Armistead Maupin developed a series of novels based on his serialized fiction published in the San Francisco-based Pacific Sun newspaper. His work is notable for featuring sympathetic and realistic portrayals of women and gay men.
Marchand talks about the differences between acting onstage and in television, the challenges of raising children while working, and the intersection of her celebrity and personal life.
Dean of the Yale School of Drama theater director Lloyd Richards helms the production of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He believes great plays are rare, and that the effort to discover them is worth the effort.
Wilson's latest work, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, is now in production at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. He discusses how writing dialog-heavy short fiction led him to playwriting.
Fred Rogers began his popular children's program before becoming a father himself. During his lunch breaks, he attended seminary school and became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church. Though faith is central to his personal life, he aims to make his show accessible and welcoming for children of all backgrounds.
Writer Germaine Greer is suspicious of both the safety and sexually liberating power of birth control. In her new book, she suggests women look beyond intercourse and seek different social, emotional and physical paths toward sexual pleasure.
Tom Goodkind, Lauren Agnelli, and Bruce Paskow comprise the band The Washington Squares. They play acoustic music that blends parody and socially conscious messages.
The musician talks to Terry Gross about the social and economic conditions that affect the place of African American musical traditions in American culture.
Billy Hayes' years spent in a Turkish prison for smuggling hashish have been well documented in his book Midnight Express, which was later adapted into a book. He now pursues an acting career in California.
Writer and journalist Gloria Steinem returns to Fresh Air to discuss the issues facing women and minorities in the forthcoming presidential election. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.
The trio of singers, who come from a family of 10 children, join Fresh Air's Danny Miller to talk about their faith, religious and musical upbringing, and admiration for soul and jazz singers of the '50s and '60s.
Actor Joel Grey talks about the legacy of his father, comedic actor and clarinetist Mickey Katz. Grey's Jewish heritage helped him add complexity to his performance in the Broadway and film versions of Cabaret, in which he played the Master of Ceremonies.
Chef and Chez Panisse restauranteur Alice Waters says that most ingredients -- from produce to shellfish -- are best served the day they're harvested. She aims to incorporate this freshness into all her dishes.
The bossa nova duo comprises married couple guitarist Orlando Haddad and pianist Patricia King, who both sing. Fresh Air producer Danny Miller asks them about the growth of their career and the unique rhythms they incorporate into their performances.
Barbara Walker's interest in women's roles in religious and spiritual traditions led her to write a book on the subject. Her research suggests that Christianity has suppressed various matriarchal and women-focused faith practices in order to strengthen patriarchal power structures.
Record producer Hal Willner gathered rock and jazz musicians to pay tribute to composers Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk on two separate compilation albums.
Horace Silver began as an introverted, aspiring pianist in Connecticut before becoming a musical force in the New York jazz scene. After founding the Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey, he left the band to start his own ensemble. He talks about the creative and therapeutic aspects of composing music.
Soprano Benita Valente knew from an early age she wanted to make a career as a singer. She studied at the Curtis Institute and lives in Philadelphia. She tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about how performance, practice, and age have all refined her voice.
