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)

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)

Episode 354. Playwright Anthony Clarvoe

”Anthony Clarvoe‘s plays (Pick Up Ax, Ambition Facing West, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, etc) have been produced all over the US in many of the same theaters we play, yet despite us having many friends and colleagues in common, our paths have never crossed until now. Anthony talks about his life as a Read more…

Episode 336. History of ‘Federation’

”Greetings from the future! Historian (and TV writer) David A. Goodman has written Federation: The First 150 Years, the history of the United Federation of Planets, which was assembled as a special exhibit on Memory Alpha (and is available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk). David talks about how he created the Read more…

Episode 209. Broadway Play Publishing

”Broadway Play Publishing publishes and licenses the scripts of such playwrights as Tony Kushner, Eric Overmyer, Neil LaBute, Constance Congdon, and the entire Complete (abridged) oeuvre, and Kip Gould, its founder and publisher, raves about the exciting and lucrative field of script publishing (Note: Engage sarcasm filter). Featuring the pros and Read more…

Episode 168. Tiny Rebellious Acts

”“Let’s face it, we’d all love to topple a government or stage a full-scale rebellion, but who’s got the time or energy these days? Never fear, Tiny Acts of Rebellion can help.” Thus begins the funny new book by Rich Fulcher of The Mighty Boosh, who reveals how – and Read more…

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…

Episode 160. Post-Show Discussion

”A live Q&A at the Overture Center in Madison, Wisconsin, during which we reveal our favorite Shakespeare plays, touring information for 2010, when the script for Completely Hollywood (abridged) will be published, a very special blurb from some RSC pilgrims, answers to questions from our Twitter followers, and the shocking Read more…