Mixing fiction and documentary, a film from Iran explores the Taliban's heart of darkness.

Really? Richard Rodgers, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the fate of American musical theater.

Contemporary artists in dialogue with the past

Net music and the backlash against commodification.

And can marketing magic bring it back to life?

An anti-fairy tale run amuck.

Why do so many recent Chinese films feature strong women?

I want to stare at something amazing, something that pulls me beyond myself.

The revival of swing music and the rebirth of grown-up culture.

The surprisingly Christian roots of Duke Ellington's jazz.

Can Shakespeare survive the dissolution of the self?

We're used to seeing born-again Christians portrayed as hypocritical, sex-crazed maniacs whose holy talk conceals deeds of darkness. Craig Lucas's new play, Stranger, seems to be heading along that well-worn path—but then it takes an unexpected twist.