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When artwork funded by the National Endowment for the Arts caused a commotion in the late '90s, the agency developed a transparent strategy for doling out public funds. That strategy will be applied as the NEA doles out the $50 million it received as part of the stimulus package.

At 92, film legend Kirk Douglas has returned to live theater for a one-man show that's a biography of his life and career. The last performance is Sunday at, fittingly enough, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, Calif.

This is the time of year when TV executives decide which shows should continue into the fall season, and which should be canceled. While poor ratings can help doom a series, a host of other factors contributes to the decision.

Laleh Khadivi's The Age of Orphans tells the story of a young Kurdish boy forced to join the Iranian army. The Siege, by Man Booker Prize Winner Ismail Kadare, gives us the tale of a medieval siege by a Turkish army of a Christian citadel in Kadare's native Albania.

Set in a tough Texas border town in the 1970s, Octavio Solis' new play Lydia is fast becoming one of the buzziest dramas of 2009. NPR's Neda Ulaby talks to the playwright about his inspirations — and his past.

Can superhero movies teach audiences about science? Dave Gibbons, author and artist of the Watchmen comic series, discusses the science behind the superheroes in his story. Physics professor James Kakalios talks about teaching science to the Watchmen actors and stuntmen.

Rowan LeCompte's wit and wonder have been on display in the stained glass windows of the Washington National Cathedral for more than half a century. Now, he's working on a final design — one that will bring light to one of the darkest works of his career, the cathedral's so-called Black Window.

Up until last year Amy Poehler was a member of the cast on Saturday Night Live, famous for her impersonation of Hillary Clinton. She now stars in the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.

The popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels by Alexander McCall Smith have been made into a series for HBO. Jill Scott plays heroine Precious Ramotswe. In an article for The Daily Beast, Stanley Crouch hails her nuanced performance, and the show's depiction of Africa.

After six seasons on Showtime, The L Word aired its final episode on Sunday. It was the first show on TV aimed at a general audience that featured a largely lesbian cast. Now that it's over, there are no lead lesbian characters on mainstream TV.