Theater

A Fresh Air favorite, opera soprano Dawn Upshaw. She has a new CD, "Dawn Upshaw sings Vernon Duke" (Nonesuch). It features Fred Hersch on piano and John Pizzarelli on guitar. We'll also hear from the producer of her new CD, Tommy Krasker. Upshaw has more than two dozen albums to her credit and has become widely known for her ability to perform both in the opera as well as sing Broadway tunes. Upshaw joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1984 and has performed at the Met.

We remember Jamie Hammerstein, Broadway producer, director and son of composer Oscar Hammerstein. He died last week at the age of 67 from a heart attack. (REBROADCAST from 3/14/95)

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new PBS documentary "The Rodgers and Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty." It's part of the Great Performances series and is broadcast in most cities on January 6.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new two-cd set of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies"

Chalfant is starring in the highly acclaimed Off Broadway play "Wit," about a scholar of John Donne undergoing grueling treatments for terminal cancer. She previously found success in Tony Kushner's "Angels in America."

Hagen taught acting for more than 40 years, working with such actors as Jack Lemmon, Sigourney Weaver, Matthew Broderick and the late Geraldine Page. Her first book about acting, "Respect for Acting" was published in 1973 and is still in print. Her follow up to that is the book "A Challenge for the Actor." (1991) She and her late husband Herbert Berghof founded the HB Studio in New York.

Jay has been called "one of the greatest sleight of hand artist in the world." He is the star of the off-Broadway show "Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants" which is directed by David Mamet.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Kurt Weill: from Berlin to Broadway, Vol. 2" (Pearl label) and other recordings of "Lady in the Dark" and "Berlin to Broadway" (on the Sony Masterworks Heritage label) as well as Lotte Lenya's "Berlin Theatre Songs" (also on Sony).

Playwright, Actor and Director Sam Shepard talks about how he got started in theater. Shepard won a Pulitzer for his play "Buried Child" and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Chuck Yeager in "The Right Stuff." Shepard stars in the new film "The Only Thrill."

Shepard, who died Sunday, penned more than 55 plays, including Buried Child. His breakthrough film role was as astronaut Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff. Originally broadcast in 1998.