Discussing Paul Robeson with actor, teacher, and musician Avery Brooks.

Harold Prince discusses his direction of Madame Butterfly while also discussing operas, musicals, and theater in general.

The Russian-born actress Eugenie Leontovich talks about how she researched books in order to prepare for the role of Anastasia. Madame Leontovich also talks about using the Stanislavski Method when teaching her students about acting and performing. Today's theatre arts in America are very strong, Leontovich commented.

Studs Terkel talks with Elisabeth about her career in opera. She discusses her thoughts of her overall career.

Studs Terkel continues to interview actress and singer Eartha Kitt. Part 2 of the interview begins with the song "Üsküdara", and ends with "Mountain High, Valley Low", both sung by Kitt. Kitt discusses the following; her career; her desire to entertain; her autobiography, "Thursday's Child"; her mothers death; the art of interacting with the audience; the femme fatale; her time with the Katherine Dunham Dancers; and her portrayl of Helen of Troy.

When he was a child, Dudley Moore first wanted to study the violin. He's grateful to his mother for insisting that he first study the piano. Moore said his influences include Bach and Garner. Unlike other musicians, Moore's main focus has always been on the beat, both the cultivation and the presence of the beat of a song and of music.

Cole Porter biographer Robert Kimball talks with Studs about his book "Cole" and his subject's life and work as they listen to classic performances of some of his most beloved songs. They marvel at how Porter perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the times in his lyrics, his lyrical influences, his unique method of outside-in composing lyrics and music simultaneously, Bobby Short's masterful interpretations, controversies over some of his works, and how well his material holds up.

Otto Friedrich discusses his "Time" magazine piece, his writing, and American history. Songs "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Free America" by Joseph Warren, a German song, an 18th century Boston Tea Party song, and an 18th-century British soldier song have been removed for copyright restrictions.

Richard Peaslee discusses his work as a composer in the film "Marat/Sade" directed by Peter Brook and based off Richard Weiss' 1964 play.

Claudia Cassidy discusses being a critic of theater and opera etc. Includes about 1.5 minutes of another interview.

Studs interviews Christopher Durang, playwright, about his plays. "A History of the American Film" is the highlight of the interview, which is playing at the Heron Theater in Chicago. Durang describes parts of the play and it's characters. He explains that it portrays the different eras and famous moments of movies and references real actors and actresses. Durang reads several times from the play, but all musical numbers are removed from this edited version of the original recording.