Two things were noticeable about the line of people awaiting the 12:01 a.m. Lincoln Square cinema premiere of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight.

First, the affinity most of the waiting masses appeared to feel with the Caped One; second, the bizarre impression many of the waiting seemed to have that they had seen the movie already.

Brandeis University student Andrew Litwin called The Dark Knight "probably one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen."

"I'm not, like, at all obsessed," he said. "I mean I haven't read all the comics and all that … because I haven't had enough money to buy all the comics.  read more »

In the battle to infiltrate graying theater audiences with some fresh faces, the Lincoln Center Theater has a new strategy. They're launching LCT3, a major new initiative to cultivate new audiences and to produce work by emerging playwrights, directors, and designers. Called LCT3, the program will begin in 2008–09 with two productions at the Duke Theater. Special bonus: all tickets will be $20, according to the New York Sun. The first production, Clay, a one-man hip-hop musical written and performed by a 23-year-old actor, Matt Sax, and directed by Eric Rosen, will have a five-week run in October. The second production will be announced "as soon as we've decided what it is," Lincoln Center reps said.  read more »

The New York State Theater will go dark during New York City Opera’s 2008-9 season so that it can be renovated. Susan L. Baker, chairwoman of the company, said that opera officials did not resent having to lose the company’s home for 2008-9, even though the New York City Ballet is not making similar sacrifices. (They share the same Lincoln Center stage). Changing the State Theater was largely City Opera’s idea, she said; the company has long been unhappy with the stage, which was designed to muffle footfalls.  read more »

We told you last month that the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet company finally came to an agreement about renovations to their shared Lincoln Center theater. But those renovations might cause the Opera to cancel its 2008-09 season at the theater, or maybe relocate performances to other venues, according to the Associated Press.  read more »

The New York City Opera and New York City Ballet have finally retracted their claws and come to agreements about renovations to the New York State Theater they share at Lincoln Center. The two tenants, who alternate seasons at the center, have been bickering over issues like whether to create a center aisle (the opera was strongly in favor; the ballet, adamantly opposed) and how to adjust the acoustics (the opera believes they are in dire need of redress; the ballet thinks they’re fine) for several years. Now, the City Ballet has given up on finding a new home and a modular acoustical system that can be moved in for the opera and out for the ballet will be installed.  read more »

The Film Society of Lincoln Center will screen the director’s cut of David Fincher's Zodiac (settle in for the long haul) tonight at the Walter Reade Theater. The director himself will then make a rare public appearance, joining Kent Jones, associate director of programming at the Film Society and editor-at-large of Film Comment magazine, for a discussion about Zodiac and his career.  read more »

Bill Bragin will leave his post as director of Joe's Pub at the end of the year to become the director of public programming at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, according to BroadwayWorld.com

The new Acting Director will be Shanta Thake, previously the Associate Director of Joe's Pub and part of the venue's team for the past five years.  read more »

The Film Society of Lincoln Center will salute Meryl Streep at its 35th annual gala tribute on April 14, according to Variety.

Each year since 1972, when the Film Society organized the inaugural edition of the event with a hat-tip to Charlie Chaplin it has feted a major film-industry figure with a distinguished body of work.

Held each spring at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the black-tie bash features tributes from actors, directors and other notables, a program of career highlights and a few words from the honoree.

You know the drill: The Prospect Park Audubon Center offers the kids some  “interactive exhibits” (let’s hope that doesn’t include that baboon family) with music, crafts and general whoop-de-do.  read more »

Two adjoining buildings were evacuated. WCBS reports that the city's Department of Finance owns the building, but PropertyShark.com lists developer Vincent Garrow as the owner.