Jean Dalrymple & Henry Hewes (moderators) Len Cariou, Peggy Cass, Sandy Duncan, Patricia Elliott, Roxanne Hart, Mickey Rooney, Clifford Stevens
Jean Dalrymple & Henry Hewes (moderators) Arnaud d'Usseau, Henry Denker, Jack Heifner, Rose Leiman Goldemberg
Jean Dalrymple & Henry Hewes (moderators) Josh Ellis, Elizabeth I. McCann, Brent Peek
Debbie Allen, Christine Andreas, Pat Carroll, Judd Hirsch, Earle Hyman, Tony Roberts
Jean Dalrymple & Henry Hewes (moderators) The panel of playwrights - Edward Albee ("The Lady From Dubuque"), Eve Merriam ("The Club"), Samm-Art Williams ("Home"), Lanford Wilson ("Talley's Folly"), and Ruth Wolff ("The Abdication") - discuss producing their current plays, how much playwrights creatively collaborate with directors and producers, the responsibilities of an agent, how playwrights learn to direct, and advice for actors and new playwrights.
Emanuel Azenberg, Rex Berry, Bill Evans, Mary Tyler Moore
Cy Coleman, Jim Dale, Judy Gordon, Mary Porter Hall, John Mineo, James Walsh
Gus Edwards, Ron Konecky, William Mastrosimone, John Ford Noonan, David Rogers, Judith Ross, Murray Schisgal
Harvey Evans, Dinah Manoff, David Rounds, John Rubinstein, Marian Seldes
Linda Fisher, Edward Kook, Joseph Maharam, David Mitchell, Dennis Parichy, Julie Taymor, Stuart Wurzel
Ian McKellen, Jerry Orbach, Estelle Parsons, Wanda Richert, Seret Scott, Carole Shelley
Vincent Canby, Charles Fuller, Joanna McClelland Glass, Lucy Kroll, David Rimmer, Peter Shaffer
Max Eisen, Robert Lussier, Marshall W. Mason, Claire Nichtern, Thorn Shovestull, Lanford Wilson
Douglas Ball, John Lee Beatty, Manuel Lutgenhorst, Patricia McGourty, Dennis Parichy
Maxwell Caulfield, Farley Granger, Gregory Hines, Amy Irving, Bill Liff, John Vickery, Treat Williams
Bernard B. Jacobs, Gerald Schoenfeld, Lee Silver, Philip J. Smith, Robert E. Wankel
Tom Courtenay, Mary Beth Hurt, Milo O'Shea, Larry Riley, Tony Tanner, Jane White
Bill C. Davis, Christopher Durang, Ira Levin, Sybille Pearson, Luis Sanjurjo, Melvin Van Peebles
Cy Feuer, Morton Gottlieb, Ralph Roseman, Milly Schoenbaum
Jean Dalrymple & Henry Hewes (moderators) Karen Akers, Christine Baranski, Harvey Fierstein, Ben Harney, Lonny Price, Liv Ullman
Michael Bennett, David Chapman, Beverly Emmons, Edward Gianfrancesco, Mel Gussow, William Ivey Long, Liz McCann, Anita Morris, Tharon Musser, Robin Wagner
Howard Ashman, Mitch Douglas, James Kirkwood, Jr., Arthur Kopit, Peter Stone, Maury Yeston
David Dukes, James Hayden, Kim Hunter, Anne Jackson, Tony Lo Bianco, Ken Page, Jessica Tandy, Eli Wallach, Jim Wilhelm
Ray Aranha, Steve Carter, John Guare, A.R. Gurney, Tina Howe, David LeVine, Joseph Stein
Elliot Martin, Marshall W. Mason, Leonard Mulhearn, Jeffrey Richards, Irvin Schwartz
Eddie Albert, Gene Barry, Diahann Carroll, Dina Merrill, Ann Reinking, John Shea
Harvey Fierstein, Jerry Herman, Shirley Herz, Marvin A. Krauss, Arthur Laurents, Jon Wilner
Lee Breuer, Herman Chessid, Allen Lee Hughes, Joseph Papp, William Raymond, Leslie Taylor, Patricia Zipprodt
Robert Anderson, Arvin Brown, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Marshall W. Mason, Joseph Stein, Wendy Wasserstein, Lanford Wilson, Jerry Zaks
The business team for the play "Dancing In The End Zone" - literary agent Mitch Douglas, producers Dasha Epstein and Morton Gottlieb, publicist Milly Schoenbaum, and general manager Richard Seader - talk about the responsibilities of the producer, the benefits of a workshop versus going out-of-town, the role of a press agent, comparing large off-Broadway houses to Broadway, and the evolution of opening night events including critics now attending previews. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
Calvin Levels, John Malkovich, Nancy Marchand, Eric Shephard, Amy Wright
The panel of actors - Sinead Cusack ("Cyrano De Bergerac"), Frank Langella ("After The Fall"), Joe Mantegna ("Glengarry Glen Ross"), Theresa Merritt ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"), and Sigourney Weaver ("Hurlyburly") - talk about their training, auditioning for their first major roles, the rehearsal process, working in the ensemble, actors who are also playwrights, and establishing relationships as a result of stage work. Jean Dalrymple and Brendan Gill moderate.
Julianne Boyd, Martin Charnin, Gregory Mosher, Joan Micklin Silver, Charles Strouse, Richard M. Ticktin
The business team behind "Hurlyburly" - advertising representative Rick Elice, agent Milton Goldman, legal counsel Jay S. Harris, stage manager Peter Lawrence, press representative Sandra Manley, and producer Frederick Zollo - discuss how David Rabe's play found a producer, director, and high profile cast for its debut at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, its successful off-Broadway run prior to Broadway, producing with a profit pool plan, production costs including the advertising budget, and the present state of the American play. Jean Dalrymple and Brendan Gill moderate.
Theoni V. Aldredge, Brian Ferren, Paul Gallo, Ann Hould-Ward, Richard Nelson, Bill Stabile, Tony Straiges, Patricia Zipprodt
The panel of Broadway actors - Matthew Broderick ("Biloxi Blues"), Jim Dale ("Joe Egg"), Charles S. Dutton ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"), Rosemary Harris ('Pack of Lies"), Glenda Jackson ("Strange Interlude"), and theatrical agent Lionel Larner - discuss how they left their various layman jobs to begin performing, their audition experiences, how they became involved in their current productions, what they look for in an agent, how they obtained one, and the role of an agent. Jean Dalrymple and George White moderate.
The panelists - playwright P.J. Barry ("The Octette Bridge Club"), lyricist Ellen Fitzhugh ("Grind"), director John Going ("Inherit The Wind"), playwright Fay Kanin ("Grind"), playwright Jerome Lawrence ("Inherit The Wind"), agent Bruce Savin, and director Clifford Williams ("Pack of Lies") - talk about their formal training; the relationship between directors, playwrights and casting directors; the key to successful collaboration; comparing the author's rights for stage versus film; the boundaries of a director's vision; and rising production costs and ticket prices. Jean Dalrymple and George White moderate.
The producing team of the 1985 Broadway musical "Grind" - advertising representative Jeffrey Ash, group sales executive Ronald S. Lee, executive producer Ruth Mitchell, and producers Michael Frazier, Kenneth Greenblatt, Mary Lea Johnson, and John Pomerantz - talks about bringing the nearly $5 million production to Broadway after a tryout in Baltimore, working with director Hal Prince, the importance of advertising and group ticket sales in light of mixed critical reviews, comparisons to their previously produced hits La Cage Aux Folles and Nine, and budgetting a new American musical with a controversial royalty structure that doesn't pay the creative team until the production turns a profit. Jean Dalrymple and George White moderate.
Storyline The panel of actors - Don Correia ("Singin' in the Rain"), Tovah Feldshuh ("Springtime for Henry"), Glenne Headly ("Arms and the Man"), Judd Hirsch ("I'm Not Rappaport"), Barnard Hughes ("The Iceman Cometh"), Cleavon Little ("I'm Not Rappaport"), Elizabeth McGovern ("Map of the World") - and casting director Vincent G. Liff discuss how they have dealt with mishaps and missed lines, the extent of research done for roles, schooling and formal acting training, starting out in regional theatre such as Chicago before finding work in New York, and the responsibilities of the casting director. Jean Dalrymple and Brendan Gill moderate.
The panelists - director Clinton Turner Davis ("Two Can Play"), playwright Herb Gardner ("I'm Not Rappaport"), playwright/lyricist Tom Jones ("The Fantasticks"), playwright Shirley Lauro ("Open Admissions"), lyricist/director Richard Maltby Jr. ("Song and Dance"), playwright Marsha Norman ("Night Mother") and composer Harvey Schmidt ("The Fantasticks") - discuss how a playwright chooses a director, the role of a playwright, how much structure is provided by the text, and the varying degrees of collaboration between director, playwright, and actor. Jean Dalrymple and Brendan Gill moderate. Jonathan Larson (student).
Michael David, Joshua Ellis, William Hauptmann, Heidi Landesman, Rocco Landesman, Linda Lehman
The 1985 Joseph Maharam Foundation Awards for Scenic, Costume, and Lighting Design are awarded to Lawrence Eichler, Charles Ludlam, and Everett Quinton for The Ridiculous Theatrical Company's "The Mystery of Irma Vep"; Mel Carpenter, Angus Moss, and Blu for Ping Chong's Fiji Theatre Company's "NOSFERATU: A Symphony of Darkness"; and Heidi Landesman, Patricia McGourty, and Richard Riddell for Broadway's "Big River". The designers discuss their respective productions in-depth. In addition, Henry Hewes receives an award for Outstanding Service For His Recognition Of Theatre Design. Tish Dace and Henry Hewes moderate.
The panel of actors -- Glenn Close ("Benefactors"), Maurice Hines ('Uptown...It's Hot"), Aidan Quinn ("A Lie of the Mind"), Marlo Thomas ("Social Security") -- discuss working with directors, agents, formal education and technical training, and the beginnings of their individual acting careers. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
Playwright Brian Clark ("The Petition"), playwright/director Emily Mann ("The Execution of Justice"), playwright Arthur Miller ("Death of a Salesman"), literary agent Gilbert Parker, director Norman René ("Precious Sons"), and director John Tillinger ("Loot" and "The Perfect Party") discuss the division of responsibilities between playwright and director, how casting effects the original script, the significance of play titles, playing regional theatres versus New York versus London, escalating ticket prices, and whether working in theatre is preferred to film and television. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The "Precious Sons" production team - producers Marty Bell and Roger Berlind, legal representative Patricia Crown, press representative Joshua Ellis, advertising representative Peter LeDonne, and general manager Peter Neufeld - discuss the steps taken to bring the show to Broadway such as obtaining rights, building a creative team, the casting process, Broadway versus off-Broadway, the risks in mounting a production, marketing planning and costs, varying advertising, and experimental ticket pricing. Jean Dalrymple moderates.
The panel of performers - Vondie Curtis-Hall ("Raisin In The Sun"), Ossie Davis ("I'm Not Rappaport"), Swoosie Kurtz ("The House of Blue Leaves"), Jean Stapleton ("Arsenic and Old Lace", and Loretta Swit ("The Mystery of Edwin Drood") - discuss how they got started in the business, Stapleton's experience working at the Stage Door Canteen and attending the American Theatre Wing school, how dance training contributes to overall performance, working with agents and experiences with typecasting, and balancing a film and television career with stage work. Jean Dalrymple and George White moderate.
The Playscript/Director panelists - Long Wharf Theatre artistic director Arvin Brown, playwright Howard Fast ("Citizen Tom Paine"), director/dramaturg Susan Gregg, playwright Israel Horovitz ("Today, I Am A Fountain Pen"), director Wilford Leach ("The Mystery of Edwin Drood"), playwright Leslie Lee ("The War Party"), playwright John Pielmeier ("Agnes of God"), and director Jim Simpson ("Citizen Tom Paine") - compare directing with the director's concept versus collaborating with the playwright and their vision; different interpretations and approaches in directing the same play; how a new approach manifests and influences everything from casting to the final production; why pre-production is a hands-off period for directors; and how theatre differs from the mediums of novels and films.
The producing team of the 1986 Tony-nominated play "The House of Blue Leaves" - press representative Merle Debuskey, executive producer Bernard Gersten, playwright John Guare, advertising representative James Russek, and director Jerry Zaks - discuss how they came to work on this mid-1960's domestic comedy at Lincoln Center Theatre, first in the off-Broadway Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, then transferring to the much larger Vivian Beaumont Theatre which presented its own challenges, eventually moving to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway; the economics of producing, subscriber base, and ticket prices at a not-for-profit theater; finding key designers; casting sessions, working with strong actors, and maintaining quality performances in an extended run. Jean Dalrymple moderates.
The panel of performers - Trazana Beverley ("Death and the King's Horseman"), Mark Hamill ("The Nerd"), George S. Irving ("Me and My Girl"), Linda Lavin ("Broadway Bound"), Lynn Redgrave ("Sweet Sue"), and Colm Wilkinson ("Les Miserables") - discuss when they started performing and how they got their first roles; directors and effective directing styles; the power and influence of critics; audience response especially on opening night; finding the next job and how to cope with the audition process.
The panel - director Melvin Bernhardt ("The Beach House"), playwright Alice Childress ("Moms"), director Walter Dallas ("Moms"), playwright Nancy Donohue ("The Beach House"), playwright Patrick Meyers ("K2"), and director Terry Schreiber ("K2") - talk about where they started, how many acted before writing and directing, the relationship between directors and playwrights, developing a show particularly out-of-town, the challenges of casting a play, and the collaboration amongst actors, directors, and authors. Schuyler G. Chapin and Jean Dalrymple moderate.
The production team of "Sweet Sue" - advertising representative Fred Golden, general manager Larry Goossen, playwright A.R. Gurney, casting director Donna Isaacson, and producer Arthur Whitelaw - discuss the path the play took to Broadway, each panelist's individual involvement, the challenges of casting, production costs, ticket prices, and how box office grosses effect the advertising campaign. Schuyler Chapin & Jean Dalrymple moderate.
The panel of performers - from "Driving Miss Daisy", Morgan Freeman and Dana Ivey; Robert LuPone ("Late Night Comic"); John Malkovich ("Burn This"); Jane Summerhays ("Me and My Girl"); and Courtney B. Vance ("Fences") - talk about milestones at the start of their careers; their attitude towards auditioning, rehearsing, and reviews; working on unsuccessful shows; and the positive differences of matinee performances. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
The panel - playwright Allan Knee ("Late Night Comic"), director Ron Lagomarsino ("Driving Miss Daisy"), director Lloyd Richards ("Fences"), casting director Meg Simon ("Fences"), playwright Alfred Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy"), and playwright August Wilson ("Fences") - discuss directing styles, collaboration between playwright and director, developing and casting their current productions, and the emergence of casting directors for the stage. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
The production team of "Burn This" - producer James B. Freydberg, press representative Shirley Herz, director Marshall Mason, producer Max Weitzenhoffer, and playwright Lanford Wilson - talk about developing the play at the Mark Taper Forum and off-Broadway at Circle Rep, directly transferring from Steppenwolf Theatre Company to Broadway within 48 hours, the timing of reviews, and advertising in newspapers and television. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
The 23rd annual American Theatre Wing Design Awards honor the best theatrical design in New York for the 1986-1987 season. The award winning designs are demonstrated by "Starlight Express" assistant costume designer Ann Emonts, 'Worstward Ho" assistant lighting designer Mary Louise Geiger, "The Hunger Artist" actor Anthony Holland, Brooklyn Academy of Music's "The Civil Wars - Act 5: The Trees" production manager Paul King, and "Fences" scenic designer James D. Sandefur. Tish Dace & Jean Dalrymple moderate.
Broadway performers Patti Cohenour, Michael Crawford, and Judy Kaye from "The Phantom of the Opera"; Blythe Danner ("A Streetcar Named Desire"); "M. Butterfly's" John Lithgow and B.D. Wong; and agent Erica Spellman (ICM) discuss auditioning, preparing special skills for unique roles, crossing over from drama to musicals to opera, and working on different types of stages. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
Director Paul Benedict ('Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"), playwright Timothy Crouse ("Anything Goes"), playwright David Henry Hwang ("M. Butterfly"), director Robert Kalfin ("Rashomon"), playwright Terrence McNally ("Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"), legal representative Jeremy Nussbaum, and playwright John Weidman ("Anything Goes") talk about how they began their careers in theatre, writing stage directions, revising "Anything Goes", the real life inspiration for "M. Butterfly", and the advantages of a lengthy preview period. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The production team of "M. Butterfly" - advertising representative Jeffrey Ash, stage manager Bob Borod, general manager Steve Goldstein, producer Stuart Ostrow, and press agent John Springer - talk about the many components involved in bringing the groundbreaking play to Broadway, including the play's themes, casting, ad design, publicity campaign, costume design, budget and ticket prices. Jean Dalrymple and Edwin Wilson moderate.
The actors - David Dukes ("M Butterfly"), Anne Jackson ("Cafe Crown"), Sylvia Miles ("Tea with Mommy and Jack"), Kate Nelligan ("Spoils of War"), Eli Wallach ("Cafe Crown"), and Paul Winfield ("Checkmates") - discuss how they first became interested in acting, auditions, and performing in front of an audience. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
The creative teams of "Legs Diamond": director Robert Allan Ackermam, playwright Harvey Fierstein, and choreographer Alan Johnson, "Paul Robeson": playwright Phillip Hayes Dean and director Harold Scott, and "Spoils of War": director Austin Pendleton and playwright Michael Weller -- discuss their productions, and how they began their careers in theatre. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The "Spoils Of War" production team - legal representative John Breglio, press representative Joshua Ellis, producer Robyn Goodman, producer David Mirvish, and general manager Peter Neufeld - discuss transferring the play from not-for-profit Second Stage Theatre off-Broadway to a $1.5 million commercial Broadway production. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
John Lee Beatty, Eva Buchmuller, John Dunn, Duke Durffe, Julie Taymore
The panel of Broadway actors - Joan Allen ("The Heidi Chronicles"), Ed Asner ("Born Yesterday"), Philip Bosco ("Lend Me A Tenor"), Pauline Collins ("Shirley Valentine"), Nancy Dussault ("Into The Woods") and Madeline Kahn ("Born Yesterday") - talk about the first time they fell in love with performing, auditions, how their careers have evolved, and the difference in stage and film work. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
Director Pamela Berlin ("Steel Magnolias", "Crossing Delancey"), playwright Cindy Lou Johnson ("Brilliant Traces"), playwright/director Garson Kanin ("Born Yesterday") and playwright Wendy Wasserstein ("The Heidi Chronicles") discuss how they first got involved in playwriting and directing from other areas of writing and theatre, their first professional shows, and play development at Playwrights Horizons and the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Playwrights Conference. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
Playwrights Horizons artistic director André Bishop, legal counsel Marsha Brooks, stage manager Roy Harris, advertising representative Mike Mones, and producer James Walsh discuss Wendy Wasserstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Heidi Chronicles" and its transfer to Broadway. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
David Aukin, Michael Blakemore, Howard Davies, Robert Fox, Michael Imison, Gillian Lynne, Anthony Quayle
Stage performers Blair Brown ("The Secret Rapture"), Kevin Conway ("Other People's Money"), Beth Fowler and Bob Gunton from "Sweeney Todd", Pamela Payton-Wright and Tony Randall from "M. Butterfly", Vanessa Redgrave ("Orpheus Descending"), Elaine Stritch ("Love Letters"), and casting director Rosemarie Tichler talk about their chosen careers, how they got started in theatre, and the differences and challenges that audiences bring to each performance. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
Neema Barnette, Michael Engler, Larry Gelbart, David Hare, Gloria Muzio, Susan Schulman, Jerry Sterner, Richard Wesley
The production team of Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" -- attorney John Breglio, advertising representative Nancy Coyne, general manager Barbara Darwall, press representative Joshua Ellis, and producer Elizabeth Ireland McCann -- talk about the steps taken in bringing Peter Hall's revival with actress Vanessa Redgrave to Broadway. Jean Dalrymple & Edwin Wilson moderate.
Jerome Sirlin, Jennifer Tipton, Alison Yerxa, Susan Young
Kate Burton ("Some Americans Abroad"), Tyne Daly ("Gypsy"), Tom Hulce ("A Few Good Men"), Robert Morse ("Tru"), Kathleen Turner ("Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"), and Irene Worth ("Sweet Bird Of Youth") talk about being a part of an ensemble cast, the difference between screen and stage, the stamina needed for stage performances, and how they got their start in performing. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panel -- "A Few Good Men'"s director Don Scardino and playwright Aaron Sorkin, director George C. Wolfe ("Spunk") and director Luke Yankee ("The Cherry Orchard") -- discusses their current productions and how each show was conceived. The creative team of "Once On This Island" -- book writer/lyricist Lynn Ahrens, director/choreographer Graciela Daniele, and composer Stephen Flaherty -- talk about adapting the musical from a novel, and the show's development at Playwrights Horizons. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The production team of 'Gypsy" and "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" - publicist Shirley Herz, casting director Stuart Howard, playwright/director Arthur Laurents, general manager/associate producer Alecia Parker, and producers Barry Weissler and Fran Weissler - talk about many aspects of production from casting to advertising to corporate investors, booking pre-Broadway tour stops, and their other productions of "Fiddler on the Roof", "La Cage aux Folles", and "My One and Only". Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
Stage actors Mike Hodge ("A Few Good Men"), Robin Morse ("Six Degrees of Separation"), Ron Perlman ("A Few Good Men"), Faith Prince ("Falsettoland"), Margaret Tyzack ("Lettice and Lovage"), and James Whitmore ("About Time" and "Handy Dandy") talk about their education and when they began performing, the effect of cast size, audience response, and positive feedback.
The panel of playwrights Vernel Bagneris ("Further Mo'") and Tom Cole ("About Time"), lyricist John Driver ("Shogun"), director Tony Giordano ("About Time' and "Handy Dandy"), lyricist Sheldon Harnick ("The Rothschilds"), Executive Director of the Dramatists Guild David LeVine, and director Lonny Price ("The Rothschilds") discuss how they got started in their careers, writing for the stage, and the role of the Dramatists Guild. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The production team for "A Few Good Men" - producer David Brown; president of the Shubert Organization, Bernard Jacobs; Serino Coyne advertising representative Linda Lehman; and general manager Stuart Thompson - talk about selecting a script by unknown playwright Aaron Sorkin; the details of general management including budget, advertising, ticket sales, government taxes; rising costs in the current economics of Broadway; film rights to plays and the effect of a film release; and what it takes to produce a Broadway show. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
Fred Curchack, Jules Fisher, Martin Izquierdo, Santo Loquasto, Judith Martin, Kevin Rigdon
The panel of performers - Jane Alexander ("Shadowlands"), Stockard Channing ("Six Degrees of Separation"), Sarah Jessica Parker ("The Substance Of Fire"), Jonathan Pryce ("Miss Saigon"), Ron Rifkin ("The Substance Of Fire"), Mercedes Ruehl ("Lost In Yonkers"), and Topol ("Fiddler on the Roof") - discuss playing the same role over the years, finding a rhythm in one's performance, learning about one's character during the rehearsal process, gaining discipline, and how each performer got their start. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panel of performers - Hinton Battle ("Miss Saigon"), Roy Dotrice ("The Homecoming"), Timothy Hutton ("Babylon Gardens"), Mary Louise Parker ("Babylon Gardens"), Teresa Wright ("On Borrowed Time"), Stephanie Zimbalist ("The Baby Dance") - discuss working in regional and repertory theatre; where they started out in show business, if it was a family profession; the process of getting an agent; how the stage compares to television and film; and how different theatre spaces, sets, and stage sizes affect a show. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panel of actors - Alan Alda (Neil Simon's "Jake's Women"), Jodi Benson ("Crazy For You"), Roscoe Lee Brown (August Wilson's "Two Trains Running"), Glenn Close ("Death and the Maiden"), Richard Dreyfuss ("Death and the Maiden"), Harry Groener ("Crazy For You"), Tracy Pollan (Neil Simon's "Jake's Women"), and Lynn Redgrave (Ibsen's "The Master Builder") - discuss how they got started in the business and their big break, the significance of the rehearsal process, keeping a role fresh and not repeating the same performance, doing classic plays and if they are influenced by seeing different versions, and the difference between London and New York stages. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panelists - playwright Jon Robin Baitz ("The End of the Day"), playwright Charles Grodin ("One of the All-Time Greats"), director Mark Lamos ("The End of the Day"), playwright Ken Ludwig ("Crazy For You", "Lend Me A Tenor"), director Tony Roberts ("One of the All-Time Greats"), choreographer Susan Stroman ("Crazy For You"), and International Creative Management Vice-President Victoria Traube - discuss how they got started and their common backgrounds as actors and lawyers, directing the work of living and dead playwrights, the development and journey for each of their shows, and the seamless collaboration the Crazy For You creative team achieved. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The production team of "Crazy For You" - advertising representative Nancy Coyne, press representative Bill Evans, general manager Tyler Gatchell, casting director Julie Hughes, and producer Elizabeth Williams - discuss how the show was adapted from the 1930's Gershwin musical "Girl Crazy", advertising as a new musical - not a revival, producing a television commercial, the financial cost of the large production, the role of the casting director, and the effect of positive critical reviews. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panel consisting of casting director Jay Binder ("Lost In Yonkers"), and actors Lucie Arnaz ("Lost In Yonkers"), Hallie Foote ("The Roads to Rome"), Gregory Hines ("Jelly's Last Jam"), Tonya Pinkins ('Jelly's Last Jam"), and John Schneider ("Grand Hotel") discuss how they started their careers, what casting directors look for, auditioning established actors, rehearsing and replacing in a role, and the panelists provide advice to people beginning in theatre. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The panel - playwright/director P.J. Barry ("A Distance From Calcutta"), lyricist Susan Birkenhead ("Jelly's Last Jam"), playwright/director Horton Foote ("The Roads To Home"), agent Wiley Hausam (International Creative Management), musical adaptor Luther Henderson ("Jelly's Last Jam"), playwright/director George C. Wolfe ("Jelly's Last Jam") - discuss how and why they got started in theatre, collaboration between authors and directors, whether playwrights should direct their own work, advice for young writers including how a play gets produced, finding a suitable director, and the advantages and disadvantages of readings. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The "Jelly's Last Jam" production team - general manager Michael David, advertising representative Rick Elice of Serino Coyne, press agent Richard Kornberg, producers Pamela Koslow and Margo Lion, and legal counsel Jean Ward - discuss developing the musical for Music-Theater Group, working with director/performer Gregory Hines, creating a standout ad campaign, and fundraising with multiple workshops and finding corporate investors for the resulting $5 million production budget. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The panel of union and guild representatives - Jean Dalrymple, member of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM); Alan Eisenberg, Executive Secretary of Actors' Equity Association; actress Caroline Lagerfelt, former Equity Council member (Actors' Equity Association); David S. Rosenak, Executive Director of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; and Peter Stone, President of the Dramatists Guild - talk about when and why their organizations were founded, their purposes and the services they provide; the need for contracts, salary minimums, and safety regulations; and the agreement between producers and all unions and guilds for the Broadway Alliance. Henry Guettel & Harvey Sabinson moderate.
The panel - actress Brenda Braxton ("Jelly's Last Jam"), Mettawee River Theatre Company puppet/costume designers Casey Compton and Ralph Lee ("Wichikapache Goes Walking"), producer/lighting designer Jules Fisher ("Two Shakespearean Actors"), director Michael Greif ("Pericles"), and costume designer Toni-Leslie James ('Jelly's Last Jam") - discuss the significant roles of lighting and costume design, the relationship between designers and director, their education and early training, and design budgets; plus a demonstration of costumes and puppets. Tish Dace & Jean Dalrymple moderate.
The Anna Christie production team - scenic designer John Lee Beatty, O'Neill biographer Barbara Gelb, Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Todd Haimes, actors Anne Meara, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson, and Rip Torn, and lighting designer Marc B. Weiss -- discuss in-depth the 1993 Tony Award-winning revival, including the scenic and lighting design, how the characters relate to contemporary lives, the actors' differing acting styles, and Eugene O'Neill's early career. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panel of performers - Joan Copeland ("Another Time"), Jeff Daniels ("Redwood Curtain"), Christopher Durang ("Sondheim's Putting It Together"), Robert Foxworth ("Candida"), Robert Klein ("The Sisters Rosenszweig"), Mary McCann ("David Mamet's Oleanna"), Steven Rea ("Someone Who'll Watch Over Me"), Martin Short ("The Goodbye Girl"), and Mary Steenburgen ("Candida") - compare the different styles of their current productions, their performing backgrounds, discipline and stamina, actors who write, and returning to the stage after working in television and film. Brendan Gill moderates.
The panelists - theatrical agent Joanne Nici, playwright Frank Pugliese ("Aven'U Boys"), director/writer Geraldine Fitzgerald ("Sharon"), choreographer Wayne Cilento ('Tommy"), and producer Frederick Zollo ("Aven'U Boys") - discuss the expanse of their careers and their backgrounds, the role of an agent, and developing plays from the page through casting and rehearsals to production. Isabelle Stevenson moderates.
The Fool Moon production team - producers Jeffrey Ash, Dori Berinstein, and James Freydberg, actor/creator Bill Irwin, press representative Jackie Green, general manager Robert Kamlot, company manager Daniel Kearns, and actor/creator David Shiner - discuss bringing the two-man mime revue to Broadway, the responsibilities of each production member, the strategic marketing and publicity plans, ticket and production costs, and the wildly varied responses from audiences of all ages. Jean Dalrymple & George White moderate.
The panelists - theatre critic Howard Kissel, Artistic Director of Manhattan Theatre Club Lynn Meadow, actor/director Zakes Mokae ("The Song Of Jacob Zulu"), producer/general manager Dorothy Olim, producer/general manager Albert Poland, general manager Ben Sprecher, and playwright Wendy Wasserstein ("The Sisters Rosensweig") - discuss how not-for-profit and regional theaters differ from commercial productions, developing plays out of town, escalating production costs, and viable stage careers compared to television and film. Dasha Epstein & George White moderate.
The panel of performers - David Cassidy and Petula Clark from "Blood Brothers", Julie Harris ("The Fiery Furnace"), Jeff Hyslop ("Kiss of the Spider Woman"), and Joe Mantello and Stephen Spinella from "Angels In America" - talk about how their families encouraged them to pursue performing professionally, appearing on a Broadway stage for the first time, differing audience reactions between the West End and Broadway, and working on the multi-part play "Angels in America." Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panelists - playwright/director Edward Albee ("Marriage Play"), director Arvin Brown ("The Twilight of the Golds"), agent Joyce Ketay, playwright Tony Kushner ("Angels In America"), playwright Timothy Mason ("The Fiery Furnace"), and playwright Jonathan Tolins ("The Twilight of the Golds") - talk about playwrights directing their own work, how directors and playwrights collaborate, gauging audience response, and the evolution of their respective productions. Brendan Gill & George White.
"The Kiss of the Spider Woman" production team - producer Garth Drabinsky, lyricist Fred Ebb, composer John Kander, playwright Terrence McNally, director Harold Prince, and actor Chita Rivera - discuss adapting the novel and film, starting as a "New Musicals" development at SUNY Purchase through productions in Toronto and London before reaching Broadway, how the script has changed over the years, the budget required for the long creative process, and the business of producing and marketing a new Broadway musical. Brendan Gill moderates.
The design panel - scenic designer John Arnone ("The Who's Tommy"), costume designer Elizabeth Fried ("Brother Truckers"), special effects designer Wendall K. Harrington ("The Who's Tommy"), lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin (New York Shakespeare Festival) - moderated by costume designer Patricia Zipprodt ("My Favorite Year"), Professor Tish Dace, and author/designer/producer Jean Dalrymple discuss their creative childhoods; how the role of designers has evolved from directors, stage managers, and technicians; working with varying production budgets; and the colors and projections used in "The Who's Tommy." Tish Dace & Jean Dalrymple moderate.
Broadway performers F. Murray Abraham ("Angels In America"), Susan Egan ("Beauty and the Beast"), Victor Garber ("Damn Yankees"), Nathan Lane ("Laughter on the 23rd Floor"), Michael Learned ("The Sisters Rosensweig"), Burke Moses ("Beauty and the Beast"), and Bebe Neuwirth ("Damn Yankees") talk about how they got started in performing, their current roles, and teaching acting courses. Jean Dalrymple & Brendan Gill moderate.
The resident theatre panelists - Randall Arney, Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre; Zelda Fichandler, Artistic Director of the Acting Company; Emily Mann, Artistic Director of McCarter Theater; Mac Pirkle, Artistic Director of Tennessee Repertory Theatre; Michael P. Price, Executive Director of Goodspeed Opera House; and Lloyd Richards, Artistic Director of Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center - discuss the beginnings of regional theatre as a place to develop new plays and playwrights, relationships with commercial theatre, marketing and building a subscriber base, and diversity in playwrights and audiences. Dasha Epstein & Mel Gussow moderate.
The panel - director Martin Charnin ("The Flowering Peach"), "Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public" playwright Larry L. King and director/co-writer Peter Masterson, choreographer Rob Marshall ("Kiss of the Spiderwoman"), director/writer Lonny Price ("Sally Marr and Her Escorts"), Second Stage Theatre dramaturg/literary manager Erin Sanders, director Robert Jess Roth ("Beauty and the Beast"), Ernest Schier director of the National Critics' Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, and Tazewell Thompson Artistic Director of the Syracuse Stage - talk about the different ways that writers collaborate, the role of a dramaturg, how choreography and directing can be intertwined, developing a production in workshops, and reimagining an animated film as a stage musical. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The "Beauty and the Beast" production team - press representative Chris Boneau, producer Michael David, associate producer Donald Frantz, production supervisor Jeremiah Harris, producer Robert W. McTyre, marketing consultant Margery Singer - discuss creating a stage musical from an animated film, costume designs, production budget and ticket prices, marketing and publicity including a literacy program, and Disney's plans on Broadway. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panel of performers - Michel Bell ("Show Boat"), Charlotte D'Amboise ("Damn Yankees"), Rosemary Harris ("An Inspector Calls"), Audra McDonald ("Carousel"), and Lonette McKee ("Show Boat") - discuss working with elaborate sets, their performing backgrounds, developing technique and discipline, and bringing classics back to the stage. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panelists - director/playwright Vernel Bagneris ("Jelly Roll!"), playwright David Ives ("All in the Timing"), actor Nancy Opel ("All in the Timing"), director Lawrence Sacharow ("Three Tall Women"), Playwrights Horizons artistic director Don Scardino ("A Cheever Evening"), choreographer Matthew West ("Beauty and the Beast") - discuss their current productions, the relationship between director and playwright, and the role of a dramaturg. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The "Damn Yankees" production team - legal counsel Robert Barandes, press representative Peter Cromarty, advertising representative Rick Elice, producers Mitchell Maxwell and Victoria Maxell, and general manager Charlotte Wilcox - discuss obtaining the rights, using a two-level structure of producing starting with an out-of-town production at the Old Globe, the finances of booking a Broadway theater, a new logo for an extensive ad campaign, and how the baseball theme provided many PR opportunities. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The design panel - lighting designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward, and scenic designers David Schulder and Tony Walton - and co-moderator lighting designer Jules Fisher talk about where they studied their craft, how the props can overlap with costuming, how lighting design has evolved, the Ridiculous Theatrical Company's production of "Movieland", and a demonstration of Gary Beach's costume from "Beauty and the Beast". Tish Dace moderates.
The panel of performers - Mary Alice ("Having Our Say"), Matthew Broderick ("How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying"), Alan Campbell ("Sunset Boulevard"), Gloria Foster ("Having Our Say"), John Glover ("Love! Valour! Compassion!"), Robert Sean Leonard ("Arcadia"), and Helen Mirren ("A Month In The Country") - talk about how they got started performing, what lessons and training they had, the challenges of working on their current productions, and the playwright's involvement in a production. Brendan Gill moderates.
The panel - playwright/actor Dan Butler ("The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me"), playwright Tom Dulack ("Breaking Legs"), director Scott Ellis ("A Month In The Country"), playwright Keith Glover ("Dancing On Moonlight"), director Sean Mathias ("Indiscretions"), director Gregory Mosher ("Cryptogram"), director Lisa Peterson ("Slavs"), and literary agent Jack Tantleff - talk about where they began their careers, playwrights who direct their own work, funding for non-profit and regional theatres, and the role of casting directors. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The production team of "Love! Valour! Compassion!" - general manager Victoria Bailey, press representative Helene Davis, managing director Barry Grove, director Joe Mantello, playwright Terrence McNally, and artistic director Lynne Meadow - discuss giving playwrights a home at Manhattan Theatre Club, director and playwright working together for the first time, transferring to a Broadway production, ticket pricing, and participating in the Broadway Alliance. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
Goodspeed Opera House's team - director/lyricist Martin Charnin ("Annie"), press representative Max Eisen, associate producer Sue Frost, musical supervisor Michael O'Flaherty, director Charles Repole ("Gentleman Prefer Blondes"), and general manager Howard Sherman - discuss Goodspeed's history and focus on the American musical, the business aspects of a regional theatre, being a part of the community, and the advantages of developing production at a distance from New York. George White moderates.
The panel of performers - Betty Buckley ("Sunset Blvd"), Liz Callaway ("Cats"), Valerie Harper ("Death Defying Acts"), Brian Murray ("Racing Demon'), Roger Rees (Tom Stoppard's "Indiscretions"), Frances Sternhagen ("The Heiress") - talk about the different ways they started in the business, training at the Royal Shakespeare Company, notable acting teachers, how to prepare for auditions, replacing in a show with an abbreviated rehearsal period, and how to keep performances fresh during a long run. Brendan Gill moderates.
The multi-disciplined panelists -- director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun ("Busker Alley"), director/playwright Michael Leeds ("Swinging on a Star"), actor/playwright Anne Meara ("After-Play"), director Mike Ockrent ("Big", "Crazy For You", "Me and My Girl"), director/choreographer Lee Roy Reams ("Hello, Dolly!" revival), director Lloyd Richards ("Fences"), and director John Tillinger ("Deathtrap") -- discuss the director's role in relationship to the playwright, the differences in developing of musicals and plays, directing revivals, the challenges of auditions, and the pros and cons of workshops. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The "Moon Over Buffalo" production team -- press representative Adrian Bryan-Brown, designer/producer Heidi Landesman, producer Elizabeth Williams, general managers Wendy Orshan and Jeffrey M. Wilson of 101 Productions, and Serino Coyne advertising representative Ruth Rosenberg -- discuss the process of bringing Ken Ludwig's play to Broadway, fro m the first reading, casting Carol Burnett, finding a director, creating the $2.4 million budget including an out-of-town tryout, to advertising, press coverage and opening night reviews. Adrian Bryan-Brown & Brendan Gill moderate.
The design team of "The Heiress" -- scenic designer John Lee Beatty, lightning designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Jane Greenwood, director Gerald Gutierrez and actor Cherry Jones -- discuss the interwoven details of their production, from natural period lighting for the enclosed sets, to background colors complementing the costumes, and the advantages of collaborating on previous works. Mask/puppet designer Ralph Lee demonstrates the large puppets worn by actors in "Heart Of The Earth: A Popul Vuh Story". Tish Dace & Brendan Gill moderate.
The panel of performers -- Mark Linn-Baker ("A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum"), John Cullum ("Show Boat"), Ann Duquesnay ("Bring In 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk"), Judith Ivey ("A Fair Country"), Donna Murphy ("The King And I"), Michael Nouri ("Victor/Victoria") and Daphne Rubin-Vega ("Rent") -- discuss how they auditioned for their current roles, and what education and training they received at the start of their careers. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The discussion panel - director Leonard Foglia ("Master Class"), director Michael Greif ("Rent"), playwright Betsy Howie ("Cowgirls"), lyricist Tom Jones ('The Fantasticks"), composer/lyricist Mary Murfitt ("Cowgirls'), and director George C. Wolfe ('Bring In 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk") - talk about how their pieces evolved from concept to production, the role of a dramaturg, casting performers with a range of experience, and bringing actors into the creative process. Brendan Gill moderates.
The production team of "Master Class" -- producer Lewis Allen, producing associate Doris Blum, actress Karen Day Cody, press agent Bill Evans, casting director Alan Filderman, stage manager Dianne Trulock, and advertising representative Jim Weiner -- traces the show from its Montana workshop, to stagings in Philadelphia, L.A., and D.C., to opening in New York; how the creators, designers, and operatic cast were put together; developing the publicity and advertising campaigns including the casting of Zoe Caldwell's replacement Patti LuPone; and producing under the Broadway Alliance contract. George White moderates.
The panelists - President/Executive Director of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization Ted Chapin, President of the American Theatre Producers Cy Feuer, writer/critic Martin Gottfried, actor Nathan Lane ("Guys and Dolls", "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"), actor Donna McKechnie ("State Fair"), book writer Joseph Stein ("Fiddler on the Roof"), director/choreographer Susan Stroman ("Big", "Show Boat"), and composer/lyricist Charles Strouse ("Annie') - discuss musical revivals in-depth, comparisons to new musicals such as Big, the state of musical theatre compared to the 1960s, script revisions and new designs for revivals, and the overall economics of producing Broadway musicals including the need for out-of-town tryouts. Ted Chapin & Dasha Epstein moderate.
The panel of performers - Jessica Boevers ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"), Jim Dale ("Barnum", "Candide"), Justin Kirk ("Love! Valour! Compassion!"), Daniel Massey ("Taking Sides"), Jay Hunter Morris ("Master Class"), Adam Pascal ("Rent"), and Jean Smart ("Fit To Be Tied") - discuss their backgrounds in diverse areas of performance such as dance, opera, rock music, and repertory theatre; pursuing acting in New York compared to Chicago and Los Angeles; early roles, training, and getting an agent; and reciprocal reactions between the performer and audiences. George White moderates.
The panel - director Melvin Bernhardt ("The Blues Are Running"), playwright David Henry Hwang ("Golden Child", "M. Butterfly"), composer Mary Rodgers ("Once Upon A Mattress"), playwright Nicky Silver ("Fit To Be Tied"), director David Warren ("Fit To Be Tied"), and choreographer Marlies Yearby ('Rent") - discuss how directors collaborate with playwrights, how actors may influence how a role is written, the purpose of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers union and Dramatists' Guild, and the panelists' individual education and training. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
Playwrights Horizons' production team for "Fit To Be Tied" -- production manager Chris Boll, production stage manager Carol Clark, casting director Janet Foster, general manager Lynn Landis, managing director Leslie Marcus, Artistic Director of Playwrights Horizons Tim Sanford, playwright Nicky Silver and director David Warren -- talk about their individual jobs, their backgrounds, and the steps in bringing this play to the not-for-profit stage. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panel of American Theatre Wing Design Award-winners -- Julie Archer, special effects designer for Mabou Mines; Christopher H. Barreca, scenic designer of "Chronicle of a Death Foretold"; Ruth Maleczech, actor/director/playwright/designer for Mabou Mines; Karen Ten Eyck, scenic designer of "An Epidog"; and Angela Wendt, "Rent" costume designer with Rent actor Aiko Nakasone -- talk about how they got started as designers, then demonstrate projections and a puppet from "An Epidog", a model set of "Chronicle of a Death Foretold", and a costume from "Rent". Tish Dace & Beverly Emmons moderate.
The panel of actors -- Nell Carter ("Annie"), Willem Dafoe ('The Hairy Ape"), Andre De Shields ("Play On!"), Paul Giamatti ("Three Sisters"), Joel Grey ("Chicago"), and Dana Ivey ("Last Night of Ballyhoo") -- talk about their past and present productions, their performing background and training, and finding the rhythm of a play. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panel of directors Walter Bobbie ("Chicago"), director/choreographer Wayne Cilento ("Dream'), Scott Elliott ("Present Laughter"), Ron Lagomarsino ("Last Night at Ballyhoo"), Gene Saks ("Barrymore"), and playwright Alfred Uhry ("Last Night at Ballyhoo") talk about how they got started, developing their current productions, a show's relevance to contemporary audiences, determining the length of a play, and how directors maintain an ongoing show. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The production team of "Stanley" -- press representative Bill Evans, producers Gregory Mosher and Edgar Rosenblum, and marketing representative Evan Shapiro -- discuss the process of bringing the play from the Royal National Theatre in London to Broadway, working with director John Caird, extensive press coverage, and target marketing including a new $10 ticket program aimed at young people. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panelists -- Julianne Boyd (Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers); Dean Brown and Muriel Stockdale (United Scenic Artisis); Shirley Herz and Bernice Weiler (Assoc. of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers); Conard Fowkes (Actors' Equity Association); and Barry Moss (Casting Society of America) -- talk about how and why their organizations were formed, the importance of unions, the specific roles of company managers and general managers, and production costs and ticket prices. George White moderates.
Broadway performers -- Chuck Cooper ("The Life"), Robert Cuccioli ("Jekyll & Hyde"), Pat Hingle ("1776"), Pamela Isaacs ("The Life"), Jeff McCarthy ("Side Show"), and J. Smith-Cameron ("As Bees in Honey Drown") -- talk about how they got their start and have built their careers, the challenge of memorizing lines, the importance of discipline and stamina, and the support of family and friends. Brendan Gill & George White moderate.
The panel -- playwright Douglas Carter Beane ("As Bees In Honey Drown"), director Mark Brokaw ("As Bees In Honey Drown", "How I Learned To Drive"), playwright/lyricist Bill Russell ("Side Show") and playwright Paula Vogel ("How I Learned To Drive") -- talk about their backgrounds and developing their crafts, the advantages of writing for the stage compared to being a screenwriter, and why these particular playwrights prefer not to direct. George White moderates.
The production team for the musical "Side Show" -- producer Emanuel Azenberg, press representative Bill Evans, and general manager Abbie M. Strassler -- talk about the show's journey from presentation to workshop to Broadway; the role of producer, casting director, general manager, company manager, and press agent; casting principal and chorus members; and marketing a new show. George White moderates.
The panel -- Tony Award winning lighting designer Beverly Emmons for "Amadeus", "Passion" and "The Heiress"; costume designer Danny Gates ("When Pigs Fly"); 1997 Tony Award winners for Best Scenic Design for "Jekyll and Hyde" James Noone and director/designer Robin Phillips; puppeteer Basil Twist ("Peter and Wendy"); director Mark Waldrop ("When Pigs Fly"); and producer/playwright Liza Lorwin ("Peter and Wendy") -- talk about how designers work with directors, producers and writers; directing in addition to designing; creating pop-up sets; working with the late Howard Crabtree on 'When Pigs Fly", with a detailed demonstration of costumes; Jekyll and Hyde's movable plexiglass towers, backdrops, and lighting with new Varilights technology; and the unanswerable question of "what makes good design?" Tish Dace & Tony Walton moderate.
Actors Blythe Danner and Edward Herrmann both from "The Deep Blue Sea", Brian Stokes Mitchell ("Ragtime"), Alfred Molina ("Art"), Natasha Richardson ("Cabaret"), and John Vickery ("The Lion King") discuss how their training and first professional jobs, obtaining and preparing for their current role, what has been their biggest break in theatre, the difference between theatre audiences in London and New York, and anecdotes of flubbing lines. Jim Dale & Dasha Epstein moderate
"The Lion King" production team -- press representative Chris Boneau, composer Lebo M, advertising representative Rick Elice, producers Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher, and director, costume and mask designer Julie Taymor -- talk about the development of the animated film, the subsequent development of the theatrical show led by Taymor's vision, forming a creative design team, merging Western and African music into a unique collaborative sound, the publicity and advertising challenges, and marketing a nearly sold-out show for a long run. Ted Chapin moderates.
Playwright Jeff Baron ("Visiting Mr. Green"), director/playwright Moises Kaufman ("Gross Indecency"), playwright Warren Leight ("Side Man"), director Michael Mayer ("Side Man"), actor/director Lonny Price ("Visiting Mr. Green"), and director Matthew Warchus ("Art") discuss the working dynamics between a playwright and a director, the differences between screenwriting and playwriting, transitioning from acting to directing, and the development of Side Man and Art. Thomas Cott & Wendy Wasserstein moderate.
Lyricist Lynn Ahrens, producer Garth Drabinsky, composer Stephen Flaherty, director Frank Galati, book writer Terrence McNally, and advertising representative Jon Wilner discuss the journey of the American musical "Ragtime" -- from adapting E.L. Doctorow's novel, to comparisons with the 1981 film, through numerous workshops, to the full-scale Toronto and Broadway productions. Ted Chapin moderates.
The panel of performers talk about their training and when they decided to become actors. "Power Plays" co-stars Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss talk about working together at Northwestern. Both Billy Crudup and Dana Reeve ("More To Love: A Big Fat Comedy") pursued Master of Fine Arts degrees in order to teach as well as act. In England, Roger Rees ("Nicholas Nickleby") trained primarily by observation. James Naughton ("Chicago", Williamstown Theatre Festival) discusses the Blue Light Theatre Company, started by his son Greg Naughton, where Billy Crudup is in Oedipus. The panel also discusses what they've gained from working with brilliant directors, being both director and actor, and preparing for auditions.
The panel of theatre professionals - playwright Michael J. Chepiga ("Getting and Spending"), choreographer Graciela Daniele ("Ragtime"), playwright/director Christopher Durang ("Sex and Longing"), director Garry Hynes ("The Beauty Queen of Leenane"), and director Joe Mantello ("Corpus Christi") - discuss how they got their start, auditioning actors, controversy surrounding a play, and taking on alternate roles of choreographer, actor, or director. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
"The Side Man" production team -- general manager Roy Gabay, producer Jay S. Harris, advertising representative, Drew Hodges, producer Peter Manning, marketing representative Nancy Richards, and press representative Gary Springer -- discuss moving the Roundabout production to a commercial Broadway run, marketing tactics, ticket pricing, breakdown of the production budget, working on multiple shows simultaneously, and the differences between not-for-profit and commercial theatre. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
The panel of lighting designers Jules Fisher ("Ragtime") and Donald Holder ("The Lion King"), scenic designers Eugene Lee ("Ragtime") and Ming Cho Lee (The Public Theater), and "The Lion King" associate costume designer Mary Peterson discuss the challenges of designing their current shows, how sets, lighting, and costumes complement each other, display and detail a costume from "The Lion King", and present a model of one of the "Ragtime" sets. Beverly Emmons moderates.
The international panel of performers -- Scottish actor Iain Glen ("The Blue Room"), Australian actress Nicole Kidman ("The Blue Room"), Irish actress Anna Manahan ("The Beauty Queen of Leenane"), and Filipino actress Lea Salonga ("Miss Saigon") -- discuss their training, the rehearsal process, taking a whole approach to both film and stage work, overcoming stage fright, how audience responses varies from London to Broadway to Australia, and how changes in the political climate of their respective countries have affected theatre. Pia Lindstrom & George White moderate.
The five performers -- Matthew Broderick ("Night Must Fall"), Kathleen Chalfant ("Wit"), Brian Dennehy ("Death of a Salesman"), Elizabeth Franz ("Death of a Salesman"), and Swoosie Kurtz ("The Mineola Twins") -- discuss their current and past acting roles, how research and real life experience shapes one's portrayal of a character, how the audience completes the performance equation, stage versus film work, and where they started their performing careers. Pia Lindstrom & George White moderate.
The panel -- director Scott Ellis ("That Championship Season"), director Robert Falls ("Death of a Salesman"), playwright David Marshall Grant ("Snakebit"), director/choreographer Robert Longbottom ("The Scarlet Pimpernel"), playwright Paul Rudnick ("The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told"), and director John Tillinger ("Night Must Fall") -- discuss working with rewrites, revisions and multiple versions of a script, the playwright's input during rehearsals, and the role of a dramaturg. Ted Chapin moderates.
The production team for The Civil War -- producer Pierre Cossette, producers Gary Gunas and Scott Zieger of Pace Theatrical, lyricist Jack Murphy, composer Frank Wildhorn, and marketing representative Norman Zagier -- cover the musical's journey from inception at Houston's Alley Theatre, through two studio albums, readings and workshops, to the Broadway production. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
The panel of theatre critics -- "New York Post's" Clive Barnes, "Variety's" Charles Isherwood, "New York Times'" Peter Marks," NY1's" Roma Torre, and "Newsday's" Linda Winer -- discuss the difference between television and print media, writing styles, the change in opening night review deadlines, audience reactions, unbiased reviews, reading plays prior to attending plays, how the quality of a show influences the quality of a review, returning to a show for a subsequent viewing, and the job market for critics. Pia Lindstrom & Harvey Sabinson moderate.
The panelists -- playwright Douglas Carter Beane ("As Bees In Honey Drown"), director/choreographers Kathleen Marshall ("Kiss Me Kate") and Rob Marshall ("Damn Yankees", "She Loves Me"), director Vivian Matalon ("Morning's At Seven"), and playwright John Pielmeier ("Agnes of God") -- discuss the impact of efficient cast sizes, casting for multi-talented performers, respectfully auditioning and rejecting performers, their individual performing backgrounds, compromising with producers, and collaborating with playwrights and directors. Pia Lindstrom & George White moderate.
Producer/Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater André Bishop, Marketing Director and Director of Special Projects for Lincoln Center Theater Thomas Cott, Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater Bernard Gersten, director/choreographer Susan Stroman and playwright John Weidman discuss the Tony Award winning "Contact"; from Lincoln Center Theater's invitation to Stroman and Weidman to develop their original ideas, how the individual stories are connected, multiple workshops, the casting process, using pre-existing recorded music versus live musicians, deciding on the show's name, as well as producing for non-commercial theatre with a longstanding member base. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
This broad panel of designers - lighting designer Michael Chybowski ('Moby Dick and Other Stories", "Wit"), scenic designer David Hays, sound designer Abe Jacob ("Pippin", "Evita"), special effects designer Greg Meeh ('Phantom of the Opera", "Miss Saigon," 'Cirque du Soleil") and costume designer Ann Roth ("Crucifer of Blood", "The Royal Family", "The House of Blue Leaves") -- discuss their purpose and accomplishments, collaborating with a production's creative team, apprentices and learning through hands-on experience, and the increase of sound and light levels over time. Tish Dace & Neil Peter Jampolis moderate.
Performers Bryan Batt ('Saturday Night Fever"), Kristin Chenoweth ("Epic Proportions"), Boyd Gaines ("Contact'), Marin Mazzie ("Kiss Me Kate"), Tom Wopat ("Annie Get Your Gun") and Deborah Yates ("Contact") discuss working on preview performances, how audiences can vary wildly, the pros and cons of live music and amplification, re-conceiving shows for revivals, and stories from their stage experiences. Ted Chapin moderates.
Director David Esbjornson ("The Ride Down Mt. Morgan"), director David Leveaux ('The Real Thing"), playwright Becky Mode ("Fully Committed"), director Richard Nelson ("James Joyce's The Dead"), and director/choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett ("Swing!") discuss how they became theatre professionals, their work ethic, and their reasons for remaining and working in theatre. Pia Lindstrom & George White moderate.
The production team of Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida" - musical director Paul Bogaev, press representative Chris Boneau, director Robert Falls, book writer David Henry Hwang, vice president of creative affairs Stuart Oken, and producer Thomas Schumacher - follows the show from its creative inception, through its early production at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the Chicago tryout, to the Broadway opening.
Actors Jennifer Ehle (Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing"), Cherry Jones ("Moon for the Misbegotten", "The Heiress"), Adam Pascal ('Aida", "Rent"), John Shea ("The Wild Party", "Jelly's Last Jam"), John Shea ("The Director"), and Patrick Stewart ("A Christmas Carol", "The Ride Down Mt. Morgan") discuss how and why they chose to be performers, their education and training, their work ethic, how one embodies a character, the craft of acting, and why they work in the theatre. Peter Stone moderates.
Playwrights David Auburn ("Proof") and Charles Busch ("The Tale of the Allergist's Wife"), director/choreographer George Faison ("For Colored Girls"), choreographers David Marques ("The Adventures of Tom Sawyer") and Jerry Mitchell ("The Full Monty"), and director John Rando ("The Dinner Party") discuss their experiences in professional theatre, including their backgrounds, creative processes, rehearsals, and transfers to Broadway from off-Broadway and out-of-town productions. Ted Chapin moderates.
The creative and production team of the Broadway musical The Full Monty -- producer Thomas Hall, press representative Michael Hartman, producer Lindsay Law, director Jack O'Brien, general manager Charlotte Wilcox, and composer/lyricist David Yazbek -- follows the show from its inception as a work for the stage, adapted from the 1997 hit comedy film, through to the production on the Great White Way. Roy A. Somlyo.
Oscar, Emmy and five-time American Theatre Wing Tony Award winner, Peter Stone moderates this discussion with lyricist Susan Birkenhead ("Triumph of Love", "Jelly's Last Jam"), composers/lyricists John Kander and Fred Ebb ("Cabaret", "Chicago", "Woman of the Year", 'Steel Pier", "The Act'), composer Marvin Hamlisch ('A Chorus Line", "They're Playing Our Song", "The Sweet Smell of Success"), and award-winning country songwriter/composer Don Schlitz (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer). The panel talks about the process of musical songwriting, collaboration with other writers, writing songs in conjunction with the book, learning from influential composers, through-composed shows compared to book musicals, pros and cons of workshops, their backgrounds, and their first shows. Peter Stone moderates.
Actors Len Cariou, Patrick Cassidy, Andre De Shields, Michael Learned, Mary Louise Parker, and Marian Seldes talk not only about their careers and their training, but also about the drive, the passion, and the knowledge needed to achieve a career in the theatre. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
This panel of artists - playwright/actress Pamela Gien, playwright/director/actor Lonny Price, choreographer/director Randy Skinner, director Rebecca Taylor, playwright August Wilson, and director Joel Zwick - who provide the creative heart of the theatre and breathe life into their stage productions discuss their work, backgrounds, and education; becoming a choreographer; building a book show around pre-existing songs; and how poetry relates to stage work. George White moderates.
The production and creative team for the musical "The Producers" - press representative John Barlow, creator and producer Mel Brooks, producer Richard Frankel, general manager Laura Green, book writer Thomas Meehan, and director and choreographer Susan Stroman - discuss taking the cult film to the Broadway stage, including the out-of-town run in Chicago, budgeting a huge musical, and the overwhelming interest from producers, investors, publicists, and ticketbuyers. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
Six leading performers - Alan Cumming ('Design For Living"), Daniel Davis ("Tom Stoppard's Invention Of Love"), Heather Headley ("Aida"), Faith Prince ("Bells Are Ringing"), Maximilian Schell ("Judgement At Nuremberg"), and Lily Tomlin ("The Search For Intelligent Life In The Universe") - talk about their training; audition experiences; and their drive, passion and knowledge needed to achieve a career in the theatre. Ted Chapin moderates.
Choreographers Rob Ashford and Wayne Cilento, playwright Michael Frayn, playwright/lyricist Greg Kotis, and directors Sean Mathias and Lynne Meadow discuss various aspects of their respective crafts, including the focus on storytelling, the benefits and challenges of collaboration, bad reviews, and the evolution of the director/choreographer relationship. George White moderates.
The creative team of worldwide hit musical "Mamma Mia!" - press representative Adrian Bryan-Brown, producer Judy Craymer, book writer Catherine Johnson, director Phyllida Lloyd, and composer/lyricist Björn Ulvaeus - discuss the multi-year journey that brought ABBA's songs to Broadway. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
Actors Kate Burton ("Hedda Gabler"), Christine Ebersole ("42nd Street"), Peter Gallagher ("Noises Off"), Valerie Harper ("The Tale of the Allergist's Wife"), and Robert Sean Leonard ("The Music Man") discuss performing on Broadway with respect to humor, the truth in acting, analyzing a script, building a character, acting influences, auditions, training, directors, pre-performance preparations, and on-stage mishaps. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
The panelists -- lighting designer Ken Billington, costume and set designer Robert Jones, costume designer William Ivey Long, scenery designer Thomas Lynch, costume and scenery designer Tony Walton, and costume designer David C. Woolard -- discuss the fields of study that led them to design; perceptible styles; the design of "Six Degrees of Separation;" how actors are effected by design details; how lighting influences audience reaction; contemporary audiences' expectations for brighter, quicker-moving shows; and creating The Yellow Dress in "Contact" through costume and lighting. Ted Chapin moderates.
Playwrights Jon Robin Baitz ("Hedda Gabler"), John Guare ("Sweet Smell of Success"), Peter Parnell ("Q.E.D."), and directors Gene Saks ("Mr. Goldwyn"), Daniel Sullivan ("Proof"), and Mary Zimmerman ("Metamorphoses") discuss their approaches to writing, directing, and adaptations; the collaboration process with directors, writers, producers, sets, and actors; reactions to a production's first preview; and the source of ideas for playwrights. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
"Thoroughly Modern Millie's" creative and production team - choreographer Rob Ashford, general manager Nina Lannan, producer Hal Luftig, director Michael Mayer, book writer/lyricist Dick Scanlan and composer Jeanine Tesori - discuss the Tony Award winning musical's journey to Broadway; obtaining the rights to the 1967 Universal Pictures film written by Richard Morris and starring Julie Andrews; years of development in workshops and readings; how the production team came together, including Rob Ashford's choreographer audition; the mixture of existing songs and new Tesori compositions; the advantages and disadvantages of mounting the show in partnership with La Jolla Playhouse; the many producers involved, including road presenters; the decision and budgetary considerations in opening on Broadway with a rigious preview period versus a second out-of-town tryout. Roy A. Somlyo moderates.
Actors Frank Langella ("Fortune's Fool"), John Lithgow ("Sweet Smell of Success"), Andrea Martin ("Oklahoma!"), Estelle Parsons ("Mornings at Seven"), Mercedes Ruehl ("The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia?"), Jeffrey Wright ("Top Dog/Under Dog") discuss playing a range of roles, what influences their performances including daily life and audience response, how to prepare for a performance, and working with directors in finding courage and confidence.
Actors Julie Harris ("The Belle of Amherst"), Marilu Henner ("The Tale of the Allergist's Wife"), Richard Kind ("The Tale of the Allergist's Wife"), Hal Linden ("Cabaret"), Brad Oscar ("The Producers"), Steven Weber ("The Producers") discuss what makes for good entertainment; how actors collaborate with the rest of the creative staff, especially directors; and what makes an audience laugh. Additionally, there is a short tribute to producer Robert Whitehead ("Master Class", "A Few Good Men", "Medea") who recently passed away. Peter Stone moderates.
Director and lyricist Martin Charnin (Annie); director and choreographer Graciela Daniele (Annie Get Your Gun); lyricist and book writers Rupert Holmes (Say Goodnight, Gracie) and Michael Kunze (Dance of the Vampires); and directors Marion McClinton (King Hedley II) and Lawrence Sacharow (Director of Fordham University Theatre Program) talk about the evolution of both play and musical writing in the United States today and the changes in directorial style and direction over the years. Ted Chapin moderates.
This panel of producers (all of whom just happen to be women) -- Tisa Chang, Elizabeth Ireland McCann, Amy Nederlander, Daryl Roth, Fran Weissler, and Elizabeth Williams -- talks about the role of women in theater, how they are perceived, how they have come to the forefront of the theater community and how they have significantly impacted productions on Broadway and off-Broadway. Dasha Epstein moderates.
Set designer John Arnone ("The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?"), costume designers Jane Greenwood ("Morning's at Seven") and Martin Pakledinaz ("Thoroughly Modern Millie"), set designer Scott Pask ("Amour") and lighting designer Richard Pilbrow ("Our Town") talk about what it means for a designer to collaborate on a show; how that collaboration works with other designers, and the cast and director; and how they keep up with their hectic schedules. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
Actors John Cullum ("Urinetown"), Edie Falco ("Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"), Lea Salonga ("Flower Drum Song"), Stanley Tucci ("Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"), Marissa Jaret Winokur ("Hairspray") and Charlayne Woodard ("In Real Life") meet and discuss the changes taking place in the theatre world today; how they came to be in their current shows; and the fluidity of an actor's life - moving between theatre, television and movies.
The creative team behind the Broadway musical Hairspray, producers Richard Frankel and Margo Lion, co-book writer Thomas Meehan, choreographer Jerry Mitchell, director Jack O'Brien, co-book writer Mark O'Donnell, composer Marc Shaiman and lyricist Scott Wittman outline the journey the piece took from being a John Waters and Divine cult movie to hitting the Broadway stage; offer a peek at the process that created this smash hit and discuss the social messages that the show sends, both in its content and it's non-traditional casting.
The international panel consisting of Valery Fokin (Artistic Director of The Meyerhold Centre in Moscow and the Alexandrinksy Theatre in St. Petersburg), Marita Gochman (writer/director, Nordic theatre), Fiona Shaw (Irish actress, Medea), Anatoly Smeliansky (writer/scholar/critic, Moscow Art Theatre), Elise Thoron (writer/director, Russian theatre), and Shu Xiao (Cultural Counselor, China) discuss the role of theatre in their respective countries; American curiosity in foreign productions and exposure to culturally-rich material; and exporting Broadway shows worldwide. George White moderates.
Director Bob Balaban ("Y2K"), playwrights Richard Greenberg ("Take Me Out") and Suheir Hammad ("Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam"), choreographer Luis Perez ("Man of La Mancha") and director David Petrarca ("A Year With Frog and Toad") discuss the condition of American theatre both in New York and around the country, and some of the shifts that are occurring both in audience expectations and the direction of new works. Lloyd Richards moderates.
Musical director, orchestrator and arranger Jason Robert Brown, book writer Aaron Latham, producer Chase Mishkin, director Lonny Price, press representative Pete Sanders and producer Leonard Soloway are the guests on this program which discusses the how this classic movie was musicalized, how it was shepherded to Broadway, and how just enough was changed so it would still maintain the movie's original flavor.
Costume designer Suzy Benzinger ("Movin' Out"), lighting designer Beverly Emmons ("Jekyll and Hyde"), scenic designer Adrianne Lobel ("A Year With Frog and Toad"), sound designer David Meschter ("Medea"), lighting designer Rui Rita ("Enchanted April") and scenic designer David Rockwell ("Hairspray") talk about the practicalities of design - including how to approach a new design job, the similarities of low-budget showcases and big budget Broadway productions, ways to build a collaborative relationship with a director and the many sources of inspiration in the world around us. Jeffrey Eric Jones moderates.
Actors from both sides of the Atlantic - Sutton Foster ("Thoroughly Modern Millie"), Clare Higgins ("Vincent in Brixton"), Eddie Izzard ("A Day in the Death of Joe Egg"), Brian Stokes Mitchell ("Man of La Mancha") and Brent Spiner ("Life (x) 3") - share some of the high points and quite a few humorous moments (including pulling surprised audience members onstage during a performance, accidentally) from their stage careers. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
Director Jeff Calhoun, actor Phyllis Frelich, actor Tyrone Giordano, producer Todd Haimes, actor Daniel Jenkins and producer Bill O'Brien explain how Deaf West Theatre Company, a sign language theatre company, decided to put on the musical "Big River"; why that is not a bad idea, as many initially thought; the integration of signing into the choreography of the show; and how 2 actors, one hearing and one deaf, shared each of the principal roles. Ted Chapin moderates.
Choreographer Jonathan Butterell ("The Light In The Piazza", "Nine"), director Moises Kaufman ("The Laramie Project", "Gross Indecency"), playwright Arthur Kopit ("Nine", "Oh Dad, Poor Dad..."), choreographer Joey McKneely("The Boy From Oz," "Wild Party"), playwright Theresa Rebeck ("Ominum Gatherum," "Bad Dates") and director Susan H. Schulman ("Little Women," "Secret Garden") explore how playwrights, directors and choreographers place themselves in the body of the character so that the character's voices and actions can emerge, what happens in the theatre to make the experience different from film and television, what it means to be an artist - and how an artist's success is measured. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
Members of the creative team of the Tony-winning musical "Avenue Q" -- Robert Lopez (Composer/Lyricist), Rick Lyon (Puppet Designer/Actor), Jeff Marx (Composer/Lyricist),and Jeff Whitty (Book Writer) -- along with producers Robyn Goodman and Jeffrey Seller explain how the pieces came together to create this unique puppet musical, the journey from its early days at the BMI Workshop and the O'Neill Theater Center to the Vineyard Theatre/New Group production to Broadway, including the challenge of expanding a show in scale when the central characters, namely the puppets, can't grow along with the size of the theatre.
Scenic designer David Gallo ("Thoroughly Modern Millie"), lighting designer Donald Holder ("Little Shop Of Horrors"), scenic designer Anna Louizos ("Avenue Q"), scenic and costume designer G.W. Mercier ("Juan Darien"), and costume designer Catherine Zuber ("Dinner At Eight") discuss how designing on a restricted budget can force a designer to find a more creative solution; spectacle on Broadway - is it expected and how it does or does not affect ticket prices; the necessity today for a designer to juggle multiple projects and the joy and heartbreak of working in an ephemeral art form. Isabelle Stevenson moderates.
Tovah Feldshuh ("Golda's Balcony"), Marc Kudisch ("Thoroughly Modern Millie"), Swoosie Kurtz ("Frozen"), Rebecca Luker ("Nine"), Denis O'Hare ("Take Me Out") and Lewis J. Stadlen ("The Producers") come together in this interview to talk about their careers - both on Broadway and around the country - covering a variety of topics, including the challenge of playing real people and "capturing their essence," the effect of typecasting, the value of acting teachers, and how in performance they relate to their audiences. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
Five of America's leading playwrights, Nilo Cruz (Beauty of the Father), Julia Jordan (Boy), Terrence McNally (The Visit), Paul Rudnick (Valhalla) and Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow) come together in this panel interview to discuss the state of new playwriting in America today - its challenges, its rewards and how the process is changing. James Houghton moderates.
In this interview a panel of actors - Anne Heche ("Twentieth Century"), Jefferson Mays ("I Am My Own Wife"), Martha Plimpton ("Sixteen Wounded"), Phylicia Rashad ("Gem Of The Ocean") and Richard Thomas ("12 Angry Men") - delve into their current Broadway characters and speak about how their recognition from other media affects audience perception of them today. Howard Sherman moderates.
The challenges and the rewards of producing new plays on Broadway are explored by press representative Michael Hartman ("Sixteen Wounded"), producers Robert LuPone ("Frozen"), Benjamin Mordecai ("Sixteen Wounded"), Michael Parva ("Prymate") and Daryl Roth ("The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia"). Howard Sherman moderates.
The development of the musical "Caroline, or Change" and its move from The Public Theatre to Broadway is explored with Tony Kushner (writing a musical book and lyrics for the first time), composer Jeanine Tesori, choreographer Hope Clarke and actors Tonya Pinkins and Veanne Cox. Howard Sherman moderates.
At the start of a theatre season which would see revivals of major works by each, authors Edward Albee ("Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"), Harvey Fierstein ("La Cage aux Folles"), Paula Vogel ("The Baltimore Waltz") and John Weidman ("Assassins") discuss the challenges of the career of a playwright. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
With puppetry turning up in, or serving as the main focus of, numerous shows in recent seasons, Pam Arciero (O'Neill Puppetry Conference), Cheryl Henson (The Jim Henson Foundation), Rick Lyon (Avenue Q), Roman Paska (Dead Puppet Talk) and Basil Twist (Symphonie Fantastique) discuss the intersection of puppet and human theatre. Howard Sherman moderates.
With three of New York's major not-for-profit theatres now producing in Broadway venues, their leaders-André Bishop and Bernard Gersten of Lincoln Center Theatre, Lynne Meadow and Barry Grove of Manhattan Theatre Club, and Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard and Julia C. Levy of Roundabout Theatre Company-gather for the very first time to explore the issues facing institutional theatres on Broadway. Ben Cameron moderates.
Three distinguished actresses-Brenda Blethyn, Kathleen Chalfant and Randy Graff-discuss their craft and careers. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
Four performers noted for their performance in comedic roles-Mario Cantone ("Laugh Whore"), Julie Halston ("Hairspray"), Judy Kaye ("Souvenir") and Michael McKean ("A Second-Hand Memory")-talk about being funny on stage. Sondra Gilman, Douglas B. Leeds and Pia Lindstrom moderate.
Four actors with long and varied careers on stage-Richard Easton, Robert Prosky, Marian Seldes and Frances Sternhagen-recall their own experiences starting out in the business and offer a few tips on how to sustain a life in the theatre. Ted Chapin moderates.
Five off-Broadway artistic directors-Tisa Chang of Pan Asian Repertory, Loretta Greco of The Women's Project, Eduardo Machado of INTAR, James C. Nicola of New York Theatre Workshop and Neil Pepe of the Atlantic Theatre Company-join with Virginia Louloudes of ART/NY for a discussion of the state of Off-Broadway's institutional theatres.
Choreographer Rob Ashford, director Chris Ashley, director/choreographer John Carrafa and choreographer Gillian Lynne talk about making musicals speak, move and sing. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
A remarkable one-time-only meeting of cast members from two concurrent Williams revivals on Broadway-Natasha Richardson, John C. Reilly and Chris Bauer of A "Streetcar Named Desire" and Jessica Lange and Christian Slater of "The Glass Menagerie." Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
An in-depth look at the creation of the Broadway musical comedy, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", with authors Jeffrey Lane and David Yazbek, director Jack O'Brien, choreographer Jerry Mitchell and actors Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott. Ted Chapin moderates
A lively roundtable on the actors' craft with Billy Crudup ("The Pillowman"), Raúl Esparza ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"), Cherry Jones ("Doubt"), Marsha Mason ("Steel Magnolias") and David Hyde Pierce ("Spamalot"). Howard Sherman moderates.
Far from the fabled days of summer stock, today's summer theatres are ambitious artistic institutions that aren't really just for summer anymore. A discussion with Sybil Christopher of the Bay Street Theatre, Alison Harris of Westport Country Playhouse, Kate Maguire of the Berkshire Theatre Festival, Jackie Maxwell of Canada's Shaw Festival and Max Mayer of New York Stage and Film. Howard Sherman moderates.
Artists with their feet in both pop music and musical theatre-Stephen Bray and Allee Willis ("The Color Purple"), Rupert Holmes ("The Mystery of Edwin Drood"), Lucy Simon ("The Secret Garden') and David Yazbek ("The Full Monty")-talk about the parallels and intersections of those two worlds. Thomas Cott moderates.
An in-depth look at the creation of the Off-Broadway musical, "See What I Wanna See," with author Michael John LaChiusa, director Ted Sperling, musical stager Jonathan Butterell and actors Marc Kudisch and Mary Testa. Sue Frost moderates.
Making classic work come alive for today's audiences is the topic for this panel of directors - Anne Bogart, Barbara Gaines, Mark Lamos and Bartlett Sher. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
Making classic work come alive for today's audiences is the topic for this panel of directors - Anne Bogart, Barbara Gaines, Mark Lamos and Bartlett Sher. Ted Chapin moderates.
A free-ranging conversation on the actors' life with Michael Cerveris ("Sweeney Todd"), Victoria Clark ("A Light in the Piazza"), Jill Clayburgh ("Naked Girl on the Appian Way"), George Grizzard ("Seascape") and Brían F. O'Byrne ("Doubt"). Pia Lindstrom moderates.
Some of the country's most read critics-Melissa Rose Bernardo of Entertainment Weekly, Michael Feingold of The Village Voice, Elysa Gardner of USA Today, Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press and Jeremy McCarter of New York Magazine-share how they came to their current positions and what they look for when they go to a show. Sondra Gilman & Douglas B. Leeds host; Howard Sherman moderates.
The writers' life is the topic for authors Christopher Durang (Miss Witherspoon), Lisa Kron (Well), Marsha Norman (The Color Purple), John Patrick Shanley (Defiance) and Diana Son (Satellites). Sondra Gilman & Douglas B. Leeds host; Ted Chapin moderates.
Originally created as a skit for a bachelor party, The Drowsy Chaperone has traveled from Toronto to Los Angeles to Broadway, growing in size along the way without sacrificing its skewed view of classic musicals. This ATW Working in the Theatre seminar will explore Chaperone's journey from one-off entertainment into that rarest of musicals-one not based on a book, play or movie. The panel includes actor Edward Hibbert, composer/lyricist Lisa Lambert, actor Beth Leavel, author and actor Bob Martin, producer Kevin McCollum, author Don McKellar, producer Roy Miller, composer/lyricist Greg Morrison and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw. Howard Sherman moderates.
Experiences on stage in America and England are the core of this conversation with actors Eileen Atkins (Doubt), Richard Griffiths (The History Boys), Jonathan Pryce (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Lynn Redgrave (The Importance of Being Earnest) and Zoë Wanamaker (Awake and Sing). Ted Chapin moderates.
The creation of new worlds on stage and the work of their creators is explored with lighting designer Peggy Eisenhauer (Assassins), costume designer Jess Goldstein (Jersey Boys), set designer David Korins (Bridge and Tunnel), set designer Derek McLane (The Pajama Game) and costume designer Carrie Robbins (White Christmas). Howard Sherman moderates.
How an audience can discern the often invisible hand of the director is the starting point for this discussion with Scott Elliott (The Threepenny Opera), Doug Hughes (Doubt), Joe Mantello (Wicked), John Rando (The Wedding Singer) and Leigh Silverman (Well). Howard Sherman moderates.
The challenge of producing commercially Off-Broadway is the topic for producers and managers Ken Davenport, Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Marc Routh and Alan Schuster as they consider whether Off-Broadway is, as some of the press would have it, in crisis; reflect on the nature of the work that succeeds in that arena; and place their work in those venues in the context of both the not-for-profit theatre and the world of Broadway. Howard Sherman moderates.
The Grey Garden's creative team, Scott Frankel (composer), Michael Korie (lyricist) and Doug Wright (book writer) discuss the genesis of this new, highly acclaimed Broadway musical - why they chose this "cult" documentary to be the basis for a musical; how they all came together as collaborators; and what it took to make these characters "sing". Later in the show the stars Erin Davie, Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson join director Michael Greif to talk about how they worked together to inhabit the "Edies", as well as their personal connections with the characters in the piece. Sue Frost moderates.
"Leading Ladies" Blair Brown (The Clean House), Blythe Danner (Suddenly, Last Summer), Swoosie Kurtz (Heartbreak House) and Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed) share their thoughts on their careers on stage, from the difference between working in plays and musicals, to whether they still audition for roles, to the experience of working with living playwrights -- and whether they feel they ever have any power on a production. Ted Chapin moderates.
Playwrights Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Dark Matters), Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed), Kia Corthron (Breath Boom), Daisy Foote (Bhutan) and Adam Rapp (Red Light Winter) discuss why they, as products of the age of electronic entertainment -- and as writers who work in various forms -- choose to tell certain stories in the theatre; consider whether one can be taught playwriting or whether one simply learns it; ponder the prevalence of 90 minute plays against the three-act classics of the past; and reflect upon the writers who most influenced their own work. Howard Sherman moderates.
On The Evolution of Encores!, guests Judith E. Daykin (founder), Rob Fisher (music director from founding to 2006), David Ives (book adapter for 18 productions) and Jack Viertel (artistic director since 2001) discuss the growth and success of the acclaimed musical concert series at New York's City Center, exploring how Encores! grew out of a concert at BAM in the late 80s; how the international success of Chicago impacted the series; how shows are selected; whether the addition of costumes, choreography and other "production" elements have moved the series away from its original goals; and whether there are shows they shouldn't have done or wish they could do again. Ted Chapin moderates.
Casting Directors Tara Rubin (Spamalot, The Producers), Laura Stanczyk (Translations, Sweet Charity), Daniel Swee (The Coast of Utopia, The Vertical Hour), and Bernie Telsey (Wicked, Hairspray) explore and explain the work of the casting director, touching on issues from the best advice they can give actors about auditioning, how they work with directors and writers in the casting process, the challenges of luring stars to the stage, how they feel about stunt casting and televised casting competitions, and why judiciously mailing head shots and resumes can be an effective job-seeking strategy for aspiring actors. Howard Sherman moderates.
Four actors from the 42-member The Coast of Utopia company -- Jennifer Ehle, Josh Hamilton, Ethan Hawke and Amy Irving -- talk about the experience of appearing in Tom Stoppard's triptych of 19th century Russian intellectual history, including their own trepidation at working with the brilliant Stoppard; adapting language written by an English playwright for Russian characters to the comfort of American actors -- and audiences; the thrill of of working in a variant of a classical repertory company; whether they chose to research the era and their characters; and why they chose to spend a year of their lives with this project, playing parts both large and small. Ted Chapin moderates.
Four acclaimed leading men - Jeff Daniels (Blackbird), Brian Dennehy (Inherit the Wind), Liev Schreiber (Talk Radio) and Kevin Spacey (A Moon for the Misbegotten) - discuss a wide array of topics, including whether the prefer rehearsal to performance, their experience in long runs and how great plays can carry actors along, the acting opportunities of appearing in many plays by the same author, how they find new challenges, whether they can still enjoy theatre as a member of the audience, and if its harder to do their work now that they're well known. Howard Sherman moderates.
The extraordinary legacy of playwright August Wilson and his 10-play cycle of African-American life in the 20th Century is explored in a two-part program. First, a panel of Wilson's collaborators -- producer James Houghton (Signature Theatre Company), dramaturg Todd Kreidler, director Kenny Leon (Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean), actor/director Ruben Santiago Hudson (Gem of the Ocean, Seven Guitars), producer Jack Viertel (Radio Golf) -- discuss the process of developing and producing Wilson's plays. In the second half, the depth and variety of Wilson's characters are explored by Stephen McKinley Henderson (Jitney, King Hedley II), Harry Lennix (Radio Golf), Tonya Pinkins (Radio Golf) and Phylicia Rashad (Gem of the Ocean), joined by director Kenny Leon. Ted Chapin moderates.
The artistic directors of four major not-for-profit companies - Susan V. Booth of the Alliance Theatre, Oskar Eustis of The Public Theater, Emily Mann of the McCarter Theatre Center and Michael Wilson of Hartford Stage - discuss the unique task of the artistic director, touching upon issues including how they balance their personal artistic goals as directors with the institutional needs of their companies, whether their focus is on the local community or the larger national artistic community, the relationship between not-for-profit theatres and commercial producers, how they measure success, and their responsibility for developing the next generation of theatre artists. Howard Sherman moderates.
Four of Broadway's newest and brightest stars - Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), Alison Pill (Mauritius) and John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys) - discuss their road to the Broadway stage, the mentors who helped them, where their drive to perform comes from, their earliest roles, how they handle the audition process, facing their fears, keeping their voices in shape and what roles they'd love to play in the future. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
In a one-on-one interview with playwright Horton Foote he talks about his early career as an actor, who was responsible for his becoming a playwright, how his connection to the past inspires his writing, what it was like to write for television's Golden Age, writing for different mediums, including his Oscar winning screenplays, and the influence his hometown of Wharton, Texas has had on his life and his work. He's then joined by four artists who have worked with him in recent years - his daughter, actress Hallie Foote; James Houghton, Artistic Director of Signature Theatre; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director of Primary Stages; and Michael Wilson, Artistic Director of Hartford Stage - who discuss their roles in interpreting Foote's stories, the impact regional theatre has had in presenting his works, and how Horton Foote's plays relate to today's audiences. Howard Sherman moderates.
A panel of current New Dramatists playwrights -- Carlyle Brown, David Grimm, Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lucy Thurber -- talk about their differing styles of playwriting, what inspired them to start writing, how the world of the playwright has evolved and changed, what influences their writing and the challenges in getting their work produced. The program also includes an interview with New Dramatists Artistic Director Todd London, discussing how New Dramatists serves as haven for emerging playwrights and describing the new voice of the playwright, the opportunities for playwrights on and off Broadway and the different types of work being written today. Jeffrey Eric Jenkins moderates.
A panel of acclaimed, Tony Award-winning composers and lyricists - Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, William Finn and Adam Guettel - discuss their first theatrical experiences, the process of writing and composing, what's involved in working with a partner, early influences on their music, and where they find inspiration; offer advice for students; and demonstrate their craft by playing a bit of their work. Pia Lindstrom moderates
The Artistic Directors of four off-Broadway not-for-profit theater companies - Douglas Aibel of Vineyard Theater, Charlotte Moore of Irish Repertory Theater, Tim Sanford of Playwrights Horizons and Jim Simpson of The Flea Theater - share their thoughts about attracting audiences to their shows, the cost of keeping their theaters going, the challenges they face competing with commercial productions, how they choose the works performed on their stages and what they hope to accomplish for their companies in the next several years. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our panel of stage performers - Helen Carey, Elizabeth Franz, Jayne Houdyshell and Zeljko Ivanek - discuss their roles as featured actors and actresses, the range of work available to them, how they become their characters, dealing with stage fright and forgetting their lines, the audition process, performing in regional theater and how they prepare for each evening's performance. Pia Lindstrom moderates.
Our distinguished panel of theatre directors - Anne Bogart, Scott Ellis and Daniel Sullivan - discuss their early influences in theatre and how that impacted their work as directors, why they have such a strong and emotional reaction to the idea of "concept" in the directing process, their opposing opinions on the role of assistants, what plays interest them and which works they wouldn't direct, whether they each approach the process differently when directing a new work or a revival, and whether they feel directing is something that can be taught. Howard Sherman moderates.
Ranging from their start in a church basement in 1976 to their current Broadway production of August: Osage County, Steppenwolf Theater Company Co-Founder Jeff Perry and Steppenwolf Ensemble Members Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton and Rondi Reed discuss their formative years as a rebel theater group in Chicago, what they did in those early years to attract audiences, how the ensemble has evolved, how Steppenwolf transformed from upstart to institution, the development of August: Osage County, and the challenges that a New York success like August places on their work back home in Chicago. Ted Chapin moderates.
With backgrounds rooted in rock and roll, television comedy and comics, our 4 guests have made the leap from their day jobs to the stages of Broadway and Off Broadway with their musicals. Ben Katchor (The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island), David Javerbaum (Cry-Baby), Heidi Rodewald (Passing Strange) and Stew (Passing Strange) discuss adjusting to the collaborative world of theater, the rules of theater they think were made to be broken, their reaction to producers' notes, and how they feel their shows fit within the context of traditional musicals. Ted Chapin moderates.
Actors Roger Bart (Young Frankenstein), Brian d'Arcy James (Next To Normal), Priscilla Lopez (In The Heights) and Sherie Rene Scott (The Little Mermaid) - collectively veterans of more than 30 Broadway and off-Broadway musicals - talk about the differences between performing in musicals and straight plays; acting techniques and voice training; how they prepare for a performance; dealing with the "triple threat" of acting, singing and dancing; balancing their lives on and off stage and their opinions on today's new composers. Melissa Rose Bernardo moderates.
A trio of classical theatre veterans - Kate Fleetwood, Peter Francis James and Laila Robins - share their thoughts about the importance of language in performing the classics and the physical connection they feel to the language; why the classics force audiences to think; the reaction of younger audiences to classical theatre; tackling the pre-conceived ideas held by audiences about the classics; and their opinion on setting the plays in different eras. Howard Sherman moderates
What is the role of a producer? That was the question that started the discussion among four of Broadway's top producers - Roger Berlind, Margo Lion, Jeffrey Richards and Jeffrey Seller - as the conversation turned to whether they produce for profit or passion and how they balance between the two; what the shows they produce reveal about themselves; what the opportunities are for new producers; the increased role the internet and other new media plays in theater today; the escalating cost of producing a show on Broadway today; and what they feel are the major issues facing theater producers as they look to the future. Gordon Cox moderates.
Daniel Jenkins, Lisa Kron and David Pittu - who have appeared both on stage and written works for the stage - talk about how they balance these dual roles; what they learn about being playwrights from their acting; where they get inspiration for their plays; how audiences help them enhance their performance as both actors and writers; whether or not it's more satisfying to act in a play they wrote; and their relationship with directors when they're performing the role of both playwright and actor. Gordon Cox moderates.
Composer Michael John LaChiusa, and directors Diane Paulus and Stephen Wadsworth have all worked in the once mutually-exclusive worlds of opera and theatre. They share their thoughts about the nature of each of these entertainment forms, how they differ and what they share; the use of amplification and how it affects productions in both opera and theatre; the so-called American Idol effect on musical performers; changes in training for opera singers; the differing scale - and manner - of pay; whether super-titles enhance or distract from opera performances; and the importance of the director's role and how it differs in theatre and opera. Melissa Rose Bernardo moderates.
Our guests -- Jonathan Bank, Artistic Director of The Mint Theater, Sarah Benson, Artistic Director of Soho Rep., Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director of New Georges and David Van Asselt, Artistic Director of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater -- all share the distinction of running theatres that are quite different from Broadway...venues with 99 seats or under. They discuss their mission statements and how each of their companies got started; making sure they are able to balance new voices in playwriting with more established writers when choosing and presenting plays; how, instead of competing with one another, their companies serve as resources for each other; the wealth of material, and talent, available to them; who their base audiences are and marketing strategies for broadening that base; funding challenges, particularly in difficult financial times; the pros and cons of subscriptions for their companies; how pricing structure for their smaller theatres affects the bottom line; and their goals for expansion beyond their current theatre size. Gordon Cox moderates
In a broadcast devoted to an in-depth look at one Broadway show, our guests are the creative team behind "Shrek The Musical" -- Book writer and Lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire, Producer Bill Damaschke, Director Jason Moore, Producer Caro Newling and Composer Jeanine Tesori. Highlights of the discussion centered on how the team was chosen; the development process that led "Shrek" to Broadway; how material from both the book and movie guided them in shaping the musical; how they approached taking the story to another level; striking a balance in making the show appealing to both children and adults; what they used, or didn't use, from producers' notes; and some of the technical "secrets" used to create the musical. Melissa Rose Bernardo moderates.
With more than 200 years of combined theatre experience among them, our guests - stage veterans Philip Bosco, John Cullum, Marian Seldes and Carole Shelley - discuss the breaks that got each of their careers started; how they handle the situation on stage when they or their co-stars forget their lines; how they feel about serving as understudies; the audition process; their successes and failures; and they share stories of working with such other legends as Sir John Gielgud, Joseph Papp, Morris Carnovsky, Lee J. Cobb, George C. Scott, Geraldine Page, George Cukor, Myron McCormick and Ruth Gordon. Stage Veterans 2009 also includes a short tribute to the late Robert Prosky, who appeared on the prior Stage Veterans edition of Working in the Theatre in 2005. Gordon Cox moderates.
Our guests - playwrights Gina Gionfriddo, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Tina Howe, Lisa Loomer and Christopher Shinn - explore whether they write to console or provoke an audience; to what degree current events, including the election of a new president and the economic freefall, has on their work; who they write for; if playwriting can be taught; how they react to reviews, both negative and favorable; when they knew they wanted to write for the stage; their relationship with directors; and they share their thoughts about connecting with the audience. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our guests - 2009 Jonathan Larson Grant® recipients Mark Allen, Dave Malloy, Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore - tell us what these Grants and others mean to them and their work; how they became involved in musical theatre; the programs and workshops that helped their work move forward; what parameters they work within when writing for musical theatre; how much license they give to others to interpret their work; what they do to sustain themselves financially while pursuing their musical passion; dealing with the business aspects of writing and composing; and what Broadway represents for them. Ted Chapin moderates.
Scenic Designer David Gallo, Sound Designer John Gromada, Costume Designer Susan Hilferty and Lighting Designer Peter Kaczorowski - discuss how a design team enhances a production; when they are brought into the production and how they interact with one another as the show unfolds; their process in preparing for each show; their collaboration not only with each other but also with the director and the actors; the logistical challenges they face with each new show; how they got involved in theatre design and what training they did or didn't receive; advice they'd give to young designers; how they handle creative differences with other designers and the director; and where they find inspiration for their designs. Gordon Cox moderates.
Ted Chapin, Kurt Deutsch, Brian Drutman, and Thomas Z. Shepard -- take us inside the world of producing cast albums. Highlights of the discussion center on how these albums get made; the cost of producing them; where they fit in today's market; how technology has affected their production; how much collaboration there is - or isn't - with the shows' directors; changes to the production model; marketing and distribution; digital vs. traditional retail release of albums; and what they mean to the legacy of a musical. Melissa Rose Bernardo moderates.
Beginning the discussion with the question of when, or if, work becomes fun, our guests, lead actors all--Jane Alexander, Bill Irwin, Angela Lansbury, Cynthia Nixon, and Geoffrey Rush--also talk about how they choose roles and whether they'd consider playing smaller roles on the stage today; what they feel from an audience and how they react as audience members; their relationship to, and the role of, the stage manager; how much they consciously set the tone for the company; how they balance the thoughts of the playwright and the director -- and how they handle it when the two don't agree; and whether they follow stage directions from the existing script. Howard Sherman moderates.
Five of the stage's most talented Directors - Thomas Kail, Moisés Kaufman, Bartlett Sher, Leigh Silverman and Kate Whoriskey - talk about how they work with, and interpret, the author's work; the relationship between directors and designers; managing change as the work evolves; why they feel actors should be more involved in the process; the different approach they take when working with classics as opposed to original works; how they work with casting directors and then work with the various actors and acting techniques; their desire to be a support system for each other; and whether they feel directing can be taught. Gordon Cox moderates.
John Barlow, Damian Bazadona, Nancy Coyne and Drew Hodges discuss what is involved in marketing, advertising and publicizing a Broadway show; how they work one-on-one with producers and creative teams; the marketing obstacles they face; who their target audience is; how they handle a show that isn't a hit, or that they don't like; the internet's influence on sales; whether or not a known title helps sell a show; how to sustain the buzz after a show opens; and whether "Broadway" can be sold as a brand. Gordon Cox moderates.
Our four Tony Award winning Leading Ladies -- Laura Benanti, Beth Leavel, Bebe Neuwirth and Alice Ripley - discuss performances they've seen that have made a lasting impact on them; the moment when they realized that a life in the theatre was what they wanted; what it's like originating a role, playing a character in a revival and replacing someone in a show; the roles they never seem to get cast in; their relationship with the audience during a show and after at the stage door; and their thoughts on the audition process. Howard Sherman moderates.
The role of Regional Theatre in supporting and presenting new works to their communities was among the topics discussed by our panel: Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse, Gordon Edelstein, Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre, Sara Garonzik, Producing Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Theatre Company, and Eric Rosen, Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre. They also explored how they share works and resources; the kind of show they feel best serves their audiences; their interaction with the local community; how they deal with competition within the theatrical community in their cities; what they learn from visiting Directors to their theatres; and the effect it has on their theatres when one of their shows moves to Broadway. Ted Chapin moderates.
The expansion of the Broadway brand to Asian markets was among the topics discussed by our panel: Simone Genatt, Chairman of Broadway Asia, Robert Nederlander, Jr, President and CEO of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment and Alan Wasser, General Manager of Alan Wasser Associates. The wide ranging discussion also looked at what particular shows work best in the international market; the challenges of taking Broadway productions overseas to China and Korea and what's entailed in bringing a show from China to the US; navigating the cultural differences, labor rules and legalities of foreign countries; the emphasis in both China and Korea for more cultural programming; the preponderance of small theatres and small productions throughout Asia; the costs involved and the issues of marketing shows outside the US; and the next international markets to welcome Broadway. Gordon Cox moderates.
Danny Burstein, Malcolm Gets, Bill Pullman and John Douglas Thompson -- share the particular moment when they realized they wanted to be actors; how the language of a play influences their portrayal of a character; what it's like to work in a show with just one or two other actors; how they recoup after going "off script"; what kind of pre-show rituals they go through; the most useful - and least useful - director's note they received; how it feels to step into a role made famous by another actor; and what kind of research they do to prepare for a role. Gordon Cox moderates.
The creative team behind the hit musical "Next To Normal" - Director Michael Greif, Composer Tom Kitt, Producer David Stone and Book Writer/Lyricist Brian Yorkey - discuss the unique road the show took to Broadway beginning with its start at the BMI Workshop; the origin of the show's subject matter and the challenges of getting acceptance for it; the reasons behind a title change and what that represented for the creative process; why they took the unusual step of going from off-Broadway to out of town before Broadway; what influences the press and audiences had after the off-Broadway opening in their decision process; why some songs were dropped, others changed and the reasons behind the addition of new material; and 4 songs are performed in studio that illustrate the changes in the various stages of the production. Ted Chapin moderates.
What was "The Play That Changed Your Life?" Not only the title of a new American Theatre Wing book, which posed that question to 19 of America's most distinguished playwrights, but the start of a discussion by two of those playwrights, Tina Howe and Diana Son. They also talk about which of their own plays changed their lives; what role theatre played while growing up; if there were teachers who inspired them to get involved in theatre writing; what drew them to playwriting; how much of themselves are in their characters; and their role as mentors for young writers. Howard Sherman moderates.
Injecting new energy and a new perspective into both commercial and not for profit theatre was among the topics discussed by our panel of producers - Patrick Catullo, Eric Falkenstein, Jenny Gersten and Jill Furman Willis. They also talked about the role mentors' played in their development as producers; where they find new material; how they find investors for their shows; the need to be creative in selling tickets during tough economic times; using new media to promote their shows and to reach new audiences; the responsibility they feel to bring new writing voices into the theatre; and the risks they're willing to take to bring new and different material to the stage. Gordon Cox moderates.
Their roles as understudies on Broadway was the focal point for this panel of actors -- Tony Carlin ("Lend Me A Tenor"), Bryan Fenkart ("Memphis"), Corinne Melançon ("Mamma Mia"), Jay Russell ("Our Town") and Paul A. Schaefer ("The Phantom of the Opera") -- as they discussed the first time they went on as an understudy; what kind of preparation is involved for their roles; the differences of understudies, swings and stand-bys; whether or not they continue to audition for other roles; how they handle stepping into a role mid-performance and covering for a "name" performer; and how much of their own voice is given to a character when they perform the role. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our distinguished panel of playwrights -- Charles Busch, David Ives, Donald Margulies and Suzan-Lori Parks -- discuss the moment when they realized they wanted to be writers; who influenced them in their early careers; whether or not they have a specific actor in mind when they write; their collaboration with directors; and the theaters they consider to be their homes. Ted Chapin moderates.
The development and production of musical theatre was the focus of the discussion with our panel of producers - Sue Frost, Robyn Goodman, Paulette Haupt and Scott Sanders. They talk about what attracts them to a project; if playing on Broadway is the ultimate success for a show; whether going out of town is helpful, or necessary, for a new show; the impact of audiences on the show; dealing with critical reviews that remain on line when trying to get a show launched; the difficulty of closing a show or halting a show in development; and advice for young producers who want to develop musicals. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our panel of leading actors - David Alan Grier, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura Linney, Jan Maxwell and Alfred Molina - shared their process about what they look for in a script; the kind and extent of the research they do for a role; how the audience influences their performance; handling a director's return to the show after opening; their collaboration with both the director and the playwright; and what they've learned that they'd share with actors just starting out. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our panel of some of Broadway's brightest new performers - Jennifer Damiano, Robin de Jesús, John Gallagher, Jr., Jon Michael Hill and Krysta Rodriguez - discuss the first professional show they ever saw; the moment they realized they wanted to perform and how their families responded to the news; how their very first jobs came about; the challenges of choosing between school and work; whether they like to go to other shows and what kind of audience member they are; and what they learn from their professional colleagues. Howard Sherman moderates.
Our panel of choreographers - Christopher Gattelli, Liza Gennaro, Ken Roberson and Sergio Trujillo - discuss their childhood and early adult life and how it influenced their start in dance; the amount of research they do for each show; how choreography enhances a performance; the relationship between choreographers and directors; how recent TV programming has brought back an interest in dance, especially among young people; the difference between musical staging and choreography and preserving dance history for future audiences.
A panel of directors - Stafford Arima, Anne Kauffman, Rebecca Taichman and Henry Wishcamper - discusses the dynamic between themselves and the playwrights with whom they work; their first paying job as a director; the value of assistant directing; what process means to each of them; how they approach auditions and if they would like to have a job as an Artistic Director. Howard Sherman moderates.
The panel of producers, presenters and bookers -- Meredith Blair, Mike Isaacson, Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Steven Schnepp and Allan Williams -- discuss what works and what doesn't on the road; the challenges of educating audiences about a show; what content might be considered too risky for road productions; how important Broadway is for promoting road shows; whether plays have a place, and can be successful, in road tours; finding shows off-Broadway that can be put on tour; and how long a show needs to play to be profitable. Gordon Cox moderates.
The panel of playwrights - Kristoffer Diaz, Kate Fodor, Rajiv Joseph, Young Jean Lee and Tarell Alvin McCraney - discuss how and why they became involved in theatre; whether their writing comes from their own life experiences or that of others, or both; how their writing develops and evolves; what challenges their imagination; how their work is viewed by audiences in other countries; and the importance of diversity being reflected in theatre. Howard Sherman moderates.
Actors Colman Domingo, Elizabeth Marvel, Michele Pawk, Daphne Rubin-Vega and David Zayas discuss the influence of their early training; how they challenge themselves for each role; their feelings about participating in readings and workshops; collaborating with directors; their relationship with the audience and how it affects their performance; and roles that they'd like to play. Ted Chapin moderates.
The panel of playwrights - Annie Baker, Rinne Groff, Karen Hartman and Alfred Uhry - talk about their writing process; the role of the dramaturg; writing adaptations; collaborating with directors; whether they have a specific actor in mind when they're writing; and how they see the role of the playwright in theatre today. Gordon Cox moderates.
The panel of stage veterans - F. Murray Abraham, Stacy Keach, Estelle Parsons and Lois Smith - discuss the rehearsal and audition process; how they deal with rejection; the pros and cons of directing vs. acting; their thoughts on how acting and directing have changed over the years; the difference between performing classical roles vs. contemporary roles and their advice for aspiring performers. Jan Simpson moderates.
The opportunities and challenges of online arts journalism started off the discussion for our panel - Chris Caggiano, Scott Heller, David J. Loehr, Jan Simpson and Terry Teachout. They also discuss how blogging is able to reach a more expansive and diverse audience than traditional journalism; what they look for online and if what they read affects their own writing; and how social media has been able to create national and even international conversations about theatre. Howard Sherman moderates.
Actors Bobby Cannavale ("The Motherf**ker with the Hat"), Renée Elise Goldsberry ("Good People"), Judith Light ("Lombardi"), Lia Williams ("Arcadia") and Tom Wopat ("Catch Me If You Can") talk about a performance that transformed or inspired them; pre-show rituals; how their day outside the theatre informs their performance; their relationships with other actors, the audience and the director; and working with the playwright during rehearsal. Howard Sherman moderates.
Directors Jo Bonney, Sheldon Epps, Michael Halberstam and Gregory Mosher talk about how they got started in the business; choosing their projects; their process when starting a new show; how the dual role of Artistic Director and Director informs their own work and working with other directors; and how they approach auditions. Jan Simpson moderates.
Actors Nina Arianda, Nikki M. James, Arian Moayed and Bobby Steggert share what drew them to the theatre; the difference between training and actually being on stage; the audition process; what they learn from more experienced actors; what they look for in roles and their relationship with the director. Jan Simpson moderates.
Disney Theatrical President and Producer Thomas Schumacher takes us behind the curtain and gives us an up close and personal view of how things work backstage. We'll meet the make up people from The Lion King, share secrets from a premiere Broadway wig designer, watch just how those quick changes happen in Mary Poppins, meet the man behind the puppets in The Lion King and hear one member of The Lion King orchestra as he demonstrates those signature sounds. Thomas Schumacher moderates.
A conversation about the state of theatre today in a wide ranging conversation that highlights how theatre can survive during difficult economic times; whether celebrities can affect sales and audiences; and dealing with government and foundation funding.
Representatives from theatres receiving the American Theatre Wing 2011 National Theatre Company Grants discuss the challenges they face in tough economic times; their community outreach; and the creativity and diversity in the works they present.
Producers Jean Doumanian and Daryl Roth talk about creating a supportive environment for artistic teams bringing shows to the stage; collaborating with other producers; the benefits and challenges of casting stars in a show; and the economics and creative process of producing off Broadway vs. on Broadway.
Playwrights Lydia R. Diamond, David Henry Hwang and Suzan-Lori Parks discuss their work and other American playwrights and how they influenced them; the moment each was aware they wanted to be writers; their process; experiencing their work on Broadway for the first time; and the role mentors played in their lives and their role as mentors.
Casting Directors David Caparelliotis, Tara Rubin and Daniel Swee and moderator Patrick Pacheco discuss the role of the casting director; their collaboration with directors; recasting shows; and whether stars are necessary for success on Broadway today.
Actors David Alan Grier, Judith Light and Condola Rashad talk about the moment the knew they wanted to act; the research they do when approaching a new role; interacting with, and reacting to, the audience; how they handle reviews; and their process and passion for the work they do.
Directors Sheryl Kaller, Pam MacKinnon and Stephen Wadsworth talked about their start in theatre; their process when beginning a new project; collaboration with playwrights and the challenges of handling the playwright in the room; listening to the audience; and what, or who, inspires and informs their work.
Super-Publicists Adrian Bryan-Brown and Rick Miramontez talk with moderator Thomas Schumacher about the new world of theatre publicity as it relates to social media; whether or not there's such a thing as "bad" publicity; handling negative stories; shaping stories for the press and potential audiences; the value of using quotes in advertising; and critics and the preview process; and how audiences are influenced by social media and traditional reviews.
The challenges and triumphs facing musical theatre today, both on and off Broadway, are discussed by actress Heidi Blickenstaff, Tony award winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli and Tony award winning composer and lyricist Robert Lopez. The conversation also takes an in-depth look at the status of musicals today; early influences on our guests that led them to theatre; and the impact current television programming has on stage musicals.
A behind the scenes look at the Tony Awards with the show Executive Producers. Also, past Tony winners Joel Grey and Jefferson Mays share their feelings about winning and the TONY history-making achievement attached to each of their awards.
The 2012 National Theatre Company Grant Recipients share their thoughts on attracting and cultivating audiences; the importance of regional theatre across the country; their role in reaching out to the communities they work in; the diversity of their work and the nurturing of new artists.
Theatrical lawyers Elliot Brown, Seth Gelblum and Nancy Rose talk with Patrick Pacheco about the behind the scenes work they do from negotiating rights and contracts to deals with unions and licensees and re-evaluating royalty pools.
Among the topics our guests Alan Brown, Cynthia Hedstrom and Howard Shalwitz talk with moderator Ben Cameron about are how you measure the value of art and its' impact on audiences; what's important to audiences and how you make theatre interesting enough to draw them to a show and whether you can make them an active part of the experience or should their role simply be to observe and appreciate what is presented?
Host Thomas Schumacher gives us a unique look at a song -- what it is, where it comes from, the process from idea to stage, and how it fits in a show. He's joined by Tony, Oscar and Grammy award winning composer Alan Menken who plays and sings us through the stages of some of his most memorable work including his numerous collaborations with Tom Schumacher and Disney Theatricals; Newsies lyricist Jack Feldman; and Newsies star, actress Kara Lindsay. An acclaimed fixture on New York television and in the theatre community for 30 years, the American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theatre" offers an unprecedented forum for the meeting of theatrical minds.
Director/Choreographer Rob Ashford, President and Executive Director of Rodgers & Hammerstein Ted Chapin and Director Scott Ellis talk with moderator Patrick Pacheco about re-imagining musicals for the stage and how directors approach a work to make it fresh and reinvented, how much change is allowed by the estates who control the pieces, and the challenges they face when classic works are re-imagined, rewritten or reinterpreted in any way. An acclaimed fixture on New York television and in the theatre community for 30 years, the American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theatre" offers an unprecedented forum for the meeting of theatrical minds.
From the pages of newspapers to tweets, blogs, chat rooms and twitter, the role of the theatre critic has been changing. Guests Lisa Fung, Charles Isherwood, Peter Marks and Elisabeth Vincentelli, along with moderator Patrick Pacheco, discuss how social media has impacted their work, their influence, and the world of theatre.
Working In The Theatre goes on location to NYC's Public Theater as host Patrick Pacheco talks with designer David Rockwell about his set design for the theatre (including "The Normal Heart" and "Lucky Guy"), his work with the Public Theater (including the newly designed restaurant, The Library) and George C Wolfe, among other topics. Later director Jack O'Brien and director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell join the conversation to talk about their collaborations with Mr. Rockwell ("Hairspray", "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", "Kinky Boots", and more).
Working In The Theatre goes behind the curtain with The Pig Iron Theater Company of Philadelphia and the Bedlam Theater Company of NYC to learn how each company creatively reimagines The Bard's rich and sometimes complicated text. Through movement, music and creative staging, their Shakespeare is compelling, contemporary, and never boring.
The spotlight shines on the playwright as NYC's Lark Play Development Center mentor Jose Rivera introduces us to five young playwrights: Dominique Morriseau, Susan Soon He Stanton, Christopher Oscar Pena, and A. Rey Pamatmat. It's an up close and personal look at contemporary American playwriting that you will only see on Working In The Theatre.
Working In The Theatre explores the visceral experience of Immersive Theatre. Randy Weiner (Producer, "Sleep No More"), David Korins (Scenic Designer, "Here Lies Love") and Zach Morris (Co-Artistic Director of Third Rail Projects) describe the staging environment, the state of heightened theatricality, and, the effect of the immersive movement on the audience and its influence on today's theatre scene.
Ever wonder what happens before the show? Working In The Theatre gets full access with Billy Porter ("Kinky Boots") and Patina Miller ("Pippin") as they prepare for the stage. It's a rare behind the scenes glimpse that you'll only see on Working In The Theatre as The Wing goes into the dressing rooms and minds of two Broadway stars just hours before curtain.
What happens when the show can't go on? It does. In the case of "Wicked," when Glinda or Dr. Dillamond goes on vacation, it's the understudies, standbys and swings' job to step in and not miss a beat. We go backstage to meet some of the unheralded heroes of "Wicked" in this all access edition of Working In The Theatre.
SINCE I SUPPOSE is a site-specific theatrical experience based on Shakepeare's classic Measure for Measure. The show allows the audience (one individual) to travel on an immersive journey through downtown Chicago. Listen as members of the Melbourne-based theatrical group, one step at a time like this and Chicago Shakespeare Theater share a behind the scenes look at how one creates this imaginative experience in Chicago using architecture, culture, and digital technology.
Tony Award winners Jessie Mueller and Lena Hall have been performing all their lives. As they share their stories about Working In The Theatre, see what goes behind preparing to go on stage eight times a week on Broadway and so much more.
Tony Award-winning costume designer and Wing Chairman William Ivey Long serves as our guide as we visit his studio, meet a protege (Emilio Sosa), and, drop in on his mentor (Willa Kim.) From the sketchbook to the gown, Working In The Theatre bares all in this rare backstage pass to the costume design process.
Marionette Puppetry may be a rarity in theatre today. However, the ancient art form, even in today's digital age, is still alive and well. Watch as members of theatre companies Here and The Marionette Theater at the Swedish Cottage reflect on the magic behind string puppetry performances. From construction and maintenance of the delicate characters to the interaction of the marionettes with an audience, these productions require true imagination and engagement from both sides of the stage.
The creation of Arena Stage marked the beginnings of the regional theater movement in the United States in the 1950's. As a pioneer in theater outside of New York City, Arena Stage became the first advanced theater in D.C. and the country including becoming the first to theater in D.C. to be racially integrated, the first recipient of the Regional Tony Award, and many more. Today, Arena Stage thrives with a new exciting facility where all production work and productions take place under one roof. During these productions, Arena encourages the conversations onstage to continue offstage, and with a large audience of politicos and influencers attending these shows, it is no wonder that Arena is a huge part of opening up ideas and presenting questions in American Theatre.
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company is probably one of the most well known Regional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Jeff Perry, Steppenwolf has produced some of the most prolific and well known pieces of American theatre. Find out how Steppenwolf began its legacy and how the artistic program is pushing boundaries and continuing its mission of telling stories about how we live now by engaging audiences in an exchange of ideas that makes us think harder, laugh longer, and feel more.
Colossal, a new play written by Andrew Hinderaker tells the story of a star football player at the U of Texas, son of a modern dancer. Described as the Anti-Billy Elliott, Colossal expresses masculinity through emotional and physical journeys of the performers by integrating the languages of football, disabilities, and dance. The National New Play Network, through its flagship initiative, the Continued Life of New Plays Fund (CLNPF), supports three or more theaters that choose to mount the same new play within a 12-month period. The result is a Rolling World Premiere, in which a playwright develops a new work with multiple creative teams in different communities. The playwright is part of the process, working on the script and making adjustments based on what is learned from each production. Colossal will premiere in 5 theatres across the country in 2014-2015-journeying to Maryland, Minnesota, Texas, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. The Olney Theatre Center for the Arts of Olney, MD produced the first iteration of Colossal. Watch as the creative team describes this epic piece and how they intend to transform the experience in other venues.
Colossal, a new play written by Andrew Hinderaker tells the story of a star football player at the U of Texas, son of a modern dancer. Described as the Anti-Billy Elliott, Colossal expresses masculinity through emotional and physical journeys of the performers by integrating the languages of football, disabilities, and dance. The National New Play Network, through its flagship initiative, the Continued Life of New Plays Fund (CLNPF), supports three or more theaters that choose to mount the same new play within a 12-month period. The result is a Rolling World Premiere, in which a playwright develops a new work with multiple creative teams in different communities. The playwright is part of the process, working on the script and making adjustments based on what is learned from each production. Colossal will premiere in 5 theatres across the country in 2014-2015-journeying to Maryland, Minnesota, Texas, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. Mixed Blood Theatre of Minneapolis, MN produced the second iteration of Colossal. Watch as the creative team describes this epic piece and how they intend to adapt the experience from other venues.
The designers at 59 Productions are responsible for creating some of the most incredible projection designs of our time, by creating innovative ways to tell stories, and new ones. These designers don't necessarily come from the world of technology, but rather a place where artistic, creative thinking is valued above all else. Watch as we unfold some of the work and meaning behind the projections of 59 Productions, from their work on War Horse to the Olympic Games opening ceremony and so much more. "We are never more excited here than when something comes up that we don't know the answer to. And that's where the sparks of energy, the adrenaline comes from, is not knowing whether an idea you just had is going to be possible, if an idea is possible, but knowing you can go out and find the answer to that." - 59 Productions.
On March 31st 1945, Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie opened on Broadway at the Playhouse Theatre before moving in to what is today the Jacobs Theatre. This classic American play has been revived six times on Broadway, the most recent at the Booth Theatre with A.R.T's production featuring Cherry Jones, Zachary Quinto, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Brian J. Smith. In celebration of 70 years of Williams' work, come with us behind the scenes and before the show with Celia as she prepares to inhabit the role of Laura Wingfield.
Founded in 1908 by Sir Charles Wyndham, Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the organization that represents the producers, theatre owners and managers of the major commercial and grant-aided theatres in central London. Today the Society combines its long-standing roles in such areas as industrial relations and legal advice for members with a campaigning role for the industry, together with a wide range of audience-development programs to promote theatre-going. Being the guardians of theatre for future generations, SOLT runs the London TKTS booth, the official London theatre website, a press office, and the Olivier awards. The 39th annual Olivier Awards will take place on Sunday April 12th 2015.
"Human evolution is something that is continuous, and Shakespeare was very tapped into that." - Dr. Farrah Karim-Cooper, Head of Higher Education and Research at Shakespeare's Globe. In 1599, after the dismantling of the first theatre in England (aptly called The Theatre) where Shakespeare worked, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was built in 1599. Persevering fire and pressure of public opinion, the Globe withstood closures to ultimately be revived through the work of American actor and director Sam Wanamaker. Today, the Globe stands as a reconstructed theatre akin to its original 1599 architecture.
The life of a Prop Master is often unknown even to those working in the theatre. But, an important career it is, filled with a variety of skill sets. From designing innovative and usable props to sourcing the best materials to finding the best price to fulfill budget, these busy theatre artisans must wear many hats. As we follow the journeys of prop masters Kathy Fabian, Buist Bickley, and Faye Armon-Troncoso, find out the ins and outs of what it takes to be a successful Prop Master in the theatre.
In this third installation of Colossal, the production moves to the Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas. As the production travels the country, watch how the production transform to fit this new space including an emphasis on the choreography, theatrical surprises, and diversity in casting. Nan Barnett, the Executive Director of National New Play Network shares a glimpse into how the National New Play Network functions in terms of allowing the work to reinvent itself in a new environment which often includes major changes in staging and rewrites.
Follow the journey of Tony and Obie Award Winner Beowulf Boritt and Obie and Hewes Design Award winner Mimi Lien as they explore the process of a Scenic Designer. Find out how they got started, what it takes to work in this profession, and how the scenic design is informed through collaboration with many other key members of the theater.
The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959. No one could have guessed that this small cabaret theatre would become the most influential and prolific comedy theatre in the world. With its roots in the improvisational games of Viola Spolin, The Second City developed an entirely unique way of creating and performing comedy. With a list of alumni too expansive to name, the Second City has been training some of the most recognizable names in comedy for 56 years.
Theatre is alchemy. It's elements of scenic, lighting, costumes, and performers coming together to tell a story larger than their individual parts. According to Jeff Sugg, "Projection Designers are the mad scientists of sorts." An Obie, Lucille Lortel, and Henry Hewes Award winner, Sugg has created the Projection Designs for The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island, Macbeth, Secondhand Lions, Mountaintop, Bring It On: The Musical, and more. Projection design is a young art in the theatre world, with projection degrees becoming available in the last few years. Jeff Sugg shares his journey from lighting and scenic design to his current profession of projections. Through the ever changing technology for projections, watch as Sugg shares his creative process involving both new and old methods of projections.
Stephen Karam's The Humans, a new play on Broadway, ventures into the lives of one family who struggle with typical American familial conflicts such as inter-generational religious beliefs, economic hardship, and illness. Watch as the cast and creative team, interviewed by Frank Rich, explore the world of this exciting new play and share the journey on the process of new work being developed off-Broadway and thriving on Broadway.
Welcome to Marie's Crisis, where show tunes come to die!" Come inside the historic piano bar in the West Village devoted exclusively to show tunes. Erected on the spot Thomas Paine died, Marie's Crisis Cafe has spent the last four decades as an oasis for the musical theatre lover. Whether it's Gershwin, Loesser, Menken or Brown, gather around the bar and belt out your favorite Broadway standard.
MANUAL CINEMA is a Chicago-based performance collective, design studio, and film/ video production company that combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveness, ingenuity, and theatricality.
Andrew Ondrejcak is a writer, director, and designer of performances, theater, opera and fashion shows. Join us as Andrew moves through the collaborative process of birthing a new work, ELIJAH GREEN. Inspired by August Strindberg's A Dream Play, the piece follows a divine spirit as it wanders through contemporary life, where each individual character is both the center of the world and a part of something larger they cannot comprehend. In development as part of the Park Avenue Armory's Under Construction Series, the final piece premiered at The Kitchen in March 2016, and has received a MAP Grant and a National Theater Project grant through the New England Foundation for the Arts, generously provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Sign Language theatre has recently come to the forefront of commercial theatre through the acclaimed Broadway production of Spring Awakening which is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken English. However, beginning with vaudeville acts in deaf clubs (in the early part of the 20th century) to the work at National Theatre of the Deaf and Gallaudet University, deaf actors and creative team members have produced incredible theatrical experiences for both deaf and hearing audiences. Follow members of the cast of Spring Awakening, Gallaudet University, and others as they explore the creative process, the history, and the joy that comes from sign language theatre.
In April of 2015, Fun Home opened on Broadway showcasing the life and story of cartoonist Alison Bechdel and winning 5 Tony Awards in the process. In this episode, we follow ensemble member and 2008 American Theatre Wing's SpringboardNYC alumnus Joel Perez before the show as he recounts Fun Home's journey from Sundance to the Public Theater to Broadway as well as his personal journey from Tufts University to originating a role in the OBIE and Tony winning sensation Fun Home.
Double Edge Theatre is an artist-owned ensemble theatre, in which each member is responsible for the art making as well as the business and board leadership. Situated on a 100-acre Farm in the Ashfield Massachusetts Hilltowns, the facility includes two performance and training spaces, production facilities, offices, archives, music and outdoor performance areas as well as hay fields, grazing pastures, a stream, pond, and forestland. On the Farm, the company trains, performs, runs the business of the theatre, hosts programs and guests, and grows food. The Double Edge Ensemble creates original theatrical performances that are highly imaginative, imagistic, and visceral. These site-specific indoor/outdoor traveling spectacles awaken spectators to new possibilities of the human heart and mind. This season's spectacle Once a Blue Moon - Cada Luna Azul is inspired by magic realism and many Latin American stories, including ensemble member Carlos Uriona's memory of home.
What is choreography? It "is a joy of putting movement together, but it's also a craft, and something that is intellectual too," says Camille A. Brown (The Public, NYTW, City Center). "It's less about a slick presentation of bodies on space, and more about the notion of true feeling, true connection, true interpersonal relationships, however that helps tell a very deep and moving story," adds Josh Prince (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Broadway Dance Lab founder). Join Camille, Josh and Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet!, Next to Normal, Jersey Boys) as they explore the craft of making dance come to life onstage 8 shows a week.
A character on stage is shaped by many factors. An important, and often under-examined aspect to the creation of a character and achievement of a production is created by the magnificent makeup artists on and off-Broadway. But, what does it take to achieve the prefect show-ready look 8 times a week? Makeup Artists Brian Strumwasser and Thelma Pollard share their journey on the creation and maintenance of a character in this episode. Through Brian's work on A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, we delve into the detail and dedication needed for one actor to change their look 17 times in a show. Thelma Pollard's work on The Phantom of the Opera shows how a show's longevity and cast replacement can continue to keep the life of a makeup artist on her feet eight time a week for over 28 years.
THE PLAY YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS SEALED INSIDE AN ENVELOPE.... The production White Rabbit Red Rabbit, a unique production at the Westside Theatre, provides us with the basic practices of creating theatre: writer writes, producer selects, actor performs. But, in this instance, the one person show, demonstrates what we often take for granted. The actor about to perform has never seen it. In fact, there is a new actor every performance, and they've only been told what is absolutely necessary. And more, the writer, Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour can not have his work produced in his homeland. Watch as the creators and performers share their journeys and commitment to the unknown through the world of White Rabbit Red Rabbit.
New York Theatre Workshop's Casebook program invites theater audiences with an unprecedented access to observe the evolution of show from rehearsal to production. Watch as we follow the Summer 2016 Casebook class and the creative team members they observe, as they delve into the new production of Hadestown, a folk opera by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and two-time Obie award-winning director Rachel Chavkin.
Playwright Hilary Bettis's new play The Ghosts of Lote Bravo, one of the newest rolling world premieres from the National New Play Network, follows the story of a young woman who goes missing from the sweatshop where she works in Juárez, Mexico Watch as Hilary travels between Borderlands Theater in Tucson, Arizona and the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri to engage with two simultaneous productions of her work. As she explores the differences in locations, casts, and productions, we follow two cities sharing in the exploration of the same material in very distinct environments.
"This is the power of the theatre and the promise of our country, so beautifully evident on Ellis Island." Almost 20 years after its opening on Broadway and 100 years after the story is set, the musical Ragtime may even be more relevant now than ever. With its discussion of immigration, racial justice, and the promise of the American Dream, the producers of Ragtime on Ellis Island have taken this incredible work and made it site specific. Watch as we explore the influence of one of the most iconic locations in America where so many families began their American tale.
"If there is someone who is going to reach out, shake your hand and befriend you at the circus, it's going to be the clown." says Big Apple Circus clown Joel Jeske. "Clowns fall down so we don't have to." An ancient form of theatrics routed in physical comedy, clowning transcends language and cultural barriers by finding the absurd in the everyday. Follow clowns Brent McBeth, Joel Jeske and David Shiner through routines. Look inside Slava Polunin's famed Snowshow and his Academy of Fools.
Pledge allegiance to the band and stick it to the man in the newest episode of Working in the Theatre about the young rockers that take to the stage 8 shows a week in School of Rock the Musical. These young Broadway professionals sing, dance, play their own instruments AND go to school everyday. These amazing performers share what's it's like to appear Andrew Lloyd Webber's newest hit show on Broadway.
Since 1982, Curtain Up. has championed the theatre community of Buffalo, New York with its annual celebration of its theatre season opening. As the theatre companies present their first work of the season, the city of Buffalo and its visitors arrive in style to eat, watch, and support the great work being done in upstate New York.
In the summer of 1944, engulfed by a war spread across three continents, the US Army made a foray into some unlikely territory: producing Broadway-style musicals. In the winter of 2017, Waterwell in association with Under the Radar Festival, and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum have excavated and revived these unknown shows as a collaboration between artists and veterans. In a time, where art is needed most, watch as these creators celebrate the importance of producing theatre for both the military and the American public at large.
What does it take to build a theatre season of new work? Resources: financial resources, human resources, physical resources, and technological resources. “The biggest challenge in making new work is finding the resources to make the work the way that the originating artist wants to make it.” – Joseph Melillo. Take a look behind the curtain of BAM’s Next Wave Festival and the Women’s Project Theater as they assemble their new projects and deal with the artistic challenges head on.
Playwright and American Theatre Wing board chair David Henry Hwang sits down with the Tony Award nominated cast and creatives of A Doll's House Part 2 at the Golden Theatre following a performance. Listen as they explore the genesis and development of this play with Playwright Lucas Hnath, Director Sam Gold, and Actors Laurie Metcalf, Chris Copper, Jayne Houdyshell, and Condola Rashad.
"There’s no formula for how to write a good play. Nobody knows what’s going to be successful, even if you define success commercially, artistically. So, you therefore have to fall back on writing what you’re really interested in, what you really believe in, and that makes the plays unique and idiosyncratic. And paradoxically, if you don’t think about trying to be successful, your play is more likely to be a success!" As we follow Obie and Tony winner and American Theatre Wing Chair David Henry Hwang, we discover the importance of collaboration, playing with words and ideas, and assessing it’s impact on an audience. Through this process of discovery, the world of theatre is better off by receiving writing that reflects the world of possibility and brave new work.
"Solo Performance is nothing new. This has been happening since the dawn of man, and it will continue to happen..." - Nilaja Sun. The world of a solo performance can often be challenging and daunting for the performer. It can also be incredibly exciting and important. From the viewpoints of three performers/creators, Simon McBurney, Nilaja Sun, and Judith Light, hear their stories about performing solo from recent productions including The Encounter on Broadway (McBurney), All The Ways To Say I Love You at MCC Theater (Light), and various productions by Sun.
Exploring and performing emerging musicals is crucial to the process of creating new work. Such is the case with the students, alumni, and participants of The Polyphone Festival at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia who are blurring the line between workshop and production. Watch as Jonathan Larson Grant recipient, educator, and composer/lyricist César Alvarez and his colleagues work with their students in preparing songs and story ultimately arriving at the presentation of this amazing festival.
Theatres like TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Arkansas are leading the way in creating space for creatives to explore storytelling in the south. Through residency programs, exploration of new work, and a continued mission to support trained artists from across the country, theatre in Arkansas is thriving. The Arkansas New Play Festival is a great example of how of a community comes together to develop the next strongholds of American Theatre.
Robert Schenkkan’s Building the Wall delves into the world of what could be, delivering a powerful warning and putting a human face on the inhuman. Part of the National New Play Network’s Rolling World Premiere, this play produced at the Fountain Theatre allows us to take a look at where we are now as a culture in the United States by sharing a story of how we explore our differences. Working in the Theatre takes a look inside this production with the help of writer and Undocumented Activist Jose Antonio Vargas (CEO of Define American) to discover how we can tell these stories on stage for the betterment of our society. “Theatre, of course, is about bringing together very disparate groups of people, during which they share a story. A story about themselves, about their society, about their culture. And in the sharing of that story, hopefully they learn something about themselves, they are provoked to think more deeply about themselves, to ask better questions, and to leave in some fundamental ways, altered and perhaps more open to the possibility of change.” – Robert Schenkkan
Adapting work to the stage can be a thrilling experience. As Dave Malloy, creator of the Great Comet of 1812 says, "The most interesting thing about reading old texts, you know texts that were written a hundred years ago, 500 years ago, thousands of years ago, is how little humans have changed. You know how in all of these classic texts you see these characters doing things and thinking things and saying things that you yourself said just yesterday, or you had friends who did those things as well."
Welcome to the world of Odd Jobs, where any career is possible. Working in the Theatre sometimes means choosing a discipline that you never expected to choose. For Bessie Nelson (Beader), Tom Andrews (Flame Proofer), and Jon Coles (Feathers), this is the path they took. Hear their stories as they create beautiful costumes and props and help to make the theatre a safe place for all to work.
Animal Behaviorist and Theatrical Animal Trainer Bill Berloni has worked with many different types of animals in the theatre for over 40 years. We follow the journey as he demonstrates the process of working with animals on the stage. From training and engaging with rescues off stage to working with the talent (including the incredible Isabella Rossellini) to making routine checks at the theatre, making sure everyone is comfortable and happy - Bill has truly created a world where theatrical animals and their friends at the theatre are supported.
"The singer is the instrument and yet they play the instrument. It's a three part system. There's the respiratory, which has to do with inhalation and exhalation. The source is where the sound is made. The filter is the vocal tract and if the body is not working optimally, you're not going to be able to produce sound safely." - Joan Lader 2016 Tony Award Honoree Joan Lader is a legend to those who know her and those yet to know her. As one of the most esteemed vocal coaches in the business, Joan has worked with talent of all kinds to help them with both exploring and training of their respiratory and vocal tracts and guiding performers to find the best methods in achieving ultimate sound quality and type. Watch as she works with her clients Tony winners Renée Elise Goldsberry, Annaleigh Ashford, and Tony nominees Michael McElroy and Raúl Esparza.
"People have this desire to know that the world is bigger than them. That there are possibilities out there that go beyond our daily lives. People want to experience magic. They want to experience wonder. They want to feel that anything is possible." - Mark Kalin, Creative Director, The Illusionists Magic has been a part of the theatre since the very beginning. The work varies from illusions to stunts to special effects and so much more. Watch as magic makers from The Illusionists - Turn of the Century, Broadway Illusionist Jim Steinmeyer, and members from the production of The Magic Play at The Goodman Theatre share the history and present nature of magic in the theatre.
Cicely Tyson, the legendary Tony Award winning actress continues to amaze audiences on stage. Her story is one that continues to teach us that dedication to the craft of acting and the pursuit of a dream can inspire all future makers to achieve a career in the theatre.
Everyone knows that great wig work is important to the artistic process of creating theatre. But few know just how much work and skill go into producing the incredible design and execution of a wig. Paul Huntley, one of the most esteemed wig designers (and a past Tony Honoree), shares his career journey and spotlights the creative, economic, and technical processes of working in the hair and wig department. We enter his world through the Broadway production of A Bronx Tale, showcasing the interaction between designers and talent, resulting in one important goal - to complete the illustration of a character on stage.
Take a look inside the wardrobe department. The costumes are created to fulfill the epic world that a play or musical inhabits. But it takes organization, maintenance, and often some creativity to get the performers ready for each and every scene (and maybe even changed during a scene). The costumes are vast in the company of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center Theater. They require multiple teams with various responsibilities to make the show run and look flawless. This is a slice of what they do, who they are, and how they work in the theatre.
Why revivals? What is the significance of the timing when a show, that has either long closed its doors or appeared on stage in smaller venues, gets a significant reboot on Broadway? The recent revivals of Children of a Lesser God and Once on This Island on Broadway shed light on how the revival of two acclaimed shows can impact new audiences and reflect on the current climate of our country, even though they were written for another time.
We may never be able to fully distinguish the difference or even grasp the true union between opera and musical theatre, but in this episode of Working in the Theatre, we learn how the two genres really do play well together to expose an audience to storytelling that engages emotionally through sound patterns and music. And excitingly so, Chamber Opera (to some just called opera) as shown through the lens of a theatrical experience has the ability to be created and shown in so many different and wonderful ways.
If the score of a musical is the soul of the show, the orchestrations are the heart, swelling and circulating emotion throughout your body so you can feel every note, understand every lyric. Orchestrations create the sound of the show and for that we are thankful. Watch as two of the most prominent orchestrators Larry Blank (Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story) and Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen) share their storied careers and their recent work on Broadway and beyond.
