Arts

Arts

Boston theater community begins an ambitious project with ‘Sojourners’

By Nate Hall and Odessa Gaines | November 12

On Nov. 6, the Huntington Theatre celebrated the opening night of “Sojourners,” written by Nigerian-American playwright Mfoniso Udofia. However, this was more than just the opening of a single show: In partnership with more than 30 theater companies, arts organizations, universities, and non-profits, the Huntington is staging nine of Udofia’s plays throughout Greater Boston over the next two years. Collectively, these nine plays make up the Ufot Family Cycle, an epic story that chronicles the life of one Nigerian immigrant family across three generations as they navigate their lives in America. “Sojourners,” which serves as the origin story of the cycle, is a remarkable tale of perseverance in the face of adversity.

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Arts

Sammy Rae talks hitting the road for her debut album

By Jack Wish and Kate Beveridge | November 12

Sammy Rae & The Friends are a genre-bending collective of musicians known for their electric live shows and empowering lyrics. Their creative process is intertwined with a sense of joy and belonging, and the band’s community-oriented fanbase is united by inclusive camaraderie and a dedication to expressive musicianship.

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Arts

The Boston Book Festival returns to Copley Square

By Liv Jordan | November 8

Thousands of book lovers attended the Boston Book Festival on Oct. 26, getting the chance to connect with fellow readers and famous authors by attending sessions spread out in multiple buildings near Copley Square. 

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Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: Guide to theater etiquette

By Odessa Gaines | November 8

With all the movies I see, I am constantly bombarded with just how much the theater scene has changed over the past several years. Much like live theater, it’s almost as if society returned from our unprecedented times and immediately decided to throw out all the rules. So for those who have forgotten or were maybe never taught, here’s an idiot’s guide to movie theater etiquette.

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Arts

New BSO CEO, Tufts alum Chad Smith speaks with the Daily

By Matthew Winkler | November 7

Tufts and New England Conservatory dual degree alum Chad Smith was appointed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra as their newest CEO in May 2023. Smith is one of the country’s leading orchestral music executives and previously served a four-year period as Chief Executive at the Los Angeles Philharmonic where he worked closely with famed maestro Gustavo Dudamel to establish some of the most impactful orchestral programs of the 21st century.

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Arts

The National Ballet of Ukraine makes its American return after 30 years

By Amelia Pauly | November 7

The National Ballet of Ukraine opened the U.S. leg of their tour in Washington D.C. on Oct. 8, bringing their talents to Boston on Oct. 10 in the historical Shubert Theater. The tour marks the company’s first U.S. appearance in over 30 years, making it a monumental moment for the ballet world. It has amassed a reputation as one of the top ballet companies in the dance world and is a pioneer in the development of the Vaganova ballet method. The production lived up to the company’s history: full of delicate pointe work, awe-inspiring partner lifts and characteristic elegance and grace. However, the chance to perform itself is so much more than an artistic gift.

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Arts

How online influencers are shaping the 2024 election

By Annika Pillai | November 5

This influence was perhaps most formally acknowledged at the Democratic National Convention in early August. The national party’s nominating convention welcomed five influencers to speak at the convention: Deja Foxx, Nabela Noor, Carlos Eduardo Espina, Olivia Julianna and John Russell. Combined, they have a total of more than 24 million social media followers.

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Arts

‘The Apprentice’ is a look into the rotten underbelly of Trump’s story

By Alexander Minagar | November 5

Is there anything surprising left about former President Donald Trump? Ali Abassi, a filmmaker, would say yes. In his latest film, “The Apprentice,” Abassi rakes the muck that is the rotten underbelly of Trump’s formative New York years under the guidance of Roy Cohn, a malignant tumor of a lawyer who lays out three Machiavellian rules to a young and malleable Trump: “Attack, attack, attack,” “admit nothing, deny everything” and “no matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat.” 

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Arts

‘Oh, Mary!’ is a political farce for the ages

By Nate Hall | November 5

Theater has always been political. Some of the biggest Broadway hits of the last few decades have explored political issues, like “Rent,” “Come From Away” and “Hadestown.” Others have taken on the American political system itself, including “Hamilton,” which focuses on the Founding Fathers, and “Suffs,” a new musical about the women’s suffrage movement. But Broadway’s latest political story comes from one of the most unexpected sources — a play so campy and absurd that for just 90 minutes, you’ll forget about the political chaos we’re living in and find some joy in the chaos onstage.

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Arts

The MFA's ‘Power of the People’ exhibition explores history of democracy through art

By Shannon Murphy | November 5

Amid the chaos of the 2024 presidential election, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston presents“Power of the People: Art and Democracy.” The exhibition showcases diverse perspectives on democracy as explored through works of art and highlights the promise, the practice and the presentation of democracy from ancient Greece to the present day. The Daily had the opportunity to speak with Phoebe Segal, Mary Bryce Comstock senior curator of Greek and Roman art, about the curation of this exhibit and the role of visual art in politics.

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Arts

Maggie Rogers dazzles with power, grace in Boston

By Basil Hand | October 30

At the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch in 2016, Pharrell Williams held a masterclass with students on their music. One student by the name of Maggie Rogers had both her song and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from Williams uploaded to YouTube. The video went viral, now sitting at 8 million views, giving Rogers and her music new levels of recognition and fame. Her first studio album, “Heard It in a Past Life,” was an indie pop album met with high praise and earned Rogers a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Her latest album, “Don’t Forget Me,” was released just this spring and has given Rogers the perfect opportunity to go on tour. Her Boston stop was at TD Garden, the massive downtown Boston arena that houses both the Bruins and the Celtics, on Oct. 17.

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Arts

3Ps presents ‘The Ghazzali Dossier’ on the Tufts stage

By Liv Jordan | October 28

“The Ghazzali Dossier,” written and directed by Tufts junior Mishaal Hussain, grapples with grief and complicity in a toxic system through the lens of a court case concerning the death of Khatijah Ghazzali. Khatijah, a 17-year-old magic student at the fictional Kalamad University, had been involved in Galatine, a mysterious organization at the university for select magic students. Galatine sends its members out on dangerous secret assignments, which led to the deaths of several students, including Khatijah.

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Arts

American Football releases 25th-anniversary edition of their debut album

By Erin Zhu | October 25

Released in 1999, indie rock band American Football’s self-titled debut album “American Football” was a landmark moment for the emerging genre of Midwest emo. Characterized by its distinct ‘emo’ voice styling and arpeggiated melodies, the genre often explores themes of suburban isolation, nostalgia and change.

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Arts

Adventures of an A-Lister: Bring back Nicole Kidman

By Odessa Gaines | October 25

If I am being completely honest, the main reason I pitched this column was for this article right here — the one about Nicole Kidman and her legendary speech that has been cut short for a reason I cannot fully comprehend. In case you’ve been living under a rock — or just don’t go to the theaters — I am, of course, referring to the AMC Theaters commercial starring Kidman that runs before the start of every AMC movie. 

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Music

Billy Bragg still inspires hope through his music

By Basil Hand | October 22

British singer and songwriter, Billy Bragg, decided to celebrate his 40 years of music with a year-long tour, only recently hitting the United States. Calling it the Roaring 40s tour, Bragg made his Boston (or Medford) stop at the Chevalier Theatre. My guest for the evening was my father, from St. Louis, Mo., who has attended previous Bragg concerts.

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Arts

Tufts dance program spotlights novel practices in inaugural artist residency

By Maxwell Shoustal and Julieta Grané | October 21

From Oct. 15–17, the Tufts Dance Program hosted an artist residency in collaboration with several other departments, including the Program in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and the Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora. Maria Bauman, a multi-disciplinary artist and director of the New York-based dance company, MBDance, held three different events over the course of the three-day residency.

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Arts

Inside the rose-tinted world of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’

By Spring LaRose | October 18

On the night of Oct. 12, I lost my virginity. The host challenged me and five other lucky virgins to do an impression of a Halloween character having an “earth-shattering orgasm.” The crowd jeered us on. A few minutes later, I found myself bent over a chair as, from behind, the host popped a symbolic red balloon against me. My latex cherry lay in ruins, and I was no longer a “Rocky Horror” virgin. 

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Arts

Gracie Abrams proves she’s not a whispery, sad girl

By Ryan Fairfield | October 18

After suffering a vocal injury that prompted the cancellation of her New York shows and rescheduling of her Philadelphia shows, rising star Gracie Abrams triumphantly returned to the stage at Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway for a sold-out show on Oct. 9. Her Boston shows arrive towards the end of her The Secret of Us Tour and an overall whirlwind year where Abrams earned her first Grammy nomination and spent time on the road with her friend Taylor Swift as an opening act on the Eras Tour.

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Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: Reviewing the popcorn buckets

By Odessa Gaines | October 18

With many highly anticipated franchise releases, AMC Theatres often will release a limited edition popcorn bucket to eager fans. Although pricey, these buckets are a fun piece of memorabilia for collectors and movie-goers. Today, I will highlight some of the more recent AMC popcorn bucket releases.

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Arts

Art intersects with activism in Tomashi Jackson’s ‘Across the Universe’ exhibition

By Fiona Hinrichsen | October 17

How can art drive change in the future? How will the world we live in shape the art of the future? These are questions that are asked in “Across the Universe.”

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