Zen Buddhism, explains Watts, offers a change in one's basic consciousness and of one's basic existence. Zen is a way of liberation from the illusion of oneself. It's not just about the inside of one's self but it's about the outside, too. Zen is not something exotic. It needn't be imported from Japan, said Watts.

In Alan Watts' autobiography, "In My Own Way," he explains that the song "Onward Christian Soldier" is militant, and of a militant religion, whereas Zen Buddhism is not militant at all. Watts also says that most of the troubles that go in the world are created by people that take life too seriously.

Studs interviews Alan Stone, Steven Larson, and Judith Erickson about the opera, "Regina," playing at the Chicago Opera Theater. They describe the variety of music and dances in the opera. Stone, Larson, and Erickson name the cast and their roles and describe the characters. Each share how they came to be in theater. Stone explains how the company started. Larson describes the orchestra and the chorus. Erickson reads some of the lyrics of the aria, "The Best Thing of All," at the end of act one. Stone, Larson, and Erickson read various lines from the opera.

Stage director Alan Schneider talks about his work with playwrights, Samuel Beckett and Edward Albee. Plays include "Waiting for Godot," "A Delicate Balance," and "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

This 1959 broadcast was recorded after Alan Lomax traveled Europe collecting folk music.

This 1959 broadcast was recorded after Alan Lomax traveled Europe collecting folk music.

His total love for the theatre began when Alan Ayckbourn worked backstage, and then worked the lights. He eventually began writing plays. To date, he has written 47 of them. Ayckbourn admits that his plays may be dark but he explained that he tries to add some humor into them, too. When writing a play, and without any notes, Ayckbourn said, he'll take four or five days to write out an entire play on a word processor.

Poet, critic and writer Al Alvarez talks about his personal experiences and how it interlaces with literature and poetry.

Akumal Ramachander discusses the film “The Painter and the Pest” by documentary filmmaker Salman Rushdie. The film details Ramachander's quest to introduce the art world to the talent and works of unknown, abstract expressionist painter Harold Shapinsky.

Author, professor, and John Keats biographer, Aileen Ward, discusses and reads from the biography “John Keats: The Making of a Poet.” Ward discusses Keats’ schooling, his relationship with Fanny Brawne, and Keats’ work in comparison to his contemporaries such as Percy Bysshe Shelley. Ward reads Keats’ 1818 poem entitled “Isabella, or the Pot of Basil.” Studs plays a recording of Ralph Richardson reading Keats’ 1819 poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations

Dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille discusses her career.

The two Welsh poets, on a tour of America, join Studs to talk about their own work and their appreciation for the work of Aeronwy's father, Dylan Thomas.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations

Adria Bernardi discusses her book "Houses With Names: The Italian Immigrants of Highwood, Illinois" which contains oral histories of Italian immigrants who lived in Highwood, Illinois, and other suburban areas.

This is an interview with Adam Makowicz (Polish musician) in which he talks about the formation of his music career on jazz.

Content Warning: This conversation includes racially and/or culturally derogatory language and/or negative depictions of Black and Indigenous people of color, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion. Verna Bloom continues to talk about how scared she was when being arrested. Bloom said she was hand-cuffed for an hour. One of Bloom's friends was able to smooth things over with the police and she was finally released.