The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with the legendary producer/director Harold Prince, on their weekly theatrical interview show, "Downstage Center," on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).
Prince will appear as the special guest on Friday, May 2 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday, May 3 at noon, Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, May 7 at midnight. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org beginning Monday afternoon, May 5.
Legendary producer and director
Harold Prince surveys his career from his start in 1948 working for another legendary theatrical figure, George Abbott, to his newest project, the musical Paradise Found, which was presented in a workshop in New York just last week. Over the course an hour, Prince talks about trends in the theatre and what has changed, both for better and worse; recalls working as a stage manager on the first show he produced, The Pajama Game, so that he could collect a salary; describes his personal impact on the development of West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, which he produced; reflects on his creative partnership and friendship with composer
Stephen Sondheim, including how he got a handle on
Sweeney Todd; explains his role in transforming Evita from a concept album to a stage musical; ponders the period in the 1980s when he had a string of commercially unsuccessful shows -- and which of those he feels is under-appreciated; marvels at the 22-year run of
The Phantom of the Opera; and shares his thoughts about seeing revivals of musicals that he was so instrumental in creating.
Harold Prince directed the premiere productions of Cabaret, the original
Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music,
The Phantom of the Opera, She Loves Me, Company, Follies, Candide, Pacific Overtures, Evita, Parade, and LoveMusic. Before becoming a director, Mr. Prince's productions included The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello! and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Among the plays he has directed are Hollywood Arms, The Visit, The Great God Brown, End of the World, Play Memory and his own play, Grandchild of Kings. Recently, he has prepared a new version of Phantom, which is running in Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel. His opera productions have been seen at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Vienna Staatsoper and the Theater Colon in Buenos Aires. He served as a trustee for the New York Public Library and on the National Council of the Arts of the NEA. He is the recipient of a National Medal of Arts for the year 2000 from President Clinton for a career spanning more than 40 years, in which "he changed the nature of the American musical." The recipient of 21 Tony Awards, he was a 1994 Kennedy Center Honoree.
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.
About The American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. The Wing's other activities, dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, include "Working in the Theatre," now in its 29th year of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Downstage Center," an hour-long weekly interview program on XM Satellite Radio; "Guides to Careers in the Theatre," a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which has awarded more than $2.5 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC. Visitors to www.americantheatrewing.org can view or download an archive of "Working in the Theatre" and the career guides and listen to "Downstage Center", all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast.
Sondra Gilman is Chairman of the Board of the American Theatre Wing;
Doug Leeds is President of the Board and
Howard Sherman is Executive Director.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number-one satellite radio company with more than 9 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, D.C., New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music, premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit www.xmradio.com.
