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19 episodes with Leigh Silverman
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2 episodes with Leigh Silverman
2 episodes with Leigh Silverman
2 episodes with Leigh Silverman
2 episodes with Leigh Silverman
When Mickey-Jo was last in New York he saw more than 20 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, including a handful of plays. In this roundup of reviews, he will be sharing his thoughts on: - THE ROOMMATE, by Leigh Silverman and starring Patti LuPone and Mia Farrow at the Booth Theatre. - THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA, by Jez Butterworth which transferred from the West End to New York's Broadhurst Theatre. - YELLOW FACE by David Henry Hwan in a new production directed by Leigh Silverman, starring Daniel Dae Kim. - OH, MARY! by and starring Cole Escola in a riotous, queer retelling of the life of Mary Todd Lincoln which has become one of Broadway's hottest tickets. Stay tuned for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on each of these plays and don't forget to share your own perspective on them in the comments! • 00:00 | introduction 03:21 | The Roommate 08:14 | The Hills of California 15:21 | Yellow Face 19:28 | Oh, Mary! • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: MickeyJoTheatre is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 60,000 subscribers. Since establishing himself as a theatre critic he has been able to work internationally. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. He has also twice received accreditation from the world renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. He has been invited to speak to private tour groups, at the BEAM 2023 new musical theatre conference at Oxford Playhouse, and on a panel of critics at an event for young people considering a career in the arts courtesy of Go Live Theatre Projects. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre
In our season finale, the importance of reinvention is never clearer than in the stories from playwright Gordon Farrell's career, where he had to keep coming back to what drew him to writing in the first place in order to continue moving forward. Gordon Farrell's play, "The Lifespan Of A Fact," starring Daniel Radcliffe, Tony-Award winner Cherry Jones, and Emmy Award winner Bobby Cannavale performed on Broadway from 2018 to 2019. It was co-written with Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell, directed by Leigh Silverman, and produced by eight-time Tony Award winner Jeffrey Richards. Gordon was trained as a playwright at the Yale School of Drama and went from there to work with major Hollywood studios, initially as a story analyst for Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures, and eventually as a screenwriter. He has written for hire and sold screenplays to Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers, MGM and ITC. He has worked with Robert Simonds (producer of Big Daddy, The Wedding Singer); Neil Moritz (producer of XXX, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Fast and Furious) and Bruce Berman (producer of Matrix, Three Kings, Mad Max: Fury Road). Working in independent film, Gordon has written for and sold projects to NYC indie producer Norman Twain (producer of Lean on Me, Boycott, Scar, My Dog Tulip). Gordon's first independent screenplay, Girls Who Smoke, premiered in 2011. It went to be an official selection at over a dozen film festivals, ultimately winning the Audience Choice Award in Seattle at the Post Alley Film Festival. As a playwright, Gordon developed a trilogy of monologue plays for women, The Red Anthology, on New York's Lower East Side from 2009 to 2014. He developed it into an immersive walk through theater experience which ran Off-Broadway in 2024. His plays have also been produced in San Francisco, at the Alleyway Theatre in Buffalo, at the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, and at Primary Stages in New York. He authored the book for a series of award-winning musicals based on the life and death of Sherlock Holmes, which ran for three seasons in Buffalo, NY. He is the author of The Power of the Playwright's Vision, published by Heinemann Press in 2001 which has been translated internationally and is now a standard playwriting text on four continents. Gordon Farrell IMDB Alex Keledjian Alex Keledjian is the creator of Project Greenlight, a documentary television series where executive producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck gave first-time filmmakers a chance to direct their first feature film. In 2018, Alex wrote and directed the film High Voltage starring David Arquette and Luke Wilson. MAX launched the latest season of the Emmy-nominated TV series Project Greenlight from executive producer Issa Rae and Miramax Television in July 2023. How I Got Greenlit Instagram Twitter Podlink Credits Alex Keledjian, Host Pete Musto, Producer/Editor Jeremiah Tittle, Producer Experience more of How I Got Greenlit via nextchapterpodcasts.com For guest inquiries, sponsorships, and all other magnificent concerns, please reach How I Got Greenlit via howIgotgreenlit@gmail.com For inquiries and more information on Next Chapter Podcasts info@ncpodcasts.com New episodes go live every Tuesday. Please subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we sit down with Michael Herwitz, the visionary director of Broadway's JOB. Join us as we delve into Michael's fascinating journey from child actor to director, uncover the creative process behind the success of JOB, and explore the themes that resonate with audiences across generations. Michael shares insights on the role of lighting and staging, the challenges of directing a two-person scene, and the open-ended interpretation of the play's conclusion. Discover how JOB bridges generational divides and engages audiences in meaningful conversations. Follow and connect with all things @HalfHourPodcast on Instagram, and YouTube. Share your thoughts with us on JOB on our podcast cover post on Instagram. MICHAEL HERWITZ is a director, producer, and dramaturg in New York City. He is often found huddled around a new script in development or dreaming up a revival of a favorite musical. His directing work collides fantasy with the mundane, and is often representative of queer and/or Jewish communities. He creates where generosity of spirt and pursuit of excellence go hand-in-hand. Michael is a ferocious advocate for the fourth wall and believes every second act deserves a dream ballet. In Fall 2023, Michael made his directorial Off-Broadway debut with JOB by Max Wolf Friedlich. The twice-extended, sold-out run was a New York Times Critics Pick and hallmarked as "Highbrow and Brilliant" in New York Magazine's Approval Matrix. The commerical transfer at the Connelly Theater in 2024 recouped its investment in five weeks. Born and raised outside New York City, Michael began his career as a child actor on Broadway. While stage managing his middle school musicals, he developed a deep passion for being behind the scenes. Michael has developed and staged new plays and musicals at HERE, Ensemble Studio Theater, JACK, SoHo Playhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival, IRT Theater, Lifeworld, Martha's Vineyard Playhouse, and the Pasadena Playhouse. As an Assistant, Michael has supported the work of Terry Kinney, Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Leigh Silverman, Jessie Nelson, and Joe Brancato. In addition to his directing work, Michael has worked as a General Manager and Company Manager Off-Broadway and on tour. He is the Co-Founder of G45 Productions, an artistic collective dedicated to new plays. His education spans Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts to Northwestern University to the Williamstown Theatre Festival to watching countless movie musicals as a kid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Music Credits:"Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Orchestra & Donald Pippin"Greased Lightnin'" from Grease (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey | Performed by John Travolta , Jeff Conaway
“Suffs” stars book writer, composer, and lyricist Shaina Taub, is directed by Leigh Silverman, and is produced by Jill Furman, Rachel Sussman, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Malala Yousafzai. Ally Bonino is making her Broadway debut as Lucy Burns in “Suffs” - having originated the role at off-Broadway at The Public in 2022.
“Suffs” stars book writer, composer, and lyricist Shaina Taub, is directed by Leigh Silverman, and is produced by Jill Furman, Rachel Sussman, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Malala Yousafzai. Ally Bonino is making her Broadway debut as Lucy Burns in “Suffs” - having originated the role at off-Broadway at The Public in 2022.
We are excited to bring you another episode in our podcast series Choreographers in Conversation. This series allows choreographers to interview other choreographers whose work excites them as a way to learn more about their craft and preserve the stories of these exciting artists in our industry. In this episode Choreographer Camden Gonzales interviews Choreographer Sonya Tayeh. They explore Sonya's choreographic process, philosophy around the importance and impact of choreography and dancers in the theatre world, as well as delving into the work she has done throughout her career. Bios: Camden Gonzales is an artist, performer, and choreographer based in NYC. She is currently the Associate Choreographer for Moulin Rouge The Musical overseeing multiple companies across the globe. She is also the Associate Choreographer for the upcoming musical Gatsby (featuring original music by Florence Welch) which will debut at A.R.T. in Boston this summer. Other select credits include Sing Street (Associate Choreographer) at The Huntington Theatre, A Sherlock Carol (Assistant Director) New World Stages, Peter and The Starcatcher (Choreographer) White Heron Theatre, Hamilton (Dance Captain/Swing) National Tour, Groundhog Day (Dance Captain/Swing) Broadway. www.camdengonzales.com Sonya Tayeh is a New York City based TONY® Award winning choreographer and director. Since paving her professional career, her work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range. Selected credits include: Moulin Rouge! Broadway, Australia, UK, Tour (Hirschfeld theatre/Dir Alex Timbers), UP HERE (Hulu Musical Series), The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window Broadway (James Earl Jones Theatre), Is It Thursday Yet? (La Jolla Playhouse), Sing Street Broadway (Huntington Theatre, Boston/Dir Rebecca Taichman), Martha Graham Dance Company (Joyce Theatre/Tour), American Ballet Theatre/What Becomes of Love Film, Unveiling with Moses and dancers (Fall For Dance/City Center), Rent Live! (Fox Network/Dir Michael Grief and Alex Rudzinski), The Lucky Ones (Ars Nova/Dir. Anne Kauffman), Face the Torrent for Malpaso Dance Co. (commissioned by The Music Center/LA), You'll Still Call Me By Name (commissioned by New York Live Arts and Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival), Martha Graham Dance Company's Lamentation Variation Series (Joyce Theatre), Hundred Days (New York Theatre Workshop/Dir. Anne Kauffman), The Skin Of Our Teeth (Theatre for a New Audience/Dir. Arin Arbus), Andrew Lippas' The Wild Party (City Center Encores!/Dir. Leigh Silverman), Kung Fu (Signature Theatre/Dir. Leigh Silverman) Tayeh has directed and choreographed for world renowned music artists including Miley Cyrus (Directed and Choreographed The Gypsy Heart Tour), Florence and the Machine (Choreographed performances for The Brit Awards, The Voice and American Idol), Kyle Minogue (Aphrodite Tour) She has gleaned many accolades for her versatile work, including a Tony award, two Emmy noms, one Drama Desk award, an Obie Award and two Lucille Lortel Awards for “Outstanding Choreography.” https://www.sonyatayeh.com/
Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.Merry Me is running at New York Theater Workshop through November 19th. Find out more at www.nytw.org.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org
In this week's podcast episode, we have a captivating conversation with Tony-Nominated Director LEIGH SILVERMAN, known for her recent role at New York Theatre Workshop directing the new production of "MERRY ME." Join us as we delve into Leigh's remarkable journey in the industry, exploring her early beginnings and the pivotal moments that led her to success. We also explore the captivating themes of Greek and restoration comedy, queer representation, and pop culture in "MERRY ME," offering a deeper understanding of the production's impact. Additionally, Leigh shares exciting insights into her upcoming directing role in the highly anticipated Broadway musical, "SUFFS." If you're a Broadway enthusiast or simply crave engaging theater discussions, tune in to this episode and subscribe to our channel for an exploration of all things theater. Support the show If you liked this episode, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review. Share your thoughts with us on this episode below: On Instagram: @halfhourpodcast On TikTok: @halfhourpodcast On our website: www.twoworldsentertainmentllc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A prolific director on Broadway and off, some of Leigh Silverman's credits include Violet, Grand Horizons, The Lifespan of a Fact, Chinglish, Well, SUFFS, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, Soft Power, Sandra, Hurricane Diane,The Wild Party and Really Rosie. A Tony award nominee, Leigh has directed over 60 world premieres and musicals. Her latest show, Merry Me, is now playing at New York Theatre Workshop. Leigh will soon be reuniting with Billy Crudup directing him in the Berkeley Rep production of Harry Clarke. He performed the show at the Vineyard and Audible theaters. This episode was recorded on October 26, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Last week, American Utopia performer Tendayi Kuumba and experts Drs. Vinoo Alluri and Alejandro Lleras helped host Ruthie Fierberg take step back and welcome a broader perspective to problem-solving, beyond “What are the next steps to create change?” to “How do we find the next steps to create change?” The human brain is not a muscle, but it does need exercise—so to speak. To change the way we solve problems, we must change the way we approach problems. Change the very way we think. Actor and producer Salma Hayek had this same idea when she produced the 2014 animated film The Prophet, a movie adaptation of Kahlil Gibran's 1923 eponymous book. Hayek also believed: “We need a new generation that goes into the unknown and finds solutions that we have not seen or heard.” So this week, Ruthie recommends The Prophet as the companion piece to American Utopia—currently on Broadway through April 3, 2022. Listen to David Byrne's American Utopia on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music. Get tickets to David Byrne's American Utopia on Broadway. Watch David Byrne's American Utopia on HBOMax. Watch the animated movie The Prophet. Purchase the book The Prophet from your local independent bookstore. Sign up for Ruthie's monthly newsletter at ruthiefierberg.com. Referred to in this episode Read: Ways to help those in Ukraine Help refugees throughout the world Kahlil Gibran's book The Prophet Ruthie's Parents.com interview with Salma Hayek Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As live productions resume across the country, theater artists and managers are working to reopen for audiences. There are several conversations they must respond to—namely the ongoing pandemic and calls for action for equity and inclusion. This series will elevate those conversations, hearing from a group of theater leaders, directors and choreographers about their experiences on returning. In the second installment of this series Raja Feather Kelly, choreographer of SUFFS, Leigh Silverman, director of SUFFS, and Yuvika Tolani, Director of Producing at The Public Theater join us in conversation as they discuss the process of putting up this production. Learn more about the panelists here: https://sdcfoundation.org/sdcf-conversation-series-returning-to-rehearsal-2/ Join our mailing list: https://forms.gle/4yBHJSyu98cQw2Qm8
With the recent controversy surrounding Whoopi Goldberg and her remarks about the Holocaust, with the recent hostage situation at a Texas synagogue, with generational trauma and anti-Semitism on the brain, Why We Theater re-releases this episode from Season 1 with a new intro and new context. Dig into Tony Award winner Steven Levenson's play IF I FORGET with Steven himself and experts Rabbi Shuli Passow (B'nai Jeshurun in New York City) and scholar Judah Isseroff. Watch IF I FORGET on BroadwayHD. Michael's monologue, as performed by Tony Award nominee Jeremy Shamos, appears with the permission of Roundabout Theatre Company, which premiered IF I FORGET Off-Broadway in 2017, and Steven Levenson. Referred to in this new intro Watch: Whoopi Goldberg shares thoughts on the Holocaust on The View Debra Messing tweets a helpful response to Goldberg Banning of "Maus" in schools.... and the subsequent nationwide results Hostage situation at Texas synagogue Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA What is Zionism? Referred to in this episode “The Rise of Social Orthodoxy: A Personal Account” by Jay P. Lefkowitz “The Problem with ‘Social Orthodoxy'” by Joshua R. Fattal, a critical response to Lefkowitz “What is the Talmud? Definition and Comprehensive Guide”, Yehuda Shurpin Who is Theodore Herzl? Who is David Ben-Gurion? Who is Sheldon Adelson? Who is “Adolf Eichmann”? Who is Hannah Arendt Neveragain.com Anti-Defamation League: Fighting Hate for Good What is Jerusalem Syndrome”? Create the change Learn more about Judaism — knowledge facilitates compassion with “Introduction to Judaism” OR “The Basics of Judaism” Name anti-Semitic incidents as such, report them, and speak out against them Use Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide Learn about The New Israel Fund, which envisions a Jewish and democratic state Fight for justice guided by Jewish values with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) Be aware of your own bias — it's evolutionarily built in us to be tribal and we need to self-examine our thoughts and introduce dissenting viewpoints If you are Jewish and looking for ways to become involved: Choose a small tradition and incorporate that into your home, like lighting candles on Friday night for Shabat or saying the “Shema” before bed each night Take inspiration from B'nai Jeshurun's The Jewish Home Project In COVID, many synagogues have moved services online; explore to find a place that feels right to you Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg / @whywetheater Twitter: @RuthiesATrain / @whywetheater Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Continuing our discussion about the musical The Color Purple (which is also about to become a movie musical starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, and Corey Hakwins), this week Ruthie recommends Joshua Harmon's new Off-Broadway play Prayer for the French Republic. The Color Purple—originally a novel by Alice Walker—was adapted into a musical and first opened on Broadway in 2005 and revived in 2015 and depicts the abusive relationship between Celie and Mister (among many other things). But is it as simple as “Mister is a bad guy?” Last week in “THE COLOR PURPLE and Generational Trauma,” we spoke about what it was like for actor Isaiah Johnson to play Mister—why he wanted to, how it was healing, and how it was challenging. Isaiah also pointed out that generational trauma is not unique to Black Americans and Prayer for the French Republic reminded me of that. Prayer takes place in 2015-2016 Paris and 1945-1946 Paris, depicting multiple generations of French Jews in the same family. Rising anti-Semitism in Paris confronts the present-day Benhamou family, stoking fear and worry, and forcing them to wonder “When do you leave? When are the signs enough to tell you to leave? And where do you go? Where is safe?” Listen to this full episode for the connections between these two theatrical pieces, the communities they portray, and why you should run to see both. Buy tickets to Prayer for the French Republic at Manhattan Theatre Club. Visit the website of International Center for Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma Read the International Handbook of Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma Explore the work of Dr. Maria Yellow Horse Braveheart Read On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok writes the story of high-schoolers B & G in Sanctuary City. As undocumented teens, the two lean on each other. When G gets citizenship and B has to choose to stay in New Jersey or return with his mom to their country of origin, questions of identity, friendship, sacrifice, and love emerge. In Nicola Yoon's New York Times bestseller The Sun is Also a Star, Natasha and Daniel are also from immigrant families—Daniel a first-generation Korean-American and Natasha an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica. This book is magical. It's simultaneously a surprising love story, a philosophical exploration about our universe, and a very real fight to survive another day. Listen to find out why if one story intrigues you, so will the other. Read The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. Purchase the book from your local independent bookstore. Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“It is, I think in the funhouse of this time, a very, very hard thing to feel like the job that you do and the way that you do it, and the life that you've chose as your north star is not there… and not only a thing you always felt was essential, but you really start to understand the word essential and you understand it differently and you understand it doesn't include you.” - Leigh Silverman. We're trying, right? As we emerge from the rubble of this pandemic, lifting the theatre up has been a Herculean feat. In the middle of all this, we as individuals are experiencing existential dread and asking ourselves – as we essential? Sure, we might not be essential workers, but we do have purpose. That's one of the reasons Tony Nominated Director Leigh Silverman chose to direct Jane Wagner's revival of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe starring Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong. “It is a play that deals with people who are searching for meaning at a time that feels meaningless,” continues Silverman. It does it through humor and it does it through pathos and it does it through a celebration of community and live theatre. It's the reason why I wanted to do the play. I couldn't imagine coming back to the theatre and doing any other play because this play articulates and recognizes the power of being together in a room full of strangers in the dark laughing and crying about the same things. And I just quoted the play.” In this episode, Leigh and Michael ask the tough questions. What is essential? What is our worth within the industry? But these are the questions that need to be asked. Plus, Leigh keys us into what it's like to direct a revival, the things that needed to be changed / rewritten, fangirling over Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, and the brilliance of Cecily Strong. And of course – how does the multi-hyphenate help the director? Straight from the director's mouth – learn how the multi-hyphenate identity helps strengthen a theatrical experience by approaching work from different perspectives. Leigh Silverman has directed on Broadway Violet (Tony nomination); Chinglish; Well; The Lifespan of a Fact, and Grand Horizons. Off-Broadway: American Hero (2ST); Kung Fu (Signature Theatre); The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence (Playwrights Horizons); The Call (Playwrights Horizons); The Madrid (MTC); Golden Child (Signature Theatre); No Place to Go (Public Theater; Two River Theatre); In the Wake (Center Theatre Group/Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Public Theater, Obie Award, Lortel nomination); Go Back to Where You Are (Playwrights Horizons, Obie Award); From Up Here (MTC, Drama Desk nomination); Yellow Face (Center Theatre Group/The Public Theater); Coraline (MCC/True Love); Blue Door (Playwrights Horizons); Well (The Public Theater; Huntington Theatre; ACT); Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Second Stage Theatre). Recent regional: The Heidi Chronicles (The Guthrie); American Hero (WTF); Chinglish (Goodman Theater, Jeff nomination; West Coast/Hong Kong tour). Upcoming: SUFFS at The Public Theatre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Building on our episodes about Nadira Simone's The Killing of Kings, in this mini-episode, Ruthie recommends the documentary The Prison Within. The film reveals the stories of six incarcerated men—their upbringings, their crimes, their humanity—as we watch them go through a restorative justice process. It's remarkable. A must-see. In the U.S., 2.2 million people are incarcerated, which costs taxpayers $260 Billion per year. The Killing of Kings put these statistics in a human context for me. Filmmaker Katherin Hervey's The Prison Within expanded that lens. Watch The Prison Within Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Authenticity was the heart of our last episode “INTERSTATE and Authentic Trans, Queer, and Asian-American Representation.” Our discussion included artists Kit Yan and Melissa Lee and experts AC Dumlao of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund and Sheena Brevig of the Center for Scholars and Storytellers. The quintet (including host Ruthie Fierberg) deliberated about how we ensure authentic representation and how we can get producers, theatres, and studios to greenlight projects that have non-white or non-male or non-straight or non-cis central characters. We just need more. In every mini-episode, Ruthie recommends one piece of art that connects to the previous week's larger themes. If you INTERSTATE or the conversation around it intrigued you, Ruthie recommends more stories you should explore. In the vein of “more, more, more,” Ruthie decided to offer multiple suggestions of art to put on your list, add to your queue, and place on your shelf. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo The Crazy Rich Asians trilogy (Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems) by Kevin Kwan Amateur by Thomas Page McBee Find your nearest Independent Bookstore to purchase. Never Have I Ever, Netflix The Sex Lives of College Girls, HBOMax Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In our final episode of Season 3 Christine sits down with celebrated director Leigh Silverman about her ongoing commitment to form teams that have intersectional inclusion. Leigh shares candidly both her own efforts to create parity on her teams, and her personal learning curve. Leigh will be a part of New York City's Vineyard Theater 2021/2022 season. Visit (vineyardtheatre.org) TALKBACK is a production of the Dramatists Guild of America. It's produced by Amy VonMacek, Sarah Storm, and me, Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Delaney Pruyn mixes our show. Our theme music is by Andrea Daley. The Dramatist Guild Presents: TALKBACK is distributed by The Broadway Podcast Network. This is our final episode for the season, but we'll be back next fall. Who should we speak to next? What topics should we cover? Let us know by using hashtag #DGTALKBACK and as always to be continued. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Harriet Brown's memoir Brave Girl Eating: A Family's Struggle With Anorexia is a must-read for anyone looking to better understand eating disorders after last week's episode “RINSE, REPEAT and Eating Disorders.” The book serves as a fitting companion to Domenica Feraud's Off-Broadway play Rinse, Repeat. Though the drama portrays a family's struggle with this disease, the main perspective is Rachel's. In our panel last episode, Domenica and expert Johanna Kandel shared personal experiences as people who have struggled with an eating disorder; Dr. Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodriguez offered the point of view of a researcher and clinician who specializes in eating disorders. In Brave Girl Eating, the perspective is that of a mother trying to help her daughter survive this mental illness. Hear more about the book and what you'll glean from reading it. Read Rinse, Repeat here. Find a copy of Brave Girl Eating. About Our Guests: Ruthie Fierberg, Host Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Beloved medical drama THE GOOD DOCTOR has a lot to teach us. Beyond its premise—following the evolution of Dr. Shaun Murphy, a physician on the autism spectrum, and the hospital and its employees around him—and beyond its weekly case, the ABC television series also demonstrates the use of the strengths model in foreign aid. Expert Ana Jiménez-Bautista taught us the definition and importance of the strengths model in last week's episode “Witness Uganda and Ethical Foreign Aid.” So this week, we connect musical theatre to television, Witness Uganda to The Good Doctor. Witness Uganda creator Griffin Matthews also emphasized the importance of international travel during last episode's discussion. In this mini-episode, we also look to Rick Steves for his decades-worth of thoughts on how traveling is a political act and the greatest weapon against hate. Watch The Good Doctor on ABC or Hulu. Read “Rick Steves Wants to Set You Free” by Sam Anderson. Listen to the full episode on “OSLO and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Disney's animated movie RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (starring Awkwafina, Kelly Marie Tran, and more) resonates deeply on the themes we discussed last week in our episode “OSLO and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” inspired by Broadway's Tony Award-winning Best Play OSLO (now also an HBO film). In Season 2, host Ruthie Fierberg releases a main panel episode every other week. In the off weeks (like this week), she drops mini-episodes in which she recommends another piece of art that relates to the previous week's topic in an effort to broaden our thinking and encourage the consumption of great stories. This week, Ruthie draws the connections between OSLO and Disney's RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON. Watch Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+. Listen to the full episode on “OSLO and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Connect with your host! Ruthiefierberg.com IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network produced by Alan Seales and edited by Derek Gunther. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Special thanks to Leigh Silverman, Suzanne Chipkin, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, Patrick Taylor, and Dori Berinstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maria-Christina Oliveras caught the attention of NYC theater fans with an explosive, show-stopping turn in David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's multiple award-winning musical Here Lies Love. On August 6, she brings her gift of storytelling and unique style to Feinstein's/54 Below in an electrifying night of music and surprises. In this episode, she joins our Director of Marketing, Nella Vera, for a chat about her career, her collaborations with renowned artists, including Tony nominee Alex Timbers, and why she's chosen this particular time to do her first solo cabaret show. Maria-Christina has performed extensively on and off-Broadway, regionally, internationally, and in film and television. Her career is distinguished by her transformational character work in a number of world premieres, including roles in Kiss My Aztec (by John Leguizamo, Tony Taccone, David Kamp, Benjamin Velez, directed by Tony Taccone), Amélie (by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messe and Nathan Tysen, directed by Pam MacKinnon), Soft Power (by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, directed by Leigh Silverman), El Huracán (by Charise Castro Smith, directed by Laurie Woolery), and Pretty Filthy (by Bess Wohl and Michael Friedman, directed by Steve Cosson). She has appeared on Broadway in Amélie, Machinal, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. For information about Maria's show at Feinstein's/54 Below, visit https://54below.com/events/maria-christina-oliveras/ Learn more about Maria on her website: www.mariachristinaoliveras.com Follow Maria on Instagram: @mcoliveras Credits The Feinstein's/54 Below podcast is hosted by Nella Vera, Kevin Ferguson, and Grace Benigni and produced by Bailey Everett and Michael Galvez, with support from the Feinstein's/54 Below marketing staff. Original artwork design by Philip Romano. Follow Nella on Twitter and Instagram at @spinstripes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The interviews in this episode were recorded over the course of October, November, and December 2020 Directors at their core are creators, leaders, and storytellers, and often the stories they share with audiences bring great success, both artistically and financially. However, the path to financial independence as a director isn’t as clear as one might expect. How can artists, producers, and patrons work together to create a more sustainable and tangible industry for its creative teams, and at what cost – literally. Join Drama League Associate Artistic Director Nilan and Directors Project alumni Danny Sharron along with some of our industry’s most critically-acclaimed directors Saheem Ali, David Cromer, Colette Robert, Jacob Padrón, Leigh Silverman, and Gabriel Stelian-Shanks in a season premiere three-part conversation about the economics of theater, pulling back the curtain on the class divisions built into the commercial and non-profit theater while reimagining a more equitable future for the industry. For more information about Danny Sharron visit: http://www.dannysharron.com/ For more information about Saheem Ali: https://www.saheemali.com/ For more information about David Cromer: https://www.steppenwolf.org/artists/david--cromer/ For more information about Colette Robert: https://www.coletterobert.com/ For more information about Jacob Padrón: http://www.solproject.org/jacob-padroacuten.html For more information about Leigh Silverman: https://sdcweb.org/staff/leigh-silverman/ If you're a director needing assistance, visit our COVID-19 resources and emergency relief programs here: dramaleague.org/covidresources/covid19resources Help support The Drama League: http://bit.ly/DLdonations For a transcript of this episode, click here. Editing Services @catalinmedia
