Podcast appearances and mentions of Emanuel Azenberg

The endlessly fascinating Jennifer Engstrom graces us in the Booth today. Jen is a long-time ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre (as is our last guest, playwright Brett Neveu). She has appeared in over a dozen productions there and at many other great Chicago theaters (as well as in productions in London and New York). She grew up on a farm outside of Huxley, Iowa and made her way to the big city via the College of DuPage theatre program, where she soon became active in the speech department. And who coached and encouraged her in a career in the performing arts? None other than our own Frank Tourangeau! Frank was a professor and head of the speech department during Jennifer's time there and served as her mentor and teacher. Frank relates how he cast her in the play Whose Life is it Anyway? as the lead made famous on Broadway and the West End by Tom Conti, and revived some years later with Mary Tyler Moore in the starring role. By all accounts, Jen was luminous in the part. BTW, when Gary was working in Emanuel Azenberg's office, he was a stand-in for Tom Conti for several rehearsals on the Broadway production. In addition to her numerous acting roles, Jennifer has had an interesting career as an understudy around Chicago. We discuss her going on as Blanche DuBois at the last minute in a Writers Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by David Cromer. Though she knew the blocking and the lines well, her costumes had not been finished and there was a mad scramble to devise a proper wardrobe track for that performance (which Gary and producer Betsy were privileged to see!). She also stepped in for Amy Morton in the Steppenwolf Theatre production of Taylor Mac's HIR when Ms. Morton turned her ankle on stage prior to the first preview. Jennifer had learned all the lines and after a rushed blocking rehearsal, kept the curtain up for the first preview audience in stellar fashion. To quote the wonderful stage manager, Laura Glenn, "She was a total professional and I was so grateful she was there." Among Jennifer's favorite playwrights are Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and newcomer Jen Silverman, whose play Witch will get a world premiere production at Writers Theatre in the fall. Two items of show biz interest - The Play That Goes Wrong is closing on Broadway in August. One of the most hilarious shows that Gary and Frank have ever seen, a national tour is scheduled so don't miss this gem of a show if it comes to your town. And the five-and-a-half hour adaptation of Roberto Bolano's mammoth novel 2066 can be seen on streaming video soon. In an unusual arrangement, a filmed version of the Goodman Theatre's production will be available free, unlimited streaming for at least two years. Frank was a big fan of this production. You may have to watch in installments given it's extraordinary length, but you're unlikely to see another production of it anywhere any time soon. Jennifer has created and performs a one-woman show called Excuse My Dust, A Dorothy Parker Portfolio, in which she embodies the writer and humorist in an evening of theatrical monologues from Parker's writings. Dorothy Parker was an original member of the Algonquin Round Table and a unique coiner of the cutting remark. Gary and Betsy are going to the Red Orchid spring fundraiser at which Jennifer is performing selections from Excuse My Dust. More to report on our next episode. We play a little Chat Pack with Jennifer and find that she would like to be a rock star for a month, a la Beyonce. And people often ask her how she learns all those lines! Kiss of Death: Anne V. Coates, Admired Editor of Acclaimed Movies One of the most celebrated film editors of her era, Ms. Coates won an Oscar for her work on Lawrence of Arabia directed by David Lean and starring Peter O'Toole. The film editor's craft is often called "the invisible art," but is one of the most vital ingredients in the alchemy of filmmaking.

Producer and Tony Life-time Achievement winner Emanuel Azenberg explains the business of Broadway from his perspective. Also, a "Tony Wrap-Up, 2012" with theater experts Jesse Green, Michael Musto, and Patrick Pacheco discussing this year's telecast.

On the eve of the reopening of Spider-Man, we invited Emanuel Azenberg and Michael David, two successful Broadway producers to tell us what it's like to be in the center of the storm of a show that isn't working out.

The Producer - with Emanuel Azenberg

Producer Emanuel Azenberg talks about the upcoming repertory production of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Broadway Bound", including the choice of David Cromer as director, whether the plays are being revised for the tandem run, and why he thinks they'll make audiences think of these plays -- and Neil Simon himself -- in a whole new way. He also discusses how he began his career as part of a group of softball and poker playing buddies that included Robert Redford, James and William Goldman, and on occasion Carl Reiner; how he came to be Neil Simon's exclusive producer on every play since 1972's "The Sunshine Boys"; how he's handled the challenge of dealing with shows that haven't succeeded, including "Fools", "Division Street" and "Einstein and the Polar Bear"; why he has dared to produce the supposedly cursed "Scottish Play" on Broadway not just once, but twice; what he sought to impart to his students at Yale and later Duke University about theatre over some 25 years and how he feels that students have changed over that time; shows he's done for love and shows he's done for money; what has drawn him to be involved in the upcoming revival of "Ragtime"; and why he thinks the much-admired "Side Show" didn't succeed on Broadway, and possibly never will. Original air date - October 19, 2009.

Producer Emanuel Azenberg talks about the upcoming repertory production of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Broadway Bound", including the choice of David Cromer as director, whether the plays are being revised for the tandem run, and why he thinks they'll make audiences think of these plays -- and Neil Simon himself -- in a whole new way. He also discusses how he began his career as part of a group of softball and poker playing buddies that included Robert Redford, James and William Goldman, and on occasion Carl Reiner; how he came to be Neil Simon's exclusive producer on every play since 1972's "The Sunshine Boys"; how he's handled the challenge of dealing with shows that haven't succeeded, including "Fools", "Division Street" and "Einstein and the Polar Bear"; why he has dared to produce the supposedly cursed "Scottish Play" on Broadway not just once, but twice; what he sought to impart to his students at Yale and later Duke University about theatre over some 25 years and how he feels that students have changed over that time; shows he's done for love and shows he's done for money; what has drawn him to be involved in the upcoming revival of "Ragtime"; and why he thinks the much-admired "Side Show" didn't succeed on Broadway, and possibly never will. Original air date - October 19, 2009.

Veteran Producers Emanuel Azenberg and James Freydberg discuss how Broadway and the theater industry will cope with the coming economic downturn.

The production team for the musical "Side Show" -- producer Emanuel Azenberg, press representative Bill Evans, and general manager Abbie M. Strassler -- talk about the show's journey from presentation to workshop to Broadway; the role of producer, casting director, general manager, company manager, and press agent; casting principal and chorus members; and marketing a new show.

The production team for the musical Side Show -- producer Emanuel Azenberg (with numerous Tony Awards including Children of a Lesser God, The Real Thing, Lost in Yonkers and many more), press representative Bill Evans, and general manager Abbie M. Strassler -- talk about the show's journey from presentation to workshop to Broadway; the role of producer, casting director, general manager, company manager, and press agent; casting principal and chorus members; and marketing a new show.