Jenny Lawton

Senior Editor, WNYC Studios

Composer Philip Glass in 2002.

Why Philip Glass was still driving a cab in his 30s

Philip Glass went from taxi driver to star composer overnight.

Why Philip Glass was still driving a cab in his 30s

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

Aha Moment: How ‘Finding Nemo’ changed my life

Aha Moment: How ‘Finding Nemo’ changed my life

Aha Moment: John Zorn with a schmear

Aha Moment: John Zorn with a schmear

How to build the perfect musical

How to build the perfect musical

Carrie Brownstein on the rise and fall of the best band ever

The “Portlandia” star and rocker discusses her artistic trajectory with Sleater-Kinney.

Carrie Brownstein on the rise and fall of the best band ever

Robert Lopez, hit machine

How do you write a hit musical number? And then do it again? And again?

Robert Lopez, hit machine

Carl Hiaasen’s sunshine noir

Carl Hiaasen has called Florida “the poster child of nationwide dysfunction,” but his campaign to tarnish the sunshine-state mystique has never quite worked.

Carl Hiaasen’s sunshine noir

The town that Disney built

Plenty of people move to the small town of Celebration, Florida, to live the Disney dream 24/7. But it’s not all fantasy.

The town that Disney built

Gene Luen Yang, ambassador from the land of comics

It might seem like a historical footnote, but China's Boxer Rebellion is as strange and tragic as anything in fiction.

Gene Luen Yang, ambassador from the land of comics

Tracy K. Smith explores ‘Life on Mars’

How the U.S. poet laureate found inspiration in the sci-fi visions of David Bowie.

Tracy K. Smith explores ‘Life on Mars’
Composer Philip Glass in 2002.

Why Philip Glass was still driving a cab in his 30s

Philip Glass went from taxi driver to star composer overnight.

Why Philip Glass was still driving a cab in his 30s
Billy Joel performs in 2006.

Aha Moment: Billy Joel’s ‘Lullabye’

An old ballad teaches a new parent about fatherhood.

Aha Moment: Billy Joel’s ‘Lullabye’
Twyla Tharpe

Fly her to the moon

How drive-in movies helped Twyla Tharp become a world-class choreographer.

Fly her to the moon
Bono and Adam Clayton of U2 performing in Mexico City in 2011

Aha moment: Bono and belly dancing

She gave up ballet, but Yillah Natalie discovered her life’s work in U2’s “Mysterious Ways”: belly dancing.

Aha moment: Bono and belly dancing