23 stories by "Cristiana Lombardo"
As a powerhouse performer skilled in acting, singing and dancing, Liza Minnelli embodies versatility at its finest. Throughout her legendary career, she has captivated audiences and influenc…
Liza Minnelli grew up immersed in Hollywood and the world of filmmaking. The MGM backlot was her playground. There, her mother, Judy Garland, lit up the screen in musicals like "The Pirate" …
Throughout her extraordinary career, Brenda Lee has transcended genre boundaries and solidified her place as one of the most versatile female artists of the 20th century. Singer-songwriter J…
It costs a lot of money to open a big musical on Broadway"anywhere from $18 million to $32 million just to get in the door. So, if you wanna be a producer and you have a golden ticket at you…
Julia Sachi Mates shares how David Geffen's vision as a music producer changed her appreciation for the talent of nurturing talent. Written as part of the American Masters Digital Archive pr…
Eve Passman looks at how Mel Brooks uses humor to counteract the "encroaching darkness of life's banality." Written as part of the American Masters Digital Archive project, this essay draws …
Beyond classic musicals like "The Sound of Music" and "South Pacific," writer Laurence Maslon breaks down the unparalleled career and influence of composer Richard Rodgers. Among some notes …
Playwright, librettist and screenwriter David Henry Hwang shares his experience working with theater producer Joe Papp, who produced his first play, "FOB." "FOB," which premiered in 1980, ex…
Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty recalls his time as an intern at The Public Theater under the indomitable Joe Papp, reflecting on the 1989-1990 season amidst the AIDS crisis…
Theater critic David Cote explores the legacy of Joe Papp, the man who brought free Shakespeare to Central Park and nurtured new talent in the American theater. The visionary and benevol…
As a successful actor, athlete, singer and activist, Paul Robeson's impact on American culture is profound. At the height of his popularity, he was a cultural leader in the war against fasci…
For playwright Tennessee Williams, masterpieces like "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Glass Menagerie" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" came from a deep understanding of emotion and an intense pa…
Writer, singer and educator Aiden K. Feltkamp reflects on their journey as a trans nonbinary opera singer. Feltkamp recognizes the impact representation can have to inspire change, connectin…
Writer Laurence Maslon highlights how Arthur Miller's body of work scrutinized the "moral compass of American society." "Why do you not direct some of the magnificent ability you have to fig…
The legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey's dances center on the Black American experience with grace, strength and beauty. Here are 10 iconic dances he choreographed, running the emotional ga…
Journalist and former professional dancer Juan Michael Porter II shares an intimate perspective on Alvin Ailey's transformative career, finding inspiration in Ailey's hidden battle with AIDS…
Khalia Campbell shares her day-to-day life as a dancer in the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. 1. In broad strokes, what does a typical workweek look like for you from Monday to Friday? D…
Journalist Kayla Stewart reflects on Alvin Ailey's lasting impression on American culture. On the stage of the New York City Center, there's a slight rumbling that emerges from the stage, al…
Acclaimed hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris honors the legacy of Alvin Ailey with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's first two-act ballet, "Lazarus" " a trilogy including Harris' pas…
Exploring the Black American experience through choreography, Alvin Ailey searched for "truth in movement." In his legacy, artists continue to be inspired by the profound impact of his work …
One of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, "I Love Lucy" changed the history of television forever. The life of a scatterbrained housewife with the ability to turn simple chores into u…
"Esa es Rita Moreno. La nuestra," said my maternal grandmother Ada Loubriel into the cassette recorder. It was 1976, and I, a precocious 10-year-old documentarian, was recording my family wa…
Even in the 21st Century, if you went to Rebecca Nurse's house, in what used to be Salem Village, and knock on the door, someone fascinating would open it. I discovered this when I visited S…
