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

Performing Arts

Wednesday

Hal Prince, Transformational Broadway Producer And Director, Has Died

Harold Prince poses with his Tony Award for best direction of a musical in 1980. He earned the honor for his work on Evita. Associated Press hide caption

toggle caption
Associated Press

Obituaries

Hal Prince, Transformational Broadway Producer And Director, Has Died

The winner of an unprecedented 21 Tony Awards, Prince left a major impact on American musical theater. Among his shows: Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof and The Phantom of the Opera. He was 91.

Hal Prince, Transformational Broadway Producer And Director, Has Died

Listen · 4:51
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574047835/747041576" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Friday

'Moulin Rouge!' Is An Extravagant, Triumphant Jukebox Musical

The new musical adaptation of Moulin Rouge! features 71 popular songs, which all had to be licensed and stitched together into the story. Matthew Murphy/Courtesy of Moulin Rouge! The Musical hide caption

toggle caption
Matthew Murphy/Courtesy of Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Theater

'Moulin Rouge!' Is An Extravagant, Triumphant Jukebox Musical

With 71 hit songs performed on a decadent nightclub set, the new stage adaptation, based on Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film, is not particularly profound. It is nonetheless a knockout night at the theater.

Tuesday

'Blind Injustice' Opera Sets Out To Open Eyes About Wrongful Conviction Rates

(Left to right) Joseph Lattanzi, Sankara Harouna, Terrence Chin-Loy and Miles Wilson-Toliverstar star in Blind Injustice, presented through the Cincinnati Opera. Philip Groshong/Courtesy of Cincinnati Opera hide caption

toggle caption
Philip Groshong/Courtesy of Cincinnati Opera

'Blind Injustice' Opera Sets Out To Open Eyes About Wrongful Conviction Rates

Based on former federal prosecutor Mark Godsey's book of the same title, the new opera Blind Injustice draws on detailed interviews with exonerees to put America's criminal justice system on trial.

'Blind Injustice' Opera Sets Out To Open Eyes About Wrongful Conviction Rates

Listen · 4:42
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/744405220/744575001" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunday

New Opera 'Blue' Takes On The Tragedy Of Police Brutality

Kenneth Kellogg, Briana Hunter and Aaron Crouch play The Father, The Mother and The Son in the world premiere of Blue at the 2019 Glimmerglass Festival. Karli Cadel/Courtesy of the festival hide caption

toggle caption
Karli Cadel/Courtesy of the festival

New Opera 'Blue' Takes On The Tragedy Of Police Brutality

The new opera by Tazewell Thompson and Jeanine Tesori tells the story of a couple in Harlem who are forced to confront their teenage son's sudden death by police violence.

New Opera 'Blue' Takes On The Tragedy Of Police Brutality

Listen · 4:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/743206920/743944693" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Wednesday

Sunday

The Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Fairview' Is About Being Watched While Black

In Fairview, a respectable African American family prepares for a big dinner. But we slowly learn there's something off about Keisha (MaYaa Boateng) and her relatives. Julieta Cervantes/Soho Rep hide caption

toggle caption
Julieta Cervantes/Soho Rep

Theater

The Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Fairview' Is About Being Watched While Black

It starts with a perfect black family in a model household, like a '70s sitcom. Then it gets weird. Playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury says she was inspired by an experience with police surveillance.

The Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Fairview' Is About Being Watched While Black

Listen · 6:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/739057321/741644718" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

'The Secret Life Of Bees' Takes On A 2nd Life As Musical Theater

LaChanze (left) and Elizabeth Teeter star in the Atlantic Theater Company's off-Broadway production of the musical adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees. Ahron R. Foster/Courtesy of The Secret Life of Bees hide caption

toggle caption
Ahron R. Foster/Courtesy of The Secret Life of Bees

Theater

'The Secret Life Of Bees' Takes On A 2nd Life As Musical Theater

Sue Monk Kidd's bestselling novel tells the story of a white girl taken in by a family of black beekeepers. The premise posed a welcome challenge for black Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage.

'The Secret Life Of Bees' Takes On A 2nd Life As Musical Theater

Listen · 5:26
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/741307427/741391269" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

'Pose' Choreographer Creates A Safe Space — On The Runway

Indya Moore walks the runway as Angel in the FX series Pose. Michael Parmelee/FX hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Parmelee/FX

Television

'Pose' Choreographer Creates A Safe Space — On The Runway

Twiggy Pucci Garçon got her start competing at drag balls — now, she's the runway routine choreographer for the FX show Pose, which celebrates ball culture in New York City in the '80s and '90s.

'Pose' Choreographer Creates A Safe Space — On The Runway

Listen · 7:50
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/740704882/740871416" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Theater

Yiddish 'Fiddler On The Roof' Is A 'Dream Come True' For Lead Actor

Fresh Air

A new Yiddish language production of the musical is currently running off-Broadway. Steven Skybell, who plays Tevye, and Joel Grey, who directs the show, explain why the play still resonates.

Yiddish 'Fiddler On The Roof' Is A 'Dream Come True' For Lead Actor

Listen · 43:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/739902587/740353630" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

Encore: Comedian Brian Regan Sees The Dinosaurs In Everyday Life

Brian Regan has been called "your favorite comedian's favorite comedian." He's also known as a "clean comic," which might explain why families make up a good portion of his audience.

Encore: Comedian Brian Regan Sees The Dinosaurs In Everyday Life

Listen · 6:47
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/739154467/739154468" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Kids' Author Mo Willems Has A New Creative Challenge (And So Should You)

Author Mo Willems supervises a rehearsal of the musical adaptation of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. As the very first Education Artist-in-Residence, "I can say at this point that I am the greatest ... " he laughs, "I'm certainly in the top five." Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Author Interviews

Kids' Author Mo Willems Has A New Creative Challenge (And So Should You)

The creator of the Pigeon series, Knuffle Bunny, and Elephant & Piggie is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center. He says if you want kids to draw, you should let them see you drawing.

Kids' Author Mo Willems Has A New Creative Challenge (And So Should You)

Listen · 7:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/735494332/737919190" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday