All Of It with Alison Stewart

The new Broadway musical "Wanted" is based on the true story of twin sisters Mary and Martha Clarke, two Black women who became outlaws in Texas in the late 1800s. Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine, who star as Mary and Martha, discuss the new musical. 

Ruben Santiago-Hudson has spent years immersed in the plays of August Wilson, from his work in the Tony-winning revival of "Jitney" to his recent Tony-nominated performance in "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." Now, he's directing a new revival of Wilson's play "Seven Guitars" at Lincoln Center Theater. Santiago-Hudson discusses his long relationship w...

"Chicago," Broadway’s longest-running revival, turns 30 this month. We celebrate live in The Greene Space with performances from current cast members and discussion about the record-breaking musical with its Tony-winning director, Walter Bobbie. Performers include Tony nominee Natasha Yvette Williams, Lissa deGuzman, Red Concepción, and Bianca Marroquin, who will return to the Broadway production as Roxie Hart on November 16 having performed the role over 4,000 times.

Photo by Zach Gottehrer-Cohen/WNYC

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In the Vietnam War, there was one group of special forces that made history as the first all-Black long-range reconnaissance patrol unit in the war. They were known as the "Soul Patrol." Now, a new documentary tells the story of what these men experienced, and what waited for them when they returned to a country that didn't recognize their own civil rights. Director J.M. Harper discusses his film "Soul Patrol," which is playing at AMC theaters across the country for Veteran's Day, as well as at the IFC Center and the Village East by Angelika. 

Filmmaker R...

Melissa Clark, New York Times food reporter and columnist, has written a new cookbook dedicated to dinner. The Big Book of Dinner: Recipes and Rules (and How to Break Them), includes framework for making dinner recipes, but also advise on how to riff on or break the the rules of the recipe with different flavors or techniques. Clark discusses her ideal dinners and previews Thanksgiving cooking. Listeners share their cooking questions.

When New York Magazine/Vulture features writer Rachel Handler heard that the heir to a chocolate fortune was complaining how Reese's Peanut Butter cups now taste ("...

Writer and translator Jennifer Croft has been collecting postcards for years, and sending them to her friends, family, and romantic partners. She's used postcards to stay in touch with her grandmother, and to convince an ex to get back together. Now, she writes about the history, power, and personal nature of postcards in her new memoir Notes on Postcards. Croft discusses the book, out on November 10. Listeners share stories about their own relationship to postcards. 

Juan Atkins, known as the Godfather of Techno, passed away last week at the age of 64. Fellow Detroit producer Carl Craig called h...

The classic 1935 play from Clifford Odets, "Waiting for Lefty," follows a group of New York City cab drivers who are contemplating a labor strike. The new Classic Stage Company production of the play marks the directorial debut of Steven Pasquale. He discusses the show, alongside actor Tala Ashe, one of the stars of the play. "Waiting for Lefty" runs through November 29. 

A new film follows a young Sylvester Stallone as he fights to bring "Rocky" to the big screen. Director Peter Farrelly and stars Anthony Ippolito and AnnaSophia Robb join us to discuss "I Play Rocky," the i...

The new play "Ms. Blakk for President" tells the true story of Terence Alan Smith, AKA Joan Jett Blakk, a drag queen who decided to run for president in the midst of the AIDS crisis. Tina Landau, co-writer and director, discusses the show alongside Ato Blankson-Wood, who stars as Joan Jett Blakk. "Ms. Blakk for President" runs through November 29 at the Vineyard Theatre.

Actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts talks about his recent roles in the films “I Play Rocky” and “The Liberation,” and his work on the Netflix adaptation of “East of Eden.”

'Ms. Blakk f...

In a new piece for The New York Times, 30-somethings living in New York City report feeling far behind their parents in major milestones like career development, home ownership, marriage, and having children. They also share that they worry many of those milestones will forever be out of reach. Troy Closson, who covers kids, teens, and young adults in NYC for the New York Times, discusses his piece "Can’t Afford a Home. Can’t Afford a Baby. Can’t Afford Life. This Is 30." Plus, listeners share their own feelings about life in their thirties. 

Dan Rimada and Gul...

Brooklyn-based British singer-songwriter Fenne Lily plays songs from her latest album, Win Win, which draws inspiration from a recent breakup and a move to the United States. Lily will be performing at Rough Trade below on Nov. 4, TV Eye on Nov. 6 and The Sultan Room on Nov. 8.

In the 1990s, photographer Gerald Cyrus was an M.F.A. student at the School of Visual Arts, and he began taking pictures in Harlem. A new monograph, Uptown Odyssey, edited by Gioncarlo Valentine, includes a collection of Cyrus's uptown photographs, some published for the first time. Cyrus and Valentine...

Fans of "The Gilded Age" have watched Jack Trotter go from footman to wealthy alarm clock inventor. In the latest season of the show, which premiered Sunday night, he must grapple with his newfound wealth, and try to find his place in society. Ben Ahlers, who plays  Jack, discusses his role, as well his recent Broadway debut in the revival of "Death of a Salesman." 

After over 50 years of recording and touring with The Manhattan Transfer, the Grammy-award winning vocal group, vocalist Janis Siegel has released a solo album, The Art of Vocalese. The album is based in...

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird has turned his attention to Roy Cohn, the infamous lawyer and fixer who has worked with people from Joseph McCarthy to President Trump. The new biography is titled American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn's Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump. On today's installment of our "Full Bio" series, Bird discusses Cohn's relationship with President Trump, his life as a gay man, and his death from AIDS. 

Note: This audio compiles all of the segments used in our Full Bio series, which aired throughout the past week.

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The new thriller "Shelter is Necessary for Existence" follows a family who purchased a brownstone in Brooklyn, only to find that the building might be haunted by the former residents, who died mysteriously. Author Brenda Iijima discusses the novel. 

Pizza is a common order on Halloween, as families prepare for trick or treating around the neighborhood. A recent list on NJ.com ranks the 125 best pizzas in the Garden State, featuring a new number one slice. Jeremy Schneider, NJ.com food and culture editor, discusses the state of pizza in New Jersey, and listeners share their favorite s...

Horror hits the road in the new curated series from Clyde Folley at the Criterion Channel. He discusses "Highway Horror," a collection of 15 spooky films that take place on the road, from Steven Spielberg's "Duel" to Richard Franklin's "Road Games." 

The New York City Marathon is always one of the biggest races in the running calendar. The city has many different trails, routes, and parks for runners. Samantha Max, WNYC/Gothamist public safety reporter, is participating in this year's marathon, and she loves a running trail. Samantha discusses her training and her article about thirteen city trails f...

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird has turned his attention to Roy Cohn, the infamous lawyer and fixer who has worked with people from Joseph McCarthy to President Trump. The new biography is titled American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn's Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump. On today's installment of our "Full Bio" series, Bird discusses Bird's relationship with President Trump, his life as a gay man, and his death from AIDS. 

The band Hasta La Zeta started out playing Colombian folk music -- but over time, New York's influence crept in. Now, says bandleader Harold Rodriguez, their s...

Museums can be overwhelming, with so much art to see, and lots of crowds to navigate. Rawaan Alkhatib is an exhibit developer who has written a new book, Hello, Museum: An Illustrated Book of Inspirations to Visit and Explore, about how to get a more rewarding experience when you visit a Museum, no matter your knowledge of art history or your interest in art. Alkhatib discusses how she likes to visit museums, and listeners share their tips and questions.

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird has turned his attention to Roy Cohn, the infamous lawyer and fixer who...

The new documentary from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, "You Can See Everything," follows Elizabeth Holmes in the weeks leading up to her prison sentence. The three-hour film has quickly become one of the hottest theater tickets of the year, and one of the buzziest documentaries in recent memory. New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson breaks down what makes the film unique, discusses the nature of documentary filmmaking, and takes calls from listeners who wish to discuss the film. 

