Monster Mash: Actors’ Equity has harsh words for ‘Spider-Man’; Palestine National Orchestra debuts

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Harsh words: The president of Actors’ Equity Assn. has released a lengthy statement expressing concern over the safety of the Broadway musical ‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.’ (Playbill)

New ensemble: The Palestine National Orchestra has made its debut in Israel, with concerts in the West Bank and elsewhere as part of a tour. (Los Angeles Times)

Inundated: Artists in Laguna Beach are struggling to recover from flooding and mudslides following a late December storm. (Los Angeles Times)

Religious art: British art experts have been given unique access to wall paintings from nearly 2,000 temples and monasteries in Bhutan. (The Guardian)

Ancient ruins: Archaeologists and preservationists have resumed working to protect and even restore parts of Babylon and other ancient ruins of Mesopotamia. (New York Times)

Looking ahead: The Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C., has announced its schedule for its 35th anniversary year in 2011. (The Classical Review)

Jazz great: A profile of musician Wynton Marsalis, including a trip to Cuba with Jazz at Lincoln Center. (60 Minutes)

Spreading the word: The new Museo Missionario di Propaganda Fide in Rome celebrates the Catholic Church’s missionary operations around the globe. (The Guardian)

Passing: John Olguin, the longtime director of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, has died at age 89. (Los Angeles Times)

Also in the L.A. Times: This year’s Faces to Watch in the fields of architecture, art, dance, music and theater; a look at the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of ‘La Traviata,’ starring Marina Poplavskaya.

-- David Ng