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Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson has spent more than 20 years writing a cycle of plays that chronicle black life in 20th-century America, decade by decade. For Intersections, a Morning Edition series on artists and their inspirations, the playwright discusses how he first found the language of the black experience in blues legend Bessie Smith.

NPR's coverage of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2003 Oscar awards: Film music critic Andy Trudeau talks about the Oscar-nominated film scores, and dissects how music can make a good film great.

Sam Miltich is an 18-year-old who lives in the Minnesota woods and plays jazz guitar in the style of Django Reinhardt. He practiced for nine hours a day to become good enough to play in Amsterdam with one of Europe's hottest swing guitar groups -- and also at Lincoln Center. Chris Julin of Minnesota Public Radio reports.

Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, one of the giants of the genre, takes an optimistic perspective on NASA's current Mars mission and President Bush's vision for future space exploration. The author of classics such as The Martian Chronicles speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep.

Journalist Richard Pollak's latest book, The Colombo Bay, tells the story of his five-week journey from Hong Kong to New York aboard a container ship. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and Pollak.

The U.S. film industry reports a solid year at the box office, but most of the big money is tied to a few major successes, led by the Disney animated film Finding Nemo. Overall ticket sales are down a bit from 2002. NPR's Bob Edwards talks with Los Angeles Times movie critic Kenneth Turan.

British actor Alan Bates has died of cancer at the age of 69. Bates starred in such films as Zorba the Greek, The Fixer and Georgy Girl. He was also a renowned Shakespearean actor who went on to win a Tony Award in 2002 for his role in Fortune's Fool on Broadway. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.

The Sundance Film Festival kicks off in Park City, Utah. In the past few years, Sundance has become associated with Hollywood sightings, glamorous parties and celebrity skiing. This year, festival organizers are trying to take the event back to its independent roots by featuring more films from unknown directors. David D'Arcy reports.

Hiroshima Maiden is the name of a theater work based on the experiences of a group of women disfigured by the atomic bomb. To help raise money for reconstructive surgery in New York, two of the women and their sponsor appeared on an episode of the old TV show This Is Your Life. One of the guests was the co-pilot of the Enola Gay.

Josh Roseman is a young trombonist who appreciates music with a groove. His band, the Josh Roseman Unit, has a new CD called Treats for the Nightwalker that blends styles of jazz, from funk to progressive. Music critic Jim Fusilli has a review.