Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with theater

Looking for an Ideal Home Theater Set Up

dearleader — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:12:06 -0800

I recently, finally, purchased an HDTV (a Samsung, from the 6000 LED series). I'm totally new to this, but as the sound is not great from the TV itself, I'm wondering what a good, not bank-breaking (but doesn't have to be bargain basement either) home theater set up is. Basically, right now I'm running the sound through a Linn Classik with a pair of Mission bookshelf speakers. This is OK, but as I understand it I'm missing a lot this way — not to mention that I'm running out of audio inputs. The other parts here are a Sci Atlanta DTV box (Time Warner) and I'm a Mac household. The last detail is that the TV etc. is stored in a quite large built-in piece of cabinetry, so there's room for hardware, but the room is not really set up to have, for example, rear channel speakers behind the viewer.

So I'm curious for tips on people's idea set ups. I've been looking at the best choices at CNET for example. An all-in-one Samsung blu-ray set up? An AV receiver with small Energy speakers? A soundbar? Use the existing receiver in some way? Thanks for helping school an amateur.

Recent plays?

beerbajay — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:53:24 -0800

What plays from the last 50-odd years should I read? Satire, black comedy, or scathing political criticism a plus. Also plays challenging the bounds of normal theater. Or, you know, whatever's good.

Wireless keyboard for a home theater PC?

thewalrus — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:30:24 -0800

Please suggest a quality wireless (RF) keyboard that has an integrated touchpad, trackpoint or trackball for use with a home theater PC setup. There's a lot of different things available from Newegg ($35 to $150+) and the other usual sources, but I'm wondering about some first-hand experiences... I'd like to keep the cost to the lower end of the price range if possible, without getting something that is a total piece of junk. It seems that wireless keyboards designed specifically for desktop use usually don't include a pointing device. I don't want to have a separate mouse and keyboard, the pointer should be integrated.

Hotel recommendations for Capitol Hill in Denver?

jroybal — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:49:50 -0800

Can anyone recommend a decent hotel in Denver, somewhere in or around the Capitol Hill area? Up to maybe +/-$125 a night. Clean, good location to do shopping/sights/etc, but otherwise no major restrictions. My partner and I will be there for a long weekend in December and plan on doing some stuff northwest of Capitol Hill (Buell Theater for Spring Awakening, Denver Art Museum) and southeast of Capitol Hill (Room & Board, Nordstrom). A hotel in any of those areas would be great. I was looking at The Burnsley Hotel on Grant St.--any experiences there? Finally, any recommendations for good stuff for us (two mid-twenties guys) to do in the areas near your recommended hotel? Theater, shops, restaurants--we're pretty open. Thanks in advance.

My stubby amplifier...

rleamon — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:12:01 -0800

Home amp filter: Shallow cabinet, 5.1-channel, three-input-HDMI, two-zone, good-quality amplifier-receiver -- does it exist? The missus and I just moved into our remodeled house -- the custom bookshelves are only 12" deep, so my 16" deep Denon amp that does most of what I want juts out unacceptably.

Is there such thing as a 13" (or less) deep, 5.1 or better surround, three-input-HDMI amp/receiver, that can play to two or more zones (i.e., 5.1 in the living room and 2 only in the kitchen?).

How to make the music stop skipping?

st starseed — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:44:10 -0800

Calling all network experts...How can I make the music on my PC stop skipping? Greetings...okay, trying to provide all relevant details: My main PC in my den/playroom stores my entire MP3 collection. It's a fine computer, and I never have any issues playing music on it.

It is one of two PCs on my home's wireless network.

The other PC on the network is out in the living room. It's a perfectly fine, not-ancient (2005 or so) laptop hooked up to my home theater system with a sole purpose of playing music through said system.

Yet whenever it's playing, about three times per song (so about once every 90 or so seconds), the song will just stop and then pick right back up about 2 seconds later. It's almost like a buffering effect...the music is playing, then it disappears, then it's back.

Does anyone know why this is happening, and if there's any way to fix it?

