PRI: Arts and Entertainment

Teen Diaries and the Power of Being Your Own Storyteller

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Sixteen years ago, producer Joe Richman gave group of teenagers tape recorders and asked them to report on their own lives. Armed with recording equipment, they told their stories, and "Teenage Diaries" -- compelling radio that gave listeners an unexpected lens into the lives of ordinary teens -- was born.

Isabella Rossellini's new TV show about motherhood set to debut on Sundance Channel

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:31:07 +0000

Isabella Rossellini, the acclaimed actress and director, is out with her own new look at motherhood in a sometimes-disturbing series set to debut on the Sundance Channel.

Darcy James Argue's 'Brooklyn Babylon' almost never was

Fri, 10 May 2013 21:33:06 +0000

Brooklyn Babylon is one of the most anticipated compilations of jazz music this year â€” but with roots as a score for a multimedia epic, composer Darcy James Argue spent a long while debating with himself on whether he should even release it to the public separate from the multimedia.

American actor vies to play role of Napoleon on 200th anniversary of Waterloo

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:10:44 +0000

Mark Schneider is a big deal among the war re-enactor set. He's often tapped to play the role of Napoleon, and he's in the running to play Napoleon in the biggest re-enactment in years: the 200th anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo.

Appropriating images for art: When is it OK?

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Last year the artist Richard Prince was sued by Patrick Cariou, a photographer, for copyright infringement. Prince had used dozens of Cariou’s pictures — arty portraits of Rastafarians in Jamaica — in his paintings. This practice of appropriation, incorporating other people's work into new artworks, is well established in the art world, and Prince has based a successful career on it. But a federal judge ruled for Cariou last year, and if Prince loses his appeal, a swath of contemporary art making will become illegal.

Handwriting a much debated window into people's inner thoughts -- maybe

Fri, 03 May 2013 05:00:34 +0000

Handwriting can say a lot about a person. At least that's what the French think. Others say its overblown. But according to Philip Hensher in a new book, we all seem to agree that handwriting is something that's highly personal. And something we rarely do any more.

The Neuroscience of Jazz

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Charles Limb is a professor of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Medicine who has a sideline in brain research; he’s also on the faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He wants to know what happens in our brains when we play piano. Simple: stick a musician in an fMRI machine, and see what happens.

Irish actress plays singular role in Broadway's Testament of Mary

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:34:34 +0000

The Testament of Mary is all about Mary. In fact, it has no other characters. Fiona Shaw plays the singular role in the new Broadway show, out this week. In it, she struggles with whether she did a good job of raising Jesus Christ.

Borgia's Jeremy Irons has perfected role of being bad

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In movies and TV shows, you need a bad guy. Often, when directors and producers are looking for a bad guy, they look to Jeremy Irons, who's filled the bill in movies from Reversal of Fortune to the Lion King. His most recent endeavor, Showtime's The Borgias, returns on Sunday.

Thatcher's legacy includes activists songwriters who challenged her tenure

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:53:52 +0000

Margaret Thatcher was controversial in her life. As the world contemplated her legacy, a number of musicians who composed songs opposing Thatcher's time as British prime minister recalled how they felt and the songs they wrote while she was in office.

Legendary Indian classical musicians bring songs to United States

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Shivkumar Sharma and Zakir Hussain are widely known for their distinctive, Indian music. It's an example of the type of music that's also a uniting force for the country's Hindus and Muslims. The two musicians have brought their music to the United States.

Tom Hanks says he aspires to appear in a completely silent movie

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 03:07:15 +0000

Tom Hanks, the movie actor known for his leading roles in Big, Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan, is staring on Broadway right now, in Lucky Guy, about a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. But Hanks, who has played roles that don't have to say much to make a big impact, isn't done yet.

For Mexico's Maya people, baseball, or bax'abola, a way of life

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:15:36 +0000

Mexico's Maya people have a culture that is distinct, and all their own. So while the rest of Mexico goes nuts about soccer, the Mayans are more baseball people. And that love for baseball continues, even when those people move to new places, like the U.S.

Walking with Benjamin Britten

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:53:39 +0000

“After lunch, every afternoon, Benjamin Britten would go out walking,” notes Chris Watson, a professional sound recordist. “During that walk, which was maybe an hour, maybe 90 minutes, he would consider and edit in his mind his morning's work on his compositions.” Watson, who has collaborated with legendary nature filmmaker David Attenborough, retraced many of Britten’s routes with his recording equipment to make “In Britten’s Footsteps,” a sound portrait of composer’s world.

Aha Moment: Winslow Homer

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Steve Mumford traveled to Iraq several times to chronicle the war as a painter and illustrator. He was riding in a tank during a mission in Baquba when “the vehicle I was in was hit with two rocket-propelled grenades ... Things like that would sometimes happen and they were not, as it turned out, really useful — you couldn’t possibly hold a pen or a pencil straight during that kind of thing.” Mumford traces his desire to chronicle military life to the paintings Winslow Homer made during the Civil War.

Al Jazeera expansion to U.S. met with both skepticism and support for diverse perspectives

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:05:09 +0000

Al Jazeera is expanding its international reach with the creation of Al Jazeera America. Media scholar Traci Griffith says, despite criticism of Al Jazeera's coverage of the United States, its entrance into the market is good for media literacy and diversity.

Edie Falco, TV star, finds her place on screen playing strong, troubled women

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:43:10 +0000

Edie Falco worked for years on your typical network TV shows. But when she moved to the premium channels for roles on Oz and The Sopranos, her career really took off. Now appearing on stage and on screen, she often finds herself playing the role of a woman who is deeply troubled.

New play about Isaac Newton tells story of time he supposedly put a needle in his eye

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Lucas Hnath's play about Isaac Newton takes a fresh approach to sorting fact from fiction. While telling the tale of the time Isaac Newton supposedly put a needle into the back of his eye, a narrator helps the audience separate sort out what's real by writing actual facts on a chalkboard.

Book 'Ghana Must Go' explores the lives of Afropolitans

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:10:34 +0000

Drawing from her own family's experiences, author Tayi Selasi's first novel follows a family's journey of leaving its former home and life behind for a new land. Though her novel is a story of immigration, the stories are primarily focused on the emotional lives of these characters.

Provocative artist Charles Krafft goes public as Holocaust denier; Widely praised author Stephane Hessel dies -- with one book still to publish

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

1) Charles Krafft has generated a wide following for his provocative art. But until recently, he wasn't especially controversial. But a reporter recently uncovered, and confirmed, that Krafft doesn't believe in the Holocaust. 2) Stephane Hessel inspired the Occupy Wall Street movement with his writing, and powered protest movements around the globe. But as those movements seemingly sputter out, Hessel had one more book of advice, specifically for protesters in Spain. It's set to be released now, shortly after his death.

Musicologist collects Saharan music with cellphones; Immigrant author discusses winding road from Caribbean to pages of The New Yorker

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:27:07 +0000

1) Traveling from the U.S. west coast to West Africa, a Portland-based musicologist set out to record traditional guitar music. But once he arrived, he discovered a specific cell phone technology had become a major component of the Saharan music culture. 2) Jamaica Kincaid's story is the story of a thousand immigrants. Sure, the details are almost certainly unique to her - becoming a successful author almost instantly isn't exactly common. But she turned difficult circumstances into a new life in America, with her own distinct style.

Spanish priest commissions graffiti work to brighten up his church; When Kickstarter campaigns succeeds but promises aren't kept, there's little recourse

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:00:00 +0000

1) Father Ramon Borr decided his Spanish church wasn't quite as lively as he wanted. So he found a couple of graffiti artists and told them to liven things up. 2) Millions of dollars have been generated for creative projects through Kickstarter. But not all projects that meet their fundraising goals are successfully brought to completion. And that can sometimes lead to headaches, hurt feelings, or worse.

NFL faces class action lawsuit from thousands of former players; Did Argo whitewash an American Hero?

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

1) Thousands of former professional football players and their wives have filed a class action lawsuit against the National Football League. Now, the NFL is faced with ameliorating the problem, as well as, perhaps, a legal battle that the organization could lose. 2) Argo has been one of last year’s most celebrated films. Ben Affleck directed the movie and stars as the CIA operative who masterminded the escape of six US embassy employees from Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis. That man’s name is Tony Mendez, and Latinos in and out of Hollywood have questioned whether Affleck, a dyed-in-the-wool WASP, should have played Mendez, who is Mexican-American on his father’s side.

