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Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. He was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein, and went on to revolutionize musical theatre. His first major success was writing lyrics for West Side Story. Sondheim wrote the lyrics for Gypsy. He composed the music and wrote the lyrics for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeny Todd, Sunday in the park with George, and Into the Woods. In 1954 he wrote the musical Saturday Night but it wasn't performed for 40 years. There's a new cast recording of it.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Dogmental (GM label), the new CD by the Andy Biskin Quintet.

Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The actor-driven theatre is known for its ensemble acting, and cutting-edge acting style. It's members include John Mahoney (Martin Crane on Frazier), John Malkovich, Kevin Anderson and four actors whom we'll hear from: First, founding members Gary Sinise (films: Mission to Mars, Apollo 13, Of Mice and Men,) and Terry Kinney (a regular on HBO's Oz).

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Contemporary Jazz, a new CD from saxophonist Branford Marsalis (Columbia Records).

Head of Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission, Dr. Sima Samar. She was appointed to the position in July. Previously, she served as the country's first Minister for Women's Affairs, appointed by the interim Afghan government. Dr. Samar is an internationally renowned feminist and human rights activist. Samar defied the Taliban and continued to operate schools for girls and health clinics in Afghanistan's provinces and refugee camps in Pakistan. Samar was born in Ghazani, Afghanistan, and is a Hazara, one of the most persecuted of the ethnic minorities.

Fred De Cordova, is the former executive producer of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In 1988 he wrote his autobiography, Johnny Came Lately, a behind-the-scenes tell-all about the workings of one of television's longest-running and highest rated shows. De Cordova credits include directing Ronald Reagan in Bedtime for Bonzo, directing The Jack Benny Show, The Burns and Allen Show, and My Three Sons. (REBROADCAST from 3

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss. His new book is The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945 (Simon & Schuster). In the book he reveals new information on how the Allies won World War II and the efforts behind the scenes of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin to ensure that post-war Germany would never produce another Hitler. Beschloss researched newly opened American, British and Soviet archives for the book.

He has starred in the mock-horror vomitorium comedies: The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead Two and Army of Darkness, all directed by Sam Raimi. He also has had television roles in the popular series Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules. More recently Campbell appeared in Spiderman and Serving Sarah. Campbell's memoir, If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor, is now out in paperback.

In his new book, The End of the American Era: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Geopolitics of the Twenty-First Century, Kupchan argues that the era of American dominance may be coming to an end. This demise will not be brought on by the Islamic world or China, but from an integrated Europe. He says that as Europe's political and strategic goals continue to diverge from those of the United States, Europe will rise as a new rival. Kupchan served on the National Security Council during the first Clinton administration. He is a professor of international relations at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Born and raised outside Chicago, Wax moved to England during her 20s, and found success as a performer, writer and TV personality. Wax scripted the British TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous and has had many other hit TV series on the BBC. Her new memoir is called How Do You Want Me?