Podcasts about intiman theatre

Chapters00:00Introduction and Connection02:26Real Estate Dreams and Retirement Plans04:48Adoption Story and Family Background07:27Understanding Sexuality and Identity09:54Coming Out and Family Dynamics12:35Spiritual Experiences and Past Lives15:07Reflections on Family Relationships17:59Life Lessons and Personal Growth21:52Adapting to New Environments23:34Pets and Their Needs24:21Relationships and Love25:22Career Transitions and Playwriting28:51The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Relationships31:55The Journey to Becoming a Playwright35:25Navigating the Film Industry38:35Upcoming Projects and Aspirations40:42Life Lessons and Philosophies43:42Reflections on Society and PoliticsSummary:In this episode, Stephen Druckman shares his personal journey from his early life in Boston to his successful career as a playwright. He discusses his family dynamics, coming out as gay, and the challenges he faced in his identity. Stephen reflects on his artistic philosophy, the importance of kindness, and his current projects, including a new play. The conversation touches on themes of love, acceptance, and the complexities of navigating life as an artist in today's world.Takeaways:Stephen's early life was marked by family challenges and adoption.He always knew he was different and gay from a young age.His journey into playwriting began as a way to express his identity.Stephen emphasizes the importance of kindness in life and art.He believes love is the core reason for our existence.His experiences in the theater have shaped his artistic philosophy.Stephen's new play explores themes of love and aging.He reflects on the impact of the AIDS crisis on his generation.The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity in art.Stephen's insights on the current political climate reveal his concerns for the future.Bio:STEVEN DRUKMAN was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for his play Another Fine Mess (Portland Center Stage). His plays include Pru Payne (Arizona Theatre Company, SpeakEasy Stage in Boston, MA); Going to See the Kid (Merrimack Rep); Death of the Author (Geffen Playhouse, starring Austin Butler in his first stage role); The Prince of Atlantis (South Coast Rep); The Innocents (Asolo Rep); The Bullet Round (Arena Stage, Portland, OR); In this Corner (The Old Globe, winner of the San Diego Circle Best New Play Award); Going Native (Long Wharf Theatre); Flattery Will Get You (Connecticut Rep); and more. Drukman's work has been developed by the Mark Taper Forum, Manhattan Theatre Club, Intiman Theatre, Sundance Theatre Lab, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Playwrights Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, and many others.  As a journalist, Drukman wrote for The New York Times for many years, as well as The Nation, The Village Voice, and International Herald Tribune.  He also served as the theatre reviewer for Artforum and WNYC-FM. As an actor, Drukman has been directed by Richard Foreman, Anne Bogart, Maria Irene Fornes and Arnold Wesker, and was a member of the Organic Theater Company in Chicago, where he won a Jeff Award. He received his Ph.D. from NYU, where he is an Associate Professor of playwriting.To contact Steven:To contact Wilkinson:  BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Check out this podcast replay of our one on one conversation with 2023 Tony Award Winner Michael Arden hosted by SDCF and the Museum of Broadway. Interviewed by SDC Executive Director Laura Penn, this conversation focuses on Michael's expansive career to date including a deeper dive into his work as an artist and practice as a director. We held this conversation in March 2024. The video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Michael Arden (Director) was awarded the 2023 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his production of Parade starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, which will have a national tour beginning early 2024. Michael was also Tony nominated for his revivals of Once On This Island and Spring Awakening. Michael wrote and directed Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol which played the Nederlander Theatre last Holiday season and starred Jefferson Mays. Michael will helm the new Stephen Schwartz and Lindsey Ferrentino musical The Queen of Versailles starring Kristin Chenowith and a new musical adaptation of the cult film The Lost Boys. Other directing credits include: Maybe Happy Ending at the Atlanta Alliance, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  at Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and site specific works: American Dream Study and ALIEN/NATION with his company The Forest of Arden. Arden has been named on Variety's Impact List and is the winner of an NAACP Award for best direction of his revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Wallis Annenberg in Los Angeles. In addition to directing theater in America and around the globe, he regularly directs “The Connors” on ABC, and has appeared in numerous features and TV shows, most notably: Grey's Anatomy, Bride Wars, Anger Management, Source Code, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. On stage, Arden has appeared on Broadway in Big River; The Times, They Are A-Changin', and King Lear. Arden is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and alumni of the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School. Michael and longtime creative and design partner Dane Laffrey founded AT RISE CREATIVE, a production company that strives to create groundbreaking live experiences with an emphasis on design and innovating technologies. Photo credit:  Laura Penn has been Executive Director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) since 2008. This year, she was appointed by President Biden to serve as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Most recently, she was elected to the Board of the Entertainment Community Fund. Under her leadership, SDC's Membership has grown more than 100%, a result of her work expanding jurisdictions; leading bold and successful negotiations; and furthering the Union's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives and political engagement. She serves on the General Board of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) and is an active member of DPE's Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industry Coordinating Committee (AEMI). She is co-Chair of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds, the first woman to hold a leadership position with this coalition of 18 influential unions representing workers on Broadway. Laura serves on the Tony Awards Administration Committee and is a Tony Voter. She served as a panelist for the New York State Council for the Arts, for more than a decade was a site evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, was Vice President of the League of Resident Theatres, and was two-term Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. Recognized with Seattle's Distinguished Citizen Medal, she is an advocate for civic dialogue and public participation and has been dedicated throughout her career to the idea that artistic excellence and community engagement are intrinsically connected. Laura previously served as an arts executive for Intiman Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre and began her career at D.C.'s Arena Stage, Living Stage Theatre Company. She currently teaches Labor Relations in the graduate program at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2010 interview with then 3-time Tony nominated Broadway Actress Kelli O'Hara.Now, here's a little Behind-The-Curtain Story….In 2010, I got to attend the opening night of Kelli O'Hara's one-woman show Beyond The Ingenue at Michael Feinstein's cabaret club, Feinstein's at the Regency on the Upper East Side in NYC.In addition to seeing the concert, I got to interview Kelli live, at the VIP after party. When you listen to this episode, I hope you feel all the excitement that I felt, and was swirling around me, while talking to Kelli at that opening night party.When this interview took place, I did not have a podcast, so I had to transcribe the interview into print format. Now I do have a podcast, and I am so excited to share this interview with you.In this interview, Kelli is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:Who inspired her to become a performerThe Best Advice she has receivedA Strange or Unusual Talent she hasFavorite way to stay in shapeSo much moreTo read the interview, and see a photo of me & Kelli, click here!Special Thanks:Dan Fortune, Fortune CreativeTheme Song by Bobby CroninPodcast Logo by Liam O'DonnellEdited by Adam RothenbergUnderscore Intro Music by CutiqueConnect with Me:Website: www.callmeadam.comFacebook: @CallMeAdamNYCInstagram: @CallMeAdamNYCMore on Kelli O'Hara:Kelli O'Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway's great leading ladies. She recently starred in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, and garnering a third Tony nomination.A native of Oklahoma, Kelli received a degree in opera, and, after winning the State Metropolitan Opera Competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasberg Institute.She made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde and followed it with Sondheim's Follies, Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow, and Dracula. In 2003 Kelli committed to a production of The Light in the Piazza at Seattle's Intiman Theatre. The show landed on Broadway in 2005 and earned Kelli her first Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. She moved from one huge critical and commercial success to another when she joined Harry Connick on Broadway in the 2006 Tony award-winning production of The Pajama Game, for which Kelli received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations. Kelli has worked regionally and Off Broadway in Sunday in the Park with George at Reprise, My Life With Albertine at Playwright's Horizons, and Beauty at the La Jolla Playhouse.In addition to her critically acclaimed performance as Eliza Doolittle in the New York Philharmonic production of My Fair Lady, Kelli has performed a solo concert at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops conducted by Rob Fisher. She has sung at Carnegie Hall with Barbara...

Today, Trae sits with Delbert Richardson, the Creator of the American History Traveling Museum: The "Unspoken" Truths. He talks about the creation of his museum and an upcoming production of THE LION TELLS HIS TALE at Intiman Theatre. Next, Trae meets with Vida Oliphant Sneed, Playwright extraordinaire of THE LION TELLS HIS TALE and an integral part of Seattle's vibrant artistic community.

Today is another Mindfulness Monday with Heru TchaasAmen. He guides us through some helpful mindfulness tips we can all use. Next, Trae sits with Jennifer Zeyl, the Artistic Director for Intiman Theatre to discuss their upcoming events this March.

Today Trae connects with some folks from the The Seagull Project and Intiman Theatre in their production of The Lower Depths. First, she sits with the Director of the show, Gavin Reub. He'll explain how he brought the show to life through his direction. Next, Trae talks with one of the actors in the show, Miguel Castellano. We'll hear about his acting journey and how his character contributes to the overall story.

Have you ever dreamed of being famous? Imagined what it would be like to have all your dreams come true? Recognition, adoration, basking in the limelight. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? But dig a little deeper and you'll find that “The Road To Fame” is a prickly path, filled with twists & turns, backstabbing & betrayals. Experience a captivating journey into fame as the performers of Letters Aloud bring to life personal and illuminating letters from renowned figures like Stephen King, Dorothy Parker, Vincent Van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Bruce Lee, Oprah Winfrey, and Tom Hanks, and explore the steep cost and evolving nature of what it means to be “famous” from those who have traversed its path. A riotously funny, movingly poignant, and thought-provoking experience brought to life by a gifted ensemble of professional actors, with live musical accompaniment, and a dynamic slide show, “Before They Were Famous” is a show that leaves audiences with smiles on their faces and much to discuss on their drive home. Letters Aloud is a performing arts company that brings to life intimate, thought-provoking, and often humorous stories hidden within private letters of the past. Their performances are a unique combination of literature, theatre, and live music that celebrates the beauty of the written word and the human experience. (If you take NPR's Selected Shorts, cross it with The Moth podcast and add just a pinch of the old A Prairie Home Companion, you pretty much have their show…except, of course, with letters.) They believe that letters are more than just pieces of paper; they are windows into the past, bridges between people, and tools for empathy and connection. Reading them aloud in front of an audience makes for a truly unique and powerful collective experience. Whether you're a fan of literature, history, or simply good storytelling, we invite you to join us on a journey through the written word. Letters Aloud is a celebration of the human spirit and we look forward to sharing it with you. About the Performers: PAUL MORGAN STETLER Paul is the creator and curator of Letters Aloud and a co-founder (and former Co-Artistic Director) of Seattle's multi-award-winning New Century Theatre Company. A well-known Seattle actor, Paul has appeared on numerous local stages over the past 20 years, including ACT Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Empty Space Theatre, as well as numerous regional theatres across the country. He holds a BA in English Literature at Cal State Northridge and an MFA in Theatre Arts from Penn State University. BASIL HARRIS Basil Harris is a Seattle actor and musician who has worked extensively on stage and in film and media. As a voice actor, he's a regular contributor to the audio dramas of Jim French's Imagination Theater. He also plays in the alt-pop band “Awesome”, which will be appearing here at Town Hall in December. More at basilharris.com CLAUDINE MBOLIGIKPELANI NAKO Claudine is an actor out of Seattle, Washington, and a core company member of the prestigious ACT Theatre where she has appeared in numerous plays and is a two-time Gregory Award Winner for her work on stage. Film/TV credits include Everything Sucks!, Raising Dion, and Outside In (Netflix); Three Busy Debras on HBO Max and Grimm on NBC. Up next: directing Stew by Nora Howard at ACT Theatre, March 15-31. RAY TAGAVILLA Ray Tagavilla is a UW Drama Program graduate and a recipient of the 2012, 2014 Gregory Award for Best Supporting Actor for Jesus Hopped the A Train and A Small Fire and 2016 for Lead Actor for The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. His most recent theater credits were Two Mile Hollow at Intiman Theater, Titanish at Seattle Public, and recent film credits were Three Busy Debras with Adult Swim/HBO Max. ALEXANDRA TAVARES Alexandra Tavares is one of Seattle's most treasured theatre actors. She most recently portrayed Caliban in Seattle Rep's The Tempest, as well as The Winter's Tale, The Odyssey, Constellations (nominated for Outstanding Actress), Three Tall Women, and The Great Moment at Seattle Rep. She is a co-founder of The Seagull Project and has performed with them as Nina in The Seagull, Masha (nominated Outstanding Actress) in The Three Sisters, and Yelena in Uncle Vanya. She holds an M.F.A. in acting from the University of Washington. JAMIE MASCHLER Jamie is a musician, music director, educator and ambassador of the accordion. She is co-founder of the Brazilian bands Foleada, En Canto, and the accordion duo Creosote. She has been heard with the Pueblo Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Philharmonic. Jamie has also played the role of Nelly Friedman in Paula Vogel's award-winning play, Indecent, twice.

