Episodes
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July 25, 2024 - 46 Plays for America's First Ladies, Keith Haring, and Yoni Battat
A two hour romp through history considers all of America’s first ladies and their varied roles over the decades. Titled “46 Plays for America’s First Ladies,” The Hub Theatre Company’s production is a “pay-what-you-can" that also includes, a voter registration drive will be held in conjunction with this production. Lauren Elias, Hub Theatre Company founder and producing artistic director joins us along with actor Yasmeen Duncan.From there we look at the life and untimely death of Keith Haring by way of Brad Gooch’s new biography of the legendary artist, “Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring.”Finally, we head to Lowell by way of their 37th annual Folk Festival. One of the performers – multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Yoni Battat joins us ahead of this weekend’s three-day event. -
July 24, 2024 - Michael C. Thorpe, swimming in the Charles, and Mary Grant
Michael C. Thorpe is a storyteller. Using bright colors, textures and geometric shapes, he literally stitches them together to figuratively stitch together scenes from everyday life. He has the eye and instinct of a painter who uses the art and tradition of quilt making. Now his quilted masterpieces are on view in his solo exhibition at the Fuller Craft museum, it’s titled “Michael C. Thorpe. Homeowners Insurance.” He joins us to talk about it.With the Olympics kicking off at the end of the week one of the most talked about topics is the river Seine. It is notoriously dirty and microbiologists are saying it’s not meant for swimming. But given how dirty the Charles River is, who are we to judge? Well, efforts to clean up the Charles – decades in the making –is paying off. Now people can swim in it, one day each year. Edgar B. Herwick III, Culture Show co-host and human guinea pig joins us to talk about what it was like to take that plunge.Finally, Mary Grant, president of MassArt, joins The Culture Show to talk about the college’s collaboration with the City of Boston to bring more public art to the city. -
July 23, 2024 - British Consul General Peter Abbott, the New Bedford rooster, and Revolution's Edge
Over the last four years, British Consul General of New England Peter Abbott OBE has represented the UK in a number of incredible moments –from the Prince and Princess of Wales’s visit to Boston for the Earthshot prize, to the coronation of King Charles. Along the way he has traveled across New England to promote trade and political alliances. Last winter, in a true display of diplomacy, he was on Boston Harbor for the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Before he leaves for London next week, he joins us to reflect on his time here and to discuss where he thinks the UK and US are best poised to help in world affairs.From there Lindsay Mís, executive director of Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute, also known as DATMA, joins us to talk about their sixth season’s cultural exhibition “Transform: Reduce, Revive, Reimagine,” which is on view now through October 14th in New Bedford. Finally, the play Revolution’s Edge takes into the hours leading up to the Revolutionary war. It was written by Patrick Gabridge for Old North Church by Plays in Place, an organization that works with historic sites and cultural institutions to create site-specific productions. Patrick Greenbridge and Nikki Stewart, executive director of Old North Illuminated, join us. -
July 22, 2024 - NALEDI, Morgan Peterson, and Flora in Flight
NALEDI is a vocalist, composer and educator from Johannesburg, South Africa. Her music is grounded in Jazz, the church, and her heritage. Her dreams of studying music in the United States were realized when she landed a full scholarship to New England Conservatory. Then, after receiving a prestigious Kennedy Center Artist in Residence honor, her career took off with performances at storied venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center. She joins us to talk about her debut album BATHO, and upcoming performance at Cambridge Jazz Festival.From there it’s multi-media artist and professional glassblower Morgan Peterson. The Boston native, who recently emerged the winner of the NETFLIX glassblowing competition TV series, “Blown Away,” joins us ahead of her event at the Sandwich Glass Museum.Finally, Grace Elton, CEO of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, joins us to talk about their vast, kinetic, public art installation, “Flora in Flight.” -
July 19, 2024 - Week in Review: Bob Newhart, Richard Simmons, and Andre 3000
Today Edgar B. Herwick III, Henry Santoro and Lisa Simmons go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up, the Emmy nominations are out–again. We’ll look at the surprises, snubs and snoozers. From there it is an epic loss of TV personalities and stars, from Bob Newhart, who managed to play unassuming characters while stealing the show, to the self-proclaimed “Clown prince of fitness,” Richard Simmons, to TV sex therapist Dr. Ruth and finally, actress Shannen Doherty who played the bad girl everyone loved to hate, but was also burdened by a real-life bad girl reputation.From there, the MFA’s courtyard concerts are back with a full schedule featuring seven summer shows, plus a climate change commentary comes to the Greenway by way of a new public art exhibit .Finally, it’s follow up Friday with an update on the stories we’ve been tracking, which includes André 3000 and why he feels like an outcast as a jazz musician. -
July 18, 2024 - LaToya Hobbs, Raqib Shaw, and bonsais
LaToya Hobbs is a painter and a printmaker whose themes are expressions of motherhood, home and cultural identity. While she often reveals her experiences as an artist and an African American woman, her work also has universal resonance.Her monumental series, “Carving Out Time” is both personal and utterly relatable. And it’s massive. She joined The Culture Show ahead of her debut exhibition at the Harvard Art Museum.From there, it’s into the wild world of artist Raqib Shaw. He uses porcupine quills and enamel to create landscapes that are electrified by color. They are lush, opulent and ornate. But, his paintings are also beset by a lurking menace. The Culture Show caught up with him when he was in town to open his exhibition at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.Finally, we get a tour of the Arnold Arboretum’s bonsai collection. -
July 17, 2024 - Vijay Iyer, Baseball: The Movie, and Zola Simone
The Grammy Award-winning Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) led by conductor Gil Rose releases Vijay Iyer: Trouble on its eponymous label. Marking his debut recording as an orchestral composer, he joins The Culture Show to talk about this work. In his new book, “Baseball: The Movie,” sportswriter and film critic Noah Gittell takes us through the history of the baseball movie, with a look at how those films have changed–from feel-good, to nostalgic, to cynical–are a reflection of how American values have changed. Finally Zola Simone, who will be performing at Cambridge Crossing Summer Nights Series’ free outdoor concert, joins The Culture Show for a preview. -
July 16, 2024 - The Million Year Picnic at 50, the Lowell Folk Festival, and Sea Monsters
The Million Year Picnic is the oldest comic book store in New England and since the 1970’s it’s been a fixture in Harvard Square. This summer it marks its 50th anniversary. Tony Davis, the owner, joins The Culture Show to talk about its legacy and how they are marking this moment.Then we’re off to Lowell by way of their annual folk festival, which features a mariachi band, parades, a yo-yo-world champion, Creole music, bluegrass, honky tonk and more. The director, Lee Viliesis, joins The Culture Show for a preview.Finally we plumb the depths of the human imagination by plunging into the depths of the ocean with a look at Sea monsters, the subject of a new exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Peter Girguis, guest curator and Harvard professor of organic and evolutionary biology joins us to talk about it. -
July 15, 2024 - Kneecap, BosTix, and Jane Eaglen
Kneecap, a Belfast-based rap group known for their fiery social and political commentary is on the rise…with a new album and biopic starring Michael Fassbender, which has it’s nationwide release on August 2nd. They join us to talk about it all.From there it’s the return of BosTix, the discount theater ticket kiosk. Catherine Peterson, Executive Director of ArtsBoston joins The Culture Show to talk about what its return means for the arts and culture sector.Finally we enter the world of German composer Richard Wagner. Jane Eaglan, president of the Boston Wagner Society, joins The Culture Show to talk about their forthcoming Boston Wagner Institute program, which includes masterclasses, performances and some taproom tippling. -
July 12, 2024 - Week in Review: Orchestral report cards, Shelley Duvall, and songs of the summer
Today on The Culture Show, co-hosts Edgar B. Herwick III, Callie Crossley and James Bennett II go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up: D is for dismal. The report card is in for the world’s orchestras and they get a capital D on diversity. Then it’s a capital F for flop. Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga,” bombs at the box office. Plus we remember actress Shelley Duvall and her subversive screen presence, from “Nashville,” to “Annie Hall” to “The Shining.”From there it’s follow up-Friday where we catch up on the stories we’ve been tracking, among them, the Beyonce bounce. Did her Texas two step into country music pave the way for Shaboozey’s chart topping hit? Finally, it’s not a summer cookout without–what Callie Crossley calls– the surefire song of joy: “Before I let go” by Frankie Beverly and Maze.
