Monster Mash: Breaking arts news and headlines
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- Dolly Parton came to the rescue of her accident-prone new musical ‘9 to 5’ on Saturday when a technical glitch stalled the production during the opening night performance at the Ahmanson Theatre. With microphone in hand, the country western star led the audience in an impromptu sing-along of the show’s title song. In past weeks,’9 to 5’ has been plagued by on-stage breakdowns, causing the cancellation of a number of preview performances.
- The Smithsonian Institution could get a new chairperson as early as today. Patricia Q. Stonesifer, the former chief executive of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is expected to be named to the museum body’s newly created post on Monday.
- Ripple effects from the current global financial crisis have already reached major arts institutions. Cuts in funding for many cultural organizations could be on the horizon.
- Not even art-world celebrity status can guarantee your work against indignity. SFMOMA has reportedly painted over a set of two-story wall drawings by Sol LeWitt.
- Celebrating its 125th anniversary (or quasquicentennial), the Metropolitan Opera kicks off its latest season tonight with a gala concert featuring the soprano who can do no wrong, Renee Fleming. The concert will be broadcast live on the Internet and Sirius Satellite Radio.
- The Chinese-American Museum of Chicago suffered severe damage Friday when a fire broke out just after the museum had closed for the day.
- Broadway’s ‘[title of show]’ is scheduled to close on Oct. 12, having struggled to find a mainstream audience for its insiders’ sendup of showbiz.
— David Ng
Photo credits: Stephen Lovekin shot Dolly Parton for Getty Images and Bruce Gilbert shot Renee Fleming for Newsday.
