Podcasts about Alley Theatre

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 9am -10am CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes Tom Mardikes, Jon Robertson, and Scott Preston. Sound Mandala is a one-of-a-kind immersive audio experience where 100 independent loudspeakers surround you—sound moving around you, above you, and through you. This isn't surround sound. It's something altogether different, carefully crafted by sound designers who spend hours mixing each piece moving the sound around you, above you, and beneath you. Audio becomes a physical environment you can step inside – you feel it as much as you hear it. We call it a Mecca concept — you can't stream it, download it, or replicate it anywhere else. You have to be there. TOM MARDIKES & JON ROBERTSON- Sound Mandala Summer 2026 runs June 10 – August 1 presented at Unicorn Theatre; tickets on sale May 1 Sound Mandala is back and this summer, it's bigger than ever. The groundbreaking immersive audio experience returns to the Unicorn Theatre's Jerome Stage June 10 through August 1, 2026, with three original programs that push the boundaries of what sound can do to a room and to the people inside it. Tickets at www.soundmandala.org/experience. Sound Mandala's summer run coincides with Kansas City's moment on the world stage as a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city and overlaps with the KC Fringe Festival, positioning it as a must-see cultural destination for international visitors and locals alike. At the heart of the experience: a custom-built array of 100 independent loudspeakers surrounding audiences on all sides — above them, beside them, moving through them. Programs are complex mixes of recording done by our artists, using their original tracks. "This is an experience that simply cannot be duplicated anywhere else," said creator and founder Tom Mardikes. "To experience it, you have to be there." Sound Mandala made its public debut at the 2024 KC Fringe Festival, where over 9 days more than 800 people experienced the installation. The creative team draws from artists and designers affiliated with UMKC Conservatory's Sound Design MFA program, and the project has grown from the research of UMKC professor Tom Mardikes over many years. Sound Mandala Institute, Inc. is a Kansas City–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For history, technology, and more: www.soundmandala.org THE 2026 PROGRAMS Signal&Soul | June 10 – August 1 The flagship variety program, and Sound Mandala at its most kaleidoscopic. Roughly 50 minutes, 10 pieces, zero filler. Signal&Soul collides original music, theatrical performance, beatboxing, spoken word, and unexpected reinvention into a single, propulsive arc. Featured works include The Missionary by acclaimed KC artist Krizz Kaliko; an original composition by Austen Schober; a video game collage from Jacob Souders and Paul Vedros; a Chekhov vignette performed by Vanessa Severo; beatboxer Luke "Skippy" Harbur of musicbyskippy; MU by audio artist Rev. Dwight Frizzell; a new piece by Jon Robertson; and a Sound Mandala reimagining of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" that has to be heard to be believed. Indie Spotlight from Challenger Artists | June 20 – August 1 Five bands. Two songs each. Original multi-track recordings mixed into an immersive system that will change how you hear them. Challenger Artists has assembled a remarkable roster for this approximately 60-minute set conceived specifically for the Sound Mandala environment. Featuring: Mini Trees, the indie-alt pop project of LA-based songwriter Lexi Vega, whose 2025 headline tour sold out venues coast to coast; Brooklyn duo TOLEDO; Valley Boy, whose collaborators include Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, and Troye Sivan; Midwest four-piece Post Sex Nachos, whose track "SOS" climbed to the SiriusXM Alt Nation Top 6; and Chicago indie act Capital Soiree, featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds editorial playlists. Unicorn Theatre | Jerome Stage 3828 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111 Tom Mardikes has worked on over 250 professional productions nationwide as Sound Designer for Kansas City Repertory Theatre (formerly Missouri Rep), the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the Dallas Theatre Center, Syracuse Stage, Coconut Grove, the Roundabout, Buffalo Studio Arena, the Alley Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Jon Robertson A Kansas City-based sound designer and composer, honed his skills during the pandemic to improve online audio collaboration. In 2021, he co-created the audio tool, Tutti Remote, facilitating global audio syncing for performers. His work spans theatrical productions, films, and radio plays, earning recognition at festivals like New Music Gathering and KC Fringe. An educator at heart, Jon currently teaches at the University of Evansville and boasts degrees from UMKC and the University of Arizona. Jon has been working with the Sound Mandala since 2015. The Sound Mandala is a new way of listening to recorded sounds, in a room full of loudspeakers arranged in a matrix allowing for a wide variety of sound distribution and motion. In the auditory domain, the Sound Mandala imitates the visual trick of film motion by placing dozens of loudspeakers into a space organized into a matrix of lines and rows, then dividing, or spreading a sound along these lines and rows to create a sinuous ‘motion' of sound. This summer the Sound Mandala will present a new show at the Unicorn Theatre as well as joining the KC Fringe Festival 2026, featuring a 100-loudspeaker channel system in the Jerome black box theatre seating 40 people. We refer to the Sound Mandala as a ‘Mecca-concept'----you must go there to have the experience. As this invention becomes commercialized and we experiment with visual images, this Mecca-concept will be a decided advantage to a film presenter---an advantage movie theatres do not enjoy today. The Sound Mandala experience cannot be duplicated in the home or in a car. When You Walk In... • An Acoustic Sanctuary: You'll step into an intimate theater environment wrapped in an array of dozens of individual loudspeakers. • Perfect Sound, Every Seat: Unlike standard concert venues or movie theaters where the best sound is only in the exact center, the Sound Mandala is designed so that every seat is the best seat in the house. • A Journey for the Senses: You will sit back, relax, and let custom-composed music, vivid soundscapes, and acoustic narratives wash over your senses and move right through you. SCOTT PRESTON-The Traveling Hippo is a children's book that encourages family travel traditions, featuring a narrator and seven characters who guide families in taking a stuffed hippo on vacation to create memories. The book, which includes a travel log and illustrations by Preston's daughter, Lilly, is part of a larger "Hippo Universe" that includes merchandise like plushies and trading cards, and it aims to be more than just a story but a family activity. Key aspects of the book and tradition: • Concept: Families bring a stuffed hippo on trips, using the book as a guide and a travel journal to record their adventures. • Characters: The story features a narrator, Hammy the bird, and other characters that help explain the tradition. • Family involvement: The project is a family affair, with Preston's daughter Lilly doing illustrations and his son helping with the website. • Origin: The tradition started with the author's own children using a hippo from a discount store on their trips. • Merchandise: The "Hippo Universe" includes the book, plush toys, and other items, with plans for more books and products. • Awards: It was a finalist in the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Andrew Ryan is one of the most in-demand comedians working across the UK and Ireland and his online content has amassed more than 60 million views across social media. In 2024, Andrew's UK and Ireland tour was extended due to demand, selling more than 10,000 tickets across 56 dates. He followed this with the release of his self-produced stand-up special, filmed at the Alley Theatre in Strabane in 2025. His previous special, Live at the Black Box, was released in 2023. Alongside his stand-up career, Andrew is a breakfast presenter on Q Radio, broadcasting to more than 160,000 listeners each week. His television credits include The 2 Johnnies (RTÉ), The Blame Game (BBC One Northern Ireland), Russell Howard's Good News (BBC Three), Best of the Edinburgh Festival Live (BBC Three), Live at The Comedy Store and Live for MIND (Comedy Central), The Six O'Clock Show, Ireland AM, and two series of Secrets of the Comedy Circuit for ITVX and UTV. He has also supported some of comedy's biggest names on tour, including Joe Lycett, Jason Manford, Kerry Godliman, Shane Todd and George Lewis.Andrew Ryan is our guest in episode 588 of My Time Capsule and he chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .For tickets to Andrew's Edinburgh show, visit - https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/events/event/andrew-ryan-honest-capacity .For all other live shows and everything else, visit - https://andrewryancomedy.com .Follow Andrew Ryan on Instagram: @andrewryancomedy .Visit our website! - https://mytimecapsulepodcast.com .Follow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter/X & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter/X: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people .To support this podcast and get all episodes ad-free, please sign up here - https://mytimecapsule.supercast.com. All money goes straight into the making of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2016 Tara Roberts was living in Washington DC feeling, in a new way, the deep fractures in America, including the way we understand our history.  She felt called to be part of trying to heal these divisions.   It was a chance encounter with a photograph at the National Museum of African American History and Culture that changed the trajectory of her life.  It was of a group of Black women on a boat in diving gear who she quickly discovered  were from an organization called Diving with a Purpose, an underwater archeology group with a mission to discover and document the wreckage of slave ships scattered on the ocean floor around the world, and by doing so recover a crucial part of history. Roberts soon quit her job and joined the group to document their work, learning to scuba dive in order to do so. She turned that journey into an award-winning National Geographic-produced podcast called “Into the Depths” and became the first Black female explorer ever to be featured on the cover of National Geographic Magazine.  This work also resulted in a memoir Written in the Waters which both invites us into the fascinating and groundbreaking work below the surface of the Ocean around the globe, and her own personal transformation. Roberts has travelled the world as a diver, backpacker, and adventurer,  bringing to this conversation a global view of history and culture, and a devotion to tell the stories that can bring us together.  She is currently Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. Here's Tara Roberts in conversation with Shayna Schlosberg from the 2025 Portland Book Festival, on Literary Arts, the Archive Project. Tara Roberts spent the last six years following, diving with, and telling stories about Black scuba divers as they searched for and helped document slave shipwrecks around the world. Her journey was turned into an award-winning National Geographic-produced podcast called “Into the Depths” and featured in the March issue of National Geographic magazine. Tara became the first Black female explorer ever to be featured on the cover of Nat Geo. In 2022, Tara was named the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Currently, she is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. And her book Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home and Belonging hits stands in January 2025. Tara also worked as an editor for magazines like CosmoGirl, Essence, EBONY and Heart & Soul and edited several books for girls. She was a Fellow at the MIT Open Documentary Lab. She founded her own magazine for women who are ‘too bold for boundaries..’ And Tara spent an amazing year backpacking around the world to find and tell stories about young women change agents. The journey led to the creation of a nonprofit that supported and funded their big ideas. Shayna Schlosberg is the Vice President of Community Connections at OPB and KMHD, where she leads initiatives to ensure that both organizations authentically reflect and serve the diverse communities of the Pacific Northwest. In this role, she shapes and drives the strategy, vision, and implementation of community representation and inclusion across all aspects of OPB and KMHD's work. Shayna joined OPB and KMHD in 2022. Prior to that, she was the Director of Operations and Strategy at Women of Color in the Arts, a national service organization committed to advancing racial and cultural equity in the performing arts. From 2017 to 2021, she served as Managing Director of The Catastrophic Theatre, an acclaimed experimental theater company in Houston, Texas. Before that, she was Associate General Manager at the Alley Theatre, where she played a key role in expanding the theater's international programming, particularly through partnerships with Latin American artists and companies. Shayna's expertise has been recognized nationally—she has served on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. She is a graduate of several leadership programs, including the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture's Advocacy Leadership Institute, Women of Color in the Arts' Leadership Through Mentorship program, and the 2020 New Leaders Council Fellowship. She was also a founding advisory committee member of the Houston BIPOC Arts Network Fund, a groundbreaking effort born out of the Ford Foundation's America's Cultural Treasures initiative. Shayna served in the Peace Corps in Armenia from 2010 to 2012.

