Accidental Repertory Theater Presents Steve Buscemi Q & A, 6/1

Accidental Rep's Artistic Director John Strasberg will interview SAG and Golden Globe Award winner Steve Buscemi, live, on stage about the personal nature of the creative process. The event takes place on Wednesday, June 1st at 7:00 pm and is a benefit for Accidental Repertory Theater (ART). Tickets are $60 General Admission or $500 for reserved seating that includes a pre-show invitation-only reception. General Admission tickets can be purchased at SmartTix.com or by calling (212) 868-4444. For the invitation-only benefit tickets call 646-435-7867 directly. The Living Theatre is located at 21 Clinton Street, between East Houston and Stanton in NYC.

In the first of a series of one-on-one interviews discussing acting, art, and the creative process, John Strasberg, Artistic Director of Accidental Repertory Theater (ART), will talk with Steve Buscemi, his former student, in this one night only event. The discussion will focus on the personal nature of the creative process.

Brooklyn born Steve Buscemi began his career studying acting with John Strasberg. He later began writing and performing original theatre pieces with fellow actor/writer Mark Boone Junior, as well as working with playwright/director John Jesurun and The Wooster Group. This led to his being cast in his first lead role in "Parting Glances" (1986). Since then, he has appeared in numerous films including "Mystery Train", "Reservoir Dogs", "Fargo", "The Big Lebowski", "Armageddon", "Ghost World", "The Sopranos", "The Messenger", and "Youth In Revolt".

Currently Buscemi is starring in the HBO drama "Boardwalk Empire", and can be seen next in the film "On The Road" directed by Walter Salles.
Buscemi has also worked as a writer and director, with film directing credits including "Trees Lounge", "Animal Factory", "Lonesome Jim", and "Interview". In addition, he is an Emmy nominated television director for his work on "The Sopranos", and has recently helmed episodes of "30 Rock" and "Nurse Jackie".

Buscemi also started a New York based Production Company in 2008, called Olive Productions, with Stanley Tucci and producer Wren Arthur. Olive has a diverse slate of film and television projects, many of which have been developed for Steve and Stanley to direct.

Director/Writer John Strasberg's international career continues the artistic tradition of the Strasberg family. He co-founded the Mirror Repertory Company where he directed, PARADISE LOST by Clifford Odets, INHERITORS by Susan Glaspell, RAIN, VIVAT! VIVAT! REGINA!, and Ibsen's GHOSTS, working with artists like Geraldine Page, whom he met at the Actors' Studio, where he worked alongside her, Paul Newman and JoAnne Woodward, Al Pacino, Marilyn Monroe, Dustin Hoffman, Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, and Elia Kazan. He also co-directed ALICE IN WONDERLAND on Broadway with Eva LeGallienne. He has conceived, designed, and directed productions of Pirandello, Ibsen, O'Neill, Lope De Vega, and Beckett, among others. In Europe, productions included Shakespeare's RICHARD III, Aristophanes, THE ASSEMBLYWOMEN, in Spain, the latt! er as a musical play for the Festival de Merida, and CYRANO DE BERGERAC by Edmund Rostand. The John Strasberg Studios is an international center for creative development and theater arts research which opened in New York in 1996. His first book is entitled Accidentally On Purpose: Reflections on Life, Acting and the Nine Natural Laws of Creativity. A documentary, Accidentally On Purpose, won Best Education Documentary at the Los Angeles International Independent Film Festival in 2000.

Accidental Repertory Theater (ART) was founded in 2005 by Artistic Director John Strasberg as a practical expression of the Organic Creative Process. Weekly professional workshops are a key component of the company, providing an opportunity for each participant to work on his or her creative process and to establish a common vocabulary and way of working. Past works by the company include BRECHT ON BRECHT, Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE, as well as a contemporary version of the play called PLAYING HOUSE. ART produced two works for its Arts-In-Education outreach: The WORLD OF WRITERS (WOW) series, Tennessee Williams: THE WRITER AND HIS WORLD, based on the plays and letters of Tennessee Williams and his mother, EdwIna Williams; and STORY TRAIN, an Arts-In-Education residency, developed by working with NYC public school second graders to create their own! theater presentations based on New York City landmarks. Both works are available to schools and libraries throughout the tri-state area. For more information visit www.accidentalrep.org.

Accidental Repertory Theater's production of ADAMS' APPLES, inspired by Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD continues through June 5th, also at the Living Theatre. All tickets are $25.00. Tickets can be purchased at SmartTix.com or by calling (212) 868-4444. The Living Theatre is located at 21 Clinton Street, between East Houston and Stanton in NYC.

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