In high school, when the Drama department was putting on a new show, the school would block out an entire day’s worth of English class periods to be spent in the auditorium watching the ‘preview’ of that show.

Most people think I’m from New York, especially after years of singing all of those sophisticated show tunes, in Nightclubs and on Broadway and always in a well cut suit. But truth to tell, I’m from Columbus, Ohio and I learned all the classic show tunes from afar, never dreaming I’d have a personal association with the Great White Way and experience the genuine endorphin rush of playing multiple times on Broadway.

It’s unpredictable, sometimes even unreliable, but it’s in that unknowing that makes theater a place where the most interesting and wonderful things can happen. And it’s radical. People are affected differently when you put yourself out there in front of them.

One of my favorite things about working in the theater is how fiercely present it forces us all to be. How much courage is required. And what discoveries spring from that.

It was a wonderful opportunity to explore Lillian Hellman’s classic play with such a dream cast as part of this series of online performances.

In my first 10 years or so in New York, I concentrated on being a performer and I wasn’t really aware that I wanted to direct – but I’d subconsciously absorbed the shows and experiences where the staging had a big influence on me.

We rushed into the back of the theatre, up a flight of stairs, and caught her at the top of the stairs as she passed out in our arms.

I fought for the story in the hopes that it would fight for me. And then, out of that big, looming shadow shrank there emerged a man.

On the night of February 1, 1979, I stood in the vom of Circle-in-the-Square on Broadway, terrified.

About 6 minutes into the evening I noticed that sitting on front row…in…the middle…to my right was my ex girlfriend.

When I was taken, knees, shaking, to meet Miss Bacall, I kept thinking: “Please let her understand that if I am good it will only help her!”

Beginnings Several months ago the producer, Jeffrey Richards asked me to write about “the play or musical that inspired me to become a director.” The problem was there was no one production that inspired me to think,”I’m going to be a director.” There was however, one musical that acted as a catalyst, and ignited my […]

From War Veteran to Songwriter

“When someone discovers that I am an actor, at some point I am often asked, ‘How do you remember all those lines?’ I sometimes wonder myself.”

The Challenges of Zoom Theater

My Most Embarrassing, Humiliating & Humbling, Moment On The Broadway Stage

“I never imagined that something would threaten the existence of something so essential to the breath of humankind…the mass gathering of humanity, theatre.”

“My first break in Show Business would have to be my acceptance into the first class of the Drama Division of The Juilliard School.”

Debbie Allen talks about her time in West Side Story

The One That Got Away

Chris Noth discusses his Broadway debut in The Best Man