JOCELYN NOVECK National Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

A daring scene on Broadway this season has audiences talking, in more ways than one

December 23, 2025

Before the lights go down at “Liberation” on Broadway, the audience is talking. No, we mean really talking. That’s largely because they’ve surrendered their phones to be locked in pouches as a condition of entry. The reason: one of the most daring and impactful live-theater scenes of this or any season, performed by six actors in the nude. Bess Wohl, who wrote the play that examines a feminist consciousness-raising group in 1970, says the scene reflects how those groups sought to learn about their bodies. The scene took careful work with an intimacy coordinator, including sensitivity training for security staff.

Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour will co-chair next Met Gala

December 10, 2025

The next Met Gala co-chairs have been announced, and it’s a high-powered quartet: Beyoncé, Venus Williams and Nicole Kidman will join Vogue’s Anna Wintour in hosting the starry event next May. Williams will co-chair seven years after her younger sister, Serena, did the same. Beyoncé takes the role after serving as honorary chair in 2013, and Kidman served as co-chair in 2003 and 2005. The museum also announced a host committee of notables, including Sabrina Carpenter and Sam Smith. The dress code will be announced later, but will align with the spring fashion exhibit, “Costume Art,” celebrating the dressed body in art history.

Chanel’s new showman stages an ode to NYC with star-packed runway show on a real subway platform

December 2, 2025

Designer Matthieu Blazy has taken Chanel’s fashions underground, with a runway show on a New York City subway platform. Just weeks after his splashy Paris debut with the label, Blazy staged his first Métier’s d’Art collection in a decommissioned part of the Bowery station. The annual show celebrates the craftsmanship of Chanel’s artisan partners. Celeb guests including A$AP Rocky, Ayo Edebiri, Tilda Swinton, Kristen Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi and Jessie Buckley attended the event, Chanel’s first New York show since 2018. Blazy drew inspiration from everyday subway commuters, creating a mashup of styles from the 1920s to the 2020s.

The next Met Gala exhibit will spotlight fashion across art history

November 17, 2025

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced its next spring fashion exhibit. “Costume Art” is set to launch at the Met Gala in 2026. This latest show aims to highlight the connection between fashion and art by pairing garments with art objects from across the museum. Met CEO Max Hollein hopes the exhibit will take visitors on a fashionable journey through art history. The show will also inaugurate new permanent gallery space for fashion, offering a smoother experience for visitors. Curator Andrew Bolton says the exhibit will explore themes like “Naked Body” and “Classical Body,” but also less expected ones like “Pregnant Body” and “Aging Body.”

Jack DeJohnette, acclaimed jazz drummer who worked with Miles Davis, dies at 83

October 27, 2025

Acclaimed jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette has died at 83. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Miles Davis on the 1970 fusion album “Bitches Brew.” The drummer, composer and bandleader began his musical life as a classical pianist before taking up the drums with his high school band. He won international recognition in the 1960s through his involvement with the Charles Lloyd Quartet. Over the years he collaborated not only with Davis but with John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Sun Ra, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, Herbie Hancock, Betty Carter and many others. He died Sunday of congestive heart failure in Kingston, New York.

Misty Copeland will take to the ballet stage one last time, before hanging up her pointe shoes

October 22, 2025

Misty Copeland is taking one last passionate spin on the ballet stage before saying goodbye. American Ballet Theatre will fete Copeland on Wednesday evening with a grand farewell gala, including speeches and performances. The 43-year-old ballerina was the first and only Black female principal dancer in the company’s 75-year history, and helped bring diverse audiences to the ABT stage. Copeland told The Associated Press in a June interview that she felt it was time to “move to a different stage” and work toward diversity in the dance world through her Misty Copeland Foundation and also her books for young readers.

