ATW - Working In The Theatre

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.