Shakespeare in the Wild West? Apparently the Bard was quite popular in hotels, riverboats and mining camps, so a new production of his comedy "The Taming Of The Shrew" is set on the western frontier, and features music drawn from 19th century songs and from Italian opera. Director Arin Arbus, composer/arranger Michael Friedman and the cast join us to perform live.

The Atlantic Yards project began with grand ambitions for a basketball arena, skyscrapers and housing in Brooklyn. It ended up dividing communities – and inspiring a musical called “In the Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards.” Writer and director Steven Cosson and composer Michael Friedman talk about turning community activism and state-agency acronyms into music. And, the cast performs songs from the show live in our studio.

Alex Timbers’s critically acclaimed rock musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” has returned to The Public after a sold-out run last spring as part of The Public’s Public LAB season. Ben Walker, who plays Andrew Jackson, and Michael Friedman, who wrote the music and lyrics, discuss the play. It's ...