Terrance Simien in the HotSeat

The eighth-generation Louisiana Creole musician Terrance Simien has been at the forefront of traditional zydeco music for more than four decades. The two-time Grammy Award-winner has dedicated his time to preserving the unique cultural expression of Creole sounds through concerts and education programs. Ahead of his performance with Zydeco Experience at Boogie on the Bayou, […]

Asked and answered

We’ll put just about anyone in The HotSeat—visiting performers, interesting professionals, local tastemakers—as long as they don’t mind answering a few of our hard-hitting questions (asking about a go-to Bodo’s order is the height of journalism, folks). Here are a few of our favorite answers from 2024.  Grad student/lecturer Chandler Jennings Most embarrassing moment: A […]

John Gibson in the HotSeat

No stranger to the stage, John Gibson worked at Live Arts for 18 years, from 1992 to 2010. During his run as executive and artistic director, Gibson introduced youth programs and new works, advocated for under- represented playwrights, and launched pay-what-you-can performances, among other initiatives. Since moving to Atlanta in 2011, Gibson has worked as […]

Ilya Tovbis in the HotSeat

Overseeing the programming of more than 120 films and nearly 100 guests as artistic director of the Virginia Film Festival, Ilya Tovbis knows how to curate a celebration of cinema. He’s worked with the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and the Mill Valley Film Festival (organized by the California […]

Brian Regan in the HotSeat

Visiting close to 100 cities each year on a nonstop theater tour, comedian Brian Regan has built a 30-plus-year career through lots of laughs. A co-star in three seasons of Peter Farrelly’s TV series “Loudermilk,” Regan has also starred in his own Netflix sketch comedy and stand-up series “Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan.” […]

David Baldwin in the HotSeat

In 1948 Martin B. Hiden formed the Tuesday Evening Concert Group, with aid from Bard Hume of The Washington Post and Richard Bales of the National Gallery of Art. After establishing a connection with the National Music League—which included affiliation with six concert organizations in the DMV region—Hiden’s group disengaged from the affiliation, reforming as […]

Robert Earl Keen in the HotSeat

Hailing from the Lone Star State, Robert Earl Keen has honed his craft as one of Texas’ most accomplished singer-songwriters over the past three decades. With 21 records and thousands of concerts on his resume, REK’s poetic musings delivered through Americana melodies have impacted audiences far and wide. We put the country-western crooner in the […]

Chandler Jennings in the HotSeat

On view through July 25, New City Arts presents “Around the Table: Political play, agency, gamification, and other things we can learn from board games,” an exhibition curated by Chandler Jennings. A Spring 2024 New City Arts Research Residency recipient, Jennings used his residency to continue developing a prototype of his own tabletop game, Conxensus: […]

Bree Luck and Mendy St. Ours in the HotSeat

It goes without saying that we had to edit this interview for length. That’s what usually happens when you get best friends together—let alone best friends who’ve known each other for 20 years and have recently launched a podcast. “Well, That Was Awkward,” from Bree Luck and Mendy St. Ours, promises to celebrate authenticity and […]

Scout’s honor

The Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline began selling cookies in January, and the famous treats are available for just one more month. But selling cookies isn’t just a sweet way to raise cash, it also teaches money management, team building, and decision-making. And, of course, the funds go to other endeavors like camping trips and […]