TV: Jason Robert Brown on PARADE - All the Wasted Time

Music Theatre International (MTI) just launched its free online community, MTI ShowSpace (www.mtishowspace.com). Dedicated to people who love and live musical theatre, MTI ShowSpace offers thespians and fans a space to connect with anyone and everyone involved in the theatrical process, and serves as a continuously expanding free knowledge database so that members can make their next show their best show.

In this interview clip made available to BroadwayWorld.com, MTI's Ken Kleiber (That's Kentertainment!), sat down with Tony Award-winning composer, Jason Robert Brown (SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, PARADE, 13) in Jason' home studio in Los Angeles, to discuss the author's thoughts on PARADE. The piece, the first in a series appearing on MTI ShowSpace, was conceived to give users another way to connect with Jason and his work, in particular 13 and PARADE.

In this clip, and in the additional MTI ShowSpace interviews, Jason discusses his creative process, his inspiration and the challenges he faced in bringing these two shows to life. PARADE just finished a run in LA at the Mark Taper Forum, while MTI recently made the rights to perform 13 available for licensing. Creating these features was a good opportunity for MTI to showcase Jason's insight into writing, casting and producing the shows.
Exclusive interviews with Tony Award-winning composer, Stephen Sondheim (WEST SIDE STORY, COMPANY, INTO THE WOODS, SWEENEY TODD), have also been posted in celebration of the site's official launch, and MTI will continue to grow its online library of talks with authors and other leaders in theatre.

Throughout the United States and Canada, 45,000 amateur and professional theatrical organizations involve more than four million households. MTI ShowSpace offers each of these organizations - and their over twenty-five million audience members - an organic, multi-leveled way to network.

Interactive forums allow educators of all levels to share and receive curriculum enhancement strategies as well as set-building and costume-creation techniques. This peer-to-peer network is further enhanced by a dedicated team of MTI experts who provide immediate assistance to any director who has questions about "putting on a show" in his or her community. The site also provides a stage for the next generation of artists to showcase their talents with photo and video sharing features, while also enabling users to brainstorm about holding auditions, raising funds, securing a venue and producing a great show. The MTI Vault provides an archive of original production photos and other rare media treasures from the past fifty years for reference.