PBS Arts Talk

National Medal of the Arts honoree and dance and choreography icon Twyla Tharp explores her storied career and creative process with internationally acclaimed dancer and host Misty Copeland. The two break down some of Tharp’s most famous pieces, including 1971’s “Eight Jelly Rolls” and “Deuce Coupe” from 1973, and share their experiences learning different dance styles.

In a conversation hosted by Emmy-winning actor Henry Winkler, acclaimed late-night television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel shares how he began in the performing arts industry as a teenager in radio. With a spotlight on the personal relationship between Kimmel and Winkler, the two discuss the art of interviewing, Kimmel’s family, and significant moments from both of their careers.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award-winning musician Elvis Costello and Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens spotlight the power of collaboration by looking back at Costello’s revered work with music legends Burt Bacharach and Paul McCartney. The pair concludes with a special improvised performance, featuring Giddens playing the banjo and Costello on the guitar.

Acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland leads two-time winner of the National Arts Club Prize, painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn, in a passionate discussion about the deep familial meaning of Quinn’s art. Quinn recounts his journey, from drawing on the walls in his mother’s home on Chicago’s South Side, to graduating with his MFA from New York University, to becoming an internationally celebrated artist.

Award-winning journalist Ann Curry conducts a deep, frank interview with author and New York State Writers Hall of Fame inductee Min Jin Lee about her book “Pachinko” and beyond. Lee shares her personal connection to the material of her bestselling novel, and also discusses her close relationship with religion and her tenacity in the fight against Asian hate.

Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens and Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell sit down for a candid discussion about theater and music. The two connect over the power of music, and how genres may be universally adapted and “played with” by artists. Mitchell also examines the impact of the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown, particularly as a catalyst for change for Black artists.

Grammy-winning musician Seal sits down with Emmy-winning actor Henry Winkler to discuss his musical inspiration, his personal upbringing, and the way he approaches songwriting. From being partially raised in a foster home to discovering his musical talent at age 11, Seal reveals deeply personal anecdotes and plays an intimate performance of his song “Crazy” on an upside-down right-handed guitar.