American Theatre Wing Provides Video & Audio on iTunes U

The American Theatre Wing announced it is now making its wealth of video and audio encompassing all aspects of the theatre available for free on iTunes U, an area of the iTunes Store dedicated to educational content. Now students, lifelong learners and theatre enthusiasts can search, browse and download from a collection of theatre-specific material unparalleled in its depth and scope.

The American Theatre Wing joins other prestigious organizations such as PBS, the Smithsonian, The Museum of Modern Art, and American Public Media in the "Beyond Campus" area, designed to supplement the iTunes U offerings from many of the country's top colleges and universities.

The material provided by the Wing is free of charge and includes over 500 hours of theatrical expertise from some of the top lyricists, producers, directors and playwrights from ATW's "Downstage Center" and "Working in Theatre" interviews. To facilitate its use by theatre students, the material is organized into a variety of topics, including Acting, Advertising and Press, Artistic Direction, Casting, Choreography, Critics, Design and Producing and Management.

Students can now delve into the minds of some of the top players in the theatre industry including education and training advice from such actors as Matthew Broderick, Audra McDonald, Neil Patrick Harris, Norbert Leo Butz, Cynthia Nixon, Billy Crudup; the creative and producing teams behind Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, Mamma Mia!, Aida and The Producers; noted playwrights including Edward Albee, Tom Stoppard, Marsha Norman, Horton Foote, Alan Ayckbourn and Paula Vogel ; and directors Jack O'Brien, Michael Blakemore, Bartlett Sher, Graciela Daniele, Susan Stroman and Jerry Mitchell. Also available is practical advice from some of New York's top casting directors; an inside look at the production of cast recordings, and insight into theatrical advertising and promotion from the industry's most influential professionals.

The American Theatre Wing is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, which it presents annually with The Broadway League.  The Wing's other activities, dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, include "Working in the Theatre," now in its 29th year of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Downstage Center," an hour-long weekly interview program on XM Satellite Radio; "Guides to Careers in the Theatre," a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which has awarded more than $2.5 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC.  Visitors to www.americantheatrewing.org can view or download an archive of "Working in the Theatre" and the career guides and listen to "Downstage Center", all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast. Sondra Gilman is Chairman of the Board of the American Theatre Wing; Doug Leeds is President of the Board and Howard Sherman is Executive Director.