The American Theatre Wing Announces Susan Hilferty As next Guest on 'Downstage Center', Podcast Avaliable Online Today 9/8

The American Theatre Wing has announced that Tony-winning costume designer Susan Hilferty is the next guest on their popular interview show, "Downstage Center." Hosted by American Theatre Wing Executive Director Howard Sherman, "Downstage Center" features weekly in-depth interviews with the leading artists and professionals working on stage today. Hilferty's interview is available online and as a podcast beginning today (Tuesday, 9/8) through iTunes or an RSS feed. Click http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter to listen or subscribe.

With her Tony-winning costume designs for the hit musical Wicked virtually circling the globe, costume designer Susan Hilferty describes the detailed process by which the show's creative team conceived their own vision of Oz, and the level of work required to execute the show's distinctive costumes. She also talks about her initial interest in both fine art and scenic design, even as she worked in costume shops as an artisan; the lucky break that got her professional design credits while still an undergraduate; her decision to go to the Yale School of Drama after several years of working in New York and how that led to her 30-year collaboration with South African playwright Athol Fugard; her quick takes on the varying directorial styles of her most frequent collaborators, including James Lapine, Des McAnuff, Carole Rothman, RoBert Woodruff and the late Garland Wright; her counsel to students, as the head of the graduate design program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts; and why she felt she was going to have to protect Frank Wedekind when she began work on the musical Spring Awakening.

The American Theatre Wing (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Howard Sherman, Executive Director) is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. In addition to "Downstage Center," The Wing sponsors many activities, all dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre. These programs include "Working in the Theatre," a weekly television program on CUNY TV which gathers panels of theater artists to discuss their crafts; "Guides to Careers in the Theatre," a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants program for New York City not-for-profit theatre companies, which has awarded nearly $3 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC; and the Jonathan Larson® Grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers. Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can listen to archive episodes of "Downstage Center," all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast and can view or download an archive of "Working in the Theatre" episodes.

For additional information about "Downstage Center" and all American Theatre Wing programs, go to americantheatrewing.org. You can also find the American Theatre Wing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TheWing).