Len Cariou Featured on Downstage Center, Feb. 2

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony Award-winner Len Cariou on their weekly theatrical interview show, "Downstage Center," on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Cariou will appear as the special guest on Friday, February 2 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday, February 3 at noon, Sunday, February 4 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, February 7 at midnight.

In the interview, Cariou looks back over his career on stage, from his days with his own cabaret act in his native Canada to his immersion into classical theatre at the Manitoba Theatre Center and the Stratford Festival to his triumphs on Broadway in two Sondheim premieres. Along the way, he tells the stories of his first meeting with director Harold Prince, his A Little Night Music audition -- for the role of Carl-Magnus, which he was prepared to turn down -- and why he actually did turn down the role of Frederik when it was offered; and the experience of the very first preview of Sweeney Todd -- which took place with the show not having completed a full tech rehearsal

Cariou is a three-time Tony nominee, for Applause, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and a Tony winner as Best Actor for the latter. His other Broadway credits include Nightwatch, Cold Storage, Teddy & Alice, Dance a Little Closer, The Speed of Darkness, The Dinner Party and Proof. He has toured nationally in Show Boat and as Nils Bohr in Copenhagen. He is honored to be a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame. His classical stage repertoire include the title roles in King Lear (twice!), Oedipus, Macbeth, Cyrano, and Coriolanus, as well as Iago, Petruchio, Prospero and others. Off-Broadway, he has played Ernest Hemingway in Papa, William O. Douglas in Mountain and Joseph Stalin in Master Class. He is a former Artistic Director of the Manitoba Theatre Centre, and former Associate Director of the Guthrie Theatre.  He has also appeared in many films and TV shows.

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 on XM Satellite Radio.

Photo by Shira Greenberg