GREEN The creators of musicals really offered a sampler of ways to respond to the jukebox problem. Jagged Little Pill, built on the Alanis Morissette catalog, made the smart choice of abjuring biography and instead attaching her songs to a new plot (by Diablo Cody) that grew out of the same concerns and vocabulary. Or perhaps I should say new plots, because it is not shy with them. There are at least eight story lines.

BRANTLEY To be honest, this was the show that gave me a headache, because it was so insistently earnest in its topicality and, even when it was trying to be funny, humorless. So, of the new musicals (and we havent touched on The Lightning Thief, your personal favorite) what would you give the premature Tony to?

GREEN The one that wouldnt be eligible: American Utopia. Joy and sadness bound to each other through David Byrnes music and Annie-B Parsons movement: What else do you want from a musical, even if its just a concert?

BRANTLEY I loved American Utopia. I think, though, Id have to go with Girl From the North Country, but I wouldnt have predicted that after seeing it in London two years ago. I find more in it every time I revisit it.

GREEN Despite all the Best Musical possibilities this truncated season, only one, The Lightning Thief, had a new score. Yet most of the offerings sounded new anyway, the result of terrific arrangements and orchestrations. Im thinking especially of Justin Levines magpie-on-Ecstasy song collages for Moulin Rouge!, Tom Kitts theatricalization of post-grunge pop for Jagged Little Pill and Simon Hales excavation of the deeply layered Americana in Dylans catalog for Girl.

BRANTLEY Here, Id have to say its a tie between Girl and Moulin Rouge!, each a remarkable accomplishment in a very different way. As for best revival, the undisputed winner is Ivo van Hoves divisive revival of West Side Story, but thats because it is, remarkably, the only musical revival so far.

GREEN I liked West Side Story better than you did, Ben, perhaps because I wasnt reviewing it. I lapped up the new things it wanted to show me (while also hunting for the old things it wanted to hide from me) and didnt worry about the elements that laid an egg. (Gee, Officer Krupke.) Its evocation of innocence and hopelessness felt more like real life now than Ive experienced in previous revivals.

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Who Says You Cant Give Tony Awards in an Abbreviated Season? - The New York Times

Hot off the heels of that anime and manga-inspired short over the weekend, Rick and Morty announced the premiere date for the second half of its fourth season with a brand new trailer. The hit animated sci-fi series will return to Adult Swim on Sunday, May 3 at 11:30 p.m. EST.

Theteaser trailer promises a litany of even moreoutrageous and meta adventures for the show's titular duo (both of whom are voiced by co-creator Justin Roiland). Not only that, but the new footage signals the return of two familiar characters: Snuffles (Rob Paulsen) and TammyGuetermann (Cassie Steele), but more on them later.

First, you must watch the teaser (set to Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town") below:

Snuffles, who dates all the way back to the second episode of Season 1 ("Lawnmower Dog"),was once the Smith family dog before gaining hyper-intelligence and leaving Earth to form a utopia of super-smart canines. As you see in the trailer, he's now got a genius feline problem on his robotic hands.

Tammy, on the other hand, was Summer's high school friend who fell in love with Birdperson (voiced by Roiland's fellowco-creator Dan Harmon), only to reveal herself as an agent of the Galactic Federation. She murdered Birdperson at their wedding in the Season 2 finale ("The Wedding Squanchers")and laterbrought him back to life asPhoenixperson. Since we haven't seen either of them since the post-credits seen of the Season 3premiere ("The Rickshank Redemption"), it'll be interesting to see what kind of conflict Tammy brings to the table for Season 4.

Lastly, the presence of multiple Ricks in the teaser suggests a return ofthe Citadel, which is ruled by Evil Morty, who was elected president of the place in Season 3's "The Ricklantis Mixup."

Chris Parnell (Jerry Smith, Morty's father),Spencer Grammer (Summer Smith, Morty's older sister),Sarah Chalke (Beth Smith, Rick's daughter) make up the rest of Rick and Morty's principal voice cast.

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Rick and Morty returns May 3, new trailer teases return of Tammy and Snuffles - SYFY WIRE

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James Hilton was simply dreaming of a place that humans have yearned for since they first learned to yearn. A heaven of sorts. A paradise. Utopia. Xanadu. The Garden of Eden. Shambhala.

