Episodes
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May 27, 2025 - The Arrival Art Fair, Titus Burgess, and Jane Eaglen
Arrival - a new biannual art fair. The inaugural edition features exhibitors from across the country. It kicks off on June 12th and runs through June 15th and is situated in North Adams at the TOURSITS hotel. Two of the founders join The Culture Show for an overview. Yng-Ru Chen is owner of the Boston-based Praise Shadows Art Gallery and Crystalle Lacouture is an artist based in Boston and North Adams. To learn more about Arrival go here.From there the versatile actor Titus Burgess joins The Culture Show. He has graced both screen and stage, appearing in the musical comedy series Central Park, the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect, and in Broadway’s “Moulin Rouge!” Most recently, he stepped into the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the hit Broadway Show “Oh, Mary!” Now Burgess is coming to town, for two nights only–with a concert performance at the Umbrella Arts Center in Concord on Friday and Saturday. It’s billed as “An Evening with Tituss Burgess.” To learn more go here.Finally Jane Eaglen, a Grammy-winning dramatic soprano who’s performed on the world’s greatest stages joins The Culture Show to preview Wagner & Vino: Spring 2025, a night of music and merlot. It’s at The Burren in Somerville May 28th at 7:00. To learn more go here. Jane Eaglen is on the faculty at New England Conservatory and is the President of the Boston Wagner Society. -
May 26, 2025 - Marianne Leone, Erik Andrade, and Eric and Will
Actor and author Marianne Leone joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest book, “Five-Dog Epiphany: How a Quintet of Badass Bichons Retrieved Our Joy,” From there New Bedford poet Erik Andrade joins The Culture Show to talk about poetry as activism. Erik Andrade is an award winning spoken word poet. Recently his work was included in “Black Fire This Time Vol. 2,” a groundbreaking anthology celebrating the legacy and future of the Black Arts Movement. Finally, the music duo Eric and Will. Eric Vloiemans is a Dutch trumpet sensation, Cambridge native Will Holshouser is an accordion master – together they create original, evocative compositions that build on jazz, classical and folk music. -
May 23, 2025 - Week in Review: Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese, Springsteen vs Trump, and remembering George Wendt
Edgar B. Herwick III, Callie Crossley and James Bennett II co-host our arts and culture week in review. First up, reconstructing the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese feud timeline, focusing on how the media are fanning the flames and how outside commentary about race is making this an ugly rivalry.From there it’s an analysis of another feud, Bruce Springsteen versus President Trump. Springsteen has been criticizing the Trump administration while on tour and the president is retaliating on social media.Then we raise a glass to actor George Wendt who was best known for his portrayal of Norm Peterson, a regular at the bar Cheers and on the eponymous hit sit-com.Finally, “Mission Impossible: A Final Reckoning” hits theaters. Are we ready to say goodbye to this blockbuster franchise? -
May 22, 2025 - George Takei, B. Dylan Hollis, and a preview of Boston Calling
Actor and activist George Takei joins The Culture Show to talk about his debut with the Boston Pops. He’s narrating a multimedia program that explores the intersection of music, space, and science fiction. This program was developed in partnership with the Museum of Science, Boston and its Center for Space Sciences. This concert also offers a post-performance meet and greet with Astronaut Sunita Williams and George Takei. This event is on May 23rd and Mary 24th at 7:30pm at Symphony Hall. To learn more go here.From there the social media star B. Dylan Hollis joins The Culture Show to talk about his new book “Baking Across America: A Vintage Recipe Roadtrip.” On May 24th he’ll be at First Parish Church at an event presented by Harvard Book Store. To learn more go here. Finally with Boston Calling – the three day, multi stage music festival–kicking off this Friday we get the ultimate overview. Victoria Wasylak, an award-winning journalist and Boston music editor at “Vanyaland,” joins The Culture Show to talk about the national and local acts to listen out for. -
May 21, 2025 - Sebastian Smee, Dr. Greg Skomal on Jaws at 50, and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Chelsea Creek
Sebastian Smee is a Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic at The Washington Post. He joins The Culture Show to talk about his recent piece, which breaks down Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man.” Sebastian Smee’s latest book is “Paris in Ruins: Love, War and the Birth of Impressionism.”From there Dr. Greg Skomal joins The Culture Show to talk about preparing for white shark season and how the movie “Jaws,” which is nearing its 50th anniversary, inspired him to become a marine biologist. Greg Skomal is an underwater explorer, photographer, and author. He is a fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and heads the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. On June 22nd, he’ll be at a special event at The Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, titled “Jaws Revisited," as a part of Amity Week. To learn more, go here.Finally we continue our “Countdown to 2026” series with a look at the Battle of Chelsea Creek, which marks its 250th anniversary on May 27th-May 28th. Kate Fox, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, which is leading the Massachusetts 250 campaign and Lourdes Alvarez, the Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Manager at City of Chelsea, join The Culture Show to preview events celebrating the battle’s anniversary. To learn more go here. -
May 20, 2025 - The Michelin Guide in Boston, JaJa's African Hair Braiding, and Mahesh Daas
Marc Sheehan, Executive Chef and Owner of Northern Spy in Canton and Will Gilson, Chef and Partner of Cambridge Street Hospitality Group, join The Culture Show to talk about the Michelin Guide coming to Boston and what it will take for local restaurants that are contenders to prepare.From there playwright Jocelyn Bioh joins The Culture Show to talk about her Tony Award nominated play “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding,” which is presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company, onstage at Calderwood Pavilion at Boston Center for the Arts through May 31st. To learn more go here.Finally Mahesh Daas, President of Boston Architectural College, joins The Culture Show for his analysis of what makes for an effective public space. 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.” -
May 19, 2025 - Josh Simpson and Cady Coleman, the Boston Public Art Triennial, and Shakespeare in ASL
The Sandwich Glass Museum is featuring the artistry of Josh Simpson in the exhibition “50 Years of Visionary Glass.” Josh and his wife, retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, will be signing books and giving a joint presentation on May 31st. Cady Coleman’s new book is “Sharing Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mission, Wonder and Making Change.” Josh Simpson’s new book is “Josh Simpson: 50 Years of Visionary Glass.” They join The Culture Show to talk about their complementary careers and upcoming event. To learn more go here.From there we get a preview of the Boston Public Art Triennial. Ahead of opening day on May 22, culture show contributor and Triennial Artistic Director Pedro Alonzo, and one of the featured artists, Laura Lima, join The Culture Show to talk about Lima’s work. To learn more about the Boston Public Art Triennial go here.Finally Chris Robinson joins The Culture Show. He’s an American Sign Language/English interpreter who is a leader in the field of Disability Access and Equity.He is the Founder and Vice President of Think Outside the Vox and he is organizing Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s entire access program for their Shakespreare on the Common production of “As You Like It,” which will be onstage July 23rd through August 10th. To learn more about Think Outside the Vox go here and to keep abreast of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s programming go here. -
May 16, 2025 - Week in Review: The Michelin Guide in Boston, Pete Rose, and the Giacometti bust
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons – artistic and executive director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and program manager at Mass Cultural Council– go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week in review.First up, the Michelin guide will officially debut in Boston. From there Waymo, the driverless car company, has plans to come to Boston. And from left field, Major League Baseball has reinstated Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, making them eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Finally, Tom Cruise at 62 is still doing his own stunts. Culture Show cohosts reflect on his career now that he’s completed the Mission Impossible franchise with the ultimate film “The Final Reckoning.” -
May 15, 2025 - Alison Bechdel, A Radical Welcome: Source Code, and Kayla Tabb, the BPL's new Chef-in-Residence
“New York Times” bestselling author Alison Bechdel joins The Culture Show to talk about her new comic novel “Spent.” Bechdel will be at The Brattle Theatre on May 22nd at an event sponsored by Harvard Book Store. Tickets to this event are sold out but there will be a stand-by line at the Brattle Theatre. To learn more go here.From there it’s a celebration of landmark women composers. Betsy Hinkle, a violinist and Founder of The Boston Public Quartet and Jason Amos, a violist in the Boston Public Quartet join The Culture Show to preview their concert “A Radical Welcome: Source Code.” The Boston Public quartet will perform works by five women composers from the late romantic period to the present. The concert is May 22nd at The Strand Theatre. Tickets are “pay what you want.” To learn more go here.Finally Kayla Tabb joins The Culture Show to talk about her new role as the Chef-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library. She runs the Nutrition Lab at their Roxbury branch, cultivating cooking programs and teaching nutritional literacy. To learn more go here.Kayla Tabb's book recommendations:On Food And Cooking: The Science And Lore Of The Kitchen - Harold McGeeThe Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science - J. Kenji Lopez-AltStart Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook - Sohla El-Waylly -
May 14, 2025 - Snowy owls at Logan Airport and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Every year snowy owls fly from the Arctic to Boston's Logan Airport to find food. Norman Smith catches them and releases them far away to keep the owls and passengers safe. While he is the only owl catcher at Logan Airport, other airports are following his lead. Norman Smith is a raptor specialist who has worked at Mass Audubon for nearly 60 years and rescued more than 900 Snowy Owls since 1981. Photographer Raymond MacDonald has been collaborating with Smith for more than 15 years, chronicling his rescues. They join the Culture Show to talk about their shared possession for wildlife.From there Tomasina Ray, Director of Collections at RMS Titanic Inc., joins The Culture Show with an overview of “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.” The exhibition brings us face to face with the dramatic maritime disaster. Visitors encounter artifacts from all manner of life aboard the Titanic, all recovered from the ocean floor. “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” is on view at The Castle at Park Plaza through June 1st.
