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Arts & Life

These NYC kids have written the history of an overlooked Black female composer

Three of the student authors of Who Is Florence Price? (left to right: Sebastián Núñez, Hazel Peebles and Sophia Shao), joined by their English teacher, Shannon Potts. Courtesy of Special Music School hide caption

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Courtesy of Special Music School

Music

These NYC kids have written the history of an overlooked Black female composer

A group of sixth, seventh and eighth grade students realized there was no children's book about the composer Florence Price. So they wrote, illustrated and published their own.

'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' is TV's longest-running live-action sitcom

Actors Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito and Charlie Day act during a dance scene on the set of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" in 2007 in Los Angeles, Calif. Michael Buckner/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Television

'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' is TV's longest-running live-action sitcom

"So, raise that snifter and cheers: To Sunny!" the TV channel FX said. "Yes, it burns a little, and that's what you want."

Why the photographer Jeff Wall relies on memory — not his camera — to make his art

Picture for Women, 1979, transparency in lightbox Jeff Wall/© Jeff Wall; Courtesy the artist and Glenstone Museum hide caption

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Jeff Wall/© Jeff Wall; Courtesy the artist and Glenstone Museum

Art Where You're At

Why the photographer Jeff Wall relies on memory — not his camera — to make his art

Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Md., is hosting five decades worth of art by Canadian Jeff Wall, a photographer who begins a work "by not photographing."

Why the photographer Jeff Wall relies on memory — not his camera — to make his art

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Suspect identified in shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, L.A. philanthropist

Jacqueline Avant, left, and Clarence Avant appear at the 11th Annual AAFCA Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2020. Jacqueline Avant was fatally shot early Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mark Von Holden/Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP hide caption

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Mark Von Holden/Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP

National

Suspect identified in shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, L.A. philanthropist

Police have identified a suspect, Aariel Maynor, in the shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, after he was apprehended nearby.

NPR's Short Wave: 'An Outsider's Guide to Humans'
Penguin Random House

NPR's Book of the Day

NPR's Short Wave: 'An Outsider's Guide to Humans'

Camilla Pang talks with NPR's Short Wave host Emily Kwong about her award-winning memoir, An Outsider's Guide to Humans: What Science Taught Me About What We Do And Who We Are. Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 8, the scientist and writer pairs her favorite scientific principles with human behavior and navigating daily life.

NPR's Short Wave: 'An Outsider's Guide to Humans'

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The theatre kid energy is strong with 'tick, tick...Boom!'

Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson in tick, tick...BOOM! Macall Polay /Netflix hide caption

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Macall Polay /Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The theatre kid energy is strong with 'tick, tick...Boom!'

The Netflix movie tick, tick...BOOM! is the story of composer Jonathan Larson and the musical he wrote a few years before he wrote Rent. The film marks the directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda, and stars Andrew Garfield as Jonathan. It's set in 1990 and takes place over a few days leading up to Jonathan's 30th birthday.

The theatre kid energy is strong with 'tick, tick...Boom!'

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brings 2 dances made for the web to the stage

Alvin Ailey dancers Solomon Dumas, Samantha Figgins and Belen Indhira Pereyra in Robert Battle's dance "For Four." Christopher Duggan/Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater hide caption

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Christopher Duggan/Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Dance

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brings 2 dances made for the web to the stage

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater shifted to streaming presentations online during pandemic. Now, two dances conceived for the web are included in the company's return to in-person performance.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brings 2 dances made for the web to the stage

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'Fresh Air' remembers Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim (Part 1)

Stephen Sondheim poses in April 1976. R. Jones/Getty Images hide caption

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R. Jones/Getty Images

Theater

'Fresh Air' remembers Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim (Part 1)

Fresh Air

Sondheim, who died Nov. 26, was the lyricist and composer who gave us Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and other shows. In 2010 he spoke about his writing process, from rhyming to finding the right note.

'Fresh Air' remembers Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim (Part 1)

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'All That She Carried' weaves together generations of Black women
Penguin Random House

NPR's Book of the Day

'All That She Carried' weaves together generations of Black women

All That She Carried is the history of a single bag. Historian and author Tiya Miles used what few historical records she could find to tell the stories of three generations of Black women with ties to that sack dating back to 1850. Miles' journey started because of a simple message embroidered on the bag by one of its owners, Ruth Middleton. She told Here & Now's Scott Tong that people have emotional reactions to seeing the sack, because it means the families survived to pass it down to future generations.

'All That She Carried' weaves together generations of Black women

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With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

Adele's fourth studio album 30 finds the singer reflecting on her divorce. Columbia Records hide caption

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Columbia Records

Pop Culture Happy Hour

With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

Adele is one of the most successful artists of her generation. Her last two records combined sold more than 25 million copies and both won Album Of The Year at the Grammys. Now, the U.K. pop star has put out her fourth studio album 30, which finds Adele reflecting on her divorce with songs that don't shy away from emotional vulnerability or deep melancholy.

With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

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