The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend On Sale Now

Details: Parent Category: Other Festivals; Category: Theater; Published on Thursday, 17 December 2009 15:31; Written by Jessica Gatdula

As one of New York's most anticipated cultural events to kick off the new year, The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend features must-see speakers from theater, art, dance, film, music, literature and media. James McAvoy

Pre-sale tickets for 2010's installment of Arts & Leisure weekend are now available. The four-day TimesTalks event will take place from Jan. 7 through Jan. 10, 2010 at the TimesCenter in Midtown Manhattan.

Joining some of The New York Times' journalists are NBC late-night host Jimmy Fallon, Precious director Lee Daniels and the film's star Gabourey Sidibe, Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi and judges Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio, Golden Globe award-nominated actor James McAvoy (Wanted, Atonement) and more guests still to be announced. There will be a special opening night discussion with Cirque du Soleil writer-director David Shiner, choreographer Jared Grimes and dancers from the cast. A performance will follow.

The latest addition to this year’s line-up is the five-time Tony Award-winning star of A Little Night Music, Angela Lansbury interviewed by Anthony Tommasini.

• Previously announced is the star of the new film Crazy Heart, Jeff Bridges interviewed by Lynn Hirschberg

• Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash interviewed by Jon Pareles

• Best-selling crime novel authors Lee Child (Gone Tomorrow) and Carol O’Connell (Bone by Bone) interviewed by Janet Maslin

• Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming interviewed by Patrick Healy

• Director and star of the award-winning new indie film Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, Daniels and Sidibe interviewed by Patricia Cohen

• NBC late-night talk show host Fallon interviewed by Bill Carter

• Author and star of the autobiographical Broadway show Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher interviewed by David Carr

• Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights Beth Henley, Donald Margulies and John Patrick Shanley interviewed by Robin Pogrebin

• Talent from Bravo’s hit television reality show Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi, Eric Ripert and Gail Simmons interviewed by Frank Bruni

• Golden Globe-nominated actor James McAvoy interviewed by Melina Ryzik

• All My Children creator and head writer Agnes Nixon, actors Rebecca Budig, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Debbi Morgan and executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers discussing the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking daytime drama, with Jacques Steinberg

• Star of Jim Sheridan’s film Brothers, Natalie Portman interviewed by Patrick Healy

• The star of the upcoming Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge, Liev Schreiber interviewed by Lynn Hirschberg

• Performers from Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel with writer-director David Shiner and choreographer Jared Grimes interviewed by Jason Zinoman.

Tickets are $30 per event and are general admission. Additional information and announcements to come are available at http://www.artsandleisureweekend.com/

The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend
Jan. 7 to Jan. 10, 2010
TimesCenter
242 West 41st Street
New York City