This age-old philosophical question is analyzed in irredeemably geeky and undeniably nerdy depth by the RSC’s resident Trekkies. Featuring startling insights why Star Trek is like Shakespeare, an excerpt from our Paul Harris interview at KMOX, and special guest appearances from actual Star Trek story editors and Borg fighters. Embrace the cheese! (MP3. Length 19:29)
Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:29 — 17.9MB)
In this new edition of Great Moments with Mr. Bakula, the former captain of the Enterprise and famous Quantum Leap-er discusses playing America's 16th president in Mister Lincoln, Herbert Mitgang's one-man show now onstage at the storied Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. Scott reveals how the role came to him; his long association with this particular venue; his history of leaping into the bodies of other notable Americans, such as Dr. Ruth; how his whole career has been a lovely surprise; coming full circle in the musical Shenandoah!; fudging the rules of time travel; hesitation to do his own beard work; excellent direction from James Whitmore, Jr. (son of another fabled one-man show performer); gratitude for a hero’s return; Lincoln's deep familiarity with Shakespeare; and how the theatre is and always has been Bakula’s first love. (Length 32:24)
Artistic director Edward Hall's production of Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theater includes the frequently cut "Salic law speech" ("the best speech in Shakespeare" – Mya Gosling, GoodTickleBrain), and friend of the pod Gregory Linington explains how he speaks the speech as the Archbishop of Canterbury, and how its inclusion is emblematic of the production as a whole. Gregory, who is a verse and dialect coach in addition to being an actor, shares how the speeches in this production are broken down surgically; how the historical Henry prized wisdom and experience over youth and moxie (as does this production); how director Hall fills the stage with a powerful ensemble of veteran character actors; how the famous "band of brothers" becomes a literal band; and how this powerful production balances contemporary flourishes with a traditional reading of the text. (Length 21:11) (PICTURED: The cast of Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Henry V, directed by Edward Hall. Photo by Liz Lauren.)
Actor and comedian Stephnie Weir (Mad TV, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) discusses the origins of her one-woman show The West Texas Weirs, which she performs this weekend at Chicago's IO Theater. Stephnie shares how she grew up on a used car lot; how dealing with a complicated father made her the person she is today; the trick of navigating unconventional relationships with reality; how family vacations were planned around repossessing cars; the potentially NSFW origin of terms like "hunty” and "askholes;” how vowels are expensive; and how a comedic exorcism can help process our feelings about complicated men. (Length 18:06)
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Podcast Review: The Reduced Shakespeare Company – Contents May Vary · July 10, 2016 at 8:09 pm
[…] is an admitted geek – and so there is also the occasional podcast on geeky topics like Kirk vs. Picard, the definition of geeks versus nerds, and other similar topics. Then, there are topics that are […]
Review: The Reduced Shakespeare Company (and Their Podcast) | Angie Fiedler Sutton · December 30, 2014 at 11:16 pm
[…] is an admitted geek – and so there is also the occasional podcast on geeky topics like Kirk vs. Picard, the definition of geeks versus nerds, and other similar topics. Then, there are topics that are […]
Review: The Reduced Shakespeare Company (and Their Podcast) | Stage Savvy · September 28, 2014 at 2:52 pm
[…] is an admitted geek – and so there is also the occasional podcast on geeky topics like Kirk vs. Picard, the definition of geeks versus nerds, and other similar topics. Then, there are topics that are […]