NPR’s latest on the performing arts

Byrne is one of the few actors to receive both an Oscar and a Tony nomination in the same year —for the indie film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and for Fallen Angels on Broadway.
Author: Ann Marie Baldonado
Posted: May 21, 2026, 5:40 pm
When John Cage composed an opera commemorating the American bicentennial audiences walked out. Now, it's being reinterpreted by new artists in a Detroit Opera production, as the nation turns 250.
Author: Neda Ulaby
Posted: May 21, 2026, 3:51 pm
From championing women choreographers to upending classics, the former Royal Ballet star turned artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet doesn't play it safe.
Author: Chloe Veltman
Posted: May 16, 2026, 9:00 am
Gabriela Lena Frank's first opera, in its Met debut, sees late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo leaving the underworld on the Day of the Dead to be reunited with her husband and fellow artist Diego Rivera.
Author: Jeff Lunden
Posted: May 14, 2026, 9:00 am
Seller has been a key behind-the-scenes figure for some of Broadway's biggest hits including, Hamilton and Rent, but he got his start on a much smaller scale. Originally broadcast June 30, 2025.
Author: Terry Gross
Posted: May 8, 2026, 2:32 pm
Lane is nominated for a Tony for his portrayal of Arthur Miller's iconic salesman: "When people come back and talk about it, if they're not weeping, they're saying things like, 'You were my father.'"
Author: Sam Fragoso
Posted: May 7, 2026, 4:27 pm
Two musicals are tied with 12 nominations each: a special-effects-crammed The Lost Boys, and the candy-colored satire Schmigadoon! The Pulitzer-winning Liberation was nominated for Best Play.
Author: Jennifer Vanasco
Posted: May 5, 2026, 1:10 pm
Lawyers made arguments in hearings for two separate lawsuits against President Trump and the Kennedy Center's board this week. Both lawsuits want to halt plans to close the performing arts venue for two years for renovations.
Author: Elizabeth Blair
Posted: April 30, 2026, 2:40 pm
President Trump says the Kennedy Center must close for renovation. Members of Congress and two lawsuits contend the real reason is mismanagement, artist cancellations and declining ticket sales.
Author: Elizabeth Blair
Posted: April 22, 2026, 8:38 pm
Bigfoot is popping up everywhere — in low-budget horror films, in festivals around the country, and even in a critically acclaimed musical.
Author: Neda Ulaby
Posted: April 22, 2026, 5:28 pm