I have to link this, because it’s fantastic.

A post over at The Light Network listed a blog post from KTLA’s Morning News about Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ musical, slated to open on Broadway in April of 2009.  Apparently the opening night of Dolly Parton’s musical had some technical difficulties, and Dolly saved the day from her seat.  From the article:

Audience members could hear construction equipment like power drills and saws at work while Dolly continued to charm the audience with a talk about the origins of the musical show; as well as introducing her ‘9 to 5′ film co-stars. As the delay continued, Parton offered to take questions from the audience; and then asked if the audience would like for her to sing another song; ‘I Will Always Love You.’ Before beginning the second number Dolly told the crowd, “Maybe I’ll wait, in case things get screwed up again and I have to fill more time.”

Read the whole article at KTLA Morning News’ blog.

Have you heard of the new-ish Broadway musical, Passing Strange ?  I remember hearing a segment on NPR with the writer, performance artist/singer/songwriter Stew about the show, and what went into writing it.  Good stuff.

Also good stuff, Kevin Adams’ lighting design for Passing Strange with its big ol’ LED and fluorescent fixture wall.  That thing is beautiful - it’s a machination of color, intensity, and vibration that brings that show to amazing heights - in both artistry and musical longevity.  The images are stunning.

Live Design Online has a great great article about Kevin’s work on the show, the equipment he used to achieve the look, and how he approached the ideas of the wall.  From the article:

The lighting in Passing Strange shifts in timbre as well, with some of the songs lit as if in an isolated concert space, with tight pools of rock ‘n’ roll style lighting and haze provided by an MDG Atmosphere hazer, and it then goes back to a more natural look for the realistic scenes. The lighting for the band adds another layer to the palette, as well. “The musicians each have a white PAR spot and Source Four with a Coloram scroller above their heads, with all kinds of saturated colors I don’t normally use, such as unusual yellows, oranges, and electric pinks,” says Adams. At the end of the show, 30 GAM Star Strobes pop on out in the house for an explosion of light during the curtain call. “The lighting adds to the excitement of the show,” says Adams. “It doles out its strength when it needs it.”

Also, on Kevin’s portfolio site, he has an article posted about the show as well, from American Theatre.

After 5,140 performances, 12 years, $630 Million worldwide in revenue (280 Million in US revenue), Jonathon Larson’s hit RENT is closing at the Nederlander Theatre.  Check out the article at the LA Times.  It’s a good article, and a good read.

You can also get some news and notes about Blake Burba, RENT’s lighting designer, here.