June 05, 2009
August Wilson's Come and Gone
“Joe Turner's Come and Gone” is part of August Wilson's ten-play cycle about African-American life in Pittsburgh. It has returned to Broadway for the first time since the playwright's death (in 2005); the production is nominated for six Tony awards. But controversy and anger has surrounded the selection of its white director. Kurt talks with directors in the black theater community and with August Wilson's widow, who says critics misunderstood his position. Produced by Studio 360's Jenny Lawton.
(With thanks to PRX and “New Letters on the Air.”)
Gang Side Story
A revival of “West Side Story” is up for four Tonys. With choreography, and score, and songs that are all regarded as classics, we sometimes forget the show is all about gang violence. The writer Bruce George is a former member of the Bronx gang Kaos Crew, and he gave writer Henry Alford a reality check on "West Side Story." Produced by Studio 360's Pejk Malinovski.
- "I Feel Pretty" Marni Nixon, Yvonne Othon, Suzie Kaye, Joanne Miya
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West Side Story
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Sony
- "Somewhere" Nicholas Barasch, Matt Cavenaugh, Josefina Scaglione
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West Side Story: The New Broadway Cast Recording
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Sony Classics
Geoffrey Rush
He broke into Hollywood at age 45 with his Oscar-winning performance in 1996's "Shine." Since then, the Australian has starred in period pieces like "Elizabeth" and "Quills" and the summer blockbuster franchise "Pirates of the Caribbean." Now he's up for a Tony for his role in Eugène Ionesco's "Exit the King." Kurt talks to Rush about his Broadway debut and how he translated the play with the director Neil Armfield.
Writing the Next "Wall Street"
Screenwriters are busy trying to figure out how to tell the story of our current economic collapse as entertainment. The cinematic gold standard for financial movies is still Oliver Stone's "Wall Street," from 1987. Matthew Cavnar spoke to some writers struggling to craft a "Wall Street" for our times.