Hilton, a popular English writer in the first half of the 20th century, named his happy place Shangri-La, and he made it wondrous and spiritual, tucking it high into the mountains in an exotic part of northwest Tibet. It was the setting of his 1933 adventure novel "Lost Horizon," which instantly became a worldwide bestseller. It was also made into a major Hollywood film the legendary Frank Capra directed and Ronald Colman and Jane Wyatt starred in 1937.

From the moment "Lost Horizon" hit bookstore shelves, Shangri-La became synonymous with Utopia. Back then, it was an ideal, a place to escape to during a time when the real world had just been through a global war and the Great Depression. Since then, the simple idea of the place has sparked countless pilgrimages to Tibet, journeys of faith and perseverance, of hope and distant promise, of supposed enlightenment and, sometimes, disappointment.

It's kind of an amazing phenomenon, considering that the place doesn't exist. And it never has.

Well, until recently, that is.

Hilton reportedly did most of the research for his novel in the British Museum Library, not far from his home in the northeastern part of London. He never actually went to Tibet. Instead, he took inspiration for Shangri-La from another utopian dream, a place known for centuries as Shambhala.

"There was one sort of very, very garbled version of the Shambhala myth that Hilton read in one of the Catholic explorer's writings. But it wasn't at all clear," says Ed Bernbaum, who lectures on comparative religion and mythology and wrote "The Way To Shambhala" in 1980. "It is this sort of universal theme. And at that time, Tibet was pretty much unexplored. So, if you're going to look for a hidden utopia, that was an ideal place to do it."

Shambhala is a Tibetan Buddhist legend about a utopian paradise far in the northern mountains of Asia. It is a spiritual place where people of all religions and backgrounds live together in harmony. It's also said to be the place from which, when war and evil engulf the rest of the world, a leader will emerge to defeat the forces of chaos and usher in a new age of peace and happiness.

Shambhala grows out of the Buddhist teaching of Kalachakra, or the Wheel of Time, which states that the center of the universe is Mount Meru (sometimes called Mount Sumeru), said to be well north of Tibet.

"People sort of looked at Tibet as this mysterious, Utopian kind of place," Bernbaum says, "and the Tibetans themselves looked even farther north for that Utopia, Shambhala."

If Hilton (who died in 1954) was indeed modeling Shangri-La after the Buddhist teachings of Shambhala, it would probably pain him to learn what has happened to his imaginary wonderland.

It has become real. Too real.

In 2001, the Chinese government which has controlled Tibet since the late 1950s changed the name of Zhondian county to Shangri-La for a simple purpose: to cash in on tourist dollars. Many areas in China had been vying for the right to change their names to Shangri-La and it took nearly a decade to decide on a winner. Zhondian won in what The Guardian called in 2006 "one of the most audacious rebranding exercises in history."

Now, the larger area of Shangri-La boasts a Shangri-La Resort, a Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La, and an airport with daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Lhasa (the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, in the heart of what Westerners know as Tibet). Visitors can tour the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province. And when they're done, they can quaff down a brew at the Shangri-La Beer Bar ("Beer Made in Heaven.")

Tibet and the newly named Shangri-La are a draw for reasons other than the tourist traps, of course. Tibet is known, after all, as the "Roof of the World." It shares the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, with neighboring Nepal (though that's a long way from Shangri-La). The area's natural beauty is breathtaking, which makes it a destination for outdoor lovers that is especially popular with Chinese tourists. (It's harder for Westerners to secure visas to get there.)

But is this the Shangri-La that James Hilton envisioned? Is it what modern travelers expect?

That, it seems, is probably up to the pilgrim.

"There are different ways of going to Shambhala," Bernbaum says. "To me, what I found most interesting was the symbolism of it. It sort of reflects an inner journey."

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Searching for the Lost Horizon of Shangri-La - HowStuffWorks

John Kao, founder and chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation

The EconomistcalledJohn Kao "Mr. Creativity" and a "serial innovator" and CNN the "innovation maven." He is a thought leader, practitioner, and activist, who has played a leading role in the fields of innovation and business creativity for over 30 years. His knowledge is eclectic and blends the perspectives of former Harvard Business School professor, serial entrepreneur, musician, master facilitator, former CEO, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, best-selling author, and Tony-nominated producer of film and stage. Yamaha Music Corporation named him their first "innovation artist." He is a trusted advisor to leaders of companies, startups, and nations that are on the hot seat to deliver meaningful innovation strategies and action agendas.

I first met John Kao when we both spoke at a higher education technology summit. We then collaborated to advise a blockchain startup CEO on the importance of data ownership and privacy. Kao was also a brilliant guest on my weekly video podcast DisrupTV, which I co-host with Ray Wang, CEO and founder of Constellation Research.

Kao is also an incredible innovation expert and storyteller, often working on projects to improve the state of society and education. The innovation manifesto by Kao is a must-read.

I have written about how 2020 will be the year that redefined distance learning, telemedicine, remote work, ecommerce, and accelerated adoption of several new emerging technologies. It will also be the year that created an entirely new set of new business models based on aggressive digital transformation imperatives. I asked John Kao to share his thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic and future of leadership and innovation.

Here are Kao's thoughts:

We will look back on the black swan of COVID-19 as a milestone in our transition from the old digital world to a new one. It is forcing innovation in how we work, play, learn, care for ourselves and connect.

Certainly, the virtual domain has been a factor at least since Alexander Graham Bell's words "Watson come here" projected human intention through cyberspace. The notion of virtual work has been around at least since 1972 when the term "telecommuting" was coined by NASA scientist Jack Nilles.

But the current pandemic has challenged us to evolve our digital selves in new ways. Examples: A Fortune 500 CEO recently organized a virtual town hall for 50,000 employees. Which begs the question of what is leadership in the virtual domain as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce Chatter, Zoom, and other business-oriented collaboration platforms become the new work culture we inhabit. Then there is education. A high school student told me recently that transitioning to all online/remote learning wasn't nearly as good as being in school because continually staring at a screen "felt like doing homework all day." E-health is booming as people clamor for advice about coronavirus via telemedicine channels, while the questions of who and what to trust remains greater than ever. We hope that our politicians will ponder the challenges and opportunities inherent in the virtual for political campaigns and election security. And we hang out in new ways now - virtual yoga and wellness classes, concerts (thank you Yo-yo Ma), dramatic performances, meditation sessions, and even sex. Necessity, it would seem, is the mother of invention.

Star Trek and the Holodeck

All this is happening while the technology to support our lives continues to advance.Star Trek raised our expectations with the Holodeck, which presaged highly realistic, virtual environments that supported a wide range of activity. Now Microsoft has announced a hair-raising technology that is in a sense the opposite - an augmented reality system called Holoportation that allows people to embody themselves virtually in real, shared environments. Science fact is becoming stranger than science fiction.

But there are real challenges on the road to a digital utopia.

Personal identity and trust remain high on the to-do list. If I can "meet" you in a digital environment that is fully realistic with the exception of touch (and that problem is being worked on as well) how can I trust that you are you? How will I know that what you say about yourself and your qualifications is true? There are related issues of security and "hack-proofing." In an era in which the conventional password has become almost useless, what kind of access do you allow into privileged digital environments? Will the internet continue to devolve into a network of walled gardens as a consequence?

And then there is the human side of the equation. How much intimacy is possible, especially when the new tools become a rich-enough medium to address, if not entirely satisfy, the human need for nuance and connection? What happens to digital addiction when screens are the primary medium of exchange. What kinds of new mental health issues will emerge in the era of social distancing?

On the upside, how can our new technologies foster collaborative creativity? How will they spur activism as those with skills can be matched with increasing precision to those with needs via AI activated market spaces and increasingly intelligent agents? How can new technologies offer more efficient and secure voting? How will they increase the efficiency of learning and health care?

Meanwhile, we have more immediate matters to attend to. COVID-19 has placed each of us into a personal virtual laboratory that calls us to experiment with how we define our identity and tastes, how we stay connected and participate, and how we access the resources we need. The times are challenging us to raise our digital literacy to new and uncharted levels.

Technology visionary Marshall McLuhan would probably not recognize the "global village" we inhabit today. But he would stand firm with his assertion that the "medium is the message." Today we have a lot to figure out because in McLuhan's words, "We shape our tools and afterward our tools shape us." Welcome to the new world.

This article was co-authored by John Kao, chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation and a former Harvard Business School professor. You can contact him via email at john@largescaleinnovation.org.

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The new digital world and the Holodeck - ZDNet

A new survey by German sustainable development company Utopia confirms that younger consumers are more willing to spend on eco-friendly products and are becoming increasingly critical of unsustainable mass consumption. With the majority of younger shoppers opting for meat-free and sustainably packaged products more than ever before to reduce their individual footprint, companies will find it increasingly difficult to ignore what is quickly becoming mainstream demand and must begin greening their operations.

The survey, which was conducted as a part of the firms 2019 study A Question of Attitude, is showing a rising conscious consumerism trend, particularly amongst young consumers aged 18 to 24. According to the research, 53% of consumers within the age group in Germany have already given up eating meat, and 60% of them are preparing to limit their consumption of meat in order to minimise their carbon footprint.

Utopias study also finds that younger shoppers want to spend on environmentally-friendly products that are plastic-free and are sustainably packaged, with 73% willing to abstain from products that do not fit into their ethical and environmental standards. The overwhelming majority of the demographic 94% said that they prefer to buy fewer items that are durable, instead of constantly purchasing single-use or products that are quickly thrown away.

Over 14,000 people took part in the survey, and over 8,800 questionnaires were evaluated for the overall study. For the analysis, Utopia collaborated with Dr. Brigitte Holzhauer, who is involved with regular environmental awareness studies for the Federal Environment Ministry of Germany.

Commenting on these findings, managing director of Utopia Dr. Meike Gebhard said: Where the journey is headed can already be seen today in the attitudes and behavior of conscious consumers. They are seismographs for the consumption of the future.

Previous studies on consumer trends have found similar results. Last year, research from New York Universitys Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) found that consumers are now purchasing more sustainable products across every product category. In another report by Indian multinational corporation Mahindra, the majority of Indian consumers want to make sustainable lifestyle choices as much as possible, and are seeking plastic-free alternatives in particular.

Other reports have also concluded that younger generations have been at the forefront of driving demand for sustainable products. A BSG-Altagamma report found that over 50% of Gen-Zs the generation taking to the streets on Fridays to demand climate action from governments and businesses are purchasing secondhand clothing more than ever. Generation Alphas are bound to reinforce the movement, with over two-thirds of current 6-9 year olds declaring that saving the planet will be the central career mission in the future, according to a 2019 analysis by Wunderman Thompson Commerce.

What all these studies show is that companies and institutions must begin greening their operations if they havent already if they are to stay relevant in the long-term especially when younger generations begin to overtake the majority of the market share. Gebhard says that Utopias findings should create a basis for future decisions for companies, organisations and politics.

Without responding to changing consumer tastes in favour of sustainability, companies that are not purpose-driven will inevitably lose market share in the long-term.

Lead image courtesy of iStock.

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Young Consumers Willing To Spend More On Meat-Free & Sustainably-Packaged Products, New Survey Shows - Green Queen Media

Coronavirus samples being tested in a lab. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Though were in the midst of the pandemic, taking the long view can be helpful in terms of understanding how other countries handle situations like coronavirus.

Dr. Stefano Condorelli is currently an associate researcher at the Center for Global Studies of the University of Bern, and has also done research on historical disasters. He joined Seattles Morning News to give context on the societal and economic aftermath of a disaster.

So how does our current disaster compare to the disasters of the past that hes studied?

Mild, were just at the beginning. When youre a historian and youre studying things three centuries later on, its easy to know how things have ended up, you have all the elements. Right now, were just in the middle of the storm, he said.

How testing for coronavirus immunity could help with health and the economy

I mean, you dont see the enemy. When you have an earthquake, its very clear what happened, a few weeks ago here in Italy, when we were told to stay at home, the enemy was there but you could not see it. So its an extra layer of complexity.

Have there been epidemics that have actually created permanent cultural changes in their wake?

When when I was studying the earthquake in the 17th century, what was very interesting is that this was a really huge earthquake that destroyed half of Sicily. There was immediately a new society that emerged at this for a few weeks, a kind of utopia, he said. Themes like were all the same, but after a few weeks things go back to normal.

Coronavirus crisis has social media ripe for spread of misinformation

So there was a temporary utopian society because the social order was disrupted. But over time the social order reasserts itself.

Now we were a completely different situation, of course. But when I talk with many of my colleagues, we think that maybe what is happening will be an element bringing us to a new type of society, a different kind of economy, at least what we hope.

Listen to Seattles Morning News weekday mornings from 5 9 a.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to thepodcast here.

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Using history to understand what the coronavirus aftermath will look like - MyNorthwest.com

Connie Ottmann, a high school English teacher from Maine, had always wanted to live in New York City. And last summer, when she was 66, seemed the right time to do it.

Retired for several years, she had been rereading the works of the mythologist Joseph Campbell, who really affirmed living life as an adventure.

Once she made the decision, things fell into place. A friend who is a real estate agent offered to help rent her house in Hallowell, near Augusta, then quickly found a couple who signed a yearlong lease. Her sister in Irvington, N.Y., was going through some life changes and was happy to have her as a houseguest for several months, so Ms. Ottmann was able to conduct her apartment hunt from a place near the city.

It seems invisible hands carried me here, Ms. Ottmann said. I couldnt afford to rent an apartment alone so I thought, Ill rent a room.

She was confident that finding an apartment share would also go smoothly. Many friends and family members were not equally confident. People werent too optimistic, she said.

Her brother, who owns a house in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, didnt think she would be able to find a place. A college friend who lived in the city was equally discouraging about securing a room share: She said, Eh, thats mostly young people.

But her son and his girlfriend, who rent an apartment in her brothers house, were encouraging. So, undeterred, Ms. Ottmann started looking for Brooklyn room shares on Listings Project, a weekly email with real estate listings, and Roomi, an app.

She did experience a twinge of concern after noticing that most Listings Project users seemed to be between 28 and 40; Roomi also skewed younger.

Several responses she wrote to ads went unanswered, including one she sent to a pair of comedians. Id thought it might provide them with new material for their acts, she said.

I got a little discouraged at first, but then I started hearing back from people, Ms. Ottmann said.

A nice young man who got in touch had just rented an unfurnished apartment and was looking for someone to split the brokers fee, which wasnt ideal for Ms. Ottmann, who was planning to stay for only a year.

She met a pleasant couple looking to rent the second bedroom in their apartment, but the place was small and she thought living with a couple might not be the best option. A third apartment was run-down and smelled like cat urine.

And then she found a seemingly perfect situation: two rooms a bedroom plus a separate room for a studio in a Bedford-Stuyvesant three-bedroom shared with one roommate. It was a furnished sublet of at least six months and the rent, including utilities, was $1,200 a month.

Ms. Ottmann, who paints and writes a blog, had hoped for a space to work in other than her bedroom, but had dismissed the idea as unrealistic. And yet, here it was.

$2,400 | Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Occupation: Ms. Ottmann is a retired high school English teacher; Ms. Calvo is an archivist at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.Dividing a three-bedroom: Ms. Ottmann gets two bedrooms, but Ms. Calvos room is about the size of the other two rooms combined, so they pay the same amount of rent.Dealing with the coronavirus: I knew there would be risks, uncertainties and trials along the way, Ms. Ottmann said, but this was not one she planned for.

When she saw it in person, Ms. Ottmann immediately liked the space. I found the apartment quite spacious, and I liked how they set it up, she said. The departing tenant, a woman in her 30s, interviewed her and offered Ms. Ottmann the two rooms before she met the roommate, Christine Calvo, 32.

Ms. Calvo, an archivist at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, grew up in a household of four women in Los Angeles, so she wasnt concerned about getting along with Ms. Ottmann. After living in New York for 12 years, Ive had so many different types of roommates, she said. Ive lived with friends and friends of friends. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didnt. You never know what its going to be like. She fit all the criteria.

I would have wanted to meet me! said Ms. Ottmann, who moved in this December.

Connie is definitely one of the more laid-back roommates Ive had and respectful, Ms. Calvo said. Ive had some wild ones: I lived in one apartment without a door; one roommate started a fire, another misplaced the rent. Its been easy with Connie.

Were both introverts, Ms. Ottmann said of their rapport.

As for New York, I like it, she said. I mean, I love it.

Until recently, when she, like most New Yorkers, started spending all of her time at home, Ms. Ottmann could be found traveling on the subway, going to museums and lectures. She saw the Agnes Denes show at the Shed and David Byrnes American Utopia musical.

I want to meet people and take advantage of being here as much as I can, she said. And I want to know my way around really well. Maine is a beautiful place, but winters are hard and spring is even worse. And you have to drive everywhere. Theres a theater I love, but its a half-hour away.

She has also been able to spend more time with her son and his girlfriend, as well as her brother, whose wife died several years ago, and his 15-year-old twins. She was lucky, she reflected, that moving to New York has been an adventure and a chance to spend quality time like this with two of my siblings in our later years.

A few things have surprised her: how open-minded potential roommates were about her age, how helpful and nice New Yorkers are in general and how quiet the apartment is.

On one of her first nights alone there, she noticed a neighbor making some noise. She couldnt have been more delighted.

It was an opera singer practicing her scales, Ms. Ottmann said. I was, like, Oh my gosh Im in New York. I heard it and I thought, This is lovely.

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Retiring to New York City and Getting a Roommate - The New York Times

While the entertainment industry has rightfully been under fire for its lack of diversity over the years, there is one show that has popped into the Hulu feed and taken the world by storm. Premiering on Hulu on February 14, 2020, the show danced its way onto the screen and into our hearts.

In Thornes world, theExemplar (similar to the savageness of the Abbey Lee Dance Company on DanceMoms, but with people of color) carefully selects twenty-four teenagers toparticipate in an epic talent competition, but only one can win. However, thereis much more to this competition than what meets the eye. With a blend of pop,hip-hop, dance, voice, and more, there is something for everyone.

As I began the first episode awhile back, I recall a few thoughts immediately filling my head. First, I was absolutely delighted to see my screen filled with a diverse cast that I could identify with as a Black woman. Second, that I was getting some heavy Hunger Games feels mixed in with the theatricality of the movie musical Fame. The shows depiction of teenagers on the verge of self-discovery while simultaneously trying to overcome the limitations of their society isnt a new concept to the screen. However, when presented against the backdrop of people of color trying to uncover stolen aspects of their cultural history, things get pretty juicy.

Lastly, the thought that came to me was appreciation. Truth be told, whether you love it or not, this series gives us what weve been waiting far too long for representation for people of color in sci-fi.

Typically, sci-fi comes with way too many trade-offs for people of color. If they are allowed to be featured, there must only be one stock Brown person to fill a slot. Well, this isnt true of Thornes story. He crafts a world in which Black women are leaders, people of color make major decisions, and everyone is allowed a great amount of fluidity and freedom in their identities. Pretty much, if youre a fan of sci-fi, performing arts, and people of color being the central focus, youre likely to enjoy yourself.

BGN was given the honor of catching up with R.T.Thorne and interviewing him about the series. It was a joy to spend timehearing his thoughts and discussing why a show like this is so important. Justas with his show, Thorne gave BGN the opportunity to learn more about diversityfrom behind the screen.

The show was born out of a couple of differentthings. I always loved comic books growing up; I wanted to be a comic bookcreator. Comic books and hip-hop always existed in me even as a kid. Hip-hopand science fiction come from the same DNA, even if social commentators dontwant to acknowledge it. It was important to see my people represented, as Iwanted to show people of color represented in the future.

Pitching in the beginning, we knew what we wantedfrom the ground up. Not to criticize Hunger Games, but with dystopianfutures were always wondering how it got that way. We wanted a dystopian storyfocused on rebuilding society, and setting up a diverse world was the key. Isaid, No tokens; there is no such thing as too many Black and Brown people inour world.

Representation is so important. You have thecharacter Bodhi (Akiel Julien),a young dark-skinned Black man who is both measured and passionate, and Aliyah (Robyn Alomar), a mixed-racewoman with amazing dance skills. It is so important for young mixedgirls to see Aliyahs journey and identity develop. Mixed race people dont getenough representation. Ive felt that, with my mom telling me that Im partChinese. I also wanted to introduce a romance between an Asian and Latina womanwithout it being forced.

It cant just be the main players who are people of color. It was difficult. Not with Hulu they bought in right away. Fortunately, Toronto is a very diverse place. But casting is still difficult, and finding cast members with the right background was tough. But you have to remember to stick with whats difficult at first.

Coming from a music video background has always made me want to create characters that express story through movement and genre. I created the world tribunal to use competition to deliver their music. Also, through the character Sage (Devyn Nekoda), I wanted to highlight her learning Capoeira. I wanted for her to have access to self-defense. Its a skill thats important for protection. Its important for girls to be able to protect themselves. The tribunal took a lot of culture away, so the characters spend a lot of time reclaiming knowledge.

Theres the moment when Bodhi is listening to the rapper Nas and hearing lyrics for the first time that speak to his experiences growing up. A lot of the story goes back to the African Diaspora and how people lost aspects of their culture. The characters are on a journey to retrieve what has been stolen from them.

I also wanted to add characteristics that made the show more realistic. In so many of these dystopian sci-fi stories, we dont know what music people listened to or what they eat. It doesnt speak to how real life works.

I hope so, I really hope so. I think its so important, especially for young people. I want this shows culture to be a catalyst for change. Performance art forms of expression need to be normalized. Having the founder of their society be a Black woman was also so important to normalize the idea that the person this society worships and reveres doesnt have to be an old white man. I hope little Black girls see Gaia, or even Reia (from the tribunal), and are inspired to not only become artists and performers but heads of state or activists or can even dream of being world leaders.

Season 1 of UtopiaFalls is available for streaming on Hulu.

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RT Thorne on the His Television Series 'Utopia Falls' - Black Girl Nerds

The 1980s cult classic movie, RAD, by acclaimed Director Hal Needham (Bad News Bears, Smokey and the Bandit) and Executive Producer Jack Schwartzman (Being There, Never Say Never Again) will make its belated Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD debut this May, from Vinegar Syndrome and Utopia Distribution.

Originally released in 1986 during the rise of the BMX bike craze, this powerful piece of pop cultural nostalgia is finally coming to disc, newly restored in 4K from its original camera negative by Fotokem. The film follows Cru Jones (Bill Allen), a small town kid determined to win an infamous BMX race set on a nearly impossible course known as Helltrack. A sleeper hit upon its initial release, RAD has become one of the iconic cult films of the 1980s and amongst BMX professionals, spawning fan clubs and repertory film screenings for decades.

The film features an award-winning supporting cast, including two-time Oscar nominee Talia Shire (The Godfather, Rocky), Golden Globe nominee Jack Weston (Dirty Dancing), Lori Loughlin (TV's Full House), and character actor Ray Walston (Fast Times at Ridgemont High).

Despite years of petitions and calls from fans for RAD to be issued on disc, an official version of the film has remained absent from physical media, until now. Genre film distributor Vinegar Syndrome will present its worldwide disc debut this May, during their annual Halfway to Black Friday Sale, in a loaded, limited edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack, which will be available exclusively on VinegarSyndrome.com. The release is sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of film's original camera negative, a newly created 5.1 mix, and will feature interviews with cast and crew, exclusive commentaries, and more, all housed in a specially designed 'lenticular front / holographic back' slipcover.

Vinegar Syndrome is holding an exclusive pre-order for RAD. Their Halfway to Black Friday Sale, during which just about every title in their nearly 350 release strong catalog will be marked down to 50% off SRP, and will also feature two secret title unveilings, is scheduled for May 22nd-25th. Vinegar Syndrome will NOT be repressing RAD in any format once they sell out.

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RAD Is Finally Coming Out on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD This Year Thanks to Vinegar Syndrome - MovieWeb

Taylor Mascetta, Contributing WriterApril 1, 2020

The entire world has faced the coronavirus for weeks now, and its spread shows no sign of slowing. As the death toll and infected numbers continue to rise, social distancing remains important as ever. Staying inside all day long can prove to be quite boring. However, many new forms of entertainment are being released every day to appease the masses while they stay in isolation.

While most movie theaters have shut down until further notice, that hasnt stopped new films from being released. While big-budget spectacles such as Black Widow, A Quiet Place Part II and No Time to Die have had their release dates postponed, some films have made the decision to be available on-demand or on various streaming platforms. For example, the highly anticipated Harley Quinn superhero film Birds of Prey was released on-demand after its brief theatrical release.

