After “Barbie,” Mattel Is Raiding Its Entire Toybox
by Alex Barasch

In an era when “pre-awareness” rules Hollywood, the company is ginning up plots for everything from Hot Wheels to UNO.

How Michael R. Jackson Remade the American Musical
by Hilton Als

“A Strange Loop,” a story about a Black, gay theatre nerd, was a surprise success. In his latest work, “White Girl in Danger,” Jackson reimagines the soap opera.

The Beautiful, Brutal World of Bonsai
by Robert Moor

An American undergoes a gruelling apprenticeship to a Japanese master.

A Unified Field Theory of Bob Dylan
by David Remnick

He’s in his eighties. How does he keep it fresh?

In “Russian Doll,” Natasha Lyonne Barrels Into the Past
by Rachel Syme

How the actress turned showrunner took on inherited trauma through time travel.

Onward and Upward with the Arts
Antonio Salieri’s Revenge
He was falsely cast as Mozart’s murderer and music’s sorest loser. Now he’s getting a fresh hearing.
by Alex Ross

Onward and Upward with the Arts
Using Comedy to Strengthen Nigeria’s Democracy
A news-satire series modelled on “The Daily Show” aims to empower viewers. Will the joke get lost in translation?
by Adrian Chen

Onward and Upward with the Arts
The Listener
Lynn Nottage’s play “Sweat” is a tough yet empathetic portrait of the America that came undone.
by Michael Schulman

Onward and Upward with the Arts
Man on the Street
Billy Eichner’s pop-culture game show spares no one.
by Sarah Larson

Onward and Upward with the Arts
All About the Hamiltons
A new musical brings the Founding Fathers back to life—with a lot of hip-hop.
by Rebecca Mead