It's a high stakes election year, so it's not enough to just follow along. You need to understand what's happening so you are fully informed come November.

Every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast, our political reporters break down important stories and

backstories from the campaign trail. Do you understand why it matters to you?

Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast, wherever you get your podcast.

What does it mean to be black in America?

An NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths, a collection of stories as very nuanced and

dynamic as Black experiences. You'll hear. It means everything. Search NPR Black Stories Black Truths wherever you get your podcast.

In this country, some truths aren't self-evident. And NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths, a collection of stories as wide-ranging and real as the people who tell them,

we celebrate the Black Experience for all its soul and richness.

Search NPR, Black Stories, Black Truths, wherever you get podcasts.

Last year, over 20,000 people joined the body electric study to change their sedentary screen-filled lives.

And guess what?

We saw amazing effects.

Now you can try NPR's body electric challenge yourself.

Listen to updated and new episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

This is fresh air. I'm Terry Gross. Stephen Soundheim's 1981 musical, Merrily We Roll Along, closed after only 16

performances.

Since then it's developed a cult following and now it's a Broadway hit with seven Tony nominations

including Best Revival of a Musical.

The person behind this new production is my guest,

first-time director Maria Friedman.

She's nominated for a Tony, as are the three leads,

...