Orlando Theatre Hour

Local playwright, actor, cabaret performer, and solo artist Bruce Ryan Costella talks about his new play, Unhappy Accident, premiering at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival in May. We talk about the playwriting process, David Lynch storytelling techniques, what it’s like to perform your own work, how Bruce organizes his materials, and more. To follow … Continue reading "37. Bruce Ryan Costella (3/9/2020)"

Local actor, singer-songwriter, and improviser, TJ Washburn visits the station for a chat about Ben Hur, creating your own music, and the magic of standing on a dark, quiet stage. He is currently playing Daniel Veil in Ben Hur at The Garden Theatre in Winter Garden, playing Feb 28th thru March 15th. TJ Washburn’s music: … Continue reading "36. TJ Washburn (2/24/2020)"

Director, actor, burlesque performer, and activist Kate Murray visits the station once more to discuss ethics and sexuality in our theatre communities. We talk about gender-, color-, and body-blind casting; how to deal with sexual harassment in the theatre; how improv’ing violent or intimate scenes in performance is dangerous; and what we can all do … Continue reading "35. Kate Murray (2/17/2020)"

This week, Nadia Garzón from Decolonizarte Teatro visits the station to talk about her favorite Latin American playwrights, what it means to produce Latin American people, and why it’s vital to listen to people of color in our arts communities. Decolonizarte Teatro’s mission strives to promote the Latin American experience, its culture, and talent through … Continue reading "34. Nadia Garzón (2/10/2020)"

Marco DiGeorge visited the studio to discuss the ins and outs, unders and overs of Talk Radio by Eric Bogosian, currently playing at Theater on the Edge. TALK RADIO by Eric BogosianWHERE: Theater on the EdgeWHEN: Until February 16th, 2020TICKETS: theaterontheedge.org

Danielle Ziss and Charlie Griffin visit the station to talk about the upcoming Orlando Story Club project, Joyland. In this collaborative event on January 29th at the Abbey, storytellers and composers pair up to create six uniquely beautiful performances around the predetermined theme “Joyland,” with live music scored for players from the Alterity Chamber Orchestra.  … Continue reading "32. Danielle Ziss & Charlie Griffin (1/27/2020)"

The cast and creators of Orlando’s own Living Room Theater join the show to talk about their up-close-and-personal theatre project that plays in select private homes in Central Florida. The premise? Three actors perform a collection of scenes in your living room (at your request) for you, your friends, and family for about 70 minutes, … Continue reading "31. Jack Graham, Tisse Mallon, and Megan Raitano (1/6/2020)"

Rachel Whittington, performer, multi-instrumentalist, and Arts Administrator for The Studio Theatre Tierra Del Sol, comes on the show to talk about Neighbors: A Fair Trade Agreement, her duties as an arts admin, her love of performance, and what a difference it makes when you know how to play the oboe. Neighbors: A Fair Trade AgreementWHERE: … Continue reading "30. Rachel Whittington (11/25/2019)"

Steve Schneider (author/director/playwright/musician) joins the show to talk about his upcoming project, Steve Schneider’s PTSD, writing, music composition, and more.

Jeremy Seghers, Jade Jones, and Matt Zenon joined the show to talk about the upcoming production of A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas at the Garden Theatre in Winter Garden. Seghers is the director of the piece, and Jones and Zenon play the Spirits of Christmas Present and Future, respectively. This spirited version … Continue reading "28. Matt Zenon, Jeremy Seghers, and Jade Jones (11/11/2019)"

Joe Llorens, local performer, comedian, and host/producer of Let’s Get Real comedy, visits the station to talk about the upcoming LGR show at Theater West End in Sanford on November 10th at 7pm. He also can be seen in the upcoming Garden Theatre production of A Christmas Carol, opening November 22nd. We talk purpose, inspiration, … Continue reading "27. Joe Llorens (11/4/2019)"

Banks Helfrich, the local experimental theatre artist known for his project Black Cow Jumps, Life Screenings International Short Film Festival, and no assumptions (the experiment in civil political discourse) comes on the show to talk about the upcoming Black Cow Jumps show at the Winter Park Public Library and his perspectives on how theatre reaches … Continue reading "26. Banks Helfrich (10/28/2019)"

Brian Sikorski, the Marketing Director for Orlando Fringe and the Vice President of Central Florida Vocal Arts and Opera del Sol, visits the show to talk about The Animatronicans Double Feature, currently playing at the Orlando Museum of Art until Sunday the 27th. In addition to working with performing arts organizations in Central Florida, Sikorski … Continue reading "25. Brian Sikorski (10/21/2019)"

Kevin Becker – director, performer, and experimental theatre artist – joins Orlando Theatre Hour to talk about his upcoming project, The Dreamland Maze, at this year’s Immerse, presented by Creative City Project, and Phantasmagoria’s 10th anniversary show, Reckoning. The Dreamland Maze, an interactive theatrical performance based on Tom Waits’ musical Alice from 2002, is a … Continue reading "24. Kevin Becker (10/14/2019)"

Local playwright, composer, director, and CFCArts‘ Director of Theatre Donald Rupe joins the show to talk about Sweeney Todd, CFCArts’ spooky, grimy, and deliciously creepy October offering. We talk Sondheim, the community, and artistic inspiration.

A very special episode of Orlando Theatre Hour hosted by Nick Georgoudiou of To A Certain Degree, OTH’s sister show (airing from 7 A.M. to 9 A.M. on Mondays on WPRK). Regular OTH host, Ashleigh Ann Gardner, discusses her new play Qualia, presented at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on October 4th … Continue reading "22. Ashleigh Ann Gardner, Jason Blackwater, and Charlie Stevens (9/30/2019)"

Incredibly talented and skilled set designer Samantha DiGeorge of Theater on the Edge visits the show to talk about TOTE’s upcoming production of Talk Radio by Eric Bogosian, her love of set design, and her appreication of hyper-realism on theatrical stages. Her previous design credits include American Buffalo by David Mamet, Superior Donuts by Tracy … Continue reading "21. Samantha DiGeorge (9/23/2019)"

Jeffrey Narciso, host of The Campbell Show, visits Orlando Theatre Hour to talk about the monthly improv show at COAL Space on Thornton, improv, how storytelling is about throwing out the rules, and how listening in a scene can guide you toward connection and success. (Low audio quality this week.)

Michigan-born and Orlando local playwright and director, Michael Knight, joins the show to talk about performance, playwriting, and producing one’s own work. He also shares details about New Generation Theatrical’s Be Original Theater Festival, the first theatre festival at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Orlando. (Low audio quality this week.)

Kaitlin Bellamy and Cody Stone of Random Encounter Productions, a tabletop and RPG channel on Twitch, visit the show to share their experience with and love for RPGs, tabletop gaming, improv, and storytelling. We talk about the importance of interactive storytelling, how improv assists in creating a fully developed character and world, and more.

Lady Jaimz of Corsets and Cuties visits the show to talk about the burlesque troupe’s upcoming show at The Venue on Virginia and their ongoing monthly burlesque series at Theater West End in Sanford. We discuss the burlesque scene in Orlando and how burlesque promotes body positivity and confidence while entertaining the masses.

Nicole Dupre, Artistic Director of Opera del Sol and Central Florida Vocal Arts, joins the show to talk with Bruce Ryan Costella about Opera Del Sol’s upcoming production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, reimagined for today’s audiences.

Professional opera singer and local vocal coach Kenneithia M. Mitchell joins us at the station to discuss her extensive vocal career, from singing in a Baptist church and attending Juilliard to owning her own vocal performance business and coaching international performing artists.

Orlando intimacy director, burlesque performer, and Playwrights’ Round Table producer Kate Murray joins us in the studio to talk about the importance of intimacy direction in theatre, the art of burlesque, and what we can expect from this year’s Playwrights’ Round Table shorts.

Local actor and improv professional Jason Blackwater joins the show to talk about his journey from Great Britain to the United States, how setbacks can mean opportunity, and his love for the art of improvisation.

Local experimental theatre director and performer Jeremy Seghers visits the show to talk about the upcoming Three Stories project at the Timucua Arts Foundation. Three seemingly disparate plays on three stories of a house are combined with a fourth play. We talk directing, story creation, and more.

Director and dance choreographer, Eric Yow, visits the show to talk about CFCArts’ upcoming production of Bye Bye Birdie, which he directed and choreographed. We also talk about not scary dance is and how people from all ages can learn multiple techniques in a way that fits their learning styles.

Local actor, dancer, and Orlando Rep Marketing Director visits the show to discuss Theatre for Young Audiences, Orlando Rep’s 2019 – 2020 season, and how theatre positively affects youth, their families, and their community.

Actors Deena Ronayne and John Reid Adams from the poetically revised and action-packed Fringe show, Shakespeare’s Terminator the Second, joins us on the air to talk about the show, reworkings of old classics, and what their favorite moments in the show are.

Neil James and Dandy Darkly – one and the same – visit the station to talk about the newest installment in Darkly’s captivating and knock-your-socks-off repertoire, Dandy Darkly’s All Aboard!, coming to this year’s Orlando Fringe Festival. We discuss themes of the Southern Gothic genre, political inspiration, and more.

Playwright and actor Ciara Hannon talks about her upcoming play, Leviticus, premiering at the Orlando International Fringe Festival this year. The play, based on a true story, chronicles the story of a teenage girl coming to terms with her sexual identity and her religious beliefs.

Logan Donahoo, local Orlando artist and LGBTQ advocate, visits Orlando Theatre Hour to discuss his new one-man, instructional docu-comedy Field Guide To Not Being An Asshole, premiering at the Orlando International Fringe Festival this year.

Playwright and actor Lily E. Garnett joins the show to talk about her upcoming one-woman show, War Paint, premiering at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The 60-minute one-person one-act delves into how women are told they should physically present themselves to the world and uses makeup as a metaphor for war paint.

Dorothy Christopher and Bruce Ryan Costella, local actors and musicians, visit the show (and co-host) to talk about their show Bruce and Dot: Rubbed the Wrong Way, a cabaret at SAVOY showcasing songs and scenes about things that…well…rub them – and us – the wrong way.

Local director, producer, and actor Thom Mesrobian visits the show to talk about Rogue Stage in Lakeland and upcoming projects in Central Florida.

Actor/writer/director/producer/opera singer/paralegal Mikaela Duffy visits the show to discuss two shows she is currently involved in: The Importance of Being Earnest (playing at Seminole State College) and I Should Have Just Married David Neilson in Kindergarten (premiering at the Tampa International Fringe Festival).