Live 3/31 Event to Feature Interviews with 2 Stage Stars at the Drama Book Shop Theatre

Time: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 4:30 p.m.
Location: The Drama Book Shop, 250 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018
Title of Event: Character Studies Talks with Austin Pendleton and Michael Cerveris

The new “Character Studies Talks With . . .” series of live interviews at the Drama Book Shop theatre is presenting two of the American theatre’s most acclaimed artists: actor/director/ playwright Austin Pendleton (4:30pm) and Tony Award winning actor and singer Michael Cerveris (6:15pm)

Because of very limited seating, ticket orders are being taken by the Book Shop at (212) 944 - 0595.

Each session will conclude with a questions period from the audience, and any play associated with either guest will be discounted at the Book Shop on the day of the event.

Tickets for each event = $18
Tickets for both events = $25

Tony Vellela
interviewer, wrote and produced the PBS series about theatre “Character Studies.” He has served as a theatre journalist and Broadway critic for The Christian Science Monitor, Dramatics Magazine and dozens of other publications, currently writes the reviews on-line syndicated column “Intermission Talk” [at www.characterstudies.net], and is a Best Play Award winner at the New York International Fringe Festival for his play “Admissions,” published by Playscripts. Austin Pendleton
4:30 pm
has a long and distinguished career launched with his role in the original Broadway cast of “Fiddler on the Roof.” For more than forty years, he has starred on and off-Broadway [“Grand Hotel,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “Doubles,” and the historic “Mother Courage,” with Meryl Streep in Central Park], directed everywhere [Broadway, off-Broadway, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, most recently the ground-breaking production of “Uncle Vanya” at CSC], appeared in film and television roles [“My Cousin Vinny,” “Guarding Tess,” “Miami Vice”], wrote three plays [“Booth,” “Uncle Bob,” and “Orson’s Shadow”] and for nearly three decades has been one of the most sought-after teachers at the legendary HB Studio in the Village.

Michael Cerveris
6:15pm
was chosen to handle the demanding title role in “The Who’s Tommy,” and went on from there to star in “Titanic,” “LoveMusik,” “Passions,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “A Little Night Music,” “Cymbeline,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and his Tony-winning role in “Assassins.” His most recent role, Tesman in Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler,” was presented on Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company.