Alisa Solomon

Alisa Solomon, director of the Arts & Culture concentration at the Columbia Journalism School, is the author of Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

American tennis star Althea Gibson hits a return shot to Colette Monnot during her singles match at the Surrey Grass Court Championship, held at the Surbiton Racket and Fitness Club.

Althea Gibson Let the Racquet Do the Talking Althea Gibson Let the Racquet Do the Talking

A recent biography of the complicated tennis legend underlines the sport’s persistent challenges with race, class, and celebrity.

Aug 13, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks during a press conference at Columbia University on April 24, 2024.

The Real Takeover of Columbia Was By Those on the Right The Real Takeover of Columbia Was By Those on the Right

Columbia offers a case-study in how right-wing politicians are using exaggerated claims of anti-semitism to advance a conservative agenda.

May 6, 2024 / Alisa Solomon for The Nation

Molly Ranson, Nael Nacer, and Aria Shahghasemi in “Prayer for the French Republic.”

A Broadway Play’s Clumsy Intervention Into Antisemitism A Broadway Play’s Clumsy Intervention Into Antisemitism

Prayer for the French Republic is among a spate of recent dramas devoted to the precarity of Jewish life at the expense of solidarity.

Mar 14, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

A Staggering Story of Palestinian Exile

A Staggering Story of Palestinian Exile A Staggering Story of Palestinian Exile

Mona Mansour’s The Vagrant Trilogy is the Public Theater’s first full-length, main-stage production to address the aftermath of the Nakba.

Jun 23, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

The Story of Capitalism in One Family

The Story of Capitalism in One Family The Story of Capitalism in One Family

The Lehman Trilogy proposes that the downfall of a financial dynasty is enough to tell the economic and political history of America

Jan 26, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

How Covid Transformed US Theater

How Covid Transformed US Theater How Covid Transformed US Theater

The art form has been forced to reinvent itself.

Apr 20, 2021 / Feature / Alisa Solomon

Shakespeare’s Contentious Conversation With America

Shakespeare’s Contentious Conversation With America Shakespeare’s Contentious Conversation With America

James Shapiro’s recent book looks at why Shakespeare has been a mainstay of the cultural and political conflicts of the country since its founding.

Dec 17, 2020 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

Larry Kramer’s Righteous Rage

Larry Kramer’s Righteous Rage Larry Kramer’s Righteous Rage

His jeremiads against the state and those complacent during the AIDS crisis galvanized generations of activists.

Jun 4, 2020 / Alisa Solomon

Tony Kushner on Making Serious Political Theatre in 2019

Tony Kushner on Making Serious Political Theatre in 2019 Tony Kushner on Making Serious Political Theatre in 2019

In a conversation with The Nation, Kushner discusses the first major revival of A Bright Room Called Day, his Reagan-era political drama set in Weimar Germany.

Oct 28, 2019 / Q&A / Alisa Solomon

The Play Challenging Us to See the Rot at the Heart of Our Democracy

The Play Challenging Us to See the Rot at the Heart of Our Democracy The Play Challenging Us to See the Rot at the Heart of Our Democracy

As its New York run ends, What the Constitution Means to Me remains an urgent and salient critique of the country’s foundational document.

Aug 6, 2019 / Alisa Solomon

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