Podcasts about Jeff Award

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

First of all, check out Cory's website at www.corygoodrich.com.   We discuss the visual art of Cory Goodrich on this podcast, and how her discovery of "a family secret" led her to creating art as a means of expressing her inner feelings.  Born in Wilmington, Delaware and raised in Clarkston, Michigan, Cory Goodrich is a Jeff Award winning actress for her roles as Mother in Drury Lane Oakbrook's acclaimed production of Ragtime, and as June Carter Cash in the Jeff nominated Johnny Cash revue, Ring of Fire at Mercury Theater Chicago, where she was also seen as Alice in The Addams Family, and Alma in The Christmas Schooner, and Carol Brady in the hilarious war between the Partridges and the Brady's in The Bardy Bunch.  Most recently, Cory has been seen at Drury Lane as the onstage accordion player in Evita, and at the newly renovated Studebaker Theatre in the premiere of Skates, a New Musical, starring American Idol's Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young. A five-time Jeff nominee, Cory has performed in productions at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare, Theatre at the Center, Ravinia, Candlelight and Drury Lane. A Graduate of Michigan State University, she is also a singer/songwriter, producer, writer, and mother of two, children's composer with her two award winning CDs, Hush and Wiggly Toes, and three solo folk albums: W.O.M.A.N, Wildwood Flower,  a collection of traditional and original folk songs featuring the autoharp, and her latest project, Long Way Around,  produced by Ethan Deppe of The Quiet Regret. She is co-producer of six Season of Carols CDs (Season of Carols, Holiday Music to Benefit Season of Concern, which garnered over $200K for the charity.) and The Second City Divas, Live at Mercury Theater CD with Eugene Dizon. Her memoir, Folksong: A Ballad of Death, Discovery, and DNA is available on Amazon.Support the Show.We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT. Here are some important links:SUPPORT THE SHOW:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaKMARTIN'S WEBSITE:http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM (note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)MARTIN'S MUSIC: Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)Martin McCormack | SpotifyMARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNELMartin McCormack - YouTubeFACEBOOKFacebook...

First of all, check out Cory's website at www.corygoodrich.com.Born in Wilmington, Delaware and raised in Clarkston, Michigan, Cory Goodrich is a Jeff Award winning actress for her roles as Mother in Drury Lane Oakbrook's acclaimed production of Ragtime, and as June Carter Cash in the Jeff nominated Johnny Cash revue, Ring of Fire at Mercury Theater Chicago, where she was also seen as Alice in The Addams Family, and Alma in The Christmas Schooner, and Carol Brady in the hilarious war between the Partridges and the Bradys in The Bardy Bunch.  Most recently, Cory has been seen at Drury Lane as the onstage accordion player in Evita, and at the newly renovated Studebaker Theatre in the premiere of Skates, a New Musical, starring American Idol's Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young. A five-time Jeff nominee, Cory has performed in productions at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare, Theatre at the Center, Ravinia, Candlelight and Drury Lane. A Graduate of Michigan State University, she is also a singer/songwriter, producer, writer, and mother of two, children's composer with her two award winning CDs, Hush and Wiggly Toes, and three solo folk albums: W.O.M.A.N, Wildwood Flower,  a collection of traditional and original folk songs featuring the autoharp, and her latest project, Long Way Around,  produced by Ethan Deppe of The Quiet Regret. She is co-producer of six Season of Carols CDs (Season of Carols, Holiday Music to Benefit Season of Concern, which garnered over $200K for the charity.) and The Second City Divas, Live at Mercury Theater CD with Eugene Dizon. Her memoir, Folksong: A Ballad of Death, Discovery, and DNA is available on Amazon.Support the Show.We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT. Here are some important links:SUPPORT THE SHOW:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaKMARTIN'S WEBSITE:http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM (note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)MARTIN'S MUSIC: Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)Martin McCormack | SpotifyMARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNELMartin McCormack - YouTubeFACEBOOKFacebook...

Laura Schellhardt is a Chicago based playwright and adapter. Her original works include Air Guitar High, Auctioning the Ainsleys, The Apothecary's Daughter, The K of D, Courting Vampires, and Shapeshifters, among many others. Adaptations include The Phantom Tollbooth, The Outfit, and Creole Folktales. She is also the author of Screenwriting for Dummies. She's a two-time Jeff Award nominee and recipient of the AATE Distinguished Play Award, the New Play Frontier's residency, the TCG National Playwriting Residency, the Jerome Fellowship, the New Play Award from ACT in Seattle, and a Dramatist Guild Playwriting Fellowship. She has participated in the SoHo Rep Writer/Director Lab, the Women Playwrights Festival at SRC, the Kennedy Center's New Voices/New Visions Festival, the Bonderman TYA Symposium, the Ojai New Play Conference, the Denver Center New Play Summit, the Bay Area Theatre Festival, and the O'Neill National Playwright's Festival, among others. She received her graduate degree from Brown University, under Paula Vogel. She's a former Victory Gardens Resident Playwright and current member of Walkabout Playwrights Collective and she oversees the undergraduate play Schellhardt oversees the undergraduate playwriting program in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University.   Key Takeaways We all hold many identities and their salience changes with time and context Privilege can be an obstacle when you're not aware of it but it can be a tool to empower others What you practice grows stronger, especially with how you talk to yourself and others What and how you give your attention is one of your most powerful tools  Effort > outcome and process > product There's a difference between safety and comfort and it is important to learn and grow in discomfort Authenticity is a series of choices based on your values and intentions Take yourself seriously but hold yourself lightly Make connections not impressions Guest's Media Recommendations: The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How To Decolonize the Creative Classroom by Felicia Rose Chavez (book) Creative Acts for Curious People by Sarah Stein Greenberg (book) __ Find Guest's work: https://communication.northwestern.edu/faculty/laura-schellhardt.html __ For more of Michael's work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!

On this edition of The Arts Section, host Gary Zidek catches up with author Doug Preston to talk about the unique literary project he helped put together. Preston and Margaret Atwood recruited over 30 of the world's most popular fiction writers to work on a collaborative novel called FOURTEEN STORIES. The Dueling Critics, Kerry Reid and Jonathan Abarbanel, join Gary to review Gift Theatre's latest and discuss the recently announced non-equity Jeff Award nominations. Later in the show, Gary takes a closer look at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's new Sufjan Stevens-inspired production, ILLINOISE. And we'll highlight some local Lunar New Year activities.

*Subscribe to the 101 Stage Adaptations newsletter*Melissa was elated to chat with Lauren Gunderson about her brand new musical adaptation of The Time Traveller's Wife, which just premiered on London's West End. Lauren wrote the book, & the music & lyrics are by Dave Stewart & Joss Stone.In this episode, we discuss:How Lauren got the gig to adapt her favorite book of all timeWorking in LondonWhen to take notes and when to ignore them  Her upcoming novel! And more!Resources MentionedThe Time Traveller's WifeRevolutionary WomenAbout Our GuestLauren Gunderson is one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015 topping the list thrice. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will; the winner of the Lanford Wilson Award, The Jeff Award for New Plays, and the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award; and a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Arthur L. Weissberger Award, and John Gassner Award for Playwriting. Revolutionary Women, her new anthology of five plays, is published by Bloomsbury along with I and You, The Catastrophist and anthropology, which recently premiered at Hampstead Theatre. She co-authored the popular Miss Bennet trilogy with Margot Melcon. The Half-Life of Marie Curie was commissioned by Audible Theatre, premiered off-Broadway and can be heard at Audible.com. She just finished her first novel, The Fervor Witch, and will soon premiere several new musicals including Sinister, I and You: A Musical, and Built for This, as well as another musicals with Dave Stewart.  Connect with Our Guestlaurengunderson.com New Play ExchangeFacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Television star Katey Sagal (Married with Children, Futurama, Sons of Anarchy) & writer Paul Gordon (2001 Tony Nominated Composer for Jane Eyre) pull back the curtain to talk about the new Off-Broadway Musical, The Gospel According to Heather.In this interview, they reveal:What they relate to most about the showTheir creative processesStage/Theatrical mishapsBest Advice they receivedOne rule they each live byIn The Gospel According to Heather, Heather Krebs just wants a boyfriend. But how can she even navigate her way through high school if she might be the New Messiah? A small town in Ohio grapples with politics, religion and teenage romance in this eclectic pop musical.The Gospel According to Heather plays at Theater 555 in NYC through the newly extended date of July 16, 2023.*This interview took place live at The Gospel According to Heather press event, where members of the media were given a sneak peak of this new Off-Broadway Musical. More on Katey Sagal:TV: The Connors, Rebel, Sons of Anarchy (Golden Globe Award), Superior Donuts, 8 Simple Rules, Futurama and Married with Children.FILM: Bleed For This, Pitch Perfect 2 and The Good Mother.Music: CDs Well..., Room, Covered and performs with her band The Reluctant Apostles.Books: Her first book, Grace Notes: My Recollections, was published in 2017 by Simon and Schuster.More on Paul Gordon:2001 Tony Award nominated composer for his musical Jane Eyre. Other works include Sense and Sensibility (winner of the 2015 Jeff Award for Best New Work), Daddy Long Legs (2009 Ovation Award, 2 Drama Desk Award nominations, Off-Broadway Alliance Award nomination and 3 Outer Critic Circle award nominations). He is the co-founder of StreamingMusicals.com, where his musicals Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Estella Scrooge, Being Earnest and No One Called Ahead can currently be streamed. Knight's Tale, written with John Caird, has had multiple productions in Japan. His other shows include: Stellar Atmospheres, Little Dorrit, Schwab's, Analog and Vinyl, The Front, Juliet and Romeo, Sleepy Hollow, First Night, The Circle, Ribbit, Greetings From Venice Beach and The Sportswriter. In his former life, Paul was a pop songwriter, writing several number one hits.Special Thanks:Richard Hillman PRTheme Song by Bobby CroninPodcast Logo by Liam O'DonnellEdited by Adam RothenbergMore Call Me Adam:Website: www.callmeadam.comFacebook: @CallMeAdamNYCInstagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Actor, improviser, and playwright Dee Ryan has written Broadguess, her one-person comedy in which a hard-boiled Elsinore detective gets too close to some mysterious deaths amongst the Danish royal family and gets transferred to...Verona. As Detective Broadguess discovers murders most foul in Italy and Scotland, she uncovers the sick mind responsible and investigates what kind of man creates this level of carnage. Ryan, a Jeff nominated Second City alum, talks about the origins of the piece; how it was inspired by her Shakespeare book club; its debut as part of Flatwater Shakespeare Company's "UnShaken Festival;" how she's recreating Shakespeare's connection to a broad (!) audience; her gratitude to Jeff Award-winning director Barb Wallace; and how her very funny comedy is a dee-construction of both Shakespeare's canon and Shakespeare the Man. (Length 20:04)

Hi Friends! This week we're talking with our buddy Ricky Glore about his new movie OPEN HOUSE! If you love supporting great indie projects, this one is definitely one to support!! Check out the Kickstarter to see if there's a level that works for you! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rickyglore/open-house-a-horror-musical-dark-comedy—► WEBSITE: https://www.tipsypod.com► PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/tipsypod► MERCH: https://www.tipsypod.com/shop► FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tipsypod► INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tipsypod► YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/theyreterrifiedtipsy► PODCAST PRODUCTION: https://www.twitter.com/djaudio_► PROMOS:► MENTIONED MERCH: ► MENTIONED EPISODES: ... X: https://www.tipsypod.com/96-x-2022-stefanie-and-courtney-accidentally-watch-a-porno/ ... Pearl: https://www.tipsypod.com/124-pearl-2022-soo-this-girl-might-have-some-serious-problems/ ... Ricky Glore: https://www.tipsypod.com/ricky-glore-returns-to-talk-about-his-new-movie-hilarious-comedy-album-future-projects-and-more/ ... Chopping Mall: https://www.tipsypod.com/65-chopping-mall-1986-patreon-pick/ ... Killer Klowns: https://www.tipsypod.com/67-killer-klowns-from-outer-space-1988/ ... VelociPastor: https://www.tipsypod.com/129-the-velocipastor-2018-guys-we-have-no-words-for-this-movie-lol/ ... Deep Red (the movie that turned into Italian halfway lol): https://www.tipsypod.com/78-deep-red-1975-patreon-pick/ ... Blood Rage: https://www.tipsypod.com/110-blood-rage-1987-how-could-this-possibly-be-our-thanksgiving-episode/ ... April Fool's Day: https://www.tipsypod.com/127-april-fools-day-1986-patreon-pick-what-is-the-point-of-all-of-these-stupid-pranks/ ... Halloween 1978 Part 1: https://www.tipsypod.com/17-halloween-1978-part-1/ ... Halloween 1978 Part 2: https://www.tipsypod.com/17-halloween-1978-part-2/ ... Halloween 2018: https://www.tipsypod.com/106-halloween-2018-our-feelings-on-this-movie-might-surprise-you/ ... Psycho: https://www.tipsypod.com/21-psycho-1960/► EVERYTHING: https://www.linktr.ee/tipsypod► KICKSTARTER: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rickyglore/open-house-a-horror-musical-dark-comedy--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Open House, a brand-new horror musical comedy from NKY Films.MEDIA CONTACT: P.J. Starks (Executive Producer) starks.pj@gmail.com“TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE meets ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW”SYNOPSIS: A young mother, along with her teenage daughter, live a vagabond life, bouncing from town to town, squatting in homes that they have tricked realtors into showing them during the day, and then breaking into them later at night, so they have somewhere to sleep. This grift seems to be working well until the two come across an overzealous realty couple, who show the duo a house, but refuse to let them leave.ABOUT THE PROJECT: NKY Films brings you their next foray into hilarious terror from writer/director Ricky Glore (All Your Friends Are Dead). This horror musical comedy will be mostly filmed in Wilder, Kentucky at Bobby Mackey's, the infamously haunted slaughterhouse featured on Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures. Special Effects will be handled by Trevor Thompson (Malum, Devil's Revenge, Mom & Dad) with makeup/wardrobe handled by Ashley Meenach (Hauntology, Monica). Nicholas Hiance (All Your Friends Are Dead) will serve as an executive producer and director of photography. The film is produced by Chris Morris (All Your Friends Are Dead), Mike Flinchum (All Your Friends Are Dead, Hell's Gate) and executive produced by P.J. Starks (13 Slays Till X-Mas, Cryptids, New Fears Eve). The score will be conducted by David Kornfeld, the Jeff Award-winning composer of HAYMARKET: A NEW FOLK MUSICAL and he is currently on tour as Associate Conductor of the JaggedLittle Pill Broadway musical.Open House has an exciting and talented cast featuring Timmy H. Barron (Chicago Fire), Ali Delianides (All Your Friends Are Dead), Lisa Walton (When the Night Falls, Terror Talk), and newcomer Jasmine Fondrisi.FOR MORE INFORMATION:Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rickyglore/open-house-a-horror-musical-dark-comedyTo learn more about the writer/director visit www.RickyGlore.comThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4681494/advertisement

Multidisciplinary artist Gina Cornejo (she/they) is an Americana Peruana and Queer identifying creative. Aiming for a pinnacle of honesty to be revealed by curating intimate autobiographical theatrical performances for our collective healing, the mediums they specialize in are writing, immersive solo performance, and storytelling. For 17 years, claiming Chicago as her artistic home, Cornejo contributed her writing, choreography, and theatrical concepts to Teatro Luna, a multiple Jeff Award winning Latinx/WOC company. Navigating the art scene in Asheville, North Carolina, she was selected for the First Draft Residency at Revolve Gallery (2021) debuting her deviously detailed solo show “when sugar was sugar was sugar,” alongside her pandemic-born collaborative short film “Atmosphere.”https://www.ginacornejo.com“Dirty Laundry,” Cornejo's ambitious writing project that unapologetically discloses the irreverent unraveling of her marriage and divorce was coupled with innovative choreography and cinematic elements from Stewart Owen Dance and videographer Josh Finck. Cornejo was the first artist selected for the Story/Arts Residency at Story Parlor (2022), where she showcased the visually captivating 35 minute collaborative film while amplifying her solo performance in an immersive theatrical setting of her conception.“Dirty Laundry” was recently featured at the Asheville Fringe Festival (2023). Cornejo proudly resides on the advisory board of Story Parlor. This summer she will be joining the team at American Players Theatre, in Spring Green, Wisconsin.Photos by Araya HansenEpisode brought to you in part by Side House Records and Valor Private Wealth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this 351st episode of “Elton Jim” Turano's “CAPTAIN POD-TASTIC,” Jim Turano shares his reaction that he’s been nominated for a Jeff Award, the highest honor in Chicago theater.

In this episode, Jennifer talks to Andrea Prestinario about queerness in musical theater. Andrea shares her journey as a queer performer & producer and what lead her to co-found Ring of Keys, a nonprofit artist service organization for queer and trans artists in musical theatre. They talk about the need for queer visibility and representation, creating change even if it takes time, and what it means to lead by example & trust your intuition.  About Andrea: Andrea Prestinario is a queer award-winning performer and producer who has worked at 20+ theatres throughout the country over the last 15 years, including NYTW, Asolo Rep, American Conservatory Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Lyric Opera Chicago, Gulfshore Playhouse, Writers' Theatre, York Theatre, and more. Favorite roles include Alison in Fun Home (Baltimore Center Stage), Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls; (Weston Playhouse), Eliza in My Fair Lady; Maureen in RENT (Paramount Theatre), Martha in 1776 (Asolo Rep), and Louise in Gypsy (Drury Lane Oakbrook). She received a Jeff Award for her work as Violet in Side Show (Boho Theatre). A graduate of Ball State University and The School at Steppenwolf, she is also the Co-Founder of Ring of Keys: a nonprofit artist service organization for queer and trans artists in musical theatre. She created RoK's signature programming: Queering the Canon: A Concert Series which she produced in addition to producing other concerts for the org (Joe's Pub, Birdland). She produced/conceived her solo show sMOkeyTOWN: The Songs of Smokey Robinson which played throughout NYC (54Below, Laurie Beechman) and Chicago. Andrea's IG: @andreaprestinario Andrea's Website: www.andreaprestinario.com Ring of Keys Website: www.ringofkeys.org Want to coach with Jennifer? Schedule a session here! https://appt.link/jenniferapple Monologue Sourcing Promo Link! https://empoweredartistcollective.com/podcastpromo Learn more: https://www.empoweredartistcollective.com/podcast EAC IG: @EmpoweredArtistCollective  EAC TikTok: @EmpowerArtistCollective EAC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empoweredartistcollective/ Check Out Our Merch! https://www.empoweredartistcollective.threadless.com/ Any thoughts you'd like to share? Email us at EmpoweredArtistCollective@gmail.com    

