Theater

John Cameron Mitchell will play Hedwig on Broadway until April 26.

Arts

For John Cameron Mitchell, Midlife Crisis Means Returning To 'Hedwig'

11:48am February 07, 2015

by NPR Staff

Hedwig and the Angry Inch's hero is once again being played by the man who created every punk and glam-rock inch of her. "I feel like I'm doing this to find out what's next in my life," Mitchell says.

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Football rules, uniforms, helmets and protective gear have changed a lot over the years.

Why Do We Love Football So Much? Theater Tackles Tough Questions

9:24am February 02, 2015

by April Dembosky

A play based on interviews with former NFL players, their families and fans digs deep: What's so fun about a sport that devastates bodies and brains? And what if it can't be made safer?

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Side Show tells the true story of conjoined twins who go from a freak show to vaudeville and try, unsuccessfully, to find love along the way. "We just did not get enough bodies and butts in seats that translate into word of mouth," says Side Show producer

Arts

How Broadway Is Losing Its 'Middle Ground'

11:03am January 22, 2015

by Jeff Lunden

Producer Darren Bagert says there's a boom-or-bust environment on Broadway — you're either a huge hit or you close quickly. Two of the fall's most highly anticipated musicals are closing this month.

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The British theater company 1927 performs its latest play, Golem, based on the character from ancient Jewish folklore. The troupe's trademark is vintage style combined with distinctive animation.

The Theater Company Is 1927; The Technology Is Cutting Edge

7:40pm January 05, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

The British troupe 1927 has used vintage style and distinctive animation to make a name for itself in London and beyond. Its latest play is Golem.

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The stage version of the Hollywood classic An American in Paris combines British, French and American artistic traditions and stars Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild in the roles made famous by Leslie Caron and Gene Kelly.

The French Go Crazy For 'An American In Paris'

3:49pm December 25, 2014

by Eleanor Beardsley

The first-ever stage production of the 1951 Hollywood film starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, with a Gershwin score, is getting rave reviews during its premiere in the city that inspired it.

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Stowell (right) says Sendak (left) needed some convincing before he signed on to design a new Nutcracker. Their version of the ballet debuted in 1983.

Books
Arts

In Seattle, Maurice Sendak's 'Wild' 'Nutcracker' Reaches Its Final Act

7:32pm December 23, 2014

by Florangela D'Avila

For more than 30 years, the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker has used sets and costumes designed by the author of Where the Wild Things Are. This year, the ballet is retiring the production.

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Quvenzhane Wallis (second from right) stars in an updated version of Annie, produced by Jay Z.

Arts

An Updated 'Annie' And The Tradition Of Nontraditional Casting

9:07pm December 17, 2014

by Bob Mondello

As an African-American Annie arrives on movie screens, critic Bob Mondello looks at other cross-cultural reinventions, from Pearl Bailey's Dolly to the Americanization of Carmen as Carmen Jones.

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Haunting Sounds At Night, Kids' Puppet Show Clock By Day

6:40pm December 13, 2014

by Corey Flintoff

A rooster crowing in the dead of night? A sinister ice-cream truck on the streets of Moscow? No, it's the musical automaton clock at the Puppet Theater in Russia.

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Glenn Close stars as Agnes in Edward Albee's play A Delicate Balance.

Arts

Glenn Close Ends 20-Year Broadway Hiatus With 'A Delicate Balance'

6:39pm December 11, 2014

by NPR Staff

Close stars as a suburban matron in a revival of Edward Albee's 1966 play. She tells NPR about the timelessness of Albee's play and getting a nosebleed in the middle of a recent matinee.

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The Café Edison serves what might be called Jewish soul food — blintzes, matzoh ball soup and kasha varnishkes.

Arts

Don't Let The Kasha Vanish: Diners Band Together To Save Café Edison

10:49am December 09, 2014

by Jeff Lunden

Also known as the Polish Tea Room, the Café Edison is a favorite of regular New Yorkers and Broadway stars and crew. Now, Jeff Lunden reports it's being threatened with eviction by its landlord.

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