Tom Stoppard on Downstage Center XM Ch.28 Jan.25-30

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony Award winning playwright Tom Stoppard, on their weekly theatrical interview show, "Downstage Center," on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Stoppard will appear as the special guest on Friday, January 25 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday January 26 at noon, Sunday January 27 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, January 30 at midnight.  The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org beginning Monday afternoon, January 28.

Multiple Tony Award-winning playwright Sir Tom Stoppard talks about his latest work to appear on Broadway, Rock 'n' Roll, including why he feels the play's love story, not its intellectual themes, ultimately drove the shape of the story and whether there's truth to the rumor that he wanted to cut the play but was persuaded not to by director Trevor Nunn; recounts the development of his epic The Coast of Utopia and the extraordinary experience of seeing the trilogy performed in Russia; considers whether there's any thematic link between Utopia and Rock 'n' Roll, as bookends to the rise and fall of communism; recalls his overnight success (after seven years of writing) with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; reveals the play of his that he feels has perhaps not gotten its due before audiences; speaks out about those who claim viewers need to read up before seeing a Stoppard play; muses on the differences between theatre programs in the U.S. and Britain; and shares what rock and roll album is tops on his personal playlist right now.

Tom Stoppard was introduced to New York audiences with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, followed by Jumpers, The Real Inspector Hound, Travesties, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (with Andre Previn), Dirty Linen, Night and Day, The Real Thing, Artist Descending a Staircase, Hapgood, Arcadia, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia and the current Rock 'n' Roll. His other plays include Indian Ink and After Magritte. Translations and adaptations include Undiscovered Country (Schnitzler), On the Razzle (Nestroy), Rough Crossing (Molnar), Henry IV (Pirandello) and Heroes (Sibleyras). Film scripts as writer and co-writer include Brazil, Empire of the Sun, Enigma and Shakespeare in Love, which won him an Oscar and a BAFTA award. He directed his own screenplay of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which won the Golden Lion and the Venice Film Festival.

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.