More shows = more panic

Remember swag bags? That former staple of legit parties has largely evaporated since the fiscal crunch, but the Brooklyn Academy of Music kept the tradition alive, handing bags out to guests at the Jan. 18 gala perf of Kevin Spacey starrer "Richard III." Pretty posh for a nonprofit, but then, the org is celebrating its 150th anniversary, as well as the final production of its successful trans-Atlantic co-producing endeavor, the Bridge Project. The gala wasn't the only thing the arts org has spent money on: Arriving patrons had walked by nearby construction that will yield a third performance space for BAM to program. BAM leadership, including exec producer Joe Melillo, got an excited gleam in their eyes when they described the additional, exciting work they hoped to bring to the venue. In the eyes of BAM staffers, however, the talk of 14 additional shows on the org's fall slate yielded a gleam that looked more like panic. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com