PROUD AND FREE
The journey of Daphne in Broadway’s “Some Like It Hot” mirrors the experience of their nonbinary portrayer J Harrison Ghee. “You have to free yourself to see yourself,” Ghee says.
Naveen Kumar is a culture writer and editor whose recent work also appears on them.us, Vox, and The Hollywood Reporter. He serves as theater critic for Towleroad and contributes reviews to Time Out New York. His arts features have appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, and more.
NEVER STOP FIGHTING
An all-star rescue team is helping Jordan E. Cooper try to save “Ain’t No Mo’” from closure. Now Broadway must re-examine how it promotes shows by artists of color, Cooper says.
LISTENING EAR
Jack Holden, a volunteer with much-cherished British LGBTQ charity Switchboard, was inspired to write his acclaimed play “Cruise” from the many calls for help and advice he took.
CURTAIN UP
London’s West End is trying to bounce back with high-voltage, starry productions—“Cabaret,” “The Seagull,” “The Glass Menagerie,” and “All of Us”—in which women take center stage.
‘WHAT JUST HAPPENED?’
We were with the fans at Broadway’s big reopening for “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “Chicago,” and “The Lion King.” Plus, “Chicago” star Bianca Marroquín on how the evening “stunned” her.
WORDS AND ACTIONS
At a forum organized by the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, white theater industry leaders talked about, or often around, the practicalities of anti-racist learning and practices.
RADICAL CHANGE
Broadway’s reckoning with racism began after George Floyd’s murder. Now, activists hope that actions taken in rehearsal rooms and productions will lead to institutional change.
Curtain Up
Coronavirus brought the curtain down on Broadway, and theaters across America. Tim Teeman and Naveen Kumar discuss the effects of the shutdown, and the shape of theater’s rebirth.
‘HE’S TALKING ABOUT US’
The documentary “Giving Voice,” about teenagers competing in the August Wilson Monologue Competition, reminds us of the playwright's indelible legacy—and the power of theater.
TRUTH-TELLER
Tony-nominated costume designer Dede Ayite is thinking deeply about how to create equity in theater. Her work also demonstrates the breadth and vibrancy of Black stories.