The Culture Show has officially gone daily, offering arts and culture news Monday through Friday every week.

To things kick off on Monday, we spoke with with Tracy K Smith, former U.S. poet laureate and Cambridge-based writer who just published her latest memoir, "To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul."

Then, in "Balancing Acts," Jared Bowen is joined by Chris Ehlers, lifestyle editor and arts critic at Edge Media, and Joyce Kulhawik, an Emmy Award-winning arts and entertainment reporter, president of the Boston Theater Critics Association whose reviews you can read at JoycesChoices. They break down what's happening now, what's coming, and what productions they hope come to Boston.

What's on

First up, the shows currently on stage across the commonwealth:

  • "The Band's Visit," presented by The Huntington and SpeakEasy Stage Company, is on stage at The Huntington Theatre through Dec. 17, featuring music and lyrics by David Yazbek.
  • "The Heart Sellers," a story of two homesick immigrants from Asia sharing a Thanksgiving together. Written by Lloyd Suh, it is presented by The Huntington and is on stage at the Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, through Dec. 23.
  • "The Rocky Menorah Christmas Show," the latest holiday spoof from Ryan Landry's Gold Dust Orphans. The raunchy and satirical story, based on "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," features Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a central villain and even includes a cameo by GBH News' Jim Braude and Margery Eagan (in puppet form). On stage at Iron Wolf Theatre at the South Boston Lithuanian Hall through Dec. 23.

What's coming

Kulhawik, Ehlers and Bowen moved on to what's next for Boston's theater scene, listing the shows they look forward to seeing:

  • "Machine Learning," a tale about artificial intelligence centered around Arnold, the fictional nursing program named after the Terminator himself. It opens Jan. 25 and runs until Feb. 25 at Central Square Theater.
  • "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," a production by Theater Uncorked, is playing at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Black Box Theatre Dec. 6-10.
  • "All is Calm," a historical musical about the Christmas Eve truce on the Western Front in 1914, runs at the Greater Boston Stage Company Dec. 8-23.

What should come to Boston

Finally, we look far into the future to discuss shows that they think should come to Boston. Perennial favorite "Funny Girl" topped the list. "Here We Are," Sondheim's posthumously completed musical was also a candidate given his strong ties to Boston, and finally, enthusiasm for "Shucked" as the corn-themed musical is launching its Broadway tour in 2024.

Listen to the full show above.