Michael R. Jackson, Robin de Jesús, and Larissa FastHorse Will Be the Next Guests on LIVE AT THE LORTEL

The Lucille Lortel Theatre today announces the first guests of its 22-23 lineup for its "Live at The Lortel" podcast series. To kick off its new season, the show will interview Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright, composer, and lyricist Michael R. Jackson ( A Strange Loop), Tony Award nominated actor Robin de Jesús ( In the Heights, The Boys in the Band), and award-winning writer and 2020-2025 MacArthur Fellow Larissa Fasthorse ( The Thanksgiving Play).

"Live at The Lortel" is designed to give theater makers the opportunity to share insight into their creative process and inspiration with a larger audience. These conversations dig deep into the artists' work and career, including past, present, and future projects. The live interviews will take place Mondays at 7:00 PM EST, offering theater fans the opportunity to view interviews and participate in a Q&A with artists. To join the audience, please visit www.liveatthelortel.com.

Hosted by Eric Ostrow, along with co-hosts Joy DeMichelle, Ann C. James, and John-Andrew Morrison, season four of Live at The Lortel continues the show's look at the intersection between art and activism. We honor the work of theater artists who boldly use their public platform for philanthropy, to advance the state of theater, and to support the issues that they are passionate about. We look to explore how an artist's passion for activism and philanthropy influences their artistry on the stage.

Following each live interview, podcast episodes of "Live at The Lortel" will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud as follows:

Michael R. Jackson

Monday, October 3 - live

Podcast release: October 7

Michael R. Jackson is one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022, and author of A Strange Loop (Playwrights Horizons 2019 world premiere in association with Page 73 Productions), which won Tony Awards for "Best Book" and "Best Musical," as well as the Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award. Other awards and associations: Dramatist Guild Fellowship, Page 73's I73 Writers Group, New Professional Theatre Festival Award, Jonathan Larson Grant, Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Award, Whiting Award, Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Obie Award, Antonyo Award, Fred Ebb Award, Windham-Campbell Prize. TV: Boots Riley's upcoming Amazon series "I'm a Virgo." Special thanks to NYU GMTWP and Musical Theatre Factory.

Philanthropic or Activist Topic: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (BCEFA)

ROBIN DE JESÚS

Monday, October 24 - live

Podcast release: October 28

Robin De Jesús is a three-time Tony Award nominated actor. Most recently, Robin joined the cast of HULU's Welcome to Chippendales as "Ray Colon" opposite Kumail Nanjiani. He can currently be seen in the Netflix adaptation of TICK, TICK....BOOM! (2021), directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, co-starring opposite Andrew Garfield. Prior to, he featured in the Ryan Murphy-produced Netflix film, The Boys in the Band (2020), reprising his Tony award nominated role. He can also be seen as "George" in the acclaimed indie-film Milkwater (Brooklyn Film Festival 2020). Robin received his first major film role in the cult-classic feature Camp (2003). His Broadway credits include RENT, In the Heights (Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical), La Cage Aux Follies (Tony nomination), Wicked, and The Boys in the Band (Tony nomination). Additional theater credits include the Paper Mill Playhouse's productions of Grease and Godspell, and the off-Broadway productions of Malpractice Makes Perfect, Zorba Musicals in Mufti, Patti Issues, Domesticated, and Homos or Everyone in America.

Philanthropic or Activist Topic: The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship

Larissa Fasthorse

Monday, November 14 - live

Podcast release: November 18

Larissa Fasthorse (Sicangu Lakota Nation) is an award-winning writer and 2020-2025 MacArthur Fellow. Her satirical comedy, The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons/Geffen Playhouse), was one of the top ten most produced plays in America. She is the first Native American playwright in the history of American theater on that list. In Spring 2023, The Thanksgiving Play will make its debut on Broadway produced by Second Stage. She is the first female Native American playwright ever produced on Broadway. Larissa is currently developing new plays with several theaters including Second Stage Theater, Center Theatre Group, The Public Theater, Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Yale Repertory Theatre. In 2019 Larissa re-entered film and television by co-creating a series at Freeform. Since then she has set up projects with Disney Channel, NBC, Dreamworks, and is writing on a series for Apple+ as well as adapting three beloved Broadway musicals. www.hoganhorsestudio.com