Choreographer Katie Sheppard has been working on various projects including musicals such as Groundhog Day and Matilda for Netflix, and & Juliet on Broadway. He also assisted Peter Darling on Billy Elliot The Musical. Sheppard's production of My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do? ) is set to premiere at New York City Center in June, while his adaptation of Starlight Express has been running sold-out at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. His latest production, Just For One Day, will transfer from the Old Vic Theatre to London's Shaftesbury Theatre in May.
https://deadline.com/2025/04/paddington-the-musical-london-opening-1236375634/John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" combines a holiday tune with a message of unity, featuring guitar, piano, chimes, and a children's choir. In contrast, Television Personalities' song "Back to Vietnam" describes an insomniac man experiencing wartime post-traumatic stress disorder, with sounds of gunshots and screams. German thrash metal band Sodom's album "Agent Orange" explores lead vocalist Tom Angelripper's fascination with the Vietnam War, including a track that releases a throaty scream. Bruce Springsteen's song "The Wall" was inspired by his trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, where he sang about a black stone and hard tears left behind.
https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-war-songs-fa74568bed8f2f8ec93b15482f98088cA Buddhist painting, created in 1627 during the Joseon Dynasty, has been elevated to National Treasure status for the first time since 1997. The Muryang Temple's painting, attributed to monks Beopgyeong, Hyeyun, Inhak, and Heesang, is considered an important piece that contributed to the spread of Buddhist art during its time. It was designated as a National Treasure by the National Heritage Service on April 24, joining seven other National Treasures among approximately 120 Buddhist paintings in Korea.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-04-24/culture/koreanHeritage/Buddhist-Hanging-Scroll-at-Muryang-Temple-designated-National-Treasure/2293030Spotify's new playlist "Women in Classical" features arrangements of original compositions by women such as Smyth and Ilse Weber, who composed songs for children at the Theresienstadt camp during WWII. The playlist also includes modern touches like Miley Cyrus' hit "Flowers" and Abrami's own composition "Transmission", inspired by her grandmother. Women featured on the playlist include Meesha Shafi, Spotify's EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador, who praises the discovery of new classical music history, saying it's "super exciting".
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40359306/violinist-esther-abrami-pays-tribute-to-female-composers-in-album-womenThe "Wild Wild After Party" is coming to Manila on May 24 at the New Frontier Theater, promising a high-energy musical experience that's not just for women, but for anyone looking for a wild and uninhibited adventure with bold performances and charm.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/04/25/entertainment-lifestyle/show-times/hot-hot-event-wild-wild-after-party-comes-to-manila/2098959The BE OPEN Art online gallery, founded by philanthropist Elena Baturina, has announced the winners of its first regional art competition in Asia South, covering Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Malinda Jayasinghe from Sri Lanka was named artist of the month in January for exploring themes of privilege, race and gender through drawing, painting and sculpture. Khando Wangmo from Bhutan won the title in February, inspired by her brother's paintings since childhood. Tandin Chophel from Bhutan was chosen as regional artist of the month in March, capturing the beauty of nature and emotions through oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings. Pema Yangdon from Bhutan received a 500-euro prize for her mixed-media art, which aims to evoke a sense of wonder and comfort in viewers.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/be-open-art-felicite-les-laureats-du-concours-en-asie-du-sud-302434874.htmlBroadway saw its best non-holiday week ever last week, with major hits like Good Night, and Good Luck, Glengarry Glen Ross, Othello, and longrunners The Lion King, Wicked, and Aladdin contributing to a record-breaking total box office figure of $50,874,940 for the week ending April 20. This represents a 47% increase from last year's figure, with a 19% rise in attendance of 357,319 spectators. Notable performances included nine consecutive shows from The Lion King, grossing $2,940,497, Wicked earning $3,333,277, and Aladdin raking in $2,027,723.
https://deadline.com/2025/04/broadway-box-office-april-20-2025-1236373723/The Indian government aims to strengthen the country's creative sector through the WAVES initiative, positioning India as a hub for content creation and technological innovation. The focus areas include broadcasting, music, animation, gaming, and digital media, with the goal of amplifying India's position in these industries.
https://www.lokmattimes.com/national/meghalaya-boy-among-top-10-finalists-for-resonate-the-edm-challenge-under-waves-in-mumbai/Salt Lake City's Open Streets festival will transform four blocks into unique areas for entertainment and community engagement. The South Temple block will feature Family Commons with games and activities, while Arts Avenue will host live performances and public art from June's Fridays to Saturdays. The Village Market at 200-300 South will showcase an open-air market with handmade goods and local vendors, complemented by outdoor dining options in the area. Mayor Erin Mendenhall attributes the event to the city's values of connection and creativity, which prioritize community space when designing streets.
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/04/22/slcs-open-streets-event-returns-in-june-with-a-test-of-main-streets-potential-future/