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John Lithgow and Glenn Close to star on Broadway

By WTOP Staff

MARK KENNEDY
AP Drama Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — John Lithgow is returning to the New York stage with gusto in 2014 — first with Shakespeare’s “King Lear” in Central Park this summer and then in a Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s “A Delicate Balance” by fall.

“They’re two roles that I never intended to play in such proximity, but you can’t turn them down,” the two-time Tony Award winner said Thursday from Los Angeles. “It’s a great paring of roles. They really couldn’t be more different.”

Lithgow will be joined in the Albee play by Glenn Close, Lindsay Duncan, Bob Balaban, Clare Higgins and Martha Plimpton. It will be directed by Pam MacKinnon, with previews beginning at the Golden Theatre on Oct. 20. Opening night is Nov. 20.

Albee’s 1967 Pulitzer Prize-winning play first arrived on Broadway four years after his blistering “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and examines the stresses and strains of family and friendship.

Though he’s never performed the play before, Lithgow has a long history with it. As a drama student in 1969, he coached the American accents for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s British premiere production.

The new production will mark Close’s return to the New York stage after a 20-year absence. She has won Tonys for “Sunset Boulevard,” ”Death and the Maiden” and “The Real Thing.” She and Lithgow will play the long-married couple at the center of the play — Agnes and Tobias.

The fireworks take place in the couple’s well-appointed library and living room. Agnes frets — about losing her mind — and Tobias tries to comfort her. They live with her sister, Claire, a hard-boiled alcoholic.

Into this unhappy family comes Julia, the much-married daughter of Tobias and Agnes, who is fleeing her latest husband. Yet Julia can’t reclaim her old bedroom. It is being occupied by Harry and Edna, two old friends of her parents.

Unlike the savagery of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” the play is more like a fever taking hold.

“It’s a very haunting play,” said Lithgow. “It’s kind of a nightmare play where something seemingly so small gores into a kind of horror. In fact, the word ‘horror’ is used early on.”

The new “A Delicate Balance” represents Lithgow’s second big Albee project. He played George in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” with Albee directing in Los Angeles in 1989.

Lithgow, who also has three films coming out this year, said he can’t really concentrate right now on the play since first up is “King Lear,” which he is reciting while driving around Beverly Hills.

“People are wondering what in the world I’m yelling about,” he said with a laugh.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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