Dam the Distance with Oregon State University Theatre

Oregon State University Theatre presents an immersive audio drama production of Charles Dickens’ beloved tale of redemption A Christmas Carol adapted and directed by Elizabeth Helman. The story of Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and Bob Cratchit has delighted audiences for generations since it was first published in 1843. This new adaptation featuring the vocal talents of OSU students and led by Marion O. Rossi as Ebenezer Scrooge will surely infuse a sense of magic and conviviality into this holiday season! Help support the work of OSU Theatre by purchasing a virtual ticket to the production HERE. For more information, visit our website at: https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/sac/theatre For questions and comments, contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu Graphic design by Santiago Uceda.

This week Liz interviews Christmas Carol cast members Lorna Baxter, Alyssa Mueller, AJ Glessner, and Marion Rossi about the upcoming audio drama production and bringing this beloved holiday classic to life. To help support this production and the work of OSU Theatre you can purchase a virtual ticket HERE. For questions and comments, please contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu A Christmas Carol will be available for download on December 11 at 7:30 pm.

This week Liz interviews Christmas Carol cast members Alex Johnston, Hannah Schwartz, Noah Fox, and Srimanyu Ganapathineedi about the upcoming audio drama production and bringing this beloved holiday classic to life. To help support this production and the work of OSU Theatre you can purchase a virtual ticket HERE. For questions and comments, please contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu A Christmas Carol will be available for download on December 11 at 7:30 pm.

This week Liz chats with Hanna Foshay the student dramaturg of the forthcoming production of A Christmas Carol. Hanna shares her fascinating research about Charles Dickens, the history of Christmas traditions, and the beloved holiday tale that has been cherished for generations. A Christmas Carol will be available for download through this feed starting December 11. Help support the work of OSU Theatre by purchasing a virtual ticket HERE. Questions? Comments? Contact us at damnthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

This week Liz interviews the incredibly talented and accomplished award-winning sound designer, educator, and arts envoy to the U.S. Department of State Sharath Patel. Sharath shares his story and talks about his artistic process and passion for all things sound. Find out more about Sharath and his incredible career by visiting his website: http://www.sharathpatel.com/ In other OSU Theatre news, virtual tickets for the upcoming audio drama production of A Christmas Carol are available now by visiting this direct link. Find out more by visiting us at: https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/sac/theatre/university-theatre Questions? Comments? Contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

Liz interviews LA based stand-up comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, and world’s biggest Chuck Norris fan, Yashar Kafi.  Yashar’s  journey began as a young Kung-Fu movie fan from Iran who made the decision to study law in the UK and the United States. While at the University of Oregon, Yashar discovered his passion for performance and knack for comedy which led to his current career path. This is a really fun conversation about some of the challenges of living and working in LA and navigating “the business.” Visit Yashar's website at yasharcomedy.com And connect with him on all the social media platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yasharcomedy Twitter: https://twitter.com/ykafi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasharcomedy/?hl=en  

This week Liz interviews Matt Davis, production manager at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. Matt is a graduate of Yale Drama, an experienced production manager and technical director, and the author of Intellectual Property for Producing Theatres. Learn more about Matt at https://www.madavis.com/

This week Liz interviews scenic designer Alan Schwanke. Alan is based in Oregon and works nationally as a scenic designer. They chat about his inspiration, process, and making a life in the theatre. Check out Alan's work here: http://www.aeschwanke.com/ For more information or to support the work of OSU Theatre contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu

Let's call this Season 2! We're back with a great interview with award-winning playwright and educator Andrea Stolowitz. Andrea has written a number of plays including the Oregon Book Award for Drama-winning (and Pulitzer Prize-nominated) Ithaka. She is the Lacroute Playwright-in-Residence at Artists Repertory Theatre. In this episode, Andrea and Liz chat about her experience, her process, and the challenges of making a life in the theatre. Visit andreastolowitz.com for more information about her work!

This immersive audio drama production of Shakespeare's chilling tragedy Macbeth is presented by Oregon State University Theatre's Bard in the Quad program. Adapted and directed by Elizabeth Helman with original music by Alyson Fewless and sound design and engineering by Joshua Gasaway, this thrilling tale will transport you to the heaths, battlefields, and castles of 11th Century Scotland. Something wicked this way comes! Help support the work of Oregon State University Theatre by purchasing a virtual ticket HERE. Visit bardinthequad.org for more information or contact as at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

This week Liz interviews Steph Waaser, an Assistant Technical Director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Steph earned an MFA at Yale Drama and has worked in technical theatre positions in regional theatre companies around the United States. They talk technical theatre career paths and how technical directors collaborate in the production process. For more information about Steph, check out their website here. For questions, comments, or ways to support the work of OSU Theatre, contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

This week Liz interviews actor, playwright, and director Ajai Tripathi. Ajai is an OSU Theatre graduate who has worked in the Portland theatre scene for over 10 years. Among other things, he has appeared in productions at Theatre Vertigo , Salt and Stage, and Milagro Theatre where he is also the Educational Director. He's also one heck of a guy! Contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu

Oregon State University Theatre presents the Spring One-Acts 2020: Isolation Station. This eclectic collection of 9 original plays was written and directed by OSU Theatre students. The wide range of material includes Scheduled written by Genesis Hansen and directed by Sophia Brown, Forlorn Hope written by Quinn Sinanan Neal and directed by Brittany Greener, Virus 626 written by Hannah Schwartz and directed by Joshua Gasaway, In the Taps written by Xavier La Flame and directed by Joshua Smith, Air Raids written by Stephanie Schwartz and directed by AJ Glessner, Becoming Exmo written by Alex Sturgeon and directed by Genesis Hansen, Don’t Go, Get Eggs written by Joshua Smith and directed by Quinn Sinanan Neal, Idiot Hill written by Sophia Brown and directed by Hannah Schwartz, and Your Tupperware Lady written by Hana Foshay and directed by Haillie Lantz. The production is free to download, but patrons can support the current and future work of the University Theatre by purchasing a virtual ticket by visiting: https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/sac/theatre/university-theatre/box-officetickets Purchase a virtual ticket directly HERE. Isolation Stations contains material that may not be suitable for all audiences. Questions? Comments? Please contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

In anticipation of next week's release of our Spring 2020 One-Act Festival: Isolation Station, Liz talks to all the student writers and directors who created the nine original audio dramas. If you want to support the creative work of OSU Theatre, please purchase a virtual ticket for Isolation Station HERE Questions? Comments? Ideas? Contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu

Oregon State University Theatre presents Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. This production was directed Craig Willis. The cast includes Thomas R. McKean as Jack, Noah Fox as Algernon, Joshua Gasaway as Reverend Chausible, Michael Iannuccillo as Merriman, Renee Doran as Lane, Vreneli Farber as Lady Bracknell, Hannah Schwartz as Gwendolyn, Natalie Harris as Cecily, and Sophia Brown as Miss Prisim. The Importance of Being Earnest features sound design and engineering by Oliver Cheser, original music by Alyson Fewless, dramaturgy by Rebecca Bright, stage management by Renee Doran, and technical direction by Chad Rodgers. Elizabeth Helman is the University Theatre Artistic Director. Please support the work of Oregon State University Theatre and purchase a virtual ticket by clicking on this link. Questions, comments, thoughts? Contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu  

This week Liz interviews Inga Wilson, a SAG-AFTRA and Equity actor with over 20 years in the profession. Inga shares her experiences about living a life in the theatre and offers advice to people just starting out in the business. Contact us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu with any questions or comments.

In this first episode we introduce Dam the Distance with Oregon State University Theatre as a new way of keeping our students connected to audiences and our community. Elizabeth Helman interviews Craig Willis, Producing Artistic Director of Oregon Contemporary Theatre and director of OSU Theatre's upcoming audio drama version of The Importance of Being Earnest. Craig shares his insights and experiences about running a theatre company and life as a theatre artist in the Pacific Northwest. For more information about OSU Theatre visit our department website and follow us Facebook and Instagram. Questions? Comments? Ideas for guests? Do you want to know more about supporting the work of OSU Theatre? Email us at damthedistance@oregonstate.edu