January 30, 2024

Among the English courses being offered at Harvard this semester there’s “Sex, Gender and Shakespeare;” an exploration of British romantic poetry titled “Keats Isn't Dead” and a course that goes deep on Swift. No, not the satirist Jonathan Swift, but the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. In a class titled “Taylor Swift and Her World.” Professor Stephanie Burt is bringing an analytical approach to the lyrics of Taylor Swift, her musical precursors and other writers who are Swift’s literary kindred spirits. We’ll talk to her about why she loves Swift’s music and what it means to bring academic rigor to the Taylor Swift Era. From there, Company One Theatre is kicking off their 25th season, with a new model where tickets are free OR people pay what they can. How they’re making it work when other theaters are just trying to make it is next on The Culture Show. In 2014, Mount Auburn became the first cemetery in the United States to establish an artist residency program, which supports the creation of new work by contemporary artists who have been inspired by their experience at Mt. Auburn. Joining us to talk about the program and the imminent deadline is Julie-Anne Whitney, Public Events Producer at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.