Episode 490. Shakespeare And Burlesque

Richard Schoch is Professor of Drama at Queen’s University in Belfast, and the author of “Not Shakespeare: Bardolatry and Burlesque in the 19th Century.” Richard was working at the Folger Shakespeare Library during our first week there and wrote a blog post about the history of Shakespearean parody. Spoiler alert: The Reduced Shakespeare Read more

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Episode 360. Austin Tichenor’s ‘Frankenstein’

Austin Tichenor’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is getting new life, with a new production and published acting edition. Austin talks to director Rob Richards about the current production and consider the ideal interpreters of 19th-century Romantic authors, some genius casting notions, the dangers of polite acting, the close relationship between laughter and screams, a special appearance by newly elected Senator Cory Booker, dodgy Jeff Goldblum impressions, and the nature of monstrosity. (Length 19:15) (Pictured: Matthew Geary as The Creature in the 2013 Phillips Exeter Academy production. Photo by Cheryl Semter. Used by permission.)

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Episode 178. The Ballet Book

Kay Tichenor (Austin’s mom!) talks about her 1976 book Ballet (Troubador Press/Price Stern Sloan) and how a casual family interest became an activity and reference book that’s still in print after thirty-five years. Featuring a reduced history of this ‘history of the dance’, advice for aspiring writers, the power of movement, and a special appearance by a man of a certain age. (UPDATE: Kay passed away on May 29, 2010, less than a month after this was recorded. She is and will be missed.) (MP3. Length 20:47)

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Episode 33. Modern Slim Pickens

Character actor/comedian David Koechner (Anchorman, Thank You For Smoking, Snakes on a Plane) tells tales of typecasting and creating comic characters, and deconstructs his short-lived Comedy Central TV show, The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show. Featuring a special appearance by Gerald ‘T-Bones’ Tibbons (left). Boop! (MP3. Length 26:20)

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