Working in the Theatre

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. Howard Sherman moderates.

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. Ted Chapin moderates.

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. Gordon Cox moderates.

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. Gordon Cox moderates.

The creative team behind the hit musical "Next To Normal" - Director Michael Greif, Composer Tom Kitt, Producer David Stone and Book Writer/Lyricist Brian Yorkey - discuss the unique road the show took to Broadway beginning with its start at the BMI Workshop; the origin of the show's subject matter and the challenges of getting acceptance for it; the reasons behind a title change and what that represented for the creative process; why they took the unusual step of going from off-Broadway to out of town before Broadway; what influences the press and audiences had after the off-Broadway opening in their decision process; why some songs were dropped, others changed and the reasons behind the addition of new material; and 4 songs are performed in studio that illustrate the changes in the various stages of the production. Ted Chapin moderates.

What was "The Play That Changed Your Life?" Not only the title of a new American Theatre Wing book, which posed that question to 19 of America's most distinguished playwrights, but the start of a discussion by two of those playwrights, Tina Howe and Diana Son. They also talk about which of their own plays changed their lives; what role theatre played while growing up; if there were teachers who inspired them to get involved in theatre writing; what drew them to playwriting; how much of themselves are in their characters; and their role as mentors for young writers. Howard Sherman moderates.

Injecting new energy and a new perspective into both commercial and not for profit theatre was among the topics discussed by our panel of producers - Patrick Catullo, Eric Falkenstein, Jenny Gersten and Jill Furman Willis. They also talked about the role mentors' played in their development as producers; where they find new material; how they find investors for their shows; the need to be creative in selling tickets during tough economic times; using new media to promote their shows and to reach new audiences; the responsibility they feel to bring new writing voices into the theatre; and the risks they're willing to take to bring new and different material to the stage. Gordon Cox moderates.

Their roles as understudies on Broadway was the focal point for this panel of actors -- Tony Carlin ("Lend Me A Tenor"), Bryan Fenkart ("Memphis"), Corinne Melançon ("Mamma Mia"), Jay Russell ("Our Town") and Paul A. Schaefer ("The Phantom of the Opera") -- as they discussed the first time they went on as an understudy; what kind of preparation is involved for their roles; the differences of understudies, swings and stand-bys; whether or not they continue to audition for other roles; how they handle stepping into a role mid-performance and covering for a "name" performer; and how much of their own voice is given to a character when they perform the role. Howard Sherman moderates.

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. Ted Chapin moderates.

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. Howard Sherman moderates.

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. Howard Sherman moderates.

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. Howard Sherman moderates.