Griffiths and Martin Appear on 'Theater Talk,' 5/26

Richard Griffiths, the Tony Award-nominated star of the critically acclaimed The History Boys, will appear on "Theater Talk" this Friday, May 26. "Theater Talk," hosted by Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins, airs Friday night (early Saturday morning) at 12:30 AM on WNET, PBS Channel 13. Also appearing on that episode will be Bob Martin, nominated for his performance in The Drowsy Chaperone.

"Theater Talk" airs Friday night (early Saturday morning) at 12:30 AM on WNET, PBS Channel 13, and reairs Monday at 5:30 AM.  It also airs on Sunday at 3 PM on WGBH (44) in Boston.  The show will be repeated on CUNY TV in NYC (channel 75): Saturday, June 3 at 8:30 PM, Sunday, June 4 at 12:30 PM, as well as Monday, June 5 at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 7:30 PM.

Griffiths has received a 2006 Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance in The History Boys. He is also the winner of the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for his performance.

The History Boys is nominated for seven Tony Awards®, including Best Play, Best Director of a Play (Nicholas Hytner), Best Leading Actor in a Play (Richard Griffiths), Best Featured Actor in a Play (Samuel Barnett), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Frances de la Tour), Best Set Design of a Play (Bob Crowley), and Best Lighting Design of a Play (Mark Henderson). The play has won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Olivier, Evening Standard and London Critics' Circle Awards for Best Play.

In addition to Martin's Tony nomination, he was nominated for the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League awards and received a Theatre World Award for outstanding Broadway debut.

The Drowsy Chaperone has received thirteen 2005-2006 Tony Award® nominations including Best Musical, Direction and Choreography (Casey Nicholaw), Leading Actor (Bob Martin), Leading Actress (Sutton Foster), Featured Actor (Danny Burstein), Featured Actress (Beth Leavel), Best Book (Bob Martin and Don McKellar), Original Score (Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison), Costume Design (Gregg Barnes), Scenic Design(David Gallo), Lighting Design (Ken Billington and Brian Monahan) and Orchestrations (Larry Blank).

The Drowsy Chaperone recently won Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Book of a Musical (Bob Martin and Don McKellar), Outstanding Music (Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison), Outstanding Lyrics (Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison), Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Beth Leavel), Outstanding Costume Design (Gregg Barnes), Outstanding Set Design of a Musical (David Gallo). The show also won the 2005-2006 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical and four 2005-2006 Outer Critic's Circle Awards including Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for Beth Leavel, Outstanding New Score, Outstanding Set Design and Outstanding Costume Design.

The History Boys opened Sunday, April 23 at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) after previews beginning Friday, April 14. It plays a 20-week limited engagement. "An unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. A maverick English teacher at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher. A headmaster obsessed with results and a history teacher who thinks he's a fool. Alan Bennett's The History Boys is about staffroom rivalry, the anarchy of adolescence and the purpose of education," according to press notes.

The Drowsy Chaperone began previews April 3, 2006 and officially opened May 1, 2006 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). "To chase his blues away, a modern day musical theatre addict known simply as "Man in Chair" drops the needle on his favorite LP – the 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the uproariously funny musical magically bursts to life on stage."
 
For more information on "Theater Talk," visit www.theatertalk.org.