Tony Award nominees were announced this week. For everything Tony, visit TonyAwards.com

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Directing Shakespeare: What’s It All About Willy Part 2

Part two of a conversation about dramaturgy from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation.

On April 28, 2001, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation invited Arthur Bartow, Artistic Director of the Drama Department at NYU Tisch, to moderate a conversation between Michael Lupu, Senior Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theater; Mark Bly, Associate Artistic Director of Yale Rep; Louis Scheeder of Classical Studio NYU Tisch; and freelance director Daniel Fish about working on Shakespeare.

To listen or find out more, click here >>

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On The Radar

Bruce Dow and Josh Young of Jesus Christ Superstar taping Downstage Center. Look for the episode on The Wing website and on iTunes on 4/25.

Will Chase and Christian Borle from Smash taping Downstage Center. Look for the episode in May.

Downstage Center: Other Desert Cities’ Elizabeth Marvel interviews her co-star Stacy Keach in an episode that will air in late April

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SDCF Masters of the Stage: Directing Shakespeare: The Nature of Design

In 2001, five directors in the “Directing Shakespeare Symposium” sat down with moderator and set designer Ming Cho Lee for a unique experiment regarding the relationship between director and designers, specifically concerning a Shakespearean text.

To listen or find out more, click here >>

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2012 Jonanthan Larson Grant Recipients announced: Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis

Read more here >>

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From “Memphis”: Montego Glover and Adam Pascal

Listen here >>
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The Wing’s Vault

Actress Marin Mazzie recently opened in the off-Broadway revival of “Carrie” playing Carrie’s mother (left, in photo).

Listen to this classic Downstage Center recorded in September 2010, when she was starring in “Next to Normal”…

Listen here >>

(photos: Joan Marcus)

Nina Arianda’s star has never shone brighter. Recreating the off-Broadway role that her made a name to watch, the actress returns to Broadway in Venus in Fur in what the New York Times called “the first, must see performance of the Broadway season.”

Listen here >>

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On The Radar

2/16-Stephen Adly Guirgis (facing the camera) and fellow LAByrynth Theater Company member David Zayas taping Downstage Center. Look for the episode on the Wing’s website is early April.

On May 25th, 2011, The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s Gretchen Michelfeld spoke with three Broadway Production Stage Managers about their experiences. Stage Managers Jill Cordle (Jerusalem), Heather Cousens (Spring Awakening), and Ira Mont (Arcadia) give advice to early career directors on time management, speak to building trust and collaboration, and discuss the smartest things they’ve seen directors do. They offer first-hand knowledge on the relationship between directors and stage managers.

Listen here >>

The Wing’s Vault

On February 8th The City Center Encores! production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s short-lived Broadway musical Merrily We Roll (directed by James Lapine) opened for a short run.

Listen now to these classic interviews featuring Mr. Sondheim and Mr Lapine from The Wing’s Vault!

Stephen Sondheim (Downstage Center, January 2010) >>
James Lapine (SDCF Masters of the Stage, March 1985)>>
James Lapine (SDCF Masters of the Stage, May 2002)>>

From The Book of Mormon.

Go backstage with one of Broadway’s hottest actors from Broadway’s biggest show. NY1′s Frank DiLella interviews The Book of Mormon star Andrew Rannells in the latest Downstage Center. From Hairspray and Jersey Boys to The Book of Mormon‘s Elder Price, Nebraska native Mr. Rannells relishes his time in the hottest show in town. Inspired by Into the Woods and The Who’s Tommy, he somehow found a way to keep a straight face during each hilarious performance on his way to his first Tony Award nomination in 2011. Listen to how he ended up in the current production and pranks his co-star Josh Gad on stage, what real Mormons think of his work, working with Trey Parker and Matt Stone and the sometimes controversial subject matter of their humor, and what happens when Oprah visits him after the show.

Original airdate – February 1, 2012.
Running time – 30:33.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to Downstage Center’s Andrew Rannells program page.

You can also download directly the Andrew Rannells program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – February 3, 2012.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s Casting Directors 2012 program page.

You can also download directly the Casting Directors 2012 program (mp4).

In 2001, Michael Lupu, senior dramaturg for the Guthrie Theatre, provided directors at the “Directing Shakespeare Symposium” with a brief lesson he called “Shakespeare 101.” In this twenty-minute discussion Lupu talks about audience expectations in the Elizabethan period, the history of Shakespeare’s company “Lord Chamberlain’s Men,” and how the shifting of Shakespeare’s theatre midway through his career may have affected his writing. Lupu enlists the help of designer Ming Cho Lee to explain the type of theatre in which Shakespeare was working, and how the intimate, single-room performance space of the Globe Theatre shaped almost every moment in Shakespeare’s work. Other topics discussed include: Shakespeare’s plays coming from the stage to the page and not vice versa, A Winter’s Tale being published after Shakespeare’s death, and the place of a poet in the theatre. This brief but incredibly thorough overview is a great recap for Shakespeare fans and a perfect introduction for those just getting started.

Originally recorded on – April 28, 2001.
Running time – 20:02.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s Directing Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s Theatre program page.

You can also download directly the Directing Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s Theatre program (mp3).

From Relatively Speaking.

Marlo Thomas and Lisa Emery share the stage in Broadway’s Relatively Speaking (an evening of one-acts written by Elaine May, Woody Allen, and Ethan Coen). In the Wing’s latest Downstage Center they get together to swap stories on the craft they love and how they got where they are today. Ms. Thomas begins as the interviewer but soon a conversation ensues about mutual director horror stories, women in the theatre, pre-show rituals, the inspiration they receive from hearing the audience entering the empty space, and, of course, Relatively Speaking and working with Elaine May’s words and John Turturro’s direction. They wrap it up discussing their “big breaks” – Ms. Thomas with Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park and Ms. Emery with Lanford Wilson’s Burn This.

Original airdate – January 18, 2012.
Running time – 31:03.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to Downstage Center’s Marlo Thomas and Lisa Emery program page.

You can also download directly the Marlo Thomas and Lisa Emery program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – January 15, 2012.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s The Playwrights’ Voice 2012 program page.

You can also download directly the The Playwrights’ Voice 2012 program (mp4).

Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director’s vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.


In July 2011, Thomas Kail sat in conversation with Moisés Kaufman at the SDC offices. In this exchange, Thomas and Moisés traverse career beginnings, varying paths of directors, and the struggles involved with telling stories rooted in historical events on stage.

Originally recorded on – July 1, 2011.
Running time – 58:59.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s In Conversation With… Moisés Kaufman program page.

You can also download directly the In Conversation With… Moisés Kaufman program (mp3).

From Follies.

What happens when Follies star Elaine Paige sits down to interview her co-star Ron Raines? Listen now to the lively discussion about everything Follies and Sondheim: his lyrics, Sondheim as teacher, and the difficulty in performing Sweeney Todd, among other topics. Sondheim isn’t the only show in town. Paige and Raines also talk about balancing life and art, musical theatre vs. opera, the economics of Broadway, career longevity in the theatre, The King and I, transitioning from film/television acting to acting on the stage, and Paige’s most embarrassing stage moment while performing in Evita. Of course, it all goes back to Follies and its cast and why it’s so hard for Raines to follow Paige’s showstopper “I’m Still Here!”

Original airdate – January 4, 2012.
Running time – 29:56.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to Downstage Center’s Elaine Paige and Ron Raines program page.

You can also download directly the Elaine Paige and Ron Raines program (mp3).

Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director’s vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.

In June 2011, Thomas Kail sat in conversation with Joe Mantello backstage at the Golden Theater. From Mantello’s dressing room, their conversation traces his arc from actor to director and back, and the responsibility of taking risks to continue to evolve throughout a career.

Originally recorded on – June 1, 2011.
Running time – 59:48.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s In Conversation With… Joe Mantello program page.

You can also download directly the In Conversation With… Joe Mantello program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – December 18, 2011.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s Producers: A Creative Approach program page.

