News - Sketching Details (Page 5)

The 2015 MacArthur Fellows

The MacArthur Fellows, aka the recipients of the MacArthur Genius Grants, receive a no strings attached award of $625,000 spread out over the next five years. It is a tremendous honor limited to a select group of candidates from all walks of intellectual and creative pursuits. The award is

Books/Print

Celebrate Banned Books Week 2015

If you've followed this site in the past few years, you already know the deal here. Banned Books Week 2015 officially started on my birthday, 27 September, and runs through 3 October. It is a celebration of the freedom to read, with a focus on texts that have

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Hellevator Premieres 21 October on GSN

Sketchy Details favorites Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka the Soska Sisters, aka the Twisted Twins, have taken a surprise career turn. It's a good surprise. The dangerous duo will be hosting a new game show on GSN called Hellevator. The advertising campaign is amazing, but it actually doesn&

News

#MusicalsWeek: Protecting, Developing & Celebrating Musical Theatre

A head's up for my fellow theater educators and enthusiasts. Samuel French, one of the largest theatrical publishing and licensing companies, is holding a four day series of seminars on musical theater called #MusicalsWeek. The events, held at the Samuel French Offices (235 Park Avenue, 5th Floor) in

Film

Two Night Only: Dracula & Drácula in Theaters

This is not a drill. Do not adjust your dial. There is a cinema re-release event you have to know about. You know that great Universal version of Dracula? You know, the Todd Browning directed, Bela Lugosi starring, black and white classic from 1931? Yeah, that's not the

Books/Print

Watch: The Peanuts Movie Trailer

Is it wrong that I'm optimistic about The Peanuts Movie? I know the art style could throw people off. I know the prospect of another modernization of an older classic is a big question mark for some. I just don't think that's going to

News

Listen: Hamilton Original Broadway Cast Recording

NPR is streaming the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton right now. The two disc release does not come out until 26 September (digitally; the CD's not out until 16 October) and the show is basically sold out for the next few months already. This is your earliest

News

Viola Davis' Emmy Speech for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (No Comment Necessary)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=685jYZGcFh8]

Music

Ryan Adams Reveals Taylor Swift Track-by-Track Cover Album 1989

Rock singer Ryan Adams is releasing an album of Taylor Swift cover songs. Specifically, he's reworked Swift's 1989 into his own style. The first single off the album is an acoustic version of "Bad Blood." It basically confirms what I've thought about

Event

Watch: Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at Disney World

I have haunted attraction envy. It's true. I'm perfectly satisfied with my own yard haunt. I'm also fortunate to live within an hour's drive of two professional haunts consistently ranked among the best in America (Forest of Fear in Tuxedo, NY and

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AT&T Terrible Anti-Theater Ad

Two weeks ago, I saw some of the best audience parenting I ever saw at a performance of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder on Broadway. A mother and her two children (tween girl, young boy) sat down next to me. Not a problem. They seemed like

News

Are You Ready for More X-Files?

When I was growing up, Fox was the channel to watch. It was the new kid on the block and aired programming no one else would dare to. Married with Children still holds up as an act of sitcom rebellion and those early The Simpsons episodes still air censored before

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The American Horror Story: Hotel Promo Machine

For some people, the ads for American Horror Story are actually better than the series itself. I don't disagree. These tiny little 15-30 second spots of distilled horror are entrancing. They create hype, capture the imagination, and imprint suggestions of what could be in a given season. Many

News

Congratulations and Goodbye: Mamma Mia! & Hedwig and the Angry Inch Close on Broadway

This weekend, two well-loved pop/rock musicals closed on Broadway. Mamma Mia! played for 14 years on Broadway, even transferring from the Winter Garden Theater to the Broadhurst Theater successfully. The musical, based on the music of ABBA, told a fun story about a young woman raised by a single

Art

Sally Field, Jhumpa Lahiri, Stephen King, and More Are National Medal of Arts and Humanities Honorees

Last week, the White House announced the artists who will receive the National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medals in a ceremony tomorrow. They are a diverse series of visual artists, performers, composers, and authors worth learning about. Sally Field is one of the actors being recognized this year

Film

Wes Craven (1939-2015)

Last night, Wes Craven's family announced that the acclaimed horror writer and director passed away at the age of 76. I'm a big Wes Craven fan. Even at his worst (Cursed, naturally), I found his ideas very interesting. He also never phoned in a direction job,

Film

6 Thoughts on Suicide Squad

The big talk out of San Diego Comic Con (you know, the other little convention going on while I was attending ConnectiCon) was about the Suicide Squad film. Suicide Squad is one of DC's weirder comic franchises. Amanda Waller runs various secret superhero/supervillain projects for the government.

Books/Print

Marvel Unleashes True Believers Before Secret Wars

Marvel really wants you to read some of their most memorable issues before Secret Wars comes out this summer. The True Believers printings will be available in comic shops in April and cost $1 each. There's no catch. They're actual Marvel reprints for $1. To get

Film

7 Oscar Reactions w/Man, I Love Films

The Man, I Love Films crew put together our reactions to the Oscar nominations. I kept it positive over there since so many reaction articles tend to be negative. The easiest way to do that was to discuss music. And the editorial note is correct: Keira Knightley also sings the

Games

Everything We Know About the New Nintendo 3DS

Yes, there is going to be a new version of the 3DS coming soon. In Japan, it's releasing next week. There's no set release date for America, but it's coming. First, the 3DS is getting a redesign. There's a second analog stick

Event

Get Ready for October

Good people, in five days, the best month of the year begins. October is when people suddenly decide the celebration of horror and the supernatural is acceptable. The good will fades as dawn breaks on 1 November, so get your fill in while you can. Here are a few things

Books/Print

Banned Books Week: Here We Go Again

Chalk up two more bans for the 2014-15 list. And, as explained on Monday, they're for the usual reasons. One parent complained to the Riverside Unified School District in California about her child checking out The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. Of all the things she

Film

Oldboy and Trick'r Treat Soundtracks Coming To Vinyl

Not everyone has an interest in vinyl. My own interest is, at best, passing at this point. You can get music at the click of a button. Why bother with older media technology unless you really want to hear the full frequency range (when modern music so often sticks to

Books/Print

Why Celebrate Banned Books Week 2014

Yesterday, Banned Books Week 2014 officially began. This is a celebration of challenged and banned literature. The freedom to read without censorship is important and Banned Books Week shines a light on historical and contemporary challenges to literature. The American Library Association puts out excellent information about banned and challenged

Games

New Super Smash Bros: Good News, Bad News

Nintendo is taking a lot risks with the newest entry in the Super Smash Bros. series. By now you know that the game will be released on the 3DS and the Wii U. The 3DS version comes out next month and is already available in Japan. The good thing about