Ralph Meeker

The Soviet Union's detonation of its first atomic bomb test on August 29, 1949, thrust the United States into a new and more precarious era. Just four years after celebrating victory in World War II as the only nation with an atomic bomb, Americans now found themselves confronting the probability of an atomic war.

The Drama Book Shop will welcome internationally-renowned director and acting teacher, Jack Garfein, to speak about his groundbreaking, psychologically complex film, Something Wild, his book, Life and Acting: Techniques for the Actor and his world-famous Master Classes on acting technique now given at his newly opened Jack Garfein Studio in the Theater District.

The Drama Book Shop will welcome internationally-renowned director and acting teacher, Jack Garfein, to speak about his groundbreaking, psychologically complex film, Something Wild, his book, Life and Acting: Techniques for the Actor and his world-famous Master Classes on acting technique now given at his newly opened Jack Garfein Studio in the Theater District.

NORMAN TWAIN, 85, a prominent theatrical producer in New York and California in the 1960's and 1970's who later became a successful and award-winning film producer, died Saturday morning, August 6th, after a brief illness.

PICNIC, the 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by William Inge about sexual repression, longing and disillusionment, and the narrow-minded limitations of life in a small Midwestern town, launches Palm Beach Dramaworks' 2015-2016 season on Friday, October 9 (8pm) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre. Performances continue through November 8, with specially priced previews tonight and tomorrow, October 7 and 8.

PICNIC, the 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by William Inge about sexual repression, longing and disillusionment, and the narrow-minded limitations of life in a small Midwestern town, launches Palm Beach Dramaworks' 2015-2016 season on Friday, October 9 (8pm) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre.

It's Labor Day, and the people of a small Kansas town are busy preparing for their annual celebration.  A handsome young drifter, Hal Carter, shows up unexpectedly, hoping an old fraternity brother can help him with a job. Hal's dynamic presence and brash personality creates excitement, uncertainty, and conflict that makes everyone in town to question their heretofore predictable and comfortable lives. When he meets local girl Madge, their fireworks rival those of the Labor Day celebration.

PICNIC opens at The ADOBE Theater on Friday, August 7th and runs 4 weekends through Sunday, August 30th.

Powerful, moving and ripe for revival, Inge's drama is not simply a breezy summer romance. Set in small town Kansas, this is a sexy world, dangerous and cruel, where residents keep each other in their place while longing to break free. At once sensual, passionate and delightfully funny, Picnic probes the sometimes tenuous line between restraint and desire.

Powerful, moving and ripe for revival, Inge's drama is not simply a breezy summer romance. Set in small town Kansas, this is a sexy world, dangerous and cruel, where residents keep each other in their place while longing to break free. At once sensual, passionate and delightfully funny, Picnic probes the sometimes tenuous line between restraint and desire.

Today we remember stage and screen icon Joan Rivers in honor of her death this week at the age of 81 with this InDepth InterView originally presented in 2013.

NEW YORK - Beatrice Williams-Rude's mostly merry memoir chronicles her experiences as an innocent who arrives in Manhattan during the golden age of Broadway and TV in quest of a career in theater-or, dream number one, opera. 'Misadventures of a Would-Be Muse' (published by Xlibris) details episodes in her life including the people with whom she crossed paths: famous and celebrated, powerful but infamous, financiers and frauds, lechers and protectors. She names those who helped and those who hindered.

Natalie Wood's portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee and Rosalind Russell (in Ethel Merman's original role) as an overbearing mother, in the big screen adaptation of Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical Gypsy, lead the pack of movies in February on Reel 13.

Natalie Wood's portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee and Rosalind Russell (in Ethel Merman's original role) as an overbearing mother, in the big screen adaptation of Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical Gypsy, lead the pack of movies in February on Reel 13.

Today we are talking to a veritable legend in her own time - arguably the most influential and recognizable female stand-up comedian of all time, the one and only Joan Rivers. Opening up and revealing her trademark, impossible-to-top wit all the while, Rivers and I discuss many aspects of her life and career, with a particular focus on her many current projects - most importantly, the third season of her smash hit reality series JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? on WE TV. What will happen when Joan, Melissa and company visit Colonial Williamsburg? What illicitness will they discover on Willie Nelson's former tour bus? Will Joan get arrested for protesting her book being banned at a big retailer? Answers to these questions all will be arrived up on Saturday. In addition to all about JOAN & MELISSA Season Three and the current series-high ratings run of FASHION POLICE, Rivers and I take a look back at many of the remarkable figures she has encountered and worked with over the course of her career - among them: Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Woody Allen and many more - and she generously shares candid backstage stories and remembrances as only she can. Of paramount interest to theatre fans may be the announcement of a revival of her one-woman play SALLY MARR… AND HER ESCORTS, which she will be reviving in a special weekly pop-up theatre space on Broadway later this year. Also, as if all of that were not enough, Joan gives us the 411 on her new uncensored web series, IN BED WITH JOAN, as well as her cute new pet lover's web project, MY FAT PET. Plus, her fashion forecast for 2013 and best current trends, favorite films of awards season, thoughts on Broadway today and her picks for the best shows to see as well as much, much more awaits in this career-spanning conversation!

Ethan Hawke, Drew Barrymore, Cher, Ralph Meeker, and Betty Hutton topline a roster of unusual cinema pairings

Ethan Hawke, Drew Barrymore, Cher, Ralph Meeker, and Betty Hutton topline a roster of unusual cinema pairings

Now, word is out in the New York Times that a starry reading of PICNIC took place on Monday featuring 'Among those reading were the Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo ('The Fighter') as the widow Flo; Hayden Panettiere (TV's 'Heroes') as her well-behaved daughter Madge; Laura Innes ('ER') as her neighbor Rosemary; and Seth Numrich ('War Horse') as the college student Alan, the role that was Paul Newman's Broadway debut in 1953.'

Broadway producer Darren Bagert has just revealed that there are plans to bring both PICNIC and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN back to the Great White Way. The Tony-winner mentioned in a recent statement that a revival of PICNIC will arrive on Broadway in the 2011-12 season, featuring direction by Sam Gold. Additionally, Jose Rivera and Allan Baker are working onA new adaptation of SPIDER WOMAN, which is also scheduled to make it to Broadway in the 2011-12 season. Peter DuBois is on board to direct the production.