Bill T. Jones, Neil Simon, FINIAN'S Master Magician & More Talk Theater with Michael Riedel in November

Theater Talk, a weekly expose of world theater that airs on PBS Friday nights (PBS/Thirteen) and 5 times weekly on CUNY TV will feature Broadway's best, including the creative team of Fela, Finian's Rainbow master magician, Neil Simon, George S. Kaufman and The Royal Family and more it's upcoming broadcasts this month.

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post and series producer Susan Haskins.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

This Week on Thirteen and CUNY TV...

Fela's Innovative Creative Team plus A Fabulous Feat of Magic from Finian's Master Magician

On Thirteen:
Friday, November 6 at 1:00 AM

On CUNY TV:
Saturday, November 14th at 8:30 PM
Sunday, November 15th at 12:30 PM and
Monday, November 16th at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM

A conversation with the creative team of the exciting new Broadway show Fela!: director Bill T. Jones, producer Stephen Hendel, and the dynamic Sahr Ngaujah who plays the title role of the legendary Nigerian superstar and activist Fela Kuti.

Next up, master illusionist, Matthew Holtzclaw and actor Chuck Cooper of Finian's Rainbow perform a dazzling magic trick that will fulfill the dream of every producer on Broadway.

This Week on CUNY TV Only

Playwright Neil Simon, Mogul Jordan Roth, and
AndrewAndrew @ Bye Bye Birdie

On CUNY TV:
Saturday, November 7 at 8:30 PM
Sunday, November 8th at 12:30 PM and
Monday, November 9th at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM

A classic conversation with playwright Neil Simon, whose Brighton Beach Memoirs was revived on Broadway, for about a week.

What happened? We don't know, but this conversation with Simon is nevertheless fascinating. One of the world's all-time most successful playwrights, the witty and prolific Simon talks about his early days as a comedy writer for television and how, with great determination, he broke into writing plays for the legitimate stage.

Also, in conversation is the new president of Jujamcyn Theaters, Jordan Roth. At 33, Roth is the youngest of Broadway's major power brokers. Roth will discuss the changing face of the Great White Way and his plans to help it move into the future and shine.

Finally, AndrewAndrew of East Village Radio, will file a report from the star-studded opening of Bye Bye Birdie at the new Henry Miller Theatre.

Coming Up...

George S. Kaufman and The Royal Family

On Thirteen:
Friday, November 13th at 1:00 AM

On CUNY TV:
Saturday, November 14th at 8:30 PM
Sunday, November 15th at 12:30 PM and
Monday, November 16th at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM

George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's classic comedy, The Royal Family, now being revived at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Critic Charles Isherwood of The New York Times and humorist Paul Rudnick will discuss the genius of George S. Kaufman, who essentially created the genre of screwball comedy.

Next up, Royal Family costars John Glover and Tony Roberts, talk about working with director Doug Hughes to create their roles in this crowd-pleasing revival of the 1927 play which Kaufman and Ferber loosely based on the Barrymore acting family.

Theater Talk is taped at CUNY-TV Studios in New York City. The Executive Producer for CUNY TV is Bob Isaacson, the Producer of Theater Talk is Steven Doloff and Associate Producers are Rossmary
Cruz and Vanessa Mourner. It is directed by Adam Walker with engineering by John Harvi and lighting design by Jonathan Belcher. The show is edited by Larry Guo, Quan Ou and Sylvester Lukasiewicz. The program is funded by contributions from private foundations and individuals, as well as The New York State Council on the Arts and The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information on Theater Talk, e-mail theatertlk@aol.com or visit www.theatertalk.org.

Theater Talk is also telecast every Thursday night on PBS Station NJN, which is available to
all over-the-air digital and cable TV viewers in the NYC area.

For clips and highlights from the show, please visit https://www.youtube.com/user/theatertalk.

To watch the show in streaming video or iTunes, visit http://www.cuny.tv/series/theatertalk/listen.lasso?year=2008.