BEAUTIFUL Star Jessie Mueller to Chat with Sarah Jessica Parker, Host of WNYC's 'Leonard Lopate Show', 4/15

This week, iconic New Yorker Sarah Jessica Parker will debut a new role: radio host. For two days, the award-winning actress will step in for Leonard Lopate, host of "The Leonard Lopate Show," WNYC's Peabody Award-Winning show that features a wide range of cultural conversations".

Parker handpicked the guests she will be interviewing, as follows:

Tuesday, April 15:

· Dexter Filkins, journalist at The New Yorker and author of The Forever War, discusses his experiences covering war in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

· Alex Katz chats about his long career as a painter, sculptor and printmaker as well as his thoughts on the art community.

· Jessie Mueller, the star of "Beautiful: The Carol King Musical" and Doug McGrath, who wrote the book for the show, talk about the process of bringing the show to Broadway.

· Terrence McNally and actors Tyne Daly and Frederick Weller discuss McNally's new play "Mothers and Sons"

Wednesday, April 16:

· Gelsey Kirkland, the world famous ballet dancer, and her husband Michael Chernov, discuss starting up The Gelsey Kirkland Conservatory of Classical Ballet in lower Manhattan, what they can add to the culture of NYC, the history of classical ballet, how they came together, and their own individual paths in dance.

· Ashley Bouder and Sara Mearns, principal dancers with the New York City Ballet, talk about their careers as dancers, and the stresses and joys of being in the NYCB.

· Anthony Marra discusses his debut novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in which two doctors risk everything to save the life of a hunted child in this story about love, loss, and the unexpected ties that bind us together.

· Glenn Lowry, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, explains what goes on behind-the-scenes of a major exhibition, such as the current "Gauguin Metamorphoses" show, the future of museums, museums as social spaces, and how museums are using technology.

"The Leonard Lopate Show" airs weekdays from 12pm to 2pm on 93.9 FM, AM 820. Listen to live web-streaming and on-deamand listening at www.wnyc.org.

New York Public Radio is New York's premier public radio franchise, comprising WNYC, WQXR, The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, and New Jersey Public Radio, as well as www.wnyc.org, www.wqxr.org, www.thegreenespace.org and www.njpublicradio.org. As America's most listened-to AM/FM news and talk public radio stations, reaching 1.1 million listeners every week, WNYC extends New York City's cultural riches to the entire country on-air and online, and presents the best national offerings from networks NPR, Public Radio International, American Public Media, and the British Broadcasting Company. WQXR is New York City's sole 24-hour classical music station, presenting new and landmark classical recordings as well as live concerts from the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and Carnegie Hall, among other New York City venues, immersing listeners in the city's rich musical life. In addition to its audio content, WNYC and WQXR produce content for live, radio and web audiences from The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, the station's street-level multipurpose, multiplatform broadcast studio and performance space. New Jersey Public Radio extends WNYC's reach and service more deeply into New Jersey. For more information about New York Public Radio, visit www.nypublicradio.org.