John Kander & Twyla Tharp Named Guest Stars of 2014 Broadway Master Classes

John Kander and Twyla Tharp will be special guests at the 2014 Live Design Broadway Master Classes, where they will join in lively discussions with two of the top designers working on Broadway today. Composer John Kander joins sound designer Nevin Steinberg to discuss the essential collaboration between the two roles; while choreographer Twyla Tharp joins lighting designer Don Holder on the subject of light. Conversations like this are not to be missed! Individual tickets to these events are $50 per person and can be purchased by clicking the registration button at www.livedesignmasterclasses.com.

At the Broadway Lighting Master Classes (Saturday, May 31, 2:30pm-4:00pn at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 West 37th Street, NYC ):

TWYLA THARP AND DONALD HOLDER: THE CHOREOGRAPHER AND THE LIGHTING DESIGNER: An informal discussion exploring what each of these world-famous Tony Award-winning talents thinks about light for dance, drama, how do they collaborate, how does one communicate about light, examples of success or failure in getting the lighting that you want, and differences between dance, concert, and Broadway musical lighting.

Tony Award-winning choreographer Twyla Tharp (Movin' Out, 2003, with lighting by Donald Holder) is a leading American choreographer, who in addition to heading the Tywla Tharp Dance from 1971-1988, she has choreographed hundreds of dances for companies ranging from American Ballet Theatre to The Joffrey Ballet. Her Broadway work includes Come Fly Away (2010) set to Frank Sinatra songs, and The Times They Are A Changin' to the music of Bob Dylan.

At the Broadway Sound Master Classes (Thursday, June 5, 4:15pm-5:45pm at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, 721 Broadway, NYC):

NEVIN STEINBERG IN CONVERSATION WITH COMPOSER, JOHN KANDER: Sound designer Nevin Steinberg, currently represented on Broadway with Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella which he received a Tony nomination, discusses the essential designer-composer relationship with Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning composer John Kander (Tony-winner for Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Cabaret, and Woman Of The Year). They most recently collaborated on The Landing, a John Kander musical last fall.

John Kander was part of the famed songwriting team of Kander and Ebb, until the death of his musical partner, Fred Ebb, in 2004. They are perhaps best known for the 1966 musical, Cabaret, and its 1972 film version, as well as the 1975 musical, Chicago, and its 2002 film version. Both musicals won numerous awards. Kander and Ebb's final collaboration was the Broadway musical, The Scottsboro Boys.

The Live Design Master Classes feature the industry's top designers and artisans coming together to share their insights and opinions with attendees from around the world in a relaxed intimate setting. The classes provide a combination of aesthetic, technical, and practical information, while the manufacturers' showcase periods allow attendees and speakers the chance to check out the latest gear. At select events, attendees get to see a show designed by one of the speakers and stay for a post-show discussion. For additional information and registration: www.livedesignmasterclasses.com.

Photo by Walter McBride