Theater

Singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

Composer and Broadway director Cy Coleman talks about working with Dorothy Fields in the 1960s and 70's with Dorothy Fields. They collaborated on the Broadway shows "Sweet Charity," and "Seesaw." Coleman is the composer and director of the current Broadway show, The Life.

Singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

We remember the late lyricist Dorothy Fields in the first of an on-going series on American popular song. Born in 1905, She was the only woman in the pre-rock era to sustain major critical and popular acclaim as a songwriter. First, We feature singer Becky Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg perform music by Dorothy Fields.

biographer Deborah Grace Winer talks about Fields life and music. Winer is author of "On the Sunny Side of the Street: The Life and Lyrics of Dorothy Fields."

Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Paul Rudnick. His new play "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" looks at God and Creation from a gay perspective. (It's playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village in New York City). Rudnick also wrote the plays as "I Hate Hamlet," "The Naked Eye," and "Jeffrey." And he wrote the screenplays for "Addams Family Values" and "In & Out."

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"

Film critic John Powers reviews "A Simple Plan" by filmmaker Sam Raimi. The quiet rural lives of two brothers erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over four million dollars in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the final "NYPD Blue" episode featuring actor Jimmy Smits.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Elizabeth," starring Joseph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett.

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."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a re-issue of Judy Garland's songs titled "Judy" on the label 32 Records. It is a four cd-set with a video and 100 page book of photos and interviews. Also Rhino records has re-issued "Judy Garland in Hollywood."

Film critic John Powers reviews "Velvet Goldmine" the new film written and directed by Todd Haynes. The film looks at the early 70's "glam rock" scene. Haynes earlier film was "Safe" about a suburban house-wife who becomes allergic to nearly everything.

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.

Film critic John Powers reviews two new movies about the horrors of World War II: "Life is Beautiful" and "Apt Pupil." They take wildly different approaches on the subject.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Happiness," the ironically titled new film by Todd Solondz.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Beloved" the new film adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel. The film shot largely in the Philadelphia area, stars Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.