Theater

Arts

John Slattery Gushes About His Role In Revived Broadway Classic 'Front Page'

7:57am October 15, 2016

John Slattery, best known for his role in Mad Men, plays Hildy Johnson in the new Broadway production of The Front Page. He tells NPR's Scott Simon "it's a fantastic part in a fantastic play."

Battlefield stars actors Sean O'Callaghan, Jared McNeill (as Yudishtira), Ery Nzaramba and Carole Karemera.

Arts

A Guilt-Ridden Winner Takes Center Stage In Peter Brook's 'Battlefield'

8:29am October 08, 2016

by Jeff Lunden

The theater director's latest production was inspired by the civil war in Syria. It tells the story of Yudishtira, a prince who is overwhelmed by guilt after he wins a bloody war.

Arts

'The Encounter' Brings The Sound Of The Amazon To Broadway

4:37pm October 05, 2016

by Jeff Lunden

In 1969, an explorer and photographer named Loren McIntyre was dropped into the Amazon rainforest to try and make contact with a tribe called the Mayoruna. Now his story is headed to Broadway. The show uses binaural audio to play sounds of the rainforest in 3-D.

Theater Artist Anne Basting Named MacArthur Fellow

4:33pm September 22, 2016

NPR's Kelly McEvers interviews Anne Basting, a theater artist and educator at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, about being awarded the MacArthur fellowship this year. She describes her work with people with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's and dementia, using improv theater and storytelling techniques to improve their lives.

Arts

Fresh Air Remembers Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Edward Albee

1:58pm September 20, 2016

Albee made his debut as a Broadway playwright in 1962 with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, which went on to win a Tony Award. He died Friday at the age of 88. Originally broadcast in 1984.

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Missouri Theater Embraces Ferguson Echoes In 'Antigone' Production

8:57am September 17, 2016

by Willis Ryder Arnold

Some TV stars will perform Sophocles' Antigone on stage in Ferguson, Mo., tonight. The ancient Greek drama is expected to resonate with its theme of an individual's struggle against the state.

Albee, shown here in 1995, won Pulitzer Prizes for A Delicate Balance, Seascape and Three Tall Women and Tony awards for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Arts

Playwright Edward Albee, Who Changed And Challenged Audiences, Dies At 88

8:38pm September 16, 2016

by Jeff Lunden

"All art should be useful," Albee said. "If it's merely decorative, it's a waste of time." The Pulitzer-winning playwright of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? died Friday following a short illness.

Kristin Chenoweth performs at the 2014 Winter Television Critics Association tour dinner on Jan. 21, 2014, in Pasadena, Calif.

Arts

Actress And Broadway Star Kristin Chenoweth Plays Not My Job

11:43am September 10, 2016

We've invited Chenoweth, who is 4 feet 11 inches, to answer three questions about 6-foot-1 model and actress Brigitte Nielsen.

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Arts

'Come From Away' Musical Tells Story Of Resilience After 9/11

6:51pm September 08, 2016

by Wade Goodwyn

As the extent of the 9/11 attacks became known, 38 planes were rerouted to Gander, Newfoundland. More than 6,000 passengers and crew were taken in by families there. Their story is the subject of a new musical called, Come From Away, which runs at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., in September and October before heading to Broadway.

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Glen Miller Hit, 'Chattanooga Choo Choo,' Marks Its 75th Anniversary

8:41am August 20, 2016

On 8/21/41, the movie "Sun Valley Serenade" had its world premiere and featured the song, "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Playwright Murray Horwitz tells NPR's Scott Simon why the song became a monster hit.