|
 |
Go in-depth with the leading artists and professionals working on stage today when you go Downstage Center. Downstage Center is the American Theatre Wing's acclaimed weekly theatrical interview program that spotlights the creative talents on Broadway, Off-Broadway, across the country and around the world, with in-depth conversations that simply can't be found anywhere else. Now in its sixth year, Downstage Center, produced in association with CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, has been featured by the Associated Press and Slate.com as the place to go for theatrical talk. New editions will be available every other Wednesday from this website, where you can listen online, download the programs or subscribe to the podcast. |
|
|
|
Andre De Shields |
|
|
|
|
With:
Andre De Shields
The multi-talented Andre De Shields describes the development of his new one-man show, Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory: From Douglass to Deliverance, and why it may be a work-in-progress for several years to come. He also talks about growing up in a family of 11 children in Baltimore and why he was unexpectedly the one to make a career in entertainment; his undergraduate years at the University of Wisconsin, including an infamous production he described as "the nude Peter Pan," directed by Stuart Gordon (who would later create the Organic Theatre in Chicago and direct the film Re-Animator); why he had to sleep in a public park in order to secure his first professional role in a show he'd never seen -- Hair; why he can lay claim to being the man who made Bette Midler's back-up singers, The Harlettes, dance; how the process of elimination ended up yielding him the title role in The Wiz; why it was Jackie Onassis who revealed to him and his castmates in Ain't Misbehavin' that they were in a hit; whether he'd tackle the multiple roles of director, choreographer, bookwriter, songwriter and star of Harlem Nocturne if he had to do it all over again; his thoughts on African-American actors taking on traditionally Caucasian roles, having had the opportunity to play Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman and Our Town's Stage Manager; why he feels that the musical Play On! was misunderstood; and the incredible liberation of his big number in The Full Monty.
Original air date - February 1, 2010
Running Time - 1:07:09
If you enjoyed this episode of Downstage Center you may want to:
Subscribe to our podcasts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
