Technical Academy - Producers of West End musical Moulin Rouge! have launched a technical academy for 15-25-year-olds as they open the door to the show’s backstage world for the second year running. Both initiatives respond to concerns from arts organisations about skills shortages in the industry, particularly in offstage roles.
The inaugural Get Technical! Academy, a free 10-week "immersive technical programme" beginning on 2 July, will allow young participants hands-on training in lighting, sound, automation, stage management and working as part of a backstage crew. Participants aged 18 plus will also be offered an additional extra week to meet members of the company management team to "explore the soft skills needed to launch their technical theatre career".
Meanwhile, the Get Technical! event, piloted last August, will be reprised on 30 July at the Piccadilly Theatre as Moulin Rouge!’s producers Global Creatures invite "anyone aspiring to a career in theatre to glimpse behind the curtain".
In The Courts - A judge in Tennessee has blocked a planned auction of Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley. The mansion has been at the centre of a dispute between Presley's granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, and a company that claimed ownership after saying his estate had failed to repay a loan. Keough inherited Graceland and much of Presley's estate after her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, died last year.
Naussany Investments claimed Lisa Marie used the compound as collateral for a $3.8m (£3m) loan that was never paid back. They planned to sell it at an auction on Thursday. However, Keough alleged that the paperwork on the loan was fraudulent and her mother's signature had been forged. Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued a temporary injunction against the proposed auction.
In a statement, Graceland and Elvis Presley Enterprises told the BBC: "As the court has now made clear, there was no validity to the claims. There will be no foreclosure. Graceland will continue to operate as it has for the past 42 years, ensuring that Elvis fans from around the world can continue to have a best-in-class experience when visiting his iconic home."
Flying Tonight - One of Glastonbury Festival's most popular late-night venues is launching a new attraction. For 2024, the team behind Arcadia is introducing The Dragonfly - a giant biomechanical creature made from an adapted Royal Navy helicopter. Designers say they wanted to repurpose a "weapon of destruction into a unifying symbol".
“Arcadia’s firmly back to its roots with some deep repurposing of insane military machinery to create a ground-breaking centrepiece for our boldest ceremonial arena yet, opening profound new levels to the experience," founders Pip Rush and Bert Cole said.
Fatboy Slim, Eric Prydz, Amelie Lens and Andy C will be headlining Arcadia, where a new interactive area for children is being introduced for this year's festival. The Alchemists' Playground will be a collaboration with constructive play specialists, Woodland Tribe, to offer "workshops and creative adventure". "Expect a riot of imagination and some epic pieces of Arcadia hardware to get creative with," an Arcadia spokesperson said.
Taylor Town - Artists are embracing all things Taylor Swift in a creative city trail dedicated to a pop star. Liverpool will become ‘Taylor Town’ in preparation for the singer's three-sold-out shows as she brings The Eras Tour to Anfield Stadium on 13, 14 and 15 June. From a moss-covered grand piano to a gold throne, local makers are working to complete installations on the ‘Taylor Trail’.
The trail - brought to the city by Liverpool Council's culture team and social enterprise Make CIC - will include 11 art installations representing each one of Taylor Swift's albums.
(Jim Evans)
28 May 2024
