Performing Arts

Bradbury's encounter with Mr. Electrico “really started him on his quest to become a writer, which was essentially a quest to become immortal,” says Jason Aukerman.

The Sideshow Magician Who Inspired Ray Bradbury—Then Vanished

Experts have been unable to verify the existence of Mr. Electrico, whose 1932 electric chair act supposedly affirmed the young author's interest in writing

Two lucky visitors will spend the night inside the Palais Garnier, exploring the historic opera house and enjoying private tours and other perks.

Parisian Opera House That Inspired 'Phantom of the Opera' Becomes an Airbnb

For just one night, two travelers will spend the night in the Palais Garnier’s Box of Honor

Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) in the 2016 hit La La Land

'La La Land,' an Homage to Hollywood, Is Coming to Broadway

A stage adaptation of the hit 2016 movie musical is officially in the works

Arthur Duncan performing on "The Lawrence Welk Show"

Arthur Duncan, Talented Tap Dancer Who Broke Barriers, Dies at 97

The pioneering entertainer enjoyed a dazzling career that kept him dancing for decades

Curatin call at the opening night of Indecent on Broadway in 2017

Florida High School Cancels 'Indecent,' a Play About Censorship on Broadway in 1923

Free speech groups—and playwright Paula Vogel—are condemning the school board's decision

A Stomp performance on the streets of New York City in 2021

'Stomp' Performers Hang Up Their Garbage Can Lids

The iconic production closes this weekend after nearly three decades off-Broadway

Toni Morrison, the renowned author of powerful novels about the Black experience, taught at Princeton between 1989 and 2006.

Toni Morrison's Rarely Seen Papers Will Go on View at Princeton

The university is planning a months-long series of exhibitions, programs and performances

South African ballet dancers in the Russian Ballet Ensemble perform The Nutcracker in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 10.

Ukraine Calls for Boycott of 'The Nutcracker' and Other Russian Works

Critics argue that connecting Russia's culture with its current leadership is counterproductive

More than 200 artifacts are featured in the new exhibition, "Entertainment Nation," including clockwise from top left: Muhammad Ali's warm-up robe; the angel's jacket from the Broadway production Rent,; chairs from the set of TV's "All in the Family; a costume worn by Sylvestor Stallone in the film Rocky; Prince's "Cloud" guitar; a dress worn by performer Gloria Estefan and a conga drum used by musician Emilio Estefan from the Miami Sound Machine.

The Stars Are Aligned at the National Museum of American History

American Pop Culture Takes the Spotlight in a New Blockbuster Exhibition

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History brings television, film, music and sports together in one enthralling space

Archaeologists found fruit, nuts and other snacks in the sewers beneath the Colosseum.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Find 1,900-Year-Old Snacks in Sewers Beneath the Colosseum

Spectators at Rome’s ancient amphitheater enjoyed olives, figs, nuts and more

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap has been running at London's West End since 1952.

Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap' Is Coming to Broadway

After 70 years in London, the beloved murder mystery is finally heading to the Great White Way

Celia Cruz (above in 2001 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.) was "a phenomenon," says the Smithsonian's Ashley Mayor, one of the organizers of the new exhibition "Entertainment Nation," opening in December at the National Museum of American History.

The Stars Are Aligned at the National Museum of American History

The Enduring Legacy of Celia Cruz, the 'Queen of Salsa'

The performer's vivacious life takes the stage as part of the new Smithsonian exhibition, "Entertainment Nation"

The Museum of Broadway opens this week, bringing New York its first permanent museum dedicated to the Great White Way.

The Ten Coolest Artifacts at the New Museum of Broadway

Peek behind the curtain of "Ziegfeld Follies," "The Lion King," "Kinky Boots" and more

Actress Anna May Wong is the latest woman to appear on the quarter under the U.S. Mint's American Women Quarters program.

Meet Anna May Wong, the First Asian American on U.S. Currency

The trailblazing actress overcame discrimination to become a global star

Freddie Mercury on stage in 1986

Cool Finds

Queen Releases Newly Discovered Song With Vocals From Freddie Mercury

Once believed to be lost, the track comes from a 1988 recording session

Misty Copeland at the BET Black Girls Rock show in in Newark, New Jersey, in 2013

Misty Copeland Is Introducing Black and Latino Children to Ballet

The renowned dancer's BE BOLD program will provide free dance classes to hundreds of students

Abigail Barlow (bottom left) and Emily Bear (bottom right) won a Grammy for their Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.

What the 'Unofficial Bridgerton Musical' Lawsuit Means for Fan-Created Content

Netflix has accused the songwriting duo behind the viral production of stealing copyrighted material for their own financial gain

A rendering of a section of the museum focused on Rent, which immerses visitors in the East Village

The First-Ever Broadway Museum Makes Its Debut

Interactive exhibits will walk visitors through the Great White Way's history and evolution

Unable to return home, dancers from the Kyiv City Ballet rehearse for a fundraising performance; ticket sales will go toward relief efforts in Ukraine.

Stranded Abroad, Kyiv City Ballet Announces Its First American Tour

The dance company has been staying in Paris since the Russian invasion of Ukraine

The "Gifts We Carry: Sounds of Migration and Memory” concert will combine musicians from several backgrounds and cultures, including Salar Nader on the tabla and Homayoun Sakhi, a master on the Afghan stringed instrument the rubab. 

After Long Absence, the Folklife Festival Returns to the National Mall

The much-loved summer event, featuring the United Arab Emirates and Earth Optimism programs, opens with a concert hosted by Yo-Yo Ma

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