Potentially key details:

1. The MP3s are not stored on the laptop; they are stored on the main PC...which shares them with the laptop. (I like it this way so I only have to maintain one library.)

2. There's a wall between the den and the living room.

3. Both machines run Windows XP (fully updated with service packs, etc.).

4. The cable modem and router are always going strong.

Taking high schoolers to Broadway?

airguitar2 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:52:46 -0800

How can I bring my low-income high school students to an off-Broadway show? I teach creative writing at a public high school in NYC where most/all of the students are low-income. We're studying drama in creative writing, and I'd like to find a way to bring them to a real play-- maybe Our Town, or Broke-ology, or A Boy And His Soul. I'm wondering: are there programs for which my students would qualify? We obviously can't afford to pay full price for tickets. Do any shows have rehearsals we might simply be able to sit in on? Are there shows that allow students to attend special performances?

Does anyone have experience doing this? Thanks!

Receive me.

wordsmith — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:38:59 -0800

I'm looking for a home audio receiver + speakers to serve a few different purposes. Can you help me find a good one? I'm piecing together my home theater, and need to buy a decent receiver that will do the following:

1) At least 5.1 audio -- including support for a (powered?) sub.
2) Multiple speaker selection; I have outdoor speakers that I'd like to hook into this as well. Ideally, I'd be able to listen to whatever either indoors only, outdoors only, or both. Do receivers ever support three channels? Eventually, I'd like to hook up a third set of speakers in the basement, and be able to switch between all of them.

What brands should I be looking at? Links to specific receivers that do what I need it to do would be appreciated.

Budget: under $250.

So, Mr. De Vere, I understand you write plays?

nax — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:55:23 -0800

Help me interview a playwright. I need to interview the author/composer of the show currently running at the theater I work for. This will become a blog post, and my boss wants it to focus on the fact that he's a local boy (well, a 55 year old local boy, but still). The play has won awards, and has been translated into several languages all over the world, as well as having been part of Oxfringe and other festivals.

He's a working artist with a solid career, but not by any means a household name.

I've formulated some questions, but I'd rather reserve them til I hear what the hive mind would want to know. Help me write a great interview!

Connecting a microphone to a network.

BrokenEnglish — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:07:17 -0800

I have an IP webcam which allows anyone on the local area network to connect to it and view. Is there an equivalent IP-addressable device for sound only? Basically I want an IP-addressable microphone which will stream audio over the LAN and allow people to "tune in" just as they would with a webcam. Changing the webcam for one with a mic is, unfortunately, not an option. Bonus if the device can take input from a sound mixer board. I'd prefer a device which was self-contained rather than needing a PC nearby but I could use a PC if necessary. This is for use in a theatre so performers in the dressing room can keep an eye and ear on the progress of the performance.

Must-see in NYC?

np312 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:33:17 -0800

What are the absolute must-see plays or performances happening this month in New York City? I'm going to be in NYC the last week of October. I go about twice a year and every time I'm there I try to see as much amazing theater as I can. However I'm out of the loop this season and don't know what's really great. (Last year I saw "Equus" "Fuerza Bruta" and "Black Watch." I enjoyed all of them.)

I shouldn't have any trouble getting tickets to even sold-out performances due to my business connections, but I don't know what is worth seeing, and I don't want to waste my few city evenings on anything mediocre. It doesn't have to be Broadway or even off-Broadway-- just truly memorable.

I heard "At Steady Rain" was 'meh,' but heard good things about "Our Town." What do you recommend? Thanks!

ISO: Cake Pan in shape of Comedy/Drama Masks

He Is Only The Imposter — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:49:29 -0800

I'm looking for a cake pan/mold in the shape of the traditional theater comedy/drama masks. This is for a gift, so I need an actual pan, not a workaround for making the cakes. Googling got me cookie cutters but no cake molds. Thanks!

How to give Minneapolis theater tickets as a gift?

Salamandrous — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:43:28 -0800

I want to get theater tickets or maybe a subscription for my 'sister' in Minneapolis. I know that she and her partner are somewhat into the alternative theater scene there, and she also has a strong background in literature and music, so more classical theater works as well. They're also super busy so it has to be possible for them to fit the show(s) into their schedule. I know nothing about Minneapolis, or really about the theater world in general. Is there such a thing as a gift certificate to a theater? Which Minneapolis theater would you recommend? Other related present ideas are also very welcome. Thank you!

Cheapest MultiCam ever?

tropikal — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:23:23 -0800

Do security camera DVR's record all video channels simultaneously, or do they only record one channel at a time or the multiplex all on one screen? I ask because I'm looking to set up an ultra cheap multi-cam recording setup in a small theater. Security cameras and cheap "industrial" cameras are plentiful and all I need (manual focus, manual aperture, good low light)

I figure that 4 cameras with C-Mount Lenses (and adapters to decent second hand 35MM lenses) would allow me to not have to spend thousands on four high end mini-dv cameras that I'd have to have change tapes in the middle of a show.

How to say: "End of Intermission"?

dpcoffin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:05:24 -0800

Is there a single word or other phrase that means end of intermission, in English or any romance language? Failing that, what would you add to Intermezzo or Entr'acte to idiomatically indicate "end of…",?

Costume on Fire

roomthreeseventeen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:10:34 -0800

Bizarre question. Where would I get a fabric tested for flammability in NYC on a Saturday? Asking for a friend, I assume it's for a theater production going up tomorrow night!

Do I need permission to stage this play?

Lutoslawski — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:32:14 -0800

Can I legally stage an original play based on a short story I didn't write? Copyright filter:

There are similar previous posts, but I'm wondering about this piece specifically, etc etc etc.

MeFi's own JaMahodara and I wrote a play/opera/theater piece based on Robert H. Heinlein's 1958 short story All You Zombies.
While its quite a bit different, and we've rearranged the entire narrative, the concept is still pretty rooted in the short story.

We'd like to stage it in Portland, and people would probably be paying to see it. What are the legalities involved here? Do I need permission from his estate? How would I even go about doing that? And is it likely that we could get permission?

Thanks Hive Mind!! You're the best!!!

Seeking NYC Insider Entertainment Info

Danf — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:22:12 -0800

Touristing in NYC this October. Among other stuff I want to do, I would love to see something at the four venues listed below. There is a lot of info on the websites of these venues, but I am asking for any informal advice, or things that are not readily apparent (learned from experience) which might help me out.

What are people's experiences at these places? Any additional suggestions for things to go to, in this vein?

1. The Atlantic Theater Company (the venue on 20th St.)
2. The Moth
3. Upright Citizen's Brigade
4. BAM
5. Public Theater

Thanks, in advance.

Precocious Children in Plays

stray — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:57:29 -0800

I'm looking for plays about precocious children. I need a monologue for an audition--the role is a very smart, very pressured, comical 12 year old. I thought the hive mind might have some ideas...I'm looking for something energetic, maybe something with that sense of being burdened that a lot of very precocious kids seem to have. Preferably female. Thoughts?

Where do these people hang out? Suggestions for online communities, please!

the latin mouse — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:13:09 -0800

I need to find talented people who are into both theatre writing and web technologies. They should live in Britain or Ireland. I have two weeks. Where should I look?

Videos of plays?

prior — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:05:05 -0800

Is there an archive somewhere that has films of specific productions of plays? I'm not sure if most productions even get filmed, but it strikes me that some of the broadway plays must.

Specifically what I'm looking for is a video of the 1993 production of Angels in America in NYC, I think at the Kerr Theater (which does have a small archive of video clips from recent past productions). But really any pointers on where to look for films of plays in general would be helpful.

How to act like I know how to act

2or3whiskeysodas — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:48:16 -0800

Help me develop the skills needed to carry an (essentially) one-man stage show despite never having even vaguely considering acting. If I get the part, I assume we'll start rehearsals in late autumn. A local playwright and head of a successful theater troupe has asked me to audition for the lead in a production they'll be staging in December. If I get the role, I'll be portraying a still-living, quasi-legendary singer songwriter. The show is bound to be a big deal–this is the second production they've staged about this person and the last one was a huge smash.

The musical aspect shouldn't be too big a challenge for me. That said, it looks as though it's going to be pretty much just me on stage for the first half of the show, and I'm 100% clueless when it comes to acting. But I'm super excited to give it a shot! If I get the part, I'll talk to local folks about seeking classes and stuff like that. Otherwise, what resources can the Hive Mind recommend? I'm open to anything. Thanks!

What is the Best Movie Theater in Los Angeles?

Lord_Pall — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:11:10 -0800

What is the Best Movie Theater in Los Angeles? So I'm a misplaced Austinite. I cut my teeth on the Drafthouse, Rolling Roadshows and their expansions. I consider the audience, food, maintenance and extracurricular activities of the Drafthouse to be superb.

I also experienced the Finnkino Tennisplatsi near Kamppi in Helsinki. Quiet, Clean, all assigned seating and nobody talked because they were all Finnish.

Now I find myself in Los Angeles. Marina del Rey to be specific.

I wish to see a film, in this case, the new Star Trek Film.

I might consider seeing other films at a future juncture as well.

Rolling Roadshows, community stuff, new releases are all things that I am interested in.

Where should I go?

Priorities for me -
Assigned Seating - I like this, but it's not a breaker
Crowd - This is HUGE. No talking. Quiet crowd or a theater that discourages this type of jackassery
Maintenance - No underlighting of the bulbs, maintained sound system.
Concessions - Tasty would be nice, but not a breaker.

I don't mind paying 20 bucks a ticket or more if I need to.

I also don't mind 2 different theaters, one for new releases and a few others for quirky community stuff like the Angel City Drive In

So Angelenos, enlighten me as to where I can go, or if I should just wait for the DVD...

What is that? Smells like a turd covered in burnt hair.

bjork24 — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:18:43 -0800

The salon next door is leaking fumes into my projection booth. Am I going to die? Our new theater is located right next door to a high-end salon, and I'm fairly certain that our exhaust fans use the same vent escape. At various times throughout the day, the projection booth will smell like hairspray, perm solution, hair dye, or fart.

I'm assuming these aren't the most toxic fumes in the world, or else there would be a lot more dead stylists, but it's still slightly concerning. After a particularly long shift, I sometimes feel light-headed and my lungs feel cold. On the plus side, the fumes have really opened my sinuses.

I've contacted our landlord, but they haven't remedied the problem yet. Don't worry, I'll keep on them until it's fixed, but in the meantime, how harmful is it to breath in the refuse fumes of a salon for 8 to 10 hours a day?

Exit, stage...center?

thankyoumuchly — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:41:25 -0800

What are the next steps for a Theater major going into her Senior year of College? My younger sister, a college Theater major, will be starting her Senior year this upcoming Fall. I would like to help her transition, over the next 18 months, into the working world as a well prepared thespian. The catch? I don't know the ropes.

Here's the background: I am in business, my father was in business. My older sibling is in health care, my mother was in health care. Myself and my older sibling had graduation/senior year/interview/job world questions answered by Dad and Mom. Our parents provided us guidance on everything job related such as "how do I interview for jobs my Senior year... should I choose job X or Y... what steps should I be taking now... how should I market myself?".

Our parents still have good advice for our Theatrically inclined younger sister, but they can't provided her with the same type of intimate industry knowledge that I received.

I'm turning to the hive mind for answers! What are the do's and don'ts? Should my little sister be attending job fairs, create a portfolio, apply to the Screen Actors Guild, hire an agent? What am I missing? Please be honest, I can take it (remember I'm in business, the truth no longer scares me ;). She is open to my advice but I have two left feet when it comes to keeping her in the lime light after the curtain closes on college (o boy, maybe she and I should do a comedy/acting routine).

The end goal is to make sure my little sister doesn't miss her que when it comes to the next steps she should be taking in her upcoming Senior year to ensure she has a job, or is in a viable position to market herself to parts in plays, movies, etc.

Thank you in advance!