101 Stage Adaptations

Bramble Theatre Company is thrilled to open the Bramble Arts Loft, a brand new peformance space in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Learn more at brambletheatre.org.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists! This is a segment of the End of Play.® interview Melissa had last year with Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild.Resources MentionedEpisode 23End of Play.®Dramatists GuildAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, & playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for & is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist & stage manager.Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, & drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted & selected as Finalists for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin & NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, & other notable venues across London, NYC, & the US.Follow the Dramatists Guild on Facebook, Twitter & InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

We're taking the week off to catch up on all the March Submission Binge tasks and also prepping for End of Play.®! What are you working on? Find Melissa on the socials and let her know what you're up to! Happy Marketing! Happy Writing!Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

 This week's episode is a replay of the hottest marketing tips from marketing expert  Julie Nemitz from Ep. 41.Resources MentionedEpisode 41Theatre Marketing Lab"In The Greenroom" podcastJulie's newsletterTheatre Marketing Lab Content ClubCanvaAbout Our GuestJulie Nemitz is a renowned theatre marketing leader & the force behind Theatre Marketing Lab and the popular podcast "In The Greenroom" where she offers insightful conversations with theatre leaders and actionable marketing advice. She has taken the theatre world by storm, attracting listeners globally, & reached the top #140 performing arts podcasts in the United States. For the past 10 years, Julie has revolutionized how theatres & theatre artists attract audiences through innovative strategies & compelling content. She is passionate about ensuring every community has a thriving performance space, regardless of size. Known for her infectious enthusiasm & deep knowledge of the latest digital marketing trends, Julie helps theatremakers uplevel their strategies and content through personalized consultations, coaching, & classes in the Theatre Marketing Lab. She has a special gift for analyzing what's not working and designing customized solutions to sell more tickets and deepen audience loyalty. Countless clients have experienced record-breaking sales under her guidance. When she's not busy transforming local theatres, you can find Julie rolling up her sleeves & guiding theatre artists into the digital age. Julie is also an adjunct faculty member at Western Michigan University, teaching performing arts marketing to the next generation of theatre artists.julienemitz.com Follow Julie on FB and IG Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In honor of the March 2024 Playwright Marketing Binge, here is the replay of Patrick Gabridge's interview where he describes the ways playwrights can make their submissions stand out. In this episode, we discuss:Why he started the Playwright Submission BingeTONS of tips on how playwrights can market themselves betterResources MentionedPlaywright Submission BingePlays in PlaceNYCPlaywrightsAbout Our GuestPatrick Gabridge is an award-winning writer and theatre-maker who has written a number of adaptations and also has a special talent for creating site-specific plays. With his company, Plays in Place, he's created plays in partnership with many museums & historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston's Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, & the MIT Museum. His full-length plays have been produced in the US & South Korea, and his short plays and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world. He's been involved with helping playwrights market their work for many years—he started the publication Market InSight for Playwrights back in 1993, and founded & still runs the Playwright Submission Binge, an online community focused on marketing. He's also a screenwriter, novelist, & a writer of audio plays.Connect with Our Guestgabridge.comNew Play ExchangeThe Writing Life x 3InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

It's Melissa's 10th Birthday! To help her celebrate her once-every-four-years birthday, please rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episode with a friend. And if you're so inclined, pop in to one of the social channels listed below and send her a birthday wish. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa details her 2024 Chicago Theatre Week Experience. She saw shows at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakes, TimeLine Theatre, Writers Theatre, and Court Theatre, and she recommends them all! Resources MentionedChicago Theatre WeekLeague of Chicago TheatresChoose ChicagoGoodman TheatreChicago Shakespeare TheaterWriters TheatreCourt TheatreTimeLine Theatre Company Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa is on another short winter break. Be sure to rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episodes with a friend, a student, a fellow playwright. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Amy Lehman from Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York) stops by the show to talk about this organization and how artists can benefit from their programs and services. In this episode, we discuss:How Amy pivoted from a performance career to a career in lawWhat VLA is and who can use their servicesMany of the programs VLA offersThe types of problems she wishes she didn't have to solve And more!Resources MentionedVolunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York)VLA CalendarMissing MoviesAbout Our GuestAfter a career as a professional ballet dancer, Amy Lehman attended NYU for her bachelor's degree in theater history and dramatic literature. After graduating from NYU, she continued to work in the theater industry, where she reviewed contracts and managed and negotiated licensing agreements for plays in the US and internationally.Having been inspired to go to law school by her desire to help other artists, she studied IP and media law while at University of Michigan School of Law, where she served as an editor on the Journal of Race and Law, and as president of the Entertainment, Media and Arts Students Association. Amy's primary practice has been general commercial litigation, including matters involving art law, media law, employment, intellectual property, constitutional law, real estate, insurance, contract disputes, torts, and other disputes. She is also a trained mediator with extensive experience working with VLA in the MediateArt program and is on the panel of mediators assigned to resolve cases for the Southern District of New York.Amy is a member of the Entertainment Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association and was selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014-2017 and New York Metro Super Lawyers 2018 through 2023.Connect with VLA NYTwitter/XInstagram Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For the first time ever, Melissa is joined by three guests in one interview! Scenic Designers Regina García, Sibyl Wickersheimer, and Maureen Weiss stop by to discuss their book and museum exhibit and drop a ton of wisdom along the way. In this episode, we discuss:The orgins of Scene ShiftHow they each came into theatre and scenic designBeing a mom and a theatre artistWhat they're teaching their students now in a post-pandemic worldAnd more!Resources Mentionedscene-shift.comScene Shift bookScene Shift Exhibit at the Fisher Museum - February 2nd - April 6th, 2024Connect with Our GuestsFollow Scene Shift on Instagram & Facebook Regina Garcíagarciaportfolio.comInstagramMaureen Weissmweissdesign.comSibyl Wickersheimersawgirl.comInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

