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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.

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For This Broadway Star, ‘Drag Is Such a Tool of Freedom’

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 | Published Jan 24, 2023

Can RuPaul & Will Smith Help Save Broadway’s ‘Ain’t No Mo’’?

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Dec 14, 2022

Jack Holden Answered a Call for Help, Then Wrote a Hit Play

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Aug 26, 2022

London’s Hottest Theater Sees a Group of Women on the Verge

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Aug 25, 2022

‘So Excited!’ Broadway’s Biggest Fans Rejoice as It Reopens

‘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.

Tim Teeman, Naveen Kumar | Published Sep 15, 2021

What Have Broadway’s White Leaders Learned About Racism?

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Jun 30, 2021

Broadway Is Back, and May Finally Confront Its Racism

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published May 29, 2021

Theater Died in 2020. Its Rebirth Will Be Suitably Dramatic.

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.

Tim Teeman, Naveen Kumar | Published Dec 27, 2020

Teenagers ‘Give Voice’ to August Wilson’s Powerful Legacy

‘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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Dec 08, 2020

This Costume Designer Is Fighting to End Racism on Broadway

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.

Naveen Kumar | Published Nov 09, 2020

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