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    The ‘First Celebrity Athlete,’ a Century Before Social Media

    A new project by the History Channel explores the triumphs and injustices of Jim Thorpe’s career. “He’s one of the greatest Americans,” the director Chris Eyre said.Before Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson, there was Jim Thorpe.More than a century ago, Thorpe was a multisport star, excelling in football, baseball and lacrosse, and winning gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Games. But as a Native American, he faced what many historians considered racial bias when those medals were stripped because he had previously earned modest payment for playing baseball, which the International Olympic Committee said violated amateurism rules.The I.O.C. agreed to return Thorpe’s medals in 1982, almost 30 years after his death, and last year President Joseph R. Biden Jr. awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was accepted by Thorpe’s granddaughter.On Monday, a new project by the History Channel, “Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning,” explores the triumphs and injustices of Thorpe’s athletic career. The two-hour documentary was directed by Chris Eyre, a Native American filmmaker, and produced by Uninterrupted, a media company co-founded by LeBron James.In an interview with The New York Times, Eyre discussed the creative process and how he sees Thorpe’s legacy playing out today. Excerpts from the conversation have been edited for length and clarity.Why was now a good time to do this project?I had heard about Jim Thorpe ever since I was a kid, and I felt like his name — I didn’t want it to fade from the consciousness because he’s one of the greatest Americans that ever lived and he’s the greatest athlete ever. I jumped at getting to make something.Thorpe, known for his athletic abilities in many sports, played football professionally from 1919 to 1926.Bettmann Archive, via Getty ImagesWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    11 Off Broadway Plays to See in July

    Here’s what’s onstage in New York: a new musical about Joy Mangano of Miracle Mop fame, and two plays from the “Oh, Mary!” director Sam Pinkleton.‘Out of Order’In his new show, staged in an intimate basement space, the playwright and actor Carl Holder shuffles the autobiographical-solo genre by picking out prompts and questions written on a bunch of index cards and enacting them. The result is, by turns, emotional, funny, wrenching, not adverse to interpretive dancing and occasionally interactive. Decked out in an Adidas tracksuit, Holder holds the 90-minute production together thanks to a performance that feels openhearted. “Out of Order” is underground in every sense of the word, and unexpectedly heartbreaking. (Through July 22, East Village Basement)Hot FestivalCreated in 1992 by Dixon Place’s founding director, El Covan, the Hot Festival would be a miracle of longevity by any standards, but it’s particularly impressive by Off Off Broadway ones — all the more since the annual event focuses on queer theater, which lands the double whammy of being perennially underfunded and under attack. The festival presents queer-focused shows at various stages of their artistic lives. Among the ones likely to be further along the creative journey are the New York Neo-Futurists’ “The Infinite Pride” (July 9), a special edition of their long-running show “The Infinite Wrench” — an ever-evolving patchwork of 30 very short plays performed in about an hour. Another promising entry is David Dean Bottrell’s “Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen” (July 16), in which the actor recounts his coming of age in the Bible Belt of the 1970s (Through July 25, Dixon Place)‘Berlindia!’A production whose credits includes an entry for “choreography and techno” may well pique the interest of adventurous theatergoers. Here said choreography and techno (by Mia Pak and Nicholas Webster) are deployed in a new play with an absurdist tinge by Daniel Holzman, directed by Noah Latty and produced by Emma Richmond (who also worked on Kallan Dana’s buzzy recent show, “Lobster”). The cast of “Berlindia!” includes Mike Iveson (“What the Constitution Means to Me”) and Pete Simpson (“Is This a Room”). Add that this is playing at the Tank, a haven for hard-to-describe theater that’s steps from Penn Station, and most tickets cost under $40, and you have something worth gambling on. (Through July 27, the Tank)Megan Hill in Crystal Skillman’s “Open.”Maria Baranova‘Open’In one of the summer’s most welcome surprises, Crystal Skillman’s wondrous monologue returns six years after its premiere at the Tank. It’s not so much a revival as a reprise, since the production brings back the original team of star Megan Hill (“Eddie and Dave”) and director Jessi D. Hill. The first easily holds our attention as Kristen, a woman who attempts to channel her anguish and grief through magic tricks. “Open” is a love story with an aching heart — let’s welcome back this delicate slice of summertime sadness. (July 8-27, WP Theater)‘Joy: A New True Musical’There is something inspiring about Joy Mangano’s life and entrepreneurial spirit: A decade after the movie “Joy,” in which she was played by Jennifer Lawrence, comes this new musical starring Betsy Wolfe (most recently of “& Juliet”). Wait, you haven’t heard of Mangano? She is most famous for unleashing the self-wringing Miracle Mop onto America’s dirty floors. The musical’s book is by Ken Davenport and its score by AnnMarie Milazzo (best known for her orchestrations and vocal arrangements on Broadway). Intriguingly, the choreographer Lorin Latarro directs, while Joshua Bergasse (a recent Tony nominee for “Smash”) handles the choreography (Through Aug. 17, Laura Pels Theater)We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    ‘Too Much,’ Plus 7 Things on TV this Week

