Fri, Jan 2, 2009
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.
Tue, Feb 3, 2009
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.
Fri, Feb 6, 2009
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.
Tue, Mar 3, 2009
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.
Fri, Mar 6, 2009
Our guests - 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.
Sun, Apr 12, 2009
Our guests -- 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.
Sun, May 10, 2009
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.
Sun, May 31, 2009
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.
Sat, Jul 11, 2009
Our guests - 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.
Sun, Oct 25, 2009
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.
Sun, Nov 15, 2009
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.
Sun, Nov 29, 2009
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.
Sun, Dec 20, 2009
Our panel of actors -- 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.