Embracing Arlington Arts Talks

Lisa Loomer (Real Women Have Curves) talks about her latest project Side Effects, which premieres at the Contemporary American Theater Festival. You will be inspired by the prolific playwright's insights into real women and real world challenges! 

Listen to an inspiring and insightful interview with Ronald Eli and Deidra LaWan Starnes as they talk about their collaboration with August Wilson's The Piano Lesson at 1st Stage. 

Catch our interview with Stephen Gregory Smith who gives us all the behind-the-scenes scoop on the 28th Columbia Pike Blues Festival. 

Listen to Ibi Owalabi talk about her early influences as a queer artist and the amazing shows scheduled at Woolly Mammoth Theater for World Pride.

What are your three wishes? Don't miss this charming interview with the talented lead actors from Creative Cauldron's Aladdin--Odette Gutierrez del Arroyo and Brian Dauglash. The show is almost sold out so don't miss your chance to see the show. https://www.creativecauldron.org/buy-tickets.html

Listen to the talented cast from King James playing at Round House Theater. The conversation with Dr. Dominick Shattuck, Gregory Perri, and Blake Morris will have you caught up in the world of men's friendships. 

Laugh, laugh, and laugh so more. Listen to the director, co-set designer, and cast members from The Play That Goes Wrong from The Little Theater of Alexandria.

Listen to the warm and charming song writer, singer, and actor Tom Goss who shares his love for quirky lyrics, DC hot spots, and furry bears! 

Listen to our next installment of the special podcast series for the artistry of World Pride. An interview with Lucy will have you in awe as she talks about death defying stunts in her one-woman circus show. Special thanks to Equality NoVa for underwriting the series.

Listen to the creative team of NextStop Theatre Company as they talk shop about the behind the scenes task of staging an energetic, funny, and foot frenzy show like Footloose the Musical! 

Learn about the exciting artistry at Theater Alliance's World Pride Hub! Go to their website and get your tickets fast. https://bit.ly/PrideHubTIX You will be inspired by the interview with Theo Yu and Aria Velz.

Daniel Manzoni, founder of Festival Argentino USA shares his passion for all things Argetine! The annual festival brings together music, dance, and great delicacies from the South American favorite.

Mexodus' Helen Hayes winner for best actor in a musical, Brian Quijada, shares his vision for the brilliant spoken word musical that can't be missed! 

Listen to Theater Washington's Jan Du Plain as she shares stories of her early discovery of theater and the leadership she provides in making the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony shine! 

Husband, father, writer and director of Private Jones shares much about the inspirations in his personal life and artistry. Learn about the ten-time nominated musical Private Jones from Signature Theatre.

Noah Mutterperl shares his early experiences as a young actor in his parent's basement to his double nomination for Helen Hayes Awards acting credits in American Psycho and The Woman in Black.

You will be inspired by the talent of the Poetry Out Loud Competition. Listen to the Education Program Manager of the Poetry Foundation, a former national champion and the current representative from the Silver State!

Listen to the talent behind American Psycho from Monumental Theater. Listeners will be intrigued about the challenges of portraying a rampant serial killer on stage!

Listen to an energetic and inspirational interview with the artists behind She Persisted, a musical about the contributions of legendary women in the United States at Adventure Theater. The show has garnered eight Helen Hayes Awards nominations!

Listen to Rachel Cahoon, Nicky Kaider, and Leela Aviles-Dawson the talented actors nominated for their roles in The Sound of Music, Jersey Boys, and Chorus Line. 

Listen to Broadway actress Meliss Errico, as she shares her artistry in creating The Story of a Rose: A Musical Reverie on the Great War.

Matthew Powell shares his early love for dance and his experiences as the Artistic Director of NovaBallet Center for Dance. He spotlights the company's upcoming production of Don Quixote.     

Listen to the director, creators, and lead actor of Professor Woland's Black Magic Rock Show.   

Learn about the Virginia Storytelling Alliance and the talents of Jeanna Lee and Sara Brady. Keep up with the Alliance's diverse storytelling talent and local performances. https://virginiastorytellingalliance.org/

Learn about ExPats Theater's newest production Testosterone, a biting satire about toxic masculinity. Director Karin Rosnizeck shares her journey into theater and her approach towards directing a modern take on a classic fable. Gary DeBreuil playing the role of the bad son, Raul, tranforms himself into the archetype of the thuggish male! Listeners of Embracing Arlington Arts Talks get 50% off their tickets with the code HALF. Don't miss this show!

Listen to an interview with Silhouette Stage's creative team for Kinky Boots including Director, Jeremy Goldman and Choreographer, Jeremy McShan. They share their early beginnings in the theater and their ability to deliver a show that leaves the audience dancing in the aisles. 

Internationally acclaimed playwright José Rivera directs his profoundly intimate tragicomedy that asks what it means to be human as we embrace the technology of our future – and it embraces us. Aislin needs constant support in her later years, and her care is placed in the hands of an AI robot-caregiver – designed to look and sound human – named Stacy. The unexpected relationship that blossoms between them sparks questions of what it means to have a soul, what defines humanity – and what happens when those definitions begin to shift.

Listen to Laura Connors Hull and Miss Kitty as they talk about love and loss and new beginnings with their debut show at Creative Cauldron--Steel Magnolias.   

Listen to Anthony Green the director of Gay Soul Food serve us a heavy helping of Gay Soul Food. Catch his latest production at Anacostia Arts Center!

Ink artist Andy Gomez Reyes shares his story about the love for body art that has driven his career. His artistry is showcased by Avant Bard in their production of The Margriad (or the tragedy of Queen Margaret after William Shakespeare), March 6-29, 2025 at Gunston Arts Center.

Eric Hissom spotlights his role in Job, Signature Theater's psychological thriller with a shocking and breathtaking ending that will leave audiences breathless. Don't miss the Off-Broadway sensation and New York Times Critic's Pick that skewers the insidiousness of the internet, the meaning of work, and the menace behind the social media smile. 

Encore Stage and Studio showcases young artists for Flip the Script with Jamila's Table--a show that follows the life of a young African American restaurant owner striving to bring success and pride to her family on the Columbia Pike corridor in Arlington, Virginia. We learn about the project through an entertaining and inspiring interview with Elizabeth Bell and John Monaco, two student artists and Madeline Langston, Programming Director of 20 years.  

Listen to the Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater as he invites theater lovers to their 10th Anniversary event--Spark! Reg Douglas provides insights about the current theater landscape, his training and mentorship in the theater, and he reveals some surprises for Spark.

GUAC is a deeply moving play about a father's love, activism, and passion to make a difference. The interview with Manuel Oliver will leave your spellbound and running to see the story of his son's tragic loss at Parkland High School. Fearless, funny, and pulling zero punches, GUAC is a tour-de-force theatrical experience about a father turned activist. 

Listen to the director of Theater Alliance's latest production The Garbologist, Shanara Gabrielle, and one of its cast members, Yesenia Iglesias. The show is a quirky comedy about the labor and laughs of a group of santitation worker buddies who discover there is more to life than trashing talking and trash pickups!   

Listen to Janet Kopenhaver as she bids farewell to Embracing Arlington Arts Talks with an interview by the new host Carlos Velazquez. Janet talks about her successes, hopes for the future of Embracing Arlington Arts, and her new work in Ashville, NC. We invite our listeners to send a congratulatory message to Janet at https://bit.ly/JanetKFarewell

The Managing Director of Signature Theatre returned to the show to give us all the details about the four remaining productions this season (including "Job," "In the Heights," and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), as well as information on several different ticket offers and options. Additionally, hear her thoughts on how the theater industry has evolved and changed over the last 5-7 and specifically changes Signature made to its production schedule. This episode also marks Janet Kopenhaver's last as the host of "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" so it was so appropriate to have Maggie as the last guest since she was the absolute first guest in 2017. 

Author Raymond Goode joined us on the "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" podcast to talk about his new book entitled "Through Their Eyes" which is a collection of real-life stories he has collected over the years. He also gave us details about the unique way he brings these stories to life on stage using several different art genres. Also hear snippets of his own story, the many hurdles he has had to overcome, and what his next book will be about.

