Theater Talk Hosts AMERICAN IDIOT 7/29, Lewis Black 8/5

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post, and series executive producer Susan Haskins.

The popular series is now being distributed nationally to PBS member stations by Executive Program Services (EPS). The series is co-produced by Theater Talk Productions, a not-for-profit corporation, and CUNY TV (City University of New York Television).

Episode #329
American Idiot:
from MTV to Broadway

We sit down with Billie Joe Armstrong, composer and lyricist of the acclaimed new musical American Idiot, based on the best-selling album he created with his band Green Day. Armstrong is joined by director Michael Mayer, who had the vision to transform the CD rock opera into a popular musical on Broadway. (Uplink available July 29.)

Episode #240
Nancy Giles and Lewis Black

Comedian/social commentators Lewis Black of HBO and The Daily Show plus Nancy Giles of CBS News' Sunday Morning, discuss their theater "educations," their early days working together in NYC at the West Bank Café and their long-time roles as mentors for inner city kids at The 52nd Street Project, which has just opened a new theater in New York City's "Hell's Kitchen." Youtube link

Also, a report from AndrewAndrew from the red carpet at the opening of the recently revived The Wiz. (Uplink available August 5.)

Legendary Producer Theodore Mann of Circle in the Square, plus Patrick Healy of the NY Times

A conversation with producer Theodore Mann, who virtually began the Off-Broadway movement in the 1950's with his productions of Tennessee William's Summer and Smoke, Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh, and other classic productions. Mann, author of the recently published memoir Journeys in the Night: Creating a New American Theater with Circle in the Square, was also instrumental in reintroducing O'Neill to an new generation of theater-goers, which helped to reestablish O'Neill's legacy as one of America's all-time greatest playwrights.

Also on the show, Broadway reporter Patrick Healy of The New York Times, compares and contrasts his style of covering the theater beat with that of co-host Michael Riedel, Broadway reporter of the New York Post. (Uplink available August 12.)