Places & Travel

There have been many changes in Philadelphia since the 1950s: the renovation of Society Hill, the Chestnut Street Transit Way, Penn Center, Galleries 1 and 2, and Penn's Landing. Barbara Kaplan is the current Executive Director of the Philadelphia Planning Commission. Prior to attaining the role, she served for eight-and-a-half years on the commission in various roles, and for planning agencies in Dallas/Fort Worth, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

Vukan Vuchic is one of the world's leading experts in urban transportation, and is a professor of Civil and Urban Engineering Transportation at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of the book "Public Transportation Systems and Technology," and, in 1982, won the first Dr. Friedrich Lehner Medal, which is awarded to those who have devoted their lives to public transportation.

Milo O'Shea is an Irish actor currently starring as a priest in "Mass Appeal" at the Walnut Street Theater. He played the same role on Broadway for which he won several awards and was nominated for a Tony award. O'Shea has appeared in numerous films and plays. He will appear with Paul Newman in the upcoming film "The Verdict."

Edie Massey is an actress known for her eccentric roles in John Waters' films. She has appeared in "Pink Flamingos" "Multiple Maniacs," and "Polyester." She was discovered by the director in a Baltimore bar, and she also runs a thrift store, "Edith's Shopping Bag," in the city. Massey also heads a punk act and is performing in Philadelphia tonight. She plays a mixture of Connie Francis and Four Seasons' songs, as well as originals.

The artist was commissioned to create a piece for the city, which he titled Philadelphia Cornucopia. The installation features whimsical portrayals of historical figures from early American history. His public art has also been featured in New York and Minneapolis.

Freeman's time studying with Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) was crucial to his musical development. A student of both the avant-garde and traditional bop traditions, his compositions draw inspiration from different facets of the African American experience.

Randy Shilts has a new biography about Harvey Milk, the openly-gay mayor of San Francisco who was assassinated at the age of 48. Shilts details Milk's coming out later in life and his adroitness as a unity-building politician.

The novelist has a new novel set in Alabama which features, among other characters, two memorable prostitutes. Brown has also started writing for television. She talks about the increasing presence of gay people in mass media, and her own experiences as an out lesbian.

Lawrence Weschler examines Poland's labor movement in his new book, Solidarity. He reflects on how the Solidarity organization's actions call into question the virtues of Western capitalism.

The author has a new novel called Mosquito Coast, which he describes as a family adventure novel in the tradition of Treasure Island. In fiction and real life, he is interested in the impulse to leave one's home country, either as a traveler or an immigrant.

As a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Lyon documented many of the violent clashes between polices and protestors during the civil rights era. He continues to produce politically-charged photos and movies today.

Historian Philip Foner recently returned from a stint in China, where he lectured on the current state of civil rights, labor and women's movements in the United States. He shares his impressions of Chinese views on recent American history, as well as the current state of Chinese social conditions.

Reverend Michael Doyle was a member of the Camden 28, a group of activists tried for their anti-Vietnam War actions in 1971. His church, Sacred Heart, ministers to the poor in Camden, New Jersey. His joins Fresh Air to talk about the roots of poverty in the U.S., and about political and religious tensions in Northern Ireland.

New York City-based cartoonist and illustrator Ed Koren is best known for his work in The New Yorker and The Nation. He talks about how he chronicles many aspects of city living, ranging from daily commutes to street protests.

Viveca Lindfors made her mark in Swedish films before becoming a noted Hollywood actress in the post-war era. She talks about fate of and attitudes toward fellow actresses from that period.

Baltimore-based filmmaker John Waters has released a new book which explores his love of bad taste in film. With a new movie, Polyester, soon to be released, he join Fresh Air to explain his transgressive aesthetic and share his experiences working on set with a regular crew of actors.

Writer and director Garson Kanin's new book explores the success of certain actor pairings in Hollywood history, arguing that the team members brought out the best in one another.

Two experts on drug trafficking tell Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the difficulties of curtailing the production and sale of illicit drugs that originate outside the U.S. They debate whether or not American support of Burma's ethnic minorities could help reduce opium production.

Folk singer and composer Tom Paxton is known for his work as a musician in the Greenwich Village of the 1960s, where many of his songs became standards at the clubs in the area. His latest album is "The Paxton Report," and is full of topical songs about such subjects as nuclear power and the ERA. Paxton also brings his guitar for an in-studio concert.