A-LISTS theatre by lisa lipsey In celebration of their 25th Anniversary,
the Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the great Stephen Sondheim on Saturday, October 29. The event, hosted by Michael A. Kerker and directed by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), includes performances by Tony Award winners Christine Ebersole and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Perhaps no one is more delighted about the show
than Michael A. Kerker. As director and host, he has been working on selecting the song list and creating the questions that will shape the evenings events. Fortunately interviewing legendary songwriters is old hat for Kerker who produces a regular series of interview programs entitled Broadway: Up Close and Personal for the Kennedy Center. What started out as a The Rage Monthly interview on the genius of Stephen Sondheim (which surely countless articles exist), became a gem of stories and inspiration from a man who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to mentor young songwrit- ers and ensure recognition for the writers behind the hit songs and shows that appear under the bright lights of Broadway: Michael A. Kerker. You produced a series of interviews entitled Broadway: Up Close
and Personal for the Kennedy Center. What draws you to interview legendary songwriters? Many of those writers were part of a Golden Age of
American pop songs. People know the performers that made the songs famous. Some of them may even know the songwriter’s name, but they know nothing about them, their creative process. I hope to bring songwriters to the attention of the public, to look at how songs were created, how shows were written. I’ve done events like this, that combine stage concert and interview, in other parts of the country as well. They make a very interesting night for the audience because it is hybrid show and there is this added pressure on the performers. The songwriter is right there on the stage while they are performing. The person who wrote the song and knows the emotions. It is a pleasure for the writer and a pleasure for the audience watching the songwriter observing a performance of their work. It is a unique experience.
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS WELCOMES
STEPHEN SONDHEIM: IN CONVERSATION
WITH SPECIAL MUSICAL GUESTS stephen sondheim 22 RAGE monthly | SEPTEMBER 2011
MICHAEL A. KERKER
AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR/HOST
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84