The Culture Show Podcast

Miranda July, a triple threat in the art world as an innovative visual artist, filmmaker, and writer has just released a new novel titled “All Fours.” It’s a coming-of-middle-age story about a married woman who is either experiencing a turning point or is turning her world upside down when she derails a solo road trip by abruptly checking into and staying at a highway motel. She joins The Culture Show to talk about it and her creative process.From there we look at another innovative artist, the illustrator and activist Ekua Holmes who has redefined children’s books with her bold colors and sophisticated collage work. She’ll joins us to preview this Saturday’s Roxbury Book Fair and to discuss her latest book, a biography of Coretta Scott King.Finally Culture Show contributor Joyce Kulhawik joins us. She’s president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association, which sponsors the Elliot Norton Awards. She’ll talk through this year’s nominees and preview next Monday’s awards ceremony.

Climbing a mountain is a metaphor frequently used to describe something that seems insurmountable. For the Chelsea-based Apollinaire Theatre Company, they are both figuratively and literally climbing a mountain in their latest production “Touching the Void.” The play involves a climbable mountain, a Scottish pub, a base camp, and the ever-present void. Two of the actors starring in this production, Parker Jennings and Patrick O’Konis, join us to talk about taking theater to new heights. Then author Colm Tóibín joins us. He doesn’t care for sequels. He thinks of them as kind of a literary copout. But 15 years after he published his critically acclaimed novel “Brooklyn,” he has written a follow up: the novel “Long Island.” He joins us to talk about the hold that his protagonist, Eilis Lacey has had on him. Finally, do you want plastic or plastic? You have only one option at “The Plastic Bag Store,” an immersive art experience now open at MASS MoCA, presented in association with Williamstown Theatre Festival. We talk to the creative force behind this, artist Robin Frohardt who has found multiple uses for single use plastics.

The landmark Supreme Court case that struck down racial segregation in public schools helped to dismantle the legal apparatus of white supremacy. It also prompted a civil rights movement. With This Friday marking the 70th anniversary of this ruling, Kerri Greenidge, associate professor in history and in the department of race, colonialism, and diaspora at Tufts University, joins us to talk about its legacy and limitations. From there we look at racial imbalance in another realm, classical music. U.S. orchestras have come under scrutiny in recent years for being predominantly white –now they’re working to change that. CRB’s Brian McCreath takes us to Symphony Hall with a look at how the Boston Symphony Orchestra is encouraging a new generation of diverse musicians.Finally, sisters are doing it for themselves. As America prepares to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, Lexington, Massachusetts is telling a story about the women who were a part of this history but were forgotten or erased and never celebrated. Hence, the monument “Something is Being Done.” Years in the making it will be unveiled this Wednesday at 10:30 . It depicts women with Lexington roots, from the 18th century to the present.Jared Bowen talks to Meredith Bergmann, the acclaimed Massachusetts sculptor who created this monument and Jessie Steigerwald, president of LexSeeHer, Inc.

Today Culture Show co hosts Callie Crossley, Edgar B. Herwick III and Jared Bowen go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review, which includes Eurovision. in 2019 Tel Aviv hosted the song contest. Now, amid Israel’s war on Gaza, the Olympics of pop music is politically charged as pro-Palestinian protesters denounce Israel’s participation. And we remember the inventive artist, who even reinvented himself, Frank Stella. Born in Malden, he found outsized success in 1960’s New York – and he never stopped, from minimalism to maximalism, he remained a giant in the art world. Plus, “The Walking Dead” stages a zombie takeover in Worcester. And, when it comes to Marylin Monroe, something’s gotta give as owners of her house sue Los Angeles so that they can demolish it.

The new film “I Saw the TV Glow” is a complex exploration of childhood nostalgia and how it can haunt us into adulthood. It also explores the irresistible pull of pop culture. Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun joins The Culture Show ahead of their Saturday appearance at the Coolidge to receive their Breakthrough Artist Award, which spotlights the next generation of filmmaking talent. From there we talk to another innovator, William Forsythe. He is known internationally as one of the most influential choreographers working today, lauded for the contemporary perspective and consideration he gives to classical ballet. He joins us to talk about Boston Ballet’s Spring experience, which includes Forsythe’s Blake Works III (The Barre Project). Finally, Elizabeth Heilig, president of the West Newton Cinema Foundation, joins us to talk about how an anonymous donation changes their race to save the beloved institution–nearly 90 years old– from demolition.

Is it the human condition to take life for granted? Do we need to be confronted with death as a way to acknowledge life, appreciate life and to find meaning in life? These are both metaphysical and matter-of-fact questions that are central to Dael Orlandersmith’s solo play “Spiritus/Virgil’s Dance.”It is described as being in conversation with Dante’s Divine Comedy, where Virgil guides Dante’s journey through hell and purgatory. In Orlandersmith’s hands, Virgil is an adrift 20 something –a Bronx native who instead of navigating hell, is navigating Manhattan. When Virgil’s mother and father die just a year apart, it’s a loss that reorients Virigl’s life and renews a sense of purpose.“Spiritus/Virgil’s Dance” is written and performed by Dael Orlandersmith and directed by Neel Keller. Orlandersmith joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest work. From there it’s purple reign. This Sunday more than 400 lilacs will be in bloom at the Arnold Arboretum. Arboretum horticulturist Conor Guidarelli joins us for a preview. .Finally, most of us know the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. But what do we know about the woman behind it? Writer Natalie Dykstra’s latest biography, “Chasing Beauty” conveys the spirit of Gardner's complicated personality and how she found her niche, and created a legacy, as a patron and friend of the arts.

From guns to reproductive rights, the majority of Supreme Court justices think we should follow the original intentions of the Constitution as closely as possible. So what does that mean in modern-day America? Writer A.J. Jacobs went to find out.In his latest book, “The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning.” Jacobs documents living as closely to the original meaning of the Constitution as possible, which includes carrying a musket, and personally delivering a list of grievances to Congress. Though this full constitutional immersion is humorous, Jacobs is not in this just for the laughs. He also finds a nation losing its hold on the values implicit in the constitution: responsibility, community and civic engagement. He joins The Culture Show to talk about it all.From there Revolutionary Spaces gives us a different look at American history with a program that spotlights the people who exercised their right to petition because they didn’t have the fundamental right to make their voice heard, the right to vote. Spoken word artist Amanda Shea, and Anne Freeh Engle, Deputy Director and Chief Strategy Officer at Revolutionary Spaces join The Culture Show to preview “All the Voices in the House: Hear My Plea, Know My Truth.” Finally, all the world’s a Porch. Culture Show producer Kate Dellis gives us a primer on Somerville’s forthcoming, annual music festival: Porchfest.

When Reginald Dwayne Betts was 16 years old, he was an honors student. He was also arrested for carjacking. Prosecuted as an adult, he spent eight years in a Virginia prison, existing among grown up men. What got him through those years behind bars? Books. Betts left prison a poet; he then became an Ivy League-educated Lawyer and now he’s on a mission to bring libraries into prisons with a first-of-its kind organization called “Freedom Reads.” He joins The Culture Show to talk about how he aims to radically transform access to literature for people behind bars. From there we continue the poetry conversation with Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola who deconstructs her poem, “MARGARET GARNER CROSSES THE OHIO RIVER ONLY TO GET CAUGHT AND SOLD DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI OR THE MOTHER STANDS TRIAL FOR MURDERING HER CHILDREN,” which was inspired by Toni Morrison’s novel, “Beloved.”

Today on The Culture Show co hosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest arts and culture headlines on our week-in-review. First up, Boston will host its first ever public art triennial. A year from now the city will be populated by public art from international superstars to locally renowned artists. From there, disappointed museum goers are putting the moan in Mona Lisa. The Louvre has plans to move da Vinci’s masterpiece underground so that audiences don’t have to be dissatisfied with what is now considered an overrated work.Plus, the Tony nominations are out, we look at the surprises, snubs and snoozers.And, where’s the beef? Look no further than hip-hop heavyweights Kendrick Lamar and Drake. We track how their feud has escalated and ask if this modern-day rap battle is proof that when it comes to a duel, the pen is mightier than the sword.

When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, creating art was dangerous. The Taliban disapproved of music and banned all artistic representations of the human form. They saw art as an expression of protest and resistance. After their reign, when Afghanistan functioned as an open society, art flourished. But since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, after the final US troops left Afghanistan, art has literally been wiped out and artists are again being oppressed.Driven by the desire to promote the arts, artists, and the transformative power that art can have, Omaid Sharifi co-founded the artist collective ArtLords in the heart of Kabul. He joins The Culture Show along with ArtLords artist and current student at Dean College, Fatima Wojohat .And, as we continue our Boston Design Week coverage, The Culture Show’s Edgar B. Herwick III investigates how people feel about one of Boston’s most contentious designs: Boston City HallFinally, May the 4th be with you. Roderick MacDonald, music director of the Worcester Symphony Orchestra, and president of the WSO, Edgar Cyrus, join us to talk about their upcoming concert,”The Magic of Hollywood,” which will feature scores from the silver screen, from “Star Wars” to “Harry Potter.”

In 1985 Marty McFly skateboarded onto the silver screen –and into cinematic history– with the blockbuster, “Back to The Future.” In this sci-fi classic, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown turns a DeLorean into a plutonium-powered time machine.Then, in an experiment gone awry, Marty McFly finds himself taking a ride of his lifetime, going back to 1955 where he meets his parents when they were teenagers. Now in 2024 audiences can time travel back to nineteen eighty five by way of “Back to the Future, The Musical.” Now on Broadway, we’re joined by the two leads, actor Roger Bart, who was just nominated for a Tony award for his portrayal of Doc Brown, and actor Casey Likes who plays Marty McFly.From there we get a preview of the Joywalk: A Fenway Cultural District Art Crawl. The initiative is the brainchild of the Fenway Alliance in partnership with a number of other cultural and academic institutions. Kelly Brilliant, co-executive Director of Fenway Alliance joins us. Finally, it’s time for our recurring feature “AI: Actual intelligence”, where we tap into the most interesting thinkers in our region. Their insights and observations are totally original and algorithm free. Today we’re joined by Culture Show contributor Mahesh Daas, president of Boston Architectural College and the co-author of a new graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.”

What’s past doesn’t need to be prologue. That is the point of the exhibition “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away,” – to learn about the atrocities of the Holocaust so that history is not repeated. From the concrete posts used to fence in the camp, to a gas mask used by SS garrison members, to the suitcases and journals belonging to the prisoners– hundreds of original artifacts tell the horrors of those who suffered and were killed at Auschwitz during World War II. The exhibition is on view at The Castle at Park Plaza, making its Boston debut amid a rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in Massachusetts. Robert Jan van Pelt, the exhibition’s chief curator and Auschwitz historian joins us. And, when it comes to design, Mies van der Rohe believed that less is more, but when it comes to Boston Design Week he’d probably agree that more is more. Boston Design Week kicked off on April 23rd, it’s on through May 5th and it features more than 70 events throughout the city, and the theme of this year is “Designing for the Future – Preserving for the Future,” Boston Design Week co-producer Tony Fusco joins us for an overview. Finally, April 30th, known as “ Black April,” is a day to lament and reflect upon the fall of Saigon and of South Vietnam, in 1975, and the beginning of the exodus of millions of Vietnamese. Local artist Ngoc-Tran Vu is working with other artists and the community to create a permanent Vietnamese Diaspora Healing Memorial in Boston’s Little Saigon district. She joins us to talk about the project.

Today we continue to celebrate national poetry month with Oliver de la Paz. He is the poet laureate of Worcester and an associate professor at The College of the Holy Cross. His latest collection of poetry “The Diaspora Sonnets,” is winner of the New England Book Award for Poetry. These sonnets illuminate the immigrant experience with meditations on the meaning of home and family bonds. They reflect on the role of memory and nostalgia, and the power that looking forward has when forging a new life in a new land.From there we’re off to the Venice Biennale. Yesterday Pope Francis visited a women’s prison on Giudecca Island, which is also the site of the Holy See Pavilion, which features the art of Boston legend Corita Kent. Nellie Scott, Executive Director of the Corita Art Center joins us from Venice to talk about Kent’s legacy and the significance of her work being included in the Holy See Pavilion.Finally, we wrap up Earth Month with Adam Gardner. The lead singer of Guster is also leading the way to make the music industry sustainable.

Today on The Culture Show, it's our arts and culture week in review. First up, the culture of Hollywood shifted in the years following the downfall of Harvey Weinstein and the launch of the #MeToo movement. So what will the reverberations throughout the industry be now that his New York rape conviction has been overturned?From there, Jerry Seinfeld says that Hollywood is a has been, declaring that movies are no longer a cultural superpower.And, the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion says that if we don’t act now, humanity could become an exhibit in the American Museum of Natural History–an institution they recently protested.Finally, can Cher believe in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after deriding it? The pop star, along with Mary J Blige and Ozzy Ozborne, is among the 2024 inductees.

Boston POPS conductor Keith Lockhart is here with a preview of their star-studded Spring Season, from Harry Connick Jr, and Branford Marsalis, to Pride night, Gospel night and a Jurassic Park concert along the way. Performances that are sure to put a spring in your step.From there, it’s a message in a mural. In East Boston, public art is making a splash by way of a series of large-scale murals that emphasize the natural world and the need to protect it. Culture Show contributor Julia Swanson takes us on a tour of the art raising awareness about our rising seas.Finally, we’re turning up the heat on Earth Month with the founder of Craic Sauce…craft hot sauce committed made with sustainability in mindIt's all on The Culture Show.

We’re putting a fine point on the pencil. Rendered ordinary by its utility and ubiquity, it does have a romantic origin story involving a lighting strike that unearthed graphite in the north of England. Even so the pencil endures as practical, and reliable. After all, when the tip breaks, just snap your Number 2 in two, and…you have two pencils. The fascinating story of the pencil is the subject and object of a new book.From there, so you think you can’t dance? A free Alvin Ailey workshop might move you to think otherwise. We’ll talk to Alvin Ailey’s Matthew Rushing about this and their 65th season, which whirls through Boston next week.Finally, we head off to the New Bedford Art Museum with a look at their new exhibition, which chronicles the impact of revolutionary glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Marking the 25th anniversary of a cult classic.In 1999, the adult cartoon Mission Hill debuted. It focused on the misadventures of a group of disparate roommates. It was created by Simpsons writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, and earned a GLAAD award for their realistic portrayal of a gay couple. Alas, the show was doomed from the start thanks to a decidedly unsupportive network and dismal ratings. However, it did develop a cult following. Now Oakley and Weinstein are delighting fans by taking Mission Hill on the road…which includes stops at the Somerville Theatre on April 26th and in Providence on April 27th. From there we meet Mychal Threets. You might already know him by way of TikTok where he’s gained acclaim among library superfans. Now he’s bringing his library love to PBS Kids.Finally, GBH’s James Bennett II takes us into the newly corrected history of composer Florence Price.

According to the laws of physics, a body in motion stays in motion. And for John Lam, he’s been in motion for nearly his entire life. But soon the Boston Ballet principal dancer will be approximating something like rest with the announcement that he is exiting the stage. He joins us to talk about his career, the decision to retire after a 20-year tenure with Boston Ballet, and what’s next.From there, we continue our national poetry month celebration with poet and Wellesley professor Octavio González. It seems writing found him at an early age, as a kid growing up in the Dominican Republic. We talk to him about working through his life experiences, including the raw, sensual ones, in his latest collection of poems titled “Limerence.” Finally, independent curator Pedro Alonzo joins us for his monthly edition of AI: Actual Intelligence.

Coming up: Our arts and culture week in review.First up, the Venice Biennale– Artist Jeffrey Gibson, with his riot of color, is the first ever Indigenous artist selected to represent the United States; At the Israeli pavilion, artist Ruth Patir, won’t open her show until “a cease-fire and hostage release agreement is reached; And the German Pavilion, which has been described as creepy and enchanting is a hit for its freak out factor.Then we remember groundbreaking artist Faith Ringgold who stitched together stories of Black life.From there, it’s a Coachella catch-all, as the music festival enters another weekend. AND Piano Man Billy Joel tries to sing us a song but his CBS concert special went off the air for The Longest Time. That and more (yes, Taylor too) is next on The Culture Show.

Leslie Odom, Jr. The award winning actor and singer’s portrayal of Aaron Burr in the hit musical “Hamilton,” gave us a new way to think about America’s history and the fathers who founded it. And if history doesn’t repeat itself, it rhymes. In his recent return to Broadway, Odom starred in a play that skewers racism in America in the Broadway revival of “Purlie Victorious.” Music remains at his core though–which he discusses ahead of his Boston concert.From there, we talk to Chad Smith, the new President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In his previous post at the LA Philharmonic, he carved out fresh, open and exciting pathways to music. We’ll learn about his plans for the BSO.Finally, Culture Show co-host James Bennett II on the Drop Nineteens reunion and their first Boston show in 30 years.

The road frequently traveled. Emmy award-winning actor Gordon Clapp brings Robert Frost back to life in a one-man show. We talk to him about reprising the role of the acclaimed poet –one he’s performed over 100 times. From there it’s the writer and cartoonist Alison Bechdel. More than 40 years ago she inadvertently created the “Bechdel Test,” a way to gauge gender representation in Hollywood - - a cultural touchstone that is still relevant. She joins us to talk about this, the adaptation of her tragic-comic graphic memoir “Fun Home” into a hit Broadway musical, and how she has gained insights into her mortality by writing about her obsession with exercise.Finally, singer-songwriter Janie Barnett has reimagined Cole Porter, Americana style. We talk to her about this genre-bending work ahead of her show at City Winery Boston.

In Boston people of color are disproportionately affected by environmental disasters, climate change and pollution. With April being Earth month, Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston, joins us to talk about what needs to be done to achieve racial justice through climate justice.From there, the Boston Public Quartet’s radical welcome. It’s their biggest event of the year, offering a multi-sensory experience and truly welcoming all, with a pay what you want style concert.Finally, FRONTLINE. They recently won an Academy Award for their documentary film on the war in Ukraine, “20 days in Mariupol.” Their coverage of the war continues with their latest film, “Children of Ukraine” which follows the families and investigators trying to find the children who have gone missing since the war began. Executive Producer Raney Aronson-Rath joins us for that conversation.

In 2019 costume designer Ruth E. Carter won her first Academy Award for her work in the 2018 film, “Black Panther,” where she created the Afrofuturist aesthetic of Wakanda. Super-heroism clearly runs in the family. Only four years later, Ruth E. Carter became a superhero in her own right, earning her second Oscar for her work in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” She made history with this win, not only as the first Black woman to receive two Academy Awards, but as the first person to win for both the original and the sequel of a movie. From the superheroes of “Black Panther” to the real-life heroes in films such as “Selma,” Ruth Carter has been creating visual universes on film and TV for thirty years. Her truly colorful career is the focus of her new book, “The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther”.From there, we'll sit down with author Michael Cunningham. In 1999, Cunningham won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “The Hours, ” which follows three women, in three different decades, through one day in their lives. By carefully observing that single day, Cunningham finds large emotional truths in the quiet, ordinary moments of the everyday—that in totality, seem rather epic by the final page. In his latest novel, Cunningham returns to the framework of the single day to wade around in the vagaries of human nature. Titled “Day,” the book unfolds in three acts, each set on a single day in April over three sequential years: 2019 through 2021.

Coming up on The Culture Show, live from the GBH studio at the Boston Public Library, it’s our arts and culture week in review. First up, the cultural influence of OJ SImpson. First, as “The Juice,” a star football player who ran through the field with almost unmatched success. Then as the actor who starred in Hertz commercials and hit movies. Finally, as the man who was acquitted in the grisly murders of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her companion Ron Goldman, in the “trial of the century.” From there it's total recall of the total eclipse, from regional tourism to epic traffic jams. Then it's onto Boston’s own Folk American Roots Hall of Fame and their list of inaugural inductees, from The Band to Oscar Brand.And along the way we unleash our enthusiasm for “Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” final episode.

Through her poetry, Tracy K. Smith probes the meaning of life, she meditates on what happens to our souls when we die, she communes with the dead. She uses poetry to explore her own role in the world as a mother, making the personal profound. Her poems also scrutinize historical racial oppression, the paradox that is the American dream, and the injustices that plague our nation. All of these themes come together in her lyrical, haunting and ultimately hopeful new book, “To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul.” It is part manifesto, part memoir–and all parts mesmerizing.In 1761 a young girl crossed the Atlantic on a slave ship. Captured in West Africa, she arrived in Boston where she was purchased by John and Susanna Wheatley. They named her Phillis, after the name of the slave ship that brought her to America. They taught Phillis to read and write. Able to express herself on the page, she went on to become the first African American to publish a book of poetry. Wheatley traveled to England to promote the volume and on her voyage back to America she wrote the poem, “Ocean.”The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture recently acquired this rare, handwritten manuscript along with a trove of other texts that shed light on the life –and the life of the mind—of Phillis Wheatley. Joining us to talk about what is the largest collection of Wheatley material in public hands is Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Korean wave makes a big splash in Boston.A new exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts is a high amp historical remix of Korean culture and pop culture. It’s a celebration of everything South Korea has to offer, from K-Pop to K-dramas, from fine art to fashion. And the dynamism of this show originates from the juxtaposition of traditional customs with the fast-paced, innovative society that South Korea is today. All that AND the opportunity to get your full K-Pop dance on–right inside the galleries. We’ll talk to the curator. From there, we’re getting off the wall with Berklee professor Tia Fuller. As the Executive Director of the upcoming Michael Jackson tribute concert, she discusses how his music resonates across generations, which includes her students.Finally, we check in with the Brockton High drama club to find out what it means to be the state champions. That’s next on The Culture Show.

Anthony Rapp, the actor and singer, went from being a Starbucks Barista to a Broadway star by way of the hit musical “Rent.” But, his meteoric rise was tempered by the death of Jonathan Larson, “Rent’s” 35-year-old composer and librettist who had an aortic aneurysm on the eve of the show’s debut. Then, a year later, he lost his mother to cancer.These seminal events are the making of Rapp’s one-man-show, “Without You.”Then, it’s the one-man media conglomerate: Matt Farley. For him quality IS quantity. The Danvers based singer-songwriter is prolific. He’s written, produced and recorded more than 25,000 songs. He also makes movies, hosts podcasts and writes books. How does he do it all? Stay tuned to find out.Finally, the Arnold Arboretum is springing back to life, with flowers emerging from trees and shrubs. And that includes the blossoming of their cherry trees. Joining us to talk about their upcoming cherry blossom celebration–and other signs of life at this urban oasis is Jessica Pederson, the head of public programs at the Arnold Arboretum.

In 1970, when Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company” first opened on Broadway, his main character Bobby was a 35-year old unmarried man, whose paired-up friends were pressuring him to leave his bachelor days behind.A few years ago Tony-award winning director Marianne Elliott ran with a revelation: to reverse genders and have the main character, Bobbie…be a woman. It was a eureka moment that earned her another Tony.Now “Company,” is onstage by way of Broadway in Boston. Marianne Eliott joins us to talk about reimagining “Company” for the 21st century.From there, what CAN comedian Daniel Sloss say? And what doesn’t he say? The Scottish standup joins us to talk about finding laughter in the darkest subject matter and what that means in a culture that is quick to cancel.Finally, Edgar B Herwick III joins us from the path of totality.

Live from the GBH studio at the Boston Public Library, it’s our arts and culture week in review. First up, A Tik Toker’s hot take lands her in hot water for saying that SNL has never hired a – you guessed it–hot woman. From there, pop star Lizzo- gives new meaning to “quitting while you’re ahead,” And when it comes to the NCAA, there’s no denying that these women ARE hot–a hot ticket that is, literally –with the price of women’s final four tickets far outpricing the men’s. And from the final four, it’s the food finalists. With two local restaurants scoring James Beard nominations.Finally, it’s follow-up Friday where we give you the latest news on the developing stories we’ve been covering, from Artificial Intelligence to Elvis.

In creative circles, there are artists who worry that Artificial Intelligence could replace them. Not roboticist and artist Alexander Reben– he’s entered the belly of the beast as the first artist-in-resident at Open AI. He joins us to talk about collaborating with AI–not being replaced by it. From there it’s total windfall. New England towns in the path of totality are experiencing a tourism boom. Edgar B Herwick III joins us fresh from St. Johnsbury, Vermont to talk about how the town is preparing for the Solar Eclipse.Finally, Lizzy Shapiro. The Chelsea Massachusetts native credits her career to local community theater. Now she’s back, performing at City Winery Boston as the lead singer of Lizzy and the Triggermen, a 10 piece Jazz Band.

