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December 21, 2012 With hordes of tourists descending on New York for the Christmas season, Broadway is looking to turn a profit — by staging limited-run holiday musicals like A Christmas Story and Elf. But with production costs so high, how can these shows make money back? The answer, it turns out, is complicated.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

December 6, 2012 NPR's Michel Martin speaks with actor Larry Marshall and playwright Cheryl West about Pullman Porter Blues, a play that tells the story of three generations of African-American railway porters in 1937.

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On Tell Me MorePlaylist

December 1, 2012 After 35 years and 186 artists, only two honorees have been Hispanic — Placido Domingo in 2000 and Chita Rivera in 2002. "When you paint that picture and you leave the Latino artist community out of it, there's a huge hole," says Felix Sanchez, president of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.

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On Weekend Edition SaturdayPlaylist

November 30, 2012 Peony Pavilion is one of China's most famous operas, but uncut performances of this romantic 16th century work can take more than 22 hours. An adapted version of the dream-like opera will take place at the Metropolitan Museum.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

November 27, 2012 The old organ was in bad shape and beyond repair. Now, after more than two years of construction and installation, a new organ has arrived and will make its debut on Nov. 27.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

November 24, 2012 Her highness — known outside the big dress as Mary Alice LeGrow — is a professional party princess. She uses her best princess voice and dresses up in full regalia to charm children. But life in the kingdom isn't all candy and sugarplums; it takes a lot of muscle to be a princess.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

November 8, 2012 A repurposed robot prototype named KUKA, originally designed by the auto industry, is the breakout star of Sans Objet, a performance piece making its debut in the U.S. this month. Randy Gener describes the rewards — and the challenges — involved in working with a nearly 3,000-pound diva.

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November 1, 2012 New York's theater workers mobilized to get their shows back up and running by Wednesday. But with no trains, very few buses and massive traffic jams, the commute wasn't easy. One actress had to walk about two hours to Manhattan from her home in Queens.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

October 28, 2012 A much-anticipated revival of The Heiress, a 1947 play based on the Henry James novella Washington Square, opens in New York on Thursday. It marks the Broadway debut of two young stars — Jessica Chastain, the Academy Award nominee from The Help, and Dan Stevens from the hit series Downton Abbey.

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On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

October 21, 2012 In her short time on the scene, Joplin helped define the music of a generation with her bluesy rasp. A musical honoring her talent and her muses is playing now in Washington, D.C. While it doesn't get into the darker chapters of her life, the show is captivating lifelong fans — including the lead actress.

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On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist