in early April as part of New York's NY PopsUp initiative, but it will still be some months before Broadway performers are donning their familiar wardrobes once more. And which shows might we see raise their curtains first? "We believe that some of the longer-running shows may be first to come back because a lot of the cast has muscle memory." Already planning to snag my ticket to literally anything, whenever the box offices reopen. 🎟

For anyone based in New York, or who just has a lot of love for the city that never sleeps, I also recommend reading this incredible photo story from The New York Times' visual team. Bring some tissues 😢

And if you want to cry some more, check out the latest in Broadway star Rob McClure's "Conductor Cam" series - might as well bring the whole tissue box 🤧

Oscar Nominations 2021

The 2021 Academy Award nomination show started the week off strong yesterday morning with the unveiling of all the nominees for the 93rd annual award ceremony, presented by top-tier couple goals champs Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas from London. Leading the pack with 10 nominations this year was David Fincher's MANK, anchored by stellar performances from Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfriend, both of who received Best Actor/Actress nods as well. Chloé Zhao's NOMADLAND, a frequent frontrunner in this year's races, scored six nominations including Best Picture and Best Director, marking the first time a woman of color has been nominated and the first time two women received Best Director nods in the same year - the other going to PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN'S Emerald Fennell. Check out the full list of nominees here!

Also of note, Viola Davis has become the most-nominated black actress in Oscars history with her nomination this year for Best Actress in MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM.

COVID Reopening

The LA film and TV scene is starting to see encouraging signs of life this past month, reporting a 43.1% jump in on-location film permits from January to February. The spike made February the third-busiest month since June for LA's film permit office Film LA, pointing to a hopeful continued increase in production in the months ahead. "As new COVID-19 case counts diminish and more projects restart production, we are optimistic that the local film economy will soon be back on track," FilmLA president Paul Audley said.

Along with the rise in production film, LA movie theaters are rapidly reawakening and beginning to welcome visitors once again. Hoping to catch a flick in LA in the next few weeks? Check out this running list of which houses are back in business in and around the LA area! 🍿

Looking to up your mask game? Check out these iconic movie-themed masks and make a statement for your first return to theaters this year 😷🎬

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Playbill is celebrating Women's History Month with a tribute to some of the most inspiring women on Broadway, past and present. Who inspires you on the stage? 🎭

A new study from McKinsey & Company is highlighting the financial and socio-economic impact that lax (or non-existent) diversity practices can have on the film industry at large. The report concluded that the $150 billion/year film industry could stand to gain an additional $10 billion in revenue by addressing inequities in race, both in front of and behind that camera. "Black-led projects have been consistently underfunded and undervalued even though there has been evidence that is clear as day that they outperform other properties when it comes to a return on their investment," Deadline reported. The study went on to illustrate the stagnation in Black behind-the-camera talent, sharing that Black directors, writers, and producers account for less than 6% of the field in Hollywood.

In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder and the resulting protests around the world, filmmaker Travon Free sought to make sense of the relentlessness of the summer's news cycle with his new 30-minute short film TWO DISTANT STRANGERS. "Once I was looking at it on the page, it felt right, it felt like this is what this story wants to be." The story follows a Black man on his way home from a date's apartment and an ensuing GROUNDHOG DAY-style recap of an interaction with a police officer gone bad. "I knew from the beginning there’s no way to end this movie that buttons up the reality of what we live in. There are no solutions to this problem in the real world that anyone has actually thought of that works, so I can’t present one in this movie," Free said of the film, which received a Best Live Action Short Film nod at yesterday's Oscar nomination show.

THE BOOK OF MORMON's creative team is set to revisit the show's dialogue in a line-by-line review in the coming weeks, after a private letter sent by 20 current and former Black Broadway cast members called on creators Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez to reevaluate some of the language in the script. The potential outcome seems to be setting up a mixed bag, as half of the SOUTH PARK writing pair Stone remarked that he "can't imagine trying to make a politically correct Book Of Mormon," though adding that "[n]o one is going back on stage until they feel great about" the show's racially-pointed content.

Broadway theater group The Shubert Organization has created a new initiative aimed at supporting early-to-mid career BIPOC theatrical producers that are currently developing projects. The Artistic Circle will offer a host of educational resources and networking opportunities, from workshops to providing performance space, as well as financial assistance tailored to the individual project needs. Producers interested in applying for the program can send in their materials by April 9th!

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New Year, New Stimulus: Renewed Hope for Arts Sector

The latest round of stimulus legislation was officially signed into law last week, with many in the entertainment industry hailing the move as a financial saving grace across the board. Provisions of the bill include $1,400 stimulus payments that have already begun distribution, as well as extended $300/week federal unemployment benefits with a tax break on the first $10,200 in benefits, child tax breaks, and partially subsidized COBRA healthcare benefits, a major victory from the various actor unions after months of advocacy in Washington. "Though the passage of President Biden's American Rescue Plan is set to help millions of arts workers currently struggling to make ends meet and bolstering unemployment and healthcare aid, arts organizations at-large are still facing an uphill battle between now and a full reopening later in the year. A group of NY businesses has come together with a "Proposal to Revive And Rebuild The New York State Creative Economy", calling on state legislators to fund additional relief and recovery grants for the ailing arts sector, as well as tax incentives and an initiative to provide direct relief to artists and encourage contract employees to return to the state. With New York on track to receive around $12 billion in federal relief funds from the newly passed federal relief bill, the group hopes to earmark a portion of these funds to expand relief for arts sector players, specifically those who may not have been covered by funds from the Save Our Stages Act in December or the most recent relief package. Sign the petition today!

This newest round of stimulus has reinvigorated talks about adding an arts-focused cabinet position to President Biden's cohort, an intermittent topic of discussion among arts leaders over the past few decades that ebbs and flows but has never received much in the way of Oval Office support. A new push for the creation of a Department of Arts and Culture that would centralize all arts administration under one government silo has received traction from arts workers across the board, advocating President Biden to consider developing the position during his term: "Nothing short of a bold move will save the American arts sector and bring it not only back to life but give it new meaning in a new age, an age dedicated to economic and social justice under your leadership."

Advice, Submissions & Classes

Are you keeping all your virtual accounts in tip-top shape as the industry starts to reopen? Actors Connection has your checklist curated and covered! (And peak a familiar face on there too 😉)

Filmmaking savant Guillermo del Toro is sharing his thoughts on this year's Oscar race, and touting high praise for Thomas Vinterberg's ANOTHER ROUND, which secured nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Director yesterday for this year's Academy Awards. The film's star and residential good-bad guy Mads Mikkelsen chatted about his approach to creating a believable drunk character, around which most of the film is centered: "I tried to do it in a way that it doesn’t come across. You’re hiding that you’re drunk. That’s the rule for all actors. Focus, focus, walk a little more stiffly, you talk a little more slower, and that gives you away."

SUBMISSION: Off The Lane, an NYC-based artist development and empowerment program, is set to award a $5,000 scholarship to a young dancer looking to move to the Big Apple, in memory of dance legend Ann Reinking. "Like so many young dancers coming to New York, [Ann] struggled to find a foothold in a strange city," Reinking's husband Peter Talbert said. "Short of money and friends, Annie persevered and found her way forward, thanks to some helping hands. This program will offer others following in her footsteps that helping hand, to ensure that they can succeed in their desire to make their dream come true. That’s a legacy worthy of her name and reputation.” Thinking of moving to NYC in the next year? Mark your calendar to apply in May!

BEETLEJUICE's Dana Steingold and WICKED's Brittney Johnson are both set to host their own segments for BroadwayWorld's Stage Door Masterclass series this April. Attendees will be given the chance to sing for and receive feedback from the Broadway stars. Limited slots are available for both classes, sign up today!

Quick Bites

I think we know by now that I can't resist some solid LORD OF THE RINGS news. Andy Serkis, who lent his motion-capture talents to create the formidable and always creepy role of Gollum for the series recently shared that he used to walk on all fours during the production to help get him into character: "It’s fair to say that’s a pretty method."

Who doesn't love a good "Jake from State Farm" reference? The now-10-year-old commercial character (how was that 10 years ago already..?) is continuing to be studied by the ever-evolving ad industry, which has experienced a paradigm shift from typical spokespeople to the relatable every man in recent years. And yet, Jake has endured, from the original 2011 khaki-wearer - an actual State Farm employee from Illinois - to actor Kevin Miles, and agencies are taking notice.

Residential Broadway everyman Seth Rudetsky dropped a handful of insightful stories and behind-the-curtain tales for his birthday last week on his YouTube series STARS IN THE HOUSE, hearing from legends like Chita Rivera, Andrea Martin, and Eva Noblezada. Take a peek! 👀

Want to read about a gorgeous Brooklyn theater of days gone by? I honestly learned so much from this article; I never knew that downtown Brooklyn had a bustling theater district WAY back when, and the pictures of the Fox Theater rival the beauty of anything near 42nd Street today. A Tuesday history lesson for all of us 🤓

What to Watch & Read

That's all for this week, UTD! We hope to see you at this week's workshop with Ripley-Grier Studios, join us this Thursday at 6 PM EST to chat about booking TV and Film work in 2021!

Get out there and get some sunshine this week ☀️

Peace and love ✌️

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