Hungarian surf rock band breaks new ground in nation's music scene; Warm Bodies, Bullet to the Head out in theaters this weekend

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:33:48 +0000

1) Hungary's not a country you associate with coast lines. And for good reason. It's land-locked. But a new surf rock band is bringing a new type of sound to the country's culture -- and it's decidedly less dreary than usual. 2) Fans of action or zombie movies will have new releases to choose from at this weekend's movie theater box office. But before you make the trip, the Movie Date podcast co-hosts give their thoughts on two of the three new releases.

Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel gets superhero upgrade; Spanish-turned American Flamenco artist releases album inspired by colors of spring

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:51:08 +0000

1) The release of an action-packed version of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel is one of a string of Hollywood's retellings of internationally loved stories. A folklore scholar explains why the Brothers' collection is still popular today. 2) Lara Bello's new Flamenco album is inspired by an American. But its roots, and its title, are absolutely Spanish. Bello grew up in Granada, surrounded by Flamenco culture. And her new album reflects that culture.

Bolshoi Ballet director could lose eyesight after acid attack; Mom's concussion leads writer to research in neuroscience

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:30:00 +0000

1) The art director for the Bolshoi Ballet is being treated by doctors in Moscow after an acid attack outside of his Moscow apartment Thursday night. Some believe the attack is linked to his professional work with the theater, which hasn't been welcomed with open arms. 2) When Meehan Crist was younger, her mother had a concussion. It changed her mother's life, so much so that sometimes she'd walk into a room and not remember where she was. When Crist found out what happened, it sent her on a journey of trying to understand more about the brain.

Zero Dark Thirty 'remarkably accurate' yet still controversial; Paris music festival shows off multi-national music trio

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

1) Zero Dark Thirty, the critically acclaimed film that looks at the events leading up to the death of Osama bin Laden. The film, though, has not been without controversy, particularly on Capitol Hill, where several senators have been outspoken critics. 2) The World Kora Trio took Paris's Africolor music festival by storm recently. The musical group is comprised of a Frenchman, an American and a Malian, together performing modern, funky music with traditional instruments.

Small theaters struggle to go digital and resolution results

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:58:40 +0000

The motion picture industry is saying goodbye to film and hello to digital. That's meant all new projectors and often new sound systems too for movie theaters. For some, small theaters, where profits are few and far between, that expense has been a lot to bear. Also, two years ago, on a long car trip, Michael and Elizabeth Singer decided to make resolutions for each other. The funny thing is that it worked. So last year, they decided to do it again.

The Shout Out Louds Record New Single on Ice Record; Lois Lowry confirms Jeff Bridges to film The Giver

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:51:00 +0000

1) Swedish indie rockers Shout Out Louds have released their new single “Blue Ice” with a clever marketing stunt. To help promote the song, the band reached out to a Stockholm ad agency which riffed off the title, “Blue Ice,” and the song’s theme of fading love to make ten press kits for select media and fans. The press kits consist of silicon mold and a bottle of distilled water, complete with instructions for how to create a working record… out of ice. 2) Jeff Bridges has been interested in making a film of The Giver since the 1990s, when Lois Lowry’s dark science fiction novel for young adults was a bestseller. The story has yet to shoot. But yesterday in an interview with Kurt Andersen, Lowry confirmed that the film has a green light.

Mind Games: Designing with EEG; Iraq in Retrospect: Kevin Powers’ Novel ‘The Yellow Birds’

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:33:00 +0000

1) EEG — electroencephalography — is almost a century old, and it’s creeping out of the research lab and the neurologist’s office. Headsets embedded with electrodes to read electrical activity in the brain are commercially available, and designers are using that information for all sorts of purposes. 2) Iraq in Retrospect: The slim work of fiction, “The Yellow Birds” by author Kevin Powers is showing up on lots of "Best of 2012" book lists. Like the narrator of his story, Powers was a soldier in Iraq. He served in the US Army in 2004 and 2005, in Tal Afar, and in Mosul where he worked with bomb disposal squads and as a machine gunner.

Charlie Brown soundtrack preserved by Library of Congress; CERN Physicists produce physics horror flick

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:11:21 +0000

1) Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack differentiates itself in noisy Christmas season: The soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas certainly isn't new, but it does stand out. Christmas music is filled with jingle bells and snowmen, but not so with Vince Guaraldi's work. His soundtrack has been recognized and preserved in the National Recording Registry from the Library of Congress. 2) Physicists produce physics horror flick 'Decay' in an effort to increase understanding: It's easy to get overwhelmed when someone talks about the Higgs boson, the large hadron collider or almost anything else at the center of modern physics. But on a very basic level, people are often extremely interested. So student scientists at the CERN laboratory turned physics into an easy-enough-to-understand horror film.

Teen innovator from Sierra Leone wows MIT; New movie explores Franklin Roosevelt's personal life

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:19:00 +0000

1) How do you get from a culture that depends on aid to a culture that promotes innovation? The story of Kelvin Doe, a 16-year-old from the West African nation of Sierra Leone, offers hope. 2) Franklin Delano Roosevelt is often remembered as the American President who stopped Adolf Hitler's march across Europe. In a new movie, Hyde Park on Hudson, film writer Richard Nelson tells the story of a pivotal weekend in Roosevelt's presidency -- and presents the man in a new light.

Hip-hop artist sings out against homophobia, plus Not your typical Turkish TV show

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:26:26 +0000

1) Hip-hop artist makes waves with song attacking homophobia: Macklemore is a hip-hop artist made famous for challenging the norms. His biggest hit right now is about the second-hand shops where he buys clothes. But he's also become famous for another song he released recently, Same Love, which promotes acceptance of same-sex marriage. 2) Turkish TV show Behzat C draws ire of censors, adoration of public: Behzat C is one of the most popular shows on Turkish TV, with the public at least. Among government censors, however, it's a popular target. It's not your typical Turkish TV show.

Bond Movie Skyfall's Deserted Island is Real; Imaginary Friends Forever

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:42:48 +0000

1) Bond Movie Skyfall's Deserted Island is a Real Place - in Japan: If you've seen Skyfall, you've probably been struck by the lair that the movie's villain has. It turns out, those deserted buildings and run down landscape are real. 2) Imaginary Friends Forever: Lots of kids have imaginary friends. Marjorie Taylor, a pscychology professor at the University of Oregon, has been looking at imaginary friends and the children who have them.

For the Love of Lincoln, plus Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:04:00 +0000

1) For the Love of Lincoln: With the new Steven Spielberg biopic "Lincoln," lots of new Lincoln books, and the 150th anniversary of the civil war, it seems the 16th president is hotter than ever. 2) Faking It: Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor: Jerry Uelsmann is a giant of surreal photomontage, and he still works in that labor-intensive, non-photoshopped way.

Titanic's Morse Code Messages Brought to Life by Audio Artist

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:20:16 +0000

The only surviving real-time record of the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago are the transcriptions of Morse Code messages sent to and from the ship via Marconi Wireless–the most advanced long-distance communication of its time. On the 100th anniversary year of the disaster, an audio artist has used voice synthesis software to bring those messages to life.

Author's new book examines recent musician's interpretations of Bach

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Johann S. Bach composed his music some three centuries ago, but even today it takes on new life in unexpected places. In a new book, author Paul Elie looks at the musicians who are taking Bach and casting it in a new light.

Expert says Rotterdam art heist likely an inside job, linked to drug trade

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:53:55 +0000

Tens of millions of dollars worth of art was recently stolen from a Rotterdam art museum and now signs are emerging that the entire thing may have been connected to illegal drugs. But a security expert says it also likely was done by someone with inside knowledge.

NFL Football in the UK. Do the Brits care?

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:39:38 +0000

Everyone knows the UK loves their Football. But what about our Football: The American Version? The NFL returns to London this weekend for it's annual showcase game, and we want to find out if there's any real desire for the American version of the game in England.

Buying art from Costco and the best high school movies

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:50:12 +0000

On this week's download: 1) Want a Warhol for your wall? Go to Costco and 2) What are the best high school movies?

Steampunk defined, plus Phil Lynott's mom

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:31:07 +0000

1) What exactly is steampunk? We’ll meet some musicians who are making the dusty Victorian era new all over again. 2) The mother of deceased lead singer from Thin Lizzy discusses musician's early life.

A Euro Crisis Thriller and Andrew McCarthy

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:49:26 +0000

1) What if Germany did decide to abandon the euro and go back to the Deutsche Mark? A former financial journalist in Berlin has written a thriller based on that scenario. Spoiler alert here: it doesn’t end well. 2) Andrew McCarthy's career has been broad. He's had highs and lows, and his new book documents that journey.

In new memoir, Salman Rushdie tells tale of life as hunted man

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:47:13 +0000

Salman Rushdie knows what it's like to be a wanted man. After he published his novel The Satanic Verses, the leader of Iran issued a call for his death. Rushdie went into hiding, with armed guards protecting him at all times. He's telling that story now in his new book, Joseph Anton: A Memoir.

