Performing Arts

The Cosby Show starred Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad as Cliff and Clair Huxtable, an upper-middle-class couple in New York. Tempestt Bledsoe, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Lisa Bonet and Keshia Knight Pulliam played four of their five children.

Arts

Examining Bill Cosby's Legacy As 'The Cosby Show' Turns 30

6:59pm September 19, 2014

by Eric Deggans

On the anniversary of the iconic series, NPR's Eric Deggans talks with the author of a new Bill Cosby biography about how the show and the comedian have shaped perceptions of black families.

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Daily Show correspondent Michael Che will become the first black co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.

Arts

Why Michael Che's New Role Could Change More Than 'SNL'

1:27pm September 13, 2014

by Eric Deggans

The Daily Show correspondent will become the first black co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says his hire could help diversify comedy well beyond NBC.

Arts

Deborah Rutter Becomes Kennedy Center's First Female President

7:55am September 01, 2014

by Susan Stamberg

On Monday, Deborah Rutter begins her job as president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. She says it never occurred to her that she would be the first woman in the job.

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Arts

From Walter White To LBJ, Bryan Cranston Is A Master Of Transformation

1:45pm August 26, 2014

While fans were watching him portray Walt in Breaking Bad's final episodes, Cranston was already reinventing himself — playing Lyndon B. Johnson in the play All the Way. Originally broadcast March 27.

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Arts

Hollywood, Broadway Icon Lauren Bacall Dies At 89

8:02am August 14, 2014

by Mandalit del Barco

Award-winning actress Lauren Bacall was Humphrey Bogart's partner on and off the screen. She was nominated for an Academy Award, won two Tony Awards and received an honorary Oscar in 2009.

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Arts

Why Are Theater Tickets Cheaper On The West End Than On Broadway?

7:07pm July 30, 2014

by Ari Shapiro

In London, a matinee ticket for Matilda costs about $60; in New York, it's $137. What's going on? The West End has weaker unions and subsidized theater, while Broadway has amenities.

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Dutch actors perform during a dress rehearsal of the show HUIS at the 68th Avignon Theater Festival in France. The festival has been international since 1966 and today French performances make up only 20 percent of all acts.

This Year, Avignon Festival Is A Stage For Both Plays And Protest

9:12am July 22, 2014

by Eleanor Beardsley

The French theater event has long been a pillar of the performing arts world. But talk of changes to festival workers' off-season benefits has cast a shadow over this year's celebration.

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Between Eli and Zarina (Greg Keller and Nadine Malouf), a family's Muslim faith undergoes rupture and renewal.

Arts

In Stories Of Muslim Identity, Playwright Explores Fault Lines Of Faith

12:18pm July 11, 2014

by Bilal Qureshi

Ayad Akhtar plumbs his past to grapple with what it means to be Muslim in America. While some accuse him of airing dirty laundry, Akhtar uses such questions not just for rupture but also for renewal.

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Allan Jones plays debonair leading man Gaylord Ravenal and Irene Dunne is the enchanting Magnolia in the 1936 film version of Show Boat, which has just been released on DVD.

Arts

1936 'Show Boat': A Multiracial, Musical Melodrama, Now Out On DVD

9:32am June 06, 2014

by Lloyd Schwartz

With an unforgettable story and score, the 1927 musical tackled complex racial issues. Music critic Lloyd Schwartz says the 1936 film version of Show Boat is the best — and it's now out on DVD.

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Books
Arts

In Leap From Page To Stage, UK's Take On 'Catch-22' Gets It Right

7:58pm June 05, 2014

by Ari Shapiro

Catch-22 is widely considered a great novel; until now, it has been a disaster as a play. A new production of his play seems to have broken the curse: It's touring the UK and receiving strong reviews.

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