The Subtext

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From AMERICAN THEATRE magazine, a podcast where playwrights talk to playwrights about the things usually left unsaid. In a conversation that dives into life's muck, we learn what irks, agitates, motivates, inspires and - ultimately - what makes writers tick. (This feed is for the Subtext from 2018 onwards. For old episodes of the Subtext from 2015 to 2017, visit https://thisstage.la/category/the-subtext)

American Theatre


    • May 6, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 91 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Subtext podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in playwriting and the theater world. Hosted by Brian James Polak, this podcast offers insightful and engaging conversations with playwrights, providing listeners with an inside look into their creative process, inspirations, and experiences. Polak's delightful voice and manner make each episode a joy to listen to, and his insightful questions elicit thought-provoking responses from his guests.

    One of the best aspects of The Subtext is the depth and variety of conversations it offers. Each episode dives deep into the world of playwriting, shedding light on both the artistic and practical aspects of the craft. Whether it's discussing the challenges of writing for the stage, navigating the theater industry, or exploring personal anecdotes and stories that have influenced their work, these interviews provide valuable insights for aspiring playwrights as well as theater enthusiasts.

    Additionally, The Subtext fosters a sense of community for playwrights. Playwriting can often be a solitary pursuit, but listening to this podcast gives a sense of belonging to something larger. Hearing other writers share their thoughts and experiences creates a feeling of connection and solidarity among listeners.

    On the downside, some episodes may not be as engaging or relevant to certain listeners. While most episodes offer valuable insights and inspiration, there may be instances where individual preferences or interests do not align with the guests or topics covered. However, this is subjective and does not detract from the overall quality of the podcast.

    In conclusion, The Subtext is an exceptional podcast that offers invaluable insights into the world of playwriting. Brian James Polak's empathetic interviewing style creates meaningful conversations that leave a lasting impact on listeners. Whether you are an aspiring playwright seeking inspiration or simply passionate about theater, this podcast is highly recommended for its informative content and ability to build a supportive community within its audience.



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    Latest episodes from The Subtext

    The Subtext: Rachel Bublitz Is Writing for Her Younger Self

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025


    The writer of 'Funny, Like an Abortion' and 'The Night Witches' talks about long commutes, writing science plays, and the parts she wishes she'd been able to play in school.

    The Subtext: Chloé Hung and the Magic of Writing

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025


    The writer of 'Issei, He Say' talks about making plays from her family's life, feeling the pressure to tell immigrant stories, and rebalancing her priorities.

    The Subtext: Tim J. Lord and the Human Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2025


    This month Brian talks with the award-winning playwright about how he went from technician to playwright, and how to find the real drama behind a true historical event.

    The Subtext: Aya Ogawa, In Control

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025


    This month Brian talks with playwright, director, and performer Aya Ogawa about “hacking away with a machete” toward a career and directing their own work.

    The Subtext: Kelley Nicole Girod, in It for the Drama

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025


    This month Brian talks with the playwright, producer, Fire This Time Festival founder, and Apollo Theater director of new works about drama, balance, and Louisiana history.

    The Subtext: How Rachel Bonds Learned to Trust Herself

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the Southern-born writer about her journey through acting to playwriting, what her parents taught her, and her own parenting.

    The Subtext: Jonathan Payne and the Sea of Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024


    This month Brian speaks with playwright about striving to write one play a year and drawing inspiration from various roles and identities.

    The Subtext: Rachel Jendrzejewski on Presence, Poland, and Padua

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024


    This month Brian speaks with the Playwrights' Center core writer and co-artistic director of Minneapolis's Red Eye about chance encounters and her relationship to future thinking.

    The Subtext: Marin Ireland, Play Builder

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the acclaimed actor about the ups and downs of her career, why and how she wrote her first play, and whether she feels she can claim the title 'playwright.'

    The Subtext: Benjamin Benne's Sound and Vision

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the writer of 'Alma' and 'In His Hands' about narration, inspiration, family ties, and Julio Cortázar.

    The Subtext: Inda Craig-Galván's Search for Self-Expression

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the busy playwright and TV writer about sketch comedy, grad school, and the audition that changed her path.

    The Subtext: Samuel D. Hunter Writes His Way Home

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2024


    This month Brian speaks with the busy playwright about dramatizing Idaho, promoting the film of 'The Whale,' and working on a new play at Steppenwolf.

    The Subtext: Jenni Lamb Shops Local

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the writer and producer about pivoting from teaching, feeling stuck in development hell, and championing local storytellers.

    The Subtext: Mashuq Mushtaq Deen Befriends the Lion and the Rottweiler

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024


    This month Brian talks to playwright Mashuq Mushtaq Deen about building a writing career, pushing audiences out of their comfort zone, and finding his place in the theatre.

    The Subtext: Matthew Paul Olmos Finds Comfort in Chaos

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the Mexican American playwright about his educational path, his early years in New York, and his process for writing poetic plays.

    The Subtext: Katie Ka Vang Has Lived a Thousand Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the Minnesota playwright about her Hmong American roots, having cancer in graduate school, and learning to live in the moment.

    The Subtext: Eric Simonson Is Still Hustling

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024


    This month Brian talks to the writer and director about his Midwestern roots, his writing journey, and his artistic collaborations.

    The Subtext: TyLie Shider's Rehearsal Dramas

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023


    This month Brian talks to a writer inspired by the music his parents made when he was young, as well as by the diverse biographies and interests of the playwrights he admires.

    The Subtext: Charly Evon Simpson, Accomplished and Evolving

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2023


    This month Brian talks to Charly Evon Simpson about discovering theatre, learning to be vulnerable, and becoming a playwright both on paper and in life.

    The Subtext: Nathan Alan Davis's Artistic Adventure

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2023


    This month Brian talks to Nathan Alan Davis about growing up with performer parents and how his own parenting influences his work.

    The Subtext: Nancy Garcia Loza Needs No Permission to Write

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023


    This month Brian joins playwright Nancy Garcia Loza at Chicago's Understudy book shop to talk about writing, family, and holding on to memories.

    The Subtext: MJ Kaufman at Heart, at Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023


    This month Brian talks to MJ Kaufman, the co-writer of 'A Transparent Musical,' about their evolving sense of home, their creative instincts, and their dog, Milkshake.

    The Subtext: Kareem Fahmy's Auteur Theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2023


    Brian talks to the NYC-based theatremaker about the intersection of writing and directing, what his family thinks of his plays, and differences between the U.S. and his native Canada.

    The Subtext: Jonathan Spector's Eureka Moments

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2023


    This month Brian talks to the Bay Area playwright about the writing process, battling imposter syndrome, and redefining success.

    The Subtext: Alexandra Petri Writes Funny

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023


    The D.C. columnist and playwright talks about how writing is like making cotton candy, how 'MILF Manor' is like Greek drama, and how an editor can help you find the parade.

    The Subtext: James Ijames, From Grandma's Backyard to Broadway

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2023


    This month Brian talks to the 'Fat Ham' playwright about the art-loving family he came from and the communities he's found in theatre and in Philly.

    The Subtext: The Time Kate Tarker Lost Her Paints

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023


    The playwright of 'Montag' and 'THUNDERBODIES' talks about insisting on sustainability, identifying as a writer, and the art of listening.

    The Subtext: Eric Reyes Loo Is Earnest and Eager

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2023


    This month Brian talks to playwright and screenwriter Eric Reyes Loo about his educational and familial journeys, and the elusive definition of success.

    The Subtext: How Vichet Chum Measures Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2022


    This month Brian talks to Vichet Chum, writer of 'Bald Sisters' at Steppenwolf, about how Texas's competitive culture shaped him and about how his Cambodian American parents feel about his work.

    The Subtext: Kimber Lee Isn't Cagey About Her Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the author of 'tokyo fish story' and 'brownsville song (b-side for tray)' about panic, curiosity, and the earned laughs average.

    The Subtext: Spenser Davis Wants to Be Part of Something Big

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the busy writer-director about his background, the supportiveness of Chicago's theatre scene, and his penchant for large-cast plays.

    The Subtext: Callie Kimball's Maine Event

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2022


    In this episode, Brian talks to a longtime friend and colleague about her circuitous path from and back to the Pine Tree State, and what that journey has meant for her as a writer.

    The Subtext: Where Madeline Sayet Belongs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the writer/performer of 'Where We Belong,' inspired by her experiences as a Native person loving, studying, then questioning Shakespeare.

    The Subtext: More Than 10 Minutes With Gary Garrison

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the former NYU playwriting professor about growing up in Texas, intuition vs. intellect, and the elusive art of the 10-minute play.

    The Subtext: Dipika Guha Is a Seeker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the 'Yoga Play' author about the absurdism of real life and how her globally forged voice meets contemporary American life.

    The Subtext: Lynn Nottage, Learning From Every Job

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the prolific and decorated playwright about her early struggles and triumphs, and that time she got stuck in the Lincoln Center bathroom.

    The Subtext: Jeremy Cohen's Magical Gifts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the producing artistic director of Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis about supporting writers, following a unicorn, and teaching doctors to write.

    The Subtext: In the Middle With Heather Raffo

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022


    For this special reported episode, Brian goes deep on the actor-writer and her very personal new play, 'Tomorrow Will Be Sunday.'

    The Subtext: Tracy Letts's Moments of Recognition

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022


    This month the author of 'August: Osage County' and 'The Minutes' talks about acting, writing, the mystique of Chicago, and the heartbreak of Oklahoma.

    The Subtext: Live With Amy Quan Barry

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2022


    In this special episode, recorded live in Madison, Wisc., Brian interviews the poet/playwright who wrote 'The Mytilenean Debate' for Forward Theater.

    The Subtext: Voices of Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2022


    For this special episode in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Brian compiles messages from theatre artists in the U.S., the U.K., Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine.

    The Subtext: Rajiv Joseph on Putin and Basketball

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022


    Brian talks to the playwright, whose new play 'King James' is playing at Steppenwolf, about war, sports, and writing what you want.

    The Subtext: Class With Kari Bentley-Quinn

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022


    Brian talks to the Queens-based playwright about her New England roots and her approach to balancing work and mental health.

    The Subtext: Daniel Alexander Jones's Library

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022


    This month Brian talks to the creator of Jomama Jones about the books and music that saved him as a child, and how they led to the books and music he's making now.

    The Subtext: Toward Liberation With Haruna Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2021


    For the final episode of 2021, Brian talks to the writer of 'Suicide Forest' about roles that are different than, and closer to, their true self.

    The Subtext: John Patrick Shanley's Dreams and Schemes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021


    This month Brian talks to the author of 'Doubt' and 'Moonstruck' about the struggles of his early years and the hard-won wisdom of his later ones.

    The Subtext: What Makes Gina Femia Run

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2021


    This month Brian talks to the Brooklyn-based playwright about fighting back against abuse, hustling past gatekeepers, and finding her authentic voice.

    The Subtext: Mac Rogers's ‘Unusual' Journey Through Time and Relative Dimensions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021


    This month Brian talks with the playwright and audio dramatist about 'The Honeycomb Trilogy,' guardian angels, and 'Doctor Who.'

    The Subtext: Jacqueline Goldfinger and the Lure of the Cliff

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2021


    This month Brian talks to the Philly writer of 'Babel' and 'The Arsonists' about playwriting, parenting, and risk.

    The Subtext: Taking Wallace Shawn Seriously

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2021


    This month, a talk with with a playwriting legend, whose most apocalyptic recent works are being released this week as podcasts.

    The Subtext: David Henry Hwang, High and Low

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021


    This month Brian talks to the writer of 'M. Butterfly,' 'Yellow Face,' 'Chinglish,' and 'Soft Power' about Joe Papp, hate crimes, and the ironic uplift of surviving a flop.

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