#swan-song

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Arts
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

Painting With Blood: Who Does It and Who Collects It

Blood is used as a medium in contemporary art, challenging traditional boundaries of artistic practice.
Parenting
fromwww.theguardian.com
10 hours ago

I was a professional fairy. The kids made the job magical but the adults could be a nightmare

Children's entertainers gain insights into child behavior and parental dynamics, revealing early personality traits and social interactions.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
19 hours ago

Walking Shadow by Greg Doran review Shakespeare's healing power

The book combines Antony Sher's dying diaries and Greg Doran's quest to find Shakespeare's First Folio copies, reflecting on love and loss.
#broadway
NYC music
fromVulture
22 hours ago

C'est Absurde, In the Best Possible Way: Titanique

Broadway's current season celebrates queer culture through vibrant productions like Titanique and Rocky Horror Show, showcasing defiance and joy amidst challenges.
NYC music
fromTime Out New York
5 days ago

Broadway review: Paris is purring in Cats: The Jellicle Ball ()

The revival of Cats: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway reinvigorates the musical, transforming its inherent strangeness into a celebratory experience.
fromThe New Yorker
1 day ago

"Blue Heron" Is an Exalted Drama of Troubled Childhood

The point of cinematic realism is the inner life, and the miracle of movies is their power to portray subjectivity, though few filmmakers manage to attain that power—even despite their best efforts.
Independent films
#ballet
NYC LGBT
fromThe Bold Italic
2 days ago

Nothing Good Happens in the Woods at the Ballet.

La Sylphide features a simple story of love and betrayal, showcasing classic ballet elements and enchanting performances.
NYC LGBT
fromThe Bold Italic
2 days ago

Nothing Good Happens in the Woods at the Ballet.

La Sylphide features a simple story of love and betrayal, showcasing classic ballet elements and enchanting performances.
Portland
fromPortland Mercury
4 days ago

"Portland Nice" Is on Full Display in Carol Triffle's Latest Musical Comedy - Portland Mercury

Nice People satirizes performative niceness and racism through humor and conflict between two elderly sisters and a Mexican woman.
Humor
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a type of person who becomes the funniest one in every room and the loneliest one in every car ride home. The humor isn't hiding sadness. It's redirecting attention so skillfully that nobody ever thinks to ask the comedian a real question. - Silicon Canals

Humor often masks emotional struggles, as those who use it to deflect may be the least comfortable expressing their true feelings.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how much you did today and everything to do with how many versions of yourself you performed. The tiredness isn't physical. It's the weight of translation between who you are privately and who each room requires you to become. - Silicon Canals

Exhaustion often stems from the cognitive load of managing multiple identities rather than just physical effort or workload.
SF LGBT
fromSan Francisco Bay Times
3 days ago

Sean Dorsey Dance's Queer Dance Invites Us to Grieve ... and Heal - San Francisco Bay Times

Sean Dorsey Dance presents a powerful evening of dance as a response to current societal challenges, emphasizing community and resilience.
fromBerlin Art Link
4 days ago

An Interview with Leila Hekmat | Berlin Art Link

The title was spontaneous, impulsive. It was inspired by Kenneth Anger. He has two films with 'Rising' in the title - 'Lucifer Rising' and 'Scorpio Rising' - and I wanted to make something in this supernatural, surreal, occultist, exaggerated, fantasy world, like his films.
Berlin music
SF music
fromThe Bold Italic
4 days ago

Here's Why You Should See 'Mere Mortals' at SF Ballet

The San Francisco Ballet's cancellation of its performance at the Kennedy Center reflects broader cultural and political tensions in the arts.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I realized recently that I've spent years becoming whoever the room needed me to be - and now I honestly can't tell the difference between what I actually enjoy and what I've just been pretending to for so long it stuck - Silicon Canals

Constantly adapting to others' expectations can lead to losing touch with one's authentic self and preferences.
fromwww.nytimes.com
1 month ago

Dance and God Are Inseparable in Ann Lee' and Beyond

For the Shakers, Dancing is both a means of revelation and a way to do the work of God in the world, Kimerer LaMothe, a dancer and philosopher of religion, said in an interview. To dance is to build heaven on earth.
Philosophy
fromAnOther
4 days ago

Young-jun Tak's Eyes Are Always on the Audience

"It's bizarre to watch people in this way - even in gay cruising areas you wouldn't stare at other bodies this intensely. Now, whenever I go to a concert, especially at the Berliner Philharmonie with its encircling seating, my gaze hovers over the audience as well as the stage."
Berlin
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I walked away from a fifteen-year friendship last year and the hardest part wasn't the loss. It was realizing I'd been auditioning for a role the entire time, and the version of me that friendship required was someone who never disagreed, never needed anything, and never outgrew the dynamic. The grief wasn't for the friend. It was for the years I spent performing. - Silicon Canals

True friendship requires authenticity and conflict, not just compliance and absence of disagreement.
Women
fromScary Mommy
5 days ago

Misty Copeland On Life After Ballet: "I'm Giving Myself More Grace"

Misty Copeland navigates life after ballet, focusing on self-care, motherhood, and the changes brought by perimenopause.
London music
fromwww.amny.com
6 days ago

Mariska Hargitay stars in Every Brilliant Thing,' while an animated hit heads to the stage

Mariska Hargitay will make her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing starting May 26, succeeding Daniel Radcliffe.
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

The Drama Is Too Cowardly to Commit to Its Provocative Premise

The film presents a dark romantic comedy featuring complex characters and a central premise that challenges audience expectations.
Berlin music
fromVulture
6 days ago

Should a School Shooting Be Turned Into Opera?

Opera has long aestheticized human suffering, exemplified by Kaija Saariaho's final work, which transforms a school shooting into a modernist experience.
Arts
from48 hills
4 days ago

Drama Masks: Keeping the monsters of the world at bay - 48 hills

The Bay Area performing arts scene offers bright spots amidst current challenges, highlighting productions that promote inclusivity and cultural awareness.
#performance-art
Humor
fromInterview Magazine
5 days ago

How Mackenzie Thomas's Tweets Made a Sold-Out Theater Cry

Mackenzie Thomas's performance art blends personal storytelling with digital media, evoking deep emotional responses from the audience.
Berlin music
fromAnOther
1 week ago

This Performance Artwork Wants Us to "Feel Things Differently"

Performance reveals and conceals aspects of ourselves, exploring control and longing through song and dance.
Arts
fromBerlin Art Link
4 weeks ago

An Interview with William Joys | Berlin Art Link

Theater exposes hidden power dynamics through the body's presence, with artist William Joys exploring these relations through 'The Actress' character who transgresses social hierarchies and blurs distinctions between subject and object.
fromDefector
2 weeks ago

For Now, ABS Makes Good Theater | Defector

Under the ABS challenge system, a team begins each game with two challenges. If a player gets an umpire's call overturned, their team retains the challenge. In effect, this means a team has unlimited challenges until they get two wrong.
Boston Red Sox
Music production
fromPitchfork
2 weeks ago

Nobody's Chosen: An Interview With Sideshow

Sideshow's album TIGRAY FUNK addresses societal issues through personal experiences and a unique musical fusion of G-funk and Ethiopian influences.
Cancer
fromIndependent
2 weeks ago

'Writing allows me to face what is happening now. And what is happening now is that I'm dying'

Gabriel Rosenstock faces mortality with peace, relying on poetry and philosophy for support during his battle with terminal cancer.
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

The Twist in The Drama Is Not the Problem

The film features a controversial plot twist involving a character's past plan for a school shooting, sparking significant online speculation and backlash.
#comedy
Humor
fromFuncheap
6 days ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (SF)

Mortified is a live comedy show where adults share embarrassing teen diaries, showcasing humor and storytelling.
Humor
fromFuncheap
6 days ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (Berkeley)

Mortified is a live comedy show featuring adults sharing their embarrassing teen diaries, selling out shows for nearly 15 years.
Humor
fromFuncheap
1 month ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (Berkeley)

Adults perform readings of their embarrassing teenage diaries and creative works in a live comedy storytelling show that has sold out venues for nearly 15 years.
Humor
fromFuncheap
6 days ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (SF)

Mortified is a live comedy show where adults share embarrassing teen diaries, showcasing humor and storytelling.
Humor
fromFuncheap
6 days ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (Berkeley)

Mortified is a live comedy show featuring adults sharing their embarrassing teen diaries, selling out shows for nearly 15 years.
Humor
fromFuncheap
1 month ago

"Mortified Live" Embarrassing Teen Diary Storytelling (Berkeley)

Adults perform readings of their embarrassing teenage diaries and creative works in a live comedy storytelling show that has sold out venues for nearly 15 years.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Talking About Death: The Depth of the Meaning of Life

Death is a certain aspect of life that is often uncomfortable to discuss, yet it shapes our relationships and understanding of existence.
Arts
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Your Therapy Homework: Get to the Theater

Engaging with the arts can enhance psychological and social well-being, supporting mental and physical health.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Why Creative People Struggle to Commit to One Path

Multipotentiality reflects cognitive flexibility and creativity, challenging the notion that pursuing multiple interests indicates a lack of focus.
London music
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

The Guardian view on new musicals: sex, drugs and song n' dance | Editorial

Trainspotting the Musical adapts Irvine Welsh's novel, showcasing the evolution of stories from books to stage with contemporary themes.
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

Critics Aren't Sure Whether to Marry The Drama

Zendaya's performance in the controversial film is widely praised, while critics are divided on the film's originality and execution.
Books
fromPsychology Today
2 weeks ago

Fiction Is Indispensable to Life's Journey

Fiction is essential for emotional connection, learning, and social cognition, allowing us to escape reality and engage deeply with narratives.
London politics
fromIrish Independent
2 weeks ago

He 'shone the brightest at home' - proud son's tribute at Michael Lyster's funeral

Michael Lyster was a beloved broadcaster known for his presence on The Sunday Game and cherished family memories.
NYC music
fromQueerty
1 week ago

Claybourne Elder gets personal, playful & a little creepy with a package of reimagined standards - Queerty

Claybourne Elder's debut album reimagines iconic songs, blending storytelling with humor and emotional depth for a fresh perspective on timeless classics.
Writing
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
2 weeks ago

Actress with Portland roots understands 'empathy' while playing Fantine in 'Les Miserables' * Oregon ArtsWatch

Lindsay Heather Pearce reflects on her emotional experience performing as Fantine in Les Misérables, highlighting the song's profound impact on her over time.
Design
fromABC7 Los Angeles
3 weeks ago

Ahava Memorials: Turning ashes into art

Dan Hoffman creates ceramic memorial art incorporating human ashes using a proprietary glaze formula, offering families an artistic alternative to traditional cremation urns.
fromPsychology Today
4 weeks ago

Music in Community Offers Light in Dark Times

In frightening times, it makes a huge difference not to feel alone. Creating art with others in community enhances agency and strengthens self. Creativity requires an open heart; love enhances hope and diminishes fear.
Music
London music
fromIndependent
3 weeks ago

'She has captured the hearts of many' - Singer Dolores Keane receives emotional farewell in her beloved Galway

Dolores Keane, legendary Irish folk singer, passed away on March 16 at the age of 72.
fromVulture
3 weeks ago

What If Grief Became a Staycation?

In the opening sequence, Laura encounters a paddleboarder clad entirely in black who turns a covered face silently in her direction as he passes by - death as an urban hobbyist.
Berlin music
Social justice
fromwww.amny.com
1 month ago

Op-Ed | In a time of fear, I made adanceabout hope | amNewYork

Dance communicates profound truths about human experience and social injustice that words cannot reach, offering a vital form of resistance and expression during times of fear and displacement.
Writing
fromVulture
3 weeks ago

A Play About the Play Becomes the Thing: Hamnet Onstage in D.C.