Anthony Roth Costanzo is one of the leading countertenors working in opera in the United States, and t...

Author June Cohen talks about her new book The Great Remembering: Powerful Ancient Practices ― and the New Science Bringing Them Back, which explores how new science explains ancient rituals around festival traditions, cold plunges and saunas, and extreme athletic feats like the NYC marathon, which is coming up on November 1.

The New York Times word puzzle Connections is known for its diabolical misdirection and red herrings. It's now being launched in a print book. Connections creator Wyna Liu talks about her approach to crafting puzzles.

Book cover courtesy of the publisher

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Deborah Gordon owns The Village Vanguard. It is in her blood. Almost a century after her father, Max, founded the legendary jazz club in 1934, Deb Gordon has put out a new book called “Last of the Jazz Joints: An Incomplete History of the Village Vanguard.” Gordon and co-author Jed Eisenman, who has worked at The Vanguard since 1981, share memories and history of the legendary institution.

Andrea Janes, founder of the ghost-tour company Boroughs of the Dead, and author of a book of the same name, joins us to talk about the lingering spirits of the city's history, and...

John Turturro stars in the new film, 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,' a crime thriller that tells the story of Harry, an oldschool pickpocket from the Bronx who lives without a cellphone and often operates on the subway. But when he steals from a family member of a well-connected crime family, Harry faces danger, all while caring for his sick spouse back home. Turturro discusses his role and interest in the film. ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ opens in New York theaters on October 23.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, girls in Amer...

In the new cookbook Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother, Esther Choi shares 100 recipes inspired by Korean and Korean-American culture and cuisine. The Mokbar and Ms. Yoo founder joins us.

A new play by playwright Lauren Yee, called ‘King of the Yees’ tells a ‘kind of true’ story  based on an episode from her life. Her father, Larry Yee had been the heart and soul of San Francisco's Yee Fung Toy Family Association, which Lauren considers an obsolete relic of the city's vanishing Chinatown. But when he suddenly disappears, Lauren sets off on a quest to find him...

A new romantic fantasy follows a local fisherwoman, played by Olivia Colman, whose life changes when a basket maker constructs a wicker husband for her. Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, who plays her unusual new beau, join us to discuss the film 'Wicker,' which opens in theaters Friday, Oct. 23.

For 35 years, Aljira, an artist-led gallery and community space, gave opportunities to rising artists and was a key part of creating a vibrant arts scene in Newark. Aljira was founded in 1983 by Victor L. Davson and Carl Hazelwood, Guyanese immigrants from Newark, who wanted to revive the c...

Artist Wangari Mathenge looks to 1960s Kenya for inspiration in a vibrant new series depicting intimate domestic scenes of women. She discusses the ideas and memories behind her exhibition ‘Re-membering’ at Lévy Gorvy Dayan, on view through Oct. 24.

This year marks the 30th annual Gowanus Open Studios, put on by Arts Gowanus, an organization that uplifts and funds the arts in the neighborhood. The weekend event series invites the public to visit hundreds of artists who work in Gowanus. Johnny Thornton, Arts Gowanus executive director, and participating artist Mayowa Nwadike, share a preview Gowanus Open Studios, takin...

Shot in August 1972, a new film from the late filmmaker William Greaves captures a reunion of Harlem Renaissance luminaries at Duke Ellington’s townhouse on St. Nicholas Avenue. William’s son, director David Greaves, and his granddaughter, producer Liani Greaves discusses completing the film "Once Upon A Time in Harlem" opening at Film Forum tomorrow, Friday, October 16th. 

Have you ever wondered who was behind the ‘Little Free Libraries’ you see in your neighborhood? Daniel Gumnit is the CEO of Little Free Library talks about the impact of little libraries. 

A new exhibit at the Whitney Mu...

WNYC's Public Song Project celebrates this year's submissions and reveal the winners in a radio special airing Saturday, October 17. All Of It producer Simon Close, who will host the program, previews the on-air event and the winners' songs. The full playlist of 2026 submissions is available to stream at wnyc.org/psp and as a collection in the Internet Archive. The Public Song Project will also be part of the Internet Archive's annual block party on October 21 in San Francisco.

In the new novel Heavy Cream sixteen-year-old Geraldine is abandoned by her dysfunctional mother in New York City...

On the eve of World Aids Day in 1993, Dr. Anthony Fauci and ACT UP co-founder Larry Kramer participated in a C-SPAN call in program to talk about AIDS policy. The explosive hour of television that followed is now the basis of a play at St. Ann's Warehouse titled "Kramer/Fauci."  Thomas Jay Ryan and Will Brill, who star as Kramer and Fauci respectively, discuss the show and the story that inspired it. 

All Of It with Alison Stewart is excited to announce a new series launching this fall! Analog Night with All Of It is a live ev...

D.L. Hughley is one of “The Original Kings of Comedy,” and since he has starred in the ABC sitcom "The Hughleys," written New York Times bestsellers, and hosts the national radio program The D.L. Hughley Show. He's talks about his new memoir titled Charlie's Boy, about his career, and his life growing up in South Central L.A. On Sunday, Dec. 6, he’ll join Don Lemon at the Beacon Theatre for an evening of candid conversation as part of their Anything Goes tour.

Singer, songwriter and former Public Song Project winner Candice Hoyes has a new al...

A new action-thriller stars actor Mahershala Ali as Latif, a devoutly religious hitman who struggles to balance work, faith and fatherhood. Ali joins me alongside writer and director Bassam Tariq in studio to discuss the film, “Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother," which is playing in theaters now.

In September, Lizzy McAlpine released her latest album, Angel. Lizzy began recording the album at a collaborator's studio in Altadena, just before the LA wildfires destroyed the studio in 2025. McAlpine discusses the making Angel, her Broadway debut in Floyd Collins, and performs live.

Photo: Adia as Fatiha, Ma...

The new American cast of Broadway's “Operation Mincemeat” joins Alison live in The Greene Space at WNYC. Hear performances and discussion with Brandon Contreras, Jessi Kirtley, Amanda Jill Robinson, Jeff Kready, and Julia Knitel. You cab watch the full production livestream recording on YouTube.

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New York City usually hits peak fall foliage in late October, and leaves on trees around the city will soon start to change colors. The New York City Parks Department keeps a list of the park system's "Great Trees" around the city. In 2025, photographer Alex Kent took thousands of photographs and videos of those Great Trees for a piece in the New York Times. Kent discusses his experience with the "Great Trees of New York," and listeners share where their favorite tree in the city is. 

Brooklyn-based ceramic artist Joël Brodovsky-Adams creates bright and colorful work th...

After the sensational success of her last novel, Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver returns with a novel that draws on her past experience as a classical pianist. Partita tells the story of Livia, and exceptionally gifted pianist on a scholarship to an elite music conservatory. Her life is soon upended by a love affair that will change the course of her future, and her relationship to music, forever. Kingsolver discusses the novel, out today. Kingsolver will be speaking Wednesday, October 7 at Tarrytown Music Hall, and on October 28 at St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn with Amor Towles. Both events will feature...

New York State does not require that schools teach sex education. A new report from the NYCLU details that, depending on where you live in New York State, the quality of sexual education in local public schools can vary widely, including many districts that the NYCLU finds to be significantly lacking. Aliyah Ansari, NYCLU senior education strategist, and Donna Lieberman, executive director, discuss the report and the state of Sex Ed in New York, and listeners share their experiences as parents and students in school.

Two new exhibits have opened this fall at the Brooklyn Museum. First...

