Terry Gross

A broadcast of the debate between playwright August Wilson and critic Robert Brustein over multiculturalism and the theater. The discussion is moderated by actress, playwright, and performance artist Anna Deavere Smith. Wilson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of the play "Fences," says the modern theater system jeopardizes the values of black actors because it is dominated by white society. Brustein, the American Repertory Theater's artistic director and the theater critic of "The New Republic," claims Wilson's ideas encourage black separatism.

Associate Professor at Columbia University of Public Health Dr. Nahid Toubia. She is from Sudan, and was the first woman surgeon in her country. Toubia is director of "Rainbo" a research and information organization dedicated to the health and human rights of women, particularly women's reproductive and sexual rights. They've begun a campaign against female genital mutilation. Toubia has written a report: "Female Genital Mutilation: A Call for Global Action." (REBROADCAST from 3/27/96)

Bonham Carter grew up and lives in London with her mother and father. Never formerly trained as an actress, she first began at the age of 16 in the film "Lady Jane." Now, at age 30, she's been in a number of films, including "Room With a View," "Howard's End," and Woody Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite." Her latest film, "Margaret's Museum," is a 1940's love story set in Nova Scotia.

Actor Vondie Curtis Hall was raised in Detroit. He plays a doctor on the TV series "Chicago Hope" and has had roles in the movies "Broken Arrow," "Passion Fish," and "Romeo and Juliet." His latest project is the writing and directing of the new film "Gridlock'd," a comedy about the troubles two men encounter when they make a pact to overcome their heroin addictions, starring Tim Roth and Tupak Shakur.

Roth has been in the films such as "Tom and Viv," "Pulp Fiction," "Reservoir Dogs," and "Rob Roy." He's currently starring in the films "Gridlock'd" and Woody Allen's "Everyone Says I Love You." (REBROADCAST from 4/12/95)

Block has written 13 novels featuring Manhattan private eye Matt Scudder. The series have followed Scudder through alcoholism and into recovery through an Alcoholics Anonymous program. His newest Scudder novel, "Even The Wicked" has just been published. He spoke with Terry in 1995 when his book "A Long Line of Dead Men" was released. (REBROADCAST from 12/20/95)

Freelance journalist and music critic Fred Goodman. In a new book, "The Mansion on The Hill" Goodman chronicles how the record industry has changed rock 'n roll from the music of the counterculture to a billion dollar commercial enterprise. Goodman's past publications have appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, New York, and Spy.

William Labov teaches at the University of Pennsylvania discusses Ebonics. He's been studying Black English for 30 years and traced the rules governing Black and White English. He also examined the differences between the two and explored the roots of the changes taking place in the languages.

Filmmaker Ken Burns is the director of "The Civil War" and "Baseball," the hit documentaries on PBS. The former was the network's highest rated series. Burns' newest project is the three-hour documentary, "Thomas Jefferson" about our third president, narrated by Ossie Davis.

Chef Robert Lehmann is the former Executive Chef of MANNA, a meals-delivery service organization for homebound people with AIDS in Philadelphia. He developed diet and nutrition standards for people who are HIV positive. He has a new book: "Cooking for Life: A Guide to Nutrition and Food Safety for the HIV-positive Community" Lehmann is currently Projects Coordinator for HIV Nutrition Research at The Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia.