Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast

One of the Top Ten Podcasts for Theatre Fans, according to Broadway World. And The Telegraph (UK) called it “a bright, breezy, and entertaining affair, well stocked with interviews, features, and excerpts from the shows!” when it named the RSC Podcast one of its Best Comedy Podcasts. Backstage drama. Touring trauma. Famous Guests. Infamous quests. Literary analysis. No urinalysis. All this and less – on the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. Find old podcast episodes here. It’s “All Things Reduced” every Monday – and it’s free!

Episode 632. Preparing And Doing

There’s a difference between rehearsing and performing and this week actors Dan Saski and Austin Tichenor, plus stage manager Elaine Randolph, talk about the specific challenges of touring a show with multiple combinations of actors to different venues around the country. Featuring unabashed fondness for The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), many comings and goings, the trick of doing a show you can only perform 4-5 weeks a year, unconventional processes, how much preparation can you actually do without the other actors, what’s language-driven and what’s movement-or-music-driven, incorporating new technicians in every city, speedy backstage changes captured on video, keeping theatre a living thing, how sometimes the lack of preparation brings magic, and ultimately the joy of seeing what different actors bring to the same roles. (Length 21:48)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:48 — 25.3MB)

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Episode 631. Joe Dempsey’s Mechanical

Chicago actor Joe Dempsey plays William Shakespeare’s most autobiographical character, Peter Quince, in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Joe talks about playing this prototypical actor-manager, the rehearsal process for this gloriously funny production, the importance of listening to director Joe Dowling, the joy of rehearsal invention, the freedom of actor ownership, the balance of hustling for auditions, the delight of working with T.R. Knight (TV’s Grey’s Anatomy) as Bottom, the incorporation of many Shakespearean deaths, memories of working with the late great John Mahoney (Frasier), and the fundamental difference between being interpretive and creative artists. (Length 18:33) Peter Quince (Joe Dempsey, with bullhorn) directs Francis Flute (Alec Silver), and helps Nick Bottom (T.R. Knight), assisted by Tom Snout (Jonathan Butler-Duplessis) and watched by Snug the Joiner (William Dick) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Joe Dowling, December 6, 2018 – February 3, 2019. Photos by Liz Lauren.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:33 — 21.6MB)

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Episode 630. The Sonnet Man

Devon Glover travels around the globe as The Sonnet Man, working with students of all ages and keeping the world safe from dry, boring, vomitless, beat-and-rhythm-less Shakespeare. This week Devon reveals his origin story and how he spreads the gospel of Shakespeare through hip-hop, and shares student revelations and discoveries, valuable niches, the importance of friends and mentors, the differences between Shakespeare taught as performance and as literature, issuing creative challenges, and the incredible value of using the arts to teach non-artistic subjects. (Length 26:00) 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 25:59 — 30.1MB)

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Episode 629. 2018’s Top Podcasts

Happy New Year! We kick off 2019 with excerpts of the Top Ten Most Downloaded Episodes of the RSC Podcast from 2018. Featuring novel excerpts from novelist Christopher Moore; testimonials regarding the efficacy of prison theatre programs; reviews of our favorite Broadway shows; the challenges of working on a new play about Mikhail Gorbachev; love for and from retired National Public Radio broadcaster Robert Siegel; actors from the Prague Shakespeare Festival; affection for Slings and Arrows; new plays inspired by Shakespeare’s plays and practices; confessions from an actual Lady Macbeth; and — finally! — an answer to the question, “What is Shakespeare’s greatest play?” Listen to the excerpts then click through to hear the entire episodes! (Length 23:03) 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:03 — 26.7MB)

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Episode 628. Very Reduced ‘Christmas’

In honor of the holiday, we present excerpts from a live performance of The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged)! Featuring music and laughter, a traditional English panto, gay apparel, interrupted epiphanies, travel nightmares, decked halls, and warm cockles. ‘Tis the season! Happy Merry Chrismakwanukkahanzukkah! 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:12 — 26.9MB)

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Episode. 627. Doctor Of Reduction

Our friend Ronan Hatfull is now Doctor Ronan Hatfull, if you please, having successfully submitted and defended his dissertation, “The ‘Other RSC’: The History and Legacy of the Reduced Shakespeare Company,” as partial fulfillment of the requirements for his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Warwick. Ronan discusses the focus of his research; how his emphasis changed as his initial perceptions evolved; not having room to include everything he wanted to say; whether he’s actually finished writing about the RSC or merely on temporary hiatus; the difference between parody and homage and how it’s in the eye of the beholder; a special appearance by Adam Long and a shout-out to Chickspeare; and finally, the difficulty of thinking critically about your subject and thus having to actually, you know, criticize it. (Length 19:24)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:24 — 22.5MB)

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Episode 626. Journalist Nellie Bly

Actor, director, and historical novelist David Blixt has written What Girls Are Good For: A Novel of Nellie Bly, an origin story of one of America’s great heroes and badass women. Using skills honed by writing two previous series set in ancient Rome and inspired by the origins of the Capulet/Montague feud in Romeo & Juliet, David tells this entertaining and hugely compelling tale that features incendiary writing, Shakespearean echoes, early exposures, pop-culture influences, finding the right angle, the joy of research, suggested casting, and the rush of exploring gaps in the stories we think we know. (Length 18:10)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:10 — 21.1MB)

