Press Releases

April 29, 2004

Acclaimed Actor Alec Baldwin Returns to Southampton College as Distinguished Professor
Joined by Avram Theater Director Michael Disher, Duo to Conduct Professional Class in Theater on Works of Tennessee Williams

Contact:
Patricia Conway
631-287-8313

Southampton, NY - Whether in Hollywood movies, regional theater, television mini-series or on Broadway, Alec Baldwin has always been known for his love of communicating with his audience. He'll have that opportunity again as he returns to his role as Professor at Southampton College of Long Island University for the third consecutive summer.

Professor Baldwin, along with Avram Theater Director Michael Disher, will guide a select group of drama students through the intensive Professional Class in Theater from August 9-13.

For an application, please call Michael Disher at (631)287-8088 or e-mail him at Michael.Disher@liu.edu. Applications will be reviewed and potential students will be assigned an audition time at New York University, Baldwin's alma mater, on Wednesday, June 9 and Thursday, June 10.

With a shared passion for the works of Tennessee Williams, Baldwin and Disher will teach an intensive acting workshop dedicated to dramatic scene and monologue interpretation. Baldwin was nominated for a Tony Award for his Broadway performance in the 1992 revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," and was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the television movie of that same production.

"I am thrilled that Alec Baldwin has chosen to continue this truly generous opportunity at Southampton College," said Disher. "We are honored to have him back this summer, contributing his time for the betterment of actors and their education. What he offers his students is invaluable first-hand artistry and knowledge of the industry. His enthusiasm for teaching has greatly benefited many students."

In the three years since Baldwin was named professor at Southampton College, hundreds of applicants from across the country have applied to this program and so far, 38 students have received professional acting attention from him. This year, after a rigorous audition process, 20 new students will benefit from Baldwin's expertise and knowledge.

Baldwin, now part of one of Southampton College's fastest-growing and best-known departments, continues a relationship with Southampton College that began two years ago with his well-received lecture, "The Artist as Activist," before a standing-room-only crowd in the Avram Theater. He joins the College's acclaimed summer lineup of professors that also includes past U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins and best-selling writers Frank McCourt, Melissa Bank and Matt Klam, all of whom are appearing at the Southampton College Writers Conference July 14-25.

Baldwin has starred in several recent films, including last fall's gritty, independent drama "The Cooler," where he played a volatile casino operator and as a nosy neighbor in the Mike Myers film "The Cat in the Hat." Previous major films include "The Hunt for Red October," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Malice," "Glengarry Glen Ross," and "Ghosts of Mississippi" among others. His production company, El Dorado Pictures, has co-produced "The Confession," "Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial" and "Second Nature," a psychological thriller in which he played a U.S. government assassin. Baldwin is also an outspoken supporter of various causes related to public policy, including environmentalism, the government's support of the arts, campaign finance reform and animal rights.

In recent years, the Southampton Players, headed by Disher, have become one of Long Island's most celebrated and popular troupes, regularly selling out shows and staging a wide range of fare, from locally written comedies to elaborate, full-scale musicals. For three weekends in June, Disher and the troupe will offer Stephen Sondheim's musical classic "Follies," on the Avram stage.