Send us a textIn this hour, we talk theater with two of Houston's movers and shakers. Brenda Palestina is currently starring in the Alley's production of REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES, which runs through February 15th. The show is a mix of politics about women and immigrants that is more timely than ever. Then Brett speaks with Paul Hope about his cabaret show  Loverly- The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe (and Lane), which will be performed on Monday, February 9, 16th, and 23rd, at 7:30 pm at Ovations Night Club in Rice Village. Paul is a walking encyclopedia of Houston and musical theater. Rounding out the episode, Jacob Newsome interviews trans activist Raquel Willis. Raquel is a national figure in the Transgender Rights fight, and she has a lot to say about where we are.REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES:  https://www.alleytheatre.org/plays/real-women-have-curves/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23387036587&gbraid=0AAAAADke6EicWpJGec6DaOzJHt6yZ_De_&gclid=CjwKCAiA1obMBhAbEiwAsUBbIm7uyVjx5-8Jduhaxsdbk39LAGoe-Eig7MNW0g6Kq98auZCRZW-UzBoChKMQAvD_BwEPaul Hope Cabarets:  https://www.paulhopecabarets.org/Raquel Willis:  https://www.raquelwillis.com/Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

Send us a textThis show contains a trio of interviews about holiday theater events in Houston. We talk to Mitchell Greco about WHITE CHRISTMAS, which will show in the Hobby Center from Theatre Under the Stars, Elizabeth Bunch talks A CHRISTMAS CAROL from the Alley Theatre, and Zoe Parkinson lets us know about A DRUNK CHRISTMAS CAROL. Additionally, Lee and Brett discuss holiday shopping.   We found these companies super supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community:  Levi's, Nike, Starbucks, Costco, Bath & Body Works, Delta, United, MGM Resorts, Apple, Microsoft, PayPal, Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Ulta, Absolut Vodka, Mercedes, Home Depot and Sephora. Local to Houston - Eclectic Home, Antiques on 19th, AG Gallery, Silverlust, Dramatika, Bliss, and Vinal Edge. These were midling right now:  Amazon and Walmart Companies to Avoid: Chick-fil-a, Shen Yun, and the Salvation ArmyQueer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

Facing an illness is very much like being a buoy:  we have to rise up, we have to learn to float, and carry ourselves in the storm.  While we're staying afloat in the storm, we are also a beacon for others. -Lorna J. Brunelle There are lots of stories about the ties that bind mothers and daughters.  When Lorna Brunelle's mother, Wanda, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, she turned heartbreak into hope by telling the story of her mother's courage, character, wisdom and lifelong influence in the book: The Buoy Projects: A Story of Breast Cancer, Bucket Lists, Life Lessons, Facebook and Love.  A two-time cancer survivor herself, Lorna is a renowned performer, teacher, and three-time author whose work is rooted in recognizing gifts and talents, creativity, and self-determination. A graduate of The Boston Conservatory, she is the owner of The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, The Alley Theatre, and The Patio in Middleborough, Massachusetts. www.burtwoodschool.com.   Through her writing, philanthropy, and mentorship, Lorna has changed the lives of thousands of performing arts students who have passed through her doors over the last 30 years.  The Buoy Projects is a love letter to her mother, and a testament to the power of the mother/daughter connection. For 26 minutes of engaging conversation and brilliant storytelling, just hit that download button. #womeninspiringwomen#lornabrunelle #TheBuoyProjects  #breastcancerawareness #TheStoryBehindHerSuccess #CandyOTerry #Legacy#Resilience 

On Thursday's show: An announced rollback of mRNA vaccine development and funding comes as Texas is among the states seeing the largest rise in COVID cases this summer. Infectious disease specialist Catherine Troisi offers her take on what the rollback means.Also this hour: A Grand Parkway expansion project is just the latest sign of ongoing growth in Greater Houston's north and west sides. We discuss the project and what is behind the growth.Then, theater productions involve a lot more than actors stepping out on stage and reciting lines. We learn how the crew behind the scenes at the Alley Theatre design and creates sets, costumes, wigs, and props for every production.And six Houston writers will be honored at the Master Wordsmith Awards on Thursday night at Kindred Stories -- not just for what they've written but also for how their words have helped heal, connect, and inspire.

