Troubador Theater’s ‘Lizastrata’

Matt Walker is the founder and artistic director of the Troubador Theatre Company, the LA-based ensemble that combines classic texts with classic Top-40 songs to create such astonishing mashups as Much A-Doobie Brothers About Nothing, The Comedy of Aerosmith, Fleetwood MacBeth, Santa Claus is Coming to Motown, The Little Drummer Bowie, Julius Weezer, Abbamemnon, As U2 Like It, A Christmas Carole King, Hamlet – the Artist Formerly Known as Prince of Denmark, A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream, and It’s a Stevie Wonderful Life. The Troubies’ most recent magnum opus, which just closed its sold-out run at LA’s Getty Villa, was Lizastrata, which combined Aristophanes bawdy political comedy with music associated with Liza Minnelli. Matt explains how “The Troubies”, after more than 18 months, finally made the show go on; hired a COVID Compliance Officer; got advice from classical scholars; received letters anyway from “concerned” patrons; held a funhouse mirror up to nature…and hung it over the bed; and were visited by royalty: the Divine Miss Liza with a Z herself. BONUS! Austin reveals how Kander & Ebb’s “New York, New York” became the official anthem of New York City. (Length 25:29)

Episode 447. Our Favorite Shakespeares

”We have Shakespeare on the brain these days (perhaps workshopping the new script William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) has something to do with it), so Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss their favorite Shakespeare plays, productions, and performances. Featuring favorite characters, underrated plays, overrated genres, horrible omissions, lifelong goals, and almost Read more…

Episode 106. Meet The Troubies!

”The Troubador Theater Company combines clowning, Shakespeare, and rock & roll in productions like As U2 Like It, Much Adoobie Brothers About Nothing, Fleetwood Macbeth, and Hamlet – The Artist Formerly Known As Prince of Denmark. Artistic Director Matt Walker and Producing Director Beth Kennedy discuss the method to their Read more…