Maggie O'Farrell's memoir recounts her encounters with death and the intense experience of caring for her ill daughter.
Portland
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
4 weeks ago

DramaWatch: On a lighter note, musicals and comedies blossom on Oregon stages * Oregon ArtsWatch

Spring theater season offers diverse productions including comedies, musicals, and new works across multiple venues and festivals in the Pacific Northwest.
Film
fromIndependent
1 month ago

'Culturally, we've always punched pretty hard, it makes me proud,' says Gleeson as Oscar Wildes' 'Irish' rally behind Jessie Buckley

Ireland's film industry celebrated its Hollywood achievements at the 20th anniversary Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles, marking Irish-American film collaboration during Oscar season.
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 weeks ago

The moment I knew: I was enchanted by her painting but we never spoke. I wouldn't see her again for 55 years

A man reconnects with a childhood classmate whose exceptional artistic talent impressed him decades earlier, leading to an unexpected reunion after 55 years of separation.
fromwww.amny.com
1 month ago

Timothee Chalamet's opera and ballet remark struck a nerve perhaps because it felt uncomfortably true | amNewYork

I don't want to be working in ballet or opera things where it's like 'Hey, keep this thing alive,' even though it's like no one cares about this anymore. All respect to the ballet and opera people out there.
Berlin music
Marketing
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

We've got to let go of the past - and learn to love today's great work

Data- and evidence-led marketing improves recession resilience and recovery speed, while performance focus has narrowed advertising's creative ambition.
LGBT
fromQueerty
2 months ago

What's the best concert you've ever attended & why? - Queerty

Queer concert experiences with beloved pop icons create powerful, lasting memories and people are invited to share their favorite concert stories.
fromPinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
2 months ago

Valentino's partner shares their final words in touching funeral moment

I did not really plan to speak today. "I was not convinced I'd be able to. And I'm still not quite sure I can get through this, so please bear with me." Valentino, you were the person I spoke to, not the person I spoke about. You were beside me when words were not needed. Life was not always perfect, but it was real. One day at a time, for more than 40 years, all strung together, became extraordinary because we were living them together. This is what I'll miss about you most. I know how many people loved you, and I'm grateful for that, but what we shared was ours alone, and I will hold that carefully for the rest of my life. I don't say goodbye today, I say thank you. For choosing me, for walking with me, and for leaving me changed forever. Thank you.
Fashion & style
fromLos Angeles Times
2 months ago

Somebody stole her entire livelihood. L.A. puppeteer is devastated - but not beaten

Jackie Smook has spent years crafting characters and props for "Dilly's World," her whimsical web series and touring theatrical show about a girl confronting big issues with the help of some puppet friends. Her life's work was stolen early Monday when thieves swiped a shipping box containing many of her puppets from outside her Beachwood Canyon apartment. Among the missing are Angus the bassist, Phyllis the mail-delivering puppet, Holstein, who was holding an intricate saxophone prop, and Dumont, who had a television stand.
US news
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

He found out his brother - and best friend - died while sitting on 37B. Now KevOnStage has a stand-up about grief.

It was the only ticket available at such short notice," he told Business Insider. He joked that, if his sibling were going to pass, he could at least have waited until he wasn't packed like a sardine. It would have been more thoughtful of him, Fredericks said, if he hadn't learned of the tragedy while sandwiched "in 37B" between two strangers.
Humor
SF LGBT
fromSan Francisco Bay Times
1 month ago

Leanne Borghesi: Practicing Love Out Loud, Onstage and In Community - San Francisco Bay Times

Leanne Borghesi embodies PMLE philosophy by practicing love as a daily discipline and devotion through 30+ years of artistic activism in San Francisco, using music and presence to bridge joy and justice.
Productivity
fromItsnicethat
1 month ago

"Fill your own cup with what gives you energy"

Protect regular morning deep-work blocks and a meeting-free day, avoid tackling email first, and use small experiments to preserve creativity and energy.
#theater
fromWashingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
2 months ago

Dave Malloy's OCTET Explores the Entanglement of Technology and Humanity - Washingtonian

In a dimly lit, dusty church basement, eight people meet and place their cellphones into a wooden box. Each member of the octet struggles with a dependency upon the very tool that enables us all to enjoy a level of historically unprecedented convenience - the internet. Like the characters, audiences are called to unplug and immerse themselves in the world of Studio Theatre's production of Dave Malloy's unique a capella musical, Octet.
Digital life
Music
fromwww.mercurynews.com
2 months ago

Review: Hershey Felder delivers a brilliant story about Hershey Felder

Hershey Felder's piano symbolizes personal freedom, family history, curiosity, and his embodiment of composers through performance and storytelling.
SF music
fromFuncheap
1 month ago

Lew Sid 'The Art of Perseverance' Tour

Lew Sid performs an intimate, high-energy hip-hop show focused on resilience, love, crowd interaction, and shared celebration at Café du Nord on February 22, 2026.
Music
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

He was, above all, a treasured spirit, who understood how vital music is for the human soul': tributes to Andrew Clements

Andrew Clements was a remarkably knowledgeable, honest, and influential music critic whose enthusiastic advocacy and integrity strongly supported contemporary classical music and composers.
Music
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

David Byrne review hope, humanity and dancing in a superbly paced and choreographed show

David Byrne performs an energetic, choreographed American Utopia-style concert with a 12-piece multiracial band, mobile instrumentation, striking visuals, and political undertones.
Arts
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

8 signs you appreciate art, music, and culture on a deeper level than most people - Silicon Canals

Some people experience art deeply, reacting emotionally and perceiving subtle artistic cues that reveal heightened sensitivity and meaningful connections to creative expression.
Film
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

Let me entertain you

Covid-19 pushed entertainment and brands to innovate, shifting releases and creating digital experiences to maintain connection and reach audiences.
Writing
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

I am here in the evening light

An enduring presence promises return through nature, offers land and comfort, and reframes endings as ongoing continuity amid memory and quiet dusk.
Arts
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
1 month ago

DramaWatch: Memory, meta-theater and musicals * Oregon ArtsWatch

Portland stages a diverse slate of theater and musicals this season, spanning meta-theater, classic revivals, immersive reinterpretations, and contemporary indie productions.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

We Must Do More Than Simply Depict Our Lives

The Bronx Museum biennial spotlights representational works that center urban youth and marginalized identities, challenging mainstream narratives through sincere, everyday portrayals.
Arts
fromwww.mercurynews.com
2 months ago

Review: Production of classic musical in Berkeley is just about perfect

A staging of Sunday in the Park with George vividly captures Seurat's pointillist process, artistic obsession, and Sondheim and Lapine's collaborative genius.
#asian-american-identity
Arts
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Oh my God, what a brutal existence!' Haley McGee on her global hit about growing old

Age Is a Feeling is a solo monologue that reframes youthful speculation on choices and aging as a reassuring message that life's value persists despite uncertainty.
Arts
fromVulture
2 months ago

When Bad Forces Happen to Good People: Blackout Songs and Data

Two lovers construct a romantic myth around blackout nights while repeating benders and forgetfulness, exposing addiction's ordinary, destructive reality.
fromThe Art Newspaper - International art news and events
1 month ago

Tracey Emin: 'I've done more in my last five years than in the whole rest of my life'

Tracey Emin is internationally renowned for her coruscatingly confessional art, which for over three decades has chronicled an often tumultuous life in various media, including painting, video, textiles, neon, writing, sculpture and installation. Born in Croydon, London, and raised in the seaside town of Margate, Emin first attracted widespread attention when, as a Turner Prize nominee in 1999, she exhibited the now notorious work My Bed (1998) provoking fierce critical debate on what art could-or should-be.
Arts
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