Harlem’s Classical Theatre

Ty Jones, the producing artistic director of the Classical Theatre of Harlem, talks about how CTH has survived the pandemic; continues to provide theatrical productions and theatre-based educational and literary programs for free or at little cost to Harlem residents, businesses, schools, community-based organizations and all who seek Harlem as a cultural destination from around the world; and is trying to create a permanent home for not only itself, but all of Harlem’s classical institutions. FEATURING: how we define classics; unintended consequences of the last two years; the difficulty of keeping the drama on the stage; the possibility of transforming lives, especially for children; creating a sustainable organization; the importance right now of doubling down on support for theater; how costs have skyrocketed post-pandemic; connections to Steve Harris and The Practice; getting the tools, and then sharpening them; the challenge of creating a home for the arts while also bringing the arts to where the people are; adhering to the motto of “go big and get a home!”; and a hugely important push-back on the idea that a parent has failed if their child goes into the arts! (Length 21:00)

Shakespeare In Detroit

Sam White (left) is the founding artistic and executive director of Shakespeare In Detroit, currently presenting the African-American Shakespeare Company production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) , directed by Reed Martin. On their first opening night in years, in their new home at Marygrove Conservancy, Sam sat down to discuss the history of @ShakesInTheD; her own origin story; how she has a new appreciation for King Lear after caring for aging parents; the important distinction between loving Shakespeare’s works and loving Shakespeare the man; the dangers of taking Shakespeare too seriously; the importance of changing the idea of who Shakespeare is for; how the best actors are funny; the crazy delight of becoming BFFs with Margaret Atwood; and how the pandemic has enriched and deepened our understanding of Shakespeare’s plays. (Length 18:15) (PICTURED: Tre Tyler, Lijesh Krishnan, and Gabe Ross in the Shakespeare In Detroit / African-American Shakespeare Company co-production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) , directed by Reed Martin. Photo by @chuknowak.)

Untamed Shrews Podcast

Dawn Tucker, Hannah Fontes, and Becki Zaritsky are the hosts of the Untamed Shrews Podcast, a production of Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival (where Dawn and Hannah are the Executive and Marketing Directors, respectively, and Becki is the former production manager). The three Shrews discuss their work with Flagstaff Shakes and how the pandemic inspired the podcast’s creation, and how they bring their irreverence and humor not only to podcasting but to Shakespeare and theater. FEATURING: an RSC Podcast first; how Dawn is livin’ the dream; how shrews need love, too; how their specific skillset allows a trapeze Winter’s Tale; the state of the arts in Arizona (or at least in Flagstaff); wisdom from a Shakespearean elder; and how FlagShakes may be the only theater company in Arizona that doesn’t own a fog machine. (Length 25:05)

Shakespeare In Paradise

Shakespeare In Paradise, an annual festival committed to exposing Bahamian audiences to a range of productions from classical theatre traditions around the world while celebrating and developing Bahamian Theater artists. Co-founded in 2009 by Nicolette Bethel, Shakespeare In Paradise is the only international theater festival of its kind in the Caribbean, and Nicolette talks about the festival’s origins; the complicated nature of what the words “Shakespeare” and “paradise” actually mean; how Shakespeare in Paradise is slowly but officially becoming the national theater of The Bahamas; why there’s been resistance to Shakespeare throughout the Caribbean; how a seven-person Measure For Measure transformed perceptions of how Shakespeare can be done; how certain of his plays speak to certain audiences; how certain of his plays maybe just shouldn’t be done anymore; and how Shakespeare In Paradise is creating new generations of people who aren’t afraid of Shakespeare. (Length 18:15)

Hartford Stage Company

Melia Bensussen (l) and Cynthia Rider, respectively the Artistic and Managing Directors of the Hartford Stage Company, talk about the history of their multiple Tony-winning institution, and how they are managing and programming to reflect the various crises hitting their theatre specifically and the American theatre industry generally. Featuring a surprising number of laughs; gratitude at being in charge of an institution during a pandemic; the difficulty of hitting moving targets; the challenge of meeting the needs of multiple communities; how the best comedy is also the smartest comedy; a possible podcast scoop; some fantastic new brochure copy; and the opportunity and obligation to be of service to an audience and industry that’s battling crises on multiple fronts. (Length 19:43)

Livermore Shakespeare Festival

Livermore Shakespeare Festival is the thriving cultural center of the Tri-Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area, and founder and producing artistic director Lisa Tromovitch talks about how the company began and how it’s continuing to grow. Featuring the journey from parks and vineyards to a brand-new building; how working with new plays and living playwrights is great training for collaborating with William Shakespeare; how Shakespeare and theatre acts as an economic engine; and finally, the greatness of being in the so-called center of the MegaRegion! (Length 20:21) (Lisa Tromovitch; Nicole Odell and Skyler Cooper in the 2019 Livermore Shakespeare Festival production of Othello, directed by Michael Wayne Rice. Photo by Gregg Le Blanc, CumulusLight.com)

Episode 634. Marya’s New ‘Tempest’

Marya Sea Kaminski is the new artistic director of the Pittsburgh Public Theatre and just opened her ambitious all-female production of The Tempest. Marya discusses how her production of is inspired by the Pittsburgh community and engages in fun and fantastical contemplations, reimagining a great text, honoring Shakespeare’s role as a producer and crowd-pleaser, developing partnerships with Pittsburgh’s civic and creative communities, recognizing the importance of time to reflect, and sharing her thoughts about what makes a great season and how one prepares them. (Length 20:00) 

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)

Episode 566. Captain Picard’s Autobiography

David A. Goodman (author of Federation: The First 150 Years and The Autobiography of James T. Kirk) returns to talk about his new book The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard, the definitive chronicle of Starfleet’s most inspirational captain. David discusses how his television writing helps address the challenges of writing Star Trek fiction, and gives a Read more…

Episode 563. Orville Family Guy

David Goodman is the executive producer of the The Orville, the futuristic sci-fi comedy adventure created by (and starring) Seth MacFarlane. David discusses his 30 year (so far) career in television, writing on everything from the Golden Girls to Star Trek: Enterprise; his long collaboration with MacFarlane, dating back to Read more…

Episode 561. Fall Tour Preview

Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor preview all our upcoming fall dates: four shows in three countries, ten states, and thirteen cities, performed by a dozen or so actors! Featuring news about The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) , All the Great Books (abridged), The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), and William Shakespeare’s Long Read more…

Episode 559. Technical Theatre Textbook

As students and teachers head back to school, it’s the perfect time to talk to Tal Sanders, assistant professor of theatre at Pacific University in Oregon, who has written a new textbook about technical theatre — and it’s absolutely free! Tal discusses the strengths and limitations of the books currently Read more…

Episode 532. Shakespeare & Trump

How should / would / will William Shakespeare respond to a character like President Trump? We talk with Shakespeare artists and administrators Kate Powers, Amy Wratchford, Mya Gosling, and Mac MacDaniel about productions they’d like to see during the next four years that can shed some light on the current administration. Featuring the value of leaning in and telling truth to power, cruel things to do to Midsummer’s Snout, finding surprising resonance in unexpected places, and most excellent suggestions of Richard III, Richard II, King Lear, Hamlet, Coriolanus, and…hang on a bit…King John?! Recorded live at the Shakespeare Theatre Association conference at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in Baltimore, Maryland. UPDATE: New York’s Public Theatre at the Delacorte in Central Park took this to a whole ‘nother level in June 2017, with its production of Julius Caesar in which the Roman leader is costumed to look exactly like Donald Trump. (Length 15:02)

Episode 527. The Writers Theatre

”Recently dubbed “Company of the Year” by Terry Teachout in the Wall Street Journal, the Writers Theatre in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe began in the back of a bookstore and in its 25th anniversary season opened its brand new multi-million dollar performing arts venue — which is also an award-winner! Michael Halberstam, Read more…

Episode 497. The Folger Theatre

”Janet Alexander Griffin has led the public programs of the Folger Shakespeare Library since 1982 and has been the Artistic Producer of the Folger Theatre’s programming since 1992. She was good enough to include us in the Folger’s festivities surrounding William Shakespeare’s 400th Deathiversary, and gracious enough to talk to us Read more…

Episode 432. Los Angeles Theatre

”RSC actor Jeff Marlow (who’s also a proud member of Actors Equity, the union representing stage actors and stage managers) helps walk us through the current controversy in LA involving 99-seat theatres. Jeff explains both sides of the issue, offers the beginnings of a proposed solution, and discusses the dangers of this Read more…

Episode 430. Remembering Leonard Nimoy

”We remember Leonard Nimoy this week (who passed away February 27, 2015) with the man who literally wrote the history of the Federation, David A. Goodman. In addition to writing on Star Trek: Enterprise, David worked with Nimoy on the famous episode of Futurama he wrote called “Where No Fan Has Gone Read more…

Episode 423. UK Comedy Fools

”As is tradition, this week we come to you Live! from the Bedford, our rehearsal pub in Balham (“the Gateway to the South”), to meet and chat with the new cast of the 2015 UK tour of The Complete History of Comedy (abridged). Cast members Gary Fannin, Matthew Pearson, Andrew Read more…

Episode 421. Returning To Theatre

”For this last podcast of 2014, a tale of triumph (or depending on your point of view, tragedy). Longtime RSC fan Lizabeth Stanley tells her story of discovering the theatre, leaving the theatre, and finally returning to theatre armed with nothing but desire, mad carpentry skills, and a license to practice Read more…

Episode 402. The Pleasance Courtyard

”LIVE! (ish) from the Pleasance Courtyard, the throbbing hub of theatrical activity here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, comes this collection of pitches from people selling some of the more than three thousand shows being performed this year. Featuring our reduced tribute to Robin Williams, rules for doing sh*t-faced Shakespeare, denizens Read more…

Episode 368. The Cincinnati Playhouse

”Blake Robison talks about the wonderful Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and his ongoing journey as its new(ish) Artistic Director. Featuring the challenges of directing and administrating, the differences between directing and acting, the benefits (for us) of performing here for the third time (the first two times were in Read more…

Episode 365. The Park Theatre

”Opened in May 2013, the Park Theatre has already become the artistic center of Finsbury Park in London, and this week it hosts the eight-performance conclusion of our autumn tour of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) . Creative Director Melli Bond talks with Matt Rippy about the creation of Read more…

Episode 213. Epic Two-Parter

The interview so long it took two years to complete! This week: the conclusion to last week’s conversation with Roy Conli, the producer of Tangled, Disney’s 50th animated feature. Featuring wisdom from the Nine Old Men, the value of seeing the windows to the soul, and the counter-intuitive notion that Read more…

Episode 212. Disney’s ‘Tangled’ Rapunzel

Oh, what a tangled weave…Take a rare peak behind the scenes at the Walt Disney Studios as producer Roy Conli describes the creation of Disney’s 50th animated feature Tangled. Featuring advice on the attributes of a great producer, the use of wine imagery to describe the return of John Lasseter, Read more…