Arts & Culture

“Why let me go?” is a question no daughter should have to ask her mother. But young Nigerian Iniabasi Ekpeyong has arrived in the USA, where she was born, to reunite with her mother, Abasiama Ufot. After giving birth to Iniabasi 30 years ago, Abasiama let her then-husband return to Nigeria with their newborn. 

It has long been said that there’s a lot to like about Lowell. From the historic mills to memories of writer Jack Kerouac to the famed Folk Festival that takes over the city every July, the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution has many attractions that keep people coming back year after year.

Even in 2025, terminal illness is still a somewhat taboo subject. There have been a few attempts at a Broadway-style musical about the big C, but none have hit wild success. “Night Side Songs,” a communal music and theater experience commissioned by the American Repertory Theater, takes a different approach to a near universal experience.

From April 4-13, the Boston Lyric Opera will present its 80th anniversary production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Carousel” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, the same theater in which the musical was launched on March 27, 1945. 

While many might suggest that the world is on fire and that times are ironically dark, it must be remembered that fire not only has the power to destroy but also to cleanse.

Family — the good, the bad and the ugly — is at the heart of “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” a familial drama infused with magical realism by Ricardo Pérez González that takes the stage at The Huntington this month.

GBH News Rooted” has a big legacy to live up to. This iteration of the longtime television show “Basic Black” aims to provide a similar space for news, culture and discussions related to Boston’s Black community, but with a format friendly to a wider viewership.

Bassist Chris Johnson fell in love with music while growing up in Mattapan. Years of performing with Project STEP and NEC Prep honed Johnson’s skills and paved the way for his career as a professional musician.

. For almost six decades, the Black American dance group has been performing almost annually in the Hub in partnership with Celebrity Series. This year, with the help of local community leaders, Celebrity Series is ramping up the educational aspect of the group’s visits, tripling the number of workshops and educational events.

The cult of celebrity can be a powerful force. The glamorous lure of the rich and famous can compel a die-hard fan to spend thousands on concert tickets or wait in line for hours to buy celebrity-branded makeup and alcohol. The halo of notoriety could even convince the average person to join a literal cult like NXIVM if membership promises the proximity of celebrity with sprinkles of self-actualization.

Boston has long been a bastion of laughter. From thumbing our nose at King Charles during the colonial days to launching multiple late-night TV legends, the Hub of the Universe has also been the Hub of Laughter in many respects.

Boston-based designer Faith (Imani) McFarlane has been designing luxury head wraps since 2006. The vibrant cotton and silk wraps range from simple bands to elegant, couture creations.