Author George Saunders was already considered a modern master of the short story in 2017 when he published his debut novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. Told through an experimental form, the novel is follows Abraham Lincoln as he grieves the loss of his son, Willie, as told by the ghosts in the graveyard who witness his grief. Saunders discussed the novel, which has now been adapted into an opera, for our September "Get Lit!" book club event.

Note: The live performances from the event have been removed from this recording at the request of The Met.

...

Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, the beloved hosts of the "Who? Weekly" podcast, have made a career out of analyzing C-list celebrity culture. They discuss their new book on the subject, I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity.

Tom Morello just released Everyone Gets Everything They Want. Coming from a career of making political hardcore music in Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and protest folk as The Nightwatchman, this is his first solo rock album. And it is no less political. He also previews his Power to the People Festival at...

In his latest book, author and journalist Anand Giridharadas reflects on the 2023 New York City subway chokehold case involving 30-year-old Black homeless man Jordan Neely and 24-year-old White United States Marine Corps veteran Daniel Penny. It also explores fears for public safety and the limitations of our social safety net. It's titled, Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City. He discusses th events, ahead of a book signing Wednesday evening at the The 92nd Street Y.

In her latest novel Exit Party, author Emily St. John Mandel presents two different dystopian visions...

When a family of 9 siblings noticed their mother acting strangely, they chalked it up to depression and alcoholism. But after some of the siblings began to exhibit the same behavior, the family learns that they are carriers of a rare gene mutation that causes frontotemporal dementia, and have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the same condition and passing it on to their kids. Journalist and author Robert Kolker tells the story of this family in his new book, The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia.

Alex Strada is the inaugural Public Artist in Residence...

In his new one man show, actor Jacob Ming-Trent recalls the story of his life through his relationship with the Bard, and his love of poetry. He discusses "How Shakespeare Saved My Life," running at the Public Theater through October 25.

Deesha Philyaw burst onto the literary scene with her hit short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. Now, she treads familiar ground in her hotly anticipated debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. The novel follows Scharisse Freeman, the wife of a megachurch pastor who is threatened when secrets from her past threaten...

Singer-songwriter Jensen McRae is known for her deep voice and confessional songwriting. She performs live in studio from her latest album, "I Don't Know How but They Found Me!" ahead of her set at All Things Go at Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday September 26.

Writer and director Paula González-Nasser worked as a location scout for movies and television like "Russian Doll" and "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" before turning those experiences into her first feature film. "The Scout" follows a location scout as she searches for the perfect NYC location for a TV pilot. González-Nasser discusses th...

In "School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play," a group of students are competing to be selected for the Miss Ghana 1986 beauty pageant. Paulina (Denée Benton) thinks she is the shoe-in, and she lets everyone else know. But her reign as queen bee is threatened when a new student, Ericka, transfers in from the United States. Benton discusses the Broadway revival of the play alongside playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Whitney White. "School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play" is running now at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

The Bowery has a long history i...

Musician Suki Waterhouse stops by Radio City Music Hall tomorrow night in support of her latest album Loveland. She joins us for a listening party.

New York artist Taryn Simon's new solo show at the Guggenheim is titled "Taryn Simon: Father Country I Do Love You." The show marks the largest display of new work ever to exhibit at the Guggenheim. Simon uses photography to weave the story of her father's life with the story of an unnamed federal agent in 42 different "chapters." Simon discusses the exhibit, which is open through March 14, 2027.

Photo by Miles...

The new movie "Primetime" follows Chris Hansen and the team behind "To Catch a Predator" as they hunt down one high profile subject at any cost. It is the first narrative feature from director Lance Oppenheim, who discusses the film alongside actor Merritt Wever, who stars as "To Catch a Predator" producer Andie. "Primetime" is in theaters Friday, Sept. 25th.

September is Classical Music Month. Celebrate with members of the Metropolitan Horn Authority, a horn quartet that often plays in the subway. As part of our subway series program, they perform live from Studio 5. Catch them at...