The Culture Show Podcast

Kneecap. The Belfast-based rap group join The Culture Show ahead of their sold-out show at Paradise to talk about their debut album and biopic, “Kneecap.” From there, is it easy being green? With “Shrek the Musical”  now on tour, Morning Edition Co-host Jeremy Siegel goes behind the scenes to find out what it takes to become the beloved, outsized ogre. Finally, Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Sim...

In 2018 Hannah Gadsby  experienced seismic success with Nanette, a Nextflix special that upended standup comedy. Since then Gadsby has had other solo shows, written a memoir and hosted the recent Netflix comedy special, “Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda.” Now their latest standup tour, titled  “Woof!”  is bringing  them to the Emerson Colonial Theatre on September 19th for two performances. They join...

Writer Zadie Smith’s latest novel, “The Fraud”  is historical  fiction, set in Victorian England. Based on real events in 19th century Jamaica and England, her  characters  are grappling with many of the issues that we’re grappling with  today: class, gender, and the reverberations of slavery. This is a work that is about so much – it’s a novel about a mediocre novelist falling out of favor, it’s...

On today’s arts and culture week-in-review Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons, the artistic and executive director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and program manager at Mass Cultural Council, go over the latest headlines. First up, Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for president and encourages everyone over the age of 18 to register to vote. ...

Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston and  José C. Massó III,  the longtime host of WBUR’s “¡Con Salsa!,” join The Culture Show to preview  The Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!” International Music Festival,  a celebration of music, culture, and social justice.  From there it’s Swampscott native Spencer Charnas. The frontman of the horror metal band Ice Nine Kills is also the curator...

The Tony winning Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater  Diane Paulus. She is a master revivalist. If you thought you knew the story of  “Porgy and Bess,”  or  “Pippin,”  Paulus has given the classics a new life by giving audiences a new way of experiencing them. Now she’s reframing “Romeo and Juliet,” with an emphasis on the lovers’ love . Diane Paulus and  theater legend Terrence Ma...

Actor and Comedian Eugene Mirman was born in Moscow, raised in Lexington, and he honed his craft working the stages of  Boston's comedy circuit. Today he is known as the voice of Gene Belcher on the FX animated hit “Bob’s Burgers” and for his inventive standup.. He joins The Culture Show ahead of his appearance at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville. From there, Edgar B. Herwick III takes us to Wor...

Today on The Culture Show Katie Bach, acting director of the Kodály Music Institute and music teacher at the Peabody School, talks about bringing  the Kodály method of teaching music into local classrooms. From there we raise a glass to Boston Rum Week, which kicks off on September 15th. Olivier Raynaut, one of the head organizers, joins us for an overview. Finally, artist Sandra Sawatzky has crea...

On this Friday’s arts and culture week-in-review, Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B Herwick III go over the latest headlines. First up, it looked like it was going to be curtains for West Newton Cinema, but in a major plot twist, it could be a Hollywood ending for the independent movie house, which  has a  new owner. And, the latest buzz is that Boston could be getting boozier, from a drama...

Eric Vloeimans is a Dutch trumpet sensation, Cambridge native Will Holshouser is an accordion master.  Together they create original, evocative compositions that draw on jazz, classical and folk music. Ahead of their upcoming shows – one tonight  at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, MA and one at  the Lilypad in Inman Square this Saturday – they join The Culture Show for an in-studio performanc...

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,”  which details how she and her husband, the actor Chris Cooper, have been able to come to terms with the death of their teenage son with the help of their canine companions. From there, The  Culture Show’s James Bennett II takes us to Cambri...

Pulitzer Prize-winner Sebastian Smee, art critic for The Washington Post, and author of “The Art of Rivalry” joins The Culture Show for a discussion of his new book “Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism.”  From there Gloucester Stage Company and Teatro Chelsea are collaborating on “The Hombres,” in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Actor Jaime José Hernández who stars...

Today we bring you three very different takes on Baseball.   First up.  from a diamond in the rough to the baseball diamond. Toni Stone made history as the first woman to play professional baseball in the mens’ Negro League. It’s the subject of Lydia Diamond’s latest play. From there it’s sportswriter and film critic Noah Gittell. In his new book  he merges two American pastimes: baseball and movi...

Writer  Raj Tawney.  Growing up in a multicultural household,  his coming of age story happened in the kitchen, helping his mother and grandmother cook recipes from their homelands.  Themes of food, memory and identity  come together  in his  memoir, “A Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey through a Mixed American Experience” From there, it’s award-winning pastry chef Joanne Chang. She joins us wi...

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 abo...

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...

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 J...

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...

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 J...

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 unse...

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 numbe...

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 th...

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...

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...

Kate Pierson, an original member of the B-52’s, also has a solo career, which  includes an upcoming album, “Radios and Rainbows.” Though it will be released next month, you can get a preview at the 20th annual Cape Cod Jazz & Arts Festival on August 21st where she will be debuting her new material. She joins us to talk about her upcoming show, discovering the ocean as a Cape Cod resident, and...