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‘Home of egg rolls, jazz and blues,’ Chan’s celebrates 120 years in Rhode Island
Music lovers put this Woonsocket music venue and restaurant on their bucket lists.
Listen to previous shows
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July 1, 2025 - Robert Ellis Orrall, Sam Waterston, and mixologist Marsha Lindsey
Robert Ellis Orrall is a singer-songwriter, producer and owner of the indie label Infinity Cat Recordings. He has worked in Nashville collaborating with Taylor Swift and Reba McEntire. Now he has a new live album, “The Bear is the Mountain,” which revisits the early 80’s, featuring recordings from live performances throughout Boston. He joins The Culture Show ahead of a busy season of live performances, starting with July 5th at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts. To learn more go here.From there Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Sam Waterston joins The Culture Show to talk about the role that launched his career, Nick Caraway in the 1974 film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.” Waterston will be at an event at Rosecliff mansions; a conversation celebrating the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and the movie, which was filmed partially at Rosecliff, Marble House and other Newport properties. To learn more go here.Finally, we top the show off by topping one off. Mixologist Marsha Lindsey, a fixture in some of Boston’s greatest bars, serves up her summer drink suggestions. -
June 30, 2025 - Heidi Wastweet and Lucía Abramovich Sánchez, public art in New Bedford, and André Aciman
Today we continue our series with the Museum of Fine Arts, looking at works in their collection that give us insight into the people and pivotal moments that shaped America's fight for freedom. We’re joined by Lucía Abramovich Sánchez, the MFA’s Carolyn and Peter Lynch Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture, and medalist and sculptor Heidi Wastweet. They’ll discuss Heidi Wastweet’s ’s medals, Abbreviated Liberty and Liberty/Anarchy. These will be on view with The Passage of the Delaware in the America at 250 gallery reinstallation next June. From there we head to New Bedford. Culture Show contributor Julia Swanson takes us on a tour of the city’s booming public art scene. Julia Swanson is a multidisciplinary artist and award winning photographer who is the creator of The Art Walk Project – a series of self-guided micro tours of art across Greater Boston. Finally acclaimed author André Aciman joins The Culture Show to talk about his new book “Room on the Sea: Three Novellas.” Tonight you can catch him at the Boston Public Library Central Library in Copley Square in conversation with local author Allegra Goodman. To learn more go here. -
June 27, 2025 - Week in Review: Anna Wintour, Trump's F-bomb, tourists damaging art, and Boston Calling's hiatus
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons go over the latest arts and culture headlines on our week-in-review.First up, Anna Wintour. She is stepping down as Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue after 37 years at the helm. For decades she has coolly controlled the rhythms of fashion the world over…all with a steely precision. Which is why she’s also not really stepping down. She’ll remain Global Editorial Director and Chief Content officer for Condé Nast, which oversees more than nearly two dozen publications– including "GQ," "Vanity Fair," and "Bon Appetit" magazines.From there; President Trump drops the f-bomb on live TV. For someone who uses coarse language it was still shocking and it sent the media scrambling about how to report on a president swearing while saying something newsworthy.Then it’s off to Florence and Verona where tourists have damaged works of art while taking selfies.Finally, Boston Calling announces that it’s taking a gap year, returning in June 2027, and the Boston Public Library Roxbury branch will be renamed in honor of Sara-Ann Shaw, the city’s first Black woman TV reporter. -
June 26, 2025 - Boston Poet Laureate Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah, Alfredo Jaar, and Victor Oliveira
In April, Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture announced that Ghanaian American poet, editor, and educator Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah will serve as Boston’s next Poet Laureate. Oppong-Yeboah will officially assume the role in July 2025 and serve until July 2029. They join The Culture Show to talk about their poetry and vision for their role as Poet Laureate.From there the widely acclaimed conceptual Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar joins us. This Sunday he’ll be honored with the 65th Annual Edward MacDowell Medal In recognition of his contributions to American culture. MacDowell, the nation’s oldest artist residency program, has awarded the Medal to artists such as Toni Morrison, Aaron Copland, and David Lynch. This award ceremony is a public and free event. It starts at 12:15 at MacDowell in Peterborough, New Hampshire. To learn more go here.Finally Victor Oliveira, Director of Merchandising for the Peabody Essex Museum, joins The Culture Show to talk about his approach to retail, his commitment to sustainability, and supporting local artists and institutions. To learn more about recent developments, go here. -
June 25, 2025 - As You Like It in Boston Common, Frederick Douglass' July 4 speech, and the Queer (Re)Public Festival
This summer Commonwealth Shakespeare Company brings “As You Like It,” to the Parkman Bandstand for this year’s annual - and free - Shakespeare on the Common production. Actress Nora Eschenheimer, who stars as Rosalind, and actor Michael Underhill, who stars as Orlando, join The Culture Show for an overview. “As You Like It” runs July 23rd through August 10th. To learn more go here.From there we revisit Frederick Douglass’ 1852 Fourth of July speech, which confronted the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom in a country that still endorsed the forced labor and bondage of more than 3 million people. It’s a speech with deep resonance today. This is why Mass Humanities sponsors public readings of it, which happen across the region. Brian Boyles, executive director of Mass Humanities, and Kyera Singleton, Executive Director of the Royall House and Slave Quarters join The Culture Show to talk about this year’s events. To learn about upcoming readings go here.Finally Giselle Byrd, Executive Director of The Theater Offensive, previews their inaugural “Queer [RE] Public Festival” showcasing art and performance by and about queer and trans artists of color. It kicks off on June 26th and runs through June 29th at Arrow Streets Arts in Cambridge. To learn more go here.
