Turturro Named New School's Artist-in-Residence

By Andrew Gans
and Adam Hetrick
August 25, 2008

The New School for Drama has announced that stage and screen star John Turturro will be its Artist-in-Residence for the 2008—09 academic year.

In a statement Robert LuPone, director of The New School for Drama, said, "We are fortunate to have such a versatile and accomplished artist on hand to mentor our students. John's extensive background and the variety of roles he has mastered speak to the type of well-rounded actor we are training. His first-hand accounts of the intellectual, emotional, physical, vocal, and psychological demands of being an actor in the twenty-first century will offer invaluable insight to our students."

Turturro added, "I am looking forward to the opportunity to support the artistic growth of students at The New School for Drama. I hope my experiences, including both obstacles and successes, will connect with them and help them find their path in this challenging industry."

As artist-in-residence, Turturro will teach master classes in both the fall and spring semesters and will also take part in a town hall meeting moderated by LuPone. During the meeting Turturro will discuss his experiences in the arts and answer student questions.

John Turturro is well known for his screen work in "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?," "Barton Fink," "Quiz Show," "The Bronx Is Burning," and counts among his theatrical credits the Broadway staging of Yasmina Reza's Life x 3 and his Obie Award-winning performance in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. Turturro was most recently seen in the BAM staging of Beckett's Endgame.

The MFA acting program at The New School offers training in all aspects of the craft of acting, as well as in the individual and collaborative application of classical and modern texts. For more information visit www.drama.newschool.edu.