No official episode this week, but Melissa will be back soon with all new interviews. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For another installment of "When the Production is the Adaptation," Melissa is joined by Marcia Milgrom Dodge aka "MMD" to discuss her production and revival of Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the Olney Theatre Center.   In this episode, we discuss:The origins of the "MMD" moniker"Smuggling in deeper meaning"Redesigning and imagining a Disney-branded showHow MMD has been a constant champion of diverse casting And more!Resources MentionedOlney Theatre's production directed by MMDDramaturgy and research for MMD's productionLicensing the musicalAbout Our GuestMarcia Milgrom Dodge is a Tony, Drama Desk & Astaire Award nominated director & choreographer for her “stirring & lovingly staged” Broadway/Kennedy Center revival of Ragtime. Most recently, MMD was the American Show Director for Tokyo Disneyland's 40th Anniversary Parade Harmony In Color! For Television, MMD appeared as herself in Disney+ Encore!; choreographed The Muppets in an Emmy-winning episode of Sesame Street and choreographed Elmo & The Noodle Family in Elmo's Wild West video, delighting children of all ages. MMD's bold new approaches to classic plays & musicals-- plus a few world-premiere musicals-- have been seen worldwide, from major regional theatres throughout the USA & Canada to Fredericia, Denmark to Seoul, S. Korea to Blackpool, England and even Muskat, Oman. Devoted to developing the next generation of theatre artists, her Directing Musicals workshops are geared for early-career Directors and Actors as well as for Theatre Lovers. MMD is also wife to Tony, mother to Natasha & a proud member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society. Connect with Our Guestmarciamilgromdodge.comRead & Recommend Tony Dodge's plays on New Play ExchangeInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through a comprehensive goal-setting strategy for playwrights and theatre makers so they can plan for a successful 2024, however they chose to define it. ***Sign up for the Newsletter***Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through an end-of-year self-inventory and reflection which will help set the stage for a 2024 goal-setting session. ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Christmas came early this year! We are dropping this episode a few days ahead of schedule to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the release of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.   The multi-talented Lavina Jadhwani stops by to discuss her adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which was first produced when her script was discovered on New Play Exchange. In this episode, we discuss:Adapting a well-known story for the stage, making it unique, and being faithful to the original textLavina's approach to adapting for the stageHow surviving cancer gave her a different perspective of her workthe Bollywood film list Lavina curated for Melissa on the spotAnd more!Resources MentionedA Christmas Carol by Lavina Jadhwani is playing at the Guthrie and Penobscot Theatre during the 2023 holiday season.New Play Exchange Nothing For the Group substackAbout Our GuestLavina Jadhwani is a Chicago-based director, playwright, and activist. Directing credits include Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PlayMakers Rep, the Rep of St. Louis, Asolo Rep, Mixed Blood, the Neo-Futurists, the Gift, Teatro Vista, Silk Road Rising, and Rasaka Theatre Company, where she served as Artistic Director for seven years. As a playwright, her work has been seen at the Guthrie, the Goodman, the Gift, East West Players, Cincinnati Shakes, and Indianapolis Shakes, and more. Lavina serves on the boards of the National New Play Network and the Chicago Inclusion Project. She is a proud cancer survivor, dog mom, and child of immigrants. She got her BFA/MA at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and her MFA at The Theatre School at DePaul University.Connect with Our Guestlavinajadhwani.comRead & Recommend Lavina's plays on New Play ExchangeFacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week Hollywood screenwriter Greg Taylor stops by the show! Greg wrote the scripts for the 90s kids' classics, Harriet the Spy and Jumanji, as well as one of Melissa's favorite holiday films, Prancer, which Greg later adapted for the stage. In this episode, we discuss:How the late great Cloris Leachman influenced Greg's script The reindeer in the film vs the stage playHow screenwriters and playwrights are treated differentlyAdapting novels to screenplays and screenplays to stage playsAnd more!Resources MentionedPrancer filmThe Rose TheaterPrancer script from Plays for New Audiences Prancer is playing at ALT, WV's Apollo Civic Theatre, and The Sauk during the 2023 holiday season.***We have a gift for 101 Stage Adaptations listeners! Download a  FREE PDF perusal copy of Prancer  here using the discount code is 101Prancer. Valid until December 1, 2024 and only valid on Prancer.***  About Our GuestGreg Taylor was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a screenwriter, author and playwright.  His screenwriting credits include Prancer, Jumanji, and Harriet the Spy.Greg is married, with two children, Jessica and Ian, and two grandchildren. From the time he and his wife, Joanne, had their first child, Greg has concentrated on writing stories for families, children and young adults.For his adaptation of the stage version of Prancer, which premiered at the Rose Children's Theater in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2016, Greg received the Omaha Theater Arts Guild award for Outstanding New Script. Since Prancer's premiere and initial run, the play has been performed at community theaters throughout the US.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Mike Dailey & Jacob Combs join Melissa this week to talk about their long-running holiday musical, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. In this episode, we discuss:Why Strawdog Theatre decided to adapt this beloved children's bookAdding framing devices and length to a short storyCasting a show that needs musicians, actors, singers, and acrobatic typesHow the music changes every year with each new cast And more!Resources MentionedHershel and the Hanukkah Goblins playing through Dec 23, 2023Strawdog TheatreAbout Our GuestsMichael Dailey has been a Strawdog company member since 1997. He has appeared as an actor in 24 Strawdog productions. Writing credits include three radio plays presented as part of Radio Theatre 7, co-writer on the late-night series The Adventures of Picklebot and Lawfer and script editor for Strawdog's productions of 1001 Afternoons in Chicago, Julius Caesar and Measure for Measure. As an actor, he's enjoyed working around town with Lyric Opera, Stage Left, Steppenwolf, About Face, Shattered Globe, Eclipse and Writer's Theatre, to name a few. He's a proud graduate of Illinois State University, the Second City Conservatory and was a Steppenwolf Acting Fellowship recipient.Jacob Combs is a writer, director, and composer based in Los Angeles. Most recently, he was part of the writers room for the Netflix comedy BLOCKBUSTER, and he is currently developing several TV projects with showrunners Vanessa Ramos and Jackie Clarke. Previously, Jacob spent a 6-year stint at Pixar Animation Studios in a variety of writing, development and production roles. He wrote on an untitled feature in development at Pixar and was part of the writers' room for an upcoming, original episodic series. He also wrote several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Disney+ documentary series Inside Pixar. A lifelong theater nerd, Jacob wrote the music & lyrics for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (based on the beloved children's book by Eric Kimmel), which has been produced annually since 2018 by Chicago's Strawdog Theatre.Follow Jacob on Instagram.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Kate Hamill stops by the show to talk about Dracula, one of her many stage adpatations. This conversation is a full meal on taking risks, making writing fun, advocacy, and feminism.In this episode, we discuss:How Kate became a playwright on a bet with her friendThe dramatic question she crafted for Dracula and some of her other worksIntentionally writing fun characters and feminist playsAdvocacy, unions, and surviving toxic behavior in the industryAnd more!Resources MentionedDracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, ReallyDracula is playing through December 24, 2023 at Portland Center Stage About Our Guest Kate Hamill is an actor/playwright and she was the 2017 Wall Street Journal Playwright of the Year. Her work includes her play Pride & Prejudice, at Primary Stages / HVSF, Sense & Sensibility at Bedlam; Vanity Fair at the Pearl Theatre, Mansfield Park at Northlight , Little Women at Primary Stages and the Jungle Theatre, Dracula at Classic Stage Company, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B at Kansas City Rep, Emma at the Guthrie, and The Scarlet Letter. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at A.R.T., the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, PlayMaker's, Folger, OSF, Trinity Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Dorset Theatre Festival, Shakespeare Theatre of DC, Dallas Theater Center, Kansas City Rep, Long Wharf, A.C.T., Actors Theater of Louisville, & others. Her play The Little Fellow (or: The Queen of Tarts Tells All) is currently at the Cygnet Theater, and Emma at the Denver Center next year. She is currently developing a new adaptation of The Odyssey, a Christmas play called Scrooge for Senate; and several original plays including The Piper and The Light and The Dark. Kate has been one of the most-produced playwrights nationwide every season from 2017-2023. Connect with Our Guestkate-hamill.comTwitter/X InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Happy Thanksgiving 2023!Melissa expresses her gratitude for the past year, reads a couple listener reviews, and invites you to join her upcoming newsletter.  ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter*** Leave a review on Apple Podcasts here and maybe it will be featured in an upcoming episode! Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week is the conclusion of the interview with Alayna Jacqueline & Hannah Joyce from the Playwrights' Center, who offer so much wisdom and practical advice for playwrights.In this episode, we discuss:Current trends in playwritingDiagnosing script issues in the rehearsal roomAdvice for playwrights just starting outGetting out of Development HellAnd more!Resources MentionedPlaywrights' CenterTheatre Begins Here PodcastAbout Our GuestsHannah Joyce is the Director of Membership and education programs at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. From 2017 to 2022 she was also the producing artistic director of the William Inge Theater Festival in Kansas. Hannah has developed the new work of some the country's finest playwrights over the past two decades and had the joy of celebrating visionary American playwrights. Through her work she has produced countless new play development workshops with playwrights from across the country, and worked with hundreds of theater artists in support of those plays. Originally from St. Louis, Hannah has worked and performed with a number of theater companies throughout the Midwest, including the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare Company, That Uppity Theater Company, Daleko Arts, and Prison Performing Arts.  Alayna Jacqueline is a Minneapolis-based playwright, dramaturg, and educator born and raised in Buckeye Nation. She's an instigator for new plays with the Twin Cities Playwright Cabal. In her absurd experimental writing, she loves finding new ways to bend, reshape, and deconstruct stories for the stage. Her writing weaves between themes of identity, mental health, women's relationships, privilege, and the corruption of power. Alayna's work has been performed and/or developed at Theater Mu, Phoenix Theater, Market Garden Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Playwrights' Center, MadLab Theater, Lincoln Theater, Pythian Theater, and Haybarn Theater. Her play ALL OF THE EVERYTHING was produced at the 2019 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. FacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week is Part 1 of 2 where Melissa interviews fellow theatre artists/arts administrators/podcasters Alayna Jacqueline & Hannah Joyce from the Playwrights' Center. In this episode, we discuss:The Playwrights' Center and its many programs and offeringsWho can become a memberWhat the PWC has coming up in the near futureThe excitement of working with big name playwrights And more!Resources MentionedPlaywrights' CenterTheatre Begins Here PodcastAbout Our GuestsHannah Joyce is the Director of Membership and education programs at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. From 2017 to 2022 she was also the producing artistic director of the William Inge Theater Festival in Kansas. Hannah has developed the new work of some the country's finest playwrights over the past two decades and had the joy of celebrating visionary American playwrights. Through her work she has produced countless new play development workshops with playwrights from across the country, and worked with hundreds of theater artists in support of those plays. Originally from St. Louis, Hannah has worked and performed with a number of theater companies throughout the Midwest, including the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare Company, That Uppity Theater Company, Daleko Arts, and Prison Performing Arts.  Alayna Jacqueline is a Minneapolis-based playwright, dramaturg, and educator born and raised in Buckeye Nation. She's an instigator for new plays with the Twin Cities Playwright Cabal. In her absurd experimental writing, she loves finding new ways to bend, reshape, and deconstruct stories for the stage. Her writing weaves between themes of identity, mental health, women's relationships, privilege, and the corruption of power. Alayna's work has been performed and/or developed at Theater Mu, Phoenix Theater, Market Garden Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Playwrights' Center, MadLab Theater, Lincoln Theater, Pythian Theater, and Haybarn Theater. Her play ALL OF THE EVERYTHING was produced at the 2019 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. FacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

*Subscribe to the 101 Stage Adaptations newsletter*Melissa was elated to chat with Lauren Gunderson about her brand new musical adaptation of The Time Traveller's Wife, which just premiered on London's West End. Lauren wrote the book, & the music & lyrics are by Dave Stewart & Joss Stone.In this episode, we discuss:How Lauren got the gig to adapt her favorite book of all timeWorking in LondonWhen to take notes and when to ignore them  Her upcoming novel! And more!Resources MentionedThe Time Traveller's WifeRevolutionary WomenAbout Our GuestLauren Gunderson is one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015 topping the list thrice. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will; the winner of the Lanford Wilson Award, The Jeff Award for New Plays, and the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award; and a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Arthur L. Weissberger Award, and John Gassner Award for Playwriting. Revolutionary Women, her new anthology of five plays, is published by Bloomsbury along with I and You, The Catastrophist and anthropology, which recently premiered at Hampstead Theatre. She co-authored the popular Miss Bennet trilogy with Margot Melcon. The Half-Life of Marie Curie was commissioned by Audible Theatre, premiered off-Broadway and can be heard at Audible.com. She just finished her first novel, The Fervor Witch, and will soon premiere several new musicals including Sinister, I and You: A Musical, and Built for This, as well as another musicals with Dave Stewart.  Connect with Our Guestlaurengunderson.com New Play ExchangeFacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa was thrilled to speak with fellow theatre podcaster Sean Hayden. If you are not familiar with his podcast, Stage Combat: A Mental Health Story, it is one of the most important theatre podcasts out there. And if you have listened his podcast, and you're not caught up, be warned that this conversation contains spoilers. In this episode, we discuss:Sean's groundbreaking podcast, Stage Combat, that is changing the theatre industry for the betterHis process for crafting this complex, multi-layered storyHow being an attorney encouraged him bring his mental health story to the publicWhat he wants theatre management to do when it comes to employee and artist mental healthAnd more!Resources MentionedStage Combat: A Mental Health StoryAbout Our GuestSean Hayden is the CEO of Haywood Productions, LLC.  As a professional actor, Sean has appeared in two Broadway national tours and in plays and musicals in theaters across the country. He is a proud union member of Actors' Equity Association.  He is currently working with theatre departments in higher education institutions to better support the mental health of their students. As a mental health advocate, Sean has provided thought leadership on how employers can better support the mental health of their employees.  His op-ed on “Men and Mental Health” appeared in The Economic Times. Sean is also a licensed attorney who has his own law practice is Manhattan.  Sean resides in New York City and upstate New York with his husband, a screenwriter.Connect with Our Gueststagecombatthepodcast.comFacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

The delightful Sandy Rustin drops by the podcast to discuss her adaptation of Clue, which is the most-produced play in high schools for many years running. On the way to discovering Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Wrench, Melissa discovers Sandy's place in soap opera history and their mutual love of cooking.In this episode, we discuss:How she became the adaptor for ClueAcquiring dramatic rights and music rights to Clue and Mystic PizzaHer approach and tips for writing adaptationsHow her play Houston has suddenly become more relevantAnd more!Resources MentionedClue by Sandy RustinClue on tourThe CottageThe Nourish Me Kitchen by Erika SiegelAbout Our GuestSandy Rustin is a Broadway playwright and actress. One of the most produced playwrights in America, Sandy's adaptation of the film CLUE has enjoyed over 3,500 productions worldwide. Her musical adaptation of MGM's MYSTIC PIZZA will premiere at La Mirada Playhouse in 2024. Sandy wrote concert adaptations of I MARRIED AN ANGEL and DEAR WORLD for NYCity Center Encores! Her comedy, THE SUFFRAGETTE'S MURDER, will premiere in 2025 at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Her play, HOUSTON (recipient of the New American Musical Award), is in development with Grammy winner Edie Brickell. Other theatrical works include RATED P … FOR PARENTHOOD, ELIJAH, STRUCK, AMERICAN GIRL LIVE, and others.  A Northwestern University graduate, Sandy is a member of ASCAP, SAG, AEA, and The Dramatists Guild and is represented by A3 Artists Agency. She serves on the Advisory Board of NYU's Camp Kesem chapter. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two sons. Connect with Our Guestsandyrustin.comNew Play ExchangeInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa Schmitz chats with the very talented Michael Susko this week about his world premiere production—which happens to be his first adaptation—and also a story that he's loved for most of his life, House on Haunted Hill. In this episode, we discuss:How Michael "got" the dramatic rights to the original film The changes and updates he made to this adaptationHow a séance show at the Edinburgh Fringe influenced Michael's writingCurrent trends in playwriting and our hot takes on themAnd more!Resources MentionedThe world premiere of House on Haunted Hill at Kismet Performing Artists Theatre in October 2023 Clifton Arts CenterHouse on Haunted Hill original film Volunteer Lawyers for the ArtsATC StudiosAbout Our GuestIn NYC, Michael Susko's work as writer and director has been seen at Off-Broadway's THE BIGOT, CROSSING OVER, F*CK, MARRY, KILL - New York Theater Festival, Midtown International Fringe Festival, Alternative Theatre Company, Network Theatre Company, Equity Library Theatre and The New Short Play Festival (Artistic Director). Also, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, Casa Manana, Cider Mill Playhouse, Theatre by the Sea, PaperMill Theatre, Westchester Broadway, Arizona Broadway, Arkansas Repertory, and twelve years as resident director of the New Bedford Festival Theatre where he helmed a variety of musicals, including their Moss Hart Award winning productions of HAIRSPRAY and LES MISERABLES.   As a performer, Michael has been seen in several Broadway national tours, European tours, and countless regional appearances including stints at The Goodspeed Opera House, Paper Mill Playhouse, Walnut Street Theatre, Bristol Riverside, Ogunquit Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh CLO, and Stages St. Louis.  Also, many film, television shows and commercials. As an educator, Michael taught theatre at Chadron State College in Nebraska and served as head of the theatre program at Southern Arkansas University. He teaches playwriting at ATC Studios in Clifton, NJ. MFA iConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Acclaimed writer of stage and screen Jeffrey Hatcher stops by to discuss his adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Melissa recounts the spooky experience she had after seeing the show. In this episode, we discuss:How he was commissioned to adapt one of the most-adapted stories of all timeWhy he thinks adaptors should bring something new to the storyWhy Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde still intrigues and thrills us todayThe various times he was on set when A-list stars acted in the films he wrote!And more!Resources MentionedRead Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or see it in October 2023 Commonweal TheatreRead Dial M for Murder or see it at the Guthrie in 2024 About Our GuestJeffrey Hatcher's plays have been produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theaters in the United States and around the world.  His original plays and adaptations include Three Viewings, Scotland Road, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, A Picasso, The Government Inspector, The Alchemist, Scotland Road, The Turn of the Screw, Tuesdays with Morrie (with Mitch Albom), Mrs. Mannerly, Murderers, Cousin Bette, Smash, Dial M for Murder, Key Largo (with Andy Garcia), Holmes and Watson, A Confederacy of Dunces and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His film and television work include Stage Beauty, Casanova, The Duchess, Mr. Holmes, The Good Liar and episodes of Columbo and The Mentalist. He has won numerous grants, awards and fellowships.Jeffrey's Wikipedia PagePurchase Jeffrey's plays at Playscripts and Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week Melissa welcomes fellow theatre marketer Julie Nemitz to the show to talk about how playwrights can initiate and improve their marketing strategy. In this episode, we discuss:Why having an online presence is essential for getting your plays producedWhat a content strategy is and looks like for playwrightsSocial media 101 for playwrightsWhat NOT to do with your photos on FacebookAnd more!Resources MentionedTheatre Marketing Lab "In The Greenroom" podcast Julie's marketing newsletterTheatre Marketing Lab Content ClubCanvaAbout Our GuestJulie Nemitz is a renowned theatre marketing leader and the force behind Theatre Marketing Lab and the popular podcast "In The Greenroom" where she offers insightful conversations with theatre leaders and actionable marketing advice. She has taken the theatre world by storm, attracting listeners globally, and recently reached the top #140 performing arts podcasts in the United States.For the past 10 years, Julie has revolutionized how theatres and theatre artists attract audiences through innovative strategies and compelling content. She is passionate about ensuring every community has a thriving performance space, regardless of size. Known for her infectious enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the latest digital marketing trends, Julie helps theatremakers uplevel their strategies and content through personalized consultations, coaching, and classes in the Theatre Marketing Lab. She has a special gift for analyzing what's not working and designing customized solutions to sell more tickets and deepen audience loyalty. Countless clients have experienced record-breaking sales under her guidance.When she's not busy transforming local theatres, you can find Julie rolling up her sleeves and guiding theatre artists into the digital age. Julie is also an adjunct faculty member at Western Michigan University, teaching performing arts marketing to the next generation of theatre artists.Connect with Our GuestConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Today we are celebrating one year of the 101 Stage Adaptations Podcast!Thank you to every single listener and guest who have helped make this first year possible!This episode includes a ton of gratitude and a few highlights from the first year and first 39 episodes, all of which were Melissa's favorite. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Inspired by a post in a playwriting group on Facebook, Melissa replays part of her previous conversation with Nan Barnett when they cover New Play Exchange (NPX).In this episode, we discuss:What NPX is and how this program got startedWho it's for and how to use it (Hint: anyone who writes plays and reads plays!) What playwrights can expect from putting their work on NPX How to optimize your profile and membershipAnd more! Resources MentionedEpisode 9 with Nan BarnettEpisode 27 with Nan BarnettNational New Play NetworkNew Play ExchangeAbout Our GuestNan Barnett is a new play developer and producer and an advocate for theater-makers and the theater they make. She is the Executive Director of National New Play Network, the country's alliance of theaters that collaborate in innovative ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays. While on NNPN's Executive Committee she worked to create the organization's revolutionary Rolling World Premiere and Residency programs. She came to the Network full-time in 2013 and guided it through the development and launch of its field-altering database, the New Play Exchange ®, now home to more than 53,000 plays by living writers, and its recent planning process, which resulted in the organization's much-lauded new governance and membership structure and plan for leading the field towards a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive new play ecosystem. Nan spent 24 seasons at Florida Stage, a LORT theater producing exclusively new and developing work, was a member of the inaugural Helen Hayes Awards' New Play Panel for the nation's capital region and Coordinating Producer for the 2015 and 2018 iterations of DC's Women's Voices Theater Festival. She serves on the Artistic Council of the O'Neill Theater Center and was inducted into the National Theatre Conference in 2017.Connect with Our GuestNational New Play NetworkConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

