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Now being a professional playwright, William Gibson talked about being able to write one of his plays in 8 days. A lot of the discussion is about his play, "The Miracle Worker". After reading one of Annie Sullivan's letters, and learning about a battle royale that Sullivan had with Helen Keller, Gibson envisioned what that battle royale would look like. It became a now famous part of the play.
Studs Terkel and playwright Wallace Shawn discuss Shawn’s play “The Designated Mourner,” and the play’s deeper themes. Both Shawn and Terkel read monologues from the play.
Viveca Lindfors discusses her roles and the roles of women in society. Includes Viveca Lindfors reciting lines written by Lillian Hellman.
While performing some of their original material, comedians Vic Greco and Fred Willard talk about how they come up with their ideas for their shows. Always the entertainers, and while talking over one another, Greco and Willard explain that most of what they do on stage is improvisation.
Studs Terkel interviews Valentin Pluchek and Stanislaw Pchenikov on Russia theater, focusing mainly on the city of Moscow.
Playwright Tennessee Williams discusses his play "The Night of the Iguana," which was currently playing at the Blackstone Theatre in Chicago. The conversation takes place in Mr. Williams' room at the Blackstone Hotel.
Tennessee Williams said he'll stop writing when he can no longer produce good work. He spoke of being puzzled as to why so little of his work gets produced in New York. Williams also talked about taking offense when the first sequences of the TV show "Dallas" aired. He explained that the owner of the great estate in "Dallas" was a copy of his Big Daddy character, who was a wealthy plantation owner.
Friedrich Luft, Chief Drama Critic for Die Welt discusses German theater and Bertolt Brecht as well as new playwrights such as Peter Weiss. Unlike American theaters, Germany has over 200 theaters that are subsidized and each town of 50,000 has a theater. Just like the days of The People's Stage (which still exists) the grocer and cobbler of Germany enjoy the theater. They are as devoted to the theater as going to a museum or church. They are treated to 12 to 16 new or old plays from Sophocles to Sartre or Pinter.
Terkel wraps up his discussion with Frank Norman. Norman gives his opinion on present conditions in prisons and orphanages. He opens up about his relationship with his daughter and a family he has never met.
Terkel delves into the life of Frank Norman, a London ex-con who turned his life around and became a novelist and playwright by writing on his experiences. He wrote "Bang to Rights" shortly after his prison release which brought him great fame. He followed that with "The Monkey Pulled it's Hair" that had a U.S. release under the name "Don't Darling Me Darling". Norman opened up to Terkel discussing his illegitimacy, his illiteracy till age 14, his institutionalization in an orphanage which he turned into the novel "Banana Boy".
Studs Terkel heads to the British town of Stratford-upon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare) intending to interview Sir John Gielgud, and getting a few words before Studs realizes that Sir John is not intending to be interviewed. He speaks instead to other members of the company. Then he meets Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence in the Falcon Hotel.
Vlado Habunek, the Director of The Croatian National Theater, also a teacher at the University of Zagreb and board member for the Debrovnik Summer Festival discusses how all arts are seeking new revelations with Studs Terkel. Terkel asks Habunek to compare American Actors with Croatian actors because they are subsidized by the state. He sees Croatian actors as too secure and admires the ambition of American actors. The fact that theater reflects life and life is difficult begins a discussion on the status of theater today.
Interviewing producer Harold Pinter and actors Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise. They discuss their careers and present excerpts from Steppenwolf Theatre’s production “The Caretaker.”
Novelist Stanley Elkin has come into town to see Frank Galati's adaptation of Elkin's book, "The Dick Gibson Show." The book has a lot to do with how radio has become a talk show. Various cast members re-enact scenes from "The Dick Gibson Show."
Studs Terkel discusses Russian theater with Stanislaw Pchenikov and Theater director Valentin Nikolaevich Pluchek.