Today

Berardino Palumbo, "Where Saints Show Respect: Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power" (Berghahn Books, 2026)

Where Saints Show Respect: Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power is an anthropological exploration of how authority is produced not only through violence or secrecy but also through public ritual. Drawing on more than thirty years of ethnographic research in Sicily, Professor Be ... Show More

1h 21m

Apr 6

Alex Diamond, "Governing the Excluded: Rural Livelihoods Beyond Coca in Colombia's Peace Laboratory" (U Chicago Press, 2026)

The Colombian village of Briceño might, at first glimpse, look like many communities in the rural Global South. Many of the people living there rely on small-scale farming, even as a newly constructed hydroelectric dam threatens traditional livelihoods. Yet after decades where Br ... Show More

1h 4m

Yesterday

Abigail Ocobock, "Marriage Material: How an Enduring Institution Is Changing Same-Sex Relationships" (U Chicago Press, 2024)

It is no secret that marriage rates in the United States are at an all-time low. Despite this significant decline, the institution of marriage endures in our society amid historic changes to its meaning and practice. How does the continuing strength of marriage impact the relatio ... Show More

41m 34s

Sep 2024

Trevor Boffone, "TikTok Broadway: Musical Theatre Fandom in the Digital Age" (Oxford UP, 2024)

Are you a musical theatre fan who loves TikTok? Or are you curious about how this social media app has changed musical theatre fandom - and even the concept of the musical itself? TikTok Broadway: Musical Theatre Fandom in the Digital Age (Oxford UP, 2024) takes readers inside th ... Show More

1 h

Aug 2024

163: The Show (Boat) Must Go On: Broadway and the American Musical

“Miller, Lyles, and I were standing near the exit door . . . Blake stuck out there in front, leading the orchestra—his bald head would get the brunt of the tomatoes and rotten eggs.” This is the story of American musical theater and the dawn of modern Broadway. Popular entertainm ... Show More

59m 46s

Dec 2024

History of Broadway (Radio Edit)

Greg Jenner is joined in 20th-century New York by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn about the history of Broadway.Most of us are familiar with at least one Broadway musical, from classics like My Fair Lady and the Sound of Music to new favourites ... Show More

28m 8s

Apr 2025

629. How Is Live Theater Still Alive?

<p>It has become fiendishly expensive to produce, and has more competition than ever. And yet the believers still believe. Why? And does the world really want a new musical about ... Abraham Lincoln?! (Part one of <a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/how-is-live-theater- ... Show More

59m 43s

Oct 2024

We Remember Ken Page

Last month, the Great White Way lost one of its brightest stars: Ken Page. In tribute to the beloved actor, singer and Drama Desk Award Winner, “Here’s the Thing” is sharing Alec Baldwin’s 2021 conversation with the Broadway legend. Page was known for his standout roles in the 19 ... Show More

1 h

Sep 2024

History of Broadway

Greg Jenner is joined in 20th-Century New York by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn about the history of Broadway. Most of us are familiar with at least one Broadway musical, from classics like My Fair Lady and the Sound of Music to new favourites ... Show More

57m 24s

Sep 2024

Patti LuPone: “I Was Born to Do What I Do”

Actress and singer Patti LuPone has left an indelible mark on the world of theater. Known for her breakthrough roles in musicals such as Evita and Les Misérables, and for collaborating with the likes of David Mamet and Stephen Sondheim, LuPone has equally stunned audiences with h ... Show More

55m 29s

Trevor Boffone, "TikTok Broadway: Musica...