Film director Frank Perry who spent the first 10 years of his career directing for the stage, returns to Broadway to direct "Ladies at the Alamo". Perry explains why he has returned to Broadway now, and shares what's next in his career.
Film actress Liv Ullmann talks about what she's found in the title character of "Anna Christie" and how the audience reacts to Eugene O'Neill's modern play.
English actor Tom Courtenay who is making his Broadway debut in Simon Gray's comedy "Otherwise Engaged" shares what the play is about, and his experience in "The Norman Conquests" in the West End.
Constance Towers who plays Anna in the revival of "The King and I" talks about working with Yul Brynner and the authentic casting of the 1977 production.
English director Peter Yates talks about Steve Tesich's basketball play "Passing Game" playing at the American Place Theatre.
Martin Charnin, director/lyricist of "Annie", discusses the challenges of child labor laws and age/height restrictions for the orphans in the cast.
The "Man of La Mancha" Richard Kiley recreated his Tony Award-winning title role in the Broadway revival 12 years later, followed by a national tour.
Director Dennis Rosa talks about the unique look of "Dracula" by set designer/illustrator Edward Gorey.
Cecilia Hart while starring in Tom Stoppard's "Dirty Linen", reveals how she shed her self-consciousness of appearing scantily clad in front of audiences; how her costume helped to enhance her character; and how she developed her British accent.
Composer Cy Coleman, during the run of "I Love My Wife", talks about how the show slipped into town after appearing out of town, and how he recieved the good news of his rave reviews from almost all of the New York reviewers.
Cartoonist and playwright Jules Feiffer talks about his revue "Hold Me", based on his cartoon work; the selection process; how each skit, while different, is connected thematically; and the response to the show nationally.
Marge Redmond, at the time co-starring with her husband Jack Weston in Neil Simon's "California Suite", tells why she likes working on stage, and how it takes more work to act on stage than it takes for film and TV.
As "Chicago"'s original Billy Flynn, Jerry Orbach is careful not to fit into any one mold, turning down roles too similar to previous ones, and instead showing his versatility in musicals and plays, often resulting in long-running productions.
Award-winning actor James Earl Jones talks about portraying the real-life historical actor and political artist in the solo play "Paul Robeson" which toured before arriving on Broadway.
While starring as Bunny in Albert Innaurato's "Gemini", Jessica James outlines the journey the show made from workshop to Long Island to Circle Rep and finally Broadway; and how word of mouth was what made the show a success.
Joseph Abaldo, magician and actor discussed his role in "The Magic Show"; replacing Doug Henning; his life long interest in magic; the extraordinary effort to learn the role; and the secrecy around the show's magic.
Character actor Lou Jacobi, appearing in Neil Simon's "Cheaters" on Broadway, talks of his admiration of the author's words; sticking to the script; and how actors are kept in check to avoid "too large" of a performance.
Actor Peter Evans, early in his career, while starring in David Mamet's "A Life in the Theatre", discusses how he and his co-star, Ellis Rabb, are "in tune" with each other; working with a young director; and how unexpected events are integrated into a performance.
Judd Hirsch, while starring in Neil Simon's "Chapter Two", talks about playing the role of the author's alter-ego; how painful the rehersals were for Neil Simon since much of it is autobiographical; and how director Herb Ross "choreographed" the set.
Martin Balsam discusses the original Broadway comedy "Cold Storage" in which he was starring at the time, he exlains that while it takes place in a hospital, it is still full of comedy; and how it made the leap from regional theatre to Broadway.
Yul Brynner, at the time starring in the iconic role of the King in the Broadway revival of "The King And I", talks about how Oscar Hammerstein was ahead of his time and how audiences are catching up with his ideas of human rights and women's lib, and how the revival audiences react differently than the audiences during the original production.
Actor John Wood, at that time, the star of the Broadway production of"Tartuffe" explains how Moliere's plays work better in America than in Britain, how the play is universal and how audiences identify with the core of the play.
Actress Betsy Palmer having just finished a run in "Eccentricities of a Nightingale", discusses her time on "I've Got A Secret", the wide range of emotions in Bernard Slade's "Same Time Next Year" (the long-running play she was starring in at the time) and how she originally was not interested in the play.
Just two years out of Yale Drama School, Meryl Streep discusses her first musical in New York "Happy End", which was just after her renowned production of "The Cherry Orchard" at The Public Theater; the importance of training and what she learned from Jack Nicholson.
Composer John Kander, having just opened "The Act", talks about his and Fred Ebb's history working with Liza Minnelli in "Flora The Red Menace", "Cabaret" and "New York, New York"; and how Liza saved the original Broadway run of "Chicago" in just one week.
Comic actor, Jack Gilford, while appearing in "Sly Fox", talks about his backstage life, spontaneity on stage and his respect for George C. Scott and Gretchen Wyler, his co-stars at the time.
The original "Zach", Robert LuPone explains the unique gestation of Michael Bennett's seminal work, "A Chorus Line", how all of the actor's stories were the same and yet different, how it is universal and how everyone has someone to root for.
Playbill publisher Arthur T. Birsh describes the evolution of his publication over the years, how it is more than just a "program", and how he is able to make it available free to theatre audiences.
Composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz, with three shows running simultaneously on Broadway ("Pippin", "Godspell" and "The Magic Show"), explains the composing-lyric writing process that he uses, how emotions inform the music, and his urge to move on to other projects.
Costume designer Florence Klotz talks about the vast amount of research needed just to get started on a design, her trip to Japan to research "Pacific Overtures", working with other designers to focus the audience on the main character, and how it is different from designing for movies.
