Token Theatre Friends

Follow Token Theatre Friends
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Twice a month, theatre critics Diep Tran and Jose Solis will discuss three shows at three different price points (usually in New York City, because that’s where they’re based), tell you which show is most worth your time and money, interview interesting artists you should know about, and rant and ra…

American Theatre magazine

  • May 29, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • monthly NEW EPISODES
  • 46 EPISODES


Search for episodes from Token Theatre Friends with a specific topic:

Latest episodes from Token Theatre Friends

Token Theatre Friends: The Future of Directing With Sammi Cannold

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2020


This pre-pandemic conversation with the exciting helmer behind 'Endlings' and radical stagings of 'Ragtime' and 'Carmen' holds hope for the art form.

Token Theatre Friends: Celine Song’s Deep Dive

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2020


Jose talks to the playwright about her (now closed) show 'Endlings' and to Wai Ching Ho, who starred in it.

Token Theatre Friends: Eden Espinosa Paints With Music

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020


Jose talks with the 'Wicked' star, currently doing a cabaret residency and soon to star in the musical 'Lempicka.'

Token Theatre Friends: ‘Unmasked’ Singers

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2020


Jose talks to Mamie Parris and Mauricio Martínez, stars of 'Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber' at Paper Mill Playhouse.

Token Theatre Friends: Live From BroadwayCon With Zora Howard and Jordan E. Cooper

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2020


This week Jose records a live episode with the playwrights behind 'Ain't No Mo' and 'Stew.'

Token Theatre Friends: Laura Michelle Kelly on Musicals and Motherhood

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2020


Jose talks to the musical theatre star about her upcoming Carnegie Hall concert and her self-care practices between shows.

Token Theatre Friends: Code-Switching With Irene Lucío

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2019


Jose talks with 'Slave Play's' Irene Lucío, and gathers 2019 reflections from Young Jean Lee, Aleshea Harris, Jaime Lozano, and others.

Token Theatre Friends: Donja R. Love and the Urgency of ‘one in two’

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2019


Jose speaks to playwright Donja R. Love and actor Leland Fowler of one in two, a new play about HIV among the Black community.

Token Theatre Friends: And Jasmine Cephas Jones!

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2019


The Friends interview the 'Hamilton' star, who is back onstage in a musical version of 'Cyrano.' Plus reviews of 'Tina' on Broadway and a provocative new 'Evita,' and a special announcement!

Token Theatre Friends: Jeremy O. Harris Is Ready to Take Over the World

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2019


The Friends welcome the writer of 'Slave Play,' 'Daddy,' and 'Black Exhibition' to talk about sex and social media.

Token Theatre Friends: Adrienne C. Moore on Getting Ntozake Shange’s Approval

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2019


The 'Orange is the New Black' actress discusses learning how to dance for 'for colored girls....' at the Public Theater. Plus reviews of 'Moulin Rouge,' 'Little Shop of Horrors,' and 'Soft Power.'

Token Theatre Friends: How Ruby Rakos Mastered Judy Garland’s Voice

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2019


The Friends interview the actress who's been playing Judy on and off for six years in 'Chasing Rainbows.' Plus reviews of Halloween shows, including one where they get blindfolded, and a discussion of the discussion around cell phones in the theatre (meta!).

Token Theatre Friends: Javier Muñoz Is Exactly Where He Wants to Be

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2019


The 'Hamilton' actor on why depictions of gay men living normal lives are important. Plus reviews of 'Freestyle Love Supreme' and the 'Judy' movie.

Token Theatre Friends: Undoing Oppression With Tonya Pinkins and Briana Reed

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2019


The actor/director and choreographer drop by to discuss how women oppress each other and how make it stop. Plus the Friends discuss 'Betrayal' on Broadway and whether it's wise to masturbate at the theatre.

Token Theatre Friends: Dimitri Moise and Brandon Gill on Black, Gay, Male Representation

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2019


The Friends talk to two actors about 'As Much as I Can,' a new musical extravaganza about the contemporary HIV/AIDS crisis; plus reviews of 'Hercules,' 'Felix Starro,' and 'Make Believe.'

Token Theatre Friends: Into the Woods With Britney Simpson

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019


The Friends take a road trip to see 'Into the Woods,' in actual nature, and talk to Britney Simpson, the production's Baker's Wife; plus reviews of 'Sea Wall/A Life' and 'Bat Out of Hell.'

Token Theatre Friends: From México to Broadway with Mauricio Martínez

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2019


The Friends talk to the 'On Your Feet!' star about why he advocates for Latinx composers and for racial justice; plus discussions of Hannah Gadsby's 'Douglas' and 'Six.'

Token Theatre Friends: Smelling Justin Trudeau With Sharon Wheatley and Caesar Samayoa

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019


'Come From Away' is celebrating its 1,000th performance on Broadway and its cast members come in to celebrate; plus reviews of 'Midsummer: A Banquet,' 'Mojada,' 'The Rolling Stone,' and the 'Cats' trailer.

Token Theatre Friends: Theatre as Activism with Amber Gray and Kay Trinidad

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2019


The Friends talk to the actors of 'Hadestown' plus reviews of 'Toni Stone' and 'Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec.'

Token Theatre Friends: Pride With Caitlin Kinnunen and Larry Owens

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2019


This week, stars of 'The Prom' and 'A Strange Loop' discuss staying positive in show business and queer representation. Plus the Friends review 'Frankie and Johnny,' 'The Secret Life of Bees,' and 'In the Green.'

Token Theatre Friends: Jumaane Williams Wants to Be an Actor

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2019


The Friends interview NYC's Public Advocate, react to the Tony Award results, and share thoughts on 'Octet,' 'Little Women,' and 'Nomad Motel.'

Token Theatre Friends: Rethinking American History with Jennifer Kidwell and Scott Sheppard

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2019


The Friends talk to the creators of 'Underground Railroad Game,' which is back in NYC; plus reviews of an all-female 'Mac Beth,' 'BLKS,' and 'Continuity.'

Token Theatre Friends: Alice Ripley Sings ‘Jolene’ To Us (Seriously)

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2019


The Friends talk to the star of the original 'Next to Normal' about her newest one-woman show. Plus, reviews of 'Caroline, or Change,' 'Paul Swan is Dead and Gone,' and 'Tootsie.'

Token Theatre Friends: Tatiana Mallarino and the Privileges of an American Passport

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2019


The Colombian director discusses her new play ‘17 Border Crossings,' plus reviews of 'The Cradle Will Rock,' 'The Pain of My Belligerence,' and 'Mrs. Murray's Menagerie.'

Token Theatre Friends: Alice Yorke Is Making Abortion Funny

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2019


The founder of the Philly-based Lightning Rod Special discusses their newest show, 'The Appointment,' plus reviews of 'What the Constitution Means to Me' and 'Plano.'

Token Theatre Friends: Dominique Morisseau Wants More Diverse Audiences

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2019


The playwright discusses making her Broadway writing debut with 'Ain't Too Proud,' plus the Friends review 'Kiss Me, Kate' and 'La Celestina.'

Token Theatre Friends: Ali Ewoldt On Why Psychologists Make Great Actors

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2019


The first Asian American Christine in 'Phantom of the Opera' discusses how she got into theatre, plus a review of 'Daddy' by Jeremy O. Harris.

Token Theatre Friends: Betsy Wolfe Is Not Interested in Playing a Victim

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019


The prolific Broadway performer talks about singing pop music versus singing show tunes, plus the Friends review the new Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater musical.

Token Theatre Friends: Kristine Haruna Lee Takes Us Inside the Suicide Forest

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2019


On this week's episode, the Friends talk about Japanese American identity, review Fiasco's 'Merrily We Roll Along,' and talk about trying to date when you see four shows a week.

Token Theatre Friends: Arian Moayed’s Lesson in Immigration Law

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2019


The Tony-nominated actor and Waterwell cofounder discusses immigration, Middle Eastern representation, and creating civically engaged work.

Token Theatre Friends: Live at BroadwayCon

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2019


The Friends host a live show at BroadwayCon, where they talk with Max Vernon and Diana Oh about queer representation and making non-traditional theatre.

Token Theatre Friends: You Saw 253 Shows?!

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2018


The Friends look back on their favorite shows of 2018, and have an announcement about BroadwayCon!

Token Theatre Friends: All We Want for Christmas Is Telly Leung

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2018


Telly Leung discusses 'Aladdin' and being a Broadway leading man, plus the Friends review holiday shows---and realize they may be too cynical for holiday shows.

Token Theatre Friends: Ming Peiffer on How Sex Ed Fails Women

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2018


The team behind the Off-Broadway hit 'Usual Girls' discuss female sexuality and unrealistic beauty standards. Plus, the Friends review 'King Kong' on Broadway.

Token Theatre Friends: Roasting T-Day With Larissa FastHorse and Margo Seibert

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2018


The two artists discuss performative wokeness in 'The Thanksgiving Play' at Playwrights Horizons. Plus the Friends review Michael Urie's performance in 'Torch Song' on Broadway.

Token Theatre Friends: Making ‘Oklahoma!’ Sexy With Rebecca Naomi Jones

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2018


This week, the Friends discuss Daniel Fish's stripped-down revival of the R&H classic and review 'Lifespan of a Fact' on Broadway (starring Daniel Radcliffe).

Token Theatre Friends BONUS: Daniel Alexander Jones Is Back in ‘Black Light’

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2018


The singer/songwriter talks about his musical 'Black Light,' currently running through the end of the year Off-Broadway.

Token Theatre Friends: William Jackson Harper & Guitar-Playing Robots

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2018


The Friends interview the star of NBC's 'The Good Place' on his new play 'Travisville,' and whether theatre critics go in the Good Place or the Bad Place.

Token Theatre Friends: ‘Bernhardt/Hamlet’ and Daphne Rubin-Vega

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018


On this episode, the Friends review the newest play by Theresa Rebeck, and interview Daphne Rubin-Vega and Gizel Jimenez.

Token Theatre Friends: ‘Collective Rage’ and Laura Osnes

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2018


This week, an interview with Tony nominee Laura Osnes about why she's fascinated by Disney princesses, a review of 'Collective Rage' by Jen Silverman, and a debate about what makes a good movie-to-musical adaptation.

Token Theatre Friends: Vacation at the Theatre!

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2018


This week, the Friends review 'Head Over Heels' and 'Fiddler on the Roof' in Yiddish.

Token Theatre Friends: Chilling With Summer Theatre

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2018


This week, the Friends interview Joe Iconis about 'Be More Chill' and teenagers, and review the 'Twelfth Night' musical and 'Straight White Men.'

Token Theatre Friends: Feminist ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Robin Hood’

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2018


For the first time on the show, the Friends leave New York City, and travel to the Fisher Center at Bard College and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, with guests Erin Markey and Robyn Kerr. Conclusion: The Friends need to get out more.

Token Theatre Friends: ‘Teenage Dick,’ ‘Fairview,’ and Kenita Miller

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2018


It's a 'Once on This Island' extravaganza! The Friends go backstage to the Tony-winning show and meet the cast and crew (and the goats). Plus reviews of 'Teenage Dick' and 'Fairview.'

Token Theatre Friends: Eve Ensler’s Many Fruits

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2018


Jose Solís and Diep Tran interview the author of 'The Vagina Monologues' about her new 'Fruit Trilogy,' and discuss new plays by Dominique Morisseau and Nilo Cruz.

Token Theatre Friends: We Could’ve ‘Dance Nation’-ed All Night!

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2018


This week, it's "My Fair Lady" ($97+) versus "Dance Nation" ($59+). Plus an interview with Eva Noblezada.

Claim Token Theatre Friends

In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

Claim Cancel