The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University offers courses that nearly every ASU student takes at some point in their college journey These courses explore a variety of topics in the social sciences natural sciences and humanities and are led by outstanding faculty who strive to go above and beyond for their students.  one faculty member from each division of The College is selected as a recipient of the Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award the highest recognition of teaching excellence in The College two instructors are recognized with the Outstanding Lecturer Award and Outstanding Instructor Award "This year's recipients have made conscious efforts to serve our diverse student population and adapt to new learning environments," said Patrick Kenney “The Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award is one way that we can thank them for their excellence in fostering intentional inclusive and inspirational learning environments.”  Himberg is director and associate professor of film and media studies in The College’s Department of English She is also a faculty affiliate with the School of Social Transformation and The Sidney Poitier New American Film School the 2022 Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award in humanities Since arriving at ASU in 2012, she has taught courses on topics such as television studies, gender and sexuality in media, and branding and marketing in the media industries. She is the author of “The New Gay for Pay: The Sexual Politics of American Television Production.” Himberg is also deeply committed to LGBTQ students. At ASU, she has been the faculty adviser for several LGBTQ student groups including the ASU LGBTQ Support Club and Gamma Rho Lambda Sorority (an all-inclusive LGBTQ and Ally social sorority), and she serves as a board member of GLSEN Phoenix an organization that strives to improve learning environments for LGBTQ students Himberg makes a conscious effort to inspire students to enjoy and crave knowledge and skills that benefit them throughout their lifetimes Efforts towards diverse and equitable spaces are central to how she approaches her work as an educator and as one who is openly gay She has integrated knowledge from workshops on equity and anti-racist pedagogies accessible teaching practices and alternative grading approaches “I am deeply honored by this award and how it reflects students’ awareness of the value of a humanities degree particularly the important ways it teaches them to think thoughtfully about the world around them,” Himberg said “I am grateful to The College for this award … I feel privileged to be a part of this institution and appreciate everything its students faculty and staff have done to support my growth as an educator.” Jehn is an infectious disease epidemiologist and associate professor of global health in The College’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change She is the 2022 recipient of the Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award in social sciences Her research interests include the application of quantitative research methods and technological innovations to improve public health emergency preparedness she strives to support her students’ and mentees’ success Jehn serves as the head of the ASU COVID-19 Case Investigation team where she leads many efforts to track and respond to the spread of COVID-19 in the state of Arizona She also built a public health training program through the ASU Student Outbreak Response Team and she developed one of the first online global health degrees in the country.  “My primary motivation at this stage in my career is helping my mentees achieve success and nurturing the next generation,” Jehn said “This is one of the most meaningful awards that a professor can achieve I will not care at all about how many papers I published or what my h-indexThe h-index is a metric for evaluating the cumulative impact of an author's scholarly output and performance I will care tremendously whether I was a good mentor and had a positive impact on the lives of others.” Huijben is an assistant professor at the Center for Evolution and Medicine in The College’s School of Life Sciences she received the Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition of her work in the natural sciences division Huijben studies the evolution of drug resistance in malaria parasites and the evolution of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. With her passion for her research and the help of a 2021 NSF CAREER award she has developed a new course-based research experience for fall 2023 Undergraduates will gain research experience via mosquito research in the lab; Huijben also developed lesson plans integrated with an augmented reality game aimed at middle school students to learn about mosquitoes and what people can do to minimize the mosquito issues in their environment.  Huijben has found that she gets great satisfaction from teaching when she sees her passion rub off on her students She strives to teach her students about how relevant the role of evolution is in many aspects of their lives She aims to inspire them to ask big questions and critically think about the natural world around them.  “I am extremely honored to receive this award It shows that The College values the commitment of myself and by extension the whole evolution instruction team to provide the best possible learning experience to our students,” Huijben said “This recognition shows that The College also values efforts to support our students in getting the best learning experience possible.”  Saint is a philosophy lecturer in The College’s School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies She is the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Lecturer Award She first came to ASU to pursue graduate school Washington and Minnesota before returning to ASU Saint specializes in the philosophy of fiction and is also committed to pedagogy. She serves as a member of the American Philosophical Association's Committee on the Teaching of Philosophy and has previously served as the co-coordinator for the American Philosophical Association's Teaching Workshop blog series her research interests include the application of feminist ethical theory to aesthetics the role of narrative in psychological well-being and the social significance of fictional artworks I strive in my teaching to live up to this guiding value,” Saint said is primarily a matter of constructing an environment and a kind of interpersonal connection that empowers students to do the hard work of learning; moments when students show that they are empowered in this way make me feel like I’ve done something right Shaffer an instructor in The College’s School of Life Sciences considers himself a “homegrown product of ASU.” He earned his teaching certification and master's degree in curriculum and instruction and then later his PhD in biology at ASU He is the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Instructor Award As a behavioral ecologist, Shaffer's research interests include animal behavior, evolution and ecology. In collaboration with Stephen Pratt he has conducted research involving the collective behavior of insect societies Shaffer has specialized in teaching large-enrollment introductory biology courses and often teaches online classes Shaffer hopes to spark a gateway for students to begin their own independent explorations of biological science as lifelong learners “My mother passed away last year after a long career as an English professor I try to emulate the kindness I saw in her as a teacher — her natural interest in her students’ lives,” Shaffer said “This award means a lot knowing how many excellent instructors are working in my department alone It means a lot that my students themselves nominated me for this award and wrote letters of recommendation.” Vincent Truong is graduating from Arizona State University with dual degrees in psychology and biochemistry (medical chemistry) a minor in disability studies and a drive to return to underserved… carving deep valleys and intricate canyons global giant Applied Materials has been hard at work engineering technology that continues to change how microchips are made.Their products power everything from flat-panel… often leading feedback sessions as lengthy and involved as the plays themselves I was one of the many fortunate theatre folks to prosper from Robert Blacker’s unparalleled insights about what we call storytelling—as well as his wonderfully wry and piercing sense of humor. When I was invited to lead the Sundance Institute Theatre Program as its producing artistic director in 1996 The first was to rechristen the Playwrights Lab as the Sundance Theatre Lab more purposefully reflecting the landscape of how new theatrical work was being conceived not solely by authors but also by generative directors and ensembles The next—and best—decision I made was to hire Bob Blacker as the lab’s artistic director Bob had recently completed his acclaimed tenure at the newly revived La Jolla Playhouse as its associate artistic director under Des McAnuff and there was no one better suited to lead a robust reimagined conversation about how best to support the vision of American theatremakers He was and will always be one of our country’s quintessential dramaturgs exemplary in his ability to talk to writers and directors to get to the beating heart of the “why” of their creation and to encourage their most audacious rewrites “Robert dispensed dramaturgical advice about your plays the way a favorite uncle dispenses wisdom about your family; he loves them and the baroque history that make his perspective especially informed And you always know your own secrets are safe with him.” He could also be the prod a writer needed “I’ll never forget the summer Robert invited me to Sundance to write I Am My Own Wife He knew I’d been procrastinating for years ‘I can’t write the play,’ I whined but I don’t have the expertise.’ Robert looked at me with his elfin smile and said But you do know what it means to fall fiercely in love with a compelling Write about that instead.’ After that the play poured out of me with astonishing ease.” It wasn’t just that Pulitzer-winning play “Like so many of my fellow theatre artists I feel like Robert was the midwife to my career; with an unceasing ability to nurture he helped to birth every single one of my plays.” Robert (known to most of us as “Blacker”) defined a powerful new idea of dramaturgy for the American theatre lovingly steeped in the classics—not only plays but poetry all narratives—and possessed the uncanny gift of seeing every new play from multifaceted perspectives each and every burgeoning new voice could well be a dramatist for the ages His feedback sessions after final readings at the Theatre Lab were legendary His ability to organize a conversation and helpfully guide a writer toward posing the smartest and fiercest questions about their work became a trademark of Sundance’s collaborative vision more than a few of those conversations seemed to last as long as the play we had just witnessed—some even had intermissions!—but his astute ability to guide and challenge and illuminate the discourse absolutely impacted a body of new work and helped create some of the most enduring new plays and like all big personalities he sometimes prickled his cohorts But his perceptions always came from deep within his heart as well as his intellect He brought the reputation of the Sundance Institute to a new level Like any of us who were fortunate enough to know and work with Robert—scores of staff dramaturgs as well as the countless students he mentored at Yale and UCSD—we carry his imagination and his insightful art of dramaturgy forward and lest we forget: Robert Blacker wore the most amazing pants Philip Himberg is executive director of the MacDowell Colony Support American Theatre: a just and thriving theatre ecology begins with information for all. Please join us in this mission by joining TCG which entitles you to copies of our quarterly print magazine and helps support a long legacy of quality nonprofit arts journalism ©2025 Theatre Communications Group Each gift is a stitch in the tapestry that celebrates our resilience Donate to TCG! By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use According to Julia Himberg's recent book The New Gay for Pay: The Sexual Politics of American Television Production Reading Julia Himberg's recent book in public is a bit like wearing a statement piece to church and friends see the rainbow-colored television screen emblazoned on the cover and one question generally leads the conversation: "What is The New Gay for Pay?" "Gay for pay usually brings one or two things to mind," Himberg told me when a straight actor plays the role for money which is when a company appeals to LGBT consumers basically for the sake of financial gain." Himberg's book looks at shows like Will & Grace and The Fosters and explores how their LGBT storylines are constructed and how those calling the shots -- producers and even the networks' corporate social responsibility officers -- help construct narratives on queer life that help shape public opinion These conflicting ideas must be kept in mind in order to understand the function of contemporary LGBT television and advocate for effective media policies "The reason that I went to that old notion or used 'gay for pay' in [the title] is that these are things that are thought of as exploitative by some and others think of them as kind of liberating," she said "The television industry and those working in it live this contradiction each day They're working diligently for LGBT audiences and they're also meeting the needs of the industry which can mean exploiting those same audiences at other times." It's difficult to imagine companies with traditional needs (growth profit) and traditional customers advocating for LGBT communities But in her extensive industry interviews with the likes of Andy Cohen who was executive vice president of original programming and development for Bravo at the time and former president of entertainment for Showtime Robert Greenblatt (now NBC Entertainment chairman) Himberg found it to happen more often than she expected "The thing that was most fascinating to me was how much activism truly happens under the radar within the television industry," she said I mean that it is strategically kept out of view because of how many audiences television tries to please." Another difficult thing to comprehend: If a company or a prominent executive does pro bono or charitable work for an LGBT organization "We see that so embodied in Fox News versus MSNBC where television is seeking very specific audiences and yet there is still this demand to please people of all different political affiliations and social values." Networks accomplish this through a variety of means defined by Himberg as the process of drawing in audiences to programming based on demographics shaped and refined by market research That balancing act can make even objectively charitable work a danger for those in positions of power In an interview with an executive at Disney ABC Television Group she heard the story of an openly gay man who had struggled to come out and find acceptance within his family The executive told her that he oversaw programs that supported LGBTQ homeless youth "He was really clear that those kinds of initiatives were kept strategically out of view 'I get to make the kind of changes I want I get to advocate for the people I believe in supporting,' but he actually says 'Many of our viewers are people who would vote for Mike Huckabee.' So he gets to pursue things that are important to him and at the same time he meets the demand of the company which doesn't want to alienate a portion of the population." Himberg said she was surprised to learn about this under-the-radar activism "What do you mean you're serving the interests of Mike Huckabee voters and serving LGBTQ youth?" she asked "You can't imagine how those things go hand in hand and yet when I learned about what was going on behind the scenes those were the kinds of practices happening every single day." Other interviews Himberg conducted proved just as surprising he put forth the belief that the network's branding mirrors his own sexuality "We're gay without necessarily having to come out of the closet," he said which Himberg sees as specifically positioning gay identity as not a primary factor in the network's image Cohen had previously described the network as having a sexual identity in a 2012 interview with NPR "People always ask me if Bravo is gay because I think Bravo is open enough to go home with whoever is most attractive at the end of the night." Bravo originated shows like Project Runway which market themselves to gay audiences as well as affluent high-tech audiences that aren't necessarily LGBTQ Cohen's method of labeling the network's sexuality works at a larger strategy of audience attraction "There is a very popular idea out there that we have somehow reached a post-gay era," she said "There is a desire to create characters and programs with the belief the fact that they are LGBTQ is irrelevant to the storyline is not important to their character development The ability to move beyond a character's sexuality represents social and political progress in networks' eyes and allows them to market themselves to socially and politically progressive demographics while theoretically doing less to leave non-LGBT audiences feeling alienated "This is where in some ways the entertainment industry keeps its audiences in a much more utopian world than actually exists," Himberg said "When you look at the statistics of the number of trans women of color who are attacked murdered -- those are the stories that are hard for people to hear about That's where we need to be focusing money With the exceptions of Moonlight or Tangerine "we aren't seeing those stories being told because they don't fit a post-gay discourse Himberg sees this as part of a larger trend that revolves around catering to networks' built-in audiences and aspirational "If you think about the shows that they're bringing back with gay characters (Will & Grace Queer Eye),they are gay characters -- they are white gay men and they're very clearly gay," she said linking the normativity of the shows to audience comfort it does risk taking away essential resources from people who need it the most -- who need protection and need legislative protections It runs the risk of perpetuating already existing forms of homophobia and gender discrimination and potentially overlooking where the resources need to go." Acknowledging the amount of positive change that has been made for LGBTQ people in a relatively short span of time Himberg stressed the importance of remaining vigilant and knowing how to create change especially in the current political climate "I think we need to be mindful of how quickly how easily things can be taken away in our current political climate," she said The New Gay for Pay: The Sexual Politics of American Television Production is available through University of Texas Press and Amazon. EAST LANSING – Two Ford Focus cars, a white sedan and a gray hatchback, hold down prime spots in a corner of the parking lot just south of Dublin Square. The cars might "zip" off at any time, which is only appropriate seeing as they're Zipcars. The members-only car-sharing service recently expanded into East Lansing's downtown area with two cars adding to the seven on the Michigan State campus. Members may reserve a car at any time, paying either an hourly or a daily rate. When they're done with errands or a day trip, they just bring the car back to its parking space. Annual cost for a membership works out to around $6 per month, according to www.zipcar.com. All the cars have quirky names, including the pair at Dublin Square – "Jeannie" the sedan and "Mikelson" the hatchback. The cars rent to Zipcar members for $7.50 an hour or $69 a day. Other cars on campus, like "Waterford" the Toyota Prius V, are $8.50 an hour. City of East Lansing community development analyst Tim Schmitt, who has been working with Zipcar, said the the company sees "increased growth" in business from East Lansing residents. Schmitt also noted East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett's observation that Zipcar is "another piece of the transportation puzzle (and) another option for people." Zipcar public relations specialist CJ Himberg said that while the company does not break down individual locations by membership numbers and usage statistics, there is a "strong member base" at Michigan State. In all, Himberg said the company has more than 850,000 Zipcar members worldwide. Those who join in college may continue on as Zipsters after they graduate and have access to the more than 10,000 Zipcars located in nearly 30 major markets across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. Holding to its slogan of "wheels when you want them," Himberg said usage in markets is consistently monitored and vehicles are added when the need is identified. With seven cars on campus, why cross Grand River? The need was there, Himberg said. "The community of MSU embraces alternative transportation and is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the campus, and we've seen an extension of that pursuit in East Lansing," she continued. "Zipcar's car sharing model serves as a complement to the established sustainability efforts, while also providing a convenient and cost-effective option for those without a car." MSU has had Zipcars since 2011, and is joined by nearly all of the Big Ten schools, including the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Indiana University; University of Iowa; University of Michigan; University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Purdue University; and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Himberg said Zipcar has a presence near both Minnesota and Penn State, and that the company is working with Northwestern. It's not known whether new conference members Maryland or Rutgers are Zipcar-friendly. The Boston, Mass.-based company formed its first partnership with MIT in 2002, followed by neighbor Harvard University. Including MSU, the company has cars on more than 350 college and university campuses across North America. And if the service didn't have a following outside campuses, they wouldn't be there, Himberg said. "We've continued to find that students, faculty and staff, as well as community members of the areas, value a transportation alternative that is smart, cost effective and environmentally-friendly," she added. we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links It’s impossible to miss stylist and consultant Claudia Cifu and her five-year-old daughter relaxed chic vibe (which translated well into Cifu’s kidswear collection for the Finnish label Vimma.)  Though Cifu was born in Finland to Chilean parents she lived in New York for over 15 years before moving back to Helsinki four years ago to raise Paloma Cifu’s time in New York comes through in her style which feels both downtown minded—Carhartt worker trousers with a cropped well-worn leather jacket—and in-the-know—a black puffed sleeve Mara Hoffman dress with orange Vans “I like to hear Paloma’s opinion when decorating the house or getting dressed,” she says “Her idol changed from Elsa [from Frozen] to Wednesday [Addams] and therefore her whole wardrobe experienced a revamp as well,” says Cifu “She had the cutest sparkly high heels and gave them to her friend She soon was requesting another pair of heels but in black—since anything sparkly or glittery is not to her liking anymore.”  