Episode 455. BackRoom Shakespeare Backstage
RSC Managing Partner Austin Tichenor performed with the Back Room Shakespeare Project in their production of The Merchant of Venice in July 2015 at the Radler Bar & Restaurant, and because his roles were relatively (thankfully) small, he roamed the backstage area interviewing actors and audience members about their preparation and expectations. Featuring an audio excerpt of the performance, similarities to tricksy hobbits, navigating the play’s racism and anti-semitism, finding the comedy, and the joys and terrors of performing in a riotous pit of bloodthirsty drunks. NOTE: BRSP co-founder Samuel Taylor (who coined the expression embroidered into a sampler by Kate Pitt) discusses the Project’s aims and philosophies in his book My Life With The Shakespeare Cult on RSC Podcast episode 437. (Length 23:57)
Podcast: Download (22.1MB)
Episode 452. Beyond The Stage
Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor, and Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival workshop cast members Chad Yarish, Dan Saski, and Teddy Spencer discuss the development of the new script William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) as part of NDSF’s “Beyond The Stage” series. Featuring questions from NDSF Artistic Director Grant Mudge and members of the audience, and discussion about the power of story, outrageous tales of audience participation, the challenges of working with two directors, the tricks of telling the truth and interacting with the public, inevitable comparisons, and the wonder of Shakespearean inspiration. (Length 22:18)
Podcast: Download (20.6MB)
Episode 395. Being Child Actors
We’ve been called childish actors, but Caroline Heffernan and John Francis Babbo, are actual child actors, two members of the six-actor cast of the Lookingglass Theatre Company world premiere production of In The Garden: A Darwinian Love Story. Hear these two young professionals discuss navigating the relatively adult worlds of theatre and television, being wrangled, surviving surprisingly healthy environments, handling inappropriate language, dealing with showmances, and offering most excellent tips on how to avoid being obnoxious. (Length 16:39)
Podcast: Download (15.4MB)
