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631. Will "3 Summers of Lincoln" Make It to Broadway?
Episode 631
It’s been in development for five years and has at least a year to go. On the eve of its out-of-town debut, the actor playing Lincoln quit. And the producers still need to raise another $15 million t…
Published on 8 months ago
Is It a Theater Piece or a Psychological Experiment? (Update)
Episode 92
In an episode from 2012, we looked at what Sleep No More and the Stanford Prison Experiment can tell us about who we really are.
SOURCES:Felix Barrett, artistic director of Punchdrunk.Steven Levitt, …
Published on 8 months, 1 week ago
630. On Broadway, Nobody Knows Nothing
Episode 630
A hit like Hamilton can come from nowhere while a sure bet can lose $20 million in a flash. We speak with some of the biggest producers in the game — Sonia Friedman, Jeffrey Seller, Hal Luftig — and …
Published on 8 months, 1 week ago
629. How Is Live Theater Still Alive?
Episode 629
It has become fiendishly expensive to produce, and has more competition than ever. And yet the believers still believe. Why? And does the world really want a new musical about ... Abraham Lincoln?! (…
Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Policymaking Is Not a Science — Yet (Update)
Episode 405
Why do so many promising solutions in education, medicine, and criminal justice fail to scale up into great policy? And can a new breed of “implementation scientists” crack the code?
SOURCES:Patti Ch…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
628. Sludge, Part 2: Is Government the Problem, or the Solution?
Episode 628
There is no sludgier place in America than Washington, D.C. But there are signs of a change. We’ll hear about this progress — and ask where Elon Musk and DOGE fit in. (Part two of a two-part series.)…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
627. Sludge, Part 1: The World Is Drowning in It
Episode 627
Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. Where does all this sludge come from — and how much is it costing us? (P…
Published on 9 months ago
Should America Be Run by … Trader Joe’s? (Update)
Episode 359
The quirky little grocery chain with California roots and German ownership has a lot to teach all of us about choice architecture, efficiency, frugality, collaboration, and team spirit.
SOURCES:Kirk …
Published on 9 months, 1 week ago
626. Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System
Episode 626
Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is …
Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago
625. The Biden Policy That Trump Hasn’t Touched
Episode 625
Lina Khan, the youngest F.T.C. chair in history, reset U.S. antitrust policy by thwarting mega-mergers and other monopolistic behavior. This earned her enemies in some places, and big fans in others …
Published on 9 months, 3 weeks ago