Arts & Life

Denée Benton stars in the multiple-nominee hit Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812.

'The Great Comet': 'Hits All Of The Checkmarks' Of A Broadway Experience

12:39pm June 11, 2017

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with director Rachel Chavkin and actress Denée Benton of Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which retells Tolstoy's War and Peace with a diverse cast.

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Actors Adam West (L)and Burt Ward dressed as their characters (Zappp!) "Batman" and (Powww!) "Robin," on Jan. 27, 1989 at the "World of Wheels" custom car show in Chicago.

Adam West Saved Batman. And Me.

8:44am June 11, 2017

by Glen Weldon

NPR's resident Bat-scholar Glen Weldon offers a personal remembrance of the late Adam West, explains how the actor rescued the character of Batman from oblivion, and explores his enduring legacy.

Karyn Meek, production stage manager for the Tony-nominated musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, describes stage managers as "the hub of the wheel."

Arts

Stage Managers: You Can't See Them, But Couldn't See A Show Without Them

8:26am June 11, 2017

by Jeff Lunden

Off in the wings, stage managers coordinate cast and crew, calling hundreds of cues during Broadway performances. They may not win Tony Awards, but without them, not even the curtain would go up.

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Open Iftar events are held outdoors (weather permitting), and are open to all. Often there are guest speakers and evening prayers, and then everyone —Muslim and non-Muslim alike —breaks bread together. Above, attendees at the first U.S. Open Iftar, he

This Dinner Party Invites People Of All Faiths To Break Bread Together

8:12am June 11, 2017

by Deena Prichep

Iftar is the nightly meal breaking the Ramadan fast. The Open Iftar project stages meals outdoors, encouraging Muslims and non-Muslims to move beyond religious divides to get to know each other.

In Beatriz at Dinner, Salma Hayek plays Beatriz, a massage therapist who attends a dinner party at the home of her wealthy clients.

Arts

Landing Starring Roles At 50, Salma Hayek Enjoys 'Proving Everyone Wrong'

8:12am June 11, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Hayek's career hasn't been easy, but she's not complaining: "I'd rather have the hard road into excellence than the easy road into mediocrity," she says. Her current film is called Beatriz at Dinner.

Swimsuit Season Gets Complicated

8:12am June 11, 2017

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro asks Sarah Halzack, who has written about retail for The Washington Post, why this season's swimwear is so complicated.

The Last Kid Left: A Novel, by Rosecrans Baldwin.

Books
Arts

'Last Kid Left' Is A Summer Read For People Who Hate The Light

7:00am June 11, 2017

by Jason Sheehan

Rosecrans Baldwin's new novel probably shouldn't have come out in summer: It's got the trappings of a beach read — a shore town, tourists, a murder — but it strays into some very dark territory.

Adam West brings out his alter ego, Batman, for the filming of a 1967 road safety ad for children.

Arts

Adam West, Who Played The Dark Knight At His Brightest, Dies At 88

2:10pm June 10, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The actor donned Batman's costume for TV in the '60s, giving an enduring rendition of the hero. Later in his career, West enjoyed a renaissance as a voice actor. His family says he died Friday night.

Couples therapist Esther Perel is the author of Mating in Captivity and hosts the podcast Where Should We Begin.

Arts

Not My Job: We Quiz Couples Therapist Esther Perel On The Monastic Life

12:50pm June 10, 2017

Relationship expert Esther Perel is the author of Mating in Captivity, and her new podcast Where Should We Begin, features real people talking about real problems.

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Books
Arts

Beach Reads You Need: Four Sandy Summer Romances

10:00am June 10, 2017

by Maya Rodale

Our monthly romance roundup rolls on with four beach-appropriate reads for June, from the supernatural to the astronomical to an old-fashioned tale of family lost and found when you least expect it.