Saidah Arrika Ekulona is an award-winning theatre, television and film actress. She's originated roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatres and international theatres, and originated the role of Mama Nadi in the Pulitzer Prize winning play RUINED, for which she won an Obie Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Jeff Award, Audelco Award and the Black Theatre Alliance Award.  She's currently shooting a Series Regular role as Ebunoluwa on BOB LOVES ABISHOLA, can also be seen as Toni Chapman in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, and has been a recurring featured Guest Star on SNOWFALL, BETTER CALL SAUL, BULL, KEVIN CAN WAIT, IMPASTOR, and has also Guest Starred in SCANDAL, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, WHY WOMEN KILL, ROOM 104, THE 100, and SHAMELESS, among others. Saidah's film work includes DARK WAS THE NIGHT, HONEYGLUE, CHRISTIAN MINGLE, THE DEN, THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, RIGHTEOUS KILL, and others.  Theatre credits include BROADWAY: Well OFF-BROADWAY: An American Daughter (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Othello; Unconditional; Well; The Square; Romeo and Juliet (Public Theatre/NYSF); The Thugs (Soho Rep); Fabulation (Playwrights Horizons); A Streetcar Named Desire (NYTW), The Thugs (Soho Rep) and more. Saidah received her BA from Albright College and her MFA in Acting from University of Minnesota. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this month's special Halloween episode of Conversations with Changemakers, we speak with Dana Black, host and creator of I Swear on My Mother's Grave podcast.  Dana is also a SAG-AFTRA actor known for her work on The Big Leap, Chicago Med, Empire, and more. Theatre credits include Steppenwolf, Northlight, and About Face, where she was nominated for an Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actress. I wanted to have Dana on to discuss: Using grief, loss, and disappointment to create art, content, and change.  Starting and then growing a podcast, website, community, and business. The delicate balance of artist and healthy CEO. Click here to access bonus resources from this episode. Connect with Dana Black: Website Podcast Instagram Personal Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Connect with Tony Howell: Website Instagram YouTube Twitter Facebook Episode Credits: Art by Tony Howell + Gertrude Pillena Editing by Unapologetic Amplified Hosting by Broadway Podcast Network If you enjoyed this episode, please visit RateThisPodcast.com/tonyhowell. Be sure to check out our past conversations and subscribe for next month's special guest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is Tom McElroy, a veteran of local productions in and around Chicago for over twenty years. He's had parts in many Jeff Award-winning productions as well as Southside with You and The Dark Knight. Over the last two decades, Tom has also brought Christian actors together in a time of weekly prayer for the arts and for the city of Chicago. We'll talk acting, EMP, and Tom's story. Connect with Tom on tommcelroy.net and his IMDb page imdb.com/name/nm0568458. Connect: Tommcelroy.net imdb.com/name/nm0568458 If you are a Christian in the world of entertainment and media in Chicagoland and would like more information on how to join our gathering, contact Tom and he will send you all the info! Reach Tom at tom@tommcelroy.net ____________________ Connect with us! www.gifts4glory.com www.facebook.com/gifts4glory www.wellversedcomedy.com www.facebook.com/wellversedcmdy Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/gifts4glory #OGHG #actorslife #acting #prayer #EMP #testimony #faith #Jesus #God #HolySpirit

Chadwick Aaron Boseman (/ˈboʊzmən/; November 29, 1976 – August 28, 2020) was an American actor. During his two-decade career, Boseman received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, among other accolades. He was also nominated for an Academy Award.After studying directing at Howard University, Boseman began his career in theatre, winning a Drama League Directing Fellowship and an acting AUDELCO, along with receiving a Jeff Award nomination for his 2005 play Deep Azure. Transitioning to the screen, his first major role was as a series regular on the NBC drama Persons Unknown (2010) and he landed his breakthrough performance as baseball player Jackie Robinson in the 2013 biographical film 42. He continued to portray historical figures, starring as singer James Brown in Get on Up (2014) and as attorney Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017).Boseman achieved international fame for playing the Marvel Comics superhero Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from 2016 to 2019. He appeared in four MCU films, including an eponymous 2018 film that earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. As the first black actor to headline an MCU film, he was also named in the 2018 Time 100. Boseman's final performance as the character in the Disney + anthology series What If...? (2021) earned him a posthumous Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer. He kept his condition private, continuing to act until his death in 2020 from the illness. His final film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, was released posthumously the same year to critical acclaim, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. Boseman also received four nominations at the 27th Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work in Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the most for a performer at a single ceremony, winning Male Actor in a Leading Role for the latter.

With credits in singing, dancing, acting and choreographing, and now a 2022 Tony Nominee for his role in Broadway's first-ever revival of Funny Girl, Jared Grimes deserves the title “quadruple threat”. The Broadway Star recalls his early days when he would tap dance and perform in the New York City subway and other spots in the city. Jared shares the story of how he landed a gig as Mariah Carey's backup dancer, and how he pulled off filming Manifest and rehearsing for Funny Girl at the same time. He talks about his inspiring outlook regarding rejection and why he considers it as "just a different path to another opportunity", resilience as one of his superpowers, and the importance of finding your purpose. Jared is a dancer, singer, actor, and choreographer whose long list of credits includes touring with iconic singer, Mariah Carey, and dancing for popular artists like Salt-n-Pepa and Busta Rhymes. His theatre performance credits include "A Soldiers Play on Broadway", "The Radio City Spring Spectacular", "After Midnight on Broadway", "Twist", "Babes in Arms", and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". His TV credits include NBC's Manifest, Fox's "Fringe" and HBO's "Boardwalk Empire". His choreography credits include “Banana Shpeel” off-broadway, “After Midnight” on Broadway, and “Holler If You Hear Me”, “Jelly's Last Jam”, “The Scottsboro Boys”, "Ain't Misbehaving", “42nd Street” where he won a Jeff Award for Best Choreography and “Lights Out: Nat King Cole” where he won a Barrymore Award for Best Choreography. Jared has also choreographed his first film, "Breaking Brooklyn". His film credits include "The Marc Pease Experience", "Little Manhattan" and "First Born. In this episode, we talk about: The history of tap dancing Dancing for Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Salt-n-Pepa, and more Bailing school to audition as one of Mariah Carey's backup dancers Trying out for his middle school basketball team and getting cut twice Getting the role of Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl Connect with Jared: Twitter: @JaredMGrimes Instagram: @grimeystepz Website: jaredmgrimes.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chai with Rai (Ep.28)- In Conversation with Ramita Ravi and Vikas Arun from Project Convergence. We sat and discussed the creative space in US from a South Asian perspective, being a female and being queer. We also dove into conversations about South Asian Dance-- how the space can often be divided and separated. How South Asian dancers are only bought together for South Asian projects as oppose to our counterparts in the community. How Ramita and Vikas are creating heritage work but meshing it with other forms. Mentorship and sharing the South Asian dance space with other companies and uplifting each other.  We also discussed their passions for balancing careers outside of the arts industry and how that functions with all of their business ventures. We obviously talked about the work they both create for Project Convergence and dance competitions. Their credits, dance journeys, their views on digital space and actualising that into work and so much more.  A bit about Ramita:  Ramita Ravi is a professional dancer, choreographer, educator, entrepreneur, and consultant: As an Artist, she is signed bi-coastally with Bloc Talent Agency. She was the first South Asian to be featured on So You Think You Can Dance which launched a career of credits including SAG Feature Film Spinning Gold, John Oliver, TNT, Viceland, Hermès NYFW, Mystic India: The World Tour. I've choreographed for Lincoln Center, Raveena, KSHMR, Buzzfeed, Spotify; and taught at Broadway Dance Center, Columbia, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Alvin Ailey. I'm also on faculty with Groove Dance, Headliners, and Imagine Dance Challenge. As a consultant, she has worked in UX Design, Product Strategy, Marketing, Program / Portfolio Management at companies like TEDMED, Tomorrow Health, Advice Coach, and Stage Door Connections. As an Entrepreneur, Ramita is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Artswrk: a professional network for artists and creatives. She also co-founded Project Convergence, a dance company incubated at the American Tap Dance Foundation.  A bit about Vikas:  Vikas is a sought-after dancer specializing in tap, contemporary, and Bollywood dance. He has had the pleasure of working with numerous prestigious choreographers including Emmy nominees Chloe Arnold and Anthony Morigerato, Jeff Award winner Jared Grimes, MacArthur Genius grant winner Michelle Dorrance, and many others. His performance credits include TV (Good Morning America, So You Think You Can Dance, Univsion), film (Breaking Brooklyn), commercials (J.Crew, Vogue), and musicals (42nd Street). He has performed for esteemed guests such as the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India. Vikas' company Project Convergence, co-founded with Ramita Ravi, is the first company in residence at the American Tap Dance Foundation dedicated to blending tap dance with Bharatanatyam, a classical from of Indian percussive dance. The company's performance credits include Spotify, Buzzfeed, and Lincoln Center, with media coverage from WNYC (New York Public Radio), Dance Magazine, Columbia Magazine, and The Hindu. You can catch him in print as the first South Asian Ambassador for Capezio or as a teacher at Broadway Dance Center and Columbia University. In addition to his dance work, Vikas' is also an award winning engineer and a Robert Gartland Fellow at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School for Engineering and Applied Science. He travels the world teaching dance technique, dance pedagogy, financing for dancers, and personal growth coaching. He is a guest lecturer at Columbia University, a substitute faculty member at Broadway Dance Center, a regular guest on numerous podcasts, and a cited source for articles in major publications including The Guardian, The New York Times, and more. To watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/G-aIVNHxenY  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/  Guest: https://www.instagram.com/ramita.ravi/ , https://www.instagram.com/vikas_arun_/ & https://www.instagram.com/project.convergence/  Links: Myself: https://linktr.ee/raimuitfum Guests: https://www.ramitaravi.com ,  https://www.vikasarun.com  https://www.projectconvergence.org   Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.

Actor/Singer, Deanna Reed-Foster, born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, shares her journey from HS choir to seeing her first play at 21 to Laurence Fishburne playing her husband on the big screen. A Jeff Award winner for her lauded work in "The First Deep Breath" at Victory Gardens, Deanna let's us in on next steps and future projects. Support the show

This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the Real Talk with Mark West episode, "#24: The Art of Living | Holy Theatre" The Holy Theatre is the place where the invisible is made visible; where we face and conquer our own inner demons. The Promethean Theatre Ensemble's production of Richard III plays May 12-June 25, 2022 at The Factory Theatre, in which I play the role of Buckingham. I share what my character has taught me about myself then sit down with Director Steve Scott, Text Coach Paulette Hicks, and Cameron Faegin who plays Richard III. I hear their take on happiness, if theatre has fed into their overall happiness, and whether our Shakespeare show has any relevance to today's topics of conversation. Finally, I have ways you can get in on exclusive Chicago dinner parties and a special announcement about my new appointment! @ibmarkwest | www.heymarkwest.com --- FOR RICHARD III TICKETS: www.heymarkwest.com/nowshowing --- Over a career that spans nearly fifty years, Steve Scott has directed more than 300 productions for local, national and international theaters, including the Goodman Theatre, where he served as producer from 1986 to 2017 and now sits on the Board of Trustees. In 2017, he won a special Jeff Award, Chicago's top award for excellence in theatre, for his service to the Chicago theater industry, as well as the League of Chicago Theaters' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. He now serves as the Artistic Director of the Dunes Summer Theatre in Michiana Shores, Indiana and on the faculty of the College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. --- Paulette Hicks has worked as a text coach with Redtwist Theatre, The Dunes Summer Theatre, and City Lit Theatre to name a few. Productions include King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, and Macbeth. As an actor she has worked with Redtwist Theatre, Oak Park Village Players, W. Shakespeare & Co., and The Human Race Theatre Company. --- Cameron Faegin plays the title character, Richard III. She is a proud member of the Promethean Theatre Ensemble where her productions include Arcadia, The Winter's Tale, and The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Other credits include Hamlet at Midsummer Flight, The Elephant Man at BoHo Theatre and Court-Martial at Fort Devens at Victory Gardens. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ibmarkwest/support

The Holy Theatre is the place where the invisible is made visible; where we face and conquer our own inner demons. The Promethean Theatre Ensemble's production of Richard III plays May 12 - June 25, 2022 at The Factory Theatre, in which I play the role of Buckingham. I share what my character has taught me about myself then sit down with Director Steve Scott, Text Coach Paulette Hicks, and Cameron Faegin who plays Richard III. I hear their take on happiness, if theatre has fed into their overall happiness, and whether our Shakespeare show has any relevance to today's topics of conversation. Finally, I have ways you can get in on exclusive Chicago dinner parties and a special announcement about my new appointment! @ibmarkwest | www.heymarkwest.com --- RICHARD III TICKETS: www.heymarkwest.com/nowshowing --- Over a career that spans nearly fifty years, Steve Scott has directed more than 300 productions for local, national and international theaters, including the Goodman Theatre, where he served as producer from 1986 to 2017 and now sits on the Board of Trustees. In 2017, he won a special Jeff Award, Chicago's top award for excellence in theatre, for his service to the Chicago theater industry, as well as the League of Chicago Theaters' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. He now serves as the Artistic Director of the Dunes Summer Theatre in Michiana Shores, Indiana and on the faculty of the College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. --- Paulette Hicks has worked as a text coach with Redtwist Theatre, The Dunes Summer Theatre, and City Lit Theatre to name a few. Productions include King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, and Macbeth. As an actor she has worked with Redtwist Theatre, Oak Park Village Players, W. Shakespeare & Co., and The Human Race Theatre Company. --- Cameron Faegin plays the title character, Richard III. She is a proud member of the Promethean Theatre Ensemble where her productions include Arcadia, The Winter's Tale, and The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Other credits include Hamlet at Midsummer Flight, The Elephant Man at BoHo Theatre and Court-Martial at Fort Devens at Victory Gardens. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ibmarkwest/support

Paul Gordon was nominated for a 2001 Tony Award for composing the music and lyrics to the musical Jane Eyre. He won the 2015 Jeff Award for Best New Work for his book, music and lyrics for Sense and Sensibility, commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. He is the recipient of the 2009 Ovation Award for his music and lyrics to Daddy Long Legs which has had productions all over the world, including Off-Broadway, where it was nominated for 2 Drama Desk Awards, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award and 3 Outer Critic Circle awards. Knight's Tale, written with John Caird, opened at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo in 2018 and was remounted in 2021. He is one of the 3 founders of StreamingMusicals.com and his critically acclaimed Austen adaptations, Emma and Pride and Prejudice can be streamed on StreamingMusicals and Amazon Prime. Estella Scrooge, Being Earnest and No One Called Ahead can also be streamed on StreamingMusicals.com. His other shows include: Analog and Vinyl, Stellar Atmospheres, The Front, Juliet and Romeo, Ribbit, Sleepy Hollow, The Circle and The Sportswriter. Look to license Paul's work at Music Theatre International and Uproar Theatrics In his former life, Paul was a pop songwriter and wrote several number one hits. Paul Gordon Website

Meet Max McLean. He's the award-winning founder and artistic director for the Fellowship of Performing Arts (FPA), a not-for-profit New York City-based production company that has produced theatre and film from a Christian worldview since 1992. If McLean sounds familiar, it's probably because his is the official voice of the Listener's Bible, and his narration has earned him four award nominations from the Audio Publishers Association. McLean received the 2009 Jeff Award for Best Solo Performance — Chicago theatre's highest honor — for his one-man show Mark's Gospel.   McLean portrays a man who goes from hard-boiled atheist to one of the most beloved Christian writers of the 20th century in The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold C.S. Lewis Story. It is one of several works about Lewis that McLean has been involved with over his celebrated career. Just as Jesus used parables to illustrate the Kingdom of God, McLean believes integrating theatre and film with faith is one of the best ways to present God's Word to all people.   “The power of the arts is to tell stories,” McLean says. “God is the Great Story Teller. Stories tend to expose our needs. It also exposes our pride.”   Born in Panama, McLean moved to the United States at age 4 and overcame a fear of public speaking during his study of theater at the University of Texas, where he graduated in 1975. He says we can find effective ways of spreading God's word, even if it isn't on stage in front of a theatre audience.   “Anytime we do anything that approaches what the Good Samaritan story is leading us to do — in any form, whether it be business, engineering, the arts, law, medicine — I think we're doing Christ's work,” McLean says.

Bechir Sylvain is a quadruple-threat Haitian American actor, writer, director, and producer from Boston and Miami who can be seen in the second season of Netflix series BLACK SUMMER. Additionally, Bechir currently plays ‘EJ' on the TNT's hit comedic drama series, CLAWS and ‘Willy' on BET+'s hit series, BIGGER currently streaming S2, and is executive-produced by Will Packer. Bechir's television credits also include guest starring on This Is Us (NBC) Chicago, PD (NBC), Better Call Saul (AMC), Black-ish (ABC) Grace and Frankie (Netflix), Fuller House (Netflix) and The Mick (FOX). He was supporting lead in the Hallmark drama The Ultimate Life and had a supporting role in the Aubrey Plaza-headlined horror comedy film, Life After Beth. Jerod Haynes is an award-winning actor from Chicago. He has appeared in multiple TV shows such as NBCs “The Village”, “Empire”, “Sense 8”, “Crisis”, and currently on the History Channel in Robert Zemeckis's show “Project Blue Book” and on NBC alongside Christina Hendricks in "Good Girls". Haynes has appeared in such independent films such as “Consumed” and “Animals,” as well as Sundance hit “Southside with You”. Haynes co-wrote and produced “Blueprint” which tackles the trauma a young man encounters once his best friend is murdered by police. Jerod was honored in 2015 with the Jeff Award for his performance in a principal role in the Chicago play “Native Son,” in which he reprised his role at Yale Rep in Fall 2017. He recently starred in Netflix and Blumhouse Production “Benji.” In 2019 he also appeared in HBOs production of Richard Wright's “Native Son,” directed by Rashid Johnson.  Subhah Agarwal has brought an honesty to her comedy that is refreshing, and at times a bit disturbing... but in a good way. Trust me. Subhah has written for "The Jim Jefferies Show"on Comedy Central, and "Comedy Knockout" on TruTv, amongst others. You can also catch her jokes live at stand up comedy clubs across the country. If you don't want to leave your couch, you can see her late night debut on NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." She will also be appearing on season three of HBO's "Westworld", as Ichtaca on TruTv's sketch comedy "Friends of the People", and as herself on MTV2, Comedy Central, and Gotham Comedy Live. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf

Ensemble member Sandra Marquez sits down with Cliff Chamberlain for this insightful and inspiring conversation. Marquez shares stories from her singular childhood in the Central Valley of California, and reflects on her journey in Chicago theatre—and how she hopes to make it easier for the next generation of actors. Plus, Marquez talks about her legendary performances as Clytemnestra, and what it was like to play that single role over the course of four years and three productions. Interview begins at 3:43.Sandra Marquez joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2016, where her acting credits include: Nora in A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Roommate, The Doppelgänger (an international farce), Mary Page Marlowe, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, A Streetcar Named Desire, Sonia Flew and One Arm. Directing credits at Steppenwolf include La Ruta and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. At Teatro Vista, where she is a longtime company member and former Associate Artistic Director, she directed Fade, My Mañana Comes, Breakfast Lunch & Dinner and Our Lady of the Underpass. She is the recipient of a Jeff Award for her work in Teatro Vista’s A View from the Bridge. Marquez completed a three-year arc playing Clytemnestra in Court Theatre’s Iphigenia Cycle (Iphigenia at Aulis, Electra and Agamemnon).Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Shoshana Bean’s (IG:@shobean)(TW:@shoshanabean)(shoshanabean.com)    three independent solo albums have all topped the iTunes R&B and Blues charts in the US and UK, with her fourth and most recent project, SPECTRUM, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Jazz charts. She has sold out solo concerts around the globe, lent her voice to countless films and television shows, amassed millions of views on YouTube, and performed alongside Ariana Grande, David Foster, Postmodern Jukebox, Brian McKnight, and Michael Jackson. Shoshana is a veteran of the Broadway stage having made her debut in the original cast of Hairspray, starring as the very first replacement for Elphaba in Wicked and most recently as Jenna in Waitress. She won a IRNE Award for her performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and earned a Jeff Award nomination for her portrayal of CeeCee Bloom in the pre-Broadway musical production of Beaches.

Shoshana Bean’s (IG:@shobean)(TW:@shoshanabean)(shoshanabean.com)    three independent solo albums have all topped the iTunes R&B and Blues charts in the US and UK, with her fourth and most recent project, SPECTRUM, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Jazz charts. She has sold out solo concerts around the globe, lent her voice to countless films and television shows, amassed millions of views on YouTube, and performed alongside Ariana Grande, David Foster, Postmodern Jukebox, Brian McKnight, and Michael Jackson. Shoshana is a veteran of the Broadway stage having made her debut in the original cast of Hairspray, starring as the very first replacement for Elphaba in Wicked and most recently as Jenna in Waitress. She won a IRNE Award for her performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and earned a Jeff Award nomination for her portrayal of CeeCee Bloom in the pre-Broadway musical production of Beaches.

From the National Tour of The Sound of Music (Mother Abbess)... Melody was last seen in the world premiere of Secret of My Success as Rose Lockhart. She was recently Becky/Nurse Norma on Broadway & the first National Tour of Waitress the Musical directed by Tony Award Winner, Diane Paulus. Melody received her Masters of Fine Arts degree from WIU and then went on to play in regional theaters all over the nation. She cultivated her professional acting career in Chicago where she was last seen in the Jeff Award winning production of Ragtime as Sarah's Friend. You may also recognize her from appearances on the following TV shows: Chicago Code, Chicago PD, Power on STARZ and Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE on NBC with John Legend! She is also a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, BMI.   @Melodybettspage @sky_children_apparel melodyabetts.com   ANNOUNCING THE 'YOU BOOKED IT COMMUNITY' Jump inside for free, and see if it's a good fit.   20+ LIVE Masterclasses | Develop Industry Relationships | Create a Successful Career

Jaymi has been designing around the country for the past twenty years. Some production highlights include: four seasons at Utah Shakespeare Festival where she lit sixteen different productions, Two Trains Running, The Taming of the Shrew and the upcoming Great Expectations at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Wiz and Rocky Horror at Dallas Theater Center, Peter and the Starcatcher and Topdog Underdog at South Coast Repertory, the world premier of The Who and the What at LaJolla Playhouse, Smart Cookie at The Alliance Theater, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune at Hartford Stage, Orlando and Mary Stuart at The Court Theatre, Among the Thugs and Anna in the Tropics at The Goodman, No Place Like Home, Uncle Vanya, The Dazzle, Absolution and The Ordinary Yearnings of Miriam Buddwing at Steppenwolf, Tug of War at The Getty Villa and the national tour of John Astins Once Upon a Midnight. Some theatre companies she has designed for include Denver Theater Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, Utah Shakespeare, LaJolla Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Pasadena Playhouse, The Alliance Theater, The Clarence Brown, The Pearl Theater, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, The Court Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Redmoon, Rivendell, Naked Eye, Lookingglass, Milwaukee Repertory, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Madison Repertory, San Jose Repertory, and Hartford Stage. She was a founding member of Naked Eye Theater Company and an ensemble member of The Next Theater and Rivendell Theater Ensemble, all of them Chicago based companies. Other design work has included the scenic and projection design on dozens on productions. She also acted as Architectural Lighting Consultant on over three hundred and fifty private residences and designed four different restaurants within Chicago. In addition, she has designed over fifty various special events for non-for-profits, red carpet events and private parties. As a production manager, she has held many positions. She acted as Senior Production Manager for KBA Marketing who produced more than 10,000 events a year for companies such as Coca-Cola, RJ Reynolds and Nike. She also managed and initiated the groundbreaking citywide theatre festival in Chicago known as Theatre Fever with more than 80 theatre companies leading free workshops and performances for a two-week period. She spent seven years as the Producer for The League of Chicago Theatres facilitating all galas, media events and community conferences. Other production management credits include Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and Mrs. Ts Triathlon. She received her training from the conservatory program of The Theatre School, DePaul University. In 2003 she was the recipient of the Michael Merrit/ Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. She also received a 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award for Mary's Wedding with Rivendell Theater Ensemble and was nominated for a Jeff Award for Orlando at The Court Theater, The Incident with The Next Theatre, Terrible Girls with About Face, Yellowman with The Next Theatre and OffSpring of the Cold War with Walkabout Theatre. She was additionally a winner of a Column Award for Rocky Horror at Dallas Theater Center and was nominated for a Henry Award for her work on Animal Crackers at The Denver Center. Previous teaching credits include adjunct faculty at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Associated Colleges of the Midwest and The Theatre School, DePaul University. Her website is available at jaymismith.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/p3-theatre-company/support

“Wunderbar!” Today’s WPMT premiere: “Kiss Me Kate” is now available FREE on YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and all major podcast platforms! Don't miss the 1949 broadcast with so many magical Cole Porter songs including “Another Op'nin', Another Show,” “So in Love” and Wunderbar!” Book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. Featuring a conversation with special guest Johanna McKenzie Miller, Jeff Award-nominated actor, and director of the upcoming "Kiss Me, Kate" at The Marriott Theatre Edited by Remington Cleve New episodes every Tuesday at 1pm CT!

"Do I Hear a Waltz?" is the subject of this week’s Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable. Michael Weber is joined by Cheryl Coons (Director of the Music Theater Program at Chicago Dramatists), Anthony Crivello (Tony Award-winner for Broadway's Kiss of the Spider Woman, LA Ovation Award Nomination as "Renato Di Rossi" in "Do I Hear a Waltz?" at Pasadena Playhouse) and Kelli Harrington (Three-time Jeff Award-recipient who starred as "Leona Samish" in "Do I Hear a Waltz?" at The Music Theatre Company) to discuss this musical and its history, including Sondheim working with Richard Rodgers for his one and only time. Edited by Remington Cleve New episodes every Saturday at 7pm CT! Video premieres available on YouTube and Facebook.

In this episode, Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable delves into Sondheim’s work inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman’s “Smiles of a Summer Night” and involves the romantic lives of several couples – it’s "A Little Night Music!" Joining Weber are Brianna Borger ("Into the Woods," "The King & I"), Nick Bowling (founding artistic director of TimeLine Theatre Company and director of the Chicago premiere of Porchlight Music Theatre’s Sondheim on Sondheim for which he won the Jeff Award) and Christie Chiles Twillie (music director, piano conductor, accompanist and vocal coach for musical theatre) to discuss the eventful weekend in the country that Sondheim created. Edited by Daniel De León New episodes every Saturday at 7pm CT! Also available with video on YouTube and Facebook. YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre

Host Luisa Lyons chats with Tony nominated composer Paul Gordon. Topics include Jane Eyre, Daddy Long Legs, how union rules impact artists, the differences between subscription and pay-per-view models, why filming musicals is important, and making theatre more accessible, sustainable, and fair. Paul Gordon was nominated for a 2001 Tony Award for composing the music and lyrics to the musical Jane Eyre. He won the 2015 Jeff Award for Best New Work for his book, music and lyrics for Sense and Sensibility, commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. His critically acclaimed stage musicals, EMMA and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE are available to stream on Amazon Prime. He is the recipient of the 2009 Ovation Award for his music and lyrics to Daddy Long Legs which has had productions all over the world, including Off-Broadway, where it was nominated for 2 Drama Desk Awards, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award and 3 Outer Critic Circle awards. Daddy Long Legs was also the first off-Broadway musical to be livestreamed. No One Called Ahead was filmed and released in June of 2019. Knight’s Tale, written with John Caird, opened at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo in 2018 while the concert version debuted in 2020 with the Tokyo Philharmonic. His other shows include: Being Earnest, Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist, Analog and Vinyl, Stellar Atmospheres, The Front, Juliet and Romeo, Sleepy Hollow, The Circle and The Sportswriter. In his former life, Paul was a pop songwriter and wrote several number one hits. Learn more about Paul Gordon at www.paul-gordon.weebly.com/ and follow him on Twitter.Visit Filmed Live Musicals at www.filmedlivemusicals.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also support the site at Patreon. Host Luisa Lyons is an Australian actor, writer, and musician. She holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

KAREN ZIEMBA has appeared in 11 Broadway shows. She received the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in CONTACT at Lincoln Center Theatre and garnered three other Tony Award nominations for STEEL PIER, CURTAINS, and NEVER GONNA DANCE. She received the Drama Desk (AND THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND), The Outer Critics Circle Award (NEVER GONNA DANCE, CURTAINS), and Chicago’s JEFF Award for her performance in the 1 st national tour of CRAZY FOR YOU. She’s starred at the New York City Opera, New York City Center Encores, and at Carnegie Hall for PBS’ Great Performances. On TV she’s appeared on Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, Elementary, Law and Orders’ S.V.U. / Criminal Intent, and The Kennedy Center Honors in tributes to Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris. Select off-Broadway and regional credits include KID VICTORY (Vineyard Theatre), HERESY (Flea Theater), MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Shakespeare Theatre Company DC/The Hartford Stage), SYLVIA, OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY (New Haven’s Long Wharf), SWEENEY TODD (Opera Theatre of St. Louis w/The St. Louis Symphony and Michigan Opera Theatre), HELLO DOLLY! (Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago), GYPSY (Sharon Playhouse, CT), A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (A.C.T., San Francisco), and BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS, BROADWAY BOUND, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION (San Diego’s Old Globe).  https://www.karenziemba.com/

Episode #3 of Citizens of Jobland features executive recruiter and Jeff Award winning actor Michael Lindner. We discuss how the pandemic has changed the job market, his own transition from non-union to Equity actor and how success on the stage prompted him to take on a second career. An expert career coach, Michael talks about what goes into being an effective executive recruiter (don't call him a headhunter) and offers advice for job seekers. Michael's blog post on telling your story Theme and incidental music by Jumblehead   Thanks to expert voice-talent baritone Dan Gibbs

Terence Rosemore - Born in Great Falls Montana and raised in New Orleans, Mr. Rosemore is an Actor and Filmmaker who has over 150 TV/Film credits both in front of and behind the camera.  His TV credits include Queen Sugar, Treme, True Detectives, Outer Banks and Roots. His film credits include Triple 9, The Nice Guys, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2 and Just Mercy. Recent projects include directing and producing the feature film Different Worlds, a joint U.S./Nigerian production. Upcoming producing projects include 3rd World, Karma, The Smiths, and the horror/thriller Maw-Maw. Nonye Brown-West is a Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning, and the New York Comedy Festival. In 2019, Nonye made her acting debut in The Sympathy Card. Look out for her two new web series, Fairytales with Nonye and Gayby Jesus, coming in winter 2020.   Jerod Haynes is an award-winning actor from Chicago. Haynes has appeared in multiple TV shows such as NBCs “The Village”, “Empire”, “Sense 8”, “Crisis”, and currently on the History Channel in Robert Zemeckis’s show  “Project Blue Book”. Haynes has appeared in such independent films such as “Consumed” and “Animals,” as well as Sundance hit “Southside with You”. Haynes co-wrote and produced “Blueprint” which tackles the trauma a young man encounters once his best friend is murdered by police. Jerod was honored in 2015 with the Jeff Award for his performance in a principal role in the Chicago play “Native Son,” in which he reprised his role at Yale Rep in Fall 2017. He recently starred in Netflix and Blumhouse Production “Benji.” In 2019 he also appeared in HBOs production of Richard Wright’s “Native Son,” directed by Rashid Johnson. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf

Courtney Mack is a New York-based actress, singer, and dancer. She is originally from a small town in Wisconsin and came to Chicago to pursue a Musical Theatre degree at Columbia College. She is now on Broadway as an alternate in Six: The Musical! Her recent theatre credits include, Six: The Musical at The Ordway, The Citadel Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Ghost: The Musical with Theatre at the Center, Million Dollar Quartet with Paramount Theatre, Heathers: The Musical with Kokandy Productions, Mamma Mia! with Paramount Theatre, Side Show with Porchlight Music Theatre, Cabaret with Theatre at the Center. She received a Jeff Award for actress in a Principle Role for her lead performance in Heathers: The Musical as Veronica Sawyer. She was also featured in Chris Jones’ Chicago Tribune article: "10 Hot New Faces" of 2016.  In this episode, Courtney chats with NYC-based actress and host Maggie Bera about her training at Columbia, the theatre scene in Chicago, and how she found her place in the most anticipated show on Broadway! To get The Essential Guide to Instagram for Actors online course, go to www.actoraesthetic.com/instagram and use the code PODCAST30 to save 30% off your purchase! To join the Actor Aesthetic Alliance Facebook group, click here. Spread love and don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Actor Aesthetic Podcast on iTunes, Google, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. Visit actoraesthetic.com for more info. Follow Maggie Bera on social media Instagram: @actoraesthetic Facebook: www.facebook.com/ActorAesthetic/ Email: maggie@actoraesthetic.com

The man behind the demon barber of Fleet Street is the focus of this week’s episode, "Sweeney Todd," music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler. This week's guests include Jim Corti, (Artistic Director of Paramount Theatre and recipient of the Jeff Award for his direction of "Sweeney Todd" whose Broadway credits include "Candide," "A Chorus Line," "Music Is" and "Ragtime"), David Girolmo (Jeff Award-winning actor whose work on Broadway includes "War Paint" and "Candide" and who appeared as the title character in Porchlight's "Sweeney Todd") and James Earl Jones II (Currently in the national tour of "Come From Away" and Jeff Award-nominee for Porchlight’s "Sondheim by Sondheim"). Edited by Austin Packard Originally premiered Saturday, May 23, 2020 at Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ). New episodes every Saturday at 7pm CT! Watch with video at YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre )

Here she is, world! This week’s episode delves into Gypsy, for which Sondheim wrote lyrics with music by Jule Styne and a book by Arthur Laurents. Weber’s guests include Klea Blackhurst (Gypsy and Hazel at Drury Lane Theatre and known for her award- winning tribute to Ethel Merman: Everything The Traffic Will Allow), E. Faye Butler (Porchlight’s own Jeff Award-winning "Madame Rose") and Marc Robin (Artistic Director of Pennsylvania's historic Fulton Theatre and recipient of 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards with 42 nominations). Edited by Austin Packard Originally premiered Saturday, May 16, 2020 at Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ). New episodes every Saturday at 7pm CT! Watch with video at YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre )

On this edition of The Arts Section, host Gary Zidek checks in with Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly for conversation about COVID-19's impact on the arts and what lies ahead for cultural events this summer. Later in the program, Gary talks to Jim Newcomb, the CEO of the Oldtown School of Folk Music, about moving the institution's curriculum online. The Dueling Critics, Kerry Reid and Jonathan Abarbanel, join the show remotely to review a streaming play that won a Jeff Award in 2017. And Gary catches up with filmmaker Robert Jury to talk about his new Chicago-set indie movie WORKING MAN.

In the second episode of "Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable," Artistic Director Michael Weber is joined by Nick Bowling (founding artistic director of TimeLine Theatre Company and director of the Chicago premiere of Porchlight Music Theatre’s "Sondheim on Sondheim" for which he won the Jeff Award), David Cromer (MacArthur fellow and Tony Award-winning director of "The Band’s Visit") and Heidi Kettenring (Jeff Award-winner who has appeared in "Sunday in the Park with George" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and "Sweeney Todd" at Drury Lane). They will discuss "Sunday in the Park with George," music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by James Lapine, the production that was inspired by Georges Seurat's painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Edited by Austin Packard Originally premiered Saturday, May 2, 2020 at Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/Facebook.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ). New episodes every Saturday at 7pm CT! Watch with video at YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre ( https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b5ad8de4-802f-4e56-974c-413004ccc672/ep/YouTube.com/PorchlightMusicTheatre )

Emmy award-winning actress & Grammy nominee for Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE NBC who is also the recipient of two Helen Hayes awards, Broadway World award, and Jeff Award; Recently seen Off-Broadway in Emojiland

Jerod Haynes is an award-winning actor from Chicago. Haynes has appeared in multiple TV shows such as NBCs “The Village”, “Empire”, “Sense 8”, “Crisis”, and currently on the History Channel in Robert Zemeckis’s show  “Project Blue Book”. Haynes has appeared in such independent films such as “Consumed” and “Animals,” as well as Sundance hit “Southside with You”. Haynes co-wrote and produced “Blueprint” which tackles the trauma a young man encounters once his best friend is murdered by police. Jerod was honored in 2015 with the Jeff Award for his performance in a principal role in the Chicago play “Native Son,” in which he reprised his role at Yale Rep in Fall 2017. He recently starred in Netflix and Blumhouse Production “Benji.” In 2019 he also appeared in HBOs production of Richard Wright’s “Native Son,” directed by Rashid Johnson.  Jameel Mohammed is the founder and creative director of Khiry, an Afrofuturist luxury brand which he founded in 2016 as a political science student at the University of Pennsylvania. After launching the brand with a Kickstarter campaign that raised $25,000 in less than a month, a bevy of press features followed, including in The New York Times Gift Guide, Teen Vogue, Essence, Vanity Fair and the September issue of Vogue, and the collection was worn by prominent women worldwide including Solange Knowles, Serena Williams, Yara Shahidi and Michelle Obama. Mr. Mohammed's line has been carried by preeminent luxury retailers including Barneys New York and Moda Operandi, and he has worked as a freelance designer, designing jewelry for brands like Tory Burch. He has also started Negritude, a digital platform for creatives exploring Art, Style, and Power throughout the global African Diaspora. Pat Brown has been seen on CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Fuse’s Uproarious, Axis’s Gotham Live, NBC’s Comic’s Unleashed and BET‘s ComicView, TVOne’s made for TV movie-WHITE WATER, the independent film SOMEBODIES, and the web series UNREQUITED. Pat has won both the Las Vegas Comedy Festival and the She Devil Competition. She has been featured in Time Out Magazine, After-Ellen, Splitsider and Punchline Magazine. Her critically acclaimed album “The Pat Brown Sex-Tape” has been described as “provocative and conceptual” by Laugh and is streaming on all platforms. You can watch her on the new season of Two Dope Queens on HBO! Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime), Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf

Heidi Kettenring, the accomplished Jeff Award-winning actor/vocalist joins the CONVERSATION to talk about balancing busy careers with her actor/husband David Girolmo and her upcoming concert appearances at the Auditorium Theatre in ‘Chicago Celebrates Sondheim!’ with the Chicago Philharmonic and the Artists Lounge Live Karen Carpenter holiday show at Mercury’s Venus Cabaret. Season 4 - Episode 13 Originally posted October 29, 2019

Join Bre as she interviews this incredible Chicago actress, Jacquelyne Jones! Winner of the Jeff Award for her performance in Sweeney Todd, she is now reprising her role with Utah Rep at UVU’s Noorda. Learn about the inclusive community she’s found performing in Chicago, how she made the decision to join Actor’s Equity and how Jacqueline and husband/actor, Drew make their creative lifestyles work. Click for Show Notes!

Actor Jerod Haynes discusses a sign he received that was clear as day and also one that led him to an old email that served as confirmation he was on the right path.  Also discussed: the effects of PTSD and the benefits of therapy; how he reconciled conflicting feelings about playing a police officer and how he brought his own experiences to the role; how fatherhood can be a complicated relationship and a two-way street.  Jerod Haynes played police officer Ben Jones on NBC's The Village. He also co-wrote and co-produced Blueprint, a film about racial injustice and coping with the aftermath of tragedy. He has also appeared in the Sundance film Southside With You, as well as on stage in Native Son for which he won The Jeff Award for his performance as Bigger Thomas. His short film about fatherhood will be released soon. The companion 7 minute documentary film can be viewed here.  You can follow Jerod Haynes on Instagram @JerodJHaynes and on Twitter @MrJerodHaynes.  Learn more about Blueprint here.   ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ For more stories about Signs from the Other Side, be sure to rate, review, subscribe and share.  To learn more about host Fern Ronay, visit FernRonay.com

Dr. Christina Greer is a writer and professor of political science at Fordham University Lincoln Center, and was the 2018 McSilver Institute Fellow at NYU. She is the author of Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream, and has been published in several print outlets and academic journals. She is the featured educator in six Ted-Ed lessons, one of which, “Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained,” has over two million views, as well as videos on Ida B Wells Barnett, James Baldwin, and Bayard Rustin. She is the host of The Aftermath and The Counter on ozy.com, and makes appearances on MSNBC and NPR's WNYC. Fun fact: Her close friends range in age from 26 to 96. Irene Bremis features & headlines, nationwide. Her intrepidity leaves no stone unturned. Her unrestrained humor is a compilation of her Greek upbringing, satirizing topical, social & political issues, rants & intimate details about her personal life.  She cohosts on Sirius w/ John Fugelsang, is a writer for Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack and hosts her own show “The Scuttlebutt,” which features emerging actors, comics & politicians. Jerod Haynes is an award-winning actor from Chicago who can be seen starring in “Blueprint,” which Haynes co-produced and co-wrote, directed by Daryl Wein. He is currently starring in the new NBC hit show The Village, which airs every Tuesday night at 9/8c. Haynes is best known for the role of Tommy in the Sundance hit “Southside With You.” Haynes has appeared in such independent films as “Consumed” and “Animals,” as well as such shows as “Empire,” “Sense 8” and “Crisis.” Haynes was honored in 2015 with the Jeff Award for his performance in a principal role in the Chicago play “Native Son,” in which he reprised his role at Yale Rep in fall 2017. He recently starred in Netflix and Blumhouse Production’s “Benji.” He can be seen in Richard Wright’s “Native Son,” directed by Rashid Johnson, in 2019. Terri Lynn Martin spent 20+ years as a TV News/Entertainment Producer and Executive Producer before becoming a strength trainer and lifestyle/talent coach. She infused her hard-core show business career experience and discipline into her clients, many of who are  television, film and stage talent. Teri Lynn is now her own boss, as an independent business owner and health fitness expert at Teri Lynn Life LLC. Fun Fact: Terri trains many of New York's on-air news and entertainment talent,  comedians. Always hosted by Marina Franklin- Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, and HBO's Crashing

"Jeff" Award winning actor, Gage Wallace, comes in to talk acting, activism, and growing up a preacher's kid. Baz breaks down the finer points of the Chicago sidewalk fight.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/jwbasilo)

With comedian Caitlin Gill (Viceland, NYT). Mike and MJ shake off the heebie-jeebies from seeing Hereditary by cursing Alex Jones, celebrating Anthony Bourdain, and congratulating Jesse Case (he made our theme song) for winning a Jeff Award for Best Original Score! Then, we talk with dynamite comedian Caitlin Gill while she feeds us a meal you have to see on our Instagram to believe. After she breaks down why her food's so dank, she busts out her pot plant named George, and again, you'll have to go to our IG to see buds that made our jaws drop. SUBSCRIBE / REVIEW/ TELL A PAL / SMOKE A BOWL / DRINK WATER / HUG LIKE YOU MEAN IT Music by Jesse Case Weed + Grub Instagram Weed + Grub Twitter Caitlin Gill's Website Jesse's Score That Won!

Marc Warzecha is a comedy writer living in Los Angeles. He is a Writers Guild of America Associate Member, and was a writer for Season 2 of Comedy Central's Detroiters. Marc recently wrote for Disney Digital's Babble brand and was a recent finalist in NBC Writers on the Verge and Final Draft Big Break. With The Second City comedy theatre, he is multiple-time Jeff Award nominated head writer/director. His work as a satirist has been featured on ABC's "Nightline," Newsweek magazine, and the Washington Post, he has guested on CNN's "Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and NPR's "All Things Considered." "Sometimes when I first sit down to write, I'll take out a spiral notebook and write anything that might be churning in my mind, especially if I'm in the middle of a really busy day. Writing out my emotions, writing out how I'm feeling right now, getting that on the page to kind of release it." • Marc Warzecha on Twitter • Marc's website • Marc's pilot The Trumpmaid's Tale • The Second City • Lee Jessup, career coach • The TV Writer's Workbook by Ellen Sandler • Bricks & Scones     // Pulling Your Hair Out is produced and hosted by Richard Lowe. Music by Joshua Moshier. 

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Booth One welcomes the amazing Rachel Rockwell to our studios amidst her action-packed schedule. Her beautiful production of Shakespeare in Love has just opened at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and she has about a million other irons in the fire. As a choreographer, Rachel was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for The King & I (2007) and A Chorus Line (2011). As a director, she received Jeff Award nominations for Miss Saigon (2009); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee—Best Musical (2009); Ragtime (2010) and 42nd Street (2011). For her acclaimed Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre production of Ragtime (11 Jeff nominations and seven awards), she received the Joseph Jefferson Award as Best Director of a musical. As Director, Jeff Award nominations (2012) for Best Director and Best Musical: The Sound of Music and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre; and Best Play: Enron at Timeline Theatre Company. In 2013, her production of Oliver! received a Jeff nomination for Best Musical. In 2014, she received Jeff Award nominations (Director, Choreography and Best Musical) for the revival of Brigadoon at The Goodman Theatre and Les Miserables at Drury Lane Oakbrook. Her production of Brigadoon was named Best Musical and she was named Best Choreographer for that production. She won the Jeff Award for Best Choreography for her production of Billy Eliot in 2015. In 2016, she won the Jeff Award as Best Director for her production of Ride The Cyclone at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.[22] She has directed notable Children's Theatre productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. At CST, she also choreographed productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Romeo and Juliet, and Measure For Measure. Since the mid-nineties, Rockwell has directed and choreographed dozens of productions for such theaters as: Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook, Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Paramount Theatre, Noble Fool Theatricals, Fox Valley Repertory, Apple Tree, The Little Theatre on the Square, SIU Summer Theatre and McCleod Summer Playhouse. Rachel is also working on writing and developing new musicals. Look out world!!! Booth One has a couple of ideas we may be passing by her desk. Rachel is the third musical genius to come on our show who hails from Indiana. Beckie Menzie and Danni Smith, both past guests and friends of the show, cultivated their talents in the Hoosier State. We're wondering what's in the water over there!? Rachel credits her success to a long line of mentors and teachers, including Buzz Miller, who danced Bob Fosse's brilliant choreography in the seminal "Steam Heat" on Broadway and in the film of The Pajama Game. Rachel was Dance Captain in Mamma Mia on Broadway and the National Tour, and she gives us some backstage insight about what a difficult and important job this is. She choreographs in her car(!) and counter-clockwise in her living room to avoid the coffee table. So yeah, kind of a genius. Deb Acker, the production stage manager at Chicago Shakespeare, says Rachel is the most prepared director she's ever worked with. Rachel tells us why she prepares so thoroughly. Gary and Rachel talk the 2017 Tony Award nominations and Rachel particularly recommends Come From Away. Martha Lavey,  a mentor to us all and a huge force in the Chicago theater community, is our Kiss of Death segment this week. There are no words. But these journalists come close: Hedy Weiss for the Chicago Sun Times Chris Jone for the Chicago Tribune New York Times        

Gary welcomes 4-time Jeff Award winner Danni Smith to the Booth this week, in a lively discussion of her career,  growing up in Indiana, her recent lauded performances in Jesus Christ, Superstar, Man of La Mancha, and the currently-running Mamma Mia at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre. Gary and Roscoe first encountered Danni at the Theo Ubique, where she was just marvelous in the role of Mary Magdalene. Not only was she a highlight of the show, she was also our table server at the intimate space. Oh, what fine actors do to make it in this business! Danni treasures the time she spent doing five shows at Theo Ubique. The "bolt of lightning" description is a quote from a Broadway World rave review of her performance in Man of La Mancha. Ever since playing a Munchkin in a grammar school performance of The Wizard of Oz, Danni has been smitten with the theatre. She attended Ball State University to study musical theatre. (Other Ball State alumni include David Letterman, Steadman Graham and John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza.) We chat about her inspirations, aspirations and dream roles. You can view a clip of Danni's performance in Mamma Mia here. The latest news in our recurring watch of the world's elephant community is about the cold weather sweeping across northern India and threatening the health and well-being of these gentle mammals at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center. Big-hearted local villagers have begun knitting giant sweaters to keep the pachyderms warm. These colorful new duds take about 4 weeks to create. But it's well worth the effort to keep these animals happy and comfortable, especially considering all the hardships they've been through. Click here to see great photos of the locals knitting with the elephants and some of the finished products. You can knit your own sweater and send it to them! Learn about other ways to help at http://wildlifesos.org/donate-2-2/. About a year ago, Danni co-founded, with Artistic Director Harmony France, a new Chicago theatre company called Firebrand Theatre, the first "equity feminist musical theatre company" committed to employing and empowering women by expanding opportunities on and off the stage. The inaugural season includes 9 to 5 The Musical and Lizzie, a rock musical based on the true-life story of accused axe-murderess Lizzie Borden(!). Plus a kick-off benefit concert called Nothin' Like a Dame: A Celebration of Women in Musical Theatre. That February 27th performance featuring 28 singers was sold-out! Congratulations, Firebrand, and best of luck in your new exciting venture. Gary gives a shout-out to the Goodman Theatre's production of Uncle Vanya, adapted by Annie Baker and directed by Artistic Director Robert Falls. This is one of the finest examples of ensemble acting we've seen in some time, and beautifully captures the humor and existential pathos of Chekhov's brilliant play. Danni discusses her starring role in the independent feature Curtain, a horror thriller film from 2015, in which something sinister lurks behind the bathroom tiles in her shower, and things start to mysteriously disappear. Chaos ensues, of course.  You can also view the trailer here. In Episode 52, we wondered aloud whether Glenn Close might be awarded a second Tony for her performance in the new revival of Sunset Boulevard. Thank you to loyal listener Robbie Young for writing to let us know that one cannot win twice for the same role, even in different productions. Yul Brynner's 1985 Tony was awarded as a "special" honor and not specifically for his reprise as The King in The King and I. Perhaps the same situation will come up again at this year's ceremony. Most of the photos of Danni you see in these notes were taken during a portrait session with genius photographer Joe Mazza at Brave Lux. Gary and Roscoe have done a photo session with him and he is definitely a creative force to be reckoned with.

A Bishop, a money-lender and a car mechanic walk into a bar.......and so we wonder what sort of hilarity may ensue with the punch line to come. But tonight on Windy City Irish Radio, we are treated to just that scenario as Mike and Tim welcome esteemed Chicago actor, Peter Bradley Armacost, into the studio to discuss his many current rolls on stage and screen. Brad is awfully busy these days portraying characters in the ghostly realm and channeling the words of some of our greatest playwrights. As Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Drury Lane, Brad plays Dickens' curmudgeonly miser with aplomb, portraying his journey to redemption with the help of haunted visitors of his past, present, and future. Bah Humbug, indeed! In his role as Chicago's Bishop Egan in The Exorcist FOX each Friday night on our television, we learn very quickly that Satan takes no holiday! Finally, in his role as Jack in Conor McPherson's triumphant play, The Weir, Brad reprises the role that won him a Jeff Award in 2010. Irish Theatre of Chicago's presentation of The Weir opens on December 17 and runs into January. Attending this show is the ONLY way to hear the ending of the oh-so-spooky tale that Brad weaves on tonight's show. With music from Nanci Griffith, Séamus Begley / Oisín Mac Diarmada / Samantha Harvey, Roseanne Cash with Welshman Tom Jones and Catriona O'Leary, a new one from Offaly's JigJam, The High Kings, The Saw Doctors and Cathie Ryan, this show, like most of Brad's work, is a must listen! Join us and listen at www.windycityirishradio.com.

Kate James is an actor, improviser and writer who is best known as one of the members of the hilarious sketch comedy group Schadenfreude and from the viral video Drunk Cubs Fan. She has also written on the Jeff Award-winning The Second City Guide to the Opera. We talk to her about why most of siblings went into the arts, what it takes to be part of a successful sketch group, and the secret to having your video go viral.

Harry Connickuh everybody! This week on Alcohollywood, it’s our favorite time of the year, where we (along with Jeff Award-winning composer Trevor Watkin) celebrate the life and career of everyone’s favorite slack-jawed crooner, Harry Connick Jr.! This time, we’re heading into the drink with the 3D family event of 2011, Dolphin Tale. This film tells the true story of Winter (herself), a dolphin who lost its tail in a crab cage and must be given a robot tail by master inventor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Along the way, a pair of kids learn to bond with the animal while some surrounding adults (Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson) nod approvingly. Dolphin Tale has all the hallmarks of mom-friendly theatrical fare: inspirational stories about ARE TROOPS, cute animals, and precocious kids. Luckily, we’ve got our custom cocktail and drinking rules to help get your ire up. Like, subscribe and share!

Kyle Greer is southern boy with classical training turned northern lad. He has an extensive background in both music and theatre. In Chicago, he has performed with theatres such as the Jeff Award-winning Theo Ubique and The National Pastime Theatre. He's also performed as a solo singer/songwriter and with his band, Fatally Cool (who were recently asked to audition for America's Got Talent!) at venues such at Mary's Attic, Red Line Tap, Ace Bar, Park West, and The Abbey Pub.

Before moving to Los Angeles in 2012, Amanda Blake Davis was a favorite of the Chicago improv scene. She starred in revues at The Second City Chicago, earning a JEFF Award for that work, and could regularly be seen at iO and The Annoyance Theater. Amanda joined Jimmy for a candid interview and a wonderful improvised scene.

Jeff Award winner Edgar Blackmon stops by the show to talk about The Second City, Chicago, Florida, Kids, and more in this super sized episode.  The Poor Choices Podcast is a Chicago based interview show hosted by Mark Colomb.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Jeremy Ramey- the music director for Theo Ubique's Smokey Joe's Cafe and Jeff Award winner for Light in the Pizza- he talks about the challengers of music direction as well as being a conductor/musician and his career from child protege to Doctorate from Juilliard School of Music.

Fear No ART launches The Dinner Party on January 30th, 2012 with artist Tony Fitzpatrick, musician Jon Langford, Jeff Award winning director, Racel Rockwell, and internationally known chef, Homaro Cantu or Moto.

HMDWL 130! Tonight we catch up on a variety of things, including Rob’s Jeff Award, meeting some listeners in Chicago, and Erik the Swede’s response about Swedish fish. Then we love store loyalty and rewards cards, Sara’s new bowls from IKEA, and handmade soaps from Earthistry. Be sure to check out HMDWL listeners Mike and […]

Fear No ART launches The Dinner Party on January 30th, 2012 with artist Tony Fitzpatrick, musician Jon Langford, Jeff Award winning director, Racel Rockwell, and internationally known chef, Homaro Cantu or Moto.