Tag: Theater

Used for stories about theater fandoms, or theater-related news.

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This Week in Fandom, Volume 63

Retired Personnel

Welcome to This Week in Fandom, the OTW’s roundup of things which are happening! Before we start, have you been taking part in the celebrations for the OTW’s 10th anniversary? If not, here are some links for things you may have missed so far: Transcripts for live chats with Lev Grossman, Christina Lauren & Catherine Roach, and Seanan McGuire & Martha Wells, plus a guest post from Henry Jenkins. That’s not all we’ve been up to, though, so go poke around our news posts for more!

There’s been a victory for fair use and parody in the US recently. As The New York Times reports, the Off-Broadway production Who’s Holiday!, was recently ruled as acceptable by a federal judge. The play parodies the cheerful nature of the Dr. Seuss story How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by creating a version where “Cindy Lou Who is all grown up. She is now a hard-drinking, prescription-drug-abusing middle-aged woman who lives in a trailer park and served time in prison for killing her husband, the Grinch.” While Dr. Seuss Enterprises initially issued cease-and-desist letters, the playwright, Matthew Lombardo, fought back in court and ultimately won. Mr. Lombardo now plans to stage the play this November. Read More

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This Week in Fandom, Volume 20

Retired Personnel

Fans around the world have been celebrating the 2016 Olympic Summer Games, held in Rio, Brazil. The opening ceremonies on August 5th were an epic spectacle that left many people wide-eyed and revved up for some top-tier athletics. Some were also quite impressed by Pita Taufatotua, the flag bearer for the Pacific island nation of Tonga.

Since the opening ceremonies, though, the focus has turned to the sporting events and the athletes’ accomplishments. Medals are being won, records are being set, and a sense of pride is being felt world-wide.

Check out the current medal count on the Games’ official site.

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OTW Fannews: The Year in Fandom

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Package wrapped in raffia reading 'OTW Fannews The Year in Fandom'

  • Hypable kicked off the end of year list tradition with an article on fandom things to be thankful for. “I knew that I wanted characters that I could relate to, but I had no idea the sort of self-assurance and confidence that female characters like Peggy Carter, Kimmy Schmidt, Jessica Jones, and Trish Walker could inspire. Watching these ladies on screen made me feel like I wasn’t alone. That the things I feel and the way I see the world isn’t just an isolated view. Peggy Carter’s ‘I know my value’ line makes me burst into tears whenever I hear her say it because it feels like she’s talking to me. These complex women believe in themselves and give me the confidence to do the same. I’m so grateful that there’s finally a surge of women like them in media because I need them. We all do.”
  • Contributors to Star Wars.com discussed why they were grateful for the franchise. “More than anything, I’m thankful for the catharsis and moral center Star Wars has provided me, and the friends it has given me over the years. Without Star Wars, I’m not sure where I’d be and I can’t even imagine what my life would be like. Just about every person in my life that’s stuck around and been there for me I met because of Star Wars. I really don’t know who I’d be without it. It’s gotten me through all the toughest times and I know it’ll be there to do more of that in the future, too.”
  • MTV.com suggested that Hamilton was revolutionizing fandom and mentioned some aspects to be thankful for. “More importantly, the cast reflects what America looks like today, bringing both diversity and women into the forefront. (Werk.) The story is every bit Eliza Hamilton’s as it is Alexander’s — some would say even more so.” They also noted that many in the fandom had been unable to see the show but that “doesn’t make them any less of a fan. Like most fandoms, the Hamildom has spawned a giddy plethora of fan fic, fan art — mostly using the likeness of the Broadway cast, not the historical figures themselves — and even more impressively, it’s pretty drama-free.”
  • One poster at Geek & Sundry wrote about their love for a Dr. Who fanfic and what the future might bring. “Star Hopping, as well as other great Whovian sagas, could be the beginnings of the next great Doctor Who showrunners and creative minds behind the scenes. But, even if they don’t take over the Whoniverse, they are still adding another interesting layer to the massive fandom.”

What are the fandom events that made you thankful in 2015? Keep fandom history alive in Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn’t guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn’t mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.