Critics Ben Brantley, Peter Marks and Terry Teachout Set for THEATER TALK, Beg. Today

With Tony Awards fever growing ever hotter -- the Tony telecast is June 8 -- THEATER TALK assembles a panel of key critics to share their opinions about the just-concluded theater season. Ben Brantley of The New York Times, Peter Marks of The Washington Post and Terry Teachout of The Wall Street Journal speak candidly about the highs and lows of what they have seen "on the aisle" in Critics Spring Review, co-hosted by Michael Riedel of the New York Post and Susan Haskins. This episode premieres today, May 30 (2014) at 1 AM (Saturday morning) on Thirteen/PBS, and repeats in the New York metro area on CUNY TV* Saturday 5/31 at 8:30 PM, Sunday 6/1 at 12:30 PM, and Monday 6/2 at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM.

Shows that get extended commentary include After Midnight, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, Bullets Over Broadway, The Cripple of Inishmaan, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, If/Then, and A Raisin in the Sun. In addition, inspired by Of Mice and Men star James Franco's recent derogatory comment about Brantley on Instagram, the panel talks about that comment (Brantley's reaction is surprising) and other attacks they've gotten from those whom they have panned. Beyond that, viewers will have to watch the show to learn who says the following - and about what: "It's staging in search of a score," "Kind of second-rate," "Every song was the same," "It looks better in retrospect" and "There's no encouragement on Broadway but for the tried and true."

THEATER TALK is jointly produced by the not-for-profits Theater Talk Productions and CUNY TV. The program is taped in the Himan Brown TV and Radio Studios at The City University of New York (CUNY) TV in Manhattan, and is distributed to 100+ participating public television stations nationwide. THEATER TALK is made possible, in part, by The New York State Council on the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The TDF/TAP Plus Program, The CUNY TV Foundation and The Friends of THEATER TALK.

*CUNY TV, the City University of New York television station, is broadcast over-the-air in the New York metropolitan area on digital Ch. 25.3, and cablecast in the five boroughs of New York City on Ch. 75 (Time Warner and Cablevision/Optimum), Ch. 77 (RCN), and Ch. 30 (Verizon FiOS). The show is available online anytime at www.cuny.tv and www.theatertalk.org, and via iTunes podcasts. CUNY TV is also live-streamed in New York on www.Aereo.com. Beginning June 2, the above episode will be archived for viewing on CUNY TV's website www.cuny.tv as well as on www.theatertalk.org.