This week, playwright, poet, and author Pearl Cleage discusses her life and career with Remy Bumppo Theatre Artistic Director Marti Lyons. Remy Bumppo staged Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky in the fall of 2023. This conversation originally took place September 26, 2023 and was recorded live via Zoom. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOME More about the speakers: Pearl Cleage (she/her/hers) is an Atlanta-based writer whose plays include POINTING AT THE MOON, WHAT I LEARNED IN PARIS, FLYIN' WEST, BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, and BOURBON AT THE BORDER, commissioned and directed by Kenny Leon at the Alliance Theatre. She is also the author of A SONG FOR CORETTA, written in 2007 during Cleage's time as Cosby Professor in Women's Studies at Spelman College. Her play, THE NACIREMA SOCIETY REQUESTS THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE AT A CELEBRATION OF THEIR FIRST ONE HUNDRED YEARS, was commissioned by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and premiered in 2010, in a joint production by the ASF and Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, directed by Susan Booth. Her plays have also been performed at Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Huntington Theatre, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Long Wharf Theatre, Just US Theatre, True Colors Theatre, Bushfire Theatre, the Intiman Theatre, St. Louis Black Repertory Company, and Seven Stages. She is also an accomplished performance artist, often working in collaboration with her husband, writer Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. They have performed at the National Black Arts Festival, the National Black Theatre Festival, and colleges and universities across the country. Cleage and Burnett also collaborated with performance artists Idris Ackamoor and Rhodessa Jones on the script for THE LOVE PROJECT, which premiered at the National Black Theatre Festival in 2008, and is currently touring the country. Cleage is also an accomplished novelist. Her novels include “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day,” a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah Book Club selection, “I Wish I Had a Red Dress,” “Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do,” “Babylon Sisters,” “Baby Brother's Blues,” “Seen It All and Done the Rest,” and “Till You Hear from Me.” She is also the author of “Mad at Miles: A Blackwoman's Guide to Truth,” a groundbreaking work of race and gender, and “We Speak Your Names,” a praise poem commissioned by Oprah Winfrey for her 2005 celebration of legendary African American women and written in collaboration with Zaron Burnett. Cleage has also written for magazines, including “Essence,” “Vibe,” “Rap Pages,” and “Ms.” In addition to her work as the founding editor of “Catalyst” magazine, a literary journal, she was a regular columnist for the Atlanta Tribune for ten years, winning many awards for her thought-provoking columns. She has also written for TheDefendersOnLine.com. Cleage has been awarded grants in support of her work from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fulton County Arts Council, the Georgia Council on the Arts, the Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and the Coca-Cola Foundation. Her work has earned her many awards and honors, including an NAACP Image Award for fiction in 2008. Pearl Cleage is represented by Ron Gwiazda at Abrams Artists Agency in New York City. Her website is www.PearlCleage.net. She also maintains a Facebook fan page. www.pearlcleage.net. Marti Lyons (she/her/hers) most recently directed the world-premiere of Galileo's Daughter by Jessica Dickey at Remy Bumppo, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly at Northlight Theatre, Wife of a Salesman by Eleanor Burgess at Milwaukee Rep, Sense and Sensibility adapted by Jessica Swale at American Players Theatre and the world-premiere of John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower at Studio Theatre in D.C. Marti's other productions include The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess at Writers Theatre; Cymbeline at American Players Theatre; The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe and both the stage and audio productions of Kings by Sarah Burgess at Studio Theatre; the world-premiere of How to Defend Yourself by liliana padilla, a Victory Gardens and Actors Theatre of Louisville co-production; Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee at Victory Gardens and City Theatre; Witch by Jen Silverman at Geffen Playhouse and Writers Theatre (LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Direction); Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías at Victory Gardens; Botticelli in the Fire by Jordan Tannahill at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; I, Banquo at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Title and Deed by Will Eno at Lookingglass Theatre Company; Laura Marks' Bethany and Mine at The Gift Theatre. Marti is also an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre, and a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. martilyons.com

"Embracing your own beauty is an act of resistance..." Whether he's producing over-the-top nightlife events as Co-Founder and Executive Director of BeautyBoiz, or confronting inequity and building collective joy as the Managing Director of Intiman Theatre, Wesley Fruge is a space-maker, community-blender and paradigm-shifter. Through his many roles as a director, producer, marketer, fundraiser, event planner, community organizer, and administrative professional, Wesley is committed to advocacy for the queer community and changing traditional narratives around gender and beauty. His lifelong mental health journey has led him to a place of self-love and empowerment, which he extends to every project, production and community he touches. As Wesley will remind you in this episode: "WHO YOU ARE IS BEAUTIFUL!" Coping 101's Artist Mental Health Stories amplify voices from King County's cultural sector to empower individual artists, uplift the creative community and destigmatize mental health from a teen's perspective. No matter our age or background we all face challenges, and there are many healthy ways to find balance. Get started with more episodes and resources hosted at c895.org/coping101 Follow BeautyBoiz: www.beautyboiz.com More about Intiman Theater: www.intiman.org

