Arts & Culture

The fifth season of "Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan" concludes with a very special guest: U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. A highly acclaimed writer and artist in her own right, Harjo joined the podcast to discuss Bob Dylan's “All Along the Watchtower," as well as Jimi Hendrix's classic cover.

In this episode of "Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan," Jordan Embrack, a vocalist and graduate of the University of Maryland, joins Stephanie to discuss "Home," Dorothy's finale song in the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz. "Home" was first performed by Stephanie Mills, and Diana Ross sang it for the film adaptation of The Wiz that premiered in 1978. Jordan and Stephanie discuss the song's national impact and the personal meaning it holds for Jordan as she begins her career as a singer and entertainer.

When looking for new experiences, some just seem to sizzle more than others - literally. A group of brave amateur chefs in Columbia gathered to cook steaks in toasters.

In this episode of "Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan," University of Maryland graduate Mekhi Abbott joined Stephanie to discuss the thematic differences between “Bound” by Ponderosa Twins Plus One and “Bound 2” by Kanye West. The original song, released in 1969, is full of affection and yearning, and was relatively unknown until Kanye West sampled it in 2013. But Kanye's interpretation of the song is a lot more coarse, and it’s often viewed as a dark twist on a love song.

Audra Sergel is a queer woman in her late 40s who's an active member of the community through her role as the artistic director of the Quorus, an LGBTQ+ choir. She spoke about the importance of love, support and music in hard times.

In this episode of Behind the Issue, Editor-in-Chief Cayli Yanagida spoke with writer and opera singer Katie Grawitch about how Landlocked Opera is redefining what opera means in mid-Missouri.

Nightjar Arts Collective teaches creative writing classes on a sliding scale for accessibility and hosts events around art and activism.

Editor-in-chief Cayli Yanagida caught up with writer Tyler White about how various arts and culture organizations in mid-Missouri are keeping on in spite of federal funding cuts.

Even as cosplay events are increasing in popularity — and in cost — mid-Missouri creatives are working to keep the hobby accessible and affordable in the region.

Freedom’s Frontier, a coalition of more than 200 historically significant sites on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri border, will “cease to exist” if Congress approves proposed legislation to defund National Heritage Areas, the organization’s spokesman says.