On Thursday's show: We talk about Houston's growing problems with trash, including how the city is quickly running out of landfill space, with Elena Bruess of Houston Landing.Also this hour: We learn about a new law creating a Texas version of DOGE.Then, we welcome your questions about our varied and fascinating insect world for entomologist Erin Mills of the Houston Botanic Garden.And issues of loneliness, hidden trauma, and breaking free of comfort zones all come to bear in Primary Trust, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play at The Alley Theatre through May 25.

Send us a textBrett Cullum has a conversation with the Shunya Theatre group about a romantic comedy they are staging at the MATCH in Houston for four nights only. It's about a white guy meeting an Indian guy at a temple and the clash in cultures and families that results. The show is called A NICE INDIAN BOY, and it has recently been turned into a film starring Jonathan Groff.Find out about Shunya: https://www.facebook.com/ShunyaTheatre/reels/?_rdrThen Olly Oxen joins Deborah Moncrief Bell to talk about The Shimmer Show. It's a Burlesque & Variety event held on the third Monday of every month starting next week at Dan Electros in Houston.And finally, Brett Cullum has a conversation with legendary playwright Ken Ludwig, who wrote the play the Alley Theatre is doing right now: It's called BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY. Ken talks about his career and the secrets to writing great plays. Tickets for this production can be found at:  https://cart.alleytheatre.org/events/8889?view=calendar&startdate=2025-4-1&_gl=1*1y653g5*_ga*NzQ3NTcwNTYwLjE3NDQwMzk4ODE.*_ga_B70ZG76MRC*MTc0NDM4NTM0NS41LjAuMTc0NDM4NTM0NS42MC4wLjEzODE3MDY2Nzc.*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjw--K_BhB5EiwAuwYoyoIqcrqT1W3a-OnHKbjbv16oIx9oajuucfvUY-bljZgptecyMq2PPhoC2EIQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADke6Eio2kfrRyIdqApEKEMs0db5GQueer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

On Tuesday's show: Houston ISD, like many school districts across Texas, has been addressing teacher shortages in recent years by hiring uncertified teachers. A bill in the Texas House would end the practice. We learn what the bill says and what it would mean for schools here in Houston and across the state.Also this hour: More than half of all payday lending fees issued in the country are paid by Texans, according to the nonprofit advocacy group the Center for Responsible Lending, We find out why that happens and what Texans can do to escape the cycle of debt.Then, Todd Waite, longtime resident actor at The Alley Theatre, joins us. He's in his final role with the theater after 25 years, performing in Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a wacky twist on the classic tale.And we discuss the challenges of meeting new people in a large, busy metro area like ours.

A ground-breaking ninety-minute new musical, Night Side Songs explores the intimacy of illness, mortality, and the incredible dignity of caregivers through the story of Yasmine Holly, a fictional character informed by interviews with real doctors, hospital staff, and patients, many from right here in Philadelphia. Night Side Songs is a musical convergence which reflects and celebrates Philly's “eds and meds” community with humor, grace, and profound empathy. The production will tour local hospitals, community centers, and places of worship for two weeks before its run at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Directed by Artistic Director Taibi Magar. Night Side Songs is supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.Taibi Magar is an Artistic Director of Philadelphia Theatre Company. As a freelance director, her most recent credits are We Live in Cairo (A.R.T. world premiere, upcoming at New York Theatre Workshop), The Half-God of Rainfall (New York Theatre Workshop and A.R.T.), Macbeth in Stride (co-direction with Tyler Dobrowsky), Help (The Shed), and Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Signature Theatre and A.R.T., Lortel Award Best Revival). Other New York credits include Capsule by Whitney White and Peter Mark Kendall (Under the Radar Festival/The Public Theater, co-directed with Tyler Dobrowsky), Blue Ridge starring Marin Ireland and The Great Leap starring BD Wong (Atlantic Theater Company); Is God Is (Soho Rep, 2018 Obie Award;) Master (The Foundry); and Underground Railroad Game (Ars Nova, Obie Award). Regional: CTG, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, Alley Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, and Seattle Repertory Theatre, among others. International: Hamburg Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Malthouse Theatre (Melbourne), and Soho Theatre (London). MFA: Brown University.Daniel and Patrick Lazour are brothers and music theater writers. Projects in development include a musical adaptation of Ritesh Batra's film The Lunchbox (Lincoln Center Theater) and their show with communal singing, Night Side Songs (Under the Radar, A.R.T./PTC co-production). They wrote original music for Caroline Lindy's debut feature Your Monster (Sundance 2024) and their movie musical Challenger: An American Dream is being developed with Bruce Cohen Productions and Spark Features. Their original musical We Live in Cairo makes its off-Broadway premiere this Fall at New York Theater Workshop after a world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in 2019, directed by Taibi Magar. Original songs by the Lazours can be heard on their independently released albums: Freres, Flap My Wings (Songs from We Live in Cairo), Beth's Homemade Cowboy Breakfast and Lullabies. They are Jonathan Larson Grant and Richard Rodgers Award recipients, MacDowell and Yaddo Fellows, and New York Theater Workshop Usual Suspects. They have worked with Noor Theatre Company, Ars Nova and PAC NYC, and are proud teaching artists. Patrick holds a B.A. from Boston College and Daniel holds a B.A. from Columbia University. @frereslazourFOR MORE INFORMATION: https://philadelphiatheatrecompany.org/night-side-songs/

Send us a textPlaywright Isaac Gomez joins us for a captivating exploration of his latest theatrical creation, "The Night Shift Before Christmas," a one-woman holiday comedy that transforms the stage at the Alley Theatre. Inspired by personal experiences in Texas, Isaac crafts a modern rendition of "A Christmas Carol," focusing on Margot, who is working the graveyard shift on Christmas Eve. This heartfelt tribute to Houston invites listeners to engage with themes of resilience and the unseen stories of those who work tirelessly during the holidays.Our journey continues with a deep dive into the world of playwriting and identity, where we uncover the collaborative process behind a fresh adaptation of a classic tale. Discover how a playwright's upbringing in a border town and life-shaping events, such as the tragic loss of a friend, have influenced her storytelling. She shares her process of weaving narratives that address exploitation and working-class struggles, while also reflecting on the lighter tones of her current project and the contemporary writers who inspire her work.Finally, we shine a light on the impactful efforts of Tori Williams and the Ryan White Planning Council. Delve into the evolution of HIV care and funding from grassroots efforts to the introduction of life-changing antiretroviral medications. Through an oral history initiative, the episode aims to preserve the powerful narratives of those affected by the AIDS epidemic, with a particular focus on documenting the experiences of transgender individuals. Our discussion emphasizes the critical need for ongoing community support and accessible healthcare, highlighting both the challenges and advancements in combating the HIV epidemic today.Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

 On Monday's show: A new report sheds light on how much lead is showing up in drinking water at Texas schools.Also this hour: Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Powers, author of 14 novels including The Overstory and The Echo Maker, talks about his work and his latest book, Playground, ahead of an event with Inprint tonight at 7:30 at The Alley Theatre.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller talks about issues affecting pet health.And we get an update on sports from Jeff Balke.

On Tuesday's show: Have budget cuts affecting how kids get to and from school at Cy-Fair ISD contributed to recent accidents?Also this hour: We talk with Dean Gladden, the managing director of The Alley Theatre, who has just announced he's retiring in June.Then, we talk with some people who participated in last week's Week Without Driving challenge and learn what it says about mobility in the Houston area.Plus, Chef Chris Shepherd tells us about his love for the animated film Ratatouille, which he's selected for the next screening in the Movies Houstonians Love series at the MFAH.And Brenda Valdivia reports on last weekend's Southern Smoke Festival, proceeds from which benefit food and beverage workers nationwide.

