Preston Sadleir News

NEXT: Now Entering the Crossroads of Theatre presents The Music of Will Van Dyke followed by a NEXT Networking Event Monday, October 4th at 7PM

Concluding BroadwayWorld's exclusive three-part series on Edward Albee's newest masterpiece ME, MYSELF & I, comes this exciting and energized interview with the youngest star of the show, playing one of the titular twosome both named Otto, the enthusiastic and expressive Preston Sadleir! In this in-depth conversation we discuss working with Elizabeth Ashley and Brian Murray on ME, MYSELF & I as well as the director, Emily Mann, and the master writer himself, Edward Albee. Additionally, we discuss the rehearsal process at Playwrights' Horizons, the themes of the play, the acting process onstage acting every night with two of the greats, as well as what the play means to not only himself as an actor, but also to the twenty-first century audience coming to see the show (which has just been extended and now runs to October 31st). We also talk about the exciting workshop productions and readings of two burgeoning musicals that are eyeing Broadway soon, including the much anticipated Broadway revival of CARRIE and a new original cougar-themed musical starring Jane Krakowski called MRS. SHARP! Few performers are so at ease in plays and musicals as Preston is - and at barely twenty-five years old - so here is a chance to see why he is one of the hottest new theatrical stars on the rise! Enjoy!

Earlier this month I had the chance to conduct an InDepth InterView with Drama Desk-winning stage actor and director Brian Murray who currently co-stars with Elizabeth Ashley in Edward Albee's new off-Broadway absurdest farce ME, MYSELF & I and our conversation now constitutes the second part in BroadwayWorld's exclusive 3-part series on the new Albee masterpiece. In this illuminating conversation, in addition to a thorough discussion of ME, MYSELF & I, Murray also dishes on his new 2011 'horrific chiller' co-starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts directed by esteemed director Jim Sheridan (MY LEFT FOOT, THE BOXER, GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN', BROTHERS), as well as playing Alec Baldwin and Nathan Lane's alcoholic father on 30 ROCK (married to Elaine Stritch!) and his warm words to his TWELFTH NIGHT co-star Kyra Sedgwick on her recent Emmy win as Best Actress for THE CLOSER! Plus, working with Kevin Kline, Helen Hunt, Marian Seldes, Nathan Lane, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey and much, much more! Enjoy the intelligent wit and impassioned dedication Murray feels for his craft in this introspective InDepth InterView!

Today we have Part I of the BWW Exclusive two-part InDepth InterView with legendary stage and screen actress - and, bar none, the greatest Tennessee Williams actress alive - Tony-winning star, and a legend in her own time: Elizabeth Ashley! In this first part, we talk her early stage career from TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE directed by George Abbott and produced by Hal Prince in the 60s up to AGNES OF GOD opposite Amanda Plummer and Geraldine Page in the early 80s continuing to Tracy Letts' Pulitzer-prize winning opus AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY in 2007 - to say nothing of the central focus of our extended conversation: her most recent role playing the mother of twin sons named Otto (and/or 'otto') in Edward Albee's newest absurdist masterpiece, ME, MYSELF & I, which can currently be seen at Playrights' Horizons! From the grande dame of Williams, to life with Orson Welles, to living on the road (by choice), and a life in the theatre (no choice), Ms. Ashley is a fabulous, veritable walking, talking history of the American theatre in the last forty years and no one - I repeat, no one - can tell a story better than she can! From Mohammad Ali to Edward Albee, this interview has it all! She is one of the greats, onstage and off. There will never be another Liz Ashley and this first part is just half the reason why!

NEXT: Now Entering the Crossroads of Theatre presents The Music of Will Van Dyke followed by a NEXT Networking Event Monday, October 4th at 7PM

This afternoon I had the pleasure of speaking to Lesley Gore, the iconic 60s pop star and legendary recording artist of 'It's My Party', 'You Don't Own Me' and more, who will be appearing in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET for one night only on Friday night, September 24, 2010. In our discussion we touched upon the work her brother Michael Gore , the accomplished Oscar-winning songwriter best known for FAME and FOOTLOOSE, has been doing on his 1980s musical version of the Stephen King novel and Brian De Palma film CARRIE. Gore exclusively confirms to BroadwayWorld that plans are indeed afoot to bring CARRIE back to Broadway in a big, beautiful, brilliant new way with a slew of new songs! Be sure to check out the complete SOUND OFF SPECIAL INTERVIEW with Lesley Gore coming later this month!

