Working in the Theatre
Season 33
Bringing together performers, directors, playwrights, designers, choreographers, producers and behind-the-scenes personnel from the American and international theatre, the program offers a rare opportunity for students and audiences to see the people who create theatre engaged in thoughtful conversation with one another. With more than 600 past guests, "Working in the Theatre" has become an unequaled archive of theatrical talk, a chance to hear from the people behind the characters, stories and productions that draw us to the theatre.
Where to Watch Season 33
12 Episodes
- The Vocabulary of Dance: Choreographers 2010E1
The Vocabulary of Dance: Choreographers 2010Our 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. - Embracing Process: Directors 2010E2
Embracing Process: Directors 2010A 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. - Getting the Show on the RoadE3
Getting the Show on the RoadThe 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. Gordon Cox moderates. - Compelling Stories: Playwrights 2011E4
Compelling Stories: Playwrights 2011The 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. - Through Their Eyes: Actors 2011
E5Through Their Eyes: Actors 2011Actors 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 Characters Start Talking: Playwrights 2011
E6The Characters Start Talking: Playwrights 2011The 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. - Don't Be Afraid: Stage Veterans 2011
E7Don't Be Afraid: Stage Veterans 2011The 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. - Theatre Journalism: Online and Off
E8Theatre Journalism: Online and OffThe 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. Howard Sherman moderates. - Passion and Compassion: Actors 2011
E9Passion and Compassion: Actors 2011Actors 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. - Directors 2011
E10Directors 2011Directors 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. - Challenges and Triumphs: Actors 2011
E11Challenges and Triumphs: Actors 2011Actors 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. - Behind the Curtain
E12Behind the CurtainDisney 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. Thomas Schumacher moderates.