September is for marketing! Melissa reveals 5 hot tips playwrights can use in their personal marketing. In this episode, we discuss:What a headshot is and is not What to do when you can't afford new headshots or a websiteHow to add value to your playwriting communityAnd more!Resources MentionedNew Play Exchange aka NPXDramatists Guild Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

September is one day away, and that means it's time once again for the Playwright Submission Binge! Melissa chats with playwright and producer Patrick Gabridge about this twice annual event where playwrights gather in an online community to share submission opportunities with each other and support one another during the intense month of marketing. This interview is part of a larger conversation from Ep. 18 called Playwright Marketing with Patrick Gabridge. Listen to that episode here.In this episode, we discuss:What the Playwright Submission Binge is and how it got startedWhat he's learned from leading the Submission Binge for yearsHot tips on how to improve your submissionsAnd more!Resources MentionedPlaywright Submission BingeDramatists GuildNYCPlaywrightsAbout Our GuestPatrick Gabridge is an award-winning writer and theatre-maker who has written a number of adaptations and also has a special talent for creating site-specific plays. With his company, Plays in Place, he's created plays in partnership with many museums and historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston's Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, and the MIT Museum. His full-length plays have been produced in the US and South Korea, and his short plays and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world (16 countries so far). He's been involved with helping playwrights market their work for many years—he started the publication Market InSight for Playwrights back in 1993, and founded and still runs the Playwright Submission Binge, an online community focused on marketing. He's also a screenwriter, novelist, and a writer of audio plays. In his spare time, he likes to farm and garden and fix up old houses.Connect with Our Guestgabridge.com Read & Recommend Patrick's plays on New Play ExchangeThe Writing Life x 3InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Emmanuel Wilson continues his conversation with Melissa. (Listen to Part 1 here.) This is a gold mine of advice for theatre administrators and artists. Find your notebook and get ready to take notes!In this episode, we discuss:What the current writers strike can teach playwrights about their own workEmmanuel's ideas on how to save theatre - Yes, we're going there!What theatres get wrong about marketing and what we need to do insteadWhat playwrights can do when they're stuck in Development HellAnd more! Resources MentionedDramatists GuildWorld Premiere Wisconsin with Michael Cotey (Ep. 30) Playwright PSA: Playwrights Welcome Program (Ep. 32)LLoyd RichardsAbout Our GuestEmmanuel Wilson currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of Creative Affairs and Membership at the Dramatists Guild of America. He manages member service and programming for America's professional playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Emmanuel also oversees the Guild's industry outreach, strategy, and communications. He developed new strategic partnerships with PlayPenn, Blackboard Plays, EdTA, TCG, 24 Hours Plays, and more. Emmanuel also created the Guild's Young Dramatists Initiative. More recently, his youth theater experience has propelled the Guild's support of the Enough! Plays to End Gun Violence campaign, a national playwrighting competition for young writers.  A playwright, producer, and lifelong resident of New York City, Emmanuel founded The Blue Rose Stage Company at age 18, serving as its Artistic Director for six years. In 2003, he was selected as a New Generations Future Leader by Theater Communications Group, a multi-year fellowship supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He is the proud parent of Faith and Imani Wilson.  Connect with Our GuestFollow the Dramatists Guild on FacebookFollow the Dramatists Guild on Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa Schmitz is joined by the one and only Emmanuel Wilson from the Dramatists Guild in a two-episode conversation. Emmanuel drops so much wisdom around theatre and advocacy for playwrights and theatremakers. Take notes, and enjoy the background sounds of Times Square.   In this episode, we discuss:The play that transformed him and gave him clarity on his career in theatreWhy the Dramatists Guild is a vital resource for playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettistsWhat he wishes more playwrights knewHow to make children life-long theatre fans And more! And this is just Part 1!Resources MentionedDramatists GuildYoung DramatistsAbout Our GuestEmmanuel Wilson currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of Creative Affairs and Membership at the Dramatists Guild of America. He manages member service and programming for America's professional playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Emmanuel also oversees the Guild's industry outreach, strategy, and communications. He developed new strategic partnerships with PlayPenn, Blackboard Plays, EdTA, TCG, 24 Hours Plays, and more. Emmanuel also created the Guild's Young Dramatists Initiative. More recently, his youth theater experience has propelled the Guild's support of the Enough! Plays to End Gun Violence campaign, a national playwrighting competition for young writers.  A playwright, producer, and lifelong resident of New York City, Emmanuel founded The Blue Rose Stage Company at age 18, serving as its Artistic Director for six years. In 2003, he was selected as a New Generations Future Leader by Theater Communications Group, a multi-year fellowship supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He is the proud parent of Faith and Imani Wilson.  Follow the Dramatists Guild on FacebookFollow the Dramatists Guild on TwitterFollow the Dramatists Guild on Instagram Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa was thrilled to chat with Karen Zacarías about her world premiere adaptation of Shane, based on the novel by Jack Schaefer, which is now playing (in August 2023) at the Guthrie Theater.  