Richard Schiff, Richard Kind, & More Set for Drama Desk Summer Panel at Fordham University Today

The Drama Desk will present its Summer Panel Discussion tonight, June 17th at 6:30 pm at the Pope Auditorium on the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham University. Entitled "Making My Broadway Debut," the panel will feature stars of screen and television discussing their Broadway debuts.

Among those who have already expressed a desire to be a part of this exciting Panel are Carrie Coon (2013 Tony Award nominee for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"), Richard Kind (Drama Desk Award winner for "The Big Knife"), Dee Nelson ("The Heiress"), Richard Schiff ("Glengarry Glen Ross" and TV's "The West Wing") and Keala Settle (Drama Desk and Tony Award nominee for "Hands on a Hardbody"). Additional participants will be announced soon.*

This Panel Discussion will be moderated by Robin Milling, Drama Desk member and the host of Milling About on Blogtalk Radio (www.blogtalkradio.com/robin-milling). The Panel is made possible through the generous support of the Fordham University Theatre Program, its Director, Matthew Maguire, and Becca Ballenger, Assistant to Professor Maguire.

Tickets are priced at $15 for Drama Desk members and students, and $20 for guests/non-members and the general public. RSVP by June 15th by sending an e-mail to DramaDeskRSVP@gmail.com Pope Auditorium is located at West 60th Street and Columbus Avenue in Manhattan, with access via the 60th Street entrance of the building.

PARTICIPANTS:

Carrie Coon made her Broadway debut as Honey in the most recent production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" for which she earned a 2013 Tony Award nomination and 2013 Theatre World Award. Coon previously starred in Chicago's Steppenwolf production of this play revival in 2010.

Richard Kind is the winner of the 2013 Drama Desk award for "The Big Knife." He made his Broadway debut in "The Tale of The Allergist's Wife" in 2000. He is best known for playing Paul Lassiter on "Spin City" for six seasons, and as Dr. Mark Devanow on "Mad About You" for seven seasons.

Dee Nelson made her Broadway debut in the 2012-2013 season in "The Heiress" as Mrs. Montgomery. She was most recently in the Roundabout Off-Broadway production of "Sons of the Prophet."

Richard Schiff made his Broadway debut in the 2012-2013 season in "Glengarry Glen Ross" as George Aaronow." He is best known for playing White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler on "The West Wing" for seven seasons.

Keala Settle appeared in the original Broadway cast of "Hands on a Hardbody" as gospel-infused Norma Valverde after making her debut in the ensemble of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." On tour, she has performed the roles of Tracy Turnblad in "Hairspray" and Bloody Mary in "South Pacific." She was nominated for both a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award for "Hands on a Hardbody."

DRAMA DESK (www.dramadesk.org) was created in 1949 by a like-minded group of New York theater critics, editors, reporters and publishers, who all shared a desire to educate the community on vital issues concerning the theater. In 1955 Drama Desk became the first major organization to honor Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway with the Vernon Rice Awards, named for the late New York Post critic who first championed Off-Broadway theater coverage. In 1955, Drama Desk became the first major organization to honor Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway, with the Vernon Rice Awards, named for the late New York Post critic who had pioneered Off-Broadway coverage in the New York press. Drama Desk, which celebrated their 58th continuous Awards show in May 2013, is the only Award ever to honor Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway equally in every award category.

The FORDHAM UNIVERSITY THEATRE PROGRAM (www.fordham.edu) is regarded as one of the most outstanding B.A. theatre-training programs in the country. It combines the intimacy of a small conservatory with an exceptional liberal arts education and the rich resources and opportunities available in the world capital of the performing arts. Located at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), in the heart of New York City and within walking distance of the Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre districts, the Fordham University Theatre Program is chaired by two-time Obie Award-winner Matthew Maguire.

*Panel participants are subject to change.

For the most recent updates, visit Drama Desk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheDramaDesk. Enter the hashtags #DramaDesk or #MillingAbout on Twitter, or visit the Official Website of the Drama Desk: www.dramadesk.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride