What's New on the Rialto

The American Theatre Wing not only brings you the Tony Awards each June, but also - among many, many other educational programs - sponsors seminars on "Working in the Theatre," held in the spring and fall of each year for students and professional members of the various theatrical unions. Here, they have the opportunity to listen and talk to some of America's most distinguished actors, directors, producers, and playwrights. Tony Award winners such as Jane Alexander, Michael Bennett, Matthew Broderick, Len Cariou, Glenn Close, Alexander Cohen, Larry Fishburne, Bob Fosse, Charles Fuller, Morton Gottlieb, Gregory Hines, Angela Lansbury, Michael Moriarty, Joseph Papp, Harold Prince, Peter Shaffer, Carole Shelley, Stephen Sondheim, Michael Stewart, Jessica Tandy, Tommy Tune, Robin Wagner, Lanford Wilson, and Patricia Zipprodt have been just a few of those who have participated in this valuable program. The audience gets to get in the act in a question-and-answer period with the panelists at the end of each seminar.

It's now time for the American Theatre Wing's Fall Seminars. Reserve now for the panels, which will be held Oct. 20 through 22 at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. The seminars are free, but space fills up fast. To make reservations, call the American Theatre Wing at (212) 307-1910.

The first of four seminars will be held Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 11 am to 1 pm. "The Performance Seminar" will feature actors from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. "The Playwright / Director-Choreographer Seminar" takes place Wednesday, Oct. 21. Starting at 11 am, artists from all three disciplines will share their views on the process of collaboration, from concept, to the page, to the stage.

There are two panels on Thursday, Oct. 22. The first, "The Production Seminar," will focus on the process of bringing Side Man to a Broadway theatre. Nancy Richards, Roy Gabay, Drew Hodges, Gary Springer, Peter Manning, and Jay Harris, will all lend their views from 11 am to 1 pm. The final panel is "The Design Seminar," from 2 pm to 4 pm. Tish Dace will chair the event.

CUNY-TV, The cable TV station of The City University of New York, cable Channel 75 in New York City broadcasts the seminars. The CUNY-TV Program Schedule can be accessed at http://www.cunytv.cuny.edu.

If you miss the Wing's seminars, you have plenty of time to make the 6th ANNUAL BROADWAY LIGHTING MASTER CLASSES scheduled for December. Tony award-winning lighting designers Jules Fisher and Donald Holder lead a faculty of top designers and lighting professionals for the 6th annual Broadway Lighting Master Classes, scheduled for December 10 through the 13, 1998. The classes will take place at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus in Manhattan, and include special events such as attendance at Ragtime, followed by a discussion with the show's designers.

The sessions at the Broadway Lighting Master Classes offer an investigation of current trends and techniques for lighting plays, musicals and other theatrical events on Broadway. Intended for lighting designers, students, teachers, scenic designers, directors, IATSE electricians, manufacturer reps and dealers, the sessions address a wide range of subjects from what works and what doesn't, to uses of new technologies and individual approaches to design. In-depth discussions about Ragtime will include a session with lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, and a Sunday brunch round-table critique with Fisher, Eisenhauer, set designer Eugene Lee and costume/set designer Santo Loquasto.

New this year is a special session on incorporating followspots as design components within the Broadway context. This session will be taught by Bert Morris of the Washington DC-based Theatrical Technicians company. Another addition to this year's schedule is a full-day workshop on the programming of Vari*Lite® automated luminaires and conventional lights using control consoles from Strand, ETC, Compulite and AC Lighting. Presented by LDI and TCI in association with ESTA. This in-depth session will take place on Wednesday, December 9th, 1998, and will be taught by Jim Waits, Vari-Lite's university outreach manager. This workshop offers participants the opportunity to combine hands-on training using today's cutting-edge lighting equipment with the theory and insights presented in the Broadway Lighting Master Classes.

The faculty for this year is headed by Jules Fisher, who serves as creative consultant for the Broadway Lighting Master Classes. Fisher has lit over 150 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, as well as film, ballet, opera, television, and rock concert tours. He has received 15 Tony nominations, including Ragtime (1998), and seven Tony awards for lighting design for Pippin (1972), Ulysses in Nighttown (1973), Dancin' (1978), Grand Hotel (1990), The Will Rogers Follies (1991), Jelly's Last Jam (1992), and Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk (1996).

Other distinguished faculty members include lighting designer Peggy Eisenhauer, currently represented on Broadway by Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, for which she received the 1996 Tony & Drama Desk awards with Jules Fisher, and Cabaret, for which she received a 1998 Tony award nomination; lighting designer Beverly Emmons, who has been awarded seven Tony nominations, the 1976 Lumen award, 1984 & 1986 Bessies, and a 1980 Obie for Distinguished Lighting; lighting designer Donald Holder, winner of the 1998 Tony award for The Lion King on Broadway; projections specialist Wendall K. Harrington, who received the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, & American Theatre Wing awards for her design of The Who's Tommy; and Luc Lafortune, lighting designer for the cutting-edge productions of Cirque du Soleil; Broadway production electrician/technical director Steve Cochrane, theatre consultant Roger Morgan, and lighting designer Gil Wechsler.

More information and registration form at http://www.etecnyc.net/blmc/blmc.htm.

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