The Free Library of Philadelphia hosts An Interview With the Chief Theater Critic for The New York Times Jesse Green at The Free Library of Philadelphia

The Free Library of Philadelphia hosts a special public Zoom interview with Jesse Green, the Chief Theater Critic for The New York Times. After writing more than 1,000 theater reviews, Green still feels anxious about writing on deadline – and he still sweats the small stuff. During the intermission of a major Broadway show, Green will go for a walk, so that he is not impacted by comments from the audience. Unlike many of the people who have held the job before him, Green views the opening of a major new play, or musical as a news story in progress. He won’t read the script until he has seen the show. Green will frequently call a show’s publicist to make sure that he knows exactly how many props appeared on stage. The 66-year-old Green is the rare high school “Theater Nerd,” who has risen to become what is arguably, the single most important voice in the diverse world of American theater. A Yale student who graduated with a dual major in theater and journalism, Jesse Green was an assistant to two legends of the theater world, producer-director Hal Prince and composer John Kander.