Theater

Hwang's celebrated play dealt with Western ideas of women and Asian culture. His newest work is a musical about alien abductions called 1000 Airplanes on the Roof. Philip Glass composed the music.

Now in her 80s, Frances Williams is still acting -- long after many of her peers have retired. She has a storied career in theater and film, and helped found nine theater companies. An advocate for meaningful roles for African Americans, she now costars in the television show Frank's Place.

Foote is best known for writing the screenplay for To Kill a Mockingbird. A new book compiling the first four plays of his Orphan's Home series, called Roots in a Parched Ground, has just been published.

Writer and actress Lulla Rosenfeld. She's written a book on Yiddish Theatre and her grandfather, Jacob Adler, one of its most renowned actors.

Orchestrator and composer Jonathan Tunick. Though best known for his orchestrations of Stephen Sondheim musicals like "Sweeney Todd" and "Into the Woods," Tunic is increasingly gaining recognition for his own compositions.

Comic and actress Danitra Vance. She appeared on "Saturday Night Live" during the 1985-86 season. From there she landed a part in the revue "The Colored Museum," at Joseph Papp's Public Theater. She played everything from a stewardess on a slave ship to a talking afro wig. She's currently reviving the part at the Mark Taper Theater in Los Angeles. She can also be seen in the upcoming movie "Sticky Fingers," starring Melanie Mayron, Helen Slater and Christopher Guest.

Actor John Lithgow. He's currently starring in the Broadway play "M Butterfly." His film roles include "Terms of Endearment" and "The World According to Garp."

Comic Sandra Bernhard. She's best known for her appearances on "Late Night With David Letterman" and in the Martin Scorsese film "The King of Comedy." She's now starring in the Off-Broadway one-woman show "Without You I'm Nothing," that is part stand-up comedy, part satire on the "women of rock and roll."

Actor and writer Austin Pendleton. Among his best-known roles is Mr. Music on the television series "St. Elsewhere." (Interview by Faith Middleton)

Festival planner Marilyn Wood. Using dance, film, sound and light, Wood designs celebrations of the urban environment. She organized celebrations and festivals like the first Riverfront Celebration in Columbus, Ohio, The Hong Kong Arts festival, and the opening of the Tehran Museum of Art. Wood used to be a dancer with the Merce Cunningham dance company. (Interview by Faith Middleton)