Kander speaks to the Wing's executive director, Howard Sherman, about his long collaboration with the late Fred Ebb. The interview focuses on the four projects the team were working on when Ebb died in 2004, including The Scottsboro Boys (recently seen on Broadway), The Visit, All About Us and Curtains (seen on Broadway in 2007).

Kander, whose other credits include Cabaret, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman, also demonstrates in the studio how the same melody can be used to change tone over the course of a show, with examples from Cabaret and The Visit.

"Downstage Center," which began in 2004, "is the American Theatre Wing's acclaimed weekly theatrical interview program that spotlights the creative talents on Broadway, Off Broadway, across the country and around the world, with in-depth conversations that simply can't be found anywhere else," according to ATW notes. The program's 301st interview, available Jan. 5, 2011, will feature playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn, who will appear on the program for the second time.

To listen to the interview with Kander and the others in the "Downstage Center" archive, or to subscribe to the "Downstage Center" podcast, visit americantheatrewing.org. The interview and podcast subscriptions are also available on Itunes.

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The American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Tony Awards, produces many programs "dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre," including the series "In the Wings" and "Working in the Theatre" and other programs including SpringboardNYC, the Theatre Intern Group, the National Theatre Company Grants and the Jonathan Larson Grants. For more information, visit americantheatrewing.org.