The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Playwright Lanford Wilson, on their weekly theatrical interview show, “Downstage Center,” on XM’s On Broadway (XM Channel 28).
Wilson will appear as the special guest on Friday, October 17 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday, October 18 at noon, Sunday, October 19 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, October 22 at midnight (all times eastern; transmission is simultaneous across the country). The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org and iTunes beginning Monday afternoon, October 20.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson discusses the creation of his famed "Talley trilogy," including Fifth of July, which stemmed in part from his equating an Eskimo folk tale with the war in Vietnam, and Talley's Folly, now in revival at the McCarter Theatre, and how it grew out of an acting suggestion made to one of the original cast members of Fifth of July. He also talks about his original aspirations of being an artist, with writing being simply something to fall back on; his move from Chicago to New York and his introduction to Off-Broadway's famed Cafe Cino in the mid-60s; the genesis of his landmark plays Balm in Gilead and The Hot l Baltimore; how he came to write Burn This to break away from his growing reputation as a "suburban" playwright and as the antithesis of Talley's Folly; and whether we'll be seeing new plays from him any time soon.
Lanford Wilson received the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for his play Talley's Folly. After making his Off-Broadway mark with Balm in Gilead in 1965, his many plays were seen both off- and on Broadway, most originally produced by the Circle Repertory Company, which he co-founded with
Marshall W. Mason, Tanya Berezin and Rob Thirkield. His plays include The Mound Builders, The Rimers of Eldritch, Lemon Sky, Redwood Curtain, A Tale Told (later revised as Talley and Son), The Hot l Baltimore, Serenading Louie, Burn This, Redwood Curtain, Rain Dance and Book of Days. Wilson has been nominated for the Tony Award three times for his plays Talley's Folly, Fifth of July and Angels Fall.
Each new “Downstage Center” is regularly broadcast at 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays at noon, Sundays at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays at 12 a.m. (all times EST). Following the initial run on XM, each program is made available for free, on-demand, internationally as both streaming audio and podcast on ATW’s Web site,
www.americantheatrewing.org.
About The American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. The Wing’s other activities, dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, include “Working in the Theatre,” now in its 30th year of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Downstage Center," an hour-long weekly interview program on XM Satellite Radio; “Guides to Careers in the Theatre,” a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which has granted nearly $3 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC; and the
Jonathan Larson® Grants, recognizing and supporting emerging writers of musical theatre. Visitors to www.americantheatrewing.org can view or download an archive of “Working in the Theatre” and the career guides and listen to “Downstage Center”, all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast.
Theodore S. Chapin is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Theatre Wing and
Howard Sherman is Executive Director