    Lena Dunham’s new rom-com comes to Netflix, and two reality shows air.Between streaming and cable, there is a seemingly endless variety of things to watch. Here is a selection of TV shows and specials that are airing or streaming this week, July 7- 13. Details and times are subject to change.Fresh starts.For many millennial women, despite the fact that the finale of “Girls” aired in 2017, it’s never been too far out of the cultural zeitgeist. But now there will be fresh characters, plots and content to analyze with Lena Dunham’s new show, “Too Much.” The story follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), who, fresh off a breakup, moves to London for a new job and ends up falling for Felix (Will Sharpe), an indie musician who has seemingly countless red flags (I am having Adam flashbacks). The story is loosely based on Dunham’s real life — after working in Britain and meeting her now-husband, Luis Felber, there, she said she wanted to examine American expats’ fantasy of London versus the actual experience. All 10 episodes will be released at once. Streaming Thursday on Netflix.Kat Sadler, left, and Lizzie Davidson in “Such Brave Girls.”Courtesy of HuluThe real-life sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson created a British sitcom in which they star as … sisters. The first season of “Such Brave Girls” tells the story of a mother, Deb (Louise Brealey), and her two daughters, Josie (Sadler) and Billie (Davidson), who navigate life after their father (Deb’s husband) leaves. In the second season, coming out this week, no topic is off limits — depression, medication, sex and affairs are all on the table. Streaming Monday on Hulu.Does he love me? Does he love me not?After a two-year hiatus, “Bachelor in Paradise” is back this week. The show features former contestants who head to a beach, this time in Costa Rica, for a second (or third, or fourth) chance at love. This season, the contestants from “The Golden Bachelor” franchise are also joining, but it’s unclear if there will be intergenerational dating. Jesse Palmer will serve as host, Wells Adams is returning as the bartender and for a new addition, the former “Bachelorette” Hannah Brown is taking on a role entitled “paradise relations,” in which she will help with rose ceremonies. Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Julian McMahon, ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ Star, Dies at 56

    He played the half-human, half-demon Cole Turner in the WB supernatural series “Charmed” and a self-destructive playboy in the FX series “Nip/Tuck.”Julian McMahon, an actor known for playing the promiscuous plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy in the television show “Nip/Tuck,” as well as the egoistical evil scientist Dr. Victor Von Doom in two “Fantastic Four” movies, died on Wednesday in Florida. He was 56.His death was confirmed by his wife, Kelly McMahon, who said in a statement that the cause was cancer.Mr. McMahon began acting in Australian soap operas in the early 1990s and first found success in the United States on the NBC soap opera “Another World” in 1993.After switching to prime-time television, his breakout role came when he played the half-human, half-demon Cole Turner on three seasons of the WB supernatural series “Charmed.”Mr. McMahon achieved leading-man status when he began starring in the FX series “Nip/Tuck” in 2003.His performance as Dr. Christian Troy, a self-destructive playboy, contrasted with Dr. Troy’s strait-laced best friend, Dr. Sean McNamara, played by Dylan Walsh.On the show, which ran from 2003-10, the pair ran a plastic surgery practice, first in Miami and later in Los Angeles, and frequently sparred over the morality of their profession.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Paul Libin, a Forceful Presence On and Off Broadway, Dies at 94

    He staged a revival of “The Crucible” in a Manhattan hotel ballroom in 1958, helped run Circle in the Square and oversaw the operations of Jujamcyn Theaters.Paul Libin, a prolific producer and respected Broadway theater executive whose first major endeavor was an Off Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” that he staged in the ballroom of a Manhattan hotel in 1958, died on June 27 in Manhattan. He was 94.His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his son, Charles.In his nearly 70-year career, Mr. Libin ran Circle in the Square Theater with Theodore Mann, one of its founders, and together they produced more than 100 shows. Later, Mr. Libin was in charge of operations at Jujamcyn Theaters, the owner of several Broadway houses.Rocco Landesman, the former president and owner of Jujamcyn, said Mr. Libin had a wall-penetrating voice, a forceful presence and enormous energy.“I depended on Paul entirely,” Mr. Landesman said in an interview. “Someone had to run the company. But I wouldn’t describe his role as corporate. He was as likely to be climbing into the air-conditioning ducts at the St. James Theater as he was to be sitting at his desk. He came in every day with enthusiasm.”That enthusiasm dated to Mr. Libin’s early days as an assistant to Jo Mielziner, a Tony-winning scenic designer and producer. When Mr. Mielziner produced the Broadway musical “Happy Hunting,” which opened in late 1956, he promoted Mr. Libin to stage manager.In 1958, on his way to a dentist appointment, Mr. Libin passed the Hotel Martinique, on West 32nd Street near Broadway, and saw a sign advertising the ballroom’s availability. He thought of it as a space that he and the director Word Baker could turn into a theater-in-the-round for a production of “The Crucible,” the 1953 Tony-winning Broadway play about the Salem witch trials and an allegory of the McCarthy-era Red Scare.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Ronald Ribman, 92, Dies; His Plays Mined the Absurdity of Existence

    He set his frequently neurotic characters in bleak, morally ambiguous situations where laughter, as he put it, “is a measure of the sickness of society.”Two men are on the rooftop garden of a hospital in Manhattan. One is an Armenian grocer. He has cancer and a big mouth. The other is an art dealer, a self-loathing Holocaust survivor who also has cancer and is tired of his own voice. In between medical procedures, they bicker about the quagmire of the past.“You came out a big winner,” the grocer says.“Because I survived?” the art dealer says. “It doesn’t feel like a triumph.”“That’s because nothing we ever do feels like a triumph, because the mind’s a piece of garbage,” the grocer replies. “It’s never happy with what we do for it. I once took my mind down to Barbados for two weeks, and you know what it said to me? ‘You should have taken us to Jamaica!’”The verbal jousting took place in “Cold Storage,” a 1977 play staged at the Lyceum Theater on Broadway and written by Ronald Ribman, a mordantly funny playwright whose frequently surreal works grappled with God’s impatience, the past’s invasion of the present and, as he once put it, “a person’s right to fail as a human being.”Mr. Ribman’s “Cold Storage,” staged on Broadway in 1977, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. PlaybillIn “Harry, Noon and Night,” a 1965 Off Broadway production set in postwar Munich, Dustin Hoffman played a gay Nazi with a hunchback who quarrels with his roommate, a disturbed American painter who believes a caterpillar gave him syphilis. “The Journey of the Fifth Horse” (1966), also Off Broadway, was based in part on Ivan Turgenev’s short story “The Diary of a Superfluous Man,” and starred Mr. Hoffman as an editor at a publishing house who rejects a posthumous memoir by a 19th-century landowner who died friendless and broke. In “The Poison Tree” (1973), inmates and guards battle over the moral high ground in prison.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    ‘Dexter’ Has Been Resurrected Again. He Has Company.

