Episodes
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March 25, 2025 - Gregory Maguire, Celtics president Rich Gotham, and candlepin bowling
What happened to young Elphaba before she was saddled with the wicked mantle? Almost 30 years after the publication of “Wicked,” Gregory Maguire offers readers Elphaba’s origin story in a new book titled “Elphie: A Wicked Childhood.” He joins The Culture Show to talk about it.From there Boston Celtics’ president Rich Gotham joins The Culture Show to talk about the new HBO docu-series “Celtics City,” which is streaming now on Max, with new episodes dropping Monday nights.Finally we head to candlepin city: Worcester. Vanessa Bumpus, Exhibits Coordinator for the Museum of Worcester gives us an overview of “Strikes, Spares & Deadwood: Candlepin Bowling,” which is on view through April 5th. To learn more, go here. -
March 24, 2025 - The Ballad of Wallis Island, the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, and Mahesh Daas
The new comedy film, “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” stars Tim Key as a lottery winner who tries to reunite his favorite musical duo Mortimer-McGwyer, played by Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden, also a romantic couple that broke up many years ago. Distributed by Focus Features, the film hits theaters on March 28th. Ahead of its release Tim Key and Tom Basden, who co-wrote and co-star in the film, join The Culture Show.From there we get a jump on the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, which kick off this Wednesday at TD Garden. National champion pair skaters Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov join The Culture Show for a preview. To learn more about the championships, go here.Finally Mahesh Daas, President of Boston Architectural College, joins The Culture Show to talk about upcoming events at the BAC featuring architect Tatiana Bilbao. Mahesh Daas is a Culture Show contributor who joins us monthly. He is co-author of the graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.” Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO: Research Center of the Sea of Cortez exhibit is on view at the BAC’s McCormick Gallery through May 9th. To learn more, go here. -
March 21, 2025 - Week in Review: The Gardner heist, Celtics sold for $6.1 billion, and skyscraper high Broadway prices
Culture Show co-hosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up, they reflect on the 35th anniversary of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum robbery, the largest art heist in the world and Boston’s most famous unsolved mystery.Then it’s something that’s hardly the steal of this century, the Boston Celtics have been sold for a record-breaking $6.1 billion.From there it’s an update on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s Family Days expansion, which now includes free admission to the performance arts and more museums.Finally, they listen to Will Smith’s musical comeback by way of his forthcoming album–his first in 20 years, -
March 20, 2025 - Fabiola Jean-Louis, Naveen Kumar, and the Alvin Ailey Revelations Celebration
Fabiola Jean-Louis, a visual activist working in photography, paper textile design, and sculpture joins The Culture Show to talk about her solo exhibition at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum “Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom.” The exhibition features a large amount of original commissions from the Haitian artist, crafted from paper pulp, mineral stones, shells, metals, glass, and other materials. The exhibition is on view through May 25th. To learn more, go hereFrom there, Washington Post theater critic Naveen Kumar joins The Culture Show to talk about his recent column, “What happens when a theater critic can’t sit down?Finally, Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga, founding artistic director of OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center and Nicole Taney, the artistic director at Celebrity Series, preview “Ailey Revelations Celebration.” With the help of Celebrity Series the dance theater group will be in Boston to facilitate four free community events –Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park and Mattapan–teaching locals dance moves from Alvin Ailey’s legendary performance “Revelations.” To learn more go here. -
March 19, 2025 - Love Your Labels' Threads Youth Fashion Showcase, Cakeswagg, and WINTERACTIVE
Joshua Croke, the President and Founder of the organization Love Your Labels joins The Culture Show to preview their “Threads Youth Fashion Showcase,” which features the artistry of youth designers, ages 13-19. The showcase is this Sunday at the Jean McDonough Arts Center in Worcester. To learn more, go here.From there, by day she teaches theater to Boston’s youth; by night, she channels those skills into her performance as her larger-than-life rap alter ego, Cakeswagg. Her latest album is “Michelin Star.” She won Video of the Year at the Boston Music Awards for "Bad Bitch Link Up." Coming up, on March 29th she’ll be a special guest performer at the Love Your Magic Conference and in April she’s taking on a dual role in UMass Boston Theatre Arts' spring production of “Peter and the Starcatcher.” She joins The Culture Show to talk about it all and for an in-studio performance.Finally, it’s your last chance to take in WINTERACTIVE, the outdoor public art installation. We get a final overview with Michael Nichols, the President of the Downtown Boston Alliance, which is hosting and producing WINTERACTIVE in partnership with Quebec-based curatorial partners and independent artists working in Boston, Canada, and beyond. Participating artist Brandon Vickered, the creative force behind “Alouette,” also joins The Culture Show. WINTERACTIVE wraps up on March 30th. To learn more, go here. -
