ATW - Working In The Theatre

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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").

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With three of New York's major not-for-profit theatres now producing in Broadway venues, their leaders—Andre 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.

Three distinguished actresses—Brenda Blethyn, Kathleen Chalfant and Randy Graff—discuss their craft and careers.

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.