November 12, 2002 - The popular musical "The Producers" opens today at the Historic Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis. The show has been a huge hit in other parts of the country, setting box office records and collecting multiple Tony awards. The Producers is created and co-written by Mel Brooks. It's the story of two con men who try make money in a shameless scam-- by creating what they think is a sure-fire Broadway flop so they can pocket the investors' money when the show closes. Dominic Papatola is a theatre critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He's come by the studio this morning.
November 19, 2002 - The possibility of cloning human beings has caused a great deal of concern. But writer Eva Hoffman believes there has not been near enough debate of the issues involved. A native of Poland, who emigrated when she was 13, Hoffman is the author of the best selling memoir "Lost in Translation." Hoffman turned to fiction to investigate the issue of human cloning. Her new novel "The Secret" follows a young girl, Iris Surrey, who longs to discover her father's identity. Her life is turned upside down when she discovers her father does not exist. She is her mother's clone, the product of a process in a lab. Eva Hoffman told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr she wanted to explore the deeper implications of cloning.
November 26, 2002 - The history of the Ojibwe in the Upper Great Lakes region is chronicled in a new documentary series airing on public television. The project took three and a half years to create and examines 500 years of history. It showcases over 100 interviews, 3000 historical photos, and the insight of 19 bands of Ojibwe.
November 27, 2002 - Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports on The Peshtigo Fire, which wiped out the booming mill town of Peshtigo Wisconsin, just north of Green Bay. About two thousand people died.
November 27, 2002 - A special re-broadcast of a "Voices of Minnesota" interview with the late James Griffin, the first African American to become deputy police chief in St. Paul, and to hold various leadership positions in the St. Paul Police Department. Griffin died on Saturday. We'll also explore charitable giving during the Thanksgiving holiday, and the lastest happenings at the Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul.
November 28, 2002 - Matthew Fox plays guitar, and mandolin. But until now he has been playing in bands, either in ensembles, or backing someone else. Now, this relatively recent Twin Cities transplant is stepping into the limelight with his own album "Pilgrim." MPR’s Euan Kerr talks with the artist about album.
November 29, 2002 - Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown is the subject of a new Spike Lee film that's getting a screening at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis this Sunday. During his nine-year NFL career, Brown rushed for over 12-thousand yards and was an all-pro every year. But the film doesn't just dwell on Brown's playing days. Spike Lee says he wanted to present a complete picture of Brown's experience as a black man in America. He interviews dozens of Brown's friends, relatives, teammates and coaches. Lee tells the story of Brown's childhood in an all-black community, his efforts to overcome stereotypes at Syracuse University, and his sometimes-controversial relationships with women. Both Spike Lee and Jim Brown will be in Minneapolis for this weekend's screening. We talked with Brown on the phone from L.A. He says his life has been about much more than football.
November 29, 2002 - An excerpt from an August 2002 interview with Minneapolis folk-blues legend Dave Ray, who died on 11/28/2002. Ray talks with MPR’s Dale Connelly about how hearing classical guitarist Andre Segovia perform changed his life.
December 4, 2002 - Some very large and fragile pieces of ancient Egyptian art have arrived in Minnesota. They're part of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts new exhibit, "Eternal Egypt" which opens later this month. The exhibit's 144 treasures include massive and irreplaceable granite sculptures. Moving them requires the deft touch of a rigger and a mighty big elevator. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
December 5, 2002 - Classical MPR’s Mindy Ratner talks with 11-year-old Nathaniel Irvin of Maple Grove, who has the the title role in Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” performed by the Minnesota Orchestra with the James Sewell Ballet.