Episodes
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October 30, 2025 - The Wang Theatre at 100, Elaine Sciolino on the Louvre heist, and Manual Cinema's The 4th Witch
A century ago, the Wang Theatre—now part of Boston’s Boch Center—opened as a lavish movie palace, a cathedral to the golden age of entertainment. Since then, it’s hosted everything from vaudeville to Broadway, rock legends to symphony orchestras. As the Boch Center celebrates its 100th anniversary, President and CEO Casey Soward joins The Culture Show to reflect on the theater’s storied past and the next century of live performance in Boston. To learn more about their upcoming shows and events go here.For more than eight centuries, the Louvre has stood as both fortress and museum—home to masterpieces and mysteries alike. Journalist, former “New York Times Paris” bureau chief, and bestselling author Elaine Sciolino explores its history and allure in her new book, “Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum” She joins us to unpack the recent high-stakes jewelry heist and what it reveals about art, identity, and intrigue in modern France.What happens when Shakespeare’s witches get a modern reawakening? In “The 4th Witch,” Chicago-based collective Manual Cinema conjures Macbeth’s world through light, shadow, and live music—telling the story of a young refugee who transforms grief into power. Co-founder and Co-artistic Director Ben Kauffman joins The Culture Show to discuss the company’s handmade cinematic style and how this haunting new work reinvents one of literature’s darkest spells. “The 4th Witch,” is in Boston by way of ArtsEmerson, onstage at Emerson Paramount Center through November 9th. To learn more go here. -
October 29, 2025 - Alysia Abbott, Anthony Barboza's "I Return With a Feeling of Us," and Allison Miller
After her mother’s death, writer Alysia Abbott was raised by her father—poet Steve Abbott—in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury during the height of counterculture. Her memoir “Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father” captures that vivid, unconventional childhood and the complexities of growing up amid both liberation and loss. Now adapted into a feature film produced by Sofia Coppola, Abbott joins us to reflect on seeing her story come to life on screen. On November 1st there will be a special screening of “Fairyland” at the Coolidge Corner Theatre.” To learn more go here.Photographer Anthony Barboza returns to his hometown of New Bedford for a career-spanning retrospective at the New Bedford Art Museum. From James Baldwin to Betty Carter, his portraits have helped shape how Black creativity and culture are seen. The exhibition, “I Return With a Feeling of Us,” is on view through November 23 and celebrates his decades-long impact on American photography. Anthony Barboza and the New Bedford Art Museum’s Executive Director Suzanne de Vegh join The Culture Show for an overview. To learn more go here. Finally, acclaimed drummer and composer Allison Miller joins The Culture Show. She defies category, blending jazz, rock, and folk with fearless originality. A longtime bandleader and collaborator with artists like Brandi Carlile and Ani DiFranco she recently joined Berklee’s Harmony and Jazz Composition Department as the Ken Pullig Visiting Scholar in Jazz Studies. Her latest album is “Big & Lovely” by Allison Miller with the One O’Clock Lab Band. -
October 28, 2025 - The Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, Lesley Ann Warren on Clue at 40, and Kiernan Schmitt
As part of our ongoing “Countdown to 2026” series, we explore how Massachusetts is commemorating 250 years of American history. Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago joins us to discuss the new Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, a statewide digital map linking more than 1,200 monuments and memorials that honor generations of service. Created by the Healey–Driscoll administration for the MA250 commemoration, the trail invites residents to engage with the Commonwealth’s military past — from the Revolution to today. To learn more about the trail go here.From there actress Lesley Ann Warren joins “The Culture Show” to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cult classic film “Clue.” The Oscar- and Golden Globe–nominated performer, who played the unforgettable Miss Scarlet, will be in Boston to host a special anniversary screening at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. To learn more go here.Finally travel writer Kiernan Schmitt takes us on a Halloween-inspired journey through the hidden and haunting corners of the city. His book “Secret Boston: An Unusual Guide”uncovers the eerie and unexpected — from ghostly convents to abandoned zoos and the bizarre sculpture garden known as Ponyhenge. Schmitt, who co-hosts the travel podcast “Out of Office,” returns to the show to reveal the stories and curiosities hiding in plain sight. -
October 27, 2025 - Bruins 365, Terri Lyne Carrington on Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Erica Vanstone
Hockey historian Mike Commito joins The Culture Show to celebrate the Boston Bruins—one story at a time. His new book, Bruins 365, serves up a memorable moment for every day of the year, combining sharp research with the spirit of the game.From there it’s another edition of “Sound Files,” our ongoing series when we invite local musicians and cultural critics to zero in on one of their favorite entries in the US National Recording Registry. On tap today, Grammy Award–winning drummer, composer, and founder of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, Terri Lyne Carrington. She goes deep on “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”Finally, roller derby veteran and author Erica Vanstone takes us inside her fast-paced, full-contact memoir “Don’t Let Them Eat the Baby: Why Roller Derby is the Greatest Sport Never Sold.” From the Camden rinks to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, Vanstone tells a story of resilience, rebellion, and the community that helped her—and a sport—find their soul. -