On Tuesday's show: It's Houston Theater Week. All this week, area performing arts venues are offering discounts on performances as they promote their seasons. We learn more from Dean Gladden from The Alley Theatre and Hillary Hart from Theatre Under the Stars.Also this hour: A month after Hurricane Beryl rolled through, Patrick Jankowski of The Greater Houston Partnership returns with a clearer sense of the economic impact the storm had.Then, we revisit a conversation with Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale from the OCD Institute of Texas. She's co-hosting a new podcast about the rise of anxiety in America, called Anxiety Society.And we continue our series visiting area museums with a trip to the Lone Star Flight Museum.

In the previous episode you heard from theater writer and director Rob Melrose, who is the artistic director of Alley Theatre in Houston. He shared what it means to create and produce his own works and others. Well, now Rob is back to talk about lessons he's learned behind the table as well as from a heart attack he suffered two years ago by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I'll Never Make It. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a recent opinion piece for The Daily Iowan, a vital point was made about the importance of regional theater. It said “not every production is ultra famous, boasting popular actors in leading rules. But every production is important.” (I even posted about it on WINMI's instagram feed, which you can follow: @winmipodcast.) The point being made was that Broadway may get all the attention, but it is in venues across the country, including college theaters, where the true heart and soul of theater resides. They bring diverse stories to local communities, they nurture new talent, and ultimately keep the art form vibrant and accessible to so many people of all backgrounds and experiences. And today's guest has been on a mission to bring live theater to as wide an audience as possible. Rob Melrose faced many challenges in founding the Cutting Ball Theater, which involved a lot of crap, literally, and we'll discuss his current position at The Alley Theatre and the unique audition of sorts he had to go through to land that leadership role. But what's truly fascinating is the work he's done as a writer of new works and translator of existing plays. And by wearing many hats in theater from writer and director to producer, he's learned valuable lessons not only for his own career but for the theater arts as a whole. Support Cutting Ball in its efforts to remain open by donating here. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I'll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday's show: The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count report is out, and it doesn't have very flattering things to say about child wellbeing in Texas. We discuss whether the report jibes with what Bob Sanborn of Children at Risk sees locally and statewide.Also this hour: Just in time for summer, dermatologist Dr. Oyetewa Oyerinde answers questions about skin care. She's the director of the Skin of Color Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine.And film critic Joe Leydon reflects on the classic Hitchcock film Dial M for Murder, and we talk with an actor from an adaptation of the story on stage now at The Alley Theatre.

 On Tuesday's show: We get an update on severe weather around the region over night. And, with the weather already warm and humid, there are plenty of mosquitoes pestering Houstonians outside. Has the mosquito season started earlier than previous years? And how can you minimize them around your home?Also this hour: U.S. immigration policy hasn't changed in decades, but could it after the 2024 election? We preview a symposium on that topic happening today at Rice University.Then, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Thornton Wilder has been dead for nearly 50 years. But, he has a new play making its world premiere now at The Alley Theatre. We learn the story of unearthing and completing The Emporium, which runs through June 2.And Houstonians are getting a second chance to experience what it's like to be aboard the International Space Station. We revisit an immersive, virtual reality experience called The Infinite, which has returned to Space City this summer and runs through June.

On Friday's show: Meteorologist Eric Berger of Space City Weather recaps a busy week in weather, provides the latest on storms and flooding from Thursday and outlines what we can expect the rest of Friday and through the weekend.Also this hour: Patrick Jankowski of the The Greater Houston Partnership joins us to discuss the state of Houston's global economy.Then, from the University of Houston using “Houston blue” uniforms, despite threats from the NFL, to rapper Kendrick Lamar confusing Joel Osteen and Haley Joel Osment, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we talk with the stars of The Alley Theatre's production of Jane Eyre.

In this episode, we sit down with Chef Stephen Coe. Stephen tells us the origins of his interest in cooking and the restaurant business and how it has led him to owning his own restaurant, multiple food trucks, and his x4 ‘Chopped' wins, including Chopped—Beat Bobby Flay. See Chef Stephen Coe at the Alley Theatre in Middleboro MA March 21st 2024 for an ‘Eat & Greet' Cooking / Q&A. chefstephencoe.com // @chefstephencoe https://revivalmotoring.com/  

Alley Theatre has made a name for itself in the Houston area. The organization does a fantastic job at bringing new and innovative productions to the theater scene, and their upcoming play called THE NERD is definitely one that will have audiences laughing and smiling! In today's episode, I chat with Chris Hutchinson and Chris Salazar, both of whom are Resident Company members of the Alley. We discussed everything from what it means to be a resident company member, as well as what audiences can expect from THE NERD, playing from February 23rd to March 17th!

Houston-area theatre fans, this episode is for you! If you have been attending Alley Theatre performances for the past few years, this duo will be no stranger to you: Susan Koozin and Todd Waite! Koozin has been seen in many Houston productions between both TUTS and the Alley Theatre, and Waite is no stranger to the Alley with a staggering 40+ credits under his belt! Today, I chat with them about all things Houston, and what it's like to be returning to the Alley for the production of PICTURES FROM HOME!

On Friday's show: We preview festivities this weekend leading up to the college football national championship game Monday night. Chris Massey of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority talks about the events planned and security measures for the weekend. Also this hour: As we mark the third anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, author and historian Jeremi Suri examines the unresolved questions that have dominated the politics of our country since the end of the Civil War, which is the subject of his latest book, Civil War by Other Means. We hear an excerpt from Suri's interview on this week's edition of I See U with Eddie Robinson. Then, from who didn't make it to the college football national championship game in Houston on Monday, to a change in policy regarding cups at Starbucks, our non-experts weigh in on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And deciphering old photos and home movies to understand what they really say about a family – and who gets to tell a family's story – are themes explored in the Alley Theatre's production of the Broadway hit Pictures from Home.

On Tuesday's show: The weather in Greater Houston heading into Thanksgiving is going to be cooler. We look at the forecast with Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard. Also this hour: As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week and the holidays ahead, we get some advice on avoiding arguments with family members at holiday get-togethers from psychologist Dr. Michael Winters. Then, every year Houston Ballet performs The Nutcracker and The Alley Theatre performs A Christmas Carol. So, how do they keep those productions fresh and interesting for audiences while also staying true to the beloved source materials audiences hold dear?  And actor Graham McTavish talks about his work in shows like Outlander, The Witcher, The Hobbit, and House of the Dragon. He was recently in Houston to promote a new book.