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Episode 625. Actor Turned Educator

Longtime RSC actor Mick Orfe talks about his new career path as a high school psychologist, and how he uses his arts training and background to give the next generation of kids better career options. Featuring long-time career aspirations, doing God’s work, getting the training just to get the gig, the tooting of horns, how his acting training and experience informs both work and his approach, finding fulfilling work, the importance of telling your story, and the joy of making a difference and helping kids find not just jobs but careers. (Length 20:39)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:39 — 24.0MB)

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Episode 624. Shakespearean Youth Theatre

Logan Verdoorn and Lukas Brasherfons, the artistic director and resident dramaturg of Shakespearean Youth Theatre talk about how SYT provides “a world class education in Shakespeare for Twin Cities Teens”, and reveal how the company formed, how it works, how it seems like it could be an excellent model for other communities, the delight of coming to Shakespeare without excess baggage, a shout-out to Pop-Up Shakespeare’s exciting crowning action, the goal of ennobling and empowering young people through the power of theatre, and the inherent danger of ever underestimating Shakespeare. (And Fletcher.) (Length 19:09)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:09 — 22.3MB)

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Episode 623. Orsino And Othello

William Oliver Watkins plays Orsino (left, with Caitlin McWethy as Viola) in the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night, after playing the title role in CSC’s production of Othello last season. Will talks about the similarities and challenges of the two roles and what it’s like to return to his home town of Cincinnati from where he lives now in New York City, gives shout-outs to mothers specifically and English teachers generally, reveals revelations about Tom Selleck’s mustache and the saga of Luke Cage’s little brother, explains the things they don’t teach you in acting school, and talks about the glory of doing Shakespeare in the Park (not that one). (Length 20:28) 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:28 — 23.8MB)

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Episode 622. Viola And Olivia

Caitlin McWethy and Abby Lee play Viola and Olivia in the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night directed by the RSC’s own Austin Tichenor, and prior to the show’s opening this week, sat down to talk about their characters and how this production differs from other productions they’ve seen and been in. Featuring the wonder of two women sharing scenes onstage (and the weirdly specific thing that makes it possible), Viola’s narrative burden, definitive roles we’re dying to play (lookin’ at you, Valentine), the question of why Olivia is not a more generally-desired role in the Shakespearean canon, Olivia’s similarity to Kate from Taming of the Shrew, the magic alchemy of shared grief, roles that allow for greater interpretive freedom, wonderful surprises, hitting that sweet spot between fun n’ games and tragedy, and the joy of laughing and crying in rehearsal. (Length 21:08)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:08 — 24.5MB)

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Episode 621. Processing The Process

Oregon Shakespeare Festival Director of Literary Development and Dramaturgy Amrita Ramanan talks about the role of the dramaturg at a theatre dedicated to a playwright who’s been dead for 402 years, and discusses the planning and programs OSF has put in place to create a canon of new Histories, Comedies, Tragedies, and Romances. Our highly caffeinated conversation features distinctions between institutional dramaturgy and production dramaturgy, studying the intent of the text, carrying a sense of engagement, determining what a 400 year old play means today, identifying the ethos and identify of Shakespeare’s work, how a dramaturg’s job is very similar to a director’s, the value of gadflies, thematic connectivity, harnessing the all-important dramaturgy of the actor, and how producing new work and new playwrights, in addition to producing his 400 year old plays, actually does the greatest honor to Master Shakespeare himself. (Length 17:51

Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:51 — 20.8MB)

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Episode 620. Tom Hanks’ Falstaff

Director Kristen Osborn talks about serving as assistant director to Daniel Sullivan on the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles production of both parts of Henry IV earlier this summer, which starred Tom Hanks as Falstaff, Joe Morton (Scandal, Brother From Another Planet) as Henry IV, and Hamish Linklater (Fargo, Legion, The Newsroom) as Hal. Kristen discusses how the script was abridged and cast and also shares insights into how the emphasis of Shakespeare’s History gets transformed by star quality. Featuring music by Michael Roth, shout-outs to our own Jeff Marlow, mysterious secrets of the pocket gopher, becoming invaluable, digging into the work, figuring out backstage traffic, transforming the space, changing class distinctions, putting in understudies, feeling like a fraud, what this gig might lead to, how to double a cast of “only” nineteen people, a growing love of Shakespeare, and how a young director shapes her career. Recorded live at The Celtic Knot in Evanston; Where else to talk about Henry IV but in a pub?! (Length 23:29)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:29 — )

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Episode 619. Critic Chris Jones

