Entertainment

Voice and acting coach Patsy Rodenburg. (“ROH-den-burg”) She’s worked with some of the world’s leading English-speaking actors, including Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Maggie Smith and Nicole Kidman. Her new book is “The Actor Speaks: Voice and the Performer.” (St. Martin’s Press) Rodenburg is the Director of Voice at London’s National Theatre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. “The Actor Speaks” is a complete vocal workshop for performers of every skill level.

Actor Steve Buscemi. He directed and produced his newest movie “Animal Factory,” a prison drama starring Wilhelm Defoe and Edward Furlong. He made his directorial debut with “Tree’s Lounge” in 1996. He’s acted in over 60 movies in the past twenty years; winning praise for roles in cult favorites like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Fargo.

Writer, director and exotic dancer Julia Query. Her new documentary is “Live Nude Girls, Unite!” about a group of strippers in San Francisco who fight to start a union. Now they have the only union of exotic dancers in the U.S. The women decided unite when they realized they were being illegally filmed by customers in special one-way mirrors. Using a consumer grade Hi8 camera, first time director Query filmed the actions of the workers. She is also a performance artist and stand-up comic, who started dancing as a way to pay the bills.

Actress and playwright Anna Deveare Smith. She’s best known for her one-woman plays based on hundreds of interviews she did with diverse people who experienced a crisis in their community. They include “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” about the Rodney King verdict, and “Fires in the Mirror” about the Crown Heights disturbances. Her most recent show “House Arrest” took her to Washington D.C.to interview politicians and pundits, and it involves a community not in crisis. Deveare Smith has also written a new memoir, “Talk to Me: Listening Between the Lines” (Random House).

Scottish actor Alan Cumming. He’s co-starring in the new film “Urbania,” a contemporary film noir. His previous film appearances include, “Get Carter,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” and “Emma.” He also starred in the recent revival of Cabaret.

Singer Songwriter Dion. He’s just released a new record of doo-wop tunes “Deja Nu” (Collectables 2000). In the late 1950s, Dion and his band the Belmonts topped the chart with several pop hits, earning him the status of “teen idol”. Dion split amicably with the band in 1960 and continued to write Top 10 hits until the British Invasion changed the pop preference. Now, in his 50s, he continues to produce, write and sing new material. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Film Critic Henry Sheehan reviews the new film “Dr. T and the Women”.

Film Critic Henry Sheehan reviews the Dancer in the Dark, the new film directed and written by Lars von Trier.

Actresses Joan Allen (Pat Nixon in “Nixon,” “The Ice Storm,” “Pleasantville” and the upcoming film “The Contender”) and Laurie Metcalf (a regular on TV’s “Norm”, longtime co-star of “Roseanne”).

Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The actor-driven theatre is known for its ensemble acting, and cutting-edge acting style. It’s members include John Mahoney (Martin Crane on “Frazier”), John Malkovich, Kevin Anderson and four actors whom we’ll hear from: First, founding members Gary Sinise (films: “Mission to Mars,” “Apollo 13,” “Of Mice and Men,”) and Terry Kinney (a regular on HBO’s “Oz”).

Actor Greg Kinnear (kin-EAR). He plays a soap opera star in the new film “Nurse Betty.” Kinnear’s other films include “As Good As It Gets” (for which he was nominated for an Academy Award) and “Sabrina.” Kinnear got his start as host and executive producer of “Talk Soup” on E! Entertainment. Later he hosted his own late-night talk show, “Later with Greg Kinnear.”

British actress Brenda Blethyn (like “Beth” – ‘BLETH-in’). She’s starring in the new comedy “Saving Grace” about a middle aged widow whose irresponsible husband left her in huge debt. She decides to start growing marijuana in her greenhouse instead of orchids. Blethyn’s other films include Mike Leigh’s “Secrets and Lies” (she was nominated for an Oscar) and “Little Voice.”

Actor, singer and drag queen Ru Paul. The six-foot seven entertainer is even taller in heels and has fashioned for himself a supermodel persona. He attributes his mainstream appeal to his non-threatening sexuality and his “non-bitchy” drag queen personality. Ru Paul is appearing out of drag in the new comedy “But I’m A Cheerleader.” He plays an ex-gay rehab counselor. Ru Paul’s other films include “Crooklyn,” “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and “Wigstock the Movie.” (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

We remember British actor Sir Alec Guinness who died Saturday at the age of 86. He’s known to older audiences for his roles in films like “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” and to younger audiences as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. (REBROADCAST from 2/27/1986)

Actor Christopher Walken. He got his start in the business as a tap-dancing kid and went on to play some of the most menacingly evil characters around. His films include “At Close Range,” “The Comfort of Strangers,” “King of New York,” “The Dead Zone,” and “Annie Hall” (in which he played Annie’s creepy brother who had an impulse to drive his car into oncoming traffic.) His new film is “The Opportunists.”

Voice artist and animation historian Keith Scott has written the new book “The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose” (St. Martin’s Press) The book is about the creator (Jay Ward) and writer (Bill Scott) of the popular Rocky & Bullwinkle TV cartoon show of the late 1950s, early 60s. The new film “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle” is based on the characters and stars Robert Deniro, Rene Russo, and Jason Alexander. Scott also is the voice of Bullwinkle in the film.

An in-studio concert and interview with guitarist Bill Frisell. His latest recording is “Ghost Town” (Nonesuch).

We remember actress Nancy Marchand who died Sunday at the age of 71. Most recently she was best-known for playing the bitter mother of Tony Soprano in the HBO series “The Sopranos.” During the 1970s she played the newspaper publisher on the “Lou Grant” show. (interview with TV critic David Bianculli rebroadcast from 3/18/99)