Famed composer Philip Glass

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:50:16 +0000

Philip Glass could have been on the downhill portion of his career when he became famous. The man who created a four-and-a-half hour opera that many people couldn't follow broke out in a big way and has become one of the most influential composers in the United States.

The legacy of David Foster Wallace

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

New Yorker staff writer D.T. Max has written the first major biography of author David Foster Wallace. He talks about the work and life of Wallace on Studio 360.

Inside the cruel world of underage models

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

A new documentary called "Girl Model" looks at the world of underage modeling through the eyes of a 13-year-old Russian girl named Nadya. From The Takeaway.

Wheelchair ballet performer Sue Austin

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Artist Sue Austin amazed spectators at the Paralympics with her underwater wheelchair ballet performance. From PRI's The World.

The Heavy live in studio

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The Heavy's new album is called "The Glorious Dead," and they're currently touring North America. They talk about their sound and perform live on Studio 360.

New science fiction by China Mieville

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

China Mieville discusses his novel "Embassytown," which features aliens that speak a strange language in a strange way -- with two voices simultaneously. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

How the Minstrel Show influenced modern hip-hop and comedy

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Authors Yuval Taylor and Jake Austen document how today's black music and entertainment is influenced bythe Minstrel shows of late 19th and early 20th centuries. From The Takeaway.

Alex Anwandter: musician and closeted activist

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

How Chilean pop musician Alex Anwandter found himself linked to a brutal hate crime and became an outspoken critic of his country's homophobia. From PRI's The World.

How campaign soundtracks rock the vote

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" is high on Barack Obama's campaign playlist; for Mitt Romney, it's Kid Rock's "Born Free" -- what these songs say about the candidates. From Studio 360.

'My American Unhappiness'

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Dean Bakopoulos' novel is a mordantly funny satire about the psychological state of the nation. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Everything is a remix: creativity is stealing

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Kirby Ferguson, a filmmaker and creator of the four-part video series, "Everything is a Remix," says we have to accept the ugly truth that creativity is stealing. From The Takeaway.

Marjane Satrapi on her new film

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Satrapi combined live action, animation, and even puppets to construct a magic-realist 1950s Iran in "Chicken with Plums." From Studio 360.

Invented languages from Hollywood to Bollywood

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

There's a long tradition of languages invented for fiction, from Elvish to Klingon. Now there's Dothraki, created for HBO's Game of Thrones. From PRI's The world.

Remembering Julia Child and the 'Joy of Cooking'

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Judith Jones, legendary editor at Knopf, talks about discovering French cooking and her long friendship and partnership with Julia Child. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Jennifer Egan's polyphonic narrative

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Egan talks about her novel "A Visit from the Goon Squad," which received the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2011 Pulitzer Prize. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Bluegrass with a Mongolian Twist

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Tom Pang is a Mongolian musician who is bringing new sounds to Shanghai by playing the mandolin with American bluegrass players. From PRI's The World.

Woody Harrelson on his new Off-Broadway show

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

With

The earth slows in new novel, 'The Age of Miracles'

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

In her debut novel, "The Age of Miracles," Karen Thompson Walker explores childhood and natural disasters. From Studio 360.

Caravan Palace: Electro-Swing from France

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

French band Caravan Palace blends Gypsy jazz and swing with a mix of electronics and live instruments. Their new album is called "Panic." From PRI's The World.

Interview with director of Ai Weiwei documentary

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Alison Klayman talks about her new documentary, "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry," and the man at the center of it. From The Takeaway.

Author Don Lee addresses the young Asian American experience

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The perceptions, stereotypes and realities of three Asian-Americans play out in Don Lee's new novel, "The Collective." From Here and Now.

Great music you never need to hear again

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Music critic Tim Page talks about his list of great music -- like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band," "Take Five" and "La Boheme" -- that he never wants to hear again. From Studio 360.

Interview with Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Natasha Trethewey is the first African American to hold the title of Poet Laureate since Rita Dove in 1993. In this interview she talks about her poetry and why she writes. From The Takeaway.

Aboriginal art brings in $40 million annually to Australia's indigenous communities

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Paintings by aboriginal artists in Australia can fetch up to $20,000, and are providing indigenous communities with a source of much-needed income. From PRI's The World.