The interviews in this episode were recorded over the course of October, November, and December 2020 Directors at their core are creators, leaders, and storytellers, and often the stories they share with audiences bring great success, both artistically and financially. However, the path to financial independence as a director isn’t as clear as one might expect. How can artists, producers, and patrons work together to create a more sustainable and tangible industry for its creative teams, and at what cost – literally. Join Drama League Associate Artistic Director Nilan and Directors Project alumni Danny Sharron along with some of our industry’s most critically-acclaimed directors Saheem Ali, David Cromer, Colette Robert, Jacob Padrón, Leigh Silverman, and Gabriel Stelian-Shanks in a season premiere three-part conversation about the economics of theater, pulling back the curtain on the class divisions built into the commercial and non-profit theater while reimagining a more equitable future for the industry. For more information about Danny Sharron visit: http://www.dannysharron.com/ For more information about Saheem Ali: https://www.saheemali.com/ For more information about David Cromer: https://www.steppenwolf.org/artists/david--cromer/ For more information about Colette Robert: https://www.coletterobert.com/ For more information about Jacob Padrón: http://www.solproject.org/jacob-padroacuten.html For more information about Leigh Silverman: https://sdcweb.org/staff/leigh-silverman/ If you're a director needing assistance, visit our COVID-19 resources and emergency relief programs here: dramaleague.org/covidresources/covid19resources Help support The Drama League: http://bit.ly/DLdonations For a transcript for this episode, click here. Editing Services @catalinmedia
The interviews in this episode were recorded over the course of October, November, and December 2020 Directors at their core are creators, leaders, and storytellers, and often the stories they share with audiences bring great success, both artistically and financially. However, the path to financial independence as a director isn’t as clear as one might expect. How can artists, producers, and patrons work together to create a more sustainable and tangible industry for its creative teams, and at what cost – literally. Join Drama League Associate Artistic Director Nilan and Directors Project alumni Danny Sharron along with some of our industry’s most critically-acclaimed directors Saheem Ali, David Cromer, Colette Robert, Jacob Padrón, Leigh Silverman, and Gabriel Stelian-Shanks in a season premiere three-part conversation about the economics of theater, pulling back the curtain on the class divisions built into the commercial and non-profit theater while reimagining a more equitable future for the industry. For more information about Danny Sharron visit: http://www.dannysharron.com/ For more information about Saheem Ali: https://www.saheemali.com/ For more information about David Cromer: https://www.steppenwolf.org/artists/david--cromer/ For more information about Colette Robert: https://www.coletterobert.com/ For more information about Jacob Padrón: http://www.solproject.org/jacob-padroacuten.html For more information about Leigh Silverman: https://sdcweb.org/staff/leigh-silverman/ If you're a director needing assistance, visit our COVID-19 resources and emergency relief programs here: dramaleague.org/covidresources/covid19resources Help support The Drama League: http://bit.ly/DLdonations For a transcript for this episode, click here. Editing Services @catalinmedia
To close out Season 1, the tenth episode of Why We Theater focuses on the state of theatre right now. Rather than a panel, Ruthie talks directly to you. Why We Theater’s mission is to use the theatre as inspiration to create change, and right now, the theatre industry and the pipeline to it (a.k.a. arts education) needs change. What can you do to save Broadway and hundreds of theatres around the country right now? What can you do to ensure artists can afford stay artists? Why is it necessary for every person to take classes in the arts? (Yes, there is research that says this is vital for everyone.) Where can you study the arts right now? It’s all here in this wrap-up of Season 1. Referred to in this episode 6 Facts That Show the True Importance of the Arts 22 Online Resources to Learn Performing Arts at Home Proposed Legislation to Support Those Struggling Due to COVID-19 Learn a new skill: Sight-reading music Circus arts Dialect Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! Sign up for her newsletter at RuthieFierberg.com/contact Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Soft Power, a show that discusses Chinese duty, American elections, and democracy, told through Golden Age references and Hillary Clinton. Jeff Parsons (of A Musical Theatre Podcast) joins us again to discuss this new Pulitzer Prize finalist, changes between productions, and how this show is the most exciting new piece of musical theater. “It Just Takes Time”, so join us as we take you through the entire show, beginning to end! (Also check out chapter markers for specific scenes and songs!) -- The conceit of the show is a reversal of The King and I, which is funny since leading man Conrad Ricamora starred in the latest revival, but you can also hear about the process of putting the show together. The show hinges on a real-life event where David Henry Hwang got stabbed in the neck shortly after the 2016 election. As this time-lapse demonstrates, the Shanghai skyline has changed a lot just in the past 40 years. Watch snippets of daily life and activities in the actual Fuxing Park. Listen to director Leigh Silverman talk about the ending scene and how it came about on The Ensemblist. Each song serves a specific purpose, and David Henry Hwang breaks down each track for us. Like the music, the choreography also references a lot of traditional musical theater concepts, and Sam Pinkleton breaks down the movement in different scenes. -- Check out scenes from the musical! Ahmanson Theatre (Los Angeles): Election Night Democracy (reprise), with the original ending Montage Rehearsal Footage Public Theatre (New York): Election Night Montage Democracy (reprise) Recording Session -- Listen to the cast album! Check out the listening party (turn on chat replay with cast and creatives)! Apple Music Spotify -- Follow Jeff and A Musical Theatre Podcast on Instagram and Twitter @AMusicalPodcast! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/, or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey.
Produced by ContemporaryPerformance.com and the Sarah Lawrence College MFA Theatre Program, the SLC Performance lab interviews visiting artists to the MFA Theatre Program's Grad Lab, one of the core classes of the program where grads work with guest artists and develop group generated performance pieces monthly. Broadway: Violet (Tony nomination); Chinglish; Well. Off-Broadway: American Hero (2ST); Kung Fu (Signature Theatre); The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence (Playwrights Horizons); The Call (Playwrights Horizons); The Madrid (MTC); Golden Child (Signature Theatre); No Place to Go (Public Theater; Two River Theatre); In the Wake (Center Theatre Group/Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Public Theater, Obie Award, Lortel nomination); Go Back to Where You Are (Playwrights Horizons, Obie Award); From Up Here (MTC, Drama Desk nomination); Yellow Face (Center Theatre Group/The Public Theater); Coraline (MCC/True Love); Blue Door (Playwrights Horizons); Well (The Public Theater; Huntington Theatre; ACT); Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Second Stage Theatre). Recent regional: The Heidi Chronicles (The Guthrie); American Hero (WTF); Chinglish (Goodman Theater, Jeff nomination; West Coast/Hong Kong tour).
This week, Why We Theater talks The Prom! After opening on Broadway in the fall of 2018, the musical comedy earned five Tony nominations, including Best Musical, and will soon debut on Netflix in a musical movie adaptation December 11. Inspired by true stories, The Prom spotlights Emma, an Indiana teenager banned from her prom for wanting to take her girlfriend. When aging Broadway stars Dee Dee Allen and Barry Glickman find out (and their show closes due to bad reviews), they decide to rehab their images by becoming celebrity activists and taking up the cause of this “LGBQ-teen.” The Prom illuminates the issue about acceptance and identity of LGTBQ+ folx, especially youth. Listen to the cast album here! Why We Theater is proud to welcome Tony nominees co-book writer Bob Martin and co-book writer and lyricist Chad Beguelin to talk about the ins and outs of writing the Broadway show and adapting it for the screen. Plus, policy leader and advocate Jennifer Driver and mental health counselor Isaac Archuleta guide us on healthy and safe practices and policies to aid self-discovery in LGBTQ+ youth; what we can all do to make kids feel safe and loved, to help parents of LGBTQ+ youth respond more healthfully to their kids, and schools and communities embrace kids of all orientations and identities; and policies we need to support to create lasting change for our youth and queer communities of all ages. Referred to in this episode: Prom discrimination stories from all 50 states Prom discrimination in Buffalo, NY; French Settlement, LA; Sullivan, IN The 2011 study Isaac mentions about sexual differentiation in development That West Wing scene about biblical hypocrisy Amaze, video series to teach sex education at all ages The Trevor Project educational resources SIECUS Community Action Toolkit: A Guide to Advancing Sex Education in Your Community CDC facts about mental health, education, and violence for LGBT Youth Facts about suicide in LGBTQIA+ youth Create the Change: If you or someone you know is at risk of harming themselves, call The Trevor Project hotline 1-866-488-7386 How to recognize risk factors of self-harm or suicide; read the simple guide on how to talk about suicide and prevent it If you or someone you know is struggling with their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, watch this Lifeguard Workshop from The Trevor Project Understand what it means to come out Advocate for affirmative counseling Find a mental health professional specializing in LGBTQIA+ affirmative counseling Bookmark this guide on being an ally to transgender, non-binary youth Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this exploration of the history of musical theatre through one of its most effective devices, I wanted to bring along one of our artforms most knowledgeable and personable historians. Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theatrical icon of her own, most notably for authoring her book series “The Untold Stories of Broadway.” But she’s also a proverbial vault of theatre history, recognizing the connective tissues of musical theatre in ways that others may not have seen before. Jen’s statement about the line as a political function intrigued me. Sure, Soft Power is a musical about politics. But is the line itself a political act. So I went to the source, the woman who staged the line into Soft Power herself: Leigh Silverman, director of Soft Power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hubert Point-Du Jour has been a working actor on both stage and screen for many years, but The Good Lord Bird on Showtime is the biggest role he's had to date. He talks to Heath about playing an enslaved person before the Civil War and the parallels between abolitionist struggles and the current fight for racial justice. Hubert also discusses how he developed a passion for acting, the work he's put in to learning his craft, and working with famous directors like Phylicia Rashad and Leigh Silverman.
Tony Award-winning playwright Steven Levenson joins Why We Theater to talk about his play If I Forget. Set in 2000, the play focuses on a Jewish family as three adult children (Holly, Michael, and Sharon) return to their parents’ house in Maryland for their father Lou’s 75th birthday. Michael is a Jewish Studies professor who recently wrote a book called "Forgetting the Holocaust" about how Judaism has become a religion haunted by death and ghosts - unified by fear and the phrase "never forget" rather than religious ideals or customs. With experts Rabbi Shuli Passow and scholar Judah Isseroff, we discuss American Jewish identity, the rise of anti-Semitism and how to combat it, Israel and Zionism, and trends of tribalism. You can watch If I Forget on BroadwayHD. Michael’s monologue, as performed by Tony Award nominee Jeremy Shamos, appears with the permission of Roundabout Theatre Company, which premiered If I Forget Off-Broadway in 2017, and Steven Levenson. Referred to in this episode “The Rise of Social Orthodoxy: A Personal Account” by Jay P. Lefkowitz “The Problem with ‘Social Orthodoxy’” by Joshua R. Fattal, a critical response to Lefkowitz “What is the Talmud? Definition and Comprehensive Guide”, Yehuda Shurpin Who is Theodore Herzl? Who is David Ben-Gurion? Who is Sheldon Adelson? Who is “Adolf Eichmann”? Who is Hannah Arendt Neveragain.com Anti-Defamation League: Fighting Hate for Good What is Jerusalem Syndrome”? Create the change Learn more about Judaism — knowledge facilitates compassion with “Introduction to Judaism” OR “The Basics of Judaism” Name anti-Semitic incidents as such, report them, and speak out against them Use Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide Learn about The New Israel Fund, which envisions a Jewish and democratic state Fight for justice guided by Jewish values with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) Be aware of your own bias — it’s evolutionarily built in us to be tribal and we need to self-examine our thoughts and introduce dissenting viewpoints If you are Jewish and looking for ways to become involved: Choose a small tradition and incorporate that into your home, like lighting candles on Friday night for Shabat or saying the “Shema” before bed each night Take inspiration from B’nai Jeshurun’s The Jewish Home Project In COVID, many synagogues have moved services online; explore to find a place that feels right to you Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The second of a fascinating two-part discussion, this episode delves deeper into Ming Peiffer’s Usual Girls. The play premiered in 2018 at Roundabout Underground for an extended, sold-out run. Catalyzed by the allegations against American Apparel’s Dov Charney, playwright Peiffer began to investigate the stories of women and the milestones in the sexual maturation of girls in America that can lead to a fraught and vulnerable relationship to one’s own sexuality. Peiffer put the patriarchy, rape culture, sexism, misogyny, and racism on trial in her professional debut work. What does healthy sexual development look like? How can femmes claim (or reclaim) their own sexuality? Is it possible to shed the culturally imposed shame and guilt and adopt an outlook of pleasure? What should effective sex education teach and when? What sexual stereotypes do we impose upon different communities, be it Black, Latinx, Asian, and how do we counter them? What are the consequences of teaching abstinence-only, medically inaccurate, or emotionally devoid sex ed? Peiffer, host Ruthie Fierberg, and experts Dr. Tracie Gilbert, a sex educator, writer, researcher, and consultant with over 25 years experience, specializing in work with Black communities; Professor Lisa Speidel, assistant professor and general faculty in the Gender and Sexuality department at the University of Virginia, and editor of The Edge of Sex; Professor Celine Parrenas Shimizu, Director of the School of Cinema, member of the graduate faculty of Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University, filmmaker, and author; and Justine Ang Fonte, a disruptor in health education and Director of Health and Wellness at an NYC K-12 school, gather to discuss everything from pleasure to self-discovery, recovering from violence to self-defense and all the coming-of-age in between. Referred to in this episode Meet Ericka Hart Consent outside of sex The stats on sexual assault and rape CDC’s 16 critical topics in high school sex ed Music video: WAP Create the change Read Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown Check out K-12 sex education resources from Advocates for Youth How to teach consent to kids at every age Practice enthusiastic collaborative consent Learn to set safe sexual boundaries Lesson Plan: How to teach accurate reproductive anatomy and physiology to kids Explore your own pleasure at stores geared towards female pleasure like Babeland or The Smitten Kitten Learn to know thyself from Audre Lorde Watch the documentary On The Record Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first of a critical two-part discussion, this episode focuses on Ming Peiffer’s Usual Girls. The play premiered in 2018 at Roundabout Underground for an extended, sold-out run. Catalyzed by the allegations against American Apparel’s Dov Charney, playwright Peiffer began to investigate the stories of women and the milestones in the sexual maturation of girls in America that can lead to a fraught and vulnerable relationship to one’s own sexuality. Peiffer put the patriarchy, rape culture, sexism, misogyny, and racism on trial in her professional debut work. What does healthy sexual development look like? How can femmes claim (or reclaim) their own sexuality? Is it possible to shed the culturally imposed shame and guilt and adopt an outlook of pleasure? What should effective sex education teach and when? What sexual stereotypes do we impose upon different communities, be it Black, Latinx, Asian, and how do we counter them? What are the consequences of teaching abstinence-only, medically inaccurate, or emotionally devoid sex ed? Peiffer, host Ruthie Fierberg, and experts Dr. Tracie Gilbert, a sex educator, writer, researcher, and consultant with over 25 years experience, specializing in work with Black communities; Professor Lisa Speidel, assistant professor and general faculty in the Gender and Sexuality department at the University of Virginia, and editor of The Edge of Sex; Professor Celine Parrenas Shimizu, Director of the School of Cinema, member of the graduate faculty of Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University, filmmaker, and author; and Justine Ang Fonte, a disruptor in health education and Director of Health and Wellness at an NYC K-12 school, gather to discuss everything from pleasure to self-discovery, recovering from violence to self-defense and all the coming-of-age in between. Referred to in this episode Kinsey Institute What is a “comfort woman”? Who gets the most right-swipes on dating apps? Sexual stereotypes of Black communities and Asian communities Lesson Plan: How to teach accurate reproductive anatomy and physiology to kids Only 15 of 50 states required to be medically accurate; and other sex ed laws What is rape culture? As explained by Marshall University or Buzzfeed Children’s Book: Sex is a Funny Word Music video: WAP Create the change Check out K-12 sex education resources from Advocates for Youth How to teach consent to kids at every age Explore your own pleasure at stores geared towards female pleasure like Babeland or The Smitten Kitten Watch Justine Fonte’s “Story” Read Emily Nagoski’s Come As You Are Read Celine Parrenas Shimizu’s The Hypersexuality of Race: Performing Asian American Women on Screen and Scene Read Shimizu’s The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure Read Lisa Spiedel’s The Edge of Sex: Navigating aa Sexually Confusing Culture From the Margins Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jennifer Ashley Tepper is producer of the musicals Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter, and Love In Hate Nation. She is also the Creative and Programming Director at Feinstein's/54 Below, and the author of The Untold Stories of Broadway book series. She is the creator of The Jonathan Larson Project and historian consultant on the upcoming film version of tick, tick...BOOM! Tepper was recently named recipient of a 2020 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award. As the leader of Feinstein's/54 Below's creative programming team, Tepper is responsible for programming every show at the Broadway supper club and concert venue. She has curated and overseen the production of over 3500 shows, ranging from musicals in concert, to original solo acts, to theatrical reunions, to songwriter celebrations, and beyond. Feinstein's/54 Below has become notable for being the only venue of its kind: presenting over a dozen shows every week, specializing in Broadway acts, and welcoming both traditional cabaret and innovative new work. Tepper's leadership has been instrumental in making the locale "Broadway's Living Room", where on any given night one can find Broadway's biggest stars and emerging talents side by side, creating and sharing new work in an intimate theatrical environment. Tepper's producing work on original ventures at the venue has gained praise from publications including The Huffington Post, The New York Times, Buzzfeed, Playbill, Newsday, the New York Post, and more. From Hit List (the live concert version of the fictional musical from NBC's Smash) to Smile: A Broadway Reunion Concert to her collaborations with musical theatre writers both established and emerging, Tepper has, according to Theatermania, "brought her encyclopedic knowledge and typical gusto to the venue, knowing just what musical theatre enthusiasts are looking for." Tepper is the co-creator of the Bistro Award-winning concert series, If It Only Even Runs A Minute, now in its 7th year. ...Runs A Minute celebrates short-lived Broadway and off-Broadway musicals in concerts that feature photos and research as well as songs. Each concert also boasts original cast members and writers telling stories, as well as songs that have never been recorded. The series thus far has comprised over 250 performers and over 200 'under-appreciated' shows. AM New York has called the series: "Artistically compelling... displays the blood, guts, sweat and tears that go into making Broadway shows." As a writer, Tepper has authored three volumes of The Untold Stories of Broadway series, published by Dress Circle. For these books, Tepper interviewed 250 theatre professionals about the Broadway theaters themselves and their stories of working in each house. The books cover over 70 years of our theatrical history, shared through first-hand interviews with Broadway professionals who were there. The Untold Stories of Broadway books comprise stories with actors, producers, directors, writers, designers, stagehands, door men and women, musicians, house managers, press agents, ushers, and many more. Interspersed with interviewees' stories are Tepper's own tales and discoveries about each historic building. The Untold Stories of Broadway partners with a charitable organization that receives proceeds from each volume, and is currently partnered with Broadway Impact, the Theatre Development Fund, and the Broadway Green Alliance. Published in 2013, 2014, and 2016, each book has occupied the #1 spot on Amazon.com's Best Sellers List in Broadway & Musicals. NBC New York has called the books an 'inspiring Must-Read'. Tepper was recently named one of the 10 professionals on Backstage Magazine's "1st Annual Broadway Future Power List", alongside Alex Timbers and Leigh Silverman. According to the article: "Proving herself both a zeitgeist predictor and theatrical historian with her eclectic programming, Tepper is leading the conversation on contemporary musical theatre."
Three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang and director Leigh Silverman join former national security advisor to VP Joe Biden, former policy director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, and U.S. policymaker Jake Sullivan and journalist, media consultant, author, and “Asian Pop” columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle Jeff Yang to discuss the musical-within-a-play Soft Power. The piece covers the merits and pitfalls of democracy, the American electoral system, the American campaign system, U.S.-China relations, cultural appropriation, racism and hate crimes in America, soft power itself, and more. This episode of Why We Theater focuses on democracy, voting rights, and appreciating Asian-American perspectives and culture. Is democracy the best system of government? How do we improve our electoral system now? What must we keep in mind for the November 2020 Presidential Election? What is soft power and how do we wield it responsibly? Do Americans have a say in how we interact with foreign nations? How? Listen to find out. Referred to in this episode What Donald Trump and Dick Cheney Got Wrong About America by Jake Sullivan The Citizens United Supreme Court Case What Is Ranked Choice Voting? From FairVote.org What is the Single Transferable Vote? Why Was the Electoral College Created? by Dave Roos Jeff Yang’s podcast "They Call Us Bruce" (co-hosted by Phil Yu) What is the “model minority” myth? Building the Transcontinental Railroad: How 20,000 Some Chinese Immigrants Made it Happen by Lesley Kennedy The history of Asian American for Equality and the Asian American Movement of the 1960s Create the change Research and support Automatic Voter Registration Check your voter registration status and deadlines for registration by zip code Research your what’s on your ballot and who your candidates are Contact your representative to support voter rights - SUPER easy with 5calls.org Watch "We're Doing Elections Wrong" from Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj Read Jeff Yang’s Op-Ed "Mr. President, you don't speak for Asian Americans" Check out this interactive timeline to understand the history of the U.S. and China’s relations Read Cathy Park Hong’s poetry and writings on her experience as an Asian American: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning Read Peter N. Kiang’s "Understanding Our Perceptions of Asian Americans" Stop hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Watch panels from the Rise: Asian Pacific America digital conference Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Inspired by Dominique Morisseau’s play Pipeline, today’s episode delves into issues tied to the national crisis of the school-to-prison pipeline. The play follows, Omari, a Black high school student at a predominantly white prep school and his single mother, Nya, who teaches at the district public school. When Omari attacks his teacher in class, Nya’s fears for her son and his future push her to the edge and force audiences to question who is truly at fault. How and why did the school-to-prison pipeline begin? What problems does education inequity and inequality cause? How do we make education more equitable—across public and private institutions? How do we train teachers of all races to relate to students of all races? What is “culturally responsive education” and how can it improve our education crisis? How does this connect to Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and too many more? Listen to this fascinating and urgent discussion with playwright Morisseau and education experts Tyree Booker and Matt Gonzales. Purchase the play here. Referred to in this episode Watch Pipeline now on BroadwayHD. (Option for free trial for new users.) Michael Brown’s murder in Ferguson, MO (Read up until “The Law” section, which sources speculative opinions) The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander ACLU: “School-to-Prison Pipeline” Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity & the Transformation of Schools, where Gonzales works on education research and policy Camelot Education, where Booker serves as an Executive Director Morisseau’s op-ed “Why I Almost Slapped a Fellow Theatre Patron, and What That Says About Our Theatres” What is “Culturally Responsive Education”? Native Son by Richard Wright - Buy it from your local Black-owned independent bookstore; find stores here or here. Hear poet Gwendolyn Brooks read her “We Real Cool” Key and Peele’s “If We Treated Teachers Like Pro Athletes” U.S. Department of Education School Discipline Snapshot 2017-2018 School Survey on Crime and Safey “Racial Disparity in School Discipline” Infographic Create the change Stand up for Black lives Find one-page education reform resources at the EJ-ROC Policy Hub Read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson; Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott; Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson; The Miseducation of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson (Buy from a Black-owned independent bookstore; find stores here or here.) Follow @integratenyc @CEJNYC @TeensTakeCharge @AQE_NY @CACF Read i3’s (Integration and Innovation Initiative) plan to integrate NYC schools, take their cues to adapt the policies for your school district Learn what “defund the police” means Elect Board of Education reps who: Support universal early childhood education Advocate for culturally responsive-sustaining education Will divest from school policing Will decriminalize student behavior Will develop “sanctuary school” models to make school a space safe from police and ICE agents Provide a model for family engagement in education Opt for counseling and progressive discipline Reach out to and collaborate with the Anti-Racist Initiatve at NYU’s Metro Center Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Based on the book of the same name, The Lifespan of a Fact opened cold on Broadway at Studio 54 October 18, 2018, and immediately illuminated issues of journalistic integrity, art versus media, and what the word “truth” actually means. Jim Fingal is an intern at a literary magazine assigned to factcheck an essay by John D’Agata—the kind of piece that, according to editor-in-chief Emily Penrose could be “meaningful” and “pushes the envelope.” Inspired by Jim, John, and their real-life negotiation, the story follows Jim as he investigates every checkable fact in John’s article (excuse me, “essay”) as John fights to preserve the art of the story and the essence of truth. But are truth and facts the same? What about news and storytelling? Should there be a difference? When should a writer’s perspective surface, if ever? What facts are negotiable, if any? How do you know? In this episode, host Ruthie Fierberg digs into the origins of the play with Leigh Silverman—yielding a surprise twist—before opening up the discussion about facts and their negotiability, or lack thereof, with renowned content creator Ira Glass of This American Life who says facts are black-and-white and Barbara Brandon-Croft, a fact-checker and research director at Parents magazine, who says situations like those portrayed in Lifespan are all too familiar. In the end, these artists and experts advise us all on how to consume reliable media and how to hold journalists and their outlets to ethical standards. Purchase the play here. Referred to in this episode John D’Agata’s story “What Happens Here” that inspired the book The Lifespan of a Fact, which inspired the play The July 25, 2008, episode of This American Life “Switched at Birth” The January 6, 20120, episode of This American Life “Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory” and its subsequent retraction, titled “Retraction” released March 16, 2012 Read Ira’s 2012 letter about the retraction here Study: Distinguishing Between Factual and Opinion Statements in the News (How well can Americans tell the difference?) Quiz: How well can you tell factual from opinion statements? Create the change Take the quiz to see if you know the difference between fact and opinion statements Learn the difference between fact and opinion statements with this one-sheet Dive deeper with this lesson plan from The Guardian Support your local radio station or local television news station Find your local radio station in one click Watch Hasan Minhaj explain the importance of local news on Patriot Act Check the masthead (akin to a staff directory) of your magazines. Look for a “Research Director” or “Head of Research” and/or “Fact-checkers” on the EDITORIAL staff (NOT the Marketing/Sales/Publishing staff). Stay aware. Always check your sources. (Wikipedia is not a reliable source—though it may lead you to one.) Examples of reliable sources: government agencies, studies from a journal of repute, doctors and lawyers in their area of specialty, Nielsen and Pew Research Center Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Conrad Ricamora joins me on Zoom to chat about his unlikely undergraduate education, a lesson he took away from his time playing sports, the importance of opening doors for himself, his crazy exciting audition for HERE LIES LOVE, the magical night that I was in audience for RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S THE KING AND I at Lincoln Center Theater, as well as crafting his most recent on-stage role in SOFT POWER and his extraordinary collaboration with Leigh Silverman, David Henry Hwang, and Jeanine Tesori.