There's a strong essence of familiarity to be whiffed at Edward Albee's latest, Me, Myself & I, especially if you have fond memories of his far superior absurdist effort, The Play About The Baby.  Once again there's a bickering couple bearing a strong resemblance to an older version of ...Virginia Woolf?'s George and Martha, especially in their dominating relationship to a younger couple and the matter of a child who may or may not exist.  This isn't necessarily a flaw in the piece, but when farce isn't funny, when wordplay lacks crackle and when a play about identity can't seem to claim its own, the mind tends to wander to sunnier days.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum, resurrected the infamous flop musical CARRIE for an Equity reading that had a notoriously short 3 night, 5 performance run on Broadway in 1988. The reading took place on November 20, 2009. The hope is to bring 'Carrie' and her supernatural powers back to the Broadway stage.

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York premiere production of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I with a cast lead by Elizabeth Ashley & Brian Murray and directed by Emily Mann

Rehearsals are now underway for the Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) New York premiere of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I, a new play by the three-time Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony Award winner (A Delicate Balance; Seascape; Three Tall Women; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia?). The production opens the theater company's 40th Anniversary Season, in which Mr. Albee will be making his Playwrights Horizons debut. The play is Mr. Albee's 30th.

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York premiere production of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I with a cast lead by Elizabeth Ashley & Brian Murray and directed by Emily Mann

BroadwayWorld.com is pleased to present illustrator Ken Fallin, who brings you original illustrations of everyone's favorite theatrical stars each week. This week's feature: Zachary Booth, Preston Sadleir, Elizabeth Ashley and Brian Murray in Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF AND I.

Rehearsals are now underway for the Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) New York premiere of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I, a new play by the three-time Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony Award winner (A Delicate Balance; Seascape; Three Tall Women; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia?). The production opens the theater company's 40th Anniversary Season, in which Mr. Albee will be making his Playwrights Horizons debut. The play is Mr. Albee's 30th.

Playwrights Horizons is now accepting 'LIVEforFIVE' lottery entries for $5 tickets to the first preview of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I, directed by Emily Mann, at the Playwrights Horizons website.

Rehearsals are now underway for the Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) New York premiere of Edward Albee's ME, MYSELF & I, a new play by the three-time Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony Award winner (A Delicate Balance; Seascape; Three Tall Women; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia?). The production opens the theater company's 40th Anniversary Season, in which Mr. Albee will be making his Playwrights Horizons debut. The play is Mr. Albee's 30th.

First Day of Rehearsals kick off for the cast and creative team of PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZONS' New York premiere production of EDWARD ALBEE's ME, MYSELF & I with a cast lead by ELIZABETH ASHLEY & BRIAN MURRAY and directed by EMILY MANN

Rockin' Off Mondays presents 'The Songs of Elton John' tonight, June 28 at 9:30 PM at The Duplex. The evening will feature the talents of Wesley Taylor (The Addams Family, Rock of Ages), Alex Brightman (Wicked), Celina Carvajal (Tarzan), Michael Buchanan (Cry-Baby) and Preston Sadleir.

On Monday, July 26th, New York Theatre Barn will present its monthly showcase for emerging writers and performers at the D-Lounge at the Daryl Roth Theater, which will feature the music of Joel Waggoner, Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde), Ryan Scott Oliver (Mrs. Sharp), Gaby Alter (Band Geeks), Joy Son, Julian Fleisher, and Kirsten Guenther.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional casting for its 2010/2011 40th Anniversary Season.

Wesley Taylor (The Addams Family, Rock Of Ages), Alex Brightman (Wicked), and Celina Carvajal (Tarzan) will join pit orchestra musicians to rock on their day off under the musical direction of Will Van Dyke, presented by Thomas Honeck and Lisa Moss