Chris Jones is the chief theatre critic and Sunday cultural columnist for the Chicago Tribune, has also been recently named a reviewer for the New York Daily News, and has just written Rise Up! Broadway and American Society from Angels in America to Hamilton. Despite this hectic schedule of seeing and writing about theatre, Chris made time to chat about the role of the critic, how criticism has changed over the years and are a necessary (and valuable!) part of the ecosystem, what most great plays are about, examining not whether a play is good but what it means, an addiction to living in make-believe worlds, what happens when critics screw up, how writing about theatre is writing about life, the reality of complex relationships, the value and drawbacks of moving on to the next show, the nature of ensemble, the greatness of pre-Broadway tryouts, the democratization of critical voices, how ambition is devoutly to be wished, and what’s been the most fundamental change in criticism in the last 20-30 years. (Length 27:29)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:29 — 31.8MB)

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Episode 618. Directing ‘Twelfth Night’

Austin Tichenor is directing Twelfth Night at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company this fall, and it turns out he’s almost the only one at Cincy Shakes or the RSC who’s never worked on it before! Fortunately, RSC members Teddy Spencer, Jerry Kernion, and Dominic Conti, plus Chicago actress and professor of acting at Northwestern University Cindy Gold, are able to give him tips and insights into the play and its characters because they’ve all done Twelfth Night multiple times. Featuring discussions of the text, Shakespeare’s authorial intent, the driving force that is Maria, the difficulty of Malvolio, spectacular insight into Sir Toby Belch, the value of dumb shows and fencing, the way to dress Sir Andrew, excellent high-kicking, and the wonder of having a well-oiled Orsino. (Length 23:47) 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:47 — 27.6MB)

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Episode 617. Remy Bumppo’s ‘Frankenstein’

Nick Sandys is the artistic director of Chicago’s Remy Bumppo Theatre and is currently playing both Victor Frankenstein and the Creature in the Nick Dear adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, which opens this week and runs through November 17, 2018, now also celebrating its 200th anniversary (he alternates roles with Greg Matthew Anderson). Nick talks about the power of this tale of monstrousness and how it fits into Remy Bumppo’s mission of great language driving great ideas. Featuring ways in which Shelley’s novel continues ideas expressed by Shakespeare in The Tempest, early modern analogues to rap battles, how one can highlight (and quite possibly confuse) certain issues, the precision with which one handles cultural negotiation, how the use of language — even in Shakespeare — tells you how a scene must be staged, how literature can also be a verb, how monsters are not born but made, and how one addresses the ultimate question: Who, really, is the monster? A star is shorn! (Length 22:42)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:42 — 26.3MB)

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Episode 616. Directing ‘Nell Gwynn’

Christopher Luscombe, who’s directed in London’s West End, at Shakespeare’s Globe, and for the ‘other RSC’ (the Royal Shakespeare Company), now directs Nell Gwynn, a charming new comedy with music about the famous (or infamous) 17th Century actress now having its world premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Also an alumnus of the Cambridge Footlights, Chris discusses Nell the play, Nell the actress, and Nell the production. Featuring a wonderful tribute to Chicago actors, the value of being authentically English, the absolute treat of continuing to work on a play over several years, the advantage of embracing contradictions, the great thing about not being afraid of comedy, and the importance of starting from scratch every time. (Length 18:21)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:21 — 21.4MB)

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Episode 615. American Revolutions Onstage

Julie Felise Dubiner is associate director of Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle, a multi-decade program of commissioning and developing 37 new plays sprung from moments of change in United States history. On my recent trip to Ashland, I was able to meet and chat with Julie about OSF’s program and the wonderful plays that have already come out of it, a couple of which — Lynn Nottage’s Sweat and Paula Vogel’s Indecent — appear on this season’s list of Most Produced Plays in the US compiled by American Theatre magazine. Featuring the question of what it means to be American, dramatizing moments of change and the problem with tying those moments to US presidents, watching the first run-thru of this generation’s Death of a Salesman, overcoming one’s shameful past in improvisation, fueling comedy with rage, how a sense of humor might save us, and the importance of writing the history of your people on to the stage. (Length 22:49)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:49 — 26.5MB)

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Episode 614. Taming Shakespeare’s “Shrew”

Shana Cooper directed Taming of the Shrew at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival this summer, a production that received rave reviews from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Shana, an assistant professor at Northwestern University, discusses how she made this troublesome play work in our slightly more enlightened (hopefully) and evolving era. Featuring key commedia influences, a classic battle of the sexes play that’s also a satire of same, being sold on the love story, the importance of clowns, the danger and absurdity of the patriarchy, one virtue of the Christopher Sly scenes, forging unknown and thorny paths, the importance of non-verbal text, radical and revolutionary individuals, and most importantly, finding alternatives to broken systems and masculine ideas of power. (Length 28:56) (Pictured: Liz Wisan and Biko Eisen-Martin as Kate and Petruchio in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival production of Taming of the Shrew. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 28:56 — 33.5MB)

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Episode 613. ‘Complete Works’ Returns!

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)  returns for its first US tour in almost ten years! Two of our actors prepared for the tour by performing un-reduced Shakespeare this summer: Michael Faulkner (above, right) performed in Othello and the Two Noble Kinsmen for Kingsmen Shakespeare Company in Thousand Oaks, CA, while Jeff Marlow (above, left) played three roles in the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles production of Henry IV, which featured a young up-and-comer named Tom Hanks as Falstaff. Michael and Jeff discuss the importance of calf exercises, the strengths and limitations of LPMs (Laughs Per Minute) as an appropriate barometer, actor shorthand, honoring laughs, opening doors for yourself, unlikely expectations, the magic of theatrical alchemy, and the wonderful relationship between performing actual full-length Shakespeare — and then reducing it. (Length 18:32)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:32 — 21.6MB)

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Episode 612. NewVic Usher Corps

Anthony Pound is the Associate Director of Education and Youth Engagement at the New Victory Theatre in New York City, and now that school is back in session Anthony tells us all about  NewVic’s award-winning Usher Corps theatre internship program. Featuring robust education departments, amazing lower lobbies, incredible online resources, briefing and debriefing, winning awards, post-show workshops, pursuing realistic careers in the arts, shout-outs to Sunset Cultural Center and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and finally, fabulous encounters with former first ladies. (Length 20:12)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:17 — 21.3MB)

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Episode 611. Burbage to Burbage

Kevin Kenerly is a 22-year veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and is currently playing Richard Burbage in Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will (after having played Burbage in Shakespeare in Love in 2017). Kevin talks with Austin Tichenor (who played Burbage in the Northlight Theatre production in 2017 and blogged about it for the Folger Shakespeare Library) about his approach to playing Shakespeare’s leading man, how he first came to Shakespeare, how the role of Burbage resembles Cyrano de Bergerac, inspirational teacher shoutouts, impressive instruments, the magic of different interpretations, a love for language, the pleasure of needing no clue, Michael Caine aphorisms, how theatre sleeps when we do, and ultimately how Shakespeare and microbrew prove to be an unbeatable combination. Featuring a special appearance from Lauren Gunderson herself! (Pictured: David Kelly as Henry Condell, Kevin Kenerly as Richard Burbage, and Jeffrey King as John Heminges. From the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will, directed by Christopher Liam Moore.) (Length 22:56)

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Episode 610. ‘Western Civ’ Lives!

Barnstormers Theatre in New Hampshire is producing our rarely-seen show Western Civilization: The Complete Musical (abridged), which we created in 1998 under its original title The Complete Millennium Musical (abridged). Director Blair Hundertmark and cast members (l to r) Jordan Ahnquist, Cheryl Mullings, and Rachel Alexa Norman discuss learning and updating the script and the songs, getting comfortable with audience participation, the freedom to go with the flow, lyrics that make your eyes spin, encouraging seriousness and the prospect of journaling, finding a through-line, sad topicality, getting the audience on your side, sexy inquisitors, unsung heroes, and timeless inspiration from Yogi Berra. Featuring excerpts from the original cast recording, which is available from iTunes! (Length 25:04)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 25:04 — 29.0MB)

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Episode 609. Well-Intentioned Director’s Guide

Director Nate Cohen is in his second year of Northwestern University’s MFA Directing program and recently created a cheeky — and slightly tongue-in-cheek — flowchart entitled “Should I Direct This Play (A Guide for Well-Intentioned Cis Het White Men).” Nate posted the chart on Facebook and tagged, among other people, American Theatre magazine, which retweeted it and prompted much national discussion and a little bit of blowback. Nate discusses his own intentions and the issue of taking up space; the dangers of getting stuck in an irony loop; the cautionary tale of Robert LePage; the fact of walking like a (straight white) man; the reason it’s a guide, not a rulebook; vital interactions with Lauren Gunderson; the potential danger of artist-splaining; a grateful shout-out to the Hawkins Family (and this live concert recording in particular); the importance of thinking through things critically and not being a dick; and ultimately, the valuable question of how do we do better? (Length 27:46)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:46 — 32.1MB)

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Episode 608. Colonel Tom Parker

Our own Jerry Kernion is playing Colonel Tom Parker in the new jukebox musical Heartbreak Hotel, currently playing in Chicago and possibly soon on its way to a theatre near you. Jerry talks about playing this controversial person, the creation of the role, the history of the actual guy, the evolution of the production, and its possible future. Featuring Elvis’s talented lineage, interesting historical what-ifs, the challenges of playing not-necessarily-good guys, fabulously appropriate background music, charming personal conflict, and the adventure of living in Chicago and leaving Los Angeles — possibly for good! Recorded live in Pippin’s Tavern in Chicago. (Length 20:07)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:07 — 23.4MB)

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Episode 607. Getting To Edinburgh

How do you get to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival? What’s involved with producing yourself at the largest theatre festival in the world? Jamie Gower, the creator and star (sorry, operator) of Denny O’Hare: I Feel Fuzzy, takes us step by step through the process of creating a show, picking a venue, developing a budget, making peace with the idea that this will most likely be a money-losing operation, and most importantly, understanding the danger of not going. Featuring nuts and bolts, waived visas, the value of pre-planning and starting early, the advantage of not being a good puppeteer, learning how to create good press releases and posters and flyers, the importance of location location location, and the supreme importance of not waiting for permission. (Length 24:53)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 24:53 — 28.8MB)

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Episode 606. Composer Michael Roth