Cifu’s experimental sensibility trickles into Paloma’s outfits as seen in outfits involving a red polka dot skirt and a Supreme leather bag or a metallic princess skirt over a long sleeve shirt whose own mother taught her the value of thrifting “Kids grow all the time so it’s silly to put money into clothing if they can only wear it for a short amount of time,” says Cifu “She gets excited when she sees a thrift store because there are so many things that she can find.”   and what clothing items she’s let go of since becoming a mom “My jacket is by Totême, the top and vintage Carhartt pants are from Beyond Retro, originally British, one of the oldest vintage chains in Europe. The boots are Isabel Marant.” Vogue: What was the inspiration behind Paloma’s name Claudia Cifu: I’ve always loved the name Paloma It’s quite a traditional name in South America I never knew anyone personally whose name was Paloma even though it’s quite a popular name with Spanish-speaking people When I was pregnant I visited Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s home which has been turned into a museum in Isla Negra I think I fell even more in love with the name because of those factors we didn’t know where we would end up living in the future I thought it was important to give her a Scandinavian name as well to remind her of her Finnish roots How did you see yourself as a woman before motherhood I was a very hedonistic person before becoming a mother I definitely saw myself wiser than I actually was These past six years have taught me the most about myself and life I feel more secure about myself and life in general while totally still being confused about life and being “a work in progress.” I’ve learned how to cherish and accept the feeling of not having it all together and figured it out in life How has motherhood changed how you think about your personal style There was a brief moment when I thought I shouldn’t wear short shorts anymore since I was a mom–and also because I wasn’t a young mom But I brushed that off fast and I’m still dressing in short shorts and miniskirts I think being a mom gives me more fuel to go against society’s norms: what we should and shouldn’t wear because of our sex I definitely want to be a role model in that sense for Paloma for her to learn that it’s okay to express yourself (in this case via fashion) however makes you happy Has having a child contributed to or influenced your creativity and/or your method of working I feel like if I give my best that’s sufficient you can’t feel inspired or creative all the time I also don’t work over hours unless it’s absolutely necessary I choose my creative projects with care since my time is limited and therefore sacred I like to hear Paloma’s opinion when decorating the house or getting dressed for example I find the way little kids see the world and things around them more honest and pure since they’re simply based on what appeals to them most (no brands influencing “My blazer is by Latimmier The skirt is a hand-me-down from one of her friends and she loves to wear this skirt during a full-on snowstorm or during a massive summer heatwave.” “I’m wearing a Ganni dress underneath a camo parka by Pali Albin.”  Has your mom taught you any lessons about being a mom Also that I’m my daughter’s biggest/most important reference/mirror of what kind of human she (at least) could be/become So I try to be the best version of myself for her I always save the receipt because she might like it or tell me to take it back to the store I pretty much don't have a saying any more about what she puts on Paloma has been wearing that label since she was a baby I tend to buy her secondhand and we get a lot of hand-me-downs from her older friends “My vest is Prada, the shoes are Isabel Marant, the jeans are Levi’s, and the leather jacket is vintage. My earrings are by the Finnish jewelry designer Päivi Keski-Pomppu Paloma’s flower top was a souvenir from Malaysia She wears it with her favorite boots and flamenco skirt both hand-me-downs from her older friends.”  Only I’ve realized you can go so far with that but it’s a very useful tool and savior many times Co-parenting gives me the chance to slow down and get my thoughts together which definitely makes me a better mom and person What are some pieces that you’ve let go of since becoming a mom all the clothes that I wore during my pregnancy They just reminded me of my pregnancy and made me feel pregnant again I find myself wearing a lot of the same things that I wore in my teens during the ’90s Camo and animal prints have always been staple prints in my wardrobe I also like to support young Finnish designers I Just Got Back From L.A. and Everyone Was Wearing Autry Medalist Low Sneakers Amal Clooney Is All About Rib-Grazing Denim for Spring How to Dress Like the Olsen Twins This Spring and Summer 2025 Rihanna Dresses Cozy and Classic to Solo Dine at Her Favorite Restaurant Sign up for Vogue Shopping to receive the insider’s guide to what to shop and how to wear it Listen to The Run-Through with Vogue a weekly podcast featuring the most exciting stories and hot takes from the worlds of culture Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month as well as new features like our Runway Genius quiz Explore the Runway Image Archive where you can access over 1.2 million runway images from past and present fashion shows. This article was published more than 2 years ago At the Mass Casualty Commission in Nova Scotia last week – a wide-ranging review of the killing of 22 people in the province two years ago – the question of police training arose during a roundtable discussion The commission will present its final report in November, and it is using roundtables to flesh out its main work the topic was critical incident preparedness Himberg has run a national forensics lab and police IT systems and he has a PhD is in analytical chemistry The 65-year-old recently retired from a decade as rector of Finland’s Police University College Mr. Himberg was not there to analyze the specifics of Nova Scotia’s 2020 killing rampage. Instead, he detailed the degree of education and training it takes to become a cop in Finland If Canadians don’t know why this is a matter of interest to an inquiry into crime and policing they should: The minimum standards to become a police officer in Canada are The entry requirement for most Canadian police forces involves a no more than a high school diploma followed by a half year of police training focused on necessities such as using a gun and other intense situations Critics have long questioned the overemphasis on this paramilitary-type training – but what else can one do in half a year requires at least three years of university-level training at the national police college but the extended time provides space for theoretical content and what Mr Himberg described as a “special emphasis on values and attitudes.” He cited data showing that this longer and deeper training contributes to his country having a police force that is among the most trusted in the world by its citizens Finland requires 5,400 hours of training before becoming a police officer, according to data compiled by the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform in the United States which advocates for more police training in that country Germany and the Netherlands average around 4,000 hours; Britain more than 2,000 hours Canada calls for barely more than 1,000 hours makes us look good – as it so often does – with an average of just 650 hours of training before giving a young person a badge and a gun This is not a criticism of Canadian police officers: they get what training the system gives them. But that system appears to be inadequate to cover the challenges of modern policing. The inquiry in Nova Scotia has heard that most of the police who worked during those two difficult days had only the basic RCMP training. That happens at Depot in Regina. The “extensive” training lasts 26 weeks – 820 hours Some Canadian police forces offer more pre-job education, but most don’t. In British Columbia, training is 44 weeks. To be hired by the Vancouver Police the equivalent of one full year of education after high school is necessary The preferred qualifications are a postsecondary degree or diploma The pay is good – and rightly so, given the dangers and stresses. In 2020, Statistics Canada reported the average police officer pay was $118,000 The job of police officer should be considered a highly skilled trade several years of intensive education – and varied education – rather than only a short boot camp Training for skilled trades takes a long time because they involve difficult skills and if an electrician or welder is untrained Trust in police is not an easy thing to win It’s why there have also have been calls for countrywide standards such as a national police college floated by a House of Commons committee last year The bottom line is Canada should better train its police officers Can high school graduates really learn all that in 26 weeks Keep your Opinions sharp and informed. Get the Opinion newsletter. Sign up today Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions about a real-life group of Filipino carers-cum-drag troupe is a dark story dressed in sequins says writer Philip Himberg Culture | Theatre My chat with American writer Philip Himberg about his new play is attended by a strap-on sex toy that stands mutely sentinel on the table between us the most surprising thing about Paper Dolls which tells the largely true story of a group of Filipino drag queens working as carers for elderly orthodox Jews in Tel Aviv “not my thing”) who married his Muslim Indian accountant husband two years ago and who since 1997 has run the theatre programme for Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute As if to complete the circle of improbability where it is directed by Indhu Rubasingham in her debut season in charge of the Tricycle Theatre The journey began when he saw Israeli director Tomer Heymann’s documentary Paper Dolls The film depicts a bizarre but fragile symbiotic culture find themselves nurtured by camp and in some cases hormonally altered young men — economic migrants who are working to support families back home and who put on paper frocks and lip-synch to American the Paper Dolls are entirely dependent on their employers’ goodwill “I sat there and immediately thought this felt like a play,” recalls Himberg “It was so theatrical in many ways: the stories I responded to the story about immigration which has been a hot button issue in the States Also the clashing of cultures — the idea of Asians that these younger Asian men were caring in a very beautiful way for these older men who had been will know what it feels like to entrust a father or mother to others’ care while remaining indifferent to the inner life of the immigrant providing it (or delivering a pizza as well as weighty themes the story also has songs and FABULOUS costumes Himberg secured the rights to adapt the film and visited Heymann in Tel Aviv the Bnei Brak — which is the Hasidic enclave — and all the gay clubs,” he says “I met his [Heymann’s] mother.” He also needed to meet the drag queens featured in the film Four of the Paper Dolls now live in London as British citizens: one is a qualified nurse working closely with a surgeon performing skin grafts while another is married to a (male) German doctor Himberg says all of them describe themselves as gay and “identify as women” rather than transgendered or transsexual: in any case they probably remain too poor for sex-change surgery Himberg saw the play as an original musical he would produce and others would write before realising that the pop songs the Dolls chose were integral to the play’s discussion of identity He also eventually acknowledged he was “obsessed” and should write the script himself which was a big leap from his last project as writer a one-woman show for Broadway star Maureen McGovern which was part of Robert Redford’s vision for his Institute long before the more famous film festival of the same name came along exists to give artists space to experiment without commercial or even aesthetic pressures Himberg was able to award himself a three-week writer’s fellowship in 2010 It sounds idyllic: a studio in Utah with a gorgeous view and three meals a day where Rubasingham spent time on a residency On the advice of a mutual friend and colleague Himberg invited Rubasingham to work with a group of Tanzanian artists on Sundance projects in Africa and New York The two became friends and she asked him to send her the script if and when he completed it “She told me later she was terrified in case she hated it,” says Himberg Rubasingham was in line to take over the Tricycle and offered him a slot than a venue with an international reputation in a cosmopolitan city where homosexuality and immigration are high on the political agenda far away from the devastating gaze of the New York critics drastic changes were made to the story to turn documentary into drama becomes the more divisive and questionable character Yossi on stage The relationship between the Filipino brothers Chiqui and Giorgio has become more antagonistic (it’s Giorgio who disruptively deploys the aforementioned sex aid in a dance routine) Theatre finds doorway that may once have led to Shakespeare’s dressing room West End's Palace Theatre damaged after bus ploughs into building ‘What happened last night was not funny’ – Liz Truss responds to lettuce prank an intriguing new perfume from Penhaligon’s The central relationship between the elderly Eastern European Jew Chaim losing his voice and his life to throat cancer and his comely carer Sally (Salvatore) is preserved but Himberg has invented the character of Chaim’s daughter Adina to point up the way definitions of gender and family can get blurred Most of the original Paper Dolls are coming to see the show the actors are “much better” performers than the real Dolls and will sing live rather than lip-synch the process of creating the play constitutes a new twist in an already interesting life Raised in Connecticut and educated at Oberlin College he started out as a director at Playwright’s Horizons in New York and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in the Seventies before retraining in Chinese medicine For 11 years he practised acupuncture in Santa Monica and “as an out gay therapist” was much in demand from Aids sufferers who then had no access to palliative drugs Soon after he sold his practice he heard Redford was looking for someone to run the theatre side of Sundance Himberg envisages a steady flow of scripts between the Tricycle and Sundance He also believes his experiences in the rehearsal room in Kilburn will benefit his day job when he goes back to it I am somebody who knows what it is to hold a pen,” he says Paper Dolls is at the Tricycle Theatre February 28-April 13 (020 7328 1000; tricycle.co.uk) David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints VE Day 2025 flypast and parade LIVE: King Charles and senior royals watch procession as crowds line the Mall King joined by senior royals to watch VE Day parade before flypast Donald Trump says non-US movies to be hit with 100% tariff in major blow to UK film industry Trump says non-US movies face 100% tariff in blow to UK film industry UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Revealed: The real reason Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday amid family feud Revealed: Why Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday Luca Baffigo, Vice President of the global retail and restaurant format Eataly, on expansion in Corona times, the sustainability megatrend and the power of emotions. Suggestions & comments to info@food-service.de Open image viewerThe Police University College in Hervanta Image: Petri Aaltonen / YleYle News19.6.2019 12:33•Updated 19.6.2019 13:30An exceptionally high number of people have applied for police training in Finland this year There were over 5,000 applicants for the 2019 training courses at the Police University College which has a total of 400 available seats — which means that nearly 13 applicants are vying for a single study placement "This has been the largest ever number of applicants for bachelor studies in police training there have been about 4,000 applicants per year so the increase in interest is significant," director of the police training institute The applicants include high school graduates as well as those with postsecondary degrees "Working along with police departments we were able to successfully spread our message at education fairs and school and garrison visits The Police University College channels also provide a lot of information and atmosphere about the campus," Himberg said adding that prospective applicants were also reached on social media The police academy degree takes three years to complete and offers graduates the eligibility to work A graduate can work in both criminal investigation and security- and alarm-tasks Police University College does not have a centralised application service but has four application periods during the year nearly 300 students have started their training at the university