Pete Miller poses an interesting question on 2AMt blog: Do we need more theatre in which audiences take an active role?He starts the discussion by dividing theater into two categories.He explains that the first category is “Sit-down-and-shut-up” theatre, "meaning theatrical productions in which the audience is fundamentally expected to watch attentively but take no action that might disrupt the flow of performances or distract other audience members."Photo Credit: Eunice Lituañas via UnsplashThe second is “Don’t-just-sit-there-do-something” theatre, "meaning theatrical...

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Theater enriches our lives. Journalist Christine Aucoin adds her own reasons why theater is important, emphasizing its significance to teens in the age of YouTube.Her Boston Globe article specifically highlights how helpful theater was in allowing her to talk with her dad: "These dramatic outings prompted conversations unlikely to arise over the dinner table." Photo Credit: Luke Collinson via UnsplashAucoin writes: "The in-your-face immediacy of live theater and the staggering range of human experiences represented onstage bridged the communication...

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Today, according to Pollstar, Pitchfork is launching the inaugural edition of Midwinter, a three-day music event, at the Art Institute of Chicago.The artists, including Deerhunter, Kamasi Washington, Laurie Anderson, Perfume Genius and Oneohtrix Point Never, will perform throughout the museum.Some of the artists have "designed 'soundscapes,' unique music inspired by specific pieces in the Art Institute's collection," reports Pollstar. For instance, classical composer Nico Muhly's piece "takes inspiration from two Claude Monet paintings in the museum's 'iconic' Impressionist gallery, which...

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Super Bowl Sunday is here! The Los Angeles Rams will face off against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.Each year, football fans and non-fans alike look forward to the Super Bowl: the fierce competition, the incredible talent, the commercials, the halftime show -- and the list goes on.But how many of us really watch the game?Recent research from AdColony shows that we don't always have our eyes on the football field.Check out the infographic below,...

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Kaya Oakes got shushed at a Yo-Yo Ma concert, and she wrote an article about how the churchlike atmosphere that audiences expect at these concerts is killing classical music.Oakes shares how disruptive the shushing is (the woman does it to others in the audience) and about how the day before Yo-Yo Ma had performed at a strikingly different venue: a street party.Oakes writes, "I wish I could tell the shushing woman we need ways of experiencing classical music other...

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Experiences rule. How do we know this? One reason is that more and more retailers are adding experiential elements to their brick-and-mortar stores.This PSFK article highlights "retailers delivering inspired, next-level customer experiences" in New York City. According to the article, Nordstrom Men's Store offers a complimentary personal styling service, where they create a digital Style Board with personalized recommendations that can be sent to your mobile phone, and FujiFilm Wonder Photoshop lets you make instant prints from your phone at...

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Southwest is being applauded for the way the airlines runs its business -- again.In his Inc. post comparing Southwest and another airline, Bill Murphy Jr. highlights a Maya Angelou quote:"People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel."  Murphy writes: "And those feelings develop based on our cumulative experiences: a combination of the shared experiences we all have from following the news, and our personal experiences interacting...

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We all want "the good life," right?What exactly that means can be different for everyone, but a new survey offers some insight into what some people want.When more than 2,000 Americans were asked, "What's most important?" -- "28% said 'meaningful connection' with community is most important."That's lucky for us! Because that's something we offer with live entertainment.The report also shares: "Consumers increasingly want products and services that are simpler and contribute to health and well-being."We've posted here on Selling...

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So, technically Disney would fall into the live entertainment realm (and so this isn't quite a "Think Outside the Industry"), but its new hotel is still worth talking about, given the way it's merging hospitality with immersive entertainment.Disney is no stranger to themed resorts and already pays meticulous attention to detail to create immersive experiences, but its new Star Wars hotel is on a whole other level.As PSFK reports, "Each guest will be given their very own storyline to...

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We all know concerts can be a blast, but can they actually improve your health? Well, this week an interesting article landed in our inbox from Alex Frank of Music Instruments Center. It lays out the many, amazing benefits of music, and offers ways to maximize them. Of course, one big way is:"Go to a concert or festival. Before recordings, people went to concerts and festivals to hear their favorite music. But even after streamed music became popular, people...

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