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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
The musical '42 Balloons' at Chicago Shakes is a producer's bet on the unknown
The 63-year-old Broadway producer Kevin McCollum is of the age when one starts to wonder about one's legacy. Then again, producers, an optimistic crew by trade and existential necessity, always have to be looking forward. No producer wants to be tagged a nostalgist. And so, at a bar on Navy Pier, one can see McCollum's famously restless mind flit back and forth between past and present, defining his oeuvre and shying away from the task. McCollum's past includes 'Rent,' 'Avenue Q,' 'In the Heights' and 'Six,' to name the biggest titles upon which his reputation and financial well-being most fully rest. In the immediate future, there is '42 Balloons.' That's the title of McCollum's latest tryout at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the same theater that launched both 'The Notebook' (with a short Broadway run that still stings the producer) and 'Six,' a blockbuster hit despite having the most of Broadway musical budgets. '42 Balloons' is a musical about the quixotic Vietnam veteran known as 'Lawnchair Larry' Walters, who took to the air in 1982 above Southern California while seated in a lawn chair lifted by more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons. Walters reached as high as 16,000 feet, which meant he entered the sights of commercial pilots in airspace controlled by the Los Angeles International Airport. He came down by popping his balloons with a BB gun, a metaphor waiting to happen. The Federal Aviation Administration did not appreciate the stunt, eventually charging Walters with violating controlled airspace, operating a non-airworthy craft (surely debatable, given the success of the flight) and flying without a balloon license. But Walters' lawnchair, replete with its jerry-rigged frame and attached water bottles, is still on display at the National Air and Space Museum as part of an exhibit aptly titled 'We All Fly.' The core of Walters' audacious story has long interested others. In 2009, Steppenwolf Theatre Company produced Bridget Carpenter's 'Up,' a moving play that imagined the life of a man named Walter, who once had been famous for attaching balloons to his lawn chair but then spends his days fiddling in his basement trying to re-create his moment of fame. The Disney movie 'Up' from the same year also had some similarities, and Walters has been the subject of podcasts and articles aplenty. But the possibilities for a musical from the story are pretty self-evident, given the long Broadway history of flight as a metaphor for escape, a willingness to take risks and the ever-popular craving for self-actualization. All of that pretty much describes 'Defying Gravity' from 'Wicked,' one of the most popular Broadway numbers of the 21st century: 'So if you care to find me,' Elphaba sings, 'Look to the western sky.' A broomstick? 42 balloons? The pneumatic ascent to the 'Heaviside Layer' in 'Cats'? All very much a shared metaphor. Those shows, though, were the work of a highly experienced writing and composing team. That's far from the case with '42 Balloons.' To say that the show's sole writer and composer, the 32-year-old Jack Godfrey, is a newcomer to the musical theater is to understate. '42 Balloons' is not only his first musical but his first foray into the professional theater. His director and dramaturg, Ellie Coote, is a childhood friend with whose brother Godfrey played rugby. Until recently he had a day job in London teaching English as a foreign language. Born and raised in Oxford, England, the earnest, modest and likable Godfrey says he came from a family that did not have any connections to the theater, beyond attending tours of 'Les Miserables.' But his dad wrote him silly songs as a kid and he picked up that mantle. 'I wanted to write songs for Beyoncé,' he says. Godfrey studied religion at Durham University as an undergraduate, with a year abroad at Boston College, but eventually found his way to a musical theater course at the University of London and remained, having decided to pursue a career as a writer of musicals. His only other real experience prior to '42 Balloons' has been penning music for his brother's short movie and writing a musical history of the Methodist Church ('kind of an 18th century 'Book of Mormon,' he says, 'only much less funny'). But then, some eight years ago, he came across the story of Walters on the internet and he says, 'I could relate to a story about a man who had a dream.' He started meeting with Coote and putting together a score. By happenstance, Coote knew a member of the creative team behind 'Six' and Godfrey played his score for him. That led to a meeting with Andy and Wendy Barnes, a British married couple who became late-in-life developers of new British musicals and are well respected for having discovered 'Six.' That led to a few Monday night workshops in London at the Vaudeville Theatre, staged on top of the set for 'Six,' which led to a call to McCollum, which led to a first full staging of '42 Balloons' at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester, which has now led to the show's North American premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. 'We love working on new musicals here,' says Edward Hall, Chicago Shakespeare's relatively new artistic director, as he watches rehearsals. His company has already put a lot of development work in the title alongside McCollum, whom Hall has known for years. Should '42 Balloons' follow a similar trajectory to those 'Six' queens, it's fair to say that everyone involved would be delighted. After the run at the Lowry, Godfrey got a call from McCollum. At Navy Pier, he showed he can do a pretty good impression of the producer's voice: 'Jack, it's Kevin McCollum. I want to take your show to America. How does that sound?' Ergo, '42 Balloons' has its official liftoff on Navy Pier on Tuesday night. 'I really love this country,' Godfrey says unprompted and rather touchingly after recounting the show's brief history alongside his own. 'I have this fascination with American culture and I picked an American story because I wanted to write sort of from an outsider's perspective, very much like Bill Bryson has written about Britain. I really want this show to be my love letter to America.' Fascinatingly, one of Godfrey's lyrics points out that although Walters had a camera attached to his chair, he never took one photograph; such was the difference between 1982 and today. '42 Balloons' appears very much in the McCollum aesthetic. Its physical scale and cast size is relatively modest (like 'Six'), a sampling of Godfrey's songs suggest a melodic, soft-core romanticism (like 'Rent's' Jonathan Larson), the show aims to have a certain insouciance (like 'Avenue Q') and the central character is a misfit like Man in Chair from 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' another McCollum title. Such comparisons are, of course, wildly premature and may prove ridiculous. Or apt. Such aspirations are why producers take risks on the unproven. '42 Balloons,' McCullom says, 'is about what musicals are so often about: 'How do you fly against all odds?''
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Patreon has become a goldmine for podcasters. 3 creators explain how they use the platform and how much they earn.
The most loyal fans of podcasts aren't just good listeners — they're paying customers. While podcasters often earn money from advertisements that run during their episodes, many are finding success turning listeners into paid subscribers. Patreon, a community subscription platform, has become a go-to tool for content creators with podcasts to do just that. "Most podcast listeners and podcast fans are just familiar with Patreon," Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, host of the "Therapy for Black Girls" podcast, told Business Insider. Her podcast launched a Patreon in April. Patreon now has more than 6.7 million paid memberships under the podcasting category, the company said. In April, Patreon announced a new partnership program with podcast networks like Amazon-owned Wondery and Sony Music. Podcasting is also Patreon's highest-earning category. In 2024, podcasters on the platform collectively earned more than $472 million, Patreon told BI. Patreon, which takes a cut of earnings from paid memberships ranging from 5% to 12%, isn't the only platform creators use to monetize their podcast audiences. A slew of community-focused platforms, like Mighty Networks and Fourthwall, offer tools around paid memberships. Larger social media platforms, such as YouTube and Discord, have also dabbled in paid memberships for creators. BI spoke with the creators behind three podcasts that host memberships on Patreon. For each of them, maintaining a paywall around some of their content and offering perks like access to a Discord helps diversify their incomes. "Because we get so much of our revenue through Patreon, we have a lot of leeway with the ads we get to choose," said Aiden McCaig, a cohost of "The Yard" podcast, which has over 412,000 subscribers on YouTube. "We say no to a lot of ad reads and a lot of companies that ask to work with us because we have the financial flexibility to do so." Here's how three podcasts are using Patreon — and how much money they earn: Note: Business Insider verified creators' earnings with Patreon. 'Therapy for Black Girls' is using Patreon to connect with its community. What it is: "Therapy for Black Girls" is a podcast hosted by psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford. The brand was founded in 2014 as a blog and launched a podcast in 2017, as well as a Facebook group and a network of therapists. The podcast joined Patreon in April. Before moving to Patreon to host its paid community, the podcast used Mighty Networks. It also has a licensing partnership with iHeartMedia, which handles the podcast's advertising. "Community really has always been at the heart of what we do with 'Therapy for Black Girls,' specifically with the podcast," Harden Bradford said. How they do it: "Therapy for Black Girls" offers two tiers on Patreon — one is $10 a month and another is $14 a month. Paying members get access to ad-free versions of the podcast, as well as access to podcast episodes that aren't available elsewhere, such as its "So My Therapist Said…" series. "We're definitely doing content release drops when there's a new episode of one of our segments," COO Ashley Cherry said. "But we're also posting outside of that … to get people talking in the comments to really cultivate a sense of community." Its higher tier also unlocks more virtual events for its community, such as weekly check-ins where members can talk about their lives or do journaling prompts together. Members receive perks like early access to tickets for in-person events, merch, and giveaways. True crime podcast 'RedHanded' became a full-time job for its cohost because of Patreon. What it is: "RedHanded" is a true crime podcast hosted by Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire, who are both based in the UK. The podcast launched in 2017 and joined Patreon the same year. Maguire told BI that if it weren't for the podcast's earnings on Patreon, she wouldn't have been able to quit her previous job to pursue podcasting full time. "RedHanded" is part of the Wondery podcast network and gets paid a guaranteed minimum as part of its deal. How much they earn from Patreon: about $59,000 a month How they do it: "RedHanded" offers three tiers, which start at $4 a month and go up to $18 a month. "We spent a long time, many years, really finessing the tiers that we now have on there and the way in which we monetize it," Bala said. The lowest tier unlocks ad-free episodes that fans can listen to a day early, and access to audio episodes of the team's second podcast series, "Under the Duvet." The middle tier also unlocks a monthly bonus episode of "RedHanded" and a video version of "Under the Duvet." "RedHanded's" most expensive tier gives subscribers access to the podcast's full library of content. "RedHanded's" Patreon accounts for about 25% of the podcasts' revenue now, Bala estimated. Comedy podcast 'The Yard' earns 6 figures a month. What it is:"The Yard" is a podcast cohosted by four friends, including Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahgren. The podcast launched in 2021 and is one of the top podcasts on Patreon, with more than 58,000 members — about 37,000 of whom are paid subscribers. The Yard is part of The Roost podcast network. How they do it: The Yard offers four tiers on Patreon, ranging from $5 to $69, which each unlock bonus episodes of the main podcast and access to the podcast's Discord group. Its higher tiers unlock exclusive shows, like one where two of the cohosts share commentary on Disney Channel Original Movies, as well as merch discounts. "The main bonus episode is probably the root offer of what you're getting," McCaig said. "The community element grew a lot over time, and there are a lot of people that like the Discord community that we have, and that's probably a part of the reason that they keep their sub is so that they can be there." McCaig said that compared to YouTube, where keeping viewers' attention can plateau over time, running a Patreon lets The Yard protect itself from user churn. "Any superfan, once you convert them into a patron, is less likely to leave that than someone who watches your podcast for free sometimes on YouTube," McCaig said.
Deccan Herald
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
RCB vs PBKS: Check timing, TV channels, live streaming sites, and Bengaluru screening venues
Virat Kohli's nearly two-decade long agonising wait to lay hands on an Indian Premier League (IPL) Trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could finally end on Tuesday when the Bengaluru-based franchise lines up against Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS). The summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad could witness thousands of fans donning jersey No.18 to support Kohli, who is in an IPL final for a fourth time IPL 2025 will also have a new champion crowned as the title had remained elusive for both RCB and PBKS till Iyer made an unbeaten 87 to carry PBKS to a five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 on will be Punjab's first title clash since 2014, and second successive for Iyer as captain after marshalling Kolkata Knight Riders' triumph in summit clash between RCB and PBKS will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in match is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, June 3, at 7:30 pm (IST)..The Star Sports Network will broadcast the final match on TV, across multiple Star Sports action-filled match will be digitally streamed on JioHotstar. (With PTI inputs).Garuda Mall: RCB Bar & Café Koramangala: Dave & Buster's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Gilly's Resto BarJP Nagar: The Studs – Sports Bar & Grill, High BrewWhitefield: Skygarden Rooftop Bar, K-OS The GameBar, The Yard, Lemon Tree SuitesIndiranagar: Toit Brewpub, KINGS, Buffalo Wild WingsHebbal: Oia (Multiple Locations)Yelahanka: Nysa Hennur: The Yard, Byg Brewski Brewing Company
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Funding secured for fully accessible adventure playground
Dundee is set to welcome a fully accessible adventure playground, as part of a £1.5M refurbishment of a service supporting children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Dundee is set to welcome a fully accessible adventure playground, as part of a £1.5M refurbishment of a service supporting children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Scottish charity The Yard is teaming up with Edinburgh-based Timberplay Scotland to create an inclusive outdoor play space where children and young people can play and socialise, regardless of any physical or additional challenges they may face. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Crucially, the designs incorporate the views and ideas of some of the children, young people and families who use the service. Celine Sinclair The outdoor transformation is part of the wider refurbishment of The Yard's service at Drumlanrig Place, Mid Cragie, Dundee. With the final push underway for the £300,000 fundraising campaign, the new and improved facility will open in August 2025. Works will include the replacement of the roof and the creation of a Changing Places room, sensory room, larger play spaces, office and meeting spaces and a large kitchen and dining space. Crucially, the works will allow The Yard to apply for Care Inspectorate Registration to expand its reach to include much-needed holiday support, an early years' service, out-of-school and respite services, alongside work with schools, families and family support. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Focusing on the outdoor space, Timberplay Scotland's designs will allow children with even the most complex physical disabilities to explore and enjoy the 800 square foot space, from water and sand play to climbing structures, a wheelchair carousel and bike tracks. The much-loved Jungle House, which was funded and decorated by winners of The National Lottery, will remain on site. Artist's impression of The Yard's outdoor space on completion Celine Sinclair, Chief Executive of The Yard, said, 'At The Yard, we believe play is not a luxury but a basic right. Outdoor, adventurous play in particular is fundamental to what we are about, using play as a vehicle to support children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. It's also a way for families to relax together and see their child express themselves freely. 'We have started with a blank canvas with this garden refurbishment, as we didn't own the space before. Alongside the children and families we work with, we had bold aspirations of what we wanted. It's fantastic working with Timberplay Scotland, who are making our dream a reality, creating a space with accessibility and nature at its heart. We can't wait to reopen The Yard in August, and to meet the needs of all families in our community.' The outdoor space has been funded by a grant of £100,000 from NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Shelley McCarthy, Charity Chief Officer, said, 'NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation is focused on supporting projects which help people in Tayside live longer, healthier lives. We are particularly eager to support projects which empower communities to achieve the health outcomes they deserve and The Yard's work in supporting families with children who have disabilities and additional needs aligns perfectly with that. Through our conversations with The Yard, we were struck by the impact which inclusive play can have on a child's life, and that of their wider family, as well as the effect it can have on helping them explore and fulfil their potential, whether socially, emotionally or educationally. We are delighted to support this project and to play a role in the health and happiness of the children and families The Yard supports.' Artist's impression of The Yard's outdoor space on completion Mark Grimshaw, Associate Director, Timberplay Scotland, added, 'We are proud to be working with The Yard on the exciting refurbishment of their Dundee centre. When The Yard began looking for a partner to create a natural and inclusive play space with opportunities for challenge and risk, they reached out to us, and it quickly became clear we were a great match. Our values align closely with The Yard's mission, and with those of our long-term partner, Richter Spielgeräte, who believe that children need nature and the freedom to explore risk through play. Indeed, their founder, Hilde Richter, spent years studying how children grow and learn through these experiences. The Yard shares this belief, with a strong focus on inclusive, landscape-led play that welcomes all children. The new space will include climbing structures, sand and water play, and areas for social interaction and imaginative play. It's also designed to support events and flexible, open-ended activities. We're excited to bring this project to life and to support the amazing work The Yard does for families in the community.' The renovation team is led by Paul Stephen, Partner at James F Stephen Architects and Douglas Smith, Partner at Hardies Property & Construction Consultants. The lead contractor is Andrew Shepherd Construction.
Edinburgh Reporter
06-05-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
SCVO publish shortlist for the Scottish Charity Awards
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrate the best of Scotland's voluntary sector each year. This year's shortlist includes 42 individuals and organisations from charities and voluntary groups all over Scotland following a record-breaking number of nominations. Eight groups and individuals from Edinburgh have made it to the shortlist. These include: Transform Scotland, Project Esperanza SCIO, The Yard's Gill Thomson, Afternoon's Rohan Seilman, Pregnancy Counselling & Care and Gyle Shopping Centre, Urban Uprising's Julia Jackson, The Green Team, and Health All Round. While a judging panel will determine the winners under ten distinct categories, members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People's Choice Award – by visiting – before 5pm on Tuesday 20 May 2025. Anna Fowlie, chief executive of SCVO, said: 'This year's shortlisting was as difficult as ever with the phenomenal work of the voluntary sector really demonstrated in our entries. Our finalists represent the very best of Scottish society, making life-changing impacts every single day in their communities. 'SCVO is delighted that we can again highlight their work at our awards ceremony, which will take place in June. Now it is down to the public. Our People's Choice vote is open now, giving you an opportunity to get involved and pick your favourite finalist from all of our categories. Don't miss out!' A full list of finalists, including their categories, is below: Campaign of the year Music Education Partnership Group – We Make Music Instrument Libraries Transform Scotland – A Wee Walk Works Wonders Feed – Formula for Change Menopause café – Menopause Awareness Ribbon Campaign Volunteer of the year Martin Flynn – EATS Rosyth Sumi Bhandari – Fife Nepalese Community FNC Dave McTernan – Epilepsy Scotland Juliet Blackie – RNLI Partnership of the Year Dundee Contemporary Arts, NHS Tayside, Dundee City Council and University of Dundee (Hello In There Wee One: A new book designed for parents-to-be) Scottish Autism (Supporting Fathers of Autistic Children within HMP Barlinnie (Scottish Prison Service)) Pregnancy Counselling & Care (Scotland) and Gyle Shopping Centre Seescape and Fife's Football Clubs (Making Football Accessible) Colonsay Community Development Company (An Faire Mor Housing) Employee of the Year Gillian Smith – Queensferry Churches' Care in the Community Louise Anderson – New Start Highland Gill Thomson – The Yard Rohan Seilman – Afternoon Community Impact Scottish Men's Sheds Association (SMSA) Tweeddale Youth Action Falkirk Foundation Project Esperanza SCIO Letham4All SCIO Climate Impact Together Reaching Higher CIC Eco Drama Climate Hebrides Trustee of the Year Julia Jackson – Urban Uprising Liz Broumley – Cromarty Courthouse Museum Anne Livingstone – Sunny Cycles Gordon Armour – The McGlashan Trust Charity of the Year Less than £100k turnover Touch of Love Outreach Adaptive Riders Collective Boleskine Community Care Ewen's Room Between £100k and £500k turnover The Green Team Epilepsy Connections Health All Round Interfaith Scotland Over £500k turnover British Red Cross Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland (RASASH) Perthshire Women's Aid YMCA Tayside Blue Triangle The 2025 Scottish Charity Awards winners will be announced at a celebratory awards ceremony in Glasgow on 19 June 2025. To view the full list of finalists, visit the SCVO website. Like this: Like Related
