Episodes
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August 29, 2024 - Girl From the North Country, Janie Barnett, and Already Dead
Turn up the volume because we have three takes on music, from Bob Dylan to Cole Porter to populist punk.First up, the Irish dramatist Conor McPherson wrote and directed a play incorporating 20 songs by Bob Dylan. This is no JukeBox musical. And though it is set in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota it’s no bio-musical either. It’s titled “Girl From the North Country.” He joins us to talk about weaving Dylan’s songbook into a deeply stirring show. From there it’s singer-songwriter Janie Barnett. She has reimagined Cole Porter, Americana style. We talk to her about this genre-bending work and what it took to be the queen of the jingle, belting out classic, commercial earworms.Finally, the populist punk band “Already Dead” wrote an anthem about our housing crisis with their track “Landlord.” Now they take on the economic divide in their new release “The Spirit of Massachusetts Avenue.” -
August 28, 2024 - Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom Jr.
Summertime, and the living is easy. Or, if you’re Audra McDonald, you make it look and sound easy. The award winning singer and actor earned her fifth – of a record-breaking six– Tony awards for her portrayal of Bess in the Broadway hit “The Gershwins Porgy and Bess,” which was mounted right here at The American Repertory Theater.Jared Bowen caught up with McDonald when she was in Boston for a one-night only performance.Then it’s another star of the stage Leslie Odom, Jr. The award winning actor and singer’s portrayal of Aaron Burr in“Hamilton,” gave us a new way to think about America’s historyAnd if history doesn’t repeat itself, it rhymes. In his latest return to Broadway, Odom starred in a play that skewers racism in America. He joined The Culture Show to talk about performing on Broadway and his latest album, “When a Crooner Dies.” -
August 27, 2024 - P. Carl, Miranda July, and Lorraine O'Grady
Today on The Culture Show, P Carl. He built a life as a queer woman. But all the while he had a yearning to become more fully realized. For him that meant transitioning to another gender. He wrote about it in his 2020 memoir, “Becoming a Man,” which he adapted for the stage in a play that made its world premier at the American Repertory Theater. From there it’s multi-media, artist Miranda July on her new novel, a coming-of-middle-age story about a woman who is either experiencing a turning point or is turning her world upside down.Finally, artist Lorraine O’Grady’s slow burn of a career. At nearly 90- years-old she is having a moment–from receiving a Guggenheim fellowship to having her first ever museum retrospective at the Davis Museum. -
August 26, 2024 - Matt Farley, Adam Gardner, and Charles Ives
Today on The Culture Show, the one-man media conglomerate: Matt Farley. For him quality IS quantity. The Danvers based singer-songwriter is prolific. He’s written, produced and recorded more than 25,000 songs. He also makes movies, hosts podcasts and writes books. Then, It’s music to environmentalists’ ears. We check in with Adam Gardner. The lead singer of Guster is also leading the way to make the music industry more sustainable. Finally, how many pianos does it take to Celebrate Charles Ives? The pioneer in avant-garde music was recently celebrated at New England Conservatory with a series of concerts marking his 150th birthday. NEC’s Stephen Drury joins us to talk about Ives’ genius and where we can hear his influence today -
August 23, 2024 - Week in Review: Bennifer, Phil Donahue, and The Onion
First up, after months of speculation about divorce, Bennifer is over, again. The highly publicized rollercoaster of a romance that’s spanned decades has its own wikipedia entry, there are numerous analyses breaking down their breakups, legal experts weighing in on the potential financial fallout….so what does our fascination with the on again off again relationship between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez say about fame, fortune and us?Then we remember Phil Donahue. A pioneer of TV talk show who paved the way for Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey; using the format of live audience participation to tackle what were then, taboo topics for daytime TV–– such as sexual assault and race relations.From there, we look at the relationship between comedy and news by way of a forthcoming CNN show taking on the weekly headlines with humor. -
August 22, 2024 - Judy Collins, Jamie Wyeth, and arts at the DNC
Judy Collins, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter is bringing her unmistakable, ethereal voice, and her legendary repertoire to Tanglewood..Ahead of her performance, she joins The Culture Show to talk about her landmark 1967 album, “Wildflowers,” her 2022 studio album of original material titled ”Spellbound,” and her fight for social and environmental justice.From there we enter the unsettling universe of acclaimed artist Jamie Wyeth. The haunting, ominous and menacing worlds that he has conjured over decades are on view in a new exhibition at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, ME titled “Jamie Wyeth: Unsettled.” Finally, GBH News digital producer Alexi Cohan joins us from Chicago with her highlight reel, recapping four days of the Democratic National Convention. -
August 21, 2024 - Jack Lueders-Booth, Artists for Humanity, and King Richard's Faire
In the 1970’s photographer Jack Lueders-Booth went to MCI Framingham, the women’s prison, to teach the incarcerated photography. He transformed a vacant wing of the prison, building darkrooms…and a community. During his nearly 10 years there he collaborated with the women who lived in the prison; teaching technique, learning their stories and making a series of color Polaroid images. They number nearly 200 and now a selection of these portraits appears in his new photo-book, “Women Prisoner Polaroids.”From there we look at Artists For Humanity. The nonprofit trains youth in art and entrepreneurship. This summer, through a partnership with the city of Boston, they became one of the largest employers of teens in the city by creating 460 jobs. Anna Yu, executive director of Artists for Humanity and Jason Talbot, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Program join the culture show to talk about their mission and work.Finally we time travel to the 16th century by way of King Richard’s Faire. The largest and longest running Renaissance festival in New England kicks off on August 31st. Seasoned performers Mikayla Kanode and Frank Dixon join us for a preview. -
August 20, 2024 - ODB: A Tale of Two Dirtys, the Nantucket Looms, and Perry T. Rathbone
Filmmaker Jason Pollard joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest documentary. “Old Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys,” which premieres on A&E on august 25th. This authorized biography looks at the life, career and legacy of Russel Tyrone Jones, AKA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the founding member of Wu-Tang Clan.From there Edgar B. Herwick III and producer Kate Dellis take us to a place that is woven into Nantucket’s creative community, economy and history: Nantucket Looms.Finally, a day in the life of Perry T. Rathbone, one of America’s great museum directors who brought the Museum of Fine Arts into a new era. A new book, “In the Company of Art: A Museum Director's Private Journals,” gives us insight into what it took to successfully run a megawatt art institution like the MFA. The book was compiled by Belinda Rathbone, an historian, biographer and daughter of Perry T. Rathbone. -
August 19, 2024 - Cakeswagg, Richard III, and the Bellforge Arts Center
By day Roxbury rapper Cakeswagg is a theater teacher working with youth, by night, she puts her theatrical skills to use, assuming the larger-than-life alter ego, Cakeswagg.Fresh off Boston Calling, her sophomore album, “Michelin Star” drops this week. She joins us for a pre-release party, performing some of her new tracks. From there, Dream Role Players gives actors an opportunity to play their dream roles, which includes a new production of Richard III with an all female presenting cast. We talk to the creative force behind this adaptation, producer and Dream Role Players founder Lisa Burdick, and actor Elizabeth Ross who stars as Richard III.Finally, we talk to Jean Mineo, executive director of Bellforge Arts Center in Medfield, about their expansion plans and upcoming events, which include a Rathskeller Reunion and CultureFest 2024. -
August 16, 2024: Week in Review
Today on The Culture Show co-hosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B Herwick III go over the latest headlines.First up, a rallying cry for political rallies. Musicians are sick of the same old tune, having to threaten politicians with legal action for using their music as a soundtrack for their own political ambitions–without permission. Celine Dion and the estate of Issac Hayes are just the latest to object – but what protections do they actually have?From there it’s another spin on politics and music, with the D.J. in chief, Barack Obama. The release of his summer playlist is a much-anticipated tradition that gives unknown artists a boost along the way.Then, it’s Banksy’s graffiti managerine, the artists wraps up nine days of nonstop animal muralsAnd we remember the great actress Gena Rowlands and Wallace Amos, the man behind Famous Amos cookies.