Met Museum’s first Egypt show in over a decade brings ancient gods and goddesses to life

October 18, 2025

It’s been more than a decade since the last big ancient Egypt show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Now comes “Divine Egypt.” The lavish show explores how ancient Egyptians depicted their gods. The show opened on Oct. 12. It features over 200 works, including statues and figurines, from the Met’s collection and beyond. Curator Diana Craig Patch explains that the exhibition covers all periods of ancient Egyptian civilization, focusing on 25 main deities. Highlights include sculptures of Amun-Re, Horus, and Hathor, and galleries exploring creation myths and the afterlife. Patch hopes visitors will gain new insights into how Egyptians related to their deities.

From Spice Girl to fashion mogul, Victoria Beckham grabs the chance to tell her own tale

October 17, 2025

Sounds hard to believe, but a young Victoria Beckham was put in the back row at theater school for being too heavy. The designer shares this nugget in a new documentary, “Victoria Beckham,” which explores her rise in the fashion world. The three-part Netflix series traces Beckham’s journey from shy teen to Spice Girl to design mogul, culminating in a grand 2024 Paris runway show. Beckham presents her story only two years after her soccer legend husband David presented his own in “Beckham,” also produced by his production company. Victoria Beckham tells The Associated Press she grabbed the chance to tell her tale on her own terms.

FILE - American Ballet Theatre dancer Gillian Murphy performs "Other Dances" by Jerome Robbins during the BAAND Together Dance Festival on July 25, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

What does one do on their last day as a ballerina? Gillian Murphy jumped off a cliff (gracefully)

July 19, 2025

After a career of nearly three decades, one of America’s most celebrated ballerinas is hanging up her pointe shoes. American Ballet Theatre’s Gillian Murphy joined the company at 17 and is retiring at age 46. Noted for her technical abilities as well as her longevity, Murphy chose to go out with one of the most challenging roles in all of ballet: the dual swan queen role in “Swan Lake.” She performed for a cheering crowd Friday night at the Metropolitan Opera House, where fellow dancers feted her onstage afterwards in a blur of bouquets, hugs and glittery confetti.

Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appears on stage with his family including his wife, Rama Duwaji, right, at his primary election party, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Zohran Mamdani’s wife Rama Duwaji is an animator, illustrator and ceramicist. And they met on Hinge

June 25, 2025

People across the country are still learning about Zohran Mamdani, who stunned the political world and is poised to become the Democratic nominee for NYC mayor after sweeping past Andrew Cuomo. They know even less about his wife, artist Rama Duwaji. She’s an animator and illustrator originally from Damascus, Syria, according to her Instagram bio. She also enjoys taking a break from tech-based art to create her own ceramics, particularly illustrated plates in blue and white. Another noteworthy (and much-mentioned) fact about the couple: They met on Hinge, the dating app, the candidate has said.

Tony Awards highlights: Radio City becomes the room where it happens for a ‘Hamilton’ reunion

June 9, 2025

Cole Escola of “Oh, Mary!” promised Mom a call, and also thanked a Grindr date. A “Maybe Happy Ending” writer kept reminding everyone that he’s single. Audra McDonald brought the room to a reverent hush with a powerhouse rendition of “Rose’s Turn” from “Gypsy,” but lost the Tony this time to Nicole Scherzinger of “Sunset Blvd.” Notable Tony moments also included a much-awaited “Hamilton” original cast reunion performance that had everyone singing along. Big winners were the charming robot-themed musical “Maybe Happy Ending” and the play “Purpose” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. “Succession” still has legs and Gavin Creel was remembered throughout.

Misty Copeland broke barriers in ballet. Now she’s retiring and moving to ‘the next stage’

June 9, 2025

Trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland has decided to move on to what she calls “the next stage” in her career. Copeland broke barriers at American Ballet Theatre. Ten years ago she became the first female Black principal dancer in the company’s 75-year history. Now, after an October farewell gala, she is leaving the company she joined a quarter-century ago as a teenager. Copeland says she wants to focus on other aspects of her career. The 42-year-old has authored a number of books, including the “Bunheads” series, with a a second installment coming soon. She has made a film with her production company and works toward diversity and inclusion in dance with her Misty Copeland Foundation.

JOCELYN NOVECK National Writer.