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Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a ‘weird spokesperson' for theatergoing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatergoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas. Baker was accepting the award for 'Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night. On the other side of that awards campaign, the independent filmmaker is continuing his evangelism for seeing films on the big screen by teaming up with Pluto TV for 'Free Movie Weekend,' which highlights independent and family-owned theaters across the country throughout the summer, including the Music Box Theatre in Chicago this weekend. The initiative kicked off with Baker's pick near Los Angeles — the Gardena Cinema. Complimentary tickets will also be offered to the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, as well as Detroit's Redford Theater in the coming weeks. In an exclusive interview, Baker spoke with The Associated Press about why he feels like a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing and how he hopes his next film will differ from his previous work. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: You are an outspoken advocate for independent and family-owned movie theaters. Why are they so important to you? BAKER: I'm Gen X. Growing up, the theaters that we primarily went to were independently owned and usually family owned. Multiplexes kicked in in the late 80s. I love multiplexes. They're great, but there is something that's a little more intimate and has that family warmth. It's not a corporate environment. For a very long time, that's how I discovered and fell in love with the movies. And then I actually worked in an independently-owned theater. It was the craziest thing. It was called the Roberts Cinema in New Jersey, and I applied for a job as the ticket ripper. It was a small business, so next thing you know, they are training me on the projectors. Next thing, they're like, 'We need a manager.' So, at 17 years old, I was managing, projecting and ticket ripping at a theater in Manville, New Jersey, that's no longer there. They played mostly Disney films during the day and foreign films at night. It was my first real job and I look back fondly on that time. And then I went to film school and I started making movies. It's always been with the intention of making feature films for theaters. A dream of mine is to someday maybe even own a theater. AP: I think there are a lot of people who think big movies with big movie stars are the secret to getting people into theaters. BAKER: That's something that I've been personally battling with. I am preaching that this sort of entertainment is meant first and foremost for theaters, so come out and see them. And then at the same time, I make films that are a little bit difficult and not exactly friendly for a wide audience. But I hope that, since my films lean into a little more into that prestige world, maybe people will come out looking for that sort of thing. 'This film won the Palme d'Or and then eventually an Academy Award. Maybe this is something we should see in the theater, even though it doesn't fit the mold of what we normally are going to see, which are the blockbuster popcorn movies.' Those are the movies that keep cinemas alive, not my films. Maybe someday. But it's the 'Barbies' that are keeping the cinemas alive, not the 'Anoras,' even though 'Anora' did amazingly well in the hands of Neon. I do sometimes feel like a weird spokesperson for this because I'm not exactly delivering what I'm preaching on. AP: The Oscars this year were sort of like a PSA for theatergoing. I wonder if you subscribe to the idea that that message would be received better if the Academy recognized movies like 'Wicked' or 'Dune: Part Two' more. BAKER: They do. I mean, those films were nominated. But maybe. Maybe we do need that one extra category for box office success. Why not celebrate that too? I mean that's something that other awards shows around the world celebrate and there's no reason not to celebrate when a film hits the zeitgeist. That's an important cultural milestone. So why not celebrate that publicly? That's what the Oscars are for in many ways. AP: We've talked before about the success of 'Anora' and how you are thinking about how it will inform your next film. BAKER: I think the new thing that I'm dealing with is just the pressure of how do I follow up 'Anora?' I don't want to disappoint people, but I want to give something a little new and different. It's just scary. I don't know how else to say it. I just woke up. It's scary. But hopefully I'm working with the same people again, not only making the film, but also distributing the film. And hopefully we make another film that connects. My favorite filmmakers are filmmakers that do mix it up. They stay in their wheelhouse because that's their voice. But there's always a new thing. And hopefully my new thing is just leaning a little more into comedy. For a long time, I've made films that I would consider to be dramas or tragedies with comedic elements and I kind of want to push it into the comedy with dramatic or tragic elements. That might be my change.
San Francisco Chronicle
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatergoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas. Baker was accepting the award for 'Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night. On the other side of that awards campaign, the independent filmmaker is continuing his evangelism for seeing films on the big screen by teaming up with Pluto TV for 'Free Movie Weekend,' which highlights independent and family-owned theaters across the country throughout the summer, including the Music Box Theatre in Chicago this weekend. The initiative kicked off with Baker's pick near Los Angeles — the Gardena Cinema. Complimentary tickets will also be offered to the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, as well as Detroit's Redford Theater in the coming weeks. In an exclusive interview, Baker spoke with The Associated Press about why he feels like a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing and how he hopes his next film will differ from his previous work. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: You are an outspoken advocate for independent and family-owned movie theaters. Why are they so important to you? BAKER: I'm Gen X. Growing up, the theaters that we primarily went to were independently owned and usually family owned. Multiplexes kicked in in the late 80s. I love multiplexes. They're great, but there is something that's a little more intimate and has that family warmth. It's not a corporate environment. For a very long time, that's how I discovered and fell in love with the movies. And then I actually worked in an independently-owned theater. It was the craziest thing. It was called the Roberts Cinema in New Jersey, and I applied for a job as the ticket ripper. It was a small business, so next thing you know, they are training me on the projectors. Next thing, they're like, 'We need a manager.' So, at 17 years old, I was managing, projecting and ticket ripping at a theater in Manville, New Jersey, that's no longer there. They played mostly Disney films during the day and foreign films at night. It was my first real job and I look back fondly on that time. And then I went to film school and I started making movies. It's always been with the intention of making feature films for theaters. A dream of mine is to someday maybe even own a theater. AP: I think there are a lot of people who think big movies with big movie stars are the secret to getting people into theaters. BAKER: That's something that I've been personally battling with. I am preaching that this sort of entertainment is meant first and foremost for theaters, so come out and see them. And then at the same time, I make films that are a little bit difficult and not exactly friendly for a wide audience. But I hope that, since my films lean into a little more into that prestige world, maybe people will come out looking for that sort of thing. 'This film won the Palme d'Or and then eventually an Academy Award. Maybe this is something we should see in the theater, even though it doesn't fit the mold of what we normally are going to see, which are the blockbuster popcorn movies.' Those are the movies that keep cinemas alive, not my films. Maybe someday. But it's the 'Barbies' that are keeping the cinemas alive, not the 'Anoras,' even though 'Anora' did amazingly well in the hands of Neon. I do sometimes feel like a weird spokesperson for this because I'm not exactly delivering what I'm preaching on. AP: The Oscars this year were sort of like a PSA for theatergoing. I wonder if you subscribe to the idea that that message would be received better if the Academy recognized movies like 'Wicked' or 'Dune: Part Two' more. BAKER: They do. I mean, those films were nominated. But maybe. Maybe we do need that one extra category for box office success. Why not celebrate that too? I mean that's something that other awards shows around the world celebrate and there's no reason not to celebrate when a film hits the zeitgeist. That's an important cultural milestone. So why not celebrate that publicly? That's what the Oscars are for in many ways. AP: We've talked before about the success of 'Anora' and how you are thinking about how it will inform your next film. BAKER: I think the new thing that I'm dealing with is just the pressure of how do I follow up 'Anora?' I don't want to disappoint people, but I want to give something a little new and different. It's just scary. I don't know how else to say it. I just woke up. It's scary. But hopefully I'm working with the same people again, not only making the film, but also distributing the film. And hopefully we make another film that connects. My favorite filmmakers are filmmakers that do mix it up. They stay in their wheelhouse because that's their voice. But there's always a new thing. And hopefully my new thing is just leaning a little more into comedy. For a long time, I've made films that I would consider to be dramas or tragedies with comedic elements and I kind of want to push it into the comedy with dramatic or tragic elements. That might be my change.
Associated Press
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] LOS ANGELES (AP) — During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatergoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas . Baker was accepting the award for 'Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night. On the other side of that awards campaign, the independent filmmaker is continuing his evangelism for seeing films on the big screen by teaming up with Pluto TV for 'Free Movie Weekend,' which highlights independent and family-owned theaters across the country throughout the summer, including the Music Box Theatre in Chicago this weekend. The initiative kicked off with Baker's pick near Los Angeles — the Gardena Cinema. Complimentary tickets will also be offered to the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, as well as Detroit's Redford Theater in the coming weeks. In an exclusive interview, Baker spoke with The Associated Press about why he feels like a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing and how he hopes his next film will differ from his previous work. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: You are an outspoken advocate for independent and family-owned movie theaters. Why are they so important to you? BAKER: I'm Gen X. Growing up, the theaters that we primarily went to were independently owned and usually family owned. Multiplexes kicked in in the late 80s. I love multiplexes. They're great, but there is something that's a little more intimate and has that family warmth. It's not a corporate environment. For a very long time, that's how I discovered and fell in love with the movies. And then I actually worked in an independently-owned theater. It was the craziest thing. It was called the Roberts Cinema in New Jersey, and I applied for a job as the ticket ripper. It was a small business, so next thing you know, they are training me on the projectors. Next thing, they're like, 'We need a manager.' So, at 17 years old, I was managing, projecting and ticket ripping at a theater in Manville, New Jersey, that's no longer there. They played mostly Disney films during the day and foreign films at night. It was my first real job and I look back fondly on that time. And then I went to film school and I started making movies. It's always been with the intention of making feature films for theaters. A dream of mine is to someday maybe even own a theater. AP: I think there are a lot of people who think big movies with big movie stars are the secret to getting people into theaters. BAKER: That's something that I've been personally battling with. I am preaching that this sort of entertainment is meant first and foremost for theaters, so come out and see them. And then at the same time, I make films that are a little bit difficult and not exactly friendly for a wide audience. But I hope that, since my films lean into a little more into that prestige world, maybe people will come out looking for that sort of thing. 'This film won the Palme d'Or and then eventually an Academy Award. Maybe this is something we should see in the theater, even though it doesn't fit the mold of what we normally are going to see, which are the blockbuster popcorn movies.' Those are the movies that keep cinemas alive, not my films. Maybe someday. But it's the 'Barbies' that are keeping the cinemas alive, not the 'Anoras,' even though 'Anora' did amazingly well in the hands of Neon. I do sometimes feel like a weird spokesperson for this because I'm not exactly delivering what I'm preaching on. AP: The Oscars this year were sort of like a PSA for theatergoing. I wonder if you subscribe to the idea that that message would be received better if the Academy recognized movies like 'Wicked' or 'Dune: Part Two' more. BAKER: They do. I mean, those films were nominated. But maybe. Maybe we do need that one extra category for box office success. Why not celebrate that too? I mean that's something that other awards shows around the world celebrate and there's no reason not to celebrate when a film hits the zeitgeist. That's an important cultural milestone. So why not celebrate that publicly? That's what the Oscars are for in many ways. AP: We've talked before about the success of 'Anora' and how you are thinking about how it will inform your next film. BAKER: I think the new thing that I'm dealing with is just the pressure of how do I follow up 'Anora?' I don't want to disappoint people, but I want to give something a little new and different. It's just scary. I don't know how else to say it. I just woke up. It's scary. But hopefully I'm working with the same people again, not only making the film, but also distributing the film. And hopefully we make another film that connects. My favorite filmmakers are filmmakers that do mix it up. They stay in their wheelhouse because that's their voice. But there's always a new thing. And hopefully my new thing is just leaning a little more into comedy. For a long time, I've made films that I would consider to be dramas or tragedies with comedic elements and I kind of want to push it into the comedy with dramatic or tragic elements. That might be my change.
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Stars James Corden, Neil Patrick Harris and Bobby Cannavale lead Broadway show Art
NEW YORK – Broadway's run of starry plays shows no signs of slowing down. English comedian James Corden and American actors Neil Patrick Harris and Bobby Cannavale will return to Broadway in a revival of Art, a Yasmina Reza comedy that explores what happens to a three-way friendship when one of the men spends a lot of money on a painting that is mostly a white canvas. First staged in France in 1994, the show made it to Broadway in 1998, and won the Tony Award for best play that season. It has been widely staged in the years since its debut. The revival is scheduled to begin performances on Aug 28 and to open Sept 16 at the Music Box Theatre. It is expected to run through Dec 21. The new production will be directed by Scott Ellis, a Broadway regular who is currently serving as interim artistic director of Roundabout Theater Company and who directed the 2025 production of Pirates! The Penzance Musical. The show is being produced by Sand & Snow Entertainment, a company founded by Michael Shulman, as well as by ATG Productions, led by Adam Speers, and Gavin Kalin. This star-led production is the latest example of a growing trend: Broadway producers are turning to limited-run plays featuring TV and film celebrities because those shows seem more likely to succeed. At a time when almost every new musical is failing financially, six of this season's plays have become profitable: Oh, Mary!, All In: Comedy About Love, Romeo + Juliet, Othello, Glengarry Glen Ross and Good Night, And Good Luck. Among those, Othello, Good Night, And Good Luck, and Glengarry Glen Ross star Oscar winners Denzel Washington, George Clooney and Kieran Culkin respectively. Corden, Harris and Cannavale are not just stars of the big and small screen – all three are experienced and accomplished stage performers. Corden and Harris are Tony winners – Corden in 2012 for One Man, Two Guvnors, and Harris in 2014 for Hedwig And The Angry Inch. Cannavale is a two-time Tony nominee. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
What do tickets cost to see Sarah Snook in ‘Dorian Gray' on Broadway?
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. Sarah Snook is stretching the definition of 'one-woman show' on a nightly basis. The Emmy Award-winning 'Succession' actress — who was just nominated for a Tony — performs a whopping 26 (!) roles in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' at Broadway's Music Box Theatre. Those parts include 'aristocrats, a bumbling artist, a cuckoo starlet and a vengeful brother' according to The Post, in their glowing 3.5-star review of the multimedia, Olivier-winning production that tells the story of a young man that makes a Faustian bargain to remain forever young in exchange for his soul. Advertisement 'It's an often breathtaking show with risk coursing through its veins,' The Post continued. 'If any of the army of cameras are on the fritz, if a single cue is missed, if sensational Snook skips a few lines, the whole impressive experiment comes crashing down.' While Snook is alone onstage, the high-flying show is anything but minimalist. Larger-than-life projections, pre-recorded videos, costume changes and props make for a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience dreamed up by Tony-nominated Kip Williams, who dreamed up the play in the depths of COVID, took it to Sydney's Roslyn Packer Theatre, then London's West End and now Broadway. If you want to see an inventive reimagining of Oscar Wilde's classic text before the Tony Awards on June 8 or before 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' officially closes on July 2, tickets are available for all upcoming performances. At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one show was $139 before fees on Vivid Seats. Advertisement Other shows have tickets starting anywhere from $141 to $431 before fees. For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' on Broadway below. All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation. 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' ticket prices As of now, there are 63 performances of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' remaining at the Music Box Theatre including quite a few 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. matinees. Below you'll find dates and start times of the ten shows with the cheapest ticket prices listed chronologically. Advertisement 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' dates Ticket prices start at Friday, May 9 7 p.m. $139 Sunday, May 11 3 p.m. $147 Tuesday, May 13 7 p.m. $147 Wednesday, May 14 7 p.m. $147 Thursday, May 15 7 p.m. $147 Friday, May 16 7 p.m. $147 Friday, June 20 7 p.m. $145 Saturday, June 21 8 p.m. $141 Sunday, June 22 3 p.m. $145 Wednesday, June 25 2 p.m. $146 The show runs two hours without an intermission. (Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn't noted, will include additional fees at checkout.) Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. Advertisement They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here. About 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' 'There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about,' Oscar Wilde wrote in his timeless 1890 novel that inspired the show. In the years since, the once-controversial text has continued to stay a part of the cultural conversation. Over the past 135 years, the book has been adapted for the stage, film and even television in 'Penny Dreadful.' For the uninitiated, the story centers on Basil Hallward's portrait of Gray. He's enchanted by Dorian's appearance and paints the young man. With the universal knowledge that his looks will fade with time, Dorian decides to sell his soul and asks that, in return, the portrait ages in his place. Snook and director Williams' latest version of the show brings this vapidity to the 21st century, employing multiple cameramen to pull off the stunt where the actress — who goes broad here rather than subtle like she did so expertly in 'Succession' — can play multiple roles at once. 'At one absurd point, like a scene out of a 1990s comedy movie, seven Snooks eat dinner together,' The Post explains. Big stars on Broadway There's never a shortage of star power in midtown Manhattan. Advertisement If you're hoping to see a film or TV icon live onstage, here are just five shows featuring household names currently running on The Great White Way and elsewhere in the Big Apple. • Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal in 'Othello' • George Clooney in 'Good Night, and Good Luck' • Kieran Culkin, Bill Burr and Bob Odenkirk in 'Glengarry Glen Ross' Advertisement • Leslie Odom Jr. in 'Hamilton' • Idina Menzel in 'Redwood' Want to catch another decorated production or two, too? Take a look at our list of all the cheapest tickets for Tony-nominated 2025 shows to find the one for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
