Theater

The cast of the Beijing People's Art Theatre production of A Raisin in the Sun rehearse onstage this past August.

First Chinese-Language Production Of 'A Raisin In The Sun' Is Staged In Beijing

8:01pm September 03, 2020

by Emily Feng

Lorraine Hansberry's play is about a Black family's struggle against racism in 1950s Chicago. At the Beijing People's Art Theatre, director Ying Da is working to bring that story to Chinese audiences.

Queue Listen Now

The NPR Ed team analyzed more than 100 pages of data from old issues of Dramatics magazine.

The Most Popular High School Plays And Musicals

12:47pm July 30, 2020

by Elissa Nadworny

Mary Poppins is out and Matilda is in, according to the new high school theater rankings from the Educational Theatre Association. The organization has been publishing its list since 1938.

Queue Listen Now

Lin-Manuel Miranda and members of the hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme perform at the Greenwich House Theater.

'We Are Freestyle Love Supreme' Is An Accidental 'Hamilton' Cast Origin Story

10:12am July 18, 2020

A new documentary catalogs the rise of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Christopher Jackson and other members of the hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme in the mid-2000s before they became famous on Broadway.

Queue Listen Now

On Site Opera Offers Live Performances Over The Phone For Just 1 Person At A Time

4:03pm July 14, 2020

by Jeff Lunden

On Site Opera, a company that stages performances in unlikely places, has changed its format during the pandemic. Now it organizes live performances for an audience of just one — over the phone.

Queue Listen Now

The playwright V, formerly known as Eve Ensler, speaks at TEDWomen 2019.

Books

V: How Can An Authentic Apology Lead To Healing?

2:33pm July 10, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

The playwright V, formerly known as Eve Ensler, survived horrific sexual violence as a child. Years later, she decided to write what she needed to hear most: a true apology in the words of her abuser.

Queue Listen Now

Actors' Equity Approves 2 Live Theater Performances In Western Massachusetts

5:10pm July 07, 2020

by Jeff Lunden

Actors' Equity is allowing theaters in the Berkshires region of Massachusetts to put on performances this summer. The theaters plan two live shows with limited audiences and safety protocols in place.

Queue Listen Now

Nick Cordero attends the 68th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2014 in New York City.

Arts

'Never Known A Kinder Person': Actor Nick Cordero Dies Of COVID-19 At 41

4:15pm July 06, 2020

by Jeff Lunden

The Broadway actor was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Bullets Over Broadway. Cordero had been working on a production of Rock of Ages when he developed symptoms of pneumonia.

Queue Listen Now

London's Lyceum Theatre is wrapped in pink tape bearing the words "Missing Live Theatre," part of a campaign by a group of British stage designers.

Britain Announces A $2 Billion Rescue Package For The Arts

10:14am July 06, 2020

by Frank Langfitt

The package, announced Sunday, includes grants and loans that theaters, museums, live music venues and others can use to pay salaries and maintenance costs as they try to survive during the pandemic.

Leslie Odom Jr. originated the role of Aaron Burr on Broadway in Hamilton. Like the rest of the original cast, he's available to watch at home in the film, which arrives Friday on Disney+.

'Hamilton' Comes Home, Just In Time For The Fourth Of July

3:25pm June 30, 2020

by Linda Holmes

The very good movie version of Hamilton, filmed with the original cast at the height of the show's popularity, will perk up faithful cast album fans — and new viewers, too.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo return as Alexander and Eliza Hamilton, the roles they played in the original Broadway production of Hamilton. A film production of the show, taped in 2016, debuts on Disney+ on Friday.

Arts

'The Past Isn't Done With Us,' Says 'Hamilton' Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda

6:17pm June 29, 2020

by Terry Gross

A film of the original Broadway production of Hamilton, taped in 2016, begins streaming on Disney+ on Friday. Miranda, who stars in the title role, says the production is as timely as ever.

Queue Listen Now