I'm not frightened about terrorism. I'm frightened about the roots of what we call terrorism.

Singing in Yiddish was a great thrill for me and came about through Joe Papp, the founder of The Public Theater.

I didn't live far from where Leopold and Loeb lived on Chicago's South Side, so I had heard about them as a kid.

I have the strength from my mother, the survivability. I have wonderful qualities from my mother - but please, Mother, forgive me - I heard judgment constantly about my father.

It's what Shakespeare's mission was - to illuminate our thoughts and struggles and bring about the possibility of getting the most we can out of a day as opposed to least in this brief moment we're here.

I never publicise in advance what I'm going to be singing because I never quite know until I start. I often change my mind halfway through. I sometimes throw in stuff about politics or Shakespeare or do songs in Yiddish.