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It’s He Said/He Said as our good friends Matt Croke and Bill Matson testify about what happened to Bill’s pristine first-edition copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Featuring photographic evidence, conflicting testimony, medically-suspicious eye-rolling, and the value of stories, literature, and books. Even destroyed ones. (Length 20:04)
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Mary Hartman, the director of education at Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada, shares her philosophy for Shakespeare education and its emphasis on play. Mary reveals why threads is a better term than themes; how Shakespeare’s plays should not be poetry readings; how she's developed the Discovery Zone, an extensive free resource for both students and educators; and how so much of Shakespeare’s power is not just in his words, but in the relationship of actors to each other and to the audience. NOTE: This conversation was recorded the night before we learned Tina Packer, the Founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts and an acclaimed director, actor, writer, and teacher, died at the age of 87. Tina was a mentor to generations of artists, scholars, and educators, including Mary, and so this conversation is an unintentionally timely tribute to and celebration of the legacy of Tina Packer. (Length 19:30)
Cathy Sandrich is the Emmy-winning casting director of The Pitt, HBO's Emmy-winning outstanding drama beginning its second season this week. A veteran of various "big boy movies," Cathy reveals how she sees thousands of actors for hundreds of roles; the supreme importance of lists; how one starts over with every project; the importance of strong and truthful choices; how casting directors have to audition just like actors and, also like actors, don't like to be pegged; how good is always good but sometimes not quite right; and, most encouragingly, how great auditions are never wasted. (Length 22:09)
On its 30th anniversary, we present the complete audio of The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas, which walked so The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) could run, and was first recorded and broadcast on Public Radio International in 1995. Featuring conversations with both the crew of Yule-Sat and Charles Dickens; festive (and occasionally dated) partying at the RSC HQ in Northern California; the ten-minute "The Complete Christmas Carol (abridged);" and the original in-context version of that would-be holiday classic "Mrs. Santa Claus." (Length 47:35)
1 Comment
Christina McDougall · September 5, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Well – having been an usher at the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center for Bill Matson while Matt Croke was performing with the RSC, I have to say this whole Harry Potter – 1st edition book thing… it’s definitely Matt’s fault. Entirely Matt’s fault. I’m pretty darn sure I saw Matt drop the book down the Green Room toilet when Bill was out of the room. Or it could have been the dressing room toilet, but it was definitely Matt and a toilet. Or Austin. But definitely the Harry Potter book. If you need me to testify, just let me know. We ushers see everything… unless I don’t have my flashlight.
Can’t wait to see you guys in Tacoma, WA in March. This time, I have a seat… in the front row. I’ll leave my fancy red KenCen jacket at home.