LCT's Platform Series to Continue with ACT ONE's James Lapine, 4/8

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, continues its 16th season on Tuesday April 8, at 6 pm with JAMES LAPINE, the playwright and director Act One.

Platform Series events take place in the early evening in the lobby of the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65th Street). Admission is free and open to all; however, seating in the lobby is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis only, beginning at a half hour before the talk. (Speakers and schedules are subject to change. Call 212-362-7600 to confirm on the day of the event.)

ACT ONE, James Lapine's new play from the classic autobiography by Moss Hart, deemed one of the finest books about 20th-century American theater, eloquently chronicles the playwright/director's impoverished childhood and his determined struggle to escape poverty and forge a career in the theater. A path which led to his collaboration with George S. Kaufman and their first great success, Once In a Lifetime. The company of twenty-two actors plays multiple roles with Tony Shalhoub, Santino Fontana and Matthew Schechter playing Moss Hart at different stages of his life.

James Lapine returns to LCT where he wrote the book for the musical A New Brain (with music and lyrics by William Finn) and directed his play Twelve Dreams. Director of the current HBO documentary Six By Sondheim, he collaborated with Stephen Sondheim as author and director on the musicals Sunday in the Park with George (Pulitzer Prize), Into the Woods, Passion (Tony Award) and the multi-media revue Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he has also collaborated on March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland (later presented on Broadway as Falsettos), Muscle and Little Miss Sunshine. On Broadway he also directed the 2013 revival of the musical Annie, Golden Child, The Diary of Anne Frank, Amour and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His other plays include Luck, Pluck and Virtue, The Moment When, Fran's Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing.

LCT's next platform is scheduled for Thursday, May 1 at 6:00 pm with playwright ANTHONY GIARDINA and director DOUG HUGHES to discuss THE CITY OF CONVERSATION, beginning previews April 10 at LCT's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform series was introduced in the summer of 1998. Transcripts of the previous talks are available on-line at www.lct.org.

Photo by Walter McBride