Commentary
Back in February of 2024 I began to write a weekly column for the newsletter on Substack. A few readers have asked that I post these opinion pieces in the magazine. Here is a selection of my favorites.
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Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen was a cultural tipping point; he was the bold standard bearer for what has become a spirited new form of historical cinema.
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An invaluable way to see live music: one that provides funds to artists who really need it and to the smaller venues that not only deserve support but that also drive business in the local community.
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There are few critics as worth re-reading as the late Francis Davis, whose writings are filled with musical and cultural insight, erudition, literary grace, and, most valued now, humor.
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We desperately need plays and musicals — produced by local companies with courage and nerve — that acknowledge that the cancer of autocracy is here, today, and becoming stronger. That is the demand — will any answer the call?
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Why did I help organize the Climate Crisis Cabaret? Because these are not normal times. And we need more theater like it.
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In his writing, in his life, and in his fun, generous, and winsomely wise spirit, the late — but never late for a party — Tom Robbins chose to feel “ridiculously fine” and wanted us to feel the same way.
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Gene Hackman’s legacy will never fade, and now, with his passing, many filmgoers may finally appreciate the enormity of his talent and the enduring impact of his work.
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There’s nothing benign about what just happened on the banks of the Potomac. Indeed, the president’s move makes history of the most nefarious kind: for the first time, the federal government has hijacked what is supposed to be the nation’s premiere arts institution in an effort to explicitly censor voices and viewpoints it deems undesirable.
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Arts Commentary: From the Editor’s Desk — By Popular Demand, 2025
Back in February of 2024 I began to write a weekly column for AF newsletter on Substack. A few readers have asked that I post these opinion pieces in the magazine. Here is a selection of my favorites of 2025
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