LCT's Platform Series to Continue with ACT ONE's Tony Shalhoub, Santino Fontana & Andrea Martin, 5/8

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, continues its 16th season on Thursday, May 8 at 6 pm with SANTINO FONTANA, ANDREA MARTIN and TONY SHALBOUB, cast members of Act One, currently playing at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.

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 roles with Tony Shalhoub, Santino Fontana and Matthew Schechter playing Moss Hart at different stages of his life. ANDREA MARTIN play's Moss' Aunt Kate, among other roles.

SANTINO FONTANA LCT: debut. Broadway: Cinderella (Tony nomination), The Importance of Being Earnest (Clarence Derwent Award), Brighton Beach Memoirs (Drama Desk Award), Billy Elliot, Sunday in the Park with George. Off-Broadway: Sons of the Prophet (Lortel, Obie awards), The Fantasticks, Perfect Harmony (co-writer). Regional: Six Degrees of Separation, Death of a Salesman, A Christmas Carol, As You Like It, Hamlet (Guthrie); Love's Labour's Lost, On the Verge, September 11th Project (Chautauqua Theater Co.); NYSAF; Sundance Theatre Lab. Film: Frozen; Jack Ryan; Nancy, Please. TV: "The Money," "The Good Wife," "Nurse Jackie," "A Gifted Man," "Royal Pains," "Made in Jersey." Webseries: "Submissions Only." Education: BFA, Guthrie/University of Minnesota Actor Training Program

ANDREA MARTIN LCT: My Favorite Year (Tony, Drama Desk, Theatre World awards). Broadway: Pippin (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Elliot Norton awards; Astaire nomination), Exit the King (DD, OCC noms.), Young Frankenstein (Tony, DD noms.), Oklahoma! (Tony, DD noms.), Candide (Tony, DD noms.). Regional: The Matchmaker, The Royal Family (Williamstown); Betty's Summer Vacation (Elliot Norton, IRNE awards), The Rose Tattoo (Huntington). Tour: Final Days: Everything Must Go. Film: The Producers, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, All Over the Guy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Breaking Upwards. TV: "SCTV" (two Emmy awards), "Sesame Street" (Special Emmy Award), "The Simpsons," "30 Rock," "Nurse Jackie." Upcoming: Night at the Museum 3, "Working the Engels" (NBC series), Andrea Martin's Lady Parts (Harper Collins/fall 2014).

TONY SHALHOUB LCT: Golden Boy (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League nominations). Broadway: Lend Me a Tenor, Conversations with My Father (Tony nom.), The Heidi Chronicles, The Odd Couple (female version). Off-Broadway: The Scene (Second Stage); Waiting for Godot, Rameau's Nephew (CSC); Zero Positive (Public Theater). Regional: Rum & Coke, Progress, Measure for Measure, School for Scandal, The Old Neighborhood, Three Sisters. Film: Big Night, Barton Fink, The Siege, A Civil Action, Galaxy Quest, The Man Who Wasn't There, Men in Black I and II, Made-Up, Feed the Fish, Cars I and II, The Great New Wonderful, Pain and Gain. TV: "Wings," "Monk," "Too Big to Fail," "Hemingway and Gellhorn" (HBO).

LCT's next platform is scheduled for Thursday, May 29 at 6:00 pm with cast members of THE CITY OF CONVERSATION, currently in previews 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 Credit: Joan Marcus