America

The Devil’s Work

Demons and witches and ghosts, oh my! As we reach our 666th podcast, it seems like the perfect time to talk about how the Devil has influenced (or hasn’t) the work of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss Faustian bargains; Satan being cut from The Complete History of America (abridged); rewriting The Music Man; Adam Long’s tribute to two legends in his one-man show Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim; the fear of mockery; our Kerfuffles in Northern Ireland; making friends in Louisiana; stories for another time; how times have changed; celebrating the Devil’s opposite in The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged); making up for missed opportunities with episode 420; and hopefully soon-to-be requited love for our book How The Bible Changed Our Lives (Mostly For The Better). (Length 21:55)

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By austin, ago

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). 

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By austin, ago

Episode 512. Touring In/With America

”With just a little more than a month to go before the 2016 Presidential Election, we discuss what it’s like to be performing The Complete History of America (abridged): Election Edition across the country. Featuring old friends, big tours, wonderful responses, surprising allegiances, different interpretations, unlikely Hamilton influences, a special appearance by Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 419. Choice Table Comments

”After every performance, we go out to a table in the lobby and greet the audience, and are always greeted in return with the most amazing (and sometimes amusing) comments. This week we share the various thoughts we’ve heard over the years (and over the course of our current run of Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 392. Podcast For Larissa

”We dedicate the podcast this week to one of our favorite fans, Larissa from Australia, who’s unable to travel to see us. Austin Tichenor, Reed Martin, Matt Croke, Dominic Conti, Michael Faulkner, Jerry Kernion, Mick Orfe, Dustin Sullivan, Jeff Marlow, Gary Fannin, and David Ellis send personal greetings and tell totally tall and Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 306. Returning To ‘America’

”The Complete History of America (abridged) premiered in 1993 and ran at the Criterion Theatre in London from 1996 to 2005, and has toured recently around the US and to Singapore and Hong Kong. For this 2012 tour of the show’s “Special Election Edition”, Dustin Sullivan returns with original cast Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 305. Casting The Candidates

”Who cares whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney would make a better president? The important question is, which one would make a better member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company? Reed Martin, Dustin Sullivan, and Austin Tichenor discuss the candidates (and all their presidential predecessors) in terms of how well they Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 304. Welcome Back Dustin

”Dustin Sullivan, beloved veteran of previous RSC tours (Books in the US and Ireland in 2007; America in 2008), returns this fall to perform in both the Special Election Edition of The Complete History of America (abridged) and The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged). Dustin tells us about his time on the national tour of Little House on Read more…

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By austin, ago

Vote Early! Vote Often!

Hear ye! Hear ye! This just in! The Special Election Edition of The Complete History of America (abridged) is coming! The show has been performed at the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center and many other centers not named for dead Presidents. It ran for almost ten years in London. Heck, we’ve even performed it at Read more…

By austin, ago

Episode 265. Feast Or Famine

”Reed and Austin talk about what a busy, hectic, and productive two years it’s been, and how weirdly similar 2012 will be. Featuring insight into the cyclical nature of theatre, tips on regeneration, a special appearance from Jon Weber, host of NPR’s Piano Jazz Rising Stars, and frustratingly vague references Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 264. Box Office Records

”Dan Berube, Marketing Manager for Merrimack Repertory Theatre, lists how many box office records The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) shattered during its four week run (Largest Pre-Sale, Largest Single Day Sale, Best-Selling Holiday Show, and #3 All-Time Best-Selling Show in MRT history), and also how many RSC shows are in Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 206. Michael Faulkner’s Measure

”Michael Faulkner returns to the RSC fold and regales us with tales of Measure For Measure at A Noise Within in Los Angeles, where he’s playing Elbow. Featuring the differences between acting and stage managing, between real Shakespeare and reduced Shakespeare, how to get Shakespeare up into fifth gear, and Read more…

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By austin, ago

HELLO, SINGAPORE!

Proving yet again that there is no accounting for taste, the RSC has returned to Singapore this month, performing “The Complete History of America (abridged)” and “Completely Hollywood (abridged)” from November 1-14. Click on the podcasts below to listen to us talk about our last tour of Asia, Dom’s dorkologue and excerpts Read more…

By austin, ago

Episode 167. Festus Is Back!

”The old codgers from Hollywood mark the return of a beloved – but cut – character from our America show. Featuring other recycled characters from previous shows, further improvements to the first act of Hollywood, a frustrating tease about the Sports show, and information about the publication of the Hollywood Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 123. San Diego Bound

”We head back to the San Diego REPertory Theatre this week for a two-weekend run of The Complete History of America (abridged), and we reminisce about our vast San Diego past. Including tales of natural disasters (not all of them created by us) and a special appearance by Stephen Klein, Read more…

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Episode 122. Meet The Press

”Pat Launer of the San Diego News Network interviews us about our upcoming run at the San Diego REPertory Theatre, and has graciously allowed the highlights to be podcast. Featuring a special appearance by Deb Hiett, co-star and co-director of A Bit of Counseling, available for viewing at FunnyOrDie.com. Cave Read more…

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Episode 95. Reduced Rehearsal Process

”Every RSC actor has to do it: learn our shows in a ridiculously short amount of time AND submit to a podcast interview. Jeff Marlow tours America this fall in The Complete History of America (abridged) and talks about the differences between our rehearsal process and that of a REAL Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 94. Special Election Edition

”The US Presidential Election is just around the corner, so the Special Election Edition of The Complete History of America (abridged) is off around the country. During a lunch break in rehearsal we discuss just how political we are — and aren’t. Featuring lame political insights, extremist viewpoints regarding the Read more…

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By austin, ago

Episode 61. New Old Shows

”What’s it like performing Complete History of America (abridged) and All The Great Books (abridged) after a year of performing mostly Hollywood and Bible? Confusing and nausea-inducing. Featuring an interview with our latest backstage goddess Alli Bostedt, the perils of remembering new line changes, a special appearance from Fox-TV’s Beth Read more…

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Episode 31. Happy Birthday America!

”In honor of America’s big 2-3-1, we feature The Complete History of America (abridged) in all of its reverent irreverence, and some truly patriotic behind-the-scenes info about how to celebrate and needle a large world power. Featuring a special appearance by Peter Hulne, star of the Comedy Central show American Read more…

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By austin, ago