Performing Arts

DePrince, born in Sierra Leone, lost both her parents during the country’s civil war. She became the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and later joined the Boston Ballet.

After Chappell Roan posted about how some fans have been making her feel unsafe, there's been speculation around whether the singer is really 'cut out to be a pop star.' But are the critiques fair? Brittany sits down with Kelsey McKinney, who wrote about the controversy for Defector, and Dr. Mel Stanfill, author of Fandom is Ugly. They discuss modern fandom, how Chappell Roan framed it as a conversation about gender and what people misunderstand about celebrity.

Then, Brittany looks at the how charity is changing. Traditional charitable giving is down in the US and some non-profits have declared that we're in the middle of a "generosity crisis." At the same time, a new genre of online viral videos has emerged: feel-good 'charity' content. And nobody does it bigger than MrBeast. Brittany is joined by journalist Max Read to understand the MrBeast phenomenon and break down the generational divides these videos reveal.

Want to be featured on IBAM? Record a voice memo responding to Brittany's question at the end of the episode and send it to ibam@npr.org.

NPR's Scott Simon visits The Second City Theater in Chicago to talk with comedians about the challenges of improv.

Witches are having a moment in Ukraine. Now they have taken center stage in a dark musical comedy titled The Witch of Konotop, with performances selling out all summer in Kyiv.

Tourism in the Austrian city of Salzburg generates about a billion euros annually. Many of those tourists visit locations where some scenes of The Sound of Music were filmed, but many residents are less than enthusiastic about the von Trapp family's story.

A new version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats" sets it in the queer, competitive ballroom scene - and it finally makes sense.

The legacy of the emancipation of Jim and Winnie Shankle spans generations. The true love story among former slaves is shared in a dance performance in the Texas town the couple founded in 1867.

The musician died this month at age 58. His collaborators are paying tribute to "a great artist who belongs to the world.”

In the latest revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, there are no singing cats. The actors have basically ditched the furry ears and velvet tails and reimagined the characters as competitors in the ballroom scene, vying for trophies and a new chance at life. This week, host Brittany Luse talks to Cats: The Jellicle Ball star Chasity Moore and co-director Zhailon Levingston about ballroom, spectacles and memories.

Want to be featured on IBAM? Record a voice memo responding to Brittany's question at the end of the episode and send it to ibam@npr.org.

A play about witches is selling out in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. Critics say that even though the plot takes place centuries ago, the play's takeaways and parallels to today resonate with Ukrainians.