On this episode of The Arts Effect Podcast, we are joined by Matthew Lawrence & Jen Onopa from the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, and Tailis Oniwon, Principal of Crockett Elementary, to have a conversation about our strategic partnership. We will be speaking about the Alley's breadth of educational outreach programs, as well as advice on how to establish something like this in YOUR school district. Check it out! Learn more at https://www.alleytheatre.org/

One of AKB's longest friends, Ellen Harvey, the queen of switching characters mid-scene, brings us her quick wit for this episode. Did you know she grew up in a house that was actually haunted? Neither did we! But that certainly might explain a few quirks we love about her. Broadway: Present Laughter (Miss Erikson w/ Kevin Kline), How To Succeed in Business... (Miss Jones w/Daniel Radcliffe), Phantom Of The Opera, The Music Man, Thou Shalt Not. Off-Broadway: Little Women, Big Love. Shakespeare In The Park: Into The Woods. National Tours: Mary Poppins (Miss Andrew), Disney's High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), Mamma Mia, (Tanya). Regional Favorites: Lend Me A Soprano (Mrs. Wiley, Alley Theatre), Knoxville (Aunt Hannah, Asolo Rep), Company (Joanne, Barrington Stage), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett, KC Rep). TV: “WeCrashed,” “House of Cards,” “Blacklist,” “Gotham,” “Younger.” @ellenharveynyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode discusses death, reincarnation, and our relationship with the other side.  We sit with Psychic Medium Scott Allan and Actor/writer/producer Robert Neal Marshall. We learn our guests' history and the interesting turns of events that led them together.  Scott was a funeral director and embalmer, now working as a professional Psychic Medium and host of the Paranormal Project radio show. Robert tells us about how his near-death experience brought him closer to understanding what may be on the other side.  They tell us about their upcoming live autobiographical play developing for a nationwide tour - Providence of the Heart.  You can see the first show This November at the Alley Theatre. For more information and ticket information, please visit providenceoftheheart.com https://revivalmotoring.com/    

  On Friday's show: We get an explanation of the ballot measures voters will decide in the November election, including Proposition B, which would decide whether the city stays in a regional body known as the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). Also this hour: We learn more about a spacecraft built in Houston that will be the first commercial craft to land on the moon and the first soft landing on the lunar surface by an American mission since the days of Apollo. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we learn more about the Alley Theatre's production of American Mariachi.

In this episode, Adam and Budi have a great conversation with director, public speaking coach, and podcaster Adriana BaerAdriana has directed for Alley Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Playhouse, Profile Theatre (Artistic Director, 2012-2015), The Cutting Ball Theater (Associate Artistic Director, 2004-2007), and others. She has worked with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Opera Boston, The Public Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Circus Center/Pickle Circus, California Shakespeare Theater, and American Conservatory Theater. Among other institutions, she has taught for Portland State University, Columbia University School of the Arts, The Acting Company, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She has lectured as a guest speaker at dozens of colleges and universities nationwide. Adriana holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Directing from Columbia University. She is a member of SDC, the professional union of stage directors and choreographers.She is the cohost of The Wellbeing Workshop's podcast and offers online courses and coaching through Adriana Baer Creative.Adriana lives on a two-acre farm just outside Portland, Oregon with her husband and child, and spends most of her free time digging in the dirt, practicing yoga, and reading.Special offer for Theatre of Others listeners! When you purchase Audition Master Class, you'll get free access to Get In: How to Rock Your MFA & URTA Auditions.* https://www.adrianabaercreative.com/others Support the showIf you enjoyed this week´s podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. To submit a question: Voice- http://www.speakpipe.com/theatreofothers Email- podcast@theatreofothers.com Support the Theatre of Others - Check out our Merch!Show Credits Co-Hosts: Adam Marple & Budi MillerProducer: Jack BurmeisterMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comAdditional compositions by @jack_burmeister

It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage. Today, she tells us about the new Arena Stage production of playwright Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, a mesmerizing, music-infused drama about how war and political oppression in the 1960s and 70s ravaged the southeast Asian nation's vibrant rock music culture, and the how the war's violent legacy still haunts a Cambodian family. Directed at Arena Stage by Chay Yew, Cambodian Rock Band 's cast includes Brooke Ishibashi, Francis Jue, Abraham Kim, Kelsey Angel Baehrens, Tim Liu, Jane Lui, Alex Lydon, Joe Ngo and Vi Tran. The show incorporates a live stage band - The Cyclos - covering 1960s- and 70s-era Cambodian psychedelic rock music and Cambodian-influenced songs by the contemporary American band, Dengue Fever. CRB is a Signature Theatre production, in association with Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACT Theatre/5th Avenue. Cambodian Rock Band continues at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, DC through August 27. (Photo by Margot Schulman)Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

            Director-producer-author, Sheldon Epps has directed major productions on and off Broadway, in London and at many theatres across America. He's also had an active television career helming numerous classic shows of recent years.                        Sheldon was first drawn to the stage while at Teaneck High School, and later graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Drama.             He began his career as an actor studying at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Indiana Repertory Company, the Alley Theatre, the Pittsburgh CLO and The Production Company, which he co-founded and for which he directed various plays.             In 1980, Sheldon made his theater directing debut with the Off-Broadway musical Blues in the Night. It was revived in 1982, this time on Broadway. Since then he's directed numerous other stage productions on Broadway and in regional theaters including: Scenes and Revelations, Play On!, Blue, and Purlie.            As well, since 1994, Sheldon has directed many memorable, popular TV shows including: Evening Shade, Smart Guy, Sister, Sister, Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Girlfriends, and George Lopez.            In 1997, Sheldon became artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse, serving in that capacity for two decades. In 2020 Sheldon was appointed Senior Artistic Advisor at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC.            Sheldon's best-selling memoir, My Own Directions, was published in September 2022. I've read My Own Directions and can tell you it's a fantastically entertaining and informative look at Sheldon's exceptional career and all of the many hurdles he's overcome and successes he's achieved throughout an outstanding life in the arts. 

In this episode, we sit down with Lorna Brunelle! Lorna has had an incredible career in all things performing arts.  After graduating from The Boston Conservatory, she began working for Boston casting, and at the age of 24, opened The Burtwood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro, MA.  In its current location, the school building is also the home of The Alley Theatre. Lorna is passionate about teaching and sharing her love for the arts. She has worked as a vocal instructor, acting coach, pageant consultant, producer, and more.  She curates and hosts many great events and shows, such as her vendor market series - Sip and Stroll.  After being diagnosed with Thyroid cancer at 33, Lorna found that there was limited information and resources for treatment and what to expect with this prognosis.  This led her to write her first book - Dirty Bombshell: From Thyroid Cancer Back to Fabulous!  Lorna then tells us the story of her Mother's Cancer diagnosis years later, the amazing approach Wanda took to cope with it, and the adventures it led them on.  This later became her second book, The Buoy Projects.  You can find more information about Lorna, The Burtwood School of Performing arts and the Alley Theatre Here: https://www.facebook.com/lorna.brunelle and IG @lornabrunelle You can find Lorna's books on Amazon.

Brad & Diego are in the studio with an amazing Poet, Theatre, TV, Film & Voice Over Artist, Luis Galindo! We discuss longevity in the business and how to maintain working relationships in this fast paced business. www.imdb.com/name/nm7842682Luis has been a professional actor for over 25 years. He has worked and lived in NYC, Chicago and Los Angeles. He has also worked in Connecticut, Montana, Utah and Texas both on stage and screen. He has taught acting at Tulane University, New York Film Academy (Los Angeles branch) and for the Alley Theatre. He was an acting company member of Company of Angels (LA's oldest theatre company) and of the Independent Shakespeare Company of Los Angeles, where he also sat on the board of directors for 6 seasons.He also works as a voice actor in Anime films. He is a founding member of Gravity Players in Houston, Texas.He received his MFA from the University of Delaware Professional Theatre Training Program. He is the author of two volumes of poetry: Electric Rats in a Neon Gutter and The Roaring Dawn, The Silent Mountain and the play, The Tale of the Barrio Jedi. His wife, Courtney has an animal rescue called Forgotten Coast animal rescue, a 501C3 organization. You can make a donation or learn about adopting a dogat forgotten coast animal rescue.org.Like our Podcast? Wanna Support with a Donation of any size?venmo - @BradAshtenWe thank you for your patronage & Keeping the arts alive!Audio Engineered by Britton SparkmanTheme Music by Evan Michael HartCover Art & Logos by Sam Weller

Jennafer is the current Glinda in WICKED on the National Tour! We recorded this episode in sunny Orlando, FL. It's a special one! We talk about her journey to this moment, booking WICKED and getting married 6 weeks after heading out on tour, working at Disney and performing as “Nemo”, what her faith means to her as a human and artist, social media boundaries, tips for younger performers and plenty of Instagram questions submitted by YOU! Thank you for sharing with us so beautifully and bravely, Jennafer! Jennafer is a native Houstonian and now proudly calls NYC home. She has been with Wicked since 2019 and in the Bubble full time since March of 2022. Recent credits: Disney's Freaky Friday (Gretchen) at La Jolla Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, & The Alley Theatre and Finding Nemo: The Musical (Nemo) at Disney World. Regional: The Mystery of Edward Drood (Rosa Bud), The Light in the Piazza (Clara), and Bat Boy (Shelley). BFA from NYU Tisch. Website: www.jennafernewberry.com Instagram: @jennafernewberry App recommendation: Lectio 365 Produced by @OnairwithQ

In this delightful Eerie Extra, co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca talk with actor, educator, and theatre administrator Heather Kelley. We had the opportunity to speak with Heather about her current (and super cool) research on the narratives of ghosts--and ghostly encounters--at three real-world theatres here in the United States: the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas; Le Petit Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut. Heather talks to us about the ways that ghosts give or deny voices to certain identities, how ghosts serve as manifestations of trauma, and how theatrical ghosts acknowledge the ephemeral nature of theatre.    HEATHER KELLEY (she/her) is an award-winning actor, educator, and theatre administrator. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of the Arts and an MFA in Acting from Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory; at the time of this episode's publication, she is a PhD candidate in the Theatre & Performance program at the University of Colorado Boulder. Heather's current research focuses on dark tourism, ghosts as manifestations of trauma, haunted attractions, mediumship as performance, and depictions of the supernatural on stage and on screen. If you are a theatre patron and/or practitioner that has experienced unexplained and/or paranormal phenomena in a theatre or theatre-related structure, Heather invites you to contribute to her research by submitting your story here (you are very welcome to do so anonymously).   This interview occurred on January 13, 2023; the episode first aired on February 14, 2023.   Twitter/Instagram: @NightmarePod1; YouTube: Such a Nightmare channel; Email: suchanightmare.pod@gmail.com; ALL LINKS

  On Tuesday's show: A sixth officer from the Memphis Police Department has been relieved of duty as the investigation into the death of Tyre Nichols continues. We take a closer look at how police officers are trained in Houston and how that has changed in recent years with the help of Douglas Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers Union. Also this hour: We discuss how matters before the Texas Legislature might affect the environment across the state and here in Greater Houston. Then, we revisit the background story of Houston's downtown tunnel system and hear from a man responsible for how much of the city's skyline looks: the late Gerald D. Hines. MORE: The Man Who Built Houston's Skyline: Gerald D. Hines And Cambodian Rock Band, a play at The Alley Theatre, tells the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia for the first time in thirty years as his daughter prepares to prosecute one of Cambodia's most infamous war criminals. It features a live band playing contemporary hits from the band Dengue Fever and classic Cambodian oldies. We meet two of its cast members.

On Monday, October 3, 2022, Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say highlighted grassroots Latino art and culture that has changed the way we are perceived and treated across the nation. This powerful showcase of talent took place in the state of the art facilities of Houston's Alley Theatre, a leading force for art in the U.S., through a partnership with its El Zócalo Advisory Committee headed by Baldemar Rodriguez, Manager of Community Partnership. This event will featured the Houston release of the new book The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital by Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante. Diaz is a writer and activist originally from Chicago who moved to Houston to become the first Chicano to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. In 1998, he founded Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, Houston's first reading series for Latino Writers, which sparked a movement for art, culture, and civil rights. NP formed the foundation for the Librotraficante Caravan, organized to defy and defeat Arizona officials banning of Mexican American Studies. His book chronicles that history. Russell Contreras is an alum of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, a graduate of Eisenhower High School and The University of Houston. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University. He is the national Race and Justice Reporter for Axios News. Alvaro Saar Rios is a Texican playwright living in Chicago. He is an alum of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, a graduate of Lamar High School and The University of Houston. His plays have been performed in New York City, Mexico City, Hawaii, Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and all over Texas. He has received playwriting commissions from various organizations, including Kennedy Center, Chicago Children's Theatre, and Houston Grand Opera. His award-winning play Luchadora! is published by Dramatic Publishing Inc. Other plays include On The Wings of a Mariposa, Unmuted, and Carmela Full of Wishes. Alvaro holds an MFA in Writing for the Stage and Screen from Northwestern University. He is Playwright-In-Residence at Milwaukee's First Stage. Alvaro is a proud veteran of the US Army and an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Monica Villarreal is an interdisciplinary artist native to Houston. She is the founder of Creative Women Unite, a Houston feminist arts collaborative, and she is a traditional Aztec dancer with Danza Azteca Taxcayolot, a local group that practices indigenous traditions through spirituality and community-engaging performances throughout the nation and internationally. They will open the evenings events. We will re-live the power, majesty of the Mexica through its art, culture, knowledge recapitulated over the centuries and across the continent and all over the world, and presented as Danza Azteca this evening with: Danza Chikawa Conroe Texas & Danza Azteca Taxcayolot Poet Lupe Mendez is a veteran alum of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say where he made his literary debut. He went on to become one of the co-founders of the Librotraficante Caravan, Tintero Projects, author of the poetry collection "Why I Am Like Tequila," and he is now Texas Poet Laureate. You will hear a special announcement from Sixto Wagon about opportunities for Latino Artists through the BIPOC Arts Network Fund and Geraldina Wise, Chair of ALMAAHH- Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County. Mariachi performances by: The duet of Jose Luis Rodriguez & Rigo Tapia, and solos by Keira Dalila Martinez, and Eduardo Treviño. www.Librotraficante.com www.NuestraPalabra.org www.TonyDiaz.net Instrumental Music produced / courtesy of Bayden Records Website | http://baydenrecords.beatstars.com

We will have a Christmas Special focusing on Moody Gardens and The Alley Theatre who are reaching out to the Latino community by hiring Latinos for key posts. Sharing these amazing opportunities are Marie Elena Cortés, Public Relations Coordinator, Moody Gardens & Baldemar Rodriguez, Community Manager of Partnerships, Alley Theatre. Marie Elena Cortés is a proud Latina who taught for 26 in Houston schools with her energetic and powerful dedication. Marie has experience as a photographer, published author, artists, actress, model, teacher, podcast host, and educational consultant. She is also an entrepreneur under Cortes Educational Services and inspires parents and teachers through her story telling, art projects and writing workshops. Cortes and her son share a podcast; Shine with Marie & Mark, where they highlight citizens and community leaders who are doing what they love. This summer, Marie Elena moved to Galveston Island and joined Moody Gardens as a Public Relations Coordinator. Her passion continues to glow as she promotes a non-profit educational destination that utilizes nature in the advancements of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. “Never stop shining your light, because it will show you the way!”-Marie Elena Cortes Baldemar Rodriguez (@myfilmdirector), the Manager of Community Partnerships at the @alleytheatre, will be co hosting our event at the Alley Theatre! Join us at the Nuestra Palabra 2022 & The Zocalo Committee's “Houstonians Who Shape The Nation” event at the @alleytheatre on Monday October 3rd. Get your tickets today by clicking the bio on our link! Baldemar Rodriguez was studied acting at the University of Houston's School of Theater where he transitioned into writing, directing, and producing. His resume includes In Search of the American Dream (2012), FlasNovelas (2015) and Grey Focus (2008). Thanks to Roxana Guzman, Multiplatform Producer Rodrigo Bravo, Jr., Audio Producer Radame Ortiez, SEO Director Marc-Antony Piñón, Graphics Designer Leti Lopez, Music Director Bryan Parras, co-host and producer emeritus Liana Lopez, co-host and producer emeritus Lupe Mendez, Texas Poet Laureate, co-host, and producer emeritus Writer and activist Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, hosts Latino Politics and News and the Nuestra Palabra Radio Show on 90.1 FM, KPFT, Houston's Community Station. He is also a political analyst on “What's Your Point?” on Fox 26 Houston. He is the author of the forthcoming book: The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital. www.Librotraficante.com www.NuestraPalabra.org www.TonyDiaz.net Instrumental Music produced / courtesy of Bayden Records Website | http://baydenrecords.beatstars.com

Nuestra Palabra Showcases Nuestra Música #HHM Nuestra Palabra Showcases Nuestra Música #HHM Your Host, Tony Diaz showcases Baldemar Rodriguez, Manager of Community Partnerships, Alley Theatre and the young musical talent he brings in to deliver an amazing performance. Eduardo Trevino is an inspired 10-year-old singer and musician. He's had a natural rhythm and ear for music since the age of two. His first inspiration came from Christian Mariachi music. During the Covid pandemic of 2020, he used that downtime to teach himself to play guitar through YouTube videos. His first Talent Show was for “Lake Houston's Got Talent” in 2021 and won first place. A year later in May 2022 he won first place in “Festival OTI Kids 2022.” He is also actively involved in his church choir. He hopes to one day be a famous Mariachi singer and continue the beautiful Mariachi music tradition of his Mexican culture. Keira Dalila Martinez is 12 years old. She studied at Project Chrysalis Middle School. Keira loved singing since she was a child. At school she had mariachi classes for a short time and has been taking online singing classes for several months. Although she does not consider herself a professional, Keira continues to follow her passion for music, developing as a young singer and learning newsongs. One of her favorite songs to sing is “La Llorona.” Jose Luis Rodriguez is 16 years old. He attends Eisenhower High School. He learned to play the accordion by watching YouTube tutorials. Part of his musical repertoire, he plays a huapango called Coconitos and a polka called Tampico Hermoso. Rigo Tapia, his best friend and accomplice in music, accompanies him playing the bass sixth. Alan Aguilar is a 7th grader from Patrick Henry Middle School in Houston, TX, whohas demonstrated his talent in Mariachi music since the age of six. He is the1 st place winner of the most renowned mariachi singing competition worldwide, Mariachi Vargas National Vocal Contest 2021 in San Antonio. He has received a special recognition from congresswoman Sylvia Garcia for his incredible talent as a mariachi performer and now, with the support of his parents and his music teacher Jose Longoria, he takes music classes at the University of Houston and plays three instruments, guitar, violin and vihuela. Alans favorite songs to perform include “Pelea de Gallos”, “Canta, Canta, Canta”, y “Mi Reina y Mi Tesoro.” Thanks to Roxana Guzman, Multiplatform Producer Rodrigo Bravo, Jr., Audio Producer Radame Ortiez, SEO Director Marc-Antony Piñón, Graphics Designer Leti Lopez, Music Director Bryan Parras, co-host and producer emeritus Liana Lopez, co-host and producer emeritus Lupe Mendez, Texas Poet Laureate, co-host, and producer emeritus Writer and activist Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, hosts Latino Politics and News and the Nuestra Palabra Radio Show on 90.1 FM, KPFT, Houston's Community Station. He is also a political analyst on “What's Your Point?” on Fox 26 Houston. He is the author of the forthcoming book: The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital. www.Librotraficante.com www.NuestraPalabra.org www.TonyDiaz.net Instrumental Music produced / courtesy of Bayden Records Website | http://baydenrecords.beatstars.com

Nuestra Palabra: Two Houstonians SHaping The Nation! Tony Diaz speaks with Baldemar Rodriguez, the Manager of Community Partnerships at the Alley Theatre, will be co hosting our event; also there will be UH Grad Russell Contreras who returns to the Space City to Help Launch Axios Houston Baldemar Rodriguez (@myfilmdirector), the Manager of Community Partnerships at the @alleytheatre, will be co hosting our event at the Alley Theatre! Join us at the Nuestra Palabra 2022 & The Zocalo Committee's “Houstonians Who Shape The Nation” event at the @alleytheatre on Monday October 3rd. Get your tickets today by clicking the bio on our link! Baldemar Rodriguez was studied acting at the University of Houston's School of Theater where he transitioned into writing, directing, and producing. His resume includes In Search of the American Dream (2012), FlasNovelas (2015) and Grey Focus (2008). Russell Contreras, Race and Justice Reporter for Axios, returns to Houston, Sept. 20, to help launch Axios Houston. Why it matters: Russell is a graduate of the University of Houston and Columbia University who began his career in journalism in Houston before moving to New York and working at The Associated Press, the Boston Globe, and now Axios. He lives in New Mexico. Thanks to Roxana Guzman, Multiplatform Producer Rodrigo Bravo, Jr., Audio Producer Radame Ortiez, SEO Director Marc-Antony Piñón, Graphics Designer Leti Lopez, Music Director Bryan Parras, co-host and producer emeritus Liana Lopez, co-host and producer emeritus Lupe Mendez, Texas Poet Laureate, co-host, and producer emeritus Writer and activist Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, hosts Latino Politics and News and the Nuestra Palabra Radio Show on 90.1 FM, KPFT, Houston's Community Station. He is also a political analyst on “What's Your Point?” on Fox 26 Houston. He is the author of the forthcoming book: The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital. www.Librotraficante.com www.NuestraPalabra.org www.TonyDiaz.net Instrumental Music produced / courtesy of Bayden Records Website | http://baydenrecords.beatstars.com

If you're like many Latinos, then you know that the theatre has not always been the most popular within our Hispanic community. But, the Alley Theatre is trying to change that with their new HIT show, What-A-Christmas, written, directed, and starring Latinos! In today's new episode, I sit down with Elena Valladolid-Rivera from the Alley Theatre, and we talk about their diversity initiative and how she came to work in the theatre business in Houston. Listen now, and then grab your amigas and go check out What-A-Christmas!    

On Friday's show: The Greater Houston Partnership outlines Houston's economic forecast for 2023. Also this hour: We discuss the challenges people face getting jobs once they're released from prison. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And What-A-Christmas, a new one-woman show at The Alley Theatre, is a take on A Christmas Carol set in a fast food restaurant similar to a certain orange-themed Texas chain.

The Alley Theatre — Houston's oldest and biggest theater — turned 75 this year. For several of those decades, the Alley was led by artistic director Gregory Boyd, who in 2018 went down in Houston's biggest #MeToo scandal. But now, says City Cast arts contributor Olivia Flores-Alvarez, the theater's future is bright. The Alley Theater website: ite where you can find where you can check out when TORERA will premier and other shows. The Houston Chronicle's expose of Gregory Boyd from 2018. OutSmart Magazine Gayest & Greatest 2022 Arts winners. Let's get you caught up with what's going on in the H! Subscribe to our newsletter, Hey Houston. You can keep up with us daily on our Twitter and Instagram We also have a Facebook page! why not give it a look? Want to talk to us directly? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Friday's show: Texas health officials won't publish new data on deaths related to pregnancy until after the next legislative session. We'll discuss why with the Houston Chronicle's Julian Gill. Also this hour: A Constitutional law scholar discusses why the Second Amendment right to bear arms may or may not apply to 18- to 20-year-olds, why some states can have more restrictions on gun purchases than the federal government, and whether any limits on assault-style gun purchases would pass Constitutional muster. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And Ken Ludwig, America's preeminent comic playwright, had his first commercial success with the play Lend Me a Tenor. We learn why, more than 30 years later, he revisited it and rewrote it with women in the lead roles as Lend Me a Soprano, which debuts tonight at The Alley Theatre and runs through Oct. 9.

It's News Roundup Friday! Lisa is joined by producer Ferrill Gibbs and the City Cast culture contributor Olivia Flores Alvarez. Some of today's topics include: Texas' war on trans people; the Uvalde shooting sparks a note of Texas partisanship; the new musical “Noir” opens at the Alley Theatre; a 42-year-old Houston cold case takes a wonderful turn, and a few moments of genuine Houston joy… join us! Here is a link to Noir, the new show at the Alley Theatre: Get show info Here! Also! Check out this link to The Book Cycle that Olivia mentioned -- take advantage! Remember when Ferrill talked about "Houston Gripes?" Well, Lisa Gray and Brooke Lewis periodically cover them in the City Cast Newsletter - you should get in on all that chatter! It's here! We're on Twitter! Follow us at @CityCastHouston Not on social media? You can leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wines and Dolls is T H R I L L E D to bring you a special episode on the World Premiere of Noir, by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and Kyle Jarrow (Spongebob Squarepants the Musical). The premiere opens at Houston's Tony-award winning Alley Theatre Wednesday June 8th with previews beginning June 2 and closing July 3rd. Buy tickets now at https://www.alleytheatre.org/plays/production-detail/noir WHAT IS NOIR- A musical inspired by classic film noir. A heartbroken man who never leaves his apartment, finding his only solace in the music on the radio. Then a couple moves in next door.  Eavesdropping becomes his new entertainment - and his new obsession.  Soon he finds himself drawn into a web of love, lies, deceit, and danger. Joining us today from the cast is Voltaire Wade-Green, making his Alley Theatre debut. He is a Broadway, Met, Kennedy Center Vet, including the impressive credit of Dance Captain for OBC Hamilton. You may have also seen him on the screen in Smash. But low key he is also a music producer and co-songwriter for the new R&B/Jazz fusion group, Saffron Lips, working with our girl, Ashley Kate Adams at No Reverse Records. Follow him on instagram at @TISVOLTAIRE As always, feel free to reach out via email at winesanddolls@gmail.com or social media! Cheers! . . . Help Wines and Dolls be the best they can be by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/winesanddolls for a cheers on the show and other perks for Patrons. Cheers to our Patrons: Bob, Allison, Noah, Victoria, Sandra, Julia and John! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter at winesanddolls Artwork by From Pen to Paper Music from Guys and Dolls, 1992 on Spotify --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/winesanddolls/message

In the Season 3 kick off, Mark talks with actor Lew Temple.  In this raw and casual interview, Lew shares his perspective on the human condition, specifically around our interest in problem-solving.  Lew shares his insight on acting and even reveals a gold nugget on a strategy for success in the film industry.Lew Temple is an American film actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Axel on "The Walking Dead," the character of Ned Oldham in the action adventure thriller, "Unstoppable" which also starred Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson; directed by Tony Scott, and Cal the diner manager in the comedy-drama "Waitress."Other film credits include the ranger, Hollis in the summer, 2013 Disney blockbuster "The Lone Ranger," alongside Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer; Locus Fender in the action film "Domino," starring Kiera Knightley and Mickey Rourke, directed by Tony Scott and Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects" with Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, William Forsythe, and Sherri Moon ZombieTemple began his acting career on the stage of the prestigious Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, working alongside artists such as Vanessa Redgrave in "Julius Caesar" and "Anthony & Cleopatra", as well as acclaimed writer/directors Michael Wilson, Terrance McNally and Edward Albee. He next landed numerous television roles, as well as roles in independent and mainstream studio films, such as "On the Borderline," "The Newton Boys," and "Angels in the Outfield."Prior to acting, Temple had a Minor League Baseball career with the Seattle Mariners" and "Houston Astros." He worked his way through the Astros system to become Assistant Director of Minor Leagues and Scouting. [source: IMDB}Connect with Lew Temple:https://twitter.com/LewTempleActorhttps://www.facebook.com/lew.temple.96https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0854702/Connect with Mark D Valenti:https://www.instagram.com/valentihorror/http://www.brainburrow.com/https://vimeo.com/user170376205​https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11764201/https://twitter.com/brainburrowhttps://www.tiktok.com/@brainburrowhttps://www.instagram.com/brainburrowshow/Brain Burrow Sponsors:Delirium MagazineCreepy Crate (use code Burrow5 to save $5 off your first order)Horror Pack: Movie Subscription Box #brainburrow

On Wednesday's show: With the leaked draft ruling suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, we check in with News 88.7 reporters covering local protests and find out what this all could mean for Houston and Texas. Also this hour: We discuss the potential Supreme Court ruling and all the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Plus: Area foodies dish on their favorite Houston-area hamburger joints in this month's installment of The Full Menu. And a world premiere play at The Alley Theatre called Born with Teeth contemplates a possible, and likely contentious, partnership between Shakespeare and one of his contemporaries.

Broadway Drumming 101 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Based in NYC since 2011, Adam came to New York by way of Houston, TX where he completed his Master's Degree at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music (2008). Adam grew up in Northeast Ohio where he attended Cleveland State University (2006). Formally studying classical percussion throughout his education, Adam also actively performed as a freelancer on drum set. His classical background combined with his drum set skills gave him a unique set of skills that turned out to be very well-suited for working in musical theater. After playing its out-of-town tryout at Houston's Alley Theatre, Adam was offered the drum set chair on Frank Wildhorn's WONDERLAND when it transferred to Broadway (Spring 2011). With his foot in the door from his first Broadway show, Adam set about the work of subbing and building a reputation in and around the city. Subbing on shows as diverse as RENT, EVITA, MATILDA the Musical, AVE Q, CATS, HELLO DOLLY, ANASTASIA, THE PROM, and many more, Adam routinely demonstrates a wide-ranging versatility. A unique hybrid player, Adam is equally at home playing drum set and percussion and excels in situations that demand both contemporary drum set styles and legit classical/orchestral sensibilities. Adam's most recent NYC chairs include 2017's BANDSTAND on Broadway (TONY Nomination for Best Orchestrations and TONY WINNER for Best Choreography), Jerry Springer the Opera, and CLUELESS the Musical.When not in the theater, Adam is often found in NYC recording studios playing for singer/songwriters and composers like Desi Oakley, The Jack Mosbacher Band, Michael Mott, and David Mallamud, playing at cabaret spots like Feinstein's 54 Below, and downtown concert venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Piano's, or The Bitter End. Adam also maintains an active teaching practice at his studio in Midtown Manhattan and produces music and drum tracks from his at-home project studio. Connect with Adam on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or use the contact form for bookings and any other inquiries. Thank you for reading Broadway Drumming 101. This post is public so feel free to share it.Broadway Drumming 101 is your one-stop shop for everything you'll need to know about playing drums for broadway musicals. When you subscribe to The Broadway 101 Newsletter, you'll learn about what it takes to be a successful pit musician with content delivered directly to your email inbox two to three times a week.For $5 a month, or $50 a year, you'll have a backstage pass to the world of a broadway drummer playing on a hit show. As a paying subscriber, you will receive behind-the-scenes access to the life of a musician who makes a living on Broadway. You'll also be able to read every post (not just the occasional free ones), you'll get access to all newsletter issues in the archives, and have the ability to participate in subscriber-only comments and events.The Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.The podcast features conversations with my colleagues who currently hold drums chairs showcases talks with broadway drumming legends, and highlights up-and-coming drummers breaking into the scene.There is a lot to learn. Subscribe now, so you don't miss out on the latest posts and podcasts!Clayton Craddock hosts the Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast and Newsletter. He has held the drum chair in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day At Emerson's Bar and Grill and Ain't Too Proud.The Broadway Drumming 101 Instagram page: InstagramThe Broadway Drumming 101 YouTube page: YouTubeFor more about Clayton, click HERE Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe