Names
Diane Paulus, the new artistic director of the American Repertory Theater - and, yes, it's the American spelling of "theater" now, she emphasizes - presided over a rollicking press conference yesterday in the troupe's Cambridge digs to announce the company's 2009-10 season. Not only was there a roller-skating disco god and a Titania clad in butterfly pasties (from "The Donkey Show," which opens the season), but gospel ensemble Confirmation sang a sweet, soul-stirring number from "Best of Both Worlds," also on the schedule. "[The song] is called 'Let a Little Sunshine In,' " Paulus said, "not to be confused with 'Let the Sunshine In,' which is from another show I'm associated with right now." (That would be the Broadway hit revival of "Hair," which she is directing.) The biggest crowd-pleaser, though, was the opening number from "Red Sox Nation," a world premiere musical about the fabled curse, appropriately featuring both Boston and New York singers. Sample lyric: "86 years of losing to the Yankees/ 86 years of crying in our hankies," and - speaking of '86 - "A little routine grounder went rolling into right/ And 20 million people went screaming in the night." Sing it, sister.
Perry's a no-show
Aerosmith fans who went to the Paradise Rock Club on Tuesday night hoping to catch a glimpse of Joe Perry went home disappointed. The ax man was supposed to be a celebrity judge at the Ultimate College Battle of the Bands, but the local rocker was a no-show. Contest organizers said that by early Tuesday, Perry was already "getting flakey" about when he would show up to judge. Luckily, two of the other celebrity judges - new Rolling Stone publisher Will Schenck and record exec Ben Berkman (he's the guy who discovered Maroon 5) - were there to do the work. Schenck made the contest a full-day affair and spent much of the afternoon giving coeds tips about the music industry and being fawned over by the bands. "I didn't feel like I was being worked, but I probably was," he said, of the college kiss-ups. Another no-show was Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger, who was on the guest list. Organizers said the Harvard student/musician bailed when he heard press would be attending the event. The winner of the night was a Berklee band named Sex.Damon: on the run
If Project Greenlight taught us anything, it's that Matt Damon likes to produce movies. And after all Damon's recent do-gooding in Africa, it's no surprise that his latest project is set in the Sahara. Tonight, Damon's documentary "Running the Sahara," the story of three guys who run 4,300 miles across the desert, plays at the Kendall Square Cinema. Damon, who narrates the film, won't be at the screening, but two of the film's runners - Ray Zahab and Charlie Engle - will be on hand to talk about their trek. Engle said Damon signed on to "Sahara" when the two men ran 10 miles together through New York City. At the time, Damon was getting ready for his role in "The Good Shepherd." "He's a really good athlete," Engle said. "I give him a hard time because he has to gain weight and lose weight for movie roles, but generally speaking, he's a really good athlete."A few good stylish men
Talk about incongruous: Saks Fifth Avenue and Boston magazine marked Tax Day by honoring seven "men of style," including architect David Hacin, Bill Karol, CEO of KODA Enterprises Group, author Ben Mezrich, Boston Ballet's Mikko Nissinen, chefs Ken Oringer and Michael Schlow, and salon owner Moore's Medford days
New Hampshire native Mandy Moore is all dolled up in the new issue of Details magazine. Talking about her new record, "Amanda Leigh," Mrs. Ryan Adams says she and Stoughton-bred songwriter Mike Viola spent 23 days recording in the basement studio of a drafty two-bedroom house in Medford. "It was like summer camp," Moore says.Win a date with Leo
What would you pay to walk the red carpet with Leonardo DiCaprio? The actor is auctioning off the chance to do just that at the premiere of Martin Scorsese's made-in-Massachusetts movie "Shutter Island." The highest bidder also wins travel accommodations to and from the event in an eco-car (of course) and lodging at a so-called green hotel. Bidding on the BSO tour canceled
The recession has wiped out the Boston Symphony Orchestra's plan to play Vienna and Paris next year. According to a statement issued yesterday, conductor James Levine's orchestra won't be embarking on a European tour in February as "a consequence of the economic downturn and resulting uncertainty." The BSO won't tour internationally until "a recovery is well underway." That could be a while.Louise Kennedy and Geoff Edgers of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
