Theater

Playwright, lyricist, and novelist Joe Keenan. His new book, "Putting On the Ritz," follows the further misadventures of the Broadway characters he first created in the book "Blue Heaven." (It's published by Viking).

With everyone making plans for Christmas and New Year's Eve, we wondered what magician Penn Jillette (pronounced like "Gillette") would be up to. Jillette's one half of the magic team, Pen and Teller. The pair's latest show, "Penn and Teller Rot In Hell," is now playing off
Broadway.

Cartoonist and writer Lynda Barry. Barry's comic strip about her childhood, "Ernie Pook's Comeek," is popular in many alternative newsweeklies around the country. She's also written a show based on the comic, called "The Good Times Are Killing Me." It's playing now Off-Broadway. (This interview was recorded this summer before a live audience in Seattle, when Terry visited station KPLU).

Actress Claire Bloom. After a long and illustrious career playing opposite the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Richard Burton, and Sir John Gielgud, Bloom is now performing a one woman show, called "Women Observed." In it, she reads roles from Anna Karenina, Jane Eyre, The Turn of the Screw, and A Room of One's Own. (The performance runs Thursday through Sunday at New York's Symphony Space). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Actor and writer Eric Bogosian. Bogosian's one man, multi-character performances highlight the pressures of modern life and explore the underside of the American Dream. Bogosian's latest show, "Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll" has been released in book form (by Harper Collins) and as a movie. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Spacey is best known for his role as Mel Proffitt in the TV series "Wiseguy." He's currently starring in a new American Playhouse film "Darrow," on the life of the famous lawyer Clarence Darrow, and plays the role of evangelist Jim Bakker in the NBC movie "Fall From Grace."

Broadway composer John Kander of the songwriting team Kander & Ebb. They wrote the music for "Cabaret" and such songs as "New York, New York," and "And the World Goes 'Round."

Essmann is known for portraying an eclectic mix of characters in his performance pieces. He's currently performing his one-man show, "Artificial Reality," in New York City.

Actress Daisy Eagan and her father, actor Richard Eagan. Daisy is starring as the young heroine, Mary Lenox, in the Broadway production of "The Secret Garden." Richard is working on a performance piece about stories from Coney Island. Guest host Frank Browning talks to them about pretending, acting, and how a Broadway career affects their family life.

British actress Joan Plowright. She's one of her nation's leading actresses, having appeared on the London stage since the mid 50s. She's also been on Broadway, had numerous role on British television, and appeared in the films "The Dressmaker," "I Love You To Death," and "Avalon." She was also married to the late actor Sir Lawrence Oliver.