The Emmy award-winning composer Jeff Beal. You might not know it, but you’ve heard his work. He gave us the theme song to “House of Cards,” which became an anthem for power and corruption. He added even more splashes of color to the Oscar-winning film Pollock. Now his work brings him to Boston, to lead the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra in an upcoming concert. From there, when music saved Boston. We get a preview of a James Brown tribute concert, marking the anniversary of the night the “Godfather of Soul” brought peace to a restless city in the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Finally, with the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, the president of Boston Architectural College, Mahesh Daas is here to talk about how we compare to other nations when it comes to investing in our infrastructure.

Comedian and actor Chris Fleming. He has a comedy special streaming on Peacock, a YouTube Channel with a cult following and he’s selling out comedy venues – but he’s far from selling out. As someone who has built a following playing the oddball, his absurdist comedy can’t be corrupted by success—he’ll be the first to tell you that it lives outside of the standards that come with standup. Ahead of his show at the Wilbur, the Massachusetts native joins us. In January we were joined by Amanda Shea, curator of HellaBlack Volume Six, when she was doing an open call for artists to submit their work. Now, HellaBlack is nearly here. HellaBlack is an interdisciplinary performance event curated by and for Black artists. On April 8, artists will showcase their work. Amanda Shea is back for a preview. She is the 2022 Boston Music Awards Spoken Word Artist of the Year, a performer and activist. She is also the host of GBH’s “Outspoken Saturdays” a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists, which we host at our studio at the Boston Public Library. From there, how the arts has been an economic engine. Waterville, Maine, the former mill town turned college town, was struggling. Only a few years ago their downtown was desolate. Today it is abuzz with shops, maker spaces, an arts complex and a museum. The investment, driven largely by Colby College, has turned the town around. David Greene, the president of Colby College, joins us.

Padma Lakshmi. She’s been on a quest to learn how food is entwined with our history and culture. From inviting us into her kitchen, to entering the kitchens of others. The through-line in all she’s done in her career is making people feel known – and feel at home. To honor this work,Boston University is presenting her with its ICON award. She joins us ahead of her visit to BU. And, In her book Muppets in Moscow, Natasha Lance Rogoff pulls back the iron curtain on what it was like to work in Russia as aTV producer in the 1990’s. There were absolute triumphs of Big Bird Diplomacy, moments when capitalism collided with the legacy of communism, and a deep realization that a country undergoing radical change, can only change so much .

Live from the Boston Public Library, it’s our arts and culture week in review. Beyonce gives new meaning to “Midnight Cowboy,” dropping her much-anticipated country album “Cowboy Carter” today at 12:00 AM. From there music mogul Sean Combs has been accused of sexual assault by multiple people, prompting Federal agents to raid his homes. Is this even more of a signal that people with money, power, and fame are no longer above the law? Then, it’s the kind of comeback that you only see in the movies. This week the Coolidge Corner Theatre has rebounded from covid closures, unveiling its megawatt makeover. And it’s Michaelangelo’s David vs. the Goliath that is capitalism. By defending David’s dignity against naughty souvenirs, is a museum director also attacking freedom of expression?

The street artist Shephard Fairey officially crossed the threshold into fine art with his first museum exhibition–right here at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. Curated by Culture Show contributor Pedro Alonzo, that exhibition happened 15 years ago. What did it mean for Fairey’s street cred? What trails did he blaze? Pedro Alonzo joins us to talk about about Shepard Fairey’s legacy and where street art lives today along the spectrum of counter-culture, conventional and commercial art From there, move over March Madness and make way for March grandness–I’m talking about the annual hanging of the nasturtiums at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: with vines that can be 20 feet long. We’ll talk to the woman behind this floral extravaganza. Finally, Mary Grant, president of MassArt joins us to talk about the art of sustainability.

He contains multitudes: an actor, singer, writer– a bon vivant with boundless energy. That would be the Tony-Award winning Alan Cumming. It’s impossible to typecast him: from performing Macbeth to Miley Cyrus. To starring on network television by way of The Good Wife, populating public Television as the host of our own Masterpiece Mystery. And now he’s the saucy star of streaming–on Peacock, hosting and producing the reality TV series, “The Traitors.” However, he is not a traitor to his demographic. At age 59 Alan Cumming is a font of wisdom when it comes to America’s obsession with the fountain of youth—breaking down how abstract and absurd ageism is in his cabaret show, “Alan Cumming is Not Acting His Age”. He joins us to talk about it all. From there, Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons joins us to discuss the night James Brown saved Boston.

Sarah and Angelina Grimke are admired in American history for rejecting their privileged lives on a plantation in the south to become activists in the North. Their pamphlets evangelizing anti-slavery were among the most influential of the antebellum era. They are still read today. What also endures was an omission from the Grimkes’ family portrait: their Black relatives. That was until Tufts University history professor Kerri Greenidge made a course correction with her book "The Grimkes," which focuses on the Black members of the Grimke family. From there, how many pianos does it take to Celebrate Charles Ives? The pioneer in avant-garde music is being celebrated at New England Conservatory with a series of concerts marking his 150th birthday. NEC’s Stephen Drury joins us for a preview. It’s all on The Culture Show—listen to the full episode for more!

Today on The Culture Show: Lights. Camera. Action. This Wednesday the Coolidge Corner Theatre is opening its new 14,000 square foot addition to the public. After Fifteen years of planning, 10 years of fundraising and two years of construction, this is a mega makeover with a renovated lobby, two state-of-the-art theaters and a refurbished concession stand. At a time when other movie theaters are struggling, the Coolidge is having the kind of comeback you only see in the movies. Katherine Tallman, the Coolidge’s executive director and CEO gives us a sneak preview. From there we mark women’s history month with murals made by women. And finally, “Romeo and Juliet,” with Raisinettes? Culture Show co-host James Bennett II joins us to talk about his aria of expertise. After seeing the MET’s Romeo and Juliette in person AND on the big screen, which is the optimal opera experience? It’s all on The Culture Show—listen to the full episode!

First up, we mark the 34th anniversary of the Gardner Museum theft. It’s the ultimate whodunnit in the world of art heists, with the stolen works valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. AND, with a 10 million dollar reward on the table, the tip hotline never goes cold. Then, in the land down under, women rule and men’s egos are torn asunder–at least one man felt diminished when he was denied entry to the women’s-only Ladies Lounge, an art exhibition designed to highlight centuries of female exclusion. Now he’s suing for discrimination. Finally, his name is Taylor-Johnson. Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Will the British leading man be the next James Bond? That and more next on the Culture Show’s week-in-review, broadcasting live from the GBH studio at the Boston Public Library.

What happens when you mix Sting’s greatest hits with the power of hip-hop dance? You get “Message in a Bottle.” It’s a fusion dreamed up by Kate Prince, one of England’s most acclaimed choreographers…resulting in a production that addresses the international refugee crisis. And told from the point of view of a family displaced by civil war. Prince joins us ahead of the show’s New England premiere discussing what inspired her to weave Sting’s songbook into a high-voltage show. From there, a new documentary tells the story of five women living with Vitiligo, from the stigma, to the isolation, to finding strength and community. Then, WCRB’s Brian McCreath joins us fresh from Symphony Hall, with a preview of a weekend concert honoring the life and legacy of the great jazz innovator and saxophonist, Wayne Shorter.

Growing up in Venezuela, artist Miguel Braceli could not express queer love. Today he’s in Provincetown, wrapping up an artist residency program at the Fine Arts Work Center and he’s working to put queer love on the map. Literally. As part of his multi-pronged art project, Braceli has been crowdsourcing stories about finding love in P-Town…using people’s recollections to create a large-scale art installation titled “Map of Love.” He’ll unveil it this weekend…along with a parade of fabulosity, all along Provincetown Harbor. He joins us to talk about how P-town has been a paradise and creative catalyst. From there, it’s time for another edition of ‘balancing acts.’ With local theaters presenting a paradox of choice, theater critics Joyce Kulhawik and Chris Ehlers join me to preview–and prioritize—the must-see productions of the season.

In the play “Cost of Living,” now onstage in Boston, four characters find themselves isolated from society–cut off by poverty, by physical disabilities and by an armor of defensiveness that makes the cost of living exponentially more exacting. It’s a soul-stirring play that explores the longing for human connection. I’ll be sitting down with two of the show’s stars. From there it’s two takes on American history: First, a preview of an immersive experience that takes us into the world of Dill, an enslaved woman living in Massachusetts on the cusp of the Revolutionary War. Then, we talk to the president of Historic New England, the country’s largest independent preservation group. It’s expanding with a cultural hub in Haverhill and excavating the past with a slew of revelations about historic figures with extraordinary stories untold until now.

August Wilson’s monumental Century Cycle is a collection of 10 dramas chronicling the black experience in America, one set during each decade of the 20th century. King Hedley II, number nine in the series, is a powerful, gritty and gripping play about an ex-convict trying to rebuild himself and his community all the while the ghosts of the past haunt him. Actor Naheem Garcia, stars in the play as Elmore. As he’ll explain, playing the role is unfinished business. We’ll talk to him about his enduring relationship to August Wilson’s work. From there, we’ll preview a free concert, where electronic music meets brutalist architecture. And then: Puccini plus popcorn?! How does the experience of watching live opera in the opera house compare to the movie house? With the Metropolitan opera simulcasting live productions in high definition video, we’ll get Grammy-winning dramatic Soprano Jane Eaglen’s take.

Coming up, it’s our arts and culture Week in Review. First up, could Governor Healey be giving new meaning to Taxachusetts? By proposing a live theater tax credit the Bay State could become a breeding ground for Broadway. From there, can you really turn the clock back on TikTok? Even if the US Government bans the social media platform, we’ll look at how TikTok has been THE ultimate influencer. Changing the way people–and sometimes their pets– get famous, get our news, make money, and make up our faces —upending the entertainment industry along the way. Then, after artist Francoise Gilot walked out on Picasso, he told her that she would be nothing without him - au contraire! Now she’s receiving her own dedicated space in his Paris museum.

Vocalist Katherine Goforth. When she came out as a transgender woman and transitioned, she wasn’t sure if she would ever work in opera again. Opera can be conventional and conservative and gender roles are traditionally defined by the performer’s voice. So what does it mean to be a female tenor who wants to play female roles? Having found her voice, that’s what Katherine Goforth is finding out. And along the way she’s showing other vocalists what it means to be authentic onstage and off. She joins us ahead of her Boston Wagner Society recital. From there it’s Kneecap. The Belfast-based rap group known for their fiery social and political commentary is on the rise…with a forthcoming album, an upcoming biopic starring Michael Fassbender and a legal battle with the UK government. They join us ahead of their St. Patricks’ Day performance in Boston. Finally, we preview the MIT Museum’s events surrounding Pi Day.

What is it like to travel the world as a blind person–navigating different cultures, traditions and transportation systems? That’s what Dr. Mona Minkara explores in her travel documentary series, “Planes, Trains and Canes.” After losing her sight, Minkara came to believe that vision is more than sight. And her vision has been to reimagine the travel show by highlighting stories of people who have disabilities. From there playwright Ronán Noone shows us how the other half lives–or rather works, sweats and toils to achieve the American dream. In his play “Thirst,” he takes us into the room where Eugene O'Neill's “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” didn’t happen. Focusing on the hired help servicing the Tyrone Family. Ronan Noone joins us to talk about examining the Irish-immigrant experience, the perils of family loyalties and the push and pull of despair and hope. Finally, Grammy-award winning musician, composer and essayist Nicholas Payton joins us ahead of his performance at Scullers Jazz Club.

The Irish dramatist Conor McPherson wrote and directed a play incorporating 20 songs by Bob Dylan. This is no jukebox musical. And though it is set in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota it’s no bio-musical either. It’s titled “Girl From the North Country.” Set in 1934, the Dylan songs upon which McPherson draws convey the desperation and existential aching of Depression-era America. With the Broadway hit now in Boston we talk to McPherson about his weaving Dylan’s songbook into a deeply stirring show. Celtic Woman is an ensemble that honors Ireland’s history and celebrates the contemporary spirit of modern-day Ireland by fusing traditional and contemporary Irish music. They will be bringing their signature sound to The Chevalier Theater by way of their 20th-anniversary tour on March 21st. Joining us for a preview is one of the performers, Grammy-nominated singer Mairéad Carlin. From there, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kick off their international tour next week. Though they won’t be playing Gillette Stadium this time around, you can still have the Bruce Springsteen experience by way of a photography exhibition that offers a unique early and intimate perspective of The Boss far from the sold-out arenas.

Oppenheimer was the bomb at last night's Oscars, winning seven awards including best picture, best actor and best director. Joyce Kulhawik and Lisa Simmons are here for an Oscars recap, going through all the slights, stunners and the usual suspects. And, in August 1969, as many as half a million people gathered at a farm in upstate New York to hear music. What happened was more than a concert. It was an event that would define a generation. The question is: Were you there? The Museum at Bethel Woods wants to know as part of its Woodstock oral history initiative. They’re in Boston to interview people who were a witness to history-attending Woodstock. Finally Eliot-Norton Prize winning director Scott Edmiston joins us to talk about “The Minutes,” both a satirical take on municipal government and a scathing critique of American hypocrisy.

Coming up on The Culture Show, it’s our Arts and Culture Week-in-Review First up, could the State House become more of an art house? Governor Maura Healey has signed an executive order creating a culture advisory council to find ways to cultivate the Commonwealth’s arts and culture sector. Plus, RuPaul is running on all four cylinders with a book bus touring the country, delivering LGBTQ plus books to communities where they’ve been banned –but is he also throwing diversity under the bus? His online bookstore, which is on a mission to represent marginalized voices, is sparking controversy for its inventory, which includes titles such as Mein Kampf. Then, before there were wet T-shirt contests there was the sodden and besotted Mr. Darcy. The famously soaked white linen shirt that Colin Firth wore in the film “Pride and Prejudice” has sold for 25,000 pounds. That and more is next on The Culture Show.

From Abigail Adams, to grandmothers, to the brains that made breakthroughs in science, we’re marking Women’s History Month with the monuments and murals in Boston memorializing women. Julia Swanson of the Art Walk Project leads the way. From there, is A Midsummer Night’s Dream the perfect Shakespeare starter play? With a romantic tangle, an enchanted forest ruled by fairies, a Donkey and late night cavorting, it could be. Director Victoria Townsend of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company joins us to preview an upcoming production of Shakespeare’s comedy that’s staged with local students in mind. Finally, with Daylight saving time on the horizon that’s one way of ringing in spring. For The Koji Club–Boston’s first dedicated Sake Bar–their Cherry Blossom Disco signifies the seasonal shift. The Koji Club’s Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale joins us for a preview.