Actor and playwright John Leguizamo‘s Tales from a Ghetto Klown will debut on PBS as part of the PBS Arts Summer Festival on Friday, July 13 at 9pm EST.
Starting with a survey of his Colombian and “NuyoRican” roots and building to his high-profile career in Hollywood, Leguizamo bares his soul (as do his colleagues, family members and celebrity friends) in this behind-the-scenes glimpse of one of the industry’s most versatile actors. After the Broadway success of his latest show, Ghetto Klown, Leguizamo goes on the road to his native Colombia and performs it in Spanish. The film, directed by Ben DeJesus, documents the entire journey, including such bumps along the way as his struggles to translate the show and his insecurities over his rusty language skills.
Award-winning television, film and stage actress Anna Deavere Smith serves as weekly host for the Summer Festival, which showcases diverse productions from top independent filmmakers in an exploration of culture and art from around the globe, offering an in-depth look at music, theater, art, architecture and cultural history from some of the world’s unique locations..