Patrick Stewart To Appear On XM Radio This Weekend

 The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with actor Patrick Stewart, on their weekly theatrical interview show, "Downstage Center," on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Stewart will appear as the special guest on Friday, May 9 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday, May 10 at noon, Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, May 14 at midnight (all times eastern; transmission is simultaneous across the country).  The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org and iTunes beginning Monday afternoon, May 12.

Shakespeare veteran Patrick Stewart talks about finally having the opportunity to play the title role in Macbeth, some 50 years after he first memorized the play's great speeches, and chronicles the production's swift journey from Chichester to London to Brooklyn to Broadway.  He also talks about his decades-long association with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including his appearances in multiple productions of such plays as The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antony and Cleopatra and Titus Andronicus; the impetus behind his one-man adaptation of A Christmas Carol -- including its interminable first performance; his enthusiasm for playing Prospero in The Tempest with an American cast in Central Park and on Broadway; the thrill of creating a role in Arthur Miller's The Ride Down Mt. Morgan; why he's "finished" with certain roles and still hopes to play others yet again; and some of the plays he's looking forward to doing in the next few years, including a nascent project with his film nemesis Ian McKellen.

Patrick Stewart is an internationally respected actor known for successfully bridging the gap between the theatrical world of the Shakespearean stage and contemporary film and television. Stewart received critical notice for his portrayal in the title role of Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC and brought A Christmas Carol, his award-winning adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale, to an exclusive engagement at the Doolittle Theatre.  Stewart first performed this acclaimed one-man show for Broadway audiences in 1991, playing over 40 characters and earning him a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performer.  Other Broadway credits include Harold Pinter's drama The Caretaker, Arthur Miller's The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest (for which he received a best actor nomination from the Outer Critics Circle), and currently, Macbeth. Stewart is an Honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has played such roles as King John, Shylock, Henry IV, Cassius, Titus Andronicus, Oberon, Leontes, Enobarbus, Touchstone and Launce.  He has also starred in many contemporary works with the RSC, including premiere productions by Tom Stoppard, Edward Bond, Howard Barker and David Rudkin. Stewart received the "Will Award" from The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.  That same year, Stewart also won a Grammy Award for his narrative work on the Best Spoken Word Album for Children, "Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf." Films credits include the film adaptation of Paul Rudnick's play, Jeffrey, Hedda, Dune, Lady Jane, Excalibur, LA Story, Death Train, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Gunmen, Masterminds, The Pagemaster, Conspiracy Theory, Safe House, The Lion in the Winter, X-Men, and Dad Savage.

Each new "Downstage Center" is regularly broadcast at 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays at noon, Sundays at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays at 12 a.m. (all times EST). Following the initial run on XM, each program is made available for free, on-demand, internationally as both streaming audio and podcast on ATW's Web site, www.americantheatrewing.org.

About The American Theatre Wing

The American Theatre Wing is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League.  The Wing's other activities, dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, include "Working in the Theatre," now in its 29th year of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Downstage Center," an hour-long weekly interview program on XM Satellite Radio; "Guides to Careers in the Theatre," a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which has awarded more than $2.5 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC.  Visitors to www.americantheatrewing.org can view or download an archive of "Working in the Theatre" and the career guides and listen to "Downstage Center", all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast. Sondra Gilman is Chairman of the Board of the American Theatre Wing; Doug Leeds is President of the Board and Howard Sherman is Executive Director.

About XM Satellite Radio

XM is America's number-one satellite radio company with more than 9 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, D.C., New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music, premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit www.xmradio.com.

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