This Wooden O

This week, in true Shakespearean fashion, Monty reclaims the pod as a solo host! His first guest in his new and glorious podcast empire is actor/singer/casting-director, Daniel Kemper (www.montgomerysutton.com). Topics include:The fact that websites are, by definition, a tool for self-aggrandizementYouTube live chat questionsDaniel’s belief in having an affinity to certain skills and how working hard can sometimes bridge the gapThe different pleasures achieved when working within natural skillsets versus working in areas that require additional effortWhat Daniel looks for as a Casting DirectorTreating an audition like a first date (or, don’t be a jerk)The production and personal experience that inspired Daniel to become an actorThe power of theater to help people to look outside of themselvesPeople’s willing state of readiness for change as audience members and the responsibility to do justice to people’s time that goes along with itThe special atmosphere created by the communal knowledge that each theatrical performance is a singular and irreplicable moment.Loving cats while being allergic to themDaniel’s love for Shakespeare being born out of their enduring impact throughout the centuries and their abilities to ask the big questionsDaniel’s beautiful rendition of a speech from the Archbishop Scroop from Henry IV part 2Shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include:The West WingJesus Christ SuperstarCarl AndersonJames GandolfiniThe SopranosZoom Dinners with your friendsCircle in the SandInternational Actors EnsembleAlex TheatreMelbourne, AustraliaShakespeare’s Age of CrownsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week, in true Shakespearean fashion, Daniel stages a coup and takes over the podcast as a solo host! His first guest in his new and glorious podcast empire is actor/director/writer and Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms, Montgomery Sutton (www.montgomerysutton.com). Topics include:Daniel’s boundless capacity for benevolence as a resplendent podcast dictatorHow Monty was (maybe?) dropped as a baby.Where Monty gets his drive to constantly createUsing accountability to others as a means to spur productivityUsing art to engage with the world around you.Toddler Monty’s 3 hour, living room Batman playsThe religious experience of live theatreWhat makes a good actor?Figuring out your own artistry through exposure to other artists and forms of theatreThe importance of a degree of “messiness” in live theatreThe difference between emotionally honest and performative actingWhen do you impose structure on the sense of play when managing a showThe essential relationship between an actor and the audienceHow much rehearsal is too much?The importance of a small amount of challenge or fear on opening nightWhich TV show would Monty put himself in if given the opportunity?Shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include:The Drawer BoyShakespeare DallasRene MorenoThe Dallas Children’s TheaterDallas Junior Players Shakespeare Happy HoursMichelle TarryColin HurleyToni Morrisson“Different Every Night” by Mark AlfredsEd DixonDavid BaynesNew York Shakespeare CompanySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Daniel & Monty are back with our first episode recorded during Corona. In a Facebook livestream (using Skype), they virtually sit down with Rude Grooms Associate Artist Laura Piccoli (check out her website lauracpiccoli.com). Topics include:Shifting to a virtual Wooden OHow Laura’s super-high work ethic developed and has influenced her life from undergrad, through freelance acting, producing with Rude Grooms, and into a Masters programThe benefits for an actor of wearing other theatrical hats and feeling more power in the process of creating opportunitiesHow the feeling of empowerment from getting more involved on the producing side of theater inspired Laura to start writing her own short filmsPursuing a Masters degree in Energy and Environment Policy to learn more about subjects so that she should start writing projects, like a recent short film she wrote inspired by studying in BoliviaShifting as a writer from writing for herself as an actor to writing with a hope towards other actors flourishingFinding your Artistic FamilyImposter SyndromeHow a Process-oriented approach can benefit even Product-oriented environments.COVID brainThis week, Daniel & Monty both recommend Shakespeare Happy Hours, co-produced with Seven Stages Shakespeare Company - 90 minute virtual performances of all of Shakespeare’s plays, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at shakespearehappyhours.tv. Other shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include:PachamamaCloud Forests of BoliviaThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains mentions of sex, and references of drug use. This week, Daniel and Monty reconnect with a former acting classmate turned entrepreneur and International Tea Master, Mike Ortiz (@sipjojo on Instagram) to discuss his journey from theatre school to brewing tea on the world stage. Topics include:The return of “Danny” KemperFinding your weirdos in action!The parallels between auditioning and building a business.The importance of unapologetically taking up space.Being comfortable with not having answers, and being willing to constantly ask questions in life and theatre.The proper way to drink teaHow Mike went from actor to tea salesman and entrepreneurBrewing tea as a practice of meditationThe importance of persistence in developing relationshipsLearning under pressureThe influence of slave labor on modern tea consumption and sales.How an actor with no business training starts a companyResilience as a necessity in the pursuit of your goalsWhat makes a master?Understanding a structure well enough to break it.The origin of the name Jojo TeaThis week’s shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include:Anya SaffirEBE EnsembleMaster Chufei Tsai Jojo Tea CompanyBadia Spice CompanyWorld Tea ExpoGrandmaster Maurice AshleyTea Master’s CupOsteria 57Cafe IntegralMalaparteTiger King on NetflixHollywood Caucus podcastThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today!This week Daniel (@thedanielkemper) and Monty (@montgomerysutto) sit down with Rude Grooms' Master of Movement Bridget Bose (@bridgetbose on Instagram). Bridget has choreographed dances, jigs, and creepy death movement pieces for all Rude Grooms productions. Listen to her talk about her journey from Colorado to New York, starting and running Guilty Pleasures Cabaret, and much more.Topics include:Rude Grooms’ Secret Shakespeare Hunt (possibly returning in 2020)Performing at Lincoln Center with Bridget’s cabaret troupe, Guilty PleasuresDancing in a circus in the Middle EastTouring the world in a Bollywood dance company, and becoming a tourist attraction by rehearsing in Central ParkThe happenstance creation of Guilty Pleasures in a tiny UWS barDefying expectations at The Duplex by making dance that functions in a non-traditional spaceThe power of appealing to the 11pm timeslot nicheHow Guilty Pleasures alters shows from late-night to mainstage, from smaller venues to larger venues, and from 1.0 to 11.0 versionsRepurposing successful material to fit in different showsParallels between creating frequent cabaret content and the incredibly prolific rate of new plays in Shakespeare’s LondonKeeping all of her creative work in notebooks and having an archive dating back to high schoolThe importance of overplanning and yet being able to throw it all out in the moment when none of it works for the bodies in the roomCue Scripts and the power of muscle memory from writing down, going back to the beginning until you make no mistakes, or just repeating things over and overThe difficulty of dancing someone else’s choreography vs. what comes naturally to your own bodyThe importance of letting dancers write choreography down in the performer’s own vocabulary because there’s no standardized form of notationHow to navigate the balance choreographing for character and for an individual actorIs there a point at which a piece is “done” for Guilty Pleasures?Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include:Guilty Pleasure Cabaret | email: info@guiltypleasurescabaret.com; website guiltypleasurescabaret.com; twitter/instagram: @gpcabaretThe Duplex54 BelowLineLearner App, available on the App Store or Google PlayKast App: kastapp.coThe Show Must Go Online, produced by Rob Myles (@robmyles)This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today!This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, singer/songwriter, and Rude Grooms Master of Music, Kara Arena. Kara has composed music for every Rude Grooms production, as well as the music for this very podcast. Listen to her talk about her journey as an artist, how her creative process works, and then go and follow her on Instagram HERE.Topics include:Kara’s artistic origin story.Fearless, mystical writingLearning to play an instrument for a showThe difficulty of consistent practiceHow the comfort of the theatre and performance can relieve the pressure of learning an instrumentThe difference between the artist and their artistic personaPlaying your own music for the first timeLearning not to take judgement personallyThe inherent compelling nature of fictional villainsThe fun of playing roles that go counter to “type”Looking internally at your own experience as a catalyst for character developmentSeparating your own sound from your influencesHow to write music for a showFinding the vibe of a showThe power of oooooh’s and aaahh’s in musicHow simplicity in songwriting leads to adaptabilityWhat most people get wrong about Romeo and JulietWhy Juliet is out of Romeo’s leagueAllowing your creations to take on lives of their ownImprovisation within structureWhy you don’t need lessons to be a musicianKara’s first music video!How the meaning of a song evolves as you spend more time with itThe differences in writing for Greek theatre vs. ShakespeareMusic is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include:Rickie Lee JonesSpring AwakeningJoni MitchellSufjan StevensArcade FireThe Beatles“Heart Song” by Kara Arena on YouTubeGilbert TheaterPortland Stage CompanyThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website with a special 10% Discount (offer expires 3/16/2020). Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop and use code “WEIRDOS” at checkout!This week Daniel and Monty sit down with director, producer, and Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare Dallas, Jenni Stewart. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @jennalolaTopics include:Monty’s life’s work of getting everyone he knows from Dallas to move to NYCThe enduring splendor of snow for people born in the southJenni’s journey from producing intern to Program Coordinator to Associate Artistic Director in her 14 years with Shakespeare DallasJenni’s background in performance art, avant-garde, and making really f*$%ing good shadowsInfusing principles of anant-grade performance into her interpretations of Shakespeare so that any type of learner can absorb the storyDirecting a play so that a dog could watch and follow the storyThe job of directing as being a professional audience memberThe importance of the setting up character, concept, and setting first 7-10 minutes of a Shakespeare play for audience membersJenni’s early 1900s Suffragette-era Taming of the Shrew and its Silent Film homage to the InductionThe unique difficulties of working in large, outdoor, mic’d spacesThe Tablework Controversy: essential, or a waste of time?Shakespeare practitioners who have open disdain for scholarsShakespeare Dallas’s Canon Completion Project: The Complete Works of Shakespeare as unabridged staged readings with just a week of rehearsalThe fake news of Romeo and Juliet’s “two hours traffic”The importance of bridging the gap between the skills and knowledge of an Elizabethan actor and those of a contemporary actor in “original practice” rehearsal environmentsOregon Shakespeare Festival’s PlayOn project, modern playwrights translating Shakespeare’s playsWords that only appear once in Shakespeare’s plays: translate them, or play them as a character making up a word?How to bring the inherent collaboration built into Shakespeare’s plays into a 21st century production setting.The fact that every time to produce Shakespeare you are doing an adaptation by cutting, choosing a version, putting on a concept, etc.Protecting capital “S” Shakespeare versus collaborating with a down and dirty playwrightFolio vs. Quarto versions of the texts, and the incredible opportunity we have to get our fingers dirty and collaborate with Shakespeare by working from the original source material and choosing the versions that work for our particular productions and groups of actors.Moving out of the “Newlywed” phase of directing Shakespeare and becoming less “precious” with the plays.The fact that cutting one line of Shakespeare means you are adapting the play, and its implications for more “controversial” adaptation.The potential problems with how our educational system teaches Shakespeare (and literature)Send us your own personal translations of Shakespeare! Daniel will read them and Monty will wear his Darth Vader mask while maybe or maybe not paying attention!Jenni’s journey from actor to director and the clear crossroads where that new journey began.ASMRMusic is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week, Daniel recommends the upcoming Album It is What it is by Thundercat (releasing April 3), and its single “Dragonball Doorag.” Monty Recommends the podcast An Actor Despairs, hosted by Ryan Perez, and available wherever you listen to podcasts.This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include:Shakespeare DallasProjectX TheatreShakespeare Theater AssociationShakespeare’s First Folio (Internet Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria)Folger Online Editions of Shakespeareshakespeareswords.comThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website with a special 10% Discount (offer expires 3/16/2020). Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop and use code “WEIRDOS” at checkout!This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, yogi, and Rude Grooms Sharer/Founding Member Deb Radloff who has been featured in every RG production going all the way back to Much Ado about Nothing. She shares her story today about finding your wins in the theatre industry, and the importance of community. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @debfindingherwinTopics include:The importance of training for different mediumsThe lies we tell ourselves as actors that inhibit our progressMaintaining positive, clear relationships.Giving yourself permission to fail.The dangers of knowing “just enough”Staying focused and positive during career dry spellsKnowing the difference between what you can control vs. what you can’tThe self-sabotaging habit of intentional under preparationThe safety of familiar failureThe power and terror of being fully present and open.Counting your victories, no matter how small.Rude Grooms origin stories!Finding people you like to do work that matters to you.Being proactive about maintaining and building relationships.How creativity breeds creativity, and practice breeds preparedness.How to find or create your artistic homeAn actor’s secret superpower.The camaraderie of community.Knowing your worth as an artist.Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include:Devin Shackett On CameraLetting Go: The Pathway of Surrender- Dr. David HawkinsMichele ShayHedgepig Ensemble TheatreRichard EastonThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor Elisabeth Ahrens, who was featured in Rude Grooms’s 2019 productions of Romeo & Juliet and The Changeling. She’s also the person we specifically referenced in Episode 1 of the podcast whose audition was so strong we added an entire actor track to a production. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @elisabethahrens.Topics include:Finding alternatives to clichéd one-note character choices through non-traditional casting choicesHow a rural, pre-Nintendo childhood inspired young Elisabeth to write, act, and direct in plays for her family to keep herself entertained.Elisabeth’s time in the MFA program at the Asolo Conservatory (Florida State) and the Ringling Circus Museum, Art Gallery, and historic theater spaceMonty’s inability to differentiate between Jeff Bridges and Jeff DanielsWhite Russians as Daniel’s entry to drinking in NYCElisabeth’s extraordinary sense of play as an actor and its root in the textLearning how to work on limited rehearsal time by being thrust into the fire of a condensed rehearsal periodThe benefits & responsibilities of working in a condensed rehearsal period that doesn’t give you time to procrastinate as an artistHow to find freedom and play even in rehearsal rooms where the job is to fulfill a director’s predetermined planThe difference between watching actors who are present with other actors on stage and actors who are checked out and going through the motionsThe energetic tether between two people who are truly present with each other, on stage and in lifeThe return of Mirror Neurons!The difference in watching theater as an audience member and as a practitionerHow to keep things fresh and new and present after you’ve reached the fourth week of a runHow rediscovering our spontaneous play as actors requires us to abandon our “good student” desire of some arts to “get it right.”The importance of playing the reality of “mistakes” (or gifts) that happen in performanceHow difficult it can be to enjoy watching theater as a theater makerThe power of being easeful on stageWorking on classical texts as a puzzle for the artist to unpack for the audienceElisabeth’s turn as Peter in our production of Romeo and Juliet & finding new ways to “translate” jokes that resonate in hurtful ways for modern artists and audiencesMusic is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include:University of KansasFSU Asolo ConservatoryThe Ringing, the State Art Museum of FloridaTootsie the MusicalShakespeare’s GlobeOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodTaylor Tomlinson’s “Quarter-Life Crisis” on NetflixSherry Turkle’s Reclaiming ConversationThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week Daniel and Monty sit down with self-described Method props artist, set decorator, and producer, Sara Slagle. Sara and Monty have collaborated on numerous projects for 10 years, and Sara was the brains behind the world Rude Grooms created this summer with Romeo and Juliet. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @ehtoozee.Topics include:How Sara found her way into props and designMethod props designHow fully realized, hand-crafted props help with immersion, and the power of physical objects on an actors’ performance.The dangers of burnout.The desire for effective world-building and realism in the theatre.How many things does Sara make by hand? Listen to the episode and tweet us your answers!Mishandled prop horror stories.The importance of CHECKING YOUR DAMN PROPS.Navigating whether or not to stay in your lane when problems ariseThe importance of communication between performers and technical artists. How observation and noticing small details affect big decisions in a production.Theatre ghost stories!How suggestions lead to better direction.ACTORS- be nice to your production crew!The cost of kindness.The pros and cons of the current power dynamic structure in modern theatre.Switching hats between crew member and producer on the same production.The creative advantages of independent theatre vs. Broadway.Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:The Gallery PlayersRetro ProductionsCarl ForsmanComedy Central Presents: This is Not HappeningRoy Wood Jr.Heather CunninghamSteven Walters (and the play “Booth” which inspired the podcast “1865”)Jessica Renee RussellYour Colonel (Monty’s Aaron Burr play)Shakespeare DallasThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week Daniel and Monty sit down with director, writer, and acting teacher Anya Saffir. Anya taught Daniel and Monty during their undergraduate time in the Atlantic Conservatory program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since then, she has directed around the world from Mexico City to the Moscow Art Theatre. To learn more, check out her website anyasaffir.com.Topics include:Anya’s unexpected and life-changing experience teaching and now directing in Mexico CityWhat it is about directing the classics that appeals to Anya more than directing new workThe unique school of philosophy at the University of Wittenberg during Shakespeare’s timeThe power of writing that brings artists and audience members into contact with core human questions (or “the vein of humanity” or “the great mysteries”) without seeking to answer them Freud’s concept of “Religiosity”Looking at plays that confront you with the big existential questions as their own form of religious textsHow working on plays that explore the big questions can help artists when they reach those moments in their own lives and leave them a little wiser and a little bit more peacefulThe debate between Tuzenbach and Vershinin in The Three Sisters on whether humanity moves forward or essentially stays the same as it advances, and what that implies for people who seek happiness in the present moment or sacrifice for future generations.Daniel Kemper as the next Teri GrossChekhov’s principle value of Freedom and how that demands a spontaneity and freedom where every moment changes from one performance to anotherHow to direct “that which only wants to be free,” or how Anya translated the above struggle into a new type of rehearsal process to rigorously learn the world and then establish an environment for playThe glory of the traverse (or “tennis court”) audience arrangementThe power of isolating the human voice and the fear of having to be spontaneous in an age where so much communication can be written and rewrittenMirror Neurons and their implications in an age where many people spend more time with technology than other human beingsThe term “Master Teacher” The power of putting in the hoursConfidence as a biproduct of preparing, showing up, and doing the workThe power of coming into the first rehearsal with the lines already learned deep in your bonesFlow State, or Optimal Performance StateThe tremendous pressure on directors to “make their mark” and how it often leads to productions that smell of the director’s own ego needs rather than the “necessary question of the play” or the playwright’s intent.Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Atlantic Acting School: atlanticactingschool.orgTeatro Helinico: helenico.gob.mx/Hamlet by William Shakespeare: amzn.to/39dRIMWThe Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov: amzn.to/3bjXkqSAnna Karenena by Leo Tolstoy: amzn.to/2ve3ZSWUncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov: amzn.to/38bRCW7Different Every Night by Mike Alfreds: amzn.to/2vkDpY8Casa Mañana: casamanana.org/Sherry Turkle - TED Talk: ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_connected_but_alone; Reclaiming Conversation (book): amzn.to/2w24wb3Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Conversations with Maya Angelou: supersoul.tv/tag/dr-maya-angelouAshley White: ashleyhwhite.com/Neutral Chaos Combat: Intimacy in Performance Intensive: neutralchaoscombat.com/visiting-artists-2/This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week in our very first two guest episode, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor-combatants Kaitlyn Farley and Molly Thomas. Molly is an original member of Rude Grooms currently performing with the Brave Spirits Theatre in Washington, D.C. Kaitlyn has choreographed the two most recent RG productions, Romeo and Juliet and The Changeling, and is the co-founder of Fight the Good Fight Productions. Follow Molly on Instagram and check out her website. Follow Kaitlyn on Instagram and check out her website.Topics include:Their fight choreo origin storiesHow a dance background both helps and hinders a burgeoning fighterThe importance of representation in creative spacesOwning your skills and experience in creative spacesWhat makes a good fightWhat makes a bad fightThe importance of communication and boundariesTheir favorite moments of violence on stage and screenMusic is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Casey HudeckiRapier WitJared KirbyJ David BrimmerCasey KalebaLisa KopitskyAlexis BlackAlicia RodisIntimacy Directors InternationalRosanna SarancinoAlasdair HunterIan PetersonShakespeare Theatre AssociationShakespeare DallasThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, writer, producer, stand-up comic, social media manager, and yoga teacher Rachel Schmeling, who played Juliet in our summer 2019 production of Romeo and Juliet. Follow Rachel @rachelmschmeling on Instagram or visit her website, rachelschmeling.com. Topics include:Finding a physical practice like Yoga to invigorate your actingHow Yoga can enrich the breath work of vocal training systems like Linklater or FitzmauriceHow it can take years for a lesson to really click and settle inHow to say “yes” to stillness in order to avoid burnoutThe value of keeping a Gratitude JournalMeditation in elementary schoolsThe value of not leaving your “baggage” outside the rehearsal room but instead bringing your full experience into the roomCheck-ins and giving actors a daily opportunity to express their access needsThe importance of building real-life trust and bonds with on-stage familiesHelp us get Levar Burton on the show with our newest hashtag, #ThisBurtonO Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests The Hulu Series This Way Up written by and starring Aisling Bea, and Monty suggests Levar Burton’s video series This Is My Story on YouTube. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Junior PlayersShakespeare DallasRude Grooms’ Romeo & JulietHedgepig Ensemble TheatreBread and Yoga HarlemShaktibarreNew York YogaGeorge Lucas in Love on YouTube This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with stage manager/actor/director Becca Kaplan, exploring her approaches to theatre production and the importance of clear and effective communication in the rehearsal process.. Topics include:Working around racist and sexist content in the modern theatrical eraHow physical choreography can change the mood and tension of a sceneGenerational differences between actorsThe importance of intimacy directors in modern theatreThe practicality of stage management as a career choice in the artsThe creative freedom of receiving permission and setting boundariesCommunicating physical boundaries and permissions as a means of exploring moments of physicality and intimacy as opposed to traditional choreographyGender, sexuality, and identity politics in theatre and filmHow portrayals of sex and gender in the arts affect our perception of bothActor-based direction as a means of exploration in a playThe effects stage management can have on your personalityOur ideal rehearsal rooms/artistic career paths Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests The Netflix Series The Haunting of Hill House and Shirley Jackson’s novel on which it is based, and Monty suggests the audiobook version of Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Titan Theatre CompanyAshley WhiteIntimacy Directors International This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor and arts educator Nicole Carlson, exploring her approaches to creating young artists rooted in the concept of the Ensemble. Topics include:Our brilliant idea for a new superhero called SubordinateNicole working on Willy Wonka Junior with 70 kidsGenerational shifts in the age at which kids get cell phonesHow to keep kids attention when they’re always on their phonesThe sometimes compulsive need to TikTokGoing even a few days without a phoneThe bizarre fact that there is WiFi at the Grand CanyonEnsemble as the core of teachingThe structure of Success Academy schools and their special programsWhat Nicole looks for even in a Kindergartener to see that they’re likely to excel in theaterThe importance of encouragement in the artists of all ages.Creating an environment where failure and exclusion are easier to deal with because the priority is the strength of the ensemble, not individual successes. Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Monty suggests the streaming television show Dickinson on Apple TV+ Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Taylor Tomlinson “Old Souls”: facebook.com/watch/?v=1980544492044496The Mandalorian Trailer to the Cats trailer music: twitter.com/_elvishpresley_/status/1165317834093801472 This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week, Daniel and Monty discuss similarities and differences of life as a working actor in the United States and across the Pond in the U.K. with intercontinental special guest, Harry Waller!Topics include:Bard City's most recent "Shakespeare in a Week" production of Troilus and Cressida.The surprising clarity that can be discovered in a short rehearsal process, and the constant yearning for more time in a rehearsal process regardless of length.The thrill of getting to play roles cast non-traditionally and play parts you never thought you'd get a shot at.Working with Christopher Luscombe on The History Boys and the Royal Shakespeare Company's productions of Love's Labours Lost and Love's Labours Won (or Much Ado About Nothing).The importance of and differences between the respective acting unions: Equity (UK) and Actors Equity (US).The brutal nature of the E.P.A. (Equity Principal Audition, or a union-run open call for union members in the US).Legal and professional differences between non-union and union acting work.Self-submission services like Actors Access or Backstage in the US or Spotlight in the UK.The difficulty of accessing for auditions for non-union actors in the US and for actors without agents in the UK.The "illusion of openness" in the US industry vs. the closed nature of the UK industry.Being overwhelmed by the number of people auditioning for a given role in New York vs. in London.The huge differences between the typical audition in the UK and the US.What's actually going on in our minds when we're auditioning actors and how different it is from what we assumed when auditioning for others.An important campaign to get Monty on next season of Living With Yourself using hashtags #CastMontyInLivingWithYourself and #LivingWithMontyselfThis week, we introduce a new segment at the end where Daniel and Monty each share a recommendation from the past week for something to watch, read, or listen to. This week, Daniel suggests Living With Yourself on Netflix, and Monty suggests the podcast Knowing: Robin Williams from Macmillan Podcasts.Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Bard City (twitter.com/bardcity)Royal Shakespeare Company (rsc.org.uk)Buy blu-ray discs of Harry's Love's Labours Lost and Love's Labour's Won (aka Much Ado About Nothing) on AmazonOwen Horsley (owenhorsley.com)This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

This week we sit down with actor, singer, model, dancer, and poet Anneka Kumli to discuss finding her personal intersection between political activism and art. Along the way, topics include:The horrors of the MTA on the weekend, and the not-so-secret Hate Poetry that all New Yorkers write while stuck in a subway tunnel at 2am.The Tragedy of Miriam by Elizabeth Cary, the first extant original play written by a woman in English.The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker, about the real-life cross-dressing thief who may have even defied the law to appear onstage as herself in the play.The ability of good politicians and good art to make people feel heard.Whiplash, and the question of whether achieving greatness is worth the personal cost.The brilliance of Brad Pitt’s accent, Eric Bana’s hair, and (let’s be real) everything in Wolfgang Peterson’s 2004 film Troy.Anneka’s time working for the Governor of Colorado as a Legislative Aide, on his re-election campaign, and then as his events director on his inaugural committee.The democratic importance of the plays performed at the Festival of Dionysus in Athens and attending theater as a “civic duty.”The importance of the arts in a time where many people seem to have forgotten what it is to listen to one another.Anneka’s original poem, “2019.”Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us on Facebook, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Kristen Johnston (Actor & Teacher) – follow her @thekjohnstonMargot Jones – http://sweettornado.org/who-was-margo-jones/Zelda Fichandler – https://howlround.com/commons/zelda-fichandlerNina Vance – https://www.alleytheatre.org/about-us/history/nina-vanceThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe in your favorite Podcast app and share your thoughts on social media, on our website thiswodeno.com, or at thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

In this pilot episode of This Wooden O, your hosts Daniel Kemper and Montgomery Sutton sip delicious Singlecut Beer and speak with special guests Daniel Kemper and Montgomery Sutton (respectively Master of Casting & Company Management and Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms). We know what you’re asking — how did you get them??? We can hardly believe it ourselves!Topics include:Daniel’s discovery of the Star Wars Happiness Paradox (Jedi: Fallen Order getting in the way of The Mandalorian getting in the way of Jedi: Fallen Order).Momentum and burnout, both as individual artists and in running the Punk-Rock Renaissance Theater Company Rude Grooms.Finding motivation a an individual vs. finding motivation for work in a group.Setting New Year’s Intentions vs. New Year’s Resolutions.That moment in your early 30s of reflection and gear change from the habits you didn’t even know you’d made.The irony of trying to make plans in a completely unpredictable profession.Looking back on Rude Grooms’s 2019 season, including Romeo and Juliet and The Changeling, and doubling budgets, performances, and attendance in the second year of a young theater company.Failure, Resilience, and compounding small improvements to make big changes in life and in collaborative creation of art.Monty forgetting the name of the Kobayashi Maru and being demoted back to the Trekkie minor leagues.Edison’s discovery of thousands of ways not to make a lightbulb.Figuring out out what the hell this podcast even is.Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode.This week’s shoutouts & further reading include:Jedi: Fallen Order (buy for PS4 or XBox)Warren Rusher (actor, teacher, producer of Speak the Speech workshops – UK) Shakespeare Dallas – learn more at shakespearedallas.orgAshley H. White (Director, Fight Director, Intimacy Director)Atomic Habits by James Clear (buy at https://amzn.to/2RVCYwI)Kristen Johnston (Actor & Teacher) – follow her @thekjohnstonlupo blu, LLC (Monty’s media production company)Kobayashi Maru (read more)This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Meet your hosts, Daniel Kemper (Master of Casting and Company Management for Rude Grooms) and Montgomery Sutton (Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms) alongside guest Becca Kaplan (stage manager for Rude Grooms' 2019 production of Romeo and Juliet) and virtual guest Amber Elby (courtesy of patreon.com/rudegrooms/) as they challenge themselves to give you a realistic look at what to expect from This Wooden O in just 30 seconds.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations