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Performing Arts News, interviews, and commentary on theater, the arts, music, and dance.

Performing Arts

Tuesday

Dance

Misty Copeland Becomes First Black Principal Dancer At American Ballet Theatre

Misty Copeland has been promoted to top dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre in New York. She is the first African-American female principal dancer in the company's history.

Misty Copeland Becomes First Black Principal Dancer At American Ballet Theatre

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Saturday

Phoenix Students Restore School To Reclaim Native American Identity

Former band student Rosalee Talahongva in front of her old music building, which is being turned into a Native American cultural center. Christopher Livesay for NPR hide caption

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Christopher Livesay for NPR

National

Phoenix Students Restore School To Reclaim Native American Identity

A century-long government assimilation program boarded children from their tribes. Now some former students are turning their old school into a Native American cultural center to play their own music.

Phoenix Students Restore School To Reclaim Native American Identity

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Wednesday

Unearthed In A Library, 'Voodoo' Opera Rises Again

Harry Lawrence Freeman, the Harlem Renaissance composer of the opera Voodoo. H. Lawrence Freeman Papers, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University hide caption

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H. Lawrence Freeman Papers, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University

Deceptive Cadence

Unearthed In A Library, 'Voodoo' Opera Rises Again

The Harlem Renaissance opera Voodoo has not been performed since 1928. A Columbia University researcher rediscovered the score, and now the Harlem Opera Theater hosts two performances.

Unearthed In A Library, 'Voodoo' Opera Rises Again

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Thursday

Tuesday

Amazon's 'Catastrophe' Isn't One — Unlike Some TV Rom-Coms

Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney co-star in the new Amazon romantic comedy, Catastrophe. Ed Miller/Channel 4 hide caption

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Ed Miller/Channel 4

Analysis

Television

Amazon's 'Catastrophe' Isn't One — Unlike Some TV Rom-Coms

Amazon on Friday debuts a comedy about an American man and Irish woman united by an unexpected pregnancy. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says it's a wonderful, fresh vision of romance on TV.

Amazon's 'Catastrophe' Isn't One — Unlike Some TV Rom-Coms

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Friday

Obituaries

Ron Moody, Who Played Fagin In 'Oliver!' Dies At 91

Moody was defined by the role of Fagin in Oliver!. He played it on stage in London and New York and in the Oscar-winning film version of the Dickens story. Moody died Thursday at 91.

Ron Moody, Who Played Fagin In 'Oliver!' Dies At 91

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A Good But Not Great New Season For Netflix's 'Orange Is The New Black'

Taylor Schilling, left, with costar Laura Prepon on Netflix's Orange is the New Black. JOJO WHILDEN/Netflix PR hide caption

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JOJO WHILDEN/Netflix PR

Analysis

Television

A Good But Not Great New Season For Netflix's 'Orange Is The New Black'

Netflix debuts 14 new episodes of prison dramedy Orange Is the New Black. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says the show remains compelling, despite the loss of a powerful character from last season.

A Good But Not Great New Season For Netflix's 'Orange Is The New Black'

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Thursday

Monday

Sunday

First-Time Tony Award Nominees Enjoy New Fame, But Keep Day Jobs

Composer John Kander, 88, has received his 12th Tony nomination — this time for The Visit. "I really love the theater ..." he says. "This part, I hate; the idea that suddenly we're all put in a little sandbox where we're supposed to be very competitive with each other. And these are your friends!" Above, Chita Rivera and Michelle Veintimillia in The Visit. Thom Kaine/Courtesy of O+M Co. hide caption

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Thom Kaine/Courtesy of O+M Co.

Theater

First-Time Tony Award Nominees Enjoy New Fame, But Keep Day Jobs

This year, several writers are up for Tony awards for the first time. But while the experience may be a time to celebrate, they're sticking to their day jobs and already eyeing the next project.

First-Time Tony Award Nominees Enjoy New Fame, But Keep Day Jobs

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Sunday

Racial Diversity Grows On Network Television, But Will Quality Lag Behind?

Ken Jeong, right, stars in the new ABC series Dr. Ken. Jeong appears with, from left, Kate Simses, Tisha Campbell-Martin and Jonathan Slavin. Danny Feld/ABC hide caption

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Danny Feld/ABC

Analysis

Code Switch

Racial Diversity Grows On Network Television, But Will Quality Lag Behind?

Network TV's fall schedule has a lot of new shows with non-white stars and casts. But NPR television critic Eric Deggans wonders if those series will explore race and culture as well as current shows.

Thursday

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

David Letterman hosts his final Late Show episode on Wednesday. Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS hide caption

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Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS

Analysis

Television

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

Late Show host David Letterman said goodbye Wednesday night with his trademark self-deprecating sarcasm. He left as he had arrived: with a hilarious show made on his own terms.

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

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Wednesday

'My Fair Lady' Couldn't Actually Dance All Night, So These Songs Had To Go

Julie Andrews starred as flower girl Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway premiere of My Fair Lady. AP hide caption

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AP

Theater

'My Fair Lady' Couldn't Actually Dance All Night, So These Songs Had To Go

The musical has some of the best-known songs in Broadway history, but it originally had other tunes that almost no one knows. Some of those songs were recently performed for the first time in decades.

'My Fair Lady' Couldn't Actually Dance All Night, So These Songs Had To Go

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