Dirty Projectors live in-studio

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Dave Longstreth, the Dirty Projectors' lead guitarist and songwriter, talks about his music inspirations and the band's new album, "Swing Lo Magellan." From Studio 360.

Interview with 'Savages' author

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Author Don Winslow says he wrote his 2010 bestseller "Savages" in a pretty snarky mood. The book was critically acclaimed and is now a film. From Here and Now.

A new 'Streetcar' on Broadway

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

It isn't easy to put a fresh spin on "A Streetcar Named Desire," but a new production on Broadway aims to shake things up, putting black and Latino actors in the lead roles. From Studio 360.

'Mission to Lars'

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The new documentary "Mission to Lars" follows Tom Spicer, an autistic 40-year-old man, on his journey to meet his music idol, Metallica's Lars Ulrich. From PRI's The World.

Live in-studio: Bahamas

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The music of singer-songwriter Afie Jurvanen, who records as Bahamas, is a lush mix of guitar, voice, and drums. From Studio 360.

Artist pays homage to L.A.'s unseen workers

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Ramiro Gomez is leaving life size cardboard cut-outs of gardeners, nannies and housekeepers are popping up on streets and parks all over Beverly Hills, California. From Here and Now.

Interview with 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' director

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The new movie "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is a Louisiana fairy tale with a six-year-old hero, Hushpuppy, who lives with her father in an isolated bayou netherworld. From Studio 360.

Korean Jazz Pianist Hey Rim Jeon

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Hey Rim Jeon is a classically trained pianist, but after hearing a recording of Oscar Peterson, she got hooked on jazz. From PRI's The World.

'Letters to J.D. Salinger'

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Editor Chris Kubica talks about his project, "Letters to J.D. Salinger." Kubica asked dozens of authors to sound off to Salinger by writing him letters -- even if Salinger will never read them. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Interview with Late Night's Jimmy Fallon

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Jimmy Fallon talks about how he gets huge musical acts to join in on his spoofs and his second comedy album, "Blow Your Pants Off." From The Takeaway.

Interview with 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' Director

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

How Timur Bekmambetov approached the making of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," the new movie which re-imagines the American Civil War with blood-sucking undead. From Studio 360.

Thelonious Monk and the Heiress

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

A new book tells the story of jazz genius Thelonious Monk and a colorful patron of jazz in the 20th Century: the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswater. From PRI's The World.

Girl in a Coma

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The San Antonio band Girl in a Coma formed over a junior high obsession over the tortured music of Morrissey. The band just won an Independent Music Award. From Studio 360.

Playing Judy Garland

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Actress Tracie Bennett has gotten rave reviews and a Tony Nomination for her portrayal of Judy Garland in her waning hours, in "End of the Rainbow." From Here and Now.

Exploring magic in America

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Author Christine Wicker interviewed people who believe themselves to be magical creatures -- like elves, and vampires and witches -- and wrote about them in her new book. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Mad Men Style

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Hand it to "Mad Men": on its own, it has reshaped the way we think about the 1960s. Much of that is the work of costume designer Janie Bryant, whose outfits and shifts in style signal the tensions of 1960s America. From Studio 360.

Anoushka Shankar's Indian-Splanish fusion album

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

On Anoushka Shankar's latest album called "Traveller," the sitarist fuses Spanish flamenco with Indian classical style. From PRI's The World.

How to talk about 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Everybody's reading it, but a book this risqué makes for some awkward conversations. What if your mom is reading "Fifty Shades of Grey?" Rebecca Lee Douglas went there. From Studio 360.

Alabama Shakes on touring with Jack White

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The band members of the Alabama Shakes talk about life before, and after, Jack White, and their purposely unpolished sound. From Here and Now.

Tony-Nominated 'Clybourne Park'

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Bruce Norris explains how he came to write "Clybourne Park," his play about race, class, and gentrification, which has racked up a number of Tony nomiations. From Studio 360.

Faroe Islands' Teitur

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Singer, songwriter Teitur talks about his new album, "Let the Dog Drive Home" -- a collection of songs that he says is about just letting go. From PRI's The World.

Author Oscar Hijuelos on losing and finding language

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Oscar Hijuelos, the first Latino to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature for "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love," talks about his new memoir. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.

Innovative fiction: Helen DeWitt

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Helen DeWitt talks about her novel, "Lightning Rods," which focuses on a bizarre solution to sexual harrassment in the workplace. From To the Best of Our Knowledge.