SAM GOLD

For the first full season since the death of George Floyd reignited a conversation about race and representation in America, Broadway responded with one of its most diverse Tony slates yet.

Since Russia launched its military action on February 24, only a handful of priests from the Russian Orthodox Church led by Moscow Patriarch Kirill -- which counts some 150 million believers across the world -- have spoken out openly against the Kremlin's military campaign. Among them, Father Georgy Edelshtein, 89, says there is no doubt that "Russia is the agressor, and Ukraine the victim." His friend, Father Ioann Burdin has been fined for his sermons on the matter and has left active service, thinking about whether to stay in the Church as he faces a three-year prison sentence for a repeat offence.

Legislation targeting transgender Americans and trans children has increased sharply in the last year. Guest host Ari Shapiro speaks with the Florida mother of a trans daughter about how their family is coping with that state's new, more restrictive policies. Then, Ari discusses how this wave of law-making differs from so-called "moral panics" of past decades — and why that matters — with historian Jules Gill-Peterson, of Johns Hopkins University.Then, Broadway is back and bigger than ever, with 16 new shows opening this month. But this Broadway burst hasn't been immune to the pandemic. "Macbeth" director Sam Gold talks to Ari about having to go onstage himself this month, when too many of his cast tested positive for Covid; and about what feels different as actors and audiences try to get back to normal. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.

The most commonly held taboo in the arts is uttering the word “Macbeth” inside a theater.

Could it be the curse of the Scottish play.

Fresh off his turn as James Bond, Daniel Craig has his next project lined up and its also got plenty of blood being spilled.