Composer and arranger Michael Roth has had a big summer, scoring not only the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles production of Henry IV starring Tom Hanks, and Pamplona, the one-man play about Ernest Hemingway, starring Stacy Keach, currently having its world premiere production at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Michael has worked with such notable theatre artists as directors Robert Falls, Des McAnuff, and Daniel Sullivan, actors Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehy, and songwriter Randy Newman, and he joins us to talk about with working with all these artists in a variety of media. Featuring the importance of first rehearsals, making sure Shakespeare’s songs are not perfunctory; small worlds; the challenges of writing a musical; and Shakespeare’s weird ability to be early-modern and post-modern at the same time. (Length 22:21)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:21 — 25.9MB)

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Episode 605. The Actors Gymnasium

Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi is the artistic director and co-founder of The Actors Gymnasium, a physical theatre school with a huge emphasis on circus and telling stories through movement. A longtime collaborator with Chicago’s Tony-winning Lookingglass Theatre, Sylvia created the underwater choreography for Lookingglass’ current production of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and talks about how she creates her work and the value of her collaborators, the invaluable nature of literally growing up in the circus, questioning the value of not taking a risk, learning the language of physicality, getting actors to a different level, and the joy of watching a performer discover new skills and manners of expression. (Length 19:20)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:20 — 22.5MB)

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Episode 604. Cartoonist John Kovalic

Failed astrophysicist John Kovalic certainly landed on his feet, becoming not only a fantastic cartoonist and board game designer, but the creator of Dork Tower and Apples To Apples, illustrator of Munchkin Shakespeare, the crafty current chronicler of geek culture. On our recent trip to Madison Wisconsin, we got to sit down and talk with John about the rise of geek culture, apologies to former professors, humble roots at the UW-Madison student newspaper, the wonders of crowd-funding, skipping Advanced Micro Economics, multiple interests across the arts and the sciences, how autobiographical comics aren’t, being directed by Dominic Dromgoole, the horrible dangers of Monopoly, and the startling and slightly bittersweet success of Apples to Apples. (Length 26:27)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 26:27 — 30.6MB)

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Episode 603. Value Of Limitations

The script for William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) has now been published in the US (after having been published in the UK earlier this year) and this week we talk about how the various limitations we’ve encountered — physical, institutional, and personal — have all required we make changes to the script, many of which improved the script and we decided to keep. Featuring the challenges of retraining muscle memory, the differences between a two-hour performance and an hour-long one, the possibly counterintuitive value of sanitizing for your comedic pleasure, the dangers of swearing even in Pig Latin, the joy of turning limitations into gold, the surprising distinction between crotches and nipples, the futility of coming up with a Timon of Athens joke, and the dismay of thinking that something’s terribly moving and discovering you’re only half right. (Length 20:12)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:12 — 23.5MB)

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Episode 602. Broadway’s Fight Guy

Friend of the podcast Tom Schall talks about how he’s become Broadway’s Fight Guy (or, truthfully, one of them), the go-to person to design fight choreography and tell a story using actors’ physical language. Featuring how to develop and agree on physical vocabulary; how work leads to work; switching between the past and present tense; nuts and bolts; torn rotator cuffs; working with directors; a great description of working at the Folger Theatre; tales of working on Hamlet with Oscar Isaac and Keegan-Michael Key; and the joys and dangers of teaching James Bond and Martin Luther King, Jr. how to fight. (Length 20:17) Photograph of David Oyelowo as Othello and Daniel Craig as Iago by Charlie Gray for Vanity Fair.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:11 — 31.5MB)

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Episode 601. More Lauren Gunderson

Playwright Lauren Gunderson continues the conversation we began with her last November 2017, talking about her amazing play The Book of Will, a valentine about the creation of the First Folio, the first collection of all (most) of Shakespeare’s plays in 1623. WARNING: This is a slightly spoiler-y conversation (our first spoiler-free conversation can be found here) but in it Lauren reveals the process of research, dramaturgy, and creation; and also discusses the value of preparing for loss; being present; the wonder of ephemera; Shakespeare’s amazing women (both onstage and off); practicing memory as an active thing; favorite brilliant actors; and the absolute magic of double-casting. Featuring a special appearance by Oregon Shakespeare Festival Executive Director Cynthia Rider. (Length 17:23) (Pictured: Cristofer Jean in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of The Book of Will. Photo by Jenny Graham)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:23 — 20.2MB)

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Episode 600! American Theatre Magazine

For this milestone episode, we talk to the journal of record for the American theatre industry: American Theatre magazine. Managing Editor Russell Dembin and Associate Editor Allison Considine discuss the magazine’s origins, its operations, its expansion, and its impact. Featuring changing publishing schedules, expanded focus, evolving trends, exciting productions, bold new work, new takes on old work, challenges facing the industry, stepping up an online presence, shout-outs to Senior Editor Diep Tran, theme issues, changing job descriptions, ideas for possible future projects, a special appearance from Most Produced Playwright Who Isn’t William Shakespeare Lauren Gunderson, and above all, creating a go-to destination for all theatre practitioners — and fans. (Length 22:21)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:21 — 25.9MB)

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Episode 599. Coming And Going

