ATW - Downstage Center

Michael Ritchie, artistic director of Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, talks about taking the reins of the city's largest theatre organization and considers his tenure as head of the acclaimed Williamstown Theatre Festival in this interview that caught Ritchie amidst his transition between these two esteemed companies. Original air date - December 17, 2004.

With the "DruidSynge" circle of plays visiting briefly in the United States, director Garry Hynes describes the process of melding six works by John Millington Synge into a marathon theatrical event; talks about the founding and development of the Druid Theatre Company, her artistic home in Ireland; considers the effect of "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" and her Tony Award (the first for a woman director) on both the Druid and her own career; and surveys the current crop of up and coming Irish dramatists. Original air date - August 4, 2006.

During the Broadway run of Michael Frayn's "Democracy", Emmy winner Richard Thomas talks about his decision to move back to his hometown of New York after 30 years on the west coast, his acclaimed appearance in Terrence McNally's "The Stendhal Syndrome", and the perennial question about how his fame from "The Waltons" meshes with his personal passion for classical stage work. Original air date - October 22, 2004.

"Spamalot"'s newest king, Harry Groener, talks about the process of slipping into the cast (and the chain-mail costume) of the hit musical, recalls his Broadway debut in "Oklahoma" - including some diction notes from famed choreographer Agnes de Mille, describes a number cut from the original production of "Crazy For You", and considers why he's thought of as a "serious actor" on the West Coast but a musical comedy guy in New York City. Original air date - July 28, 2006.

As "The Light In The Piazza" prepares for its national tour, director Bartlett Sher talks about the experience of living with and working on the show for more than three years, explains his approach to "Awake And Sing" and why he felt it belonged in the same theatre where its premiered 70 years ago, and professes his amazement at the enthusiastic response in the Seattle community to the Intiman Theatre (where Sher is artistic director) receiving the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Original air date - July 21, 2006.

Late in the run of Disney's "Aida" and two years before "Tarzan" began swinging on 46th Street, Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions, discusses the Disney approach to theatrical production and the process that brought "Beauty And The Beast" and "The Lion King" to stage life—and brought Disney to Broadway. Original air date - August 13, 2004.

Elena K. Holy, artistic director of New York's International Fringe Festival, discusses the genesis of the Fringe as part of the Off-Off-Broadway Present Company, and its explosive growth as a vehicle for new work in New York, amidst the endless logistics of the 2004 Festival. Original air date - August 20, 2004.

With his debut solo CD now on sale, Brian Stokes Mitchell ranges over his career, from his first performances with a youth theatre in San Diego to seven years on television's "Trapper John M.D." to David Merrick's production of "Oh, Kay" to his rapid succession of leading roles in "Ragtime", "Kiss Me Kate" and "Man Of La Mancha". Original air date - July 14, 2006.

With Des McAnuff the toast of Broadway for "Jersey Boys" and set to join the artistic leadership at Canada's Stratford Festival, this Downstage Center interview from late 2004 captures the acclaimed director during the runs of "700 Sundays" and "Dracula" - and the original La Jolla Playhouse engagement of "Jersey Boys". Original air date - December 10, 2004.

American-raised but acclaimed in England for his work in musicals, John Barrowman visited Downstage Center in 2004 to talk about his trans-Atlantic career, his new solo album, and the experience of playing Billy Crocker in two acclaimed London revivals of "Anything Goes" - 15 years apart. Original air date - September 17, 2004.

Director Michael Mayer explains the juxtaposition of turn of the 20th century German teenage angst with modern rock and roll in "Spring Awakening", recounts his first meeting with master playwright Arthur Miller before "A View From The Bridge", addresses why he felt "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" needed a freshening up for its Broadway revival, and shares the process that made Sutton Foster the star of "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Original air date - July 7, 2006.

Director-choreographer Kathleen Marshall discusses remounting "Wonderful Town" for Broadway following its resounding success at Encores! two seasons earlier, growing up in Pittsburgh with her director-choreographer brother Rob, and making the transition from choreographer to director. Original air date - June 4, 2004.

Tonya Pinkins takes listeners from the triumph of "Jelly's Last Jam" to the extraordinary personal challenges that faced her on her return to Broadway as the title character in Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's musical "Caroline, or Change". Original air date - May 28, 2004.

Martha Plimpton talks about her acting journey from "The Goonies" to "Hedda Gable", exploring her experience growing up in the theatre, with childhood performances at The Public; the importance of her joining Chicago's noted Steppenwolf ensemble, and the unique challenge of capturing her character with a single scene in the current Broadway production of Conor McPherson's "Shining City". Original air date - June 30, 2006.

Liev Schreiber takes time out from The Public Theatre's production of "Macbeth" to reflect on the humanity of that villainous role, his love for the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, how directing his first film has informed his own work as an actor, and why he thinks Pinter and Mamet are similar to Shakespeare. Original air date - June 23, 2006.