Terrence McNally and More Set for Edward Albee Tribute on THEATER TALK This Week

The latest episode of THEATER TALK, A Tribute to Edward Albee, draws on the reminiscences of those who knew the great writer at distinct periods of his life. The guests - playwright Terrence McNally, actress Mercedes Ruehl, and Jakob Holder, Executive Director of The Edward F. Albee Foundation - provide Illuminating insights into the personality and artistry of one of America's most important playwrights.

McNally and Albee met in 1960 after Albee's The Zoo Story had premiered Off-Broadway. They had a passionate relationship for five years, one that broke up dramatically but mended over the years. Ruehl starred on Broadway in 2002 in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in that production. She has also appeared in other productions of key Albee plays, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Holder met Albee as a student playwright and was Albee's personal assistant during the playwright's later years before his death on September 16, 2016 at the age of 88.

In addition to the aforementioned productions, Albee's notable plays also include: The American Dream, The Death of BESSIE Smith, The Sandbox, Tiny Alice, A Delicate Balance, All Over, Three Tall Women, The Play About the Baby, and Me, Myself and I.

Hosted by Michael Riedel of the New York Post and Susan Haskins, the Tribute to Edward Albee episode of THEATER TALK premieres Friday 12/2 on PBS station Thirteen/WNET at 1:30 AM (Saturday morning) and repeats there on Sunday 12/4 at 11:30 AM; it re-airs on CUNY TV* Saturday 12/3 at 8:30 PM, Sunday 12/4 at 12:30 PM, and Monday 12/5 at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM; and also airs on WLIW/21 on Monday 12/5 at 5:30 PM and on NYCLife/25 on Thursday 12/8 at 11 PM.

THEATER TALK is jointly produced by the not-for-profits Theater Talk Productions and CUNY TV. The program is taped in the Himan Brown TV and Radio Studios at The City University of New York (CUNY) TV in Manhattan, and distributed in 100+ cities nationwide. THEATER TALK is made possible in part by The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The CUNY TV Foundation, and The Friends of THEATER TALK.

*CUNY TV, the City University of New York television station, is broadcast in the NYC metropolitan area on digital Ch. 25.3 and cablecast in the city's five boroughs on Ch. 75 (Time Warner & Optimum Brooklyn), Ch. 77 (RCN), and Ch. 30 (Verizon FiOS). THEATER TALK episodes are available online anytime at www.cuny.tv and www.theatertalk.org and via iTunes.