person place thing

Architects Jessie Reiser and Nanako Umemoto, recipients of The National Academy of Design award, admit they once avoided their alma mater, Cooper Union, for years—“we would detour three or four blocks or else the PTSD would kick in.” They recall their time there as something out of The Paper Chase or Whiplash—but with less compassion. This episode also features Dogen, a 3-D printed object, and Randy’s Creatures: wolves in Greek mythology, with music by Karl Schwartz.

Steve Clay and M.C. Kinniburgh are the curators of the Grolier Club exhibition After Words: Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960-2025. They assert, “The least interesting thing about a book is its contents.” Clay and Kinniburgh also tell about a Michael McClure poster and a Johanna Drucker book.

Playwright Will Power’s grandfather faced a tough decision, “He went to seek the advice of Paul Robeson.” Power also tells us about the Upper Room and Mountain Valley Spring Water. Presented with the Classical Theatre of Harlem.

Jonathan Brent, executive director of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, reflects on the powerful experience of working with original archival materials. While YIVO makes millions of its 24 million items accessible online, Brent recalls the visceral impact of holding Lenin’s party card — a reminder that scholarship is both intellectual and deeply personal.

Tonight on Person Place Thing: Heywood Gould, who wrote screenplays for Paul Newman (“Fort Apache, The Bronx”) and Gregory Peck (“The Boys From Brazil”).

Tonight on Person Place Thing: Thom Mayne, the celebrated architect, winner of the Pritzker Prize, not only builds internationally but thinks…

Tonight on Person Place Thing: Every musician relishes applause – who wouldn’t? But the principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic also finds…

Tonight on Person Place Thing: Sarah Carroll heads New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, safegarding 36,000 buildings. She discusses her…

Tonight on Person Place Thing, host Randy Cohen speaks with dancer and choreographer Karen Krolak. Krolak discusses her person – David Francis – her place…