The Co-Founders of the non-profit organization Asheville Theater Alliance (ATA) joined us to talk about how the ATA came about, its mission and vision, goals for the near future, membership benefits (including matching arts professionals with performing arts organization decisionmakers), and its very unique and user-friendly Calendar of Events. Also learn about how each of them ended up in the theater industry, background on the Attic Salt Theatre Company, and how supporters and patrons can help performing arts groups which have been hit so hard by the pandemic and recent hurricane in Western North Carolina.

Jason Tamborini, the Artistic Director of Prologue Theatre, returned to the show to catch us up to date on what the theater has been up to since COVID and share his thoughts on the state of the theater industry. He also gave us all the details about their upcoming premiere of "The Horse and Carriage" - a thought-provoking play that everyone will be able to relate to in some fashion. Find out who all the actors are (all of whom have been seen before on Prologue's stages), details about the unique immersive set, and some extra events scheduled to coincide with certain performances.

Horror story writer David Allen Voyles came on the show to tell us how his journey all began in the ghost world. Hear about his unique ghost tour company that brought visitors around in a hearse, how he gave his students immersive learning experiences when reading certain books, how he ended up writing horror stories and details about his own podcast. Also get all the details about his newly released book "Edgar: When Poe's Nightmares Began" that that asks what if Poe's stories all stemmed from actual experiences he had when he was 15, and his inclusion in the book of a listing of all the short stories referenced.

Actor Karen Covington-Yow came on the show to talk about her new show - "Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class" - a one-person show being presented at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. Find out how she got involved in the theater world, how her acting training helped her law career, what roles are on her "bucket list," how she prepares for a one-person show and much more. Also hear her thoughts on obtaining audience participation and how music helped her through the COVID shutdown.

The Associate Director of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts John Hall returned to the show to update our DC and Asheville listeners about their multifaceted and exciting upcoming season - just in time for "leaf peeper" season. From numerous exhibitions to diverse concerts to storytellers to a robust theater schedule, the Center has it all. Also get details about how their production of "A Christmas Carol" is so unique, what Tony-award winning show will be presented in 2025, and a listing of workshops and classes that includes something for everyone. 

Eric Rubio, the Director of Finance and Administration for The Washington Chorus was our latest guest on the "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" podcast. He gave us the scoop on what Arts Management professionals do and how the industry has changed after COVID, as well as details about The Washington Chorus, its mission, upcoming season, importance and who to become a singing member. He also briefed us on his fellowship at the Sphinx Organization and its emphasis on arts advocacy, and explained why he wanted to join the Embracing Arlington Arts Board of Directors (which he did!).

Tessa Klein, who manages the "Creative Age" program at Educational Theatre Company (ETC) appeared as a guest on the podcast to talk about this very unique and wonderful program that greatly benefits seniors. The program has students telling their own stories and putting these stories into an original play, as well as them reading and acting out already publishd plays. Also hear why and how this program provides health benefits for older adults and hear one pretty insightful story from one participant. And we hear about Tessa's acting career and types of roles she tends to gravitate towards. 

Actors Jordyn Taylor and Kaeli Patchen joined us on the podcast to talk about the upcoming production of "American Gothic" being presented by Monumental Theatre Company. Get all the details about the show, including some pretty special seats you can reserve, what the show is about, and what they both particularly like about the show (it might surprise you!). Also find out how they both got into the theater industry, characters they like to play (and want to play), how they prepare for the roles, and whoat realy unique "day job" Kaeli has.

Asheville Visual Artist Brian Luzader appeared on the "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" podcast to tell us about his very unique style of painting that he calls "Flow Paintings". Find out how he became an abstract professional visual artist, details about his style of pouring paint onto a canvas and leaving it overnight to create beautiful colorful art pieces, what interesting kitchen gadget he uses to avoid "over-working" a painting, and how painting became a type of therapy for him. Also hear his insightful words of advice and wisdom for folks who want to start painting. Then visit his studio in the River Arts District! 

Actor Thomas Walter Booker appeared on the "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" podcast to give us all the details about his exciting new project - a movie called "Absent" about a young boy in DC learning to forgive his father and move on with his life that he wrote, is producing and will appear in. Find out what spurred him to write the film, why it is so important for folks to see, what is the timeline until release and how listeners can help support the project. Also learn how he ended up in the theater industry at a VERY young age and his serendipitous journey toward landing a role in "Fat Ham" at the Studio Theatre.