“Octet and Internet Addiction” Inspired by the new 2019 musical Octet, this episode digs into the helps and harms of the internet and digital technology. Written by Dave Malloy (The Great Comet) and directed by Annie Tipp, the a cappella chamber musical debuted Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre Center. Staged as a sort-of AA meeting for tech addicts, each song serves as a share about a different manifestation of tech addiction. But are we all addicted to tech? It’s not necessarily the tools, but how we use them that can lead us to breakthroughs or breakdowns. In this episode, host Ruthie Fierberg digs into the origins of the musical and its roots in research with Tippe before opening up the discussion to three experts. Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang offers the facts about technology’s effects on our brains and socialization; Dr. Hilarie Cash, who treats internet addiction, advises how to recognize true addiction and gives tips to establish a healthy media diet; and software engineer Daphne Larose proposes a new path for responsible tech development and the beneficial uses of software, the Internet, and games. Referred to in this episode Listen to the Octet live album What are QAnon and 4chan? Research from Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang Create the Change Go grayscale Turn off push notifications Unplug: Go tech-free one day per week, one weekend per month, one week per year For educators read: The Brain Basis for Integrated Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Hold tech companies accountable If you feel concerned that you may have a more severe problem with digital technology, seek additional help. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) is a free national helpline for recovery resources and referrals; 1-800-622-HELP Find a therapist who specializes in Internet Addiction with this tool Consider treatment at reSTART Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Playwright Jocelyn Bioh and experts Afia Ofori-Mensa of Princeton University and Maryann Jacob Macias of National Crittenton join host Ruthie Fierberg to explore the questions raised about the roots of colorism and how to check your own bias, beauty standards and how to advocate for broader definitions of beauty, self-esteem and how to raise girls and women to know our own self-worth in this episode tied to Off-Broadway’s Lortel-winning and Drama Desk-nominated comedy School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play. Purchase the play here. Referred to in this episode: TikTok ‘tried to filter out videos from ugly, poor or disabled users’ Peggy Orenstein, watch her TED Talk tied to her book Girls & Sex The work of Dr. Susan Bordo Create the Change: Write letters to the publisher. Send letters, emails, tweets (as someone who worked for a magazine, yes we really do read it all) either to praise the diversity of people you see in their pages—editorial and advertising—or to point out the lack thereof and demand a change. Letters to the editor will also work. Put your money where your mouth is. Buy make-up from brands with a wide spectrum of shades—even if your shade is lighter. Buy from brands that support your ideals—and let your friends know who these businesses are so they can join you. Broaden the idea of the protagonist Read, borrow, and purchase books with protagonists of color. Expand your horizons while showing that the readership for these stories is wide. As this writer observes: Black Books Are for White Children, Too. Here are some lists to get you started: 10 Books With South Asian Characters You Should Read in 2020; Multicultural Book Recommendation for World Travel From the Safety of Home. Lift up women in front of other women. Compliment girls for things they’ve done, not how they look. Why We Theater is part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunter, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com. Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com. Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montinieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. Connect with Ruthie! RuthieFierberg.com Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg Twitter: @RuthiesATrain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Leigh Silverman is a New York based live theatre director for both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. As one of the most prominent female directors, she advocates for women in roles of power in the theatre. She talks to Heath about how she got her start on the touring company of RENT, the challenges of directing for the stage, and what the future of live theatre might look like post-COVID. She also discusses her quarantine project- directing a shot from home video for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Stuck At Home with Cliff and Jason Presented by Starburns Audio
Tony Award nominated director ("Violet") Leigh Silverman is here to talk about her new project “THE MARVELOUS MUSIC OF MAISEL” created to raise awareness and support for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, MusiCares, and Swans for Relief. Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @MaiselTV
Justified & Heroes Actor James Kyson joins Allison Melody and co-host Recovering "big law"Attorney Ashley Fillingim to talk healthy parenting hacks for the modern parent. James is passionate about creating media that promotes wellness, fitness, and consciousness. Ashley is passionate about helping wellness entrepreneurs build their dreams. As a new parent, James is balancing a demanding Hollywood career while also being a dedicated hubby and brand new dad. In this episode, James offers advice on work/life balance, healthy parenting hacks and more! ABOUT JAMES: One of today's most exciting & versatile actors, James Kyson has been voted by Buzzfeed as a Top 10 Asian-American Leading Man, and by TV Guide as “Hollywood's 25 Hottest Body.” James recently guest starred in AMC's Preacher, CBS' Elementary and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and FOX's Sleepy Hollow. He also recently starred in NCIS:LA, the new Nickelodeon sitcom School of Rock, the FX drama Justified, and is beloved for his 5-year run on NBC's Heroes as 'Ando'. James will be returning to the stage in the fall, in La Jolla Playhouse's production of WILD GOOSE DREAMS, directed by Leigh Silverman (2x TONY nominee). He is currently filming the comedy feature WALK to VEGAS, and recently wrapped the drama BANANA SEASON, where he had to train as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter for six weeks. He will next be starring in the romantic comedy ANOTHER TIME, alongside Justin Hartley and Arielle Kebbel, and appearing in BREAKING IN, directorial debut from Peter Facinelli.A native of NYC, James graduated from Bronx H.S. of Science, then went on to studycommunications & broadcasting at New England Institute of the Arts. After a stint in a hip-hop group in college, James moved to LA on a one-way ticket & a suitcase, where he began his training in music, dance, and acting. His first ever TV audition landed him on CBS's J.A.G. An athlete & avid runner, James has ran the 2016 LA Half Marathon with his wife Jamee , plays basketball for The Hollywood Knights, a charity celebrity team, and participated in Robbie Williams' Soccer Aid for UNICEF, at Manchester United's Old Trafford in the UK. His favorite hobbies include scuba diving and ultimate frisbee, and he loves playing guitar and the piano. James is also a musical theater enthusiast, and starred in a production of HAIR.James is an ambassador for the international non-profit Good Neighbors and their Water for Life campaign, as well as the Creative Coalition and their Arts Education program. His passion is to create media that promotes wellness, fitness, and consciousness. Follow James at @JamesKyson on all the social channels. You can also keep up with James at www.JamesKyson.com ABOUT ASHLEY: Ashley Fillingim is an attorney who coaches wellness entrepreneurs. She spent two decades at a large international law firm—including over 10 years as a litigation partner—representing businesses in complex, bet-the-company matters. She has significant experience in team building, project management, jury research and trial theme development. Today, Ashley aids clients in business formation, brand building, strategic planning and risk assessment. As a recovering "big law" attorney--previously a litigation partner and 20-year veteran at a top-tier international law firm-- Ashley is passionate about helping entrepreneurs build their dreams. And she’s proud mom to Mackenzie (10) and Parker (5). They live with their dog, Apollo in Atlanta, GA. Follow her adventures on Instagram @kickashlife
On this week's show, Rob and Jamie spotlight “Soft Power”, the innovative new “musical-within-a-play” currently playing at the Public Theater. They are joined by playwright and lyricist David Henry Hwang, director Leigh Silverman, and two of the show's stars: Francis Jue and Alyse Alan Louis. Together, they discuss the unique structure of the piece, its inception and content, changes made from California to New York, what it's like playing living figures as characters on stage, and the current state of American democracy. Rob closes with some reflections on seeing his boss, Secretary Clinton, reflected back on stage. This week's music: selections from “Soft Power” and “The March of the Siamese Children” from “The King And I, 2015 Broadway Cast”. Find us on Twitter & Instagram: @fabulousinvalid Facebook: www.facebook.com/fabulousinvalid Rob's reviews: www.stageleft.nyc Email us at: info@fabulousinvalid.com Jamie Du Mont Twitter: @jamiedumont Instagram: @troutinnyc Rob Russo Twitter/Instagram: @StageLeft_NYC Jennifer Simard Twitter: @SimardJennifer Instagram: @thejennifersimard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A lively conversation with playwright Lucas Hnath, director Leigh Silverman, playwright/director Robert O'Hara, and new-play producer Alexis Williams.
This week Julie and Zane chat with Josh Thia about which of life's truths can be gleaned from Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party! "[it] has a jittery, wandering quality, conscientiously shifting styles and tempos as if in search of a lost chord . . . The ballads . . . are of the high-decibel, swooning pop variety made popular by Frank Wildhorn. Mr. Lippa fares better with pastiches of jazz, vaudeville and gospel vintage, although these, too, suffer by comparison to the Kander-Ebb songs for Chicago." The CurtainUp reviewer wrote: "The Wild Party may not be the perfect musical we've all been looking for but it's great fun to watch and puts enough talent on display to have warranted a longer run than it will have." - Ben Brantley of the New York Times- FURTHER READING -Wiki - Musical, PoemSpotifyiTunes- CELEBRITY SHOUTOUTS - Andrew Lippa, Joseph Moncure March, Kristin Chenoweth, Julia Murney, Brian d'Arcy James, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Leigh Silverman, Sonya Tayeh, Sutton Foster, Steven Pasquale, Brandon Victor Dixon, Miriam ShorLike us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! Support us on Patreon!Email us: musicalstaughtmepodcast@gmail.comVisit our home on the web thatsnotcanonproductions.comOur theme song and interstitial music all by the one and only Benedict Braxton Smith. Find out more about him at www.benedictbraxtonsmith.com
Playwright David Cale, actor Billy Crudup, and director Leigh Silverman of Cale's riveting, one-man thriller “Harry Clarke” now Off-Broadway, produced by (and available at) audible. Jason Zinoman of The New York Times co-hosts with Susan Haskins.
In Episode 5, Obie Award winning playwright David Cale (LILLIAN) and Tony Award nominated director Leigh Silverman (VIOLET) join us for a conversation about what it's like to work on the world premiere of the one-man show HARRY CLARKE starring Tony Award winning actor Billy Crudup. Eric Pargac hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Masters of the Stage Replay, which revisits podcasts that seem especially relevant this season. Today’s podcast features Hamilton director Thomas Kail in conversation with director Leigh Silverman about ideal directorial skills, the value of readings, career beginnings, and much more.
Leigh Silverman is a director for the stage, both Off-Broadway and on Broadway. She was nominated for the 2014 Tony Award, Best Direction of a Musical for the musical Violet and the 2008 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Director of a Play for the play From Up Here. She directed the Lisa Kron play Well Off-Broadway. On Broadway, she was the Associate Director for the musical Never Gonna Dance in 2003 and directed Chinglish by David Henry Hwang. She directed the world premiere of the Neil Labute play The Way We Get By. Some other Off-Broadway plays she has directed are Blue Door by Tanya Barfield, From Up Here by Liz Flahive, David Greenspan's Go Back to Where You Are, and In the Wake. Not only was I taken by Leigh’s passion for the theater and her methodology for shaping plays and musicals, I was so impressed by how she has shaped her own career. Instead of majoring in directing in college? She majored in writing . . . knowing full well she wanted to direct. She understood that knowing the ins and outs of the structure of a play and how it was built from the ground up would serve her more than just studying directing. It’s like an architect choosing to work construction for a few years to understand what keeps a building in place. #Genius. We talked all about that choice and so much more including: Why she’s glad someone told her she was a terrible Actor when she was just 15. How she decides if a new play is “viable.” Why she makes her Designers act. The difference between working on a play and a musical . . . and what her two new musical projects are. Why television is the reason the new American play is thriving. Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway www.theproducersperspective.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2015, Director Thomas Kail sat down with Director Leigh Silverman in a One-on-One conversation about craft, career, and professional trajectories. In their conversation, Silverman expresses her thoughts on the value of readings, how female directors have to prove themselves in a male-dominated industry, and the apparent stigma surrounding ambition in professional theater. Additionally, Silverman and Kail talk about ideal directorial skills and their thoughts on what it means to soak up ideas, challenge what is known, and how to handle a piece when it doesn’t speak to the director. Listen in as these two master directors examine directing vis-à-vis their own lives and careers.
On August 25, 2014, director Jeremy Cohen moderated a conversation with panelists and fellow directors Leigh Silverman and Joel Sass at the Guthrie Theater. Listen in to learn about the views, experiences, and lives of these two master directors.
The Off-Broadway musical Violet has found new life on Broadway in a revival by the Roundabout Theater Company. Directed by Leigh Silverman, the production features Broadway star Sutton Foster. The Tony-winning Foster is best known for bringing verve and sparkle to Thoroughly Modern Millie and Anything Goes. Based on a short story by Doris Betts called "The Ugliest Pilgrim," Jeanine Tesori wrote the music and book and lyrics are by Brian Crawley. So what makes this the right time to replant Violet on Broadway? And how has the show changed from its first production and recent City Center Encores revival? New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood gives his assessment.
On Tuesday, December 4, 2012, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society hosted a panel on women directors and choreographers in Chicago with panelists Rachel Rockwell, Joanie Schultz, Kimberly Senior, and Leigh Silverman, moderated by Michael Halberstam. Together, the panel and the audience strive to answer the question, "How can all of us - our collaborators, theatres, service organizations - support the growth and furtherance of women as directors and choreographers?"
Playwright Tanya Barfield and Obie Award-winning director Leigh Silverman discuss Barfield's play THE CALL, international adoption, and the struggle to write. THE CALL was a co-production between Playwrights Horizons and Primary Stages. (2012/13 season)
Casey York talks to GO BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE actor Brian Hutchison about his role, what it's like to work with director Leigh Silverman and David Greenspan, and how he manages to keep his cool in this business. (2010/11 season)
"Bye Bye Birdie"'s domineering mom, Jayne Houdyshell, talks about finding the good in meddling Mae Peterson, who she calls "Archie Bunker in a mink coat" and whether she'd ever appeared in "Birdie" previously during her career, which has spanned some 300 shows (though only 15 in New York). She also describes growing up as a child on a Kansas farm; her first stage appearance as the mother in "Enter Laughing" (at age 14); finding her way to a conservatory in Detroit staffed largely by English acting teachers; starting her career by moving to Iowa where she was part of literally building the Old Creamery Theatre; her move to New York -- which precipitated a 20 year career working in regional theatres across the country, despite having no agent or manager; her sudden discovery by the New York theatre community in Lisa Kron's "Well"; how her appearance in "Hello Dolly" in the early 80s led to her appearance as Madame Morrible in "Wicked" on Broadway, what she thought when director Leigh Silverman asked her to play a child in "Coraline", and why she'd like to sing more on stage -- but we shouldn't be looking for her cabaret act anytime soon. Original air date - November 16, 2009.
"Bye Bye Birdie"'s domineering mom, Jayne Houdyshell, talks about finding the good in meddling Mae Peterson, who she calls "Archie Bunker in a mink coat" and whether she'd ever appeared in "Birdie" previously during her career, which has spanned some 300 shows (though only 15 in New York). She also describes growing up as a child on a Kansas farm; her first stage appearance as the mother in "Enter Laughing" (at age 14); finding her way to a conservatory in Detroit staffed largely by English acting teachers; starting her career by moving to Iowa where she was part of literally building the Old Creamery Theatre; her move to New York -- which precipitated a 20 year career working in regional theatres across the country, despite having no agent or manager; her sudden discovery by the New York theatre community in Lisa Kron's "Well"; how her appearance in "Hello Dolly" in the early 80s led to her appearance as Madame Morrible in "Wicked" on Broadway, what she thought when director Leigh Silverman asked her to play a child in "Coraline", and why she'd like to sing more on stage -- but we shouldn't be looking for her cabaret act anytime soon. Original air date - November 16, 2009.
Five of the stage's most talented Directors -- Thomas Kail, Moisés Kaufman, Bartlett Sher (who won a Tony for his work on the 2008 revival of South Pacific), Leigh Silverman and Kate Whoriskey -- talk about how they work with, and interpret, the author's work; the relationship between directors and designers; managing change as the work evolves; why they feel actors should be more involved in the process; the different approach they take when working with classics as opposed to original works; how they work with casting directors and then work with the various actors and acting techniques; their desire to be a support system for each other; and whether they feel directing can be taught.
Five of the stage's most talented Directors - Thomas Kail, Moisés Kaufman, Bartlett Sher, Leigh Silverman and Kate Whoriskey - talk about how they work with, and interpret, the author's work; the relationship between directors and designers; managing change as the work evolves; why they feel actors should be more involved in the process; the different approach they take when working with classics as opposed to original works; how they work with casting directors and then work with the various actors and acting techniques; their desire to be a support system for each other; and whether they feel directing can be taught.
Director Leigh Silverman talks about the development of the Off-Broadway "Beebo Brinker Chronicles" and its transition from an Off-Off-Broadway space to a larger venue; how she juggles so many projects in a season where she has already staged "Yellowface" and "Hunting And Gathering" and is currently working on "From Up Here" at Manhattan Theatre Club and "Of Equal Measure" for the Center Theater Group in Los Angeles; the genesis of her involvement in the acclaimed play "Wit", as well as the sad circumstances that led her to direct the play's West End debut; and the impact of Lisa Kron's "Well" on her career, as it traveled from The Public Theatre to San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre then back to New York for the play's -- and her own -- Broadway debut. Original air date - March 21, 2008.
Director Leigh Silverman talks about the development of the Off-Broadway "Beebo Brinker Chronicles" and its transition from an Off-Off-Broadway space to a larger venue; how she juggles so many projects in a season where she has already staged "Yellowface" and "Hunting And Gathering" and is currently working on "From Up Here" at Manhattan Theatre Club and "Of Equal Measure" for the Center Theater Group in Los Angeles; the genesis of her involvement in the acclaimed play "Wit", as well as the sad circumstances that led her to direct the play's West End debut; and the impact of Lisa Kron's "Well" on her career, as it traveled from The Public Theatre to San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre then back to New York for the play's -- and her own -- Broadway debut. Original air date - March 21, 2008.
Broadway Bullet: Theatre from Broadway, Off-Broadway and beyond.
Director Leigh Silverman drops by to chat about The Public Theater's newest production, "Yellow Face". In celebration of the festival of lights William Finn comes into talk about "Make Me a Song", a new revue of his songs, playing at New World Stages. We get to hear two songs of Mr. Finn's as well. Also the president of CAMI Ventures LCC, Mark S. Maluso, heads into the studio to talk about their new work, "Jump".
How an audience can discern the often invisible hand of the director is the starting point for this discussion with Tony Award winners Doug Hughes (2005 for Director of a Play for Doubt), Joe Mantello (2003 for Best Direction for Take Me Out and 2004 for Assassins) John Rando (2002 for Best Direction for Urinetown ) participate in this panel along with Scott Elliott (The Threepenny Opera) and Leigh Silverman (Well).
How an audience can discern the often invisible hand of the director is the starting point for this discussion with Scott Elliott ("The Threepenny Opera"), Doug Hughes ("Doubt"), Joe Mantello ("Wicked"), John Rando ("The Wedding Singer") and Leigh Silverman ("Well").
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