In this episode, we discuss:How this co-commission and co-production came to beThe challenges of adapting a Western for the stageCreating a more complete and accurate picture of the American WestBeach Karen!And more!Resources MentionedCincinnatti Playhouse in the ParkGuthrie TheaterShane at the GuthrieAbout Our GuestKAREN ZACARÍAS was recently hailed by American Theater Magazine as one of the most produced playwrights in the US. Her plays include The Copper Children, Destiny of Desire, Native Gardens, The Book Club Play, Legacy of Light, Mariela in the Desert, The Sins of Sor Juana, and the adaptations of Just Like Us, The Age of Innocence, Into the Beautiful North, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent and a bilingual Romeo y Juliet. She has been produced at The Kennedy Center, The Goodman, The Guthrie, Arena Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, GALA Hispanic Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse, Old Globe, The Alliance Theater, Repertorio Español, The Latino Theater Company, Milagro Theater, and many more. She is the author of ten renowned TYA musicals and the librettist of several Ballets. She is one of the inaugural resident playwrights at Arena Stage, a core founder of the Latinx Theatre Commons- a large national organization of artists seeking to update the American narrative with Latinx stories-, and she is the founder of the award-winning Young Playwrights' Theater (YPT), noted as one of the best arts educational programs by the Obama White House. Karen was voted a 2019 Washingtonian of the Year for her arts advocacy by Washingtonian Magazine. She was awarded the 2019 Sine Fellowship at the American University School of Public Policy for connecting art with policy making. She is a recipient of 2019 Lee-Reynolds-Award for “social, cultural, or political change with theater” awarded by the League of ProfessioConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Special drop from Theatrical Shenanigans podcast hosted by Rachel Feeny-Williams. Theatrical Shenanigans brings you the second episode of "The Panel Presents." Four amazing panelists John Patrick Bray, Jacquelyn Priskorn, Tony Vale & Melissa Schmitz, led by Rachel Feeny-Williams discuss topical questions relating to the world of theatre!Tune in to all of other Theatrical Shenanigans episodes on:https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/https://open.spotify.com/show/54qD1COB9WRnH4HMrq142Hhttps://music.amazon.com/.../0505c.../theatrical-shenanigansListen to Rachel Feeny-Williams on the 101 Stage Adaptations Podcast, Ep 15. Rachel Feeny-Williams is a playwright based in Exeter, UK. She has been writing, self-producing and selling plays for just over ten years, following the completion of her degree in Creative and Performing Arts. Over the past ten years, her work has been produced many times in her local area of Devon, as well as nationally and internationally, both live and virtually. In 2021, her piece Believe Me; also won an award for “Best Original Script” in a One Act Play Festival.Rachel's websiteLiterary and Discourse SocietyRachel's podcast, Theatrical ShenanigansTheatrical Shenanigan's Facebook PageRead & Recommend Rachel's plays on New Play ExchangeRachel's self-published booksFacebookTwitterLinkedInYouTubeConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa reveals 5 resources playwrights need to know to make their job easier and more fun. These resources include both paid products and free opportunities. In this episode, we discuss:The Dramatists GuildRegional Playwriting HubsMelissa's preferred writing softwareHow to find submission opportunities And more!Resources MentionedDramatists GuildEnd of Play.® with Lily Dwoskin & Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild (Ep. 23)Chicago DramatistsNew DramatistsPlaywrights Realm PlayPenn Playwrights' Center ScriptWorks Old Pueblo Playwrights The Inkwell Theater Playwrights Foundation PDX Playwrights Northwest Playwrights AllianceFinal DraftPlay Submissions HelperPlaywright Submission BingePlaywright Marketing with Patrick Gabridge (Ep. 18)Playwriting Submissions & Competitions Facebook Group UNTITLED CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION by Rachel Feeny-Williams (Ep. 15)New Play Exchange National New Play Network + New Play Exchange with Nan Barnett (Ep. 9)Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa breaks down one of the best perks about being a Dramatists Guild member: the free theatre tickets you can get through the Playwrights Welcome program. In this episode, we discuss:What the Playwrights Welcome program is and how it worksWhat theatres are currently participatingHow to add your theatre to the listAnd more!Resources MentionedPlaywrights WelcomeJoin the Playwrights Welcome roster of participating theatresDramatists GuildConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Achievement unlocked! In this shorty episode, Melissa reveals the major milestone the pocast has passed and offers many thanks to all the listeners to helped make it possible. She even names a few.In this episode, we discuss:passing the 2,500 download mark!what countries people are tuning in fromthe top cities with the most listeners And more!Resources MentionedBuzzsprout Global StatsConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week Melissa talks with fellow Wisconsinite Michael Cotey about World Premiere Wisconsin, a first-of-its-kind state-wide festival of new plays and musicals. *The festival currently runs through June 2023, but stay tuned for more on this great project. In this episode, we discuss: What World Premiere Wisconsin is and how it startedWhere Wisconsin stands in terms of state funding for the artsWhat Michael has learned from producing a state-wide theatre festivalMichael's company ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun ViolenceWhy he thinks college Theatre minors should be mandatoryAnd more!Resources MentionedWorld Premiere WisconsinENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence Ten Chimneys2 previous podcast guests are mentioned in this episode! Listen to our interview with Mary Zimmerman here and our two interviews with Nan Barnett here and here.  About Our GuestMichael Cotey is a producer and director based out of Chicago, but was born and raised in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the creator and Joaquin Oliver Artistic Producer behind ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence, a nationwide playwriting initiative that calls on teens to write short plays that confront gun violence. Now in its third year, ENOUGH! has received more than 500 plays, unfolded in over 100 communities involving more than 2,000 artists and reaching nearly 10,000 audience members, and has been featured on PBS NewsHour, NPR, and the BBC. He is also the festival producer for World Premiere Wisconsin, an inaugural and first-of-its-kind statewide new work festival. In addition to directing regionally, Michael has directed in Wisconsin at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act, First Stage, Third AvenuePlayWorks, UW-Madison, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. From 2009-2013 he was the Founding Artistic Director of Youngblood Theatre in Milwaukee, regularly celebrated by the theater community and the press as one of the most exciting new Milwaukee theater ventures in decades. Michael graduatConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa is back with a brief solo episode about what's coming up and other shows she's guested on recently, plus your favorite episodes so far and a special request! Your Top 5 Podcast Episodes!Play Club with Amy Wheeler and Paul Kruse (Ep. 25)THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER by Mary Zimmerman (Ep. 13)Chicago Theatre Week 2023 (Ep. 19)Playwright Marketing with Patrick Gabridge (Ep. 18)National New Play Network + New Play Exchange with Nan Barnett (Ep. 9)Melissa on Other Shows!Theatrical Shenanigans Episode 6Nerdinary Episode 12AOther Episodes Referenced:UNTITLED CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION by Rachel Feeny-Williams (Ep. 15)Toward a Brave New Theatre World with Nan Barnett (Ep. 27)Would you take a moment to rate and review the show?Rate + Review 101 Stage Adaptations on Apple PodcastsRate on SpotifyConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

National Playwriting Month is complete, and End of Play.® 2023 is in the books. Melissa breaks down how the experience was for her, and some key things she learned about herself and her own playwriting process. In this episode, we discuss:How Melissa began the project with a major facepalm momentHer biggest game-changer when it comes to researchHow Melissa made the most of the multiple silent writing sessions and did it her own wayThe workshops and EOP activities she attendedAnd more!Resources + People MentionedEnd of Play.® with Lily Dwoskin & Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild (Ep. 23)End of Play.®Dramatists GuildThe War of Art by Steven PressfieldC. Julian JiménezLucy WangConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Nan Barnett returns! We are thrilled to have her back because there was so much more to talk about after the last conversation. This time Nan reveals more about her personal story and some of the sacrifices she's made for her work. In this episode, we discuss:What NNPN is focused on in terms of equity and diversityPost-pandemic trends she's seeing in the theatre industryWhat 24 seasons of producing new work at Florida Stage taught her about theatre-makingAnd more!Resources MentionedEpisode 9 with Nan BarnettNational New Play NetworkNew Play ExchangeAbout Our GuestNan Barnett is a new play developer and producer and an advocate for theater-makers and the theater they make. She is the Executive Director of National New Play Network, the country's alliance of theaters that collaborate in innovative ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays. While on NNPN's Executive Committee she worked to create the organization's revolutionary Rolling World Premiere and Residency programs. She came to the Network full-time in 2013 and guided it through the development and launch of its field-altering database, the New Play Exchange ®, now home to more than 51,000 plays by living writers, and its recent planning process, which resulted in the organization's much-lauded new governance and membership structure and plan for leading the field towards a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive new play ecosystem. Nan spent 24 seasons at Florida Stage, a LORT theater producing exclusively new and developing work, was a member of the inaugural Helen Hayes Awards' New Play Panel for the nation's capital region and Coordinating Producer for the 2015 and 2018 iterations of DC's Women's Voices Theater Festival. She serves on the Artistic Council of the O'Neill Theater Center and was inducted into the National Theatre Conference in 2017.Connect with Our GuestNational New Play NetworkConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Shakespeare's birthday is coming up, and this week Melissa talks to Oregon Shakespeare Festival's former Director of New Play Development Lue Douthit about the giant playwriting project known as Play On Shakespeare. Grab a Mounds bar and learn how she helped usher the Bard into the 21st Century.  In this episode, we discuss:What Play On Shakespeare is and does and how the project came to beWhy they are called Shakespeare translationsWhat's happening now that all 39 plays have been writtenThe various educational possibilities for the translationsAnd more!Resources MentionedPlay On ShakespeareOregon Shakespeare FestivalPlay On Shakespeare PodcastResearch in Action at Shakespeare's Globe in July 2023Order the plays at ACMRS PressAbout Our GuestLue Morgan Douthit is the President/Co-Founder of Play on Shakespeare. Prior to that, she spent 25 seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where she was director of new play development and dramaturgy. She also was the Production Dramaturg for more than 50 productions, including 15 world premieres: Hannah and the Dread Gazebo, Head Over Heels; A Wrinkle in Time; Family Album; The Unfortunates; The Tenth Muse; WillFul; Throne of Blood; Equivocation; Don Quixote; Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter; Tracy's Tiger; By the Waters of Babylon; Continental Divide; and The Magic Fire. She has worked on over a dozen Shakespeare productions, including co-adapting a six-actor Macbeth and seven-actor Measure for Measure, which were both produced at OSF and elsewhere. She was the co-producer and founder of the Black Swan Lab (2009) at OSF and subsequently produced the Lab until 2016. Lue is the recipient of the 1999 Literary Manager & Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) Prize in Dramaturgy and The Elliott Hayes Award for her work on Lorraine Hansberry's play Les Blancs. She received her PhD from the University of Washington, her MFA from Trinity University, and her MA from University of Arizona.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Amy Wheeler and Paul Kruse, the masterminds behind Play Club, stop by to talk about this new project (prepare for some major name drops) and which of them hails from Melissa's hometown. In this episode, we discuss:What Play Club is, how it works, and why they started itThe education initiatives Play Club has begun and will expand uponWhy Amy knows literally everyone in the theatre community And more!Resources MentionedPlay ClubHedgebrookFresh Fruit FestivalAbout Our GuestsAmy Wheeler is a nationally produced playwright, educator, speaker and nonprofit leader. Wheeler led the beloved Whidbey Island nonprofit Hedgebrook for many years, evolving it into a global community of influential female-identified writers authoring change in the arts, culture and social justice. Celebrating the culmination of her tenure in 2020, Seattle Arts & Lectures recognized Wheeler with the Prowda Literary Champion Award for “demonstrating true commitment to the Pacific Northwest's community of readers and writers.” She holds an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Cornish College of the Arts, an MFA from the University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop, and she studied acting at University of Kansas and in NY. Wheeler's front burner project is The Last Babushka, a musical she's creating with first generation Ukrainian-American composer Natalie Nowytski about women living in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone. She founded Play Club: A Book Club with a Theatrical Twist, a venture that's growing into a movement. Play Club's community is a cross-generational audience from across the country who are reading, discussing and going to see contemporary plays together. Amy's father Jim passed away during the pandemic. Play Club is imbued with his spirit, love of community and conversation.Paul William Kruse tells Queer love stories. As a playwright and media artist from Western Wisconsin, his work flows from his Catholic roots and ever-evolving experience of family. Paul often writes collaboratively, drawing from his years of experience as a videographer and documentarian. He is a cohort member of Audible's third Emerging Playwrights Fund, and his audio play Once Removed was an official selection aConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Eric Coble is back to answer all the playwriting & adaptation questions that Melissa wanted to ask in Episode 1. (If you haven't listened to that one yet, go check it out!)In this episode, we discuss:How Hollywood can put an already-written stage adaptation on hold indefinitelyIf a playwright really needs to live in New York to get work and make a livingEric's mountain metaphor as it relates to writing a new playAdvice for emerging playwrightsAnd more!Resources MentionedMen are from Mars, Women are from Venus LIVE!Dramatists GuildAbout Our GuestEric Coble was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and raised on the Navajo and Ute reservations in New Mexico and Colorado. His scripts have been produced on Broadway (Tony-and Pulitzer-nominated The Velocity of Autumn), Off-Broadway (Bright Ideas, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, Side Effects May Include…), in Disney Theme Parks (Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple), in all fifty states of the U.S., and on several continents, including productions at Manhattan Class Company, The Kennedy Center, Playwrights Horizons, Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Denver Center Theatre Company, Arena Stage, South Coast Rep, Cleveland Play House, Alliance Theatre, New York and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, Habima Theatre (Israel), Pentacion Productions (Spain), Teatr Polski (Poland), Orange Row (Mexico), and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival (U.S.).Awards include two AATE Distinguished Play Awards for Best Adaptation, an Emmy nomination, the Chorpenning Playwriting Award for Body of Work, the AT&T Onstage Award, National Theatre Conference Playwriting Award, an NEA Playwright in Residence Grant, a TCG Extended Collaboration Grant, the Cleveland Arts Prize, two Cuyahoga Arts and Culture Fellowships, and four Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Grants. Thirty of Mr. Coble's scripts have been published by Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Dramatic Publishing, Smith & Krause and others.Connect with Our GuestEric's website Read Eric's plays on New Play Exchange FConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists. Guild staff members Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall stop by the show to tell us about their work at the Guild and all things End of Play.®.In this episode, we discuss:What End of Play.® is and who can participate (Hint: anyone and everyone!)How  End of Play.® got startedHow working at the Guild helped Lily become a better advocate for her own workHow the pandemic has changed the way drag and musical theatre are created and consumed And more!Resources MentionedEnd of Play.®Dramatists GuildAWPAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, and playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for and is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist and stage manager. Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, and drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted and selected as Finalists for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin and NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, andConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week Melissa is joined by her brilliant friend Alex Mallory to talk about her original translation and adaptation of Frank Wedekind's German play, Spring Awakening, which she also produced as an MFA Directing student.  In this episode, we discuss:Why Alex decided to write this adaptation for her MFA Directing Lab (when she really didn't have to)What was missing from other English translations of Spring Awakening that prompted Alex to write her ownWhat German translations Alex wants to tackle in the futureHow community-building is the cornerstone of Alex's love of theatreAnd more!Resources MentionedThe Metal Shop Performance LabDE-CRUITAbout Our GuestAlex Mallory is the director of The Metal Shop Performance Lab, founded with the mission to create theatrical events that foster radical community-building and authentic exchange between artists and audiences. She uses intersectional, anti-oppressive rehearsal processes to create conditions for productive conversations on personal and collective histories of violence in both rehearsal and performance spaces. Alex's directing work investigates personal and political agency and examines the resilience of the mind and body through human connection. Alex also facilitates healing-centered engagement for military veterans as the Chicago Regional Coordinator for DE-CRUIT. She has worked with the veteran community for over a decade with the Veteran Artist Program, The Telling Project, and as director of Takeo Rivera's choreopoem Goliath, which toured for seven years in New York and California. Alex has served as Co-Artistic Director of Poetic Theater Productions and as Director of Culture Project's Women Center Stage Initiative. She has an MFA from Northwestern University and a BA from Stanford University. Alex is an Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.Connect with Our Guestalexmallory.com For Spring Awakening  inquiries, email alex@themetalshop.org Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

The enchanting Kate Scelsa stops by the podcast to talk about her hilarious parody adaptation titled Everyone's Fine With Virginia Woolf. In this episode, we discuss:How her play was a love letter to Albee's classic, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and that it was also written bespoke for actors at Elevator Repair ServiceJust how much Kate is obsessed with WAOVW, particularly the character of MarthaThe abundance of Easter eggs and the annotated list she provides in the scriptWhat writers can do to cope with rejectionAnd more!Resources MentionedEveryone's Fine With Virginia WoolfElevator Repair Service TheaterLuminary: A Magical Guide to Self-CareImprobable Magic for Cynical WitchesSNL Skit - "Dinner with the Dean"About Our GuestKate Scelsa is a novelist, playwright, and songwriter. Her debut young adult novel Fans of the Impossible Life was a Fall 2015 Indie Next pick, a Junior Library Guild pick, a 2016 Rainbow List Top Ten Pick, and has been published in ten languages. She is also the author of Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches, a new YA novel from HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, and Luminary: A Magical Guide to Self-Care from Simon & Schuster. A recipient of a Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation grant for playwriting, Kate has worked for many years with New York experimental theater company Elevator Repair Service, including a decade spent performing in “Gatz,” their eight-hour-long version of The Great Gatsby. Her play Everyone's Fine with Virginia Woolf was produced in NYC and Dublin in 2018 and has been published by Dramatists Play Service. Kate also writes songs and performs Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa reconnects with playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer. They first met when Melissa interviewed her about her play, Be Here Now. Now we be here again to talk about one of Deb's (apparently many) stage adaptations, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, based of course on Chekhov's Three Sisters. In this episode, we discuss:Why Deborah set her adaptation in New JerseyWhich of Chekhov's 3 sisters we areWhat message Chekhov's plays have for us today How writers groups influence her writing processAnd more!Resources MentionedThe Three Sisters of Weehawken by Deborah Zoe LauferMelissa's first interviews with Deborah : The Be Here Now Interview, On Playwriting Pt. 1 & Pt. 2About Our GuestDeborah Zoe Laufer's plays have been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, Geva, The Humana Festival, Everyman, Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and hundreds of other theaters around the world. Plays include Be Here Now, End Days, Rooted, Informed Consent which was a NYTimes critic's pick, Leveling Up, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Sirens, Meta, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, Fortune, dozens of short plays, and the musicals, Window Treatment, and By Any Other Name, written with composer, Daniel Green. Deb is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the Lilly Award, The ATCA Steinberg citation, and grants and commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, The Edgerton Foundation, The National New Play Network, and the Lincoln Center Foundation. Her work has been developed by The Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Theatre Lab, PlayPenn, The Cherry Lane Alternative, The Missoula Colony, LOCAL Theatre, Asolo Rep, The Baltic Playwrights Conference, and more. Her plays are published or recorded by Concord/Samuel French, Smith and Kraus, Playscripts, LA Theatreworks, and Premieres. She is a graduate of Juilliard, an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical TConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In this episode, we discuss:What Chicago Theatre Week isWays to save money on a big theatre tripWhat plays Melissa saw and the experiences she hadWhat she might do differently next time to see even MOAR theatre at a better priceAnd more!Resources MentionedChicago Theatre WeekLeague of Chicago TheatresChoose ChicagoHot TixGoldstarTodayTixBroadway in Chicago DealsRemy Bumppo Theatre CompanySteppenwolfCourt TheatreFen set tourAguijón Theater CompanyBroadway in ChicagoBramble Theatre CompanyLookingglass Theatre CompanyTimeLine Theatre CompanyLoyola University Chicago Theatre DepartmentConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Patrick Gabridge came highly recommended because of his Playwright Marketing Binge, which he leads twice a year with many other playwrights as a way to get their name and work seen and potentially produced. He was kind enough to stop by the show and tell us about that and also how he created his niche genre and production opportunities with his company, Plays in Place.   (And some behind-the-scenes scoop: Melissa's sound cut out with just a few minutes to go, and Patrick was a total pro and answered the remaining questions that Melissa typed to him, and the audio was seamlessly edited in post. Whew.) In this episode, we discuss:How Patrick got started with his site-specific historical playsWhy sometimes it's better to write plays that can only be produced under a full moonWhy he started the Playwright Submission Binge  TONS of tips on how playwrights can market themselves betterAnd more!Resources MentionedPlaywright Submission Binge Plays in Place Dramatists GuildNYCPlaywrightsAbout Our GuestPatrick Gabridge is an award-winning writer and theatre-maker who has written a number of adaptations and also has a special talent for creating site-specific plays. With his company, Plays in Place, he's created plays in partnership with many museums and historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston's Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, and the MIT Museum. His full-length plays have been produced in the US and South Korea, and his short plays and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world (16 countries so far). He's been involved with helping playwrights market their work for many years—he started the publication Market InSight for Playwrights back in 1993, and founded and still runs the Playwright Submission Binge, an online community focused on marketing. He's also a screenwriter, novelist, and a writer of audio plays. In his spare time, he likes to farm and garden and fix up old houses.Connect with Our Guestgabridge.com Read & Recommend Patrick's Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).