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Performing Arts

2023 marks a watershed year for Asian performers at the Oscars

Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh appear onstage during the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, Calif. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Movies

2023 marks a watershed year for Asian performers at the Oscars

With four nominations, more Asian performers were recognized by the Academy in 2023 than in any single year in its history. In other respects, this year was a step back from diversity at the Oscars.

2023 marks a watershed year for Asian performers at the Oscars

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From elected official to 'Sweatshop Overlord,' this performer takes on unlikely roles

Los Angeles artist Kristina Wong in Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, a co-production with East West Players. Javier Vasquez hide caption

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Javier Vasquez

Theater

From elected official to 'Sweatshop Overlord,' this performer takes on unlikely roles

Kristina Wong is a Los Angeles-based satirical artist with a history of taking on surprising leadership positions in real life and on stage. Her latest solo show is Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.

From elected official to 'Sweatshop Overlord,' this performer takes on unlikely roles

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Adults complained about a teen theater production and the show's creators stepped in
Shawn Waldron/Getty Images

Culture

Adults complained about a teen theater production and the show's creators stepped in

High school theater teachers fear their stages will be the next battleground in the culture war. Plays have been canceled or removed when local officials claim the content is inappropriate.

Adults complained about a teen theater production and the show's creators stepped in

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Sheryl Lee Ralph explains why she almost left showbiz — and what kept her going

Sheryl Lee Ralph performs "Lift Every Voice and Sing" ahead of Super Bowl LVII. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

Sheryl Lee Ralph explains why she almost left showbiz — and what kept her going

Sheryl Lee Ralph opens up about how she rediscovered her ability later in life, playing Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary, and how she thinks about her success later in her life.

Sheryl Lee Ralph explains why she almost left showbiz — and what kept her going

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At 3 she snuck in to play piano, at nearly 80, she's a Colombian classical legend

Colombian pianist Teresita Gómez is a legendary figure in that country's classical music scene. Akiro Palacio/The Cartagena Music Festival hide caption

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Akiro Palacio/The Cartagena Music Festival

At 3 she snuck in to play piano, at nearly 80, she's a Colombian classical legend

Teresita Gómez learned piano in secret at the exclusive fine arts school where her parents worked. She's now a celebrated classical pianist and a longtime promoter of music by Colombian composers.

At 3 she snuck in to play piano, at nearly 80, she's a Colombian classical legend

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An energy crunch forces a Hungarian ballet company to move to a car factory

A ballet dancer warms up before an open rehearsal at the Audi automobile factory in Gyor, Hungary, on Thursday. The Ballet Company of Gyor is rehearsing at the factory after being forced to shutter its rehearsal hall in response to soaring energy prices. Denes Erdos/AP hide caption

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Denes Erdos/AP

Europe

An energy crunch forces a Hungarian ballet company to move to a car factory

The Ballet Company of Gyor began rehearsing at a local Audi factory last month after being forced to shutter its rehearsal hall in response to soaring energy prices.

A rarely revived Lorraine Hansberry play is here — and it's messy but powerful

Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan star in a rarely revived Lorraine Hansberry play. Catalina Kulczar/Brooklyn Academy of Music hide caption

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Catalina Kulczar/Brooklyn Academy of Music

Theater

A rarely revived Lorraine Hansberry play is here — and it's messy but powerful

Hansberry is best known for A Raisin in the Sun — but as she lay dying, she wrote this play about the haplessness of white liberals. Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan star.

A rarely revived Lorraine Hansberry play is here — and it's messy but powerful

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An artist's 'Healing Project,' focused on incarceration and violence, wins $1 million

The multidisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes, whose Healing Project has won a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. Ray Neutron/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ray Neutron/Courtesy of the artist

Culture

An artist's 'Healing Project,' focused on incarceration and violence, wins $1 million

Multidisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes has explored mass incarceration for the last eight years. With this sizeable grant, he hopes to sustain "The Healing Project" for decades to come.

An artist's 'Healing Project,' focused on incarceration and violence, wins $1 million

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N.Y. Philharmonic chief looks to Gustavo 'Dudamel era' after historic appointment

Gustavo Dudamel conducts the New York Philharmonic, March 9, 2022. Chris Lee/New York Philharmonic hide caption

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Chris Lee/New York Philharmonic

Deceptive Cadence

N.Y. Philharmonic chief looks to Gustavo 'Dudamel era' after historic appointment

New York philharmonic president and CEO Deborah Borda discusses the decisionmaking process behind bringing the superstar conductor to the Big Apple.

N.Y. Philharmonic chief looks to Gustavo 'Dudamel era' after historic appointment

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Theater never recovered from COVID — and now change is no longer a choice

A repurposed school bus from Control Group Productions' climate change-focused immersive theater experience, The End. Katie Weisberger/Control Group Productions hide caption

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Katie Weisberger/Control Group Productions

Theater

Theater never recovered from COVID — and now change is no longer a choice

With ticket sales way down and government relief mostly at an end, business as usual is not an option for nonprofit performing arts groups.

Theater never recovered from COVID — and now change is no longer a choice

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Billy Porter on the thin line between fashion and pain
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Variety

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Billy Porter on the thin line between fashion and pain

Billy Porter is an absolute legend. With a career that started in his teens, he's now 3/4ths of the way to an EGOT. He's also a style icon, who's always the most fashionable person in any room he's in. His new movie is 80 For Brady, but what does he know about the Brady Bunch?

Billy Porter on the thin line between fashion and pain

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60 dancers who fled the war now take the stage — as The United Ukrainian Ballet

Iryna Zhalovska and other dancers with The United Ukrainian Ballet train at The Kennedy Center. The company is performing Giselle there this week. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

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Keren Carrión/NPR

Dance

60 dancers who fled the war now take the stage — as The United Ukrainian Ballet

The company, based in The Hague, is currently in Washington, D.C., performing Giselle at The Kennedy Center. The Ukrainian Ambassador says the ballet corps is like a secret weapon.

60 dancers who fled the war now take the stage — as The United Ukrainian Ballet

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Matt Butler has played concerts in more than 50 prisons and jails

Matt Butler performing at the Central Utah Correctional Facility. Liam Trouchard/Matt Butler hide caption

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Liam Trouchard/Matt Butler

Music

Matt Butler has played concerts in more than 50 prisons and jails

"Reckless Son" is a one-man show by singer/songwriter Matt Butler inspired by the convicts he's met while touring American prisons and jails.

Matt Butler has played concerts in more than 50 prisons and jails

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Natasha Lyonne on the real reason she got kicked out of boarding school
JC Olivera/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Natasha Lyonne on the real reason she got kicked out of boarding school

Natasha Lyonne is an actor, writer, and director with one of the most recognizable voices in the world. She stars in the new series Poker Face, so we ask her three questions about getting botox.

Natasha Lyonne on the real reason she got kicked out of boarding school

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Ballet dancers from across Ukraine bring 'Giselle' to the Kennedy Center

United Ukrainian Ballet Company members Liza Gogidze and Oleksii Kniazkov in Giselle, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. Altin Kaftira/The United Ukrainian Ballet hide caption

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Altin Kaftira/The United Ukrainian Ballet

Ballet dancers from across Ukraine bring 'Giselle' to the Kennedy Center

The United Ukrainian Ballet Company is made up of dancers taking refuge in the Netherlands. The company travels to Washington, D.C., to perform Giselle, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky.

Ballet dancers from across Ukraine bring 'Giselle' to the Kennedy Center

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A play about censorship is censored — and free speech groups are fighting back

Playwright Paula Vogel speaks onstage during the 2017 Tony Awards. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions hide caption

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Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

Culture

A play about censorship is censored — and free speech groups are fighting back

PEN America and two other free speech groups are calling for school officials in Florida to reinstate a high school production of Paula Vogel's Indecent, a play that is itself about censorship.

Who says opera needs a grand stage? This festival is all about intimate productions

Trade, created by Emma O'Halloran and Mark O'Halloran, will be featured at the PROTOTYPE festival this year. Maria Baranova/Unison Media hide caption

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Maria Baranova/Unison Media

Deceptive Cadence

Who says opera needs a grand stage? This festival is all about intimate productions

The PROTOTYPE festival, now in its 10th year, presents new operas and music-theater works in smaller settings. "We were trying to create a black box opera movement," says co-founder Beth Morrison.

Who says opera needs a grand stage? This festival is all about intimate productions

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