David Hyde Pierce Featured on Downstage Center, May 25

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio will present an interview with Tony Award-nominee David Hyde Pierce on their weekly theatrical interview show, "Downstage Center," on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Pierce will appear as the special guest on Friday, May 25 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday, May 26 at noon, Sunday, May 27 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, May 30 at midnight.  The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org beginning Tuesday afternoon, May 29.

David Hyde Pierce talks about joining in the development of the long-aborning Curtains and how he faced the challenge of a full-fledged character-driven musical on Broadway; recalls the circumstances that led him in very short order from his rejection by the Yale School of Drama to his Broadway debut in Beyond Therapy; considers his "on-the-job training" in theatre with such esteemed directors as Peter Brook and Mike Nichols; shares how working with Uta Hagen really opened up new horizons for him as a stage actor; and recaps the experience of translating the humor of Monty Python into the musical comedy format of Spamalot.

Although he is best know for his role as Niles Crane on the celebrated sitcom, "Frasier," David Hyde Pierce has also done considerable work on the stage.  In addition to Curtains, Pierce has starred on Broadway in Spamalot, The Heidi Chronicles and Beyond Therapy.  He has been seen Off-Broadway in Elliot Loves, Zero Positive, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing and The Cherry Orchard. Other stage credits include The Boys from Syracuse, The Guys, and Terrance McNally's It's Only a Play.  Pierce has also been seen on screen in Down With Love, Sleepless in Seattle, Wet Hot American Summer, Nixon, and Little Man Tate. 

Each new "Downstage Center" is regularly broadcast at 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays at noon, Sundays at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays at 12 a.m. (all times EST). Following the initial run on XM, each program is made available for free, on-demand, internationally as both streaming audio and podcast on ATW's Web site, www.americantheatrewing.org.  Visit www.xmradio.com for more information.

Photo by Linda Lenzi