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Performing Arts

Tuesday

After 40 Years, 'A Soldier's Play' Finally Marches Onto Broadway

David Alan Grier as Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, Blair Underwood as Captain Richard Davenport and Billy Eugene Jones as Private James Wilkie in A Soldier's Play. Joan Marcus hide caption

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Joan Marcus

Theater

After 40 Years, 'A Soldier's Play' Finally Marches Onto Broadway

A Soldier's Play tells the story of a murder in an African American unit of the U.S. Army after World War II. It premiered in 1981 and soon after won a Pulitzer Prize. Now, it's finally on Broadway.

After 40 Years, 'A Soldier's Play' Finally Marches Onto Broadway

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Monday

Pop Culture

Encore: Reflections From Conversations With Women In Comedy

NPR's Audie Cornish looks back on her series of conversations with women navigating the male-dominated world of comedy.

Encore: Reflections From Conversations With Women In Comedy

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Sunday

Pro Bowl To Broadway, This NFL Star Says The Stage Is Another 'Team Sport'

"I'm a student first in everything that I do," says Nnamdi Asomugha. "So it's always about: How can I get the edge mentally?" Asomugha, shown above on the sidelines of an Oakland Raiders game in November 2010, is now making his Broadway debut. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images hide caption

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Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Theater

Pro Bowl To Broadway, This NFL Star Says The Stage Is Another 'Team Sport'

Nnamdi Asomugha, a four-time All-Pro NFL cornerback, is making his Broadway debut in A Soldier's Play. It's been "a pretty surreal journey," he says.

Pro Bowl To Broadway, This NFL Star Says The Stage Is Another 'Team Sport'

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Thursday

Pop Culture

Reflections From Conversations With Women In Comedy

For the past six months, NPR's Audie Cornish has held a series of conversations with women navigating the male-dominated world of comedy. Here are some highlights.

Reflections From Conversations With Women In Comedy

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Wednesday

One Director's Secrets To Success: Chaos, Confidence And 'Collective Genius'

Director Bartlett Sher is now working on an opera based on Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel, and preparing the London premiere and national tour of To Kill A Mockingbird. He's shown above during a rehearsal in May 2006, in Seattle. Elaine Thompson/AP hide caption

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Elaine Thompson/AP

Theater

One Director's Secrets To Success: Chaos, Confidence And 'Collective Genius'

Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher is known for adding surprising twists to classic American musicals and dramas. He says when reviving productions you have to ask: "Why are you doing it right now?"

One Director's Secrets To Success: Chaos, Confidence And 'Collective Genius'

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Tuesday

Jeremy O. Harris On 'Slave Play'

Jeremy O. Harris wasn't sure he even wanted Slave Play to be on Broadway. "It's literally just a plot of land in New York," he says. "And nobody wants to go to Time Square anyway." Tricia Baron hide caption

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Tricia Baron

It's Been a Minute

Jeremy O. Harris On 'Slave Play'

One of Broadway's hottest tickets last year was a play with no big-name actors by a 30-year-old black queer writer. Jeremy O. Harris talks to Sam about poking the bear that is Broadway, and whether he thinks he'll be embraced there long-term. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org.

Jeremy O. Harris On 'Slave Play'

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Tuesday

Moni Yakim Knows How To Move You

Moni Yakim teaches a movement class at Juilliard in May 2019. Claudio Papapietro hide caption

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Claudio Papapietro

Moni Yakim Knows How To Move You

The movement coach has taught at Juilliard for 50 years. Stars of stage and screen credit him with helping them create physically demanding roles by manipulating their bodies.

Moni Yakim Knows How To Move You

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Pop Culture

'Fresh Air' Favorites: Joan Rivers

Fresh Air

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. Rivers, who died in 2014, spoke to Terry Gross in 2010 about the sacrifices she made as a female comedian.

'Fresh Air' Favorites: Joan Rivers

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Friday

Theater

'Fresh Air' Favorites: 'Hamilton' Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda

Fresh Air

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. Terry Gross spoke to Miranda in 2017 about how his "mixed tape" musical came together.

'Fresh Air' Favorites: 'Hamilton' Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda

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Theater

'Fresh Air' Favorites: 'Book Of Mormon' Creators Trey Parker And Matt Stone

Fresh Air

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. In 2011, Terry Gross spoke to the creators of South Park about their Broadway hit.

'Fresh Air' Favorites: 'Book Of Mormon' Creators Trey Parker And Matt Stone

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Wednesday

Our 15 Favorite Things Of 2019

It was undeniably the year of Lizzo. Bill McCay/Getty Images for iHeartMedia hide caption

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Bill McCay/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 15 Favorite Things Of 2019

We loved a lot of things in 2019. And now, as the year comes to a close, it's time to give you just a taste of some of our favorite things of the year. We've got movies, music, television, and theater. (Support your local station at donate.npr.org/happy)

Our 15 Favorite Things Of 2019

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Sunday

Anna Karina, Acclaimed French New Wave Actress, Dies At 79

Anna Karina, the French New Wave actress who in the 1960s established herself as a fixture in films directed by Jean-Luc Godard, died on Saturday in Paris. She was 79. INA/INA via Getty Images hide caption

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INA/INA via Getty Images

Movies

Anna Karina, Acclaimed French New Wave Actress, Dies At 79

Danish-born Karina hitchhiked to Paris at the age of 17. Before long, she would establish herself as one of the most prominent actors in the French New Wave film scene of the 1960s.

Tuesday

An 'Ode' To Victims Of Gun Violence — From Alvin Ailey Dancers

Jamar Roberts, the first resident choreographer of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is the creator of Ode. Andrew Eccles/Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater hide caption

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Andrew Eccles/Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Dance

An 'Ode' To Victims Of Gun Violence — From Alvin Ailey Dancers

The dance company dedicated to African American culture premieres a new work tonight. Jamar Roberts, its first resident choreographer, says he was inspired by the deaths of Trayvon Martin and others.

An 'Ode' To Victims Of Gun Violence — From Alvin Ailey Dancers

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Sunday

'I Done Been Through Some Things': The Tina Turner Musical Is Now On Broadway

Adrienne Warren, center, stars in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Manuel Harlan/Courtesy of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical hide caption

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Manuel Harlan/Courtesy of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Theater

'I Done Been Through Some Things': The Tina Turner Musical Is Now On Broadway

Tina playwright Katori Hall and star Adrienne Warren have plenty to say about working with the star, depicting domestic violence and learning to sing in a new voice.

'I Done Been Through Some Things': The Tina Turner Musical Is Now On Broadway

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