You can also download directly the Producers: A Creative Approach program (mp4).

Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director’s vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.


In July 2011, Thomas Kail sat in conversation with Susan Stroman in her office in Manhattan. They discuss her early exposure to the theatre and her impulse to pursue directing and choreographing professionally. The conversation also includes the importance of creating one’s own opportunities, the unique aspects of touring productions, and the necessity of deep collaboration when creating theater.

Originally recorded on – July 1, 2011.
Running time – 56:02.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s In Conversation With… Susan Stroman program page.

You can also download directly the In Conversation With… Susan Stroman program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – December 4, 2011.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s Regional Theatre program page.

You can also download directly the Regional Theatre program (mp4).

Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director’s vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.

In June 2011, Thomas Kail sat in conversation with Jason Moore (Avenue Q, Shrek, Tales of the City) at Moore’s apartment in Manhattan. Topics range from developing a new musical to the process of transferring Off-Broadway productions to Broadway without losing the immediacy of the initial production. They also address the challenge of maintaining longer running productions to ensure they consistently feel vibrant and fresh.

Originally recorded on – June 1, 2011.
Running time – 57:17.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s In Conversation With… Jason Moore program page.

You can also download directly the In Conversation With… Jason Moore program (mp3).

Directors rarely get the opportunity to spend time and share ideas in a room with other directors. This new one-on-one conversation series was conceived by director Thomas Kail to give himself, and his peers, an opportunity to do just that. This series of conversations explores topics that stretch from finding the spark in their work, making a life as a director, and how they landed on this side of the table. Each director’s vision is distinct, and their way of working is their own, but this series also addresses all they have in common beyond the shared title.

In June 2011, Thomas Kail sat in conversation with Alex Timbers (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Peter and the Starcatcher) at the SDC Offices. Their discussion explores how they followed their respective impulse to start their own theater company, and delves into the challenge of creating new work. They also address their inspirations and those who have influenced them as directors.

Originally recorded on – June 1, 2011.
Running time – 1:04:56.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s In Conversation With… Alex Timbers program page.

You can also download directly the In Conversation With… Alex Timbers program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – November 13, 2011.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s The State of Theatre: Institutions and Producers program page.

You can also download directly the The State of Theatre: Institutions and Producers program (mp4).

At its 2002 Symposium, Director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, Joe Miloscia, welcomed everyone to the symposium and introduced then Executive Director of SSDC Barbara Hauptman. Barbara introduced the two speakers: V.P. and Managing Director of The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Rob Marx who moderated a talk with accomplished director and producer Hal Prince. The conversation focused on Hal’s personal take on the making of new musicals and the fostering of new talent. Topics covered include the importance of mentorship, artistic process, how the relationship between producers and directors has changed, and what institutions are supporting the development of new musicals. This conversation with a true master gives incredible insight into the history and current innovation in musical theatre.

Originally recorded on – June 1, 2002.
Running time – 1:20:46.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s 2002 Symposium: Hal Prince program page.

You can also download directly the 2002 Symposium: Hal Prince program (mp3).

At its 2003 Symposium SDCF invited Scott Elliott, freelance director and Artistic Director of The New Group, to give a keynote speech on directing in multiple mediums, running a theatre company, and life as an artist. SDC Observer of Scott Elliott, Mark Robinson, moderated the talk. Topics include why Elliott shifted from performing to directing, how New Group got its start, the evolution of work done at New Group, what he looks for when hiring a director, working with independent vs. commercial producers, and process. This thought-provoking conversation covers the diverse aspects of artistic leadership.

Originally recorded on – June 1, 2003.
Running time – 1:09:50.

For more information, to listen online, or to download the episode go to SDCF Masters of the Stage’s 2003 Symposium: Keynote by Scott Elliott program page.

You can also download directly the 2003 Symposium: Keynote by Scott Elliott program (mp3).

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.

Original airdate – October 23, 2011.
Running time – 1:00:00.

For more information, to watch online, or to download the episode go to Working in the Theatre’s Behind The Curtain program page.

You can also download directly the Behind The Curtain program (mp4).