Arts Mar 01 ‘True West’ stars Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano on Sam Shepard’s ‘profound sensibility’ The Sam Shepard play “True West” is a revival of an American theater classic. The play has been a magnet for great actors since it was written in 1980. In this contemporary version, it stars Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano,…
Arts Feb 22 ‘Moonlight’ writer hopes audiences leave his new play ‘full of questions’ The hit Broadway play “Choir Boy” chronicles an African-American prep school and its star pupil, the choir boy, who happens to be gay. Written by Tarell McCraney, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, the play explores themes not often addressed publicly within…
Arts Feb 20 Why Andy Warhol retrospective has special resonance in the Instagram age A major Andy Warhol retrospective exhibit, the first organized by an American museum in decades, is on display at New York's Whitney Museum. Titled “Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again,” the show contains over 350 works. As…
Arts Feb 18 Jazz musician Terence Blanchard on the hardest thing about composing for film Jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard has six Grammy Awards, but this year, he's received his first Oscar nomination, for his original score in the 2018 film “BlacKkKlansman.” Jeffrey Brown sits down with Blanchard, who grew up in New Orleans,…
Arts Feb 15 Oscar nominee Regina King says ‘Beale Street’ a reminder of black resilience Set in New York City in the 1970s, “If Beale Street Could Talk” is the film adaptation of a James Baldwin novel about Tish and Fonny, a devoted young couple almost torn apart by racism and wrongful imprisonment. Jeffrey Brown…
Arts Feb 13 How ‘Black Panther’ costume designer found inspiration worthy of a superhero When it comes to movies, we tend to focus on actors and directors. But many other factors help determine whether a film resonates with audiences. In commercial and critical blockbuster “Black Panther,” for example, superhero suits recall actual African heritage.
Arts Feb 11 Oscar-nominated ‘Vice’ is a character study on the quest for power Part comedy, part tragedy, the Oscar-nominated movie "Vice" is all raw politics. The film paints a portrait of former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne. Jeffrey Brown sits down with director Adam McKay and star Amy Adams to…
Arts Feb 08 Singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves on using music as an escape Country music singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves is nominated for four awards at this weekend's 61st annual Grammy Awards. Just 30 years old, the Texas-born musician is enjoying her journey in the music industry -- and doing it on her…
Arts Feb 04 At Washington’s Arena Stage, a dramatic interpretation of Vladimir Putin’s rise A new play showing at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., chronicles the rise of a young Vladimir Putin to power in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. "Kleptocracy," written by Kenneth Lin, offers a glimpse into Putin’s…
Arts Feb 01 How self-taught photographer Gordon Parks became a master storyteller Photographer and journalist Gordon Parks used his camera as a tool to help the world understand the experience of African-Americans in the U.S. A current exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, titled "Gordon Parks: The New Tide," examines the…