The Week in Review:

RIP, Barry Cobus: The saddest news of the week was the passing of Barry Cobus, a founder and publisher of the influential publication Technologies for Worship. A man with a long history in the music industry, he was kind and gentle soul as well as a keen observer of the business. His passing at 65 was much too soon. Read more at http://gourl.gr/k2v

Fringe Winners: The winners have been announced in the annual New York Fringe Overall Excellence Awards, selected by an independent panel of 50 theatre professionals who make their way through the enormous list of offerings at each year's New York International Fringe Festival. Designer winners include Cinty Ionesc doe rhw video component of Nils' Fucked Up Day. There were two costume designer winners: Stephanie Alexander, for Le Gourmand, or Gluttony!, and Mark Richard Caswell, for Parker and Dizzy's Fabulous Journey to the End of the Rainbow. Of course, the most-talked-about winner was Yeast Nation, which shared with another show, Pearl's Gone Blue, the nod for Best Overall Production/Musical. Yeast Nation is by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis, whose previous show, Urinetown, remains the single biggest hit ever to emerge from the Fringe Festival. Reviews indicated that Yeast Nation may need a little more time to rise, so to speak, but don't be surprised if it turns up somewhere else soon. For the full list of winners, go to http://gourl.gr/k2r.

Latino Casinos: Even as Las Vegas struggles with the recession, Primm Valley Casino Resorts, in Primm, Nevada, is taking a new approach, targeting a largely Latino crowd, reports The New York Times. The strategy, which includes bilingual blackjack dealers, gambling instructions in Spanish, and popular Latino singing stars, appears to be paying off. Key quote: "When Espinoza Paz, a Mexican pop singer and composer, played to a nearly sellout crowd last weekend, every one of the resort's 2,600 rooms was booked." Stuart Richey, an executive With Primm Valley, added, "People in Vegas would kill for those numbers." Read more at http://gourl.gr/k2s.

Weston Playhouse Defies Flooding, Reopens: Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of its staff and members of the local community, the Weston Playhouse, in Weston, Vermont has reopened. Among the challenges was the 8' of water in the basement, but the company will conclude its world premiere run of the new musical Saint-Ex. Read more at http://gourl.gr/k2u.

Rocky Horrors: When you stage a revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the outrageous behavior is supposed to be on stage. But the new production set to open this month at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego is having a hell of a ride. First, the leading man, James Barbour, quit the production apparently after being hounded by a conservative radio talk show host. (Barbour was convicted in 2006 in appropriate contact with a minor; the fact that he served his time seems not matter to the San Diego media. Barbour, for his part, announced he was leaving to attend to his wife's pregnancy.) Now the director, Oanh Nguyen, has exited the production, too. In a statement, Nguyen said, "The theatre made requests of me in regards to the production that I could not support, so it was best to withdraw my name. I'm, of course, disappointed. I was very excited about the production, the cast, and all the amazing work of the designers. I only wish the best for the production. I hope it's a grand success." James Vasquez is taking over as director.

Star Quality: It hasn't opened yet, and already the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is extending its previously announced exhibition, Star Quality: The World of Noël Coward. The new dates are March 12-August 12, 2012. The exhibition will feature photographs, programs, scripts, costumes, personal effects, memorabilia, and other objects, many previously unseen. It should prove to be of great interest to theatre fans and designers interested in the Coward style. Running alongside the exhibition will be a city-wide festival featuring screenings of Coward's films and television plays, play readings, cabaret performances, master classes, and discussions. For more information, go to http://www.noelcoward.com/exhibition.html.