March 18, 2025 - The 35th anniversary of the Gardner Museum heist, Celtics City, and the Bach Birthday Bash
We mark the 35th anniversary of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist with Holly Salmon, the John L. and Susan K. Gardner Director of Conservation and Anthony Amore, head of security and chief investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.From there Emmy Award-winning director Lauren Stowell joins The Culture Show to talk about the HBO documentary series “Celtics City,” which is available to stream on Max, with new episodes debuting Monday nights.Finally we get a preview of Music Worcester’s “Bach Birthday Bash,” with four concerts featuring 14 of the composer's works performed by local and international-caliber musicians. Chris Shepard, the artistic director of The Complete Bach, the Worcester Chorus and CONCORA, joins The Culture Show for a preview. -
March 17, 2025 - Kim David Smith, Riverdance 30: The New Generation, Jane Eaglen
Kim David Smith, the internationally acclaimed singer and actor, joins The Culture Show to discuss his new album, “Mostly Marlene,” and to preview his show at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater on March 21st, "Mostly Marlene: a Dietrich-Drenched Album Debut!" To learn more, go here.From there we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Riverdance. Steven O Broin was an original company member. He joins The Culture Show to talk about his experience, how Riverdance became a global sensation and what it means to see Riverdance celebrate its 30th anniversary with a new tour “Riverdance 30: The New Generation,” which will be at The Boch Center Wang Theatre April 8-April 13th. To learn more, go here.Finally Jane Eaglen joins The Culture Show to talk about The Kennedy Center. It has been a venue for some of the greatest operas and operatic performances. What will it mean for opera if the Kennedy Center’s programing no longer includes opera? Jane Eaglen is a Grammy-winning soprano. She’s on the faculty at New England Conservatory and she’s the President of the Boston Wagner Society. -
March 14, 2025 - Week in Review: The Pink House, the Pit in Harvard Square, and Boston's FIFA World Cup song
Callie Crossley, James Bennett and Lisa SImmons go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up, the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library is honored with the Harleston Parker Medal for best new architecture. Then it’s onto a structure that has no honor despite a public campaign to save it– The Pink house has been demolished. From there, President Trump removes Shelley C. Lowe, Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities and finally a tribute to D’Wayne Wiggins, a pioneer of neo soul who was a guitarist and singer for Tony! Toni! Toné! -
March 13, 2025 - Chris Wallace, the Newton Piano Summit, and Mary Grant
Veteran television journalist and anchor Chris Wallace joins The Culture Show to talk about the state of media today, a polarize nation and why presidential debates still matter.From there Chris Pitts, the founder and producer of the Newton Piano Summit, which showcases world-class professional musicians in a series of concerts each season, joins The Culture Show to preview the 2025 season, which kicks off March 15th. Participating musician Anastassiya Petrova, a jazz pianist and organist, also joins The Culture Show with an in-studio performance. The Newton Piano Summit is 3:00-5:00 PM March 15, 16, 22 and 23 at Second Newton Church in Newton. To learn more, go here.Finally Mary Grant, President of MassArt, joins the Culture Show for her monthly appearance. This month, as we near the 5th anniversary of the COVID shutdown, she reflects on how the pandemic upended higher education and the arts sector. She also previews this year’s MassArt Auction. -
March 12, 2025 - Parade, Meow Meow, and James Carson
“Parade,” the Tony-winning revival on Broadway, is now onstage at Emerson Colonial Theatre through March 23rd. The musical is a dramatization of the real life, trial and tragedy of Leo Frank. He was a Jewish man from Brooklyn who found himself in Atlanta in 1913. As a northerner in the south, he quickly found himself subject to rampant antisemitism which culminated in Frank being tried and convicted for the rape and murder of a 13-year old white girl. He was imprisoned and subsequently abducted and lynched by white supremacists. Max Chernin who plays Leo Frank, and Talia Suskauer who stars as his wife Lucille Frank join The Culture Show to talk about bringing this story to life. From there it’s the post-post-modern diva Meow Meow. Internationally renowned for her chansons, cabaret classics, and covers–she brings mischief and mayhem to her performances. She joins The Culture Show ahead of her March 15 show at Sanders Theatre, An Evening with Meow Meow, presented by Celebrity Series. Finally the acclaimed pianist and filmmaker James Carson joins The Culture Show to talk about his endeavor–two decades in the making–to find a new way to perform and have audiences experience music. He captures this odyssey in his documentary film, “Cabin Music,” which he’s screening throughout Massachusetts. To learn about upcoming events go here.
