"John Leguizamo's Tales from a Ghetto Klown" Will Air on PBS in July

By Andrew Gans
26 Apr 2012

John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo
Photo by Carol Rosegg

"John Leguizamo's Tales from a Ghetto Klown," which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the versatile actor, will make its broadcast premiere on PBS July 13 at 9 PM ET as part of the PBS Arts Festival.

The hour-long profile of the actor/playwright, according to PBS, "looks at his unorthodox rise to success while capturing his struggles to mount his latest one-man show, [Ghetto Klown]. From his Colombian and 'NuyoRican' roots to his high-profile career in Hollywood, Leguizamo bares his soul."

Ghetto Klown, the solo show conceived by and starring Emmy Award winner Leguizamo, played its final performance at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre July 10, 2011, following 25 previews and 95 regular performances.

The show, according to press notes, takes audiences "from [Leguizamo's] adolescent memories in Queens to the early days of his acting career during the outrageous '80s avant-garde theatre scene, and on to the sets of major motion pictures and his roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest stars."

John Leguizamo earned Tony nominations for his solo shows Sexaholix and Freak. He has appeared in Mambo Mouth and the short-lived revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo. His film credits include "The Summer of Sam," "Moulin Rouge," "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" and "Romeo + Juliet."