American Theatre Wing presents Stephen Sondheim on 250th Special Edition of 'Downstage Center' Now Online

The American Theatre Wing has announced that legendary composerand lyricist Stephen Sondheim, currently represented on Broadway by A Little Night Musicand soon to be featured in the title role(s) of Roundabout Theatre Company's Sondheim onSondheim, is the guest for the 250 th interview on the popular audio program, "DownstageCenter.

"Hosted by American Theatre Wing Executive Director Howard Sherman, "Downstage Center" is an unrivaled source of in-depth theatrical conversation, featuring weeklyhour-long interviews with the leading artists and professionals working on stage today. Mr.Sondheim's interview is available online and as a podcast beginning today (Monday, 1/4)through iTunes or an RSS feed.

Click http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter to listenor subscribe. The program features a candid Sondheim offering unique insights into hisremarkable career, from his earliest days under the tutelage of Oscar Hammerstein II throughthe upcoming, two-volume compendium of his lyrics, as the theater world celebrates his 80 th birthday year.

As the home for America's largest free online archive of media focused on how theatre is made,in the words of the very people who make it, in the past month, ATW has released two newonline episodes of the television program "Working in the Theatre":Beyond Broadway: InterNational Theatre with Simone Genatt (Chairman, BroadwayAsia), Robert Nederlander, Jr. (President/CEO, Nederlander WorldwideEntertainment) and Alan Wasser (General Manager, Alan Wasser Associates), moderated by Gordon Cox of Variety.

http://americantheatrewing.org/wit/detail/beyond_broadway_10_09

Amazing Affinity: Actors 2009 with Danny Burstein, Malcolm Gets, Bill Pullman, and John Douglas Tompson, moderated by Gordon Coxo http://americantheatrewing.org/wit/detail/actors_11_09

In addition to today's new Stephen Sondheim program, four other new editions of the podcast "Downstage Center," have made their debut:Actor Hunter Foster, from Ordinary Days at Roundabout Underground's black box

http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/hunter_foster

Actor Jim Norton, currently appearing in Broadway's Finian's Rainbow

http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/jim_norton

Bernard Gersten, Executive Director of Lincoln Center Theater

http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/bernard_gersten

Actress Beth Leavel, Mamma Mia!'s newest leading lady

http://americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/beth_leavel

ATW premiered two editions of the new backstage video podcast, "In The Wings":"Dialect Coach" featuring Stephen Gabis of The 39 Steps

http://americantheatrewing.org/inthewings/detail/dialect_coach

"Fight Director" featuring Rick Sordelet of Superior Donuts & The Royal Family

http://americantheatrewing.org/inthewings/detail/fight_director

ATW also added to its collection: Conversations from the SDCF "Masters of the Stage" series, including programs withSarah H. Schulman, Zoe Caldwell, Gerald Freedman and Stuart Vaughano http://americantheatrewing.org/sdcfmasters/

Classic editions of The Broadway League's "This is Broadway" with JosephAbaldo, Jessica James, James Earl Jones, Jerry Orbach and Marge Redmond

http://americantheatrewing.org/thisisbroadway/

Published on December 1, The American Theatre Wing presents The Play ThatChanged My Life: America's Foremost Playwrights on the Plays that InfluencedThem, is in stores now.

The 178-page paperback, published by Applause Theatre & CinemaBooks and edited by Ben Hodges (Theatre World), features an Introduction by Paula Vogeland essays and interviews from nineteen of America's most distinguished playwrights on theplays that transformed their lives, and is available from all major book outlets.

The American Theatre Wing (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman, Board of Directors; HowardSherman, Executive Director) is a not-for-profit organization best known as the creator of theAntoinette Perry "Tony" Awards ® , which it presents annually with The Broadway League. Inaddition to "Downstage Center," "In The Wings," "Working in the Theatre," and a host of otheronline resources, The Wing sponsors many activities, all dedicated to recognizing excellence andsupporting education in theatre.

Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can listen to, watch or download from ATW's extensive media collection, and learn more about all of its programmingfor students, aspiring and working professionals, and audiences who want to learn more aboutthe making of theatre.Follow ATW on Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing and Twitter.com/TheWing.

Photo credit: Walter McBride