October 24, 2025 - Week in Review: The Louvre heist, the East Wing of the White House, and Dunkin's Spidey D
Edgar B. Herwick III, Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons and Culture Show contributor Joyce Kulhawik co-host this week’s arts and culture week-in-review.First up, the Louvre heist. Thieves disguised as maintenance workers pulled off a seven-minute jewel theft at the world’s most famous museum — raising questions about how security slipped for treasures worth nearly $100 million.From there a look at Hollywood’s fading star power: From Julia Roberts to Dwayne Johnson, A-list names aren’t guaranteeing box-office gold anymore. What’s dimming their shine?Plus Eric Lu’s Triumph. The Massachusetts-born pianist made history in Warsaw, becoming the first American in 55 years to win the International Chopin Competition.And the legacy of Allan Crite. Boston’s own “artist-reporter” is celebrated in a major exhibition from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Boston Athenaeum, honoring his vivid portrayals of everyday Black life. -
October 23, 2025 - Dorie McCullough Lawson, Mary Grant, and Laurel Kratochvila
Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David McCullough spent decades helping Americans see their past in human terms. A new collection, “History Matters”, gathers his essays and speeches on why history endures — edited by his daughter Dorie McCullough Lawson and longtime collaborator Mike Hill. She joins us ahead of her American Ancestors Headquarters event today at 5 p.m. To learn more go here. From there Mary Grant, president of MassArt joins us for her monthly appearance as part of our recurring series “AI: Actual Intelligence.”Finally Berlin-based baker Laurel Kratochvila joins the Culture SHow to talk about her new cookbook Dobre Dobre: Baking from Poland and Beyond. The book celebrates Poland’s baking traditions — from Jewish-diasporic classics to regional favorites — and reveals how migration and memory live on in every recipe. She’ll appear at Harvard Book Store tonight at 7 p.m. to learn more go here. -
October 22, 2025 - The 24th Halloween Horror Marathon at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and Gish Jen
Halloween is lurking around the corner and the Coolidge Corner Theatre is preparing for its 24th annual Halloween Horror Marathon. Mark Anastasio, the Coolidge’s Program Director, joins us to preview twelve hours of horror classics, creature features, and surprise screenings — all shown on 35 millimeter film. To learn more go here.Then, author Gish Jen discusses her new novel, “Bad Bad Girl.” In this witty and deeply personal work, Jen blends fiction and autobiography to imagine her mother’s life and explore the distance between them — uncovering how storytelling can bridge what family history leaves unsaid. On October 25th you can catch her at a Boston Book Festival event at 3:00. To learn more go here. -
October 21, 2025 - Hocus Pocus at the Ropes Mansion in Salem and Gesine Bullock-Prado
It’s October in Salem, where history and Halloween converge. Peabody Essex Museum curator-at-large Paula Richter joins The Culture Show to talk about the Ropes Mansion — its role as “Allison’s House” in Hocus Pocus, and how the museum brings it to life each October. Starting October 23 and continuing through Halloween, the mansion’s exterior will once again be decorated in full “Hocus Pocus” style, drawing crowds to its front steps and gardens. To learn more about all things PEM, go here.Then, pastry chef and author Gesine Bullock-Prado on her new cookbook “My Harvest Kitchen: 100+ Recipes to Savor the Seasons.” From Hollywood lawyer to Vermont baker, she shares how cooking with what’s close at hand — and in season — can feed both body and spirit. Tonight she'll be at Trillium Fort Point in Boston’s Seaport at 6 p.m.for a Q&A and signing. To learn more go here. -
October 20, 2025 - John Carter Cash and Zahili Zamora
As the only son of Johnny Cash and June Carter, John Carter Cash has carried forward one of America’s most enduring musical legacies. A Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and author, he’s worked with artists from Willie Nelson to Sheryl Crow while preserving his parents’ archives and spirit. He joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest book, The Complete Johnny Cash: Lyrics from a Lifetime of Songwriting, which gathers more than five decades of his father’s words—offering insight into the man behind the Man in Black.From there it’s Cuban-born pianist, vocalist and composer Zahili Gonzalez Zamora. She brings a deep, cross-cultural fluency to her music—melding Afro-Cuban rhythms, jazz improvisation, and storytelling. A faculty member at Berklee College of Music, she joins “The Culture Show” to talk about her forthcoming album “Overcoming,” which comes out this Friday; on Friday night she’ll be performing at Scullers Jazz Club at 7:00. To learn more go here. -
October 17, 2025 - Week-in-Review - Diane Keaton, D'Angelo, and the Arch de Trump
Today Edgar B. Herwick III, Callie Crossley 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 arts and culture headlines. First up, remembering Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress of “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather,” and “Something’s Gotta Give.” Over five decades, Diane Keaton redefined Hollywood stardom with her originality, and offbeat authenticity.From there we reflect on D’Angelo, the R&B singer, songwriter, and producer behind “Brown Sugar"and “Voodoo” who died at 51. And we honor Susan Stamberg, a founding voice of NPR, who has died at 86. Her curiosity, and signature cranberry relish became synonymous with the golden age of public radio and its spirit of storytelling.Plus actor Stephen Graham is expanding his Netflix series Adolescence into a new book on masculinity. His project invites fathers around the world to write letters to their sons about what it means to be a man today — continuing the conversation his show began.
