DOWNSTAGE CENTER Continues With Stephen Schwartz

The American Theatre Wing's (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Howard Sherman, Executive Director) original interview series, "Downstage Center" continues with an exclusive conversation with composer Stephen Schwartz. Interviewed at the keyboard, Schwartz chronicles his career from college to Wicked and beyond, dropping colorful details along the way such as how writing for animated films such as Pocahontas and Prince of Egypt is like working on a Broadway show; how he began seeking to option Wicked even before he'd read the book; recounting his involvement as a producer on the musical The Blue Flower, written by others, at American Repertory Theater - and why he won't be producing again; and talking about what he's learned about writing for the musical theatre from his 15 years running the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. In addition to this lively, music-filled hour with Schwartz, all-new interviews with legendary playwright Alan Ayckbourn, Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Natasha Katz, Director George C. Wolfe (A Free Man of Color), Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and actors Stockard Channing (Other Desert Cities), Fiona Shaw (John Gabriel Borkman) and Everett Quinton (The Witch of Edmonton) are now available online by visiting www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/.

As the home for America's largest free online archive of media focused on how theatre is made, in the words of the very people who make it, in the past month, ATW has released a range of new content, including new episodes of the television program "Working in the Theatre" entitled Through Their Eyes: Actors 2011 featuring actors Colman Domingo, Elizabeth Marvel, Michele Pawk, Daphne Rubin-Vega and David Zayas and Compelling Stories: Playwrights 2011 with authors Kristoffer Diaz, Kate Fodor, Rajiv Joseph, Young Jean Lee and Tarell Alvin McCraney, all of which are can be streamed live at www.americantheatrewing.org/wit/. An acclaimed fixture on New York television and in the theatre community for 30 years, the American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theatre" offers an unprecedented forum for the meeting of theatrical minds.

Four new "In The Wings" features have been posted, including Theatrical Milliner Lynne Mackey, Lighting Supervisor Dan Montano, Prop Manager Desiree Maurer and Ticket Sales Manager Cinda A. Barbuto. These short videos shine the spotlight on disciplines you may not even realize are a part of theatrical production and celebrate the full diversity of talent that contribute to bringing a show to the stage. For "In The Wings" installments past and present, visit www.americantheatrewing.org/inthewings/.

The American Theatre Wing (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Howard Sherman, Executive Director) is a not-for-profit organization best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. In addition to "Downstage Center," "In The Wings," "Working in the Theatre," and a host of other online resources, The Wing operates many activities, all dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, including SpringboardNYC, the Theatre Intern Group, the National Theatre Company Grants and the Jonathan Larson Grants. Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can listen to, watch or download from ATW's extensive media collection, and learn more about all of its programming for students, aspiring and working professionals, and audiences who want to learn more about the making of theatre. Follow ATW on Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing, youtube.com/americantheatrewing and Twitter.com/TheWing.

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy

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