Downstage

In this special episode, we discuss the Craig Noel Awards, what we are looking forward to seeing in the first half of 2024. We host our new Critic Circle member Makayla Hoppe and our President, ErinMarie Reiter recaps our programs and how the year is looking for the circle.  Thank you for listening! If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre  

David and Alejandra discuss some of their top 10 shows of 2023. Our Circle president ErinMarie Reiter and our secretary Cassiopeia Guthrie stopped by to discuss Circle updates and what to look forward to next year. That is a wrap for this year, everybody! Will hear each other in January! If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!

It is episode ELEVEN! Thank you everyone for tuning in! David Coddon is off this episode and instead, SDTCC Treasurer extraordinaire Cassiopeia Guthrie is co-hosting with Alejandra. We have Stage manager Ali Flores who talks about her journey in theatre as well as a social media influencer talking about THEATRE, Cassiopeia and Alejandra discuss the shows coming up as well as the Christmas shows for the season. Let us know if there are any specific topics you would like us to talk about in the show. Like David says, "We are here to listen and discuss". If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!  

Our guest for this episode is MOXIE Theatre's Executive Artistic Director, Desireé Clarke Miller who shares her coming into this role and following the company's mission while in her new tenor aiming to continue presenting diverse and honest images of women+ onstage. She also shares how she broke the stigmas in theatre for what women can and cannot do. What is coming next for MOXIE, turning 20 next year, and how theatre can be a therapeutic tool for catharsis.  David and Alejandra hash out the theatre etiquette per usual and go into theatre appreciation. They talk about the shows closing in San Diego this weekend along with their impressions and the shows that are opening.  Thank you for tuning in and coming up to us with your takes on the episodes! Let us know if there are any specific topics you would like us to talk about in the show. Like David said, "We are here to listen and discuss". If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!  

Two amazing guests grace this episode, Theatre Critic Circle Member, David Dixon joins Downstage to discuss what theatre and theatre criticism means to him and, as the younger member of the circle, Dixon shares an interesting perspective regarding promotional dynamics in theatre for younger audiences. Phil Johnson, Artistic Director, Writer, and Actor joins the episode to discuss his latest project, directing 39 Steps, a production taking place at Scripps Ranch Theatre, and, his own company The Roustabouts.  David and Alejandra discuss whether theatre critics have a responsibility for selling tickets to shows they review. If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so onFacebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!

In this episode, we welcome Kevin "Blax" Burroughs who will walk us through his various artistic responsibilities such as: Teatro San Diego's Resident Lighting Designer, Production Manager, Co-Founder, and Artistic Director.  Oceanside Theatre Company's Associate Artistic Director.  As well as his current projects. David and Alejandra offer a brief glimpse of how the dynamic looks working with publicists when reviewing a show and how productions come about while choosing classic work versus new work.  If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!    

In this episode, our guest and former Critics Circle president and SD Union-Tribune theatre and food critic, Pam Kragen takes us through a brief history of the SD Theatre Critics Circle. Her review process and approach when seeing a show and why having theatre critics is important. David and Alejandra discuss the recent events at a Denver Theatre as well as the article: Broadway Producer Emanuel Azenberg: “We've chased away an audience.” If you feel inclined, please rate and review this podcast as it helps to populate the charts. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!    

We mixed it up on this episode and had our two very special guests, choreographer DJ Gray and Playwright/Performer Keiko Green in one fun segment where we listened to each of their valuable perspectives on what is happening with theatre currently, as well as their impressive careers and upcoming projects. DJ recently worked the titanic double task of choreographing and directing Moonlight Stage's production of 42nd Street, and Keiko has had a pretty full year, especially in San Diego with the debut of her plays Exotic Deadly or the MSG Play at The Old Globe and Sharon at Cygnet Theatre. As well as acting in Sharon, Keiko also was part of the cast in Backyard Renaissance Theatre's production of God of Carnage. David and Alejandra discuss what they recently saw on the San Diego theatre stages and what they are looking forward to seeing.  Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!

Director, choreographer, and Old Globe Resident Artist James Vásquez, joins Downstage to discuss what directing a show looks like and what projects he has coming up. David and Alejandra talk about the timeframes between seeing a show and posting a review with all its in-betweens as well as shows they have seen recently and what is coming up in San Diego Theatre. Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!    

In this episode, the wonderful Melanie Chen-Cole takes us through the world of sound design, explaining thoroughly how her process is when working on a show. We also welcome one of our fellow critics, the most recent member, and Circle Secretary: Cassiopeia Guthrie, and we chat about her vast theatre background, theatre criticism, ticket prices, and audiences. It is definitely another great one! Thank you for joining us and if you do not follow us on social media already, please do so on Facebook and Instagram for more Circle content! We will see you at the theatre!    

We welcome former Circle member and beloved theatre critic who wrote wonderful reviews at the San Diego Union Tribune, Jim Hebert who ventured into the tourism world and is very happy over there. David and Alejandra discuss theatre etiquette in San Diego and what is happening with the Civic Theatre, as well as some fun trivia. You can follow the Circle on Facebook and Instagram. A new episode drops every other Monday! Thank you for listening!

We welcome two VIP guests to this episode, ErinMarie Reiter the new President of the SD Theatre Critics Circle, and Kandace Crystal, actor, director, and intimacy director who during our taping was in New York working on her certification for ID. ErinMarie shares her background in theatre, why she believes in it, and her story with the Circle. We discussed with Kandace the nature of Intimacy Direction, how it looks to have an ID in the room, and whether is it viable to have one as a resident. David and Alejandra talk about the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and its announcement about suspending the running season as well as the future of theatre in general.    

Downstage is the new San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Podcast. In this first episode, your hosts David and Alejandra discuss their journey into theatre, where they write, and when they joined the Circle. An introduction to the Critics Circle's yearly event: The Craig Noel Awards. A recap of the Circle and San Diego Theatre since de Pandemic, the new members who came in, and members that left. What is a passion vote? A new episode will air every other week. Follow the circle on Facebook and Instagram. For advertising inquiries and feedback, please send an email to: info@sdcriticscircle.org