ATW - Working In The 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 his 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).

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.

Director/Choreographer Rob Ashford, President and Executive Director of Rodgers and 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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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. Our conversation is moderated by Julie James and takes an in depth look at the status of musicals today; early influences in our guests lives that led them to theatre; and whether television is helping to bring back interest in musical theatre.

On a special Tony Awards edition of "Working in the Theatre" host Ted Chapin, Chairman of the American Theatre Wing, takes viewers behind the scenes with Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, Executive Producers of the Tony Awards, talks with past Tony winners Joel Grey and Jefferson Mays who share their feelings about winning and the TONY history-making achievement attached to each of their awards, and we'll hear from many of this year's nominees including Audra McDonald, John Lithgow, Cynthia Nixon, Linda Lavin, Nina Arianda, Harvey Fierstein and Christian Borle to name just a few!

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.

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.

The point at which they knew they wanted to act was one of the first things discussed in our conversation with David Alan Grier, Judith Light and Condola Rashad. They also talked about 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.

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.

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.

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.

Our guests -- representatives from theatres receiving the American Theatre Wing 2011 National Theatre Company Grants: Buntport Theater Company, FUSION, Mo´olelo Performing Arts Company, Pig Iron Theatre Company, Rude Mechanicals, Synchronicity Theatre, TheatreSquared, TimeLine Theatre, Transport Group and Watts Village Theater Company -- discuss the challenges they face in tough economic times; their community outreach; and the creativity and diversity in the works they present.

Thomas Schumacher talks with guests, Ben Cameron and Kevin McCollum, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Clas"), 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.

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.

The panel of performers - Karen Akers ("Nine"), Christine Baranski ("Sally and Marsha"), actor/playwright Harvey Fierstein ("Torch Song Trilogy"), Ben Harney ("Dreamgirls"), Lonny Price ("Master Harold...and the boys"), and Liv Ullmann ("Ghosts") - discuss the strong themes of their respective productions; how demanding their roles are, from character development to physical challenges to the emotional intensity of a role; training and audition experiences; how cast replacements effect a play; and developing new musicals out-of-town compared to workshopping in New York.

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.

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.

The production 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The "Precious Sons" production team - producers Marty Bell and Roger Berlind, legal respresentative 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.