The State of Things

In 1928, writer Virginia Woolf portrayed the story of an Elizabethan nobleman in her novel “Orlando: A Biography.” The story follows Orlando as he becomes a woman and travels through time. Orlando’s journey takes on a 21st-century spin in the stage adaptation by Sarah Ruhl. Durham-based theater group The Delta Boys have brought Ruhl’s adaptation to Manbites Dog Theater . Host Frank Stasio talks with actors Emily Anderson, Skylar Gudasz, Rajeev Rajendran, Caitlin Wells and Dale Wolf about the

Triad City Beat Senior Editor Jordan Green spent a year investigating housing ownership in lower income neighborhoods of High Point, North Carolina . Host Frank Stasio speaks with Green about the racial lines of poverty in lower income neighborhoods, and how nearly more than 80 years of racial economic housing policies has limited access to loans and squashed opportunities for upward mobility for many African-Americans in High Point.

In March 2011, many Syrians stood up in the midst of the Arab Spring to protest President Bashar al-Assad and demand the country’s leader step down. Since then, a tumultuous civil war has ensued between the government, its citizens and rebel extremists. The ongoing violence has killed thousands of Syrians and displaced millions from their homes. As the country endures a civil war, artists continue to demonstrate the realities of life for Syrians. In her new book, “ Dancing in Damascus:

In the lead up to the inauguration, Sheryl Oring , art professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, roamed the country asking people to dictate postcards to the new president . The postcards show a range of support, emotion, and frustration regarding the incoming administration. Host Frank Stasio speaks with Oring about what she’s heard from students at UNC-G and and how a new archive of these postcards is capturing a snapshot of life after the election of President Donald Trump.

On Saturday, women and their supporters took to the streets of Washington, DC and other cities around the world to voice their opposition to incoming President Donald Trump. In Raleigh, marching women donned knitted pussyhats, the headwear that has become emblematic of feminist protest. Host Frank Stasio speaks with WUNC reporter Jess Clark about the march in Raleigh and the range of issues protested including xenophobia and House Bill 2.

President Donald Trump started work on his first official day in office by signing an executive order on Obamacare. Trump pledged throughout his campaign to roll back the Affordable Care Act but has not yet articulated what plan will take its place to cover the 20 million Americans who rely on Obamacare. Host Frank Stasio speaks with Time Warner Cable Washington Reporter Geoff Bennett about Trump’s plans for his first 100 days in office. Political junkie Ken Rudin, and Elaine Kamarck, senior

The Department of the Interior will allow the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to apply for full federal recognition. The department issued a memorandum reversing the agency’s previous reading of the 1956 Lumbee Act. The Lumbee people have been fighting for full federal status for decades. Host Frank Stasio speaks with Keith Richotte , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor specializing in Indian law, about the government’s new stance and what the road to federal recognition may

Portraiture as an artistic expression has been around for more than 2,000 years. In ancient Egypt, individuals painted portrait-style images of pharaohs in temples and palaces. During the Renaissance, artists sat down with others in their social and intellectual circles to make portraits. A new exhibit "REGARD" on view at Meredith College looks at modern portraiture through the work of 15 pairs of artists who made reciprocal portraits. The juxtaposition of their images illuminates their

In 2015 , folk singer and songwriter Tift Merritt was busy as a touring musician. At the time she had spent years on the road, was approaching 40 years old and was getting a divorce so she decided to take a year off from touring. During that time she processed her role as a writer and individual. Out of that reflection came her latest album, “Stitch of the World.” Host Frank Stasio talks with Merritt about growing up in North Carolina and how her sense of home has evolved over the years. Merritt

As Donald Trump’s inauguration draws closer, popular culture wrestles the influence of the president-elect. In its latest episode, ‘Lemons,’ the ABC television show ‘Black-ish’ grappled with post-election grief and what the impending presidency might mean for communities of color. Host Frank Stasio talked with popular culture experts Mark Anthony Neal and Natalie Bullock Brown about the program and how it compares to political commentary in other television shows. “‘Black-ish’ is a direct