An Evening with Hal Prince Set for September 15

By Andrew Gans
September 4, 2005

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will kick off its 2005-2006 free public program season with An Evening with Hal Prince.

Writer Foster Hirsch will chat with Prince about his award-winning career in the American theatre. The conversation is set for 6 PM, and Boris Aronson's set models for Prince's many productions will be on display at the Library that day. The discussion will also mark the first event to be webcast on the Library's site at www.nypl.org/lpaprograms.

Among the Broadway shows Harold Prince has directed and produced are Follies, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd. His most recent Broadway directorial credits include The Phantom of the Opera, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Candide, Parade, Show Boat and Hollywood Arms; he also helmed the out-of-town productions of Stephen Sondheim's Bounce.

The free series will continue Sept. 17 at 4:30 PM with Shaw in Perspective: Eric Bentley in Conversation with Michael Riedel. Sept. 19 at 6 PM will feature Shavian Readings with Philip Bosco, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach. On Sept. 28 at 3 PM, the widow of William Walton — who wrote the music for the film of Shaw's "Major Barbara" — will talk about her husband's work and introduce a screening of the film. Leonard Conolly will offer a lecture on Sept. 29 at 6 PM in an evening titled "A Superabundance of Foulness": Mrs. Warren's Profession, New York, 1905.

Why Shaw Still Matters will be explored Sept. 30 at 3 PM with a panel that includes Leonard Conolly, J. Ellen Gainor, Martin Meisel, Charlotte Moore, and Stanley Weintraub. The President of the Bernard Shaw Society, Rhoda Nathan, will offer a lecture Oct. 15 at 3 PM; that afternoon is titled Shaw's Man in America: The Rise and Fall of Arnold Daly. On Oct. 24 at 6 PM, a reading of Mrs. Warren's Profession will be presented starring Dana Ivey with direction by Charlotte Moore. The series concludes Oct. 25 at 3 PM with Shavian Musicals, which includes songs from musicals based on Shaw's plays. Those taking part in that event include Constance Green, Ellen Lang, Irwin Reese, John Russell and pianist Robert Rogers.

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza. For more information call (212) 870 1630 or visit www.nypl.org.