    Networks are releasing fewer scripted series than they did several years ago, but brand extension mania has only intensified in franchises like “Dexter,” “Yellowstone” and “Power.”On a morning in mid-May, inside a trailer at the base of a Long Island hotel, Kat St. John, a set costumer, attacked a gray collared shirt with a spray bottle. The shirt was bloodstained. Between shooting days, the stains had dried.“We have to add new blood,” she said as she sprayed.This was on the set of “Dexter: Resurrection,” the newest iteration of the Showtime franchise surrounding Dexter Morgan, the vigilante serial killer played by Michael C. Hall. The original series debuted in 2006 and ended in 2013. A reprise, “Dexter: New Blood,” premiered in 2021. A prequel, “Dexter: Original Sin,” followed in 2024 and has since been renewed.Though “New Blood” seemingly left Dexter bleeding out in the snow, “Resurrection,” which begins July 11 on Paramount+ with Showtime, returns Hall’s killer to TV. His survival is a miracle, but given television’s suffocating embrace of reboots, revivals, sequels, prequels and TV movies, also not really a surprise. This trend isn’t new: The New York Times’s James Poniewozik surveyed it back in 2018, arguing that with the expanding volume of TV, “it’s a battle for anything new to get attention.”But while that proliferation has since slowed, with networks and streamers now releasing fewer scripted series than they did several years ago, brand extension mania has only intensified. Until fairly recently, franchises were the small screen purview of procedurals, unscripted series, “Star Trek” and the occasional Norman Lear sitcom. Now the impulse toward world building extends to even prestige or prestige-adjacent dramas.”Dexter,” with Lauren Velez and Hall, ran from 2006-13 on Showtime. Early seasons were acclaimed but the ending was widely criticized.Dan Littlejohn/ShowtimeIt is easy enough to imagine a “Dexter” of past decades justifying a spinoff or a remake. But not three of them. And three isn’t even a lot anymore.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    ‘And Just Like That …’ Season 3, Episode 6 Recap: The Dams Break

    Charlotte decides she can no longer keep a secret. Tensions between Aidan and his ex erupt, just not the way Carrie would have wanted.Season 3, Episode 6: ‘Silent Mode’I didn’t think it was possible for the relationship between Carrie and Aidan to become any more disconcerting. But wow, in this regard, the writers have succeeded.Toward the end of this week’s episode, Aidan drops a bomb: He slept with Kathy. He and his ex-wife were both upset after a failed attempt to send their troubled son Wyatt off on a wilderness trip, and somewhere in between sobs, they fell into bed.Carrie is stunned at this confession for all of about 45 seconds. I know because I counted while watching this scene for the fourth or fifth time. In less than a minute, she bypasses any pain and skips completely ahead to grace and empathy. “I understand how that could happen,” she says.I’ve written before that I think Aidan has become, or maybe always was, a covert narcissist. His behavior is, unfortunately, not very surprising. But is Carrie really so far under his thumb that she doesn’t even spare a second for her own hurt?Or, perchance, is she feeling a sense of karmic relief? After all, in another life known as the original “Sex and the City” series, Carrie cheated on Aidan with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) — whom she subsequently married. She also cheated on Big with Aidan when they shared a kiss in Abu Dhabi in the movie “Sex and the City 2” — all of which is to say, maybe Carrie really can see how that could happen.A few things about this plot point, though, are a little tough to square. First, nothing we have seen this season would suggest that there is any compassion, let alone physical passion, left between Aidan and Kathy. They’re not just exes, they’re at odds. They disagree, to the point of contempt, on how to handle Wyatt, as we saw in the blowup just two episodes back. It’s difficult to imagine them finding comfort in each other over yet another Wyatt debacle.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More