The Week in Review

Sustainable Theatres at PLASA News of another interactive new feature area at PLASA 2011 has been announced. The Theatres Trust will return to PLASA 2011 with an expanded version of its innovative Ecovenue feature, the area that gives visitors the unique chance to see how 48 pioneering London theatres are putting sustainability into practice. PLASA 2011 will be held September 11-14 at Earls Court, London. Located in Earls Court 2, the feature takes the form of a theatre-in-miniature, complete with "auditorium," "stage," "backstage," "foyer," and "box office." In each area, The Theatres Trust will demonstrate proven sustainability techniques, as well as featuring technologies from PLASA 2011 exhibitors. Tim Atkinson, theatre building services advisor to The Theatres Trust, comments: "The larger space means our stage will be able to accommodate a greater variety of presentations and events. Another key development is that, whereas last year we had only signed up half of the Ecovenue project theatres, this year we have the full 48 on board and can look at their individual progress to sustainability."

Oregon Shakespeare Restores Angus Bower Theatre in Record Time: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival will reopen the Angus Bowmer TheatreWestern Wood Structures has accomplished their work ahead of schedule," said OSF executive director Paul Nicholson. "We had not expected to be able to return to the Bowmer until mid-August, and this earlier date is the best news we could have possibly hoped for." Western Wood Structures workers began repairs on the fractured beam July 5. They drilled approximately 180 holes, inserted manufactured four-foot long steel pins and poured in more than 100 gallons of epoxy, then placed and tightened steel cables at the base of the beam. Their part of the repair process was concluded on, July 16. A team from Adroit Construction spent the next week restoring elements of the building that had to be temporarily taken out to clear the way to work on the beam, including catwalks, lighting grids, HVAC equipment, and electrical conduit. They will also re-apply the roofing material. The final step in the process was accomplished by the OSF production staff who restores scenic, costume, lighting, and sound elements to the theatre so that four different productions could begin operating in rotating repertory on August 2. "This has been a most amazing time for our company, our audiences and this community," said OSF artistic director Bill Rauch. "While none of us would have wished for this, and we are thrilled to return to the theatre on August 2, credit must be given to everyone who participated in this temporary relocation process. The commitment, patience, passion and generosity of thousands of people have redefined the ideas of 'company' and 'resiliency' for us."

Second Stage to Purchase Helen Hayes Theatre in 2012: In answer to a question that had many theatre fans speculating, Playbill.com reports that Second Stage, the Off Broadway not-for-profit theatre company, still plans to purchase Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre -- although not until 2012. The plan was originally announced in 2008, and then got very quiet as time went by. The theatre originally hoped to be producing there by 2010; the difficult economy complicated the fundraising process. A payment of $21 million is due next spring; the web site Bloomberg.com, quoted the theatre's owner, Martin Markinson, as saying, " I would be inclined to give [Second Stage] more time if they have some money and they're close. We want to do a deal."

R.I.P Sam Norkin: The theatre caricaturist Sam Norkin died over the weekend; he was 94. From 1940-56, his drawings were featured in The New York Herald-Tribune, and from 1956-82 in the New York Daily News. Uniquely, his theater drawings also appeared in newspapers in all cities where shows made their debuts in preparation for Broadway, including the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Toronto Star. His drawings of theater, opera, ballet and film celebrities were also published in Variety, Backstage, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. His portraits frequently appeared on covers of the magazines Saturday Review and Harpers. Mr. Norkin also served as an art critic for the Carnegie Hall house program and was a cultural reporter for the New York Daily News. Norkin's work was denser and more detail-filled than that of his more famous colleague Al Hirschfeld, but it was no less distinctive; in some ways, his drawings created a greater sense of the overall production. They were collected in the book Sam Norkin: Drawings - Stories, published in 1994, by Heinemann. A former president of the Drama Desk, he was given an award for "Outstanding Theater Art" from the League of American Theatres and Producers (1980); an award for "Lifetime Body of Work" from the Drama Desk (1995), which is the association of drama critics and editors; and two awards from the National Cartoonists Society: the "Special Features Award" (1980) and the "Silver T-Square Award" (1984). In June 2011, the Drama Desk Board of Directors established an annual special award in his memory - the Sam Norkin Off Broadway Award -which will be presented for the first time at the 67th Annual Drama Desk Awards in 2012. Norkin is survived by his wife and constant companion of 43 years, Frances Norkin; his son Richard Norkin and wife Mary; his daughter Laura DeSena and husband Fred; grandsons Johann and Sam Waes (Laura's sons); Frances' daughter Sue Fallon and her daughter, Dr. Kim Fallon and husband Brett Merker and their three sons; her son Ken Landsman and wife Renee and their sons, Dr. Michael Brucculeri and wife Maartje and their two sons; and Officer Jim Brucculeri and wife Cathryn.