David Brooks News

Today's edition of MEET THE PRESS featured three high-profile guests, including documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, New York Times columnist David Brooks, and Senator Carl Levin. Check out the photos of the panels' discussions below!

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director), in association with PEN American Center, will present a Public Forum program on Monday, December 3 on behalf of writers and artists who have been imprisoned speaking truth to power. THOUGHT IS FREE: An Evening of Protest and Solidarity will be hosted by Liev Schreiber and feature Carl Bernstein, Nathan Englander, Shirin Neshat, Lou Reed, and Salman Rushdie. Member tickets, priced at $15, and single tickets, priced at $20, are on sale now and can be purchased at (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at The Public Theater box office at 425 Lafayette Street.

Sunday's MEET THE PRESS WITH DAVID GREGORY on NBC featured a roundtable discussion with Obama campaign senior adviser Robert Gibbs, former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen, Republican strategist Mike Murphy, and NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd; and a one-on-one interview with former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Below are highlights and a transcript of Sunday's program.

The Public Theater's $40 million revitalization of its downtown home at Astor Place will be unveiled October 4 and celebrated through a series of events designed to engage the entire New York community and marking a rededication to its founding principles. The Public Forum - the Company's celebrated new series of lectures, debates, and discussions will mark the rededication with a special series of "Duet" programs, pairing an artist who has been important to the life of The Public and a leading voice from outside the world of theater.

The Public Theater's $40 million revitalization of its downtown home at Astor Place will be unveiled October 4 and celebrated through a series of events designed to engage the entire New York community and marking a rededication to its founding principles. The Public Forum - the Company's celebrated new series of lectures, debates, and discussions will mark the rededication with a special series of "Duet" programs, pairing an artist who has been important to the life of The Public and a leading voice from outside the world of theater.

Yesterday's MEET THE PRESS WITH DAVID GREGORY featured a debate between Obama backer Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) and key Romney supporter Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH); a roundtable conversation with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed (D), senior Romney adviser Bay Buchanan, "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough, New York Times columnist David Brooks, and Democratic strategist Dee Dee Myers; and a look at the latest battleground map numbers with NBC's Chuck Todd.

The Public Theater's $40 million revitalization of its downtown home at Astor Place will be unveiled October 4, 2012 and celebrated through a series of events designed to engage the entire New York community and marking a rededication to its founding principles. A physical expression of the Company's core mission of sparking dialogues, fostering artistic development and experimentation and increasing public accessibility, the revitalization project opens up the landmark building to the street and community, and transforms the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students and audiences.

Award-winning political journalists Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill will co-anchor gavel-to-gavel broadcast coverage from the PBS Skybox at both the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL (August 27 - 30) and from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC (September 4 - 5) as well as the Bank of America Stadium (September 6).

Due to popular demand, FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the smash hit at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago), will now run through September 2nd with an exciting new Chicago cast, including local theater legend, Mike Nussbaum (Emmy, Drama Desk Award and four-time Jeff Award winner) as "Sigmund Freud" and Coburn Goss (Vigils at the Goodman Theatre, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Steppenwolf Theatre Companyand Off Broadway When the Messenger is Hot at 59E59) as "C.S. Lewis". A current sold-out sensation in New York and winner of the 2011 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play, the Midwest Premiere of FREUD'S LAST SESSION has received rave reviews and a Jeff Recommendation.

Due to popular demand, FREUD'S LAST SESSION at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago), will now run through July 15th with a new Chicago cast, including local theater legend, Mike Nussbaum (Emmy, Drama Desk Award and four-time Jeff Award winner) as "Sigmund Freud" and Coburn Goss (Vigils at the Goodman Theatre, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Steppenwolf Theatre Companyand Off Broadway When the Messenger is Hot at 59E59) as "C.S. Lewis". See below for production photos of Nussbaum and Goss in action!

The producers of FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the smash hit at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago), have announced an extension through July 15th in Chicago.

The Nominating Committee of the Independent Reviewers of New England has honored the F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company with eight (8) 2012 Award Nominations for their completely sold-out and unanimously acclaimed productions of the Broadway musicals "CAROUSEL" which opened at The Arsenal Center for the Arts on July 29, 2011 and "SPRING AWAKENING" which opened at The Arsenal Center for the Arts on November 4, 2011. The ceremony will take place tonight, April 23.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION by Mark St. Germain, now in its second successful year in New York, and currently running at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago) will host a birthday celebration in honor of the anniversary of Sigmund Freud's 156th birthday on Sunday, May 6. Following both performances that day, audiences will have the opportunity to meet and greet with the cast members and snack on cupcakes. One lucky audience member will be selected to receive a "Freudian Slip" by Cosabella, courtesy of Chicago's G Boutique.

The Public Theater will continue the 2011-2012 Public Forum season in February with a night of conversation and songs featuring Stew, Heidi Rodewald and Michael Cerveris. This Public Forum event will coincide with the new musical, The Total Bent, premiering in February as part of the Public Lab series. This intimate evening featuring three great singer-songwriters will take place on Monday, February 27 at 9:30 p.m. at Joe's Pub. Member tickets, priced at $15, are on sale now. Single tickets, priced at $20, go on sale Thursday, January 26.

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community, and this year's nominations have just been announced. IRNE Reviewers include among others David Brooks Andrews, Sheila Barth, Jules Becker, Kay Bourne, Beverly Creasey, Shirley Esthimer, Richard Fahey, Guy Giampapa, Norm Gross, Nancy Grossman, Bryce Lambert, Beatrice Lee, Kilian Melloy and Larry Stark.