Television

Malcolm Gladwell is an author and cultural commentator of increasing influence, witness the success of his books "The Tipping Point," "Blink," and his latest, "Outliers."  Blogger John Kelvie of takes Gladwell to task for some of his pithier observations , most notably his conclusion a a 2002 book review for the New Yorker that Philo

…ain’t so bad after all: While many of his peers spend rainy afternoons watching cartoons, Lance sits in front of the Military Channel learning. Other children in his grade really like Hannah Montana, but Lance’s favorite shows have titles like Weaponology. He defends television. "People say TV makes you dumb, but it doesn’t!" Lance said

You’ve heard of The Farnsworth Invention, now you can watch The Farnsworth Confession: Mr. Farnsworth here should take heart from the Broadway version of the story.  According to the play, Philo Farnsworth’s invention was flawed by a fatal "light problem," and really wasn’t very useful.  And the Farnsworth character says near the end that an

Personally, I’ve always found it ironic that the TV Academy elected to name their award for Corporate Engineering Achievement for the lone inventor who spent his career fighting one giant corporation after another, but I guess that’s better than the "David Sarnoff Award for Individual Achievement"… The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced

I haven’t even looked yet to see who actually won the Tony Awards last night, but this came across my Google Alerts this morning: 9. Jimmi Simpson in The Farnsworth Invention. Another much overlooked performance was Simpson’s Farnsworth in The Farnsworth Invention. He held his ground valiantly against Hank Azaria in the competition over who

Link: Theatre World Awards Home.

At an annual ceremony and during an afternoon party attended by former winners and invited members of the theatre community, six actresses and six actors are presented with a Theatre World Award for their Debut Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production.

The Theatre World Award remains the oldest one given for a debut theatre performance on On or Off-Broadway.

The contribution the Award has made to the theatre is incaluable. It is not a competition and is only given once. Because it is given for a debut performance, it encourages and inspires newcomers to the stage to continue to pursue their dream. It is freely given at a time when encouragement is so necessary in an industry known more for rejection than reception.

This year’s award winners are:

de’Adre Aziza, Passing Strange
Cassie Beck, Drunken City
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Hoon Lee, Yellow Face
Alli Mauzey, Cry-Baby
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Loretta Ables Sayre, South Pacific
**Jimmi Simspson, The Farnsworth Invention**
Paulo Szot, South Pacific

The Theatre World Award winners are chosen by the Theatre World Awards committee, which is comprised of Peter Filichia (Theatermania.com), Harry Haun (Playbill), Matthew Murray (TalkinBroadway.com), Frank Scheck (New York Post), Michael Sommers (Newhouse Papers), Doug Watt (Critic Emeritus, New York Daily News), Linda Winer (New York Newsday), and coordinated by Peter Filichia, Theatre World Editor John Willis, and Theatre World Associate Editor Ben Hodges.

The 2008 Tony Award nominations have been announced. The Farnsworth Invention is not on the list.  Anywhere.

In what some will no doubt regard as a precursor to the Tony Awards, The Farnsworth Invention has garnered a number of nominations for the Drama League Awards: Among new plays, “Eurydice” is the sole Off Broadway offering on a slate of nominees that includes new Pulitzer Prize winner “August: Osage County,” “The Farnsworth Invention,”

I guess that’s that: The new Aaron Sorkin play The Farnsworth Invention, which explores the battle for the patent for the invention of television, will play its final performance at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre March 2.