Romance fans can quench their thirst for love with I Still Believe, a poignant yet tear-jerking love story starring Riverdale star KJ Apa. The movie tells the true story of Christian singer Jeremy Camp and how his relationship with the love of his life ended in tragedy. On the opposite side of the spectrum, horror fans also have a lot of new choices, including The Invisible Man. Elizabeth Moss attempts to evade her abusive ex-boyfriend in this thriller, but theres one big problem: He has figured out how to become invisible, and no one believes the protagonists cries for help since hes believed to be dead.

Disney gave audiences a new slate of films on its new streaming site Disney+. The newest addition to the Pixar franchise, Onward, comes to Disney+ in early April after its brief tenure in theaters. The animated film, which features the voices of beloved Marvel stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt explores family-oriented themes as two brothers living in a fairytale utopia try to resurrect their deceased father for 24 hours. Another recent release is an adaptation of childrens book Stargirl, with the titular character being played by Americas Got Talent winner Grace Vanderwaal. Disney also treated fans to the ever-popular Frozen franchise with a surprise in mid-March: Frozen 2 was released nearly three months earlier than expected.

Netflix still releases new enjoyable content daily, and a different show seems to be going viral every week. Notably, critically-acclaimed crime drama Ozark and the beloved teen thriller Elite both released their third seasons this past week. Ozark, which depicts a financial advisors struggles against a feared drug lord, has been an award-winning Netflix staple for years. Meanwhile, Elite has been praised for its compelling storylines and representation of Spanish culture. Another show very similar to Elite, On My Block, also recently dropped its third season earlier this month. The show, which explores the relationships between a group of teenagers in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood, has enthralled viewers with its complex themes and strong relationships between the characters. Other recent shows include the Carrie-esque teen drama I Am Not Okay with This and applauded British comedy Sex Education.

If you prefer the drama of reality television, Netflix still has you covered. The shenanigans of recent reality outings, including the romantic experiment of Love Is Blind and the social media battle of The Circle, have captivated viewers since mid-winter. Quarantine has only heightened their popularity. Another show, Cheer, takes reality to a more serious note by providing viewers with a glimpse into the compelling world of the Navarro cheer squad.

However, no show can match the sheer wackiness of Tiger King, a documentary exploring the lifestyle of Joe Exotic and his fellow big-cat breeders. Describing the story is impossible to put into words; you need to watch it to experience its unbelievable absurdity. A man who sold drugs by hiding them in the stomachs of living snakes is the sanest individual of the big-cat bunch.

Although Netflix seemingly reigns supreme over the TV world at the moment, other streaming services still offer a variety of programs. Emmy and Golden Globe-winning program Killing Eve drops its third season on Hulu on April 12. If you missed the dramatics of Pilot Petes season of the Bachelor, Hulu still offers the entire tumultuous season on its platform. Meanwhile, every Friday, Disney+ is launching episodes of the final season of The Clone Wars, the beloved Star Wars cartoon resurrected by the streaming service last year.

Aside from TV, people have relied on video games to fend off waves of boredom. The most popular game right now is Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Nintendo Switch. The beloved Isabelle and apparent crook Tom Nook are back for more town development, and everyone is talking about it. Minecraft, too, remains a classic game to pass the time with. In fact, the LC Sinners released a server with a recreation of Keating Hall and Edwards Parade. It may be the only way we can return to campus at the moment.

As for music, theres still a bunch of great new options to listen to. Two of musics biggest solo stars, The Weeknd and Dua Lipa, have released albums during the quarantine. The Weeknds sounds are as seductive and futuristic as ever during After Hours, and Dua Lipa demonstrates her powerful vocals with her 80s inspired outing Future Nostalgia. Alongside this pair, rock band 5 Seconds of Summer released their fourth album CALM. Fans will be pleased to hear that the foursomes music is as punk-rock and catchy as ever.

While times may be dark at the moment, there is still so much to see, hear and experience. Social distancing, as hard as it may be, brings many new experiences for all of us. Therefore, for the time being, lets take advantage of staying in our homes with a fresh new show or album to enjoy.

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Entertainment for the Quarantine: Tiger King, Animal Crossing, The Weeknd and More - Fordham Ram