I had an opportunity to interview
Michael Kostroff this week. He
has just been named as a regular cast member on the HBO hit series
"The Wire". He'll be passing through Knoxville on March 9th for a book signing at
Carpe Librum beginning at 6:30pm. I really think this will be an especially witty and
interesting reading. Kostroff's book offers a unique, often
hysterically funny, peek into the many highs and lows a struggling actor confronts.
Having wanted to be an actor "since I was in the womb", Kostroff
has never stopped pursuing his dream to be in a large scale musical
comedy.
"It took me until I was forty-one years old", Kostroff laughs,
"but finally I got a part in the touring company of Mel Brooks' comedy The
Producers. It was challenging because one day I'd be tap dancing, doing
the broadest comedy possible. Then, I'd get a call saying they wanted
me to fly out to do scenes for The Wire. I play this really tough, sleazy
lawyer who breaks all the rules in order to defend his drug dealer
clients. Sometimes I'd get this feeling I was about to break out into
song while I was doing a serious courtroom scene."
Kostroff's honest book "Letters from Backstage" details the many
different cities the touring company visited and all the interesting
people he met. " People tell me it's just like being there," he says.
"I get a lot of emails. People really enjoy knowing what goes on behind
the scenes and in an actor's mind. I like making people laugh. I love
comedy. There's something very gratifying about being on stage and
hearing hundreds of people laughing."
If Michael Kostroff is half as interesting as he was when I
interviewed him, his appearance at
Carpe Librum should be utterly
delightful. I urge everyone to be sure not to miss this book-signing
event. It is a great opportunity to meet a author whose celebrity is
growing daily.
--guest contributor, Carole Ann Borges