Celia Keenan-Bolger (IG:@celiakb)(TW:@celiakb) is currently in The Gilded Age on HBO. She was born on January 26, 1978 in Detroit, Michigan and is a Tony Award winner and Broadway favorite. Celia Keenan-Bolger will return to To Kill a Mockingbird at the Shubert Theatre from October 5, 2021. Keenan-Bolger trained at both the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and the Detroit School of Arts and graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in musical theatre. She began her stage career in regional theatres such as the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and Theatre Works in Silicon Valley, and she made her Off-Broadway debut as Aggie in Summer of '42 in December 2001. During the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration in 2002, she starred as Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and she would then perform again off Broadway in January 2003 in Second Stage Theatre's production of Michael John LaChiusa's Little Fish. Also in 2003, she would originate the role of Clara Johnson in the celebrated musical The Light in the Piazza at both Seattle's Intiman Theatre and Chicago's Goodman Theatre. She originated the role of Olive Ostrovsky in William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Barrington Stage Company in the summer of 2004, reprised her performance off Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in January 2005, and did so again on Broadway, marking her Broadway debut in April 2005. She was nominated for her first Tony Award for her performance as Olive and received a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. She remained with the production until September 17, 2006. Her next Broadway venture would be to originate the role of Éponine in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables, playing the role from October 2006 to January 2008, earning a Drama Desk nomination in 2007. Keenan-Bolger returned off Broadway for her next productions, starring as Mary in the musical Saved at Playwrights Horizons from May to June 2008, as Katie in Bachelorette for Second Stage Theatre from July to August 2010, and as Jenny Bridges in A Small Fire from December 2010 to January 2011, once again at Playwrights Horizons. She then landed the role of Molly in New York Theatre Workshop's acclaimed production of Peter and the Starcatcher, which played the Off-Broadway venue from February to April 2011, resulting in yet another Drama Desk Award nomination, and transferred to Broadway in March 2012, leading to her second Tony Award nomination. Ahead of the Broadway premiere, Keenan-Bolger also starred as Mary Flynn in New York City Center's Encores! production of Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along in February 2012. In the fall of 2013, she took on the role of Laura Wingfield in the Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie from September 2013 to February 2014. She garnered great acclaim for her performance, winning a Drama Desk Award, earning her third Tony Award nomination, and receiving the Theatre World Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in 2014. Keenan-Bolger followed this performance with her Lincoln Center Theater debut, starring as Mother in an Off-Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl's The Oldest Boy from October to December 2014. She was next seen on Broadway as Varya, opposite Diane Lane, in Roundabout Theatre Company's 2016 revival of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, and she was last seen off Broadway in Second Stage Theatre's 2017 production of A Parallelogram.  Keenan-Bolger returned to Broadway on November 1, 2018, taking on the role of Scout in Aaron Sorkin's new stage adaptation of the classic Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird. She won her first Tony Award in the category of Best Performance By An Actress In A Featured Role In A Play for her portrayal, and she ended her year-long run in the production on November 3, 2019. She leads the reopening cast of the play once more starting in October 2021. Although primarily known for her career on stage, Ms. Keenan-Bolger has also appeared in a number of high-profile television shows over the years, including Law & Order (2007), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014), Nurse Jackie (2014), The Good Wife (2015), Elementary (2015), Good Behavior (2016), Blue Bloods (2017), NCIS: New Orleans (2017), and Bull (2018). Her film credits include Mariachi Gringo (2012), The Visit (2015), Breakable You (2017), and Diane (2018).

Celia Keenan-Bolger (IG:@celiakb)(TW:@celiakb) is currently in The Gilded Age on HBO. She was born on January 26, 1978 in Detroit, Michigan and is a Tony Award winner and Broadway favorite. Celia Keenan-Bolger will return to To Kill a Mockingbird at the Shubert Theatre from October 5, 2021. Keenan-Bolger trained at both the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and the Detroit School of Arts and graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in musical theatre. She began her stage career in regional theatres such as the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and Theatre Works in Silicon Valley, and she made her Off-Broadway debut as Aggie in Summer of '42 in December 2001. During the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration in 2002, she starred as Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and she would then perform again off Broadway in January 2003 in Second Stage Theatre's production of Michael John LaChiusa's Little Fish. Also in 2003, she would originate the role of Clara Johnson in the celebrated musical The Light in the Piazza at both Seattle's Intiman Theatre and Chicago's Goodman Theatre. She originated the role of Olive Ostrovsky in William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Barrington Stage Company in the summer of 2004, reprised her performance off Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in January 2005, and did so again on Broadway, marking her Broadway debut in April 2005. She was nominated for her first Tony Award for her performance as Olive and received a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. She remained with the production until September 17, 2006. Her next Broadway venture would be to originate the role of Éponine in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables, playing the role from October 2006 to January 2008, earning a Drama Desk nomination in 2007. Keenan-Bolger returned off Broadway for her next productions, starring as Mary in the musical Saved at Playwrights Horizons from May to June 2008, as Katie in Bachelorette for Second Stage Theatre from July to August 2010, and as Jenny Bridges in A Small Fire from December 2010 to January 2011, once again at Playwrights Horizons. She then landed the role of Molly in New York Theatre Workshop's acclaimed production of Peter and the Starcatcher, which played the Off-Broadway venue from February to April 2011, resulting in yet another Drama Desk Award nomination, and transferred to Broadway in March 2012, leading to her second Tony Award nomination. Ahead of the Broadway premiere, Keenan-Bolger also starred as Mary Flynn in New York City Center's Encores! production of Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along in February 2012. In the fall of 2013, she took on the role of Laura Wingfield in the Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie from September 2013 to February 2014. She garnered great acclaim for her performance, winning a Drama Desk Award, earning her third Tony Award nomination, and receiving the Theatre World Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in 2014. Keenan-Bolger followed this performance with her Lincoln Center Theater debut, starring as Mother in an Off-Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl's The Oldest Boy from October to December 2014. She was next seen on Broadway as Varya, opposite Diane Lane, in Roundabout Theatre Company's 2016 revival of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, and she was last seen off Broadway in Second Stage Theatre's 2017 production of A Parallelogram.  Keenan-Bolger returned to Broadway on November 1, 2018, taking on the role of Scout in Aaron Sorkin's new stage adaptation of the classic Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird. She won her first Tony Award in the category of Best Performance By An Actress In A Featured Role In A Play for her portrayal, and she ended her year-long run in the production on November 3, 2019. She leads the reopening cast of the play once more starting in October 2021. Although primarily known for her career on stage, Ms. Keenan-Bolger has also appeared in a number of high-profile television shows over the years, including Law & Order (2007), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014), Nurse Jackie (2014), The Good Wife (2015), Elementary (2015), Good Behavior (2016), Blue Bloods (2017), NCIS: New Orleans (2017), and Bull (2018). Her film credits include Mariachi Gringo (2012), The Visit (2015), Breakable You (2017), and Diane (2018).

A conversation with Valerie Curtis-Newton about the theater's role in a community, Black theater in America today, and more.About the GuestCurrently the Head of Directing at the University of Washington School of Drama, I also serve as the Founding Artistic Director for The Hansberry Project, a professional African American theatre lab. I have worked with professional theatre's across the country including: The Guthrie Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Seattle Rep, Playmakers Repertory Company, Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Mark Taper Forum, New York Theatre Workshop, and Southern Repertory Theatre among others. Links: https://playmakersrep.org/show/blues-for-an-alabama-sky/Follow usWebsite: beltlinetobroadway.orgFacebook/Instagram @beltlinetobroadwayTwitter @beltlinetobway

Peace gods salute!  Kenju Waweru is an entrepreneur, theatre and filmmaker currently based in Seattle, WA. Kenju started his career six years ago as a reporter based in Nairobi, Kenya. He has been featured in multiple documentaries and independent films. Kenju made his theatre debut in Seattle three years ago as a part of the 2017 Intiman Emerging Artist Program. The show “Kenju-Do it!” was as a result of deep reflection on his current reality of being an African artist living in America. Kenju has since worked with notable theatre and arts organizations in the Pacific North West, such as Intiman Theatre, One Vibe Africa, North West Folklife, and MoPop, among others. He is a journalist/mentor for Radioactive Youth Media at the University of Washington's NPR affiliate KUOW, serving and teaching the next generation of young storytellers. Kenju likes dancing, hosting Diaspora Connect, a podcast focused on African diaspora issues, engaging in conversations, writing, and spending time in nature, with friends, and with family. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/generalmutombo/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/generalmutombo/support

Featuring Special Guests: Timothy Hughes & Leanne Antonio Produced by RYCO Theatricals as a part of their podcast series RYCO LIVE, our two BIPOC queer hosts, Dash Perry & Tyler Dobies, deep dive into the big questions of our industry. GET INTO IT! *tongue pop* takes a look into the theatre industry today through panel discussions and asking the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) questions. Happening every Thursday at 7:00pm Eastern live on our social media @rycotheatricals. The hosts will kiki, pose of question of the day, and, most importantly, GET INTO IT! Check it out below! Tyler Dobies (he/him) is as Piscean as a person can be. He is the product of aspen trees, dirt roads, homeschooling, liberal arts, and the feeling of not being good enough. An alumni of Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program, Tyler has written solo shows about his experience as a queer, person of color. When not hosting GET INTO IT!, he is probably watching YouTube searching for a new Korean food recipe to try out or listening to ASMR. Credits include The Bridges of Madison County with Showtunes Theatre Company, Pajama Game with Centerstage Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher with ArtsWest all in Seattle, WA. He is also a founding faculty member for Building Voices of the Future, a seasonal voice intensive for high school students to sharpen their acting and singing skills. Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre from New York University. Dash Perry reigns from sunny South Florida. Unafraid to explore the unknown, Dash has an interest in fashion, art, and philosophy which drive him as an actor and creative. When he isn't self-taping or turning looks, you can find him working with Cast Black Talent to create and amplify opportunities for black actors. An initiative that he believes in deeply. He snagged his BFA in musical theatre from Ball State University #ChirpChirp --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/support

Featuring Special Guest: Sarah Hubert Produced by RYCO Theatricals as a part of their podcast series RYCO LIVE, our two BIPOC queer hosts, Dash Perry & Tyler Dobies, deep dive into the big questions of our industry. GET INTO IT! *tongue pop* takes a look into the theatre industry today through panel discussions and asking the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) questions. Happening every Thursday at 7:00pm Eastern live on our social media @rycotheatricals. The hosts will kiki, pose of question of the day, and, most importantly, GET INTO IT! Check it out below! Tyler Dobies (he/him) is as Piscean as a person can be. He is the product of aspen trees, dirt roads, homeschooling, liberal arts, and the feeling of not being good enough. An alumni of Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program, Tyler has written solo shows about his experience as a queer, person of color. When not hosting GET INTO IT!, he is probably watching YouTube searching for a new Korean food recipe to try out or listening to ASMR. Credits include The Bridges of Madison County with Showtunes Theatre Company, Pajama Game with Centerstage Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher with ArtsWest all in Seattle, WA. He is also a founding faculty member for Building Voices of the Future, a seasonal voice intensive for high school students to sharpen their acting and singing skills. Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre from New York University. Dash Perry reigns from sunny South Florida. Unafraid to explore the unknown, Dash has an interest in fashion, art, and philosophy which drive him as an actor and creative. When he isn't self-taping or turning looks, you can find him working with Cast Black Talent to create and amplify opportunities for black actors. An initiative that he believes in deeply. He snagged his BFA in musical theatre from Ball State University #ChirpChirp --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/support

Featuring Special Guest: Jonathan Adams Produced by RYCO Theatricals as a part of their podcast series RYCO LIVE, our two BIPOC queer hosts, Dash Perry & Tyler Dobies, deep dive into the big questions of our industry. GET INTO IT! *tongue pop* takes a look into the theatre industry today through panel discussions and asking the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) questions. Happening every Thursday at 7:00pm Eastern live on our social media @rycotheatricals. The hosts will kiki, pose of question of the day, and, most importantly, GET INTO IT! Check it out below! Tyler Dobies (he/him) is as Piscean as a person can be. He is the product of aspen trees, dirt roads, homeschooling, liberal arts, and the feeling of not being good enough. An alumni of Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program, Tyler has written solo shows about his experience as a queer, person of color. When not hosting GET INTO IT!, he is probably watching YouTube searching for a new Korean food recipe to try out or listening to ASMR. Credits include The Bridges of Madison County with Showtunes Theatre Company, Pajama Game with Centerstage Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher with ArtsWest all in Seattle, WA. He is also a founding faculty member for Building Voices of the Future, a seasonal voice intensive for high school students to sharpen their acting and singing skills. Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre from New York University. Dash Perry reigns from sunny South Florida. Unafraid to explore the unknown, Dash has an interest in fashion, art, and philosophy which drive him as an actor and creative. When he isn't self-taping or turning looks, you can find him working with Cast Black Talent to create and amplify opportunities for black actors. An initiative that he believes in deeply. He snagged his BFA in musical theatre from Ball State University #ChirpChirp --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/support

Featuring Special Guest: Gabrielle Bowman-Dobies Produced by RYCO Theatricals as a part of their podcast series RYCO LIVE, our two BIPOC queer hosts, Dash Perry & Tyler Dobies, deep dive into the big questions of our industry. GET INTO IT! *tongue pop* takes a look into the theatre industry today through panel discussions and asking the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) questions. Happening every Thursday at 7:00pm Eastern live on our social media @rycotheatricals. The hosts will kiki, pose of question of the day, and, most importantly, GET INTO IT! Check it out below! Tyler Dobies (he/him) is as Piscean as a person can be. He is the product of aspen trees, dirt roads, homeschooling, liberal arts, and the feeling of not being good enough. An alumni of Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program, Tyler has written solo shows about his experience as a queer, person of color. When not hosting GET INTO IT!, he is probably watching YouTube searching for a new Korean food recipe to try out or listening to ASMR. Credits include The Bridges of Madison County with Showtunes Theatre Company, Pajama Game with Centerstage Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher with ArtsWest all in Seattle, WA. He is also a founding faculty member for Building Voices of the Future, a seasonal voice intensive for high school students to sharpen their acting and singing skills. Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre from New York University. Dash Perry reigns from sunny South Florida. Unafraid to explore the unknown, Dash has an interest in fashion, art, and philosophy which drive him as an actor and creative. When he isn't self-taping or turning looks, you can find him working with Cast Black Talent to create and amplify opportunities for black actors. An initiative that he believes in deeply. He snagged his BFA in musical theatre from Ball State University #ChirpChirp --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/support

Featuring Special Guests: Zack Keller & Sarah Olive-McStay Produced by RYCO Theatricals as a part of their podcast series RYCO LIVE, our two BIPOC queer hosts, Dash Perry & Tyler Dobies, deep dive into the big questions of our industry. GET INTO IT! *tongue pop* takes a look into the theatre industry today through panel discussions and asking the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) questions. Happening every Thursday at 7:00pm Eastern live on our social media @rycotheatricals. The hosts will kiki, pose of question of the day, and, most importantly, GET INTO IT! Check it out below! Tyler Dobies (he/him) is as Piscean as a person can be. He is the product of aspen trees, dirt roads, homeschooling, liberal arts, and the feeling of not being good enough. An alumni of Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program, Tyler has written solo shows about his experience as a queer, person of color. When not hosting GET INTO IT!, he is probably watching YouTube searching for a new Korean food recipe to try out or listening to ASMR. Credits include The Bridges of Madison County with Showtunes Theatre Company, Pajama Game with Centerstage Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher with ArtsWest all in Seattle, WA. He is also a founding faculty member for Building Voices of the Future, a seasonal voice intensive for high school students to sharpen their acting and singing skills. Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre from New York University. Dash Perry reigns from sunny South Florida. Unafraid to explore the unknown, Dash has an interest in fashion, art, and philosophy which drive him as an actor and creative. When he isn't self-taping or turning looks, you can find him working with Cast Black Talent to create and amplify opportunities for black actors. An initiative that he believes in deeply. He snagged his BFA in musical theatre from Ball State University #ChirpChirp --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryco-getintoit/support

Vania C. Bynum is a former Computer Engineer and graduate of Cornish College of the Arts. She has taught and choreographed throughout the Greater Seattle area for almost 20 years. Vania performed in the Paramount & Moore Theaters, Intiman Theatre, Benaroya Hall, the Meydenbauer, and the intimate space of local churches. Utilizing dance as her form of worship, Vania directed the Adult Liturgical Dance Ministry at New Beginnings Christian Fellowship for 11 years. Vania's works have been sponsored by the city of Seattle, 4Culture, Central District Forum, Bossak Heilbron, Microsoft, and Allied Arts Foundation. Artist Trust and Jack Straw are additional sponsors of her new work. Conversation recorded over Instagram Live on May 30, 2020. Watch Dani and Vania's conversation on CD Forum's Instagram. About CD Forum: The CD Forum is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to present and produce Black cultural programs that encourage thought and debate for the greater Seattle area. Our vision is to inspire new thoughts and challenge assumptions about Black Culture.

We’re throwing open the doors of our newly renovated building for a full-day takeover by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks! Parks took the Great Hall stage to deliver a rendition of her fast-paced and high-energy lecture “A Million Suggestions From Suzan-Lori Parks,” communicating a million humorous and useful pieces of advice for our modern lives. Then she presented a Town Hall-commissioned piece of writing based on her award-winning work 365 Days/365 Plays. Offered as a companion piece to the Robert Pinsky poem that inaugurated the space 20 years ago, Parks brought us a stage performance that’s short on the page but alludes to action in perpetuity—a reflection of the Great Hall’s bustling civic energy. Join us for an exploration of the creative process and unforgettable events with one of the most acclaimed playwrights of our time. Suzan-Lori Parks is the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. She is a MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient, and in 2015 was awarded the prestigious Gish Prize for Excellence in the Arts. Her project 365 Days/365 Plays (where she wrote a play a day for an entire year) was produced in over 700 theaters worldwide, creating one of the largest grassroots collaborations in theater history. Presented by Town Hall Seattle. Community Partners: Hansberry Project, Hedgebrook, Hugo House, Intiman Theatre, Allison Narver, New City Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle University Department of Performing Arts and Arts Leadership. Recorded live in the Great Hall on Saturday, September 7, 2019. 

Episode 6: choreographer and durational performance artist, Alice Gosti. Alice has a solo-show coming up Nov 1-17th at ACT Theatre called Where is home - birds of passage. The show is a 3 hour come and go durational performance examining Alice’s personal experience as an Italian-American immigrant artist. From Alice, “Like all of my work, birds of passage connects my personal history to wider collective histories. In this work, I tackle the history of Italian-American immigration to the US as well as the ongoing struggle for justice and equitable treatment that current immigrants and refugees face today.”Tickets are on sale now! Click here for more info and tickets.Before that solo show, Alice and her company Malacarne are having a fundraiser Party in Seattle on October 24th. And her work Material Deviance in Contemporary American Culture, which premiered last year at On the Boards is touring nationally to Boston (MA) Sept 27-29 and Charlotte (NC) Oct 17-18.In this episode, Alice and I talk about her dual identity as an Italian-American immigrant, how she became interested in creating durational performances, and how she approaches making collaborative work. Enjoy!Alice Gosti is an Italian-American Immigrant choreographer, hybrid performance artist, curator and architect of experiences, working between Seattle and Europe since 2008. She holds a B. A. in Dance from the University of Washington with a focus in choreography and experimental film.Gosti’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, commissions and residencies including being a recipient of the 2012 Vilcek Creative Promise in Dance Award, the 2012 ImPulsTanz danceWEB scholarship, the 2015 inaugural Intiman Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program as a Director, the Bossak/Heilbron Award, the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Award, an Artist Trust GAP Grant and Fellowship, NEFA’s National Dance Project 2016 and of the inaugural Italian Council Grant from the Italian Minister of Culture (MiBACT). Gosti was also a two-time Cornish Artist Incubator Awardee, Velocity Dance Center’s 2015 Artist-in-Residence, is Seattle University 2016 Artist-in-Residency at the University of Washington.Gosti’s work has been commissioned and presented nationally, by On the Boards, Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Art Museum, Intiman Theatre, Vilcek Foundation at the Joyce (NY), ODC Theater (SF) as part of the SCUBA national touring network, Risk/Rewards Festival (PDX) and Performance Works Northwest (PDX).Find more info about Alice’s work including video of her work on her website: www.gostia.com. Follow along or become a supporter of Sharpest Knives at www.Patreon.com/SharpestKnivesPodcastFind Sharpest Knives on Facebook.com/SharpestKnivesPodcastFollow @SharpestKnivesPodcast on InstagramEmail any suggestions or questions for future guests to SharpestKnivesPodcast@gmail.comSharpest Knives is partially supported by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.Support the show (http://www.patreon.com/sharpestknivespodcast)

In Episode 5, Maris hosts Art Activist and Seattle treasure, Sara Porkalob!Sara is a Seattle based Arts Activist who specializes in theater work. You may have seen the first two plays of her Dragon Cycle trilogy centering around telling the story of her family through the perspective of her mother and grandmother. And earlier this summer, you may have seen her play 7th and Jackson at Cafe Nordo here in Seattle. You have a few opportunities to see Sara’s work in the next year! First, Cafe Nordo will be producing the world premier of her new play, The Angel in the House, February 2020. It is, in Sara’s words, “A feminist, Victorian revenge thriller”. Next, Artswest is producing a world premier of her new play, Alex and Alix, in April 2020. Alex and Alix is a lovestory about two women and their journey with memory loss.And this winter, Sara will be performing in Baltimore Center Stage's production of Men on Boats, directed by Jenny Koons.And be sure to follow her on instagram @sporkalob, and check out her website! Sara and Maris’s conversation covers the intersection of public policy, social justice, and art making; how storytelling can be used to dismantle systemic racism; and Sara’s recommendations for Filipino food in Seattle. Sara Porkalob is an award winning arts activist based in Seattle. She’s featured in Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2018, City Arts’s 2017 Futures List, and served as Intiman Theatre’s 2017 Co-Curator. She is a co-founder of DeConstruct, and online journal of intersectional performance critique. Her first full length play Dragon Lady is the recipient of three 2018 Gregory Awards for: Outstanding Sound/Music Design, Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and Outstanding Musical Production, has garnered a Seattle Times Footlight Award, and a Broadway World Award for “Best New Play”. In 2019, American Repertory Theatre produced Dragon Lady and Dragon Mama, the first two plays in her family trilogy The Dragon Cycle and in July 2019, Nordo’s Culinarium produced her new play, 7th and Jackson, a historical fiction with music and immersive dining, inspired by Seattle’s International District. She is a proud 2nd generation Filipinx American and owes all of her success to her family.Believe survivors. Black Lives Matter. Queer Trans Lives Matter. Vote. Listen to Episode 5 on iTunes HEREListen on Spotify HEREFollow along or become a supporter of Sharpest Knives at www.Patreon.com/SharpestKnivesPodcastFind Sharpest Knives on Facebook.com/SharpestKnivesPodcastFollow @SharpestKnivesPodcast on InstagramEmail any suggestions or questions for future guests to SharpestKnivesPodcast@gmail.comSharpest Knives is partially supported by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.Support the show (http://www.patreon.com/sharpestknivespodcast)

Meet Sarah Porkalob. She's funny, witty, bold and beautiful. I think she's going to be my new west coast BFF. Sara is an artist activist and award winning solo-performer based in Seattle. She served as Intiman Theatre's 2017 Co-Curator and is the Programs Director for their Emerging Artist Program. She was one of the first recipients of a Village Theatre Original Writers Residency. Dragon Lady, her first full length work, has garnered a Seattle Times Foot-light Award and Broadway World Award for “Best New Play”. In spring of 2019, American Repertory Theatre will produce Dragon Lady and Dragon Mama, the first two solo-shows in her family trilogy THE DRAGON CYCLE . Her new play 7th and Jackson--a coming-of-age tale about three young women set in 1940's Seattle's International District and accompanied by live music--will be produced by Nordo's Culinarium in the summer . This fall and winter, she is teaching and focusing on writing her family memoir/cookbook/graphic novel. You can find her at www.saraporkalob.com

Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara is one of Broadway’s most celebrated leading ladies. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Kelli spent most of her childhood on her family’s cattle farm. A serendipitous move to another town while in high school offered Kelli a new beginning, one in which she immersed herself in the arts. She never looked back. An interest in opera began her lifelong relationship with vocal teacher Florence Birdwell.  (Ms. Birdwell had taught another actress from Oklahoma, Kristin Chenoweth. Indeed it was Kristin Chenoweth who introduced Kelli to her first agent in New York City.) Small parts led to bigger ones; eventually a leading role in the national tour of "Jekyll and Hyde" followed. Kelli then made her Broadway debut as a replacement in the musical horror-drama loosely based on the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson.  In her conversation with Ilana, Kelli discusses how there were times when she thought perhaps she had landed the role that would be her big break, but it was not to be. Ironically, it was a bit of luck that found her in California when the workshop of a new musical called "Light in the Piazza" was being cast. It was that workshop that led to the Lincoln Center production that made Kelli O’Hara a Broadway star. From farm girl to Tony Award winning actress, Kelli O'Hara shares her amazing story with Ilana on this episode of "Little Known Facts!" Kelli O’Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. Her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in the critically acclaimed revival of "The King and I" recently garnered her a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, along with Drama League and Outer Critics nominations. In 2014, her performance as Francesca in the musical adaptation of "The Bridges of Madison County" earned her Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations. Also that year, she starred as Mrs. Darling in NBC’s live telecast of “Peter Pan” alongside Allison Williams and Christian Borle, and on New Year’s Eve, Kelli made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the production of "The Merry Widow" with Renee Fleming.    A native of Oklahoma, Kelli received a degree in opera, and after winning the State Metropolitan Opera Competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasberg Institute. She made her Broadway debut in "Jekyll & Hyde" and followed it with Sondheim’s "Follies," "Sweet Smell of Success" opposite John Lithgow, and "Dracula." In 2003 Kelli committed to a production of "The Light in the Piazza" at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre. The show landed on Broadway in 2005 and earned Kelli her first Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. She moved from one critical and commercial success to another when she joined Harry Connick on Broadway in the 2006 Tony award-winning production of "The Pajama Game," for which Kelli received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations. Kelli starred in the Tony Award-winning revival of "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, and garnering Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations. She later teamed up with Matthew Broderick in Broadway's musical comedy "Nice Work if You Can Get it," earning Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations, as well as the Fred Astaire Nomination for dance.    Among her film and television credits are "Sex & The City 2," Martin Scorsese’s short "The Key to Reserva" opposite Simon Baker; "The Dying Gaul," "Blue Bloods" (NBC pilot), "All Rise" (NBC pilot), "Alexander Hamilton" (Maria Reynolds) starring Brian F. O’Byrne (PBS), "NUMB3RS" (CBS), "All My Children," the animated series "Car Talk," and numerous live performances on national television shows.   Kelli currently resides in New York City.

For this week's episode, we trace The Light in the Piazza's fifty-year journey from its first incarnation as a novella by Elizabeth Spencer to a musical idea handed down through one of musical theater's most prominent families.  We follow the musical, written by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, as it takes shape at the Sundance Theatre Lab, has its first production at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle, is restructured for the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, before making its way to Broaday at Lincoln Center. The show would be nominated for 13 Tony Awards and win 8 of them. It would make stars of its two leading ladies and go down as one of the most important new works of our time.  This episode features brand new interviews with composer Adam Guettel, book writer Craig Lucas, actors Victoria Clark, Kelli O'Hara, and Celia Keenan-Bolger, director Bartlett Sher, and Lincoln Center Artistic Director Andre Bishop

Bartlett Sher is an American theatre director. He has been nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical as well as a Drama Desk Award for his direction of the 2008 Broadway revival of South Pacific. He served as associate artistic director at Hartford Stage in Connecticut and company director at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. He was artistic director at Intiman Theatre in Seattle and in 2008 was named resident director at Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. Bart took some time out from his rehearsals of the now running Oslo to chat with me about the role of the Director in modern productions and . . . How directing on Broadway wasn’t even in his game plan. How directing a show is like conducting an orchestra. What his rehearsal process is really like (and why it scares choreographers like this one). What he looks for from actors when he’s auditioning. Why it’s hard to find a good producer. Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway www.theproducersperspective.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originally from Brussels, Belgium, Olivier Wevers is the founder and Artistic Director of Seattle’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company Whim W’Him. In 2012 Wevers was honored with the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s Arts Award and in 2011 he received the Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship. In both 2011 and 2010 Wevers’ work took home the grand prize award at the Annual Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in California and he has also been named by Dance Magazine as one of their 25 to watch. Wevers first began exploring choreography in 2002 while still a Principal Dancer at Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB). In 2009 he founded Whim W’Him to create a “platform, centered around choreography and dance, for artists to explore their craft through innovation and collaboration.” In 2011 Whim W’Him was named the resident dance company of Intiman Theatre.

The OUTSpoken Boyz Talk with Mayor CondonDavid A. Condon is the 44th Mayor of the City of Spokane. Born in February 1974, the same year that Spokane was preparing to shine on the world stage at the Expo ’74 World’s Fair, David grew up watching the fireworks off Cliff Drive on the 4th of July, helping his mom at the House of Charity, and spending Friday nights in the fall at Joe Albi Stadium watching high school football games.It was the Spokane that David grew up in, a place that was safe for families, fertile for businesses, and naturally stunning, that gave him a passion for this City. The youngest of ten children of Dr. John and Mrs. Carolu Condon, he was raised with a mind toward small business and service. After graduating from Gonzaga Prep School in 1992, he went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Finance and Military Science from Boston College.His career has spanned everything from starting four of his own coffee shops during his college years in Boston, to managing a dental practice in Spokane, to working as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Eastern Washington’s U.S. Congresswoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Additionally, David served in the 25th Infantry Division over in Schofield Barrack, Hi, the 62nd Medical Brigade at Fort Lewis, WA, and 396th Combat Support Hospital at Mann Reserve Center, located in Spokane’s historic Hillyard neighborhood.David’s passion for Spokane, coupled with his belief that it can be a model city for other municipalities, led to an ambitious plan that has focused on five key areas for Spokane including: Restoring public trust in law enforcement and enhancing community safety; creating an atmosphere to attract and retain jobs; promoting long-term fiscal health without undue burden on citizens; maintaining critical public infrastructure at an affordable price; and engaging citizens and improving the quality and character of our community.David and his wife Kristin are raising their three children in the Comstock neighborhood, not far from where David grew up. He is most passionate about Spokane, and making sure that this great City remains a place that his own children will want to stay and raise a family.Brady Walkinshaw 43rd Legislative District in SeattleRaised in a rural community in the Nooksack Valley in northeast Whatcom County, Brady grew up around many of the challenges and opportunities we face today. Brady’s mom, Vicky, teaches English Language Learners in Nooksack Valley Schools – the same schools where Brady graduated. She came to the United States from Cuba with her parents, who put their three kids through college working their way up from washing dishes to becoming successful restaurant owners. On his dad’s side, Brady is a fifth generation Washingtonian. His dad, Charlie, is an agricultural educator and was born and raised in the 43rd Legislative District.After graduating high school, Brady attended Princeton University on a scholarship where he studied public policy. On graduating, he went on to study as a Fulbright Scholar in Honduras. In Honduras, Brady founded Proyecto Villa Nueva, a non-profit that works to foster youth leadership and prevent violence in urban slums. In 2011, the Organization of American States recognized the program for its contributions to building a culture of peace.Through his career, Brady has focused on promoting economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and human rights. Brady worked as a Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supporting sustainable and productive food systems for the poor in developing countries. He spent time in Washington, D.C. working on interfaith dialogue for environmental and social justice with Georgetown University and the World Bank.At home, Brady serves as the Chair of the Trust for Public Land’s Washington State Advisory Board and on the board of Intiman Theatre. As a legislator, Brady is committed to putting his values into practice through policies that support economic opportunity for all, preserve our environment for the future, and invest in the education system we need for our kids to succeed from pre-K thru college.Brady lives on Capitol Hill with his partner Micah Horwith, a Seattle native and a marine biologist with the State’s Department of Natural Resources.Learn More about Brady  www.bradywalkinshaw.com

As "The Light In The Piazza" prepares for its national tour, director Bartlett Sher talks about the experience of living with and working on the show for more than three years, explains his approach to "Awake And Sing" and why he felt it belonged in the same theatre where its premiered 70 years ago, and professes his amazement at the enthusiastic response in the Seattle community to the Intiman Theatre (where Sher is artistic director) receiving the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Original air date - July 21, 2006.

As "The Light In The Piazza" prepares for its national tour, director Bartlett Sher talks about the experience of living with and working on the show for more than three years, explains his approach to "Awake And Sing" and why he felt it belonged in the same theatre where its premiered 70 years ago, and professes his amazement at the enthusiastic response in the Seattle community to the Intiman Theatre (where Sher is artistic director) receiving the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Original air date - July 21, 2006.

As "The Light In The Piazza" prepares for its national tour, director Bartlett Sher talks about the experience of living with and working on the show for more than three years, explains his approach to "Awake And Sing" and why he felt it belonged in the same theatre where its premiered 70 years ago, and professes his amazement at the enthusiastic response in the Seattle community to the Intiman Theatre (where Sher is artistic director) receiving the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Original air date - July 21, 2006.