Five RSC actors — Reed Martin, Dan Saski, Teddy Spencer, Austin Tichenor, and Chad Yarish — performed at Pittsburgh Public Theatre this opening preview weekend. Over beer, wings, and fried pickles, Dan, Teddy, Chad, and Austin discuss what’s involved with creating smooth transitions during performances; jokes that also come and go; the important similarities between Shakespeare and martial arts; adjusting blocking for a thrust configuration; the vast quantity of variety of theatre in the north Bay Area; working with John Douglas Thompson in Hamlet at American Conservatory Theatre; aspiring to Bob Cratchit; amazing musical scores; possible dueling Pucks; the difficulties of matching your own type; and the tricky nature of jokes that also come and go. (Length 20:17)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:17 — 23.6MB)

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Episode 598. Returning to Pittsburgh

We’re honored to be performing William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) here at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre as the final production of outgoing artistic director Ted Pappas’ 17-year tenure. Actors and playwrights/directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor reminisce about their many previous trips here while actor Teddy Spencer talks about what he’s looking forward to seeing and doing here in Steel City. Featuring memories of previous runs, tons of festivals, successful potty-training, crappy couches, snowy opening days, and fantastic audiences here in our home away from home.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:00 — 24.4MB)

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Episode 597. Lady Macbeth Herself

Chaon Cross plays Lady Macbeth in the exciting and literally magical production of the Scottish play directed by Aaron Posner and Teller in the current production at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and discusses the challenges of finding the balance between the textual and theatrical and between character and razzmatazz; the difficulties of acting while performing magic; the art of creating a useful backstory; the pitfalls of human desires: the glory of creating a world; the relative usefulness of politics; and the surprising delight of speaking with Lady She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. (Length 21:16)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:16 — 24.7MB)

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By austin, ago

Episode 596. Nicole Galland’s D.O.D.O.

Friend of the podcast, novelist Nicole Galland (I, Iago), has co-authored (with Neal Stephenson) a wonderful sci-fi time-travel thriller-comedy called The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., which the San Francisco Chronicle calls “a high-stakes techno-farce with brains and heart!” D.O.D.O. is now out in paperback so Nicole returns to talk about the book’s creation, the difficulties of describing your characters, how she met Neal Stephenson, the burden of having too many interests in too many places, the rarity of authorial rebranding, rewriting during the editing stage, how the authors’ writing partnership informed the relationship between the two main characters, some tantalizing clues about the sequel, and how one transitions from an historical to a sci-fi novelist. (Length 18:53)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:53 — 22.0MB)

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Episode 595. Alli & Davey

Our long-time friends and colleagues Alli Bostedt and Davey Naylor were married last Friday, May the 4th (Be With You), 2018, in the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma, CA (where we filmed The Complete History of America (abridged)) and, just days before the ceremony, they took time to talk about how their romance overcame early tour awkwardness and problematic venues (thank you, Rhyl!). Featuring knockout predictions, comments from Best Man Matt Rippy, origin stories, canal canoodling, romantic Berkhamsted opportunities, memories of our UK tour of The Complete World of Sports (abridged) and New Zealand tour of Completely Hollywood (abridged), and the inspiring story of how romance can blossom even during a theatrical tour. (Length 19:01). 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:01 — 22.1MB)

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Episode 594. ‘Caged’ World Premiere

We’ve talked on this podcast about theatre and Shakespeare in prisons, but we’ve never heard about theatre created by the incarcerated or formerly incarcerated outside prisons. Director and teaching artist Jerrell L. Henderson directs the world premiere of Caged at Passage Theatre in New Jersey, and discusses the challenge of finding the narrative, radical love, predatory systems, the trick of navigating the demands of thirty living playwrights, mourning alone, and how to avoid the dangers of directorial slather and getting art on you. (Length 18:52)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:52 — 21.9MB)

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Episode 593. Best Shakespeare Play

The We Got This! Podcast, created and hosted by Hal Lublin and Mark Gagliardi, settles such important and earth-shattering cultural debates as what is the Best Donut, the Best Toilet Paper, and Best Muppet. But recently, with the help of the RSC’s own Austin Tichenor, they settled something truly important: What is, actually, Shakespeare’s greatest play. This week we present to you the abridged version of Episode 113 of the We Got This! Podcast, featuring truly lively banter, questionable priorities, varying definitions of ‘expert,’ Shakespearean references to both Scooby-Doo and Freddy Krueger, living with mistakes, the legacy of Henry V’s St. Crispin’s Day speech, adherence to the Aristotelian unities, the challenge of appreciating Shakespeare’s greatness without acknowledging his flaws, suggested new opening lines for Twelfth Night, and ultimately a shocking (or maybe not-so-shocking) result. (Leave your comments below.) (Length 30:10)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 30:10 — 34.9MB)

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Episode 592. Christopher Moore’s ‘Noir’

Christopher Moore, the author of such wonderful comic novels as Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal; Fool; The Serpent of Venice; The Stupidest Angel; Bloodsucking Fiends; Practical Demonkeeping; Sacre Bleu, and many others, has a new novel out called Noir, and it’s wonderfully comic, weird, and surprisingly poignant, all of which are hallmarks of a Chris Moore novel. Chris talks about this new novel’s inspirations which, it turns out, are varied and many. Featuring San Francisco history, film and literary precedent, surprisingly Shakespearean inspirations, weird connections to Roswell, loving language, shout-out to Damon Runyon, the joys of touring (and how to train for it), teasing future novels, and the Top Secret First Thing They Teach You at Famous Author School. (Length 21:18)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:18 — 24.7MB)

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Episode 591. I Was Cleopatra

Dennis Abrams has written the new YA novel I Was Cleopatra, the fictional memoir of John Rice, a boy actor in the King’s Men, Shakespeare’s acting company, who played many of Shakespeare’s signature female roles, including Lady Macbeth, Cordelia, and Cleopatra. I Was Cleopatra was just published last week and its author discusses the creation of his novel, the amount of research he did, the wonder of being surprised by your main character, the supplemental reading he recommends, how we know when Shakespeare wrote his plays, the fun of deconstructing Shakespeare’s texts, and the ultimate joy of all: annoying Oxfordians! (Length 21:18)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:18 — 24.7MB)

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Episode 590. Serious Actor Clown

Philip Earl Johnson stars in Enemy of the People at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and talks about the creation of his role in this new adaptation, and how he divides his time between theatre work and his other life as the RenFaire clown MooNiE. Featuring the fundamental virtues of conviction and truth, brushes with rockstar greatness, travels with Angels in America, the value of getting through 200 shows, the art of combining Ibsen with Charlie Chaplin, the magic of whistling, the inspiration of junkyard dogs, and the glory of scoring a leading role the old-fashioned way — by auditioning. (Length 24:17)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 24:17 — 28.1MB)

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Episode 589. Chicago’s Northlight Theatre

Artistic Director BJ Jones (left) talks about Northlight Theatre, the fourth largest theatre in the Chicagoland area and producer of an extraordinary body of new work. BJ discusses the importance of understanding one’s audience while raving (positively!) about student matinees, commissioning new work, remembering John Mahoney, challenging the current generation while training the next generation of theatergoers and theatre makers, and, most importantly, encouraging compassion and improving one’s perspective through theatre and art. (Length 17:07)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:07 — 19.9MB)

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Episode 588. Resurrecting The Bible

We resurrected The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) for its first American performance in almost four years and this cast’s first performance in more than eight. After the raucous standing ovation, Dominic Conti (center), Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor talk about what it’s like returning to a show after such a long absence, and what it means, personally, to perform this particular show. Featuring testaments old and new, civilized rehearsing, born-again favorites, missing trunks, Catholic raves, recreating a fourth dummy, consoling the ignorant, remembering kerfuffles, begging Michael Faulkner (right), and happiest of all, celebrating the Bible through joy and laughter. (Length 17:47) (Also pictured: Tiger Reel. Photo by Eric Vizents)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:47 — 20.7MB)

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Episode 587. Slings & Arrows

With the premieres of both Rise (on NBC) and Barry (on HBO), it’s the perfect time to satisfy listeners who’ve asked us many times to delve into the seminal TV show Slings & Arrows, the Canadian production that lovingly sends up and celebrates the business and art of theatre, and is the definitive depiction of our business on television. Howard Sherman returns to talk about what makes this show so great (and occasionally painful and eye-rolling) and offers a defense of theatre administrators; a recognition of fantastic actors such as Rachel McAdams, Stephen Ouimette, and Paul Gross; detailed explorations of theatrical art; surprisingly complex and nuanced interpretations of Shakespeare; the importance of — yet again — representation, and — coolest of all! — where you can currently see the show online for free right now.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:05 — 25.6MB)

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Episode 586. Reduced Show Report

During our two-week run of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) at the New Victory Theatre in New York City we had the opportunity to see many fantastic shows, both on and off-Broadway, and between our final two performances we chatted about what we saw, what we liked, what we were disappointed in, what surprised us, what challenged us, and what completely blew us away. Featuring thoughts, opinions, critiques, and appreciations of Lobby Hero, School of Rock, Farinelli and the King, In & Of Itself, Chicago, A Bronx Tale, The Low Road, SpongeBob Squarepants, Three Tall Women, John Lithgow, Hamilton, and The Band’s Visit — plus tales of personal John Lithgow connections, out-of-the-ordinary shows, accidental benefits of snow days, excellent direction and not-so excellent direction, and wonderful moments of deeply moving exquisite joy. (Length 27:12)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:12 — 31.2MB)

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Episode 585. Chicago Theatre Standards

Laura T. Fisher (left) has put together a document called Chicago Theatre Standards, a document and philosophy that “seeks to mentor institutions, theatre-makers, teachers, students, parents and anyone who would like to learn more about procedural preventions and potential responses to unsafe practices, with a special focus on harassment, bullying and discrimination.” Laura discusses what led her, along with Lori Myers, to create the #NotInOurHouse movement and explains how organizations and individuals can respond to creepy and unwanted behavior that doesn’t necessarily rise of the level of the criminal. Featuring the importance of following inner compasses, the luck of catching viral waves, the virtues of being helpful, the dangers of being proscriptive and divisive, the importance of process and preventions, the trickiness of gray areas, recognizing and combating abusive strategies, and most of all, the necessity of preventing the exploitation of a culture of ‘yes’. (Length 23:50)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:50 — 27.4MB)

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Episode 584. The Comedy “Plantation!”

Kevin Douglas’ new play Plantation! is having its world premiere right now at the Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago, in a production directed by Lookingglass founding member David Schwimmer and starring eight phenomenal actresses. It’s a family comedy that deals with race and legacy and family and atonement, and in addition to its many laughs, some of which are definitely uncomfortable, its ending takes audiences absolutely by surprise and bring them to tears. Kevin discusses his creative process, explaining why he decided to create a comedy in the first place, and features the danger of clinging, the benefit of listening to actors, the value of a spoonful of sugar, and how Kevin’s next play will solve all the world’s problems. (Length 25:05)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 25:05 — 28.9MB)

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Episode 583. Short Rehearsal Process

Jim Ortlieb and Gregory Linington, who played John Hemings and Henry Condell in the midwest premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will last fall of 2017, return to the RSC Podcast to discuss the challenges and rewards of a “reduced” rehearsal period. Over pizza and beer at Chicago’s Candelite restaurant, Jim and Gregory chat about being prepared but also staying open, similar-but-different approaches to the work, the liberating importance of “pre-hearsal”, the artistic value of pub time, the time-honored dilemma of religion vs entertainment, the subleties of defining character, the beauty of playing against the text, the gift of intimacy, and the values that constitute true “Chicago theatre.” (Pictured (left to right): Austin Tichenor, Jim Ortlieb, and Gregory Linington recording this podcast live at the Candlelite in Chicago, while Dana Black hovers.) (Length 27:32) 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:32 — 31.7MB)

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Episode 582. Marco Antonio Vega

Meet Marco Antonio Vega, the newest member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company! Marco performed with us last week in two sold-out standing-ovation performances in South Padre Island, TX, and comes to us from the Utah Shakespeare Festival, where he played Puck in their production of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged). Marco talks about how he first discovered Shakespeare and reveals some of his early influences, and his gratitude to teachers, mentors, and an older sister. Featuring rapping Pucks, supportive parents, perfect background music, holy irreverence, and the miracle of completing almost a third of the canon at such a young age. (Length 18:25)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:25 — 21.2MB)

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Episode 581. Reagan And Gorbachev

The Goodman Theatre in Chicago’s latest production, a world premiere by Rogelio Martinez called Blind Date, chronicles the courtship and ultimate conference in Geneva between American president Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985. Chicago actors Rob Riley and William Dick play Reagan and Gorbachev and talk about the challenges and rewards of playing two such seemingly familiar historical figures. Featuring the wonders of YouTube, the dangers of sketch comedy, massive and mostly-read biographies, reboot opportunities, gifts for character actors, the challenges of rewrites, and best-selling Broadway Play Publishing playwrights. (Length 24:08)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 24:08 — 27.8MB)

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Episode 580. Redeeming Time Project

“I’ll so offend to make offense a skill,
Redeeming Time when men think least I will.” — William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part I
Kate Powers is the creator and artistic director of the Redeeming Time Project, a program which uses Shakespeare to effect positive change for the incarcerated and hopefully, eventually, the formerly incarcerated. Featuring opportunities to practice empathy, gateway drugs (in a good way!), overcoming language barriers, tools for self-reflection, dismantling preconceived ideas, a special appearance by the Q Brothers, and, as always, showing us what it means to be human. Recorded LIVE at the 2018 Shakespeare Theatre Association Conference. (Length 23:46)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 23:46 — 27.4MB)

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Episode 579. Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries

Anne Morgan is the literary manager of the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA, which has created the “Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries” project, a ground-breaking undertaking to discover, develop, and produce a new canon of 38 plays inspired by and in conversation with Shakespeare’s originals. Anne sat down at this year’s Shakespeare Theatre Association conference, hosted by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, to discuss the origins of this very exciting project, its ultimate scope, and what’s involved with administrating this wide-ranging, blind-reading, open-application process. Featuring outstanding opportunities for emerging or unrepresented playwrights, the power of embracing Shakespeare’s original staging practices, the importance and value of learning from your actors and learning from your audience, the removal of unconscious bias, and the important difference between dramaturgs and dramaturds. Recorded LIVE at the 2018 Shakespeare Theatre Association Conference. (Length 17:45)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:45 — 20.5MB)

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Episode 578. Shakespeare In Prague

Back in October of 2017, we had the great good fortune of visiting Prague Shakespeare Company in the beautiful Czech Republic, and we got to speak with Jared Doreck, Steve Josephson, and John Boston, the cast of PSC’s production of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged). Featuring expat adventures, working with Ray Bradbury, bilingual productions of The Winter’s Tale, crazy performance schedules, multiple casting in repertory, playing in Mozart’s footsteps, getting to play the coveted role of Tiberio, bows that go on forever, and the craziness of completing Shakespeare’s entire canon in a single year — including Shakespeare’s long lost first play! Recorded LIVE at Prague’s famous Cafe Louvre. (Length 20:45)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 20:45 — 23.9MB)

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