Podcasts about milwaukee rep

All of the live holiday shows that you can see with the family! The Milwaukee Rep theater, First Stage, Pabst Theater, and so much more! Vince & Erik sit down with Katie Korek, leader of UPAF, to detail all of the shows including, the new Nutcracker, Christmas Carole, and so much more!

Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico; Julio grew up moving all over the country, stopped in Pennsylvania to get his BFA from Penn State, and moved to NYC six months before Covid-19 took over. Since then Julio made his Broadway and Principal debut in BAD CINDERELLA as the understudy for Prince Sebastian. This past Sunday he also just opened his second Broadway as a swing in LEMPICKA. Other credits include: WHITE CHRISTMAS (Phil Davis, CSTC), THE GREAT GATSBY (Papermill Playhouse), THE GRISWOLDS' BROADWAY VACATION (The 5th Avenue Theatre), TITANIC (Fleet, Milwaukee Rep), 42nd St (Billy Lawlor, The Rev), and MAMMA MIA (Sky, NSMT). Thanks to Coach Joe for helping stay nice and strong to keep up with the Broadway schedule!!! And yes before a matinee totally works! I could honestly do any day I have a matinee so whatever is best for the photographer I can make sure I'm at the theatre early whenever they're available. -Julio Try out your own Broadway fitness program via an app at no cost and no catch!  www.builtforthestage.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico; Julio grew up moving all over the country, stopped in Pennsylvania to get his BFA from Penn State, and moved to NYC six months before Covid-19 took over. Since then Julio made his Broadway and Principal debut in BAD CINDERELLA as the understudy for Prince Sebastian. This past Sunday he also just opened his second Broadway as a swing in LEMPICKA. Other credits include: WHITE CHRISTMAS (Phil Davis, CSTC), THE GREAT GATSBY (Papermill Playhouse), THE GRISWOLDS' BROADWAY VACATION (The 5th Avenue Theatre), TITANIC (Fleet, Milwaukee Rep), 42nd St (Billy Lawlor, The Rev), and MAMMA MIA (Sky, NSMT). Thanks to Coach Joe for helping stay nice and strong to keep up with the Broadway schedule!!! And yes before a matinee totally works! I could honestly do any day I have a matinee so whatever is best for the photographer I can make sure I'm at the theatre early whenever they're available. -Julio Try out your own Broadway fitness program via an app at no cost and no catch!  www.builtforthestage.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mandy is NOT happy about the PWI Women's 100 ranking and she really want to vent her frustrations. After which she gives her opinion on the biggest male names in the business and then finally your favorite discuss seeing In The Heights at the Milwaukee Rep and which Lin Manuel Miranda Broadway show they prefer.

It is a little much even for someone about to retire. This hour opens up with TMJ4 Anchor Carole Meekins who will have her last day on the air tonight on TMJ4. She joins the show to talk about her time at 4, why she chose Milwaukee to live and work, and what is next. Plus, Reese Madigan, the man who plays Bob Cratchit in the Milwaukee Rep's production of the Christmas Carol talks about how he taps into a character and the emotions it takes to perform for so many years.

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

The story of Lawrencia Bembenek is a complicated one to tell. But that's what the Milwaukee Repertory Theater will attempt to do next month when "Run Bambi Run" begins ITS run on stage. WTMJ's Vince Vitrano spoke with theater executive director Chad Bauman about the show.

Our favorite summer stories are back! We sit down with some amazing Wisconsin arts leaders and ask them to share a story about a play or musical that "stayed" with them, inspired them, or just generally rocked their world. This episode features: Jacob Janssen - Artistic Director of Third Avenue PlayWorks  Laura Braza - Associate Artistic Director of Milwaukee Rep Sheri Williams Pannell - Playwright, Director, & Asst. Professor at UW-Milwaukee/Peck School of the Arts Deanie Vallone - Literary & New Play Development Consultant at Milwaukee Rep  

Jared Mezzocchi (jaredmezzocchi.com)(TW:@JaredMezzocchi) is an two-time Obie Award-winning theater artist, working most notably as a director and multimedia designer. Mezzocchi's work has appeared at theaters nationwide, including the Kennedy Center, the Geffen Playhouse, Vineyard Theater, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth (company member), Milwaukee Rep, South Coast Rep, Portland Centerstage, and many more. In 2016, he received an Obie, Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for his work in Qui Nguyen's “Vietgone” at the Manhattan Theatre club. In 2020, the New York Times spotlighted his multimedia innovations during the pandemic alongside the work of four other theater artists, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paula Vogel. His work on Sarah Gancher's digital premiere of “Russian Troll Farm” (co-director & multimedia designer, and second Obie) was also celebrated as a New York Times critic pick, and praised for being one of the first digitally native successes for virtual theater. Mezzocchi is a two-time Macdowell Artist Fellow, a 2012 Princess Grace Award winner, and is an Associate Professor at The University of Maryland, where he teaches in the MFA Design program for the projection and multimedia track. He grew up in New Hampshire, and returns every summer to serve as Producing Artistic Director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, an innovative children's theater producing original work by professional artists from across the country. 

Will the sleuths find the document leaker? Also this hour - A Milwaukee Rep giveaway, & Dr. Ken Harris

A recap of the White House Egg Roll celebration as well as a Milwaukee Rep ticket giveaway. We also give the latest on Cardinal Stritch University closing their doors for good at the end of May

Jared Mezzocchi (jaredmezzocchi.com)(TW:@JaredMezzocchi) is an two-time Obie Award-winning theater artist, working most notably as a director and multimedia designer. Mezzocchi's work has appeared at theaters nationwide, including the Kennedy Center, the Geffen Playhouse, Vineyard Theater, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth (company member), Milwaukee Rep, South Coast Rep, Portland Centerstage, and many more. In 2016, he received an Obie, Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for his work in Qui Nguyen's “Vietgone” at the Manhattan Theatre club. In 2020, the New York Times spotlighted his multimedia innovations during the pandemic alongside the work of four other theater artists, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paula Vogel. His work on Sarah Gancher's digital premiere of “Russian Troll Farm” (co-director & multimedia designer, and second Obie) was also celebrated as a New York Times critic pick, and praised for being one of the first digitally native successes for virtual theater. Mezzocchi is a two-time Macdowell Artist Fellow, a 2012 Princess Grace Award winner, and is an Associate Professor at The University of Maryland, where he teaches in the MFA Design program for the projection and multimedia track. He grew up in New Hampshire, and returns every summer to serve as Producing Artistic Director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, an innovative children's theater producing original work by professional artists from across the country. 

The reviews are in after Super Mario Brother's Movie smashed the box office after it's opening weekend, a Milwaukee Rep ticket giveaway and ABC political correspondent Steve Roberts

WisBusiness: the Podcast with Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Rep by wispolitics

Rachel Stiles is a theatre professional and artist working in Milwaukee and Chicago. Her resume includes Lyric Opera of Chicago, Florentine Opera, Central City Opera, Broadway in Milwaukee, and The Milwaukee Rep, among others. A midwest girl at heart, her passion is helping people get a head's start in working in the arts and take the reigns on their careers, no matter their background. She created Stage Creatives Network to help theatre professionals find peace, prosperity and joy through the power of connection. Connect with Rachel at rachelannestiles.com Also, here are the Four Pillars that Rachel created to help you make a sustainable career in the theatre. ###Your hosts of Are You Waiting for Permission? are Meridith Grundei and Joseph Bennett. They're friends, co-hosts, actors, improvisers, and coaches. She lives in NYC and coaches actors, business professionals, and presenters to fully engage with their audience, and themselves. She also mentors young actors and directors. He lives in San Miguel de Allende, México, and coaches artists and other creative beings about the beautiful business of art — and life. You can find Meridith: Meridith Grundei the performer artist gal. Or if you are looking to be a more confident and credible speaker, please reach out to Meridith here at Meridith Grundei CoachingYou can find Joseph at Joseph Bennett the artist/coach extraordinaire*Special thanks to Amy Shelley and Gary Grundei of high fiction for letting us use their music for the Are You Waiting for Permission? podcast.And... while the podcast is free, it's not cheap. We'd be thrilled to have your support on PATREONThank you. 

This week, we shine a light on two organizations paying tribute to Black History Month. First, Milwaukee Film's Black Lens program, which cureates a month-long series featuring films and events. Then there's the Milwaukee Rep, which hosts the Next Narrative Monologue Competition -- a national program for high school students featuring the work of contemporary Black playwrights.

We look at why the number of Black children who die by suicide has been growing and hear a suicide survivor's perspective. We learn about the first doctor in Wisconsin. We tell you about an accessible production happening at The Milwaukee Rep. We tell you about the Latino Arts Strings Programs' tenth annual guitar festival. Plus, learn about five things happening in Milwaukee this month.

Intro: Sometimes the little guy just doesn't cut it.Let Me Run This By You: Time's a wastin' - giddyup, beggars and choosers.Interview: We talk to star of Parks and Recreation, Easter Sunday, and Barry - Rodney To about Chicago, Marquette University, Lane Tech,  getting discovered while pursuing a Chemistry degree, The Blues Brothers, Dürrenmatt's The Physicists, playing children well into adulthood, interning at Milwaukee Rep, Lifeline Theatre, Steppenwolf, doing live industrials for Arthur Anderson, Asian American actors and their representation in the media, IAMA Theatre Company, Kate Burton, and faking a Singaporean accent.FULL TRANSCRIPT (UNEDITED):1 (8s):I'm Jen Bosworth RAMIREZ2 (10s):And I'm Gina Pulice.1 (11s):We went to theater school together. We survived it, but we didn't quite understand2 (15s):It. 20 years later, we're digging deep talking to our guests about their experiences and trying to make sense of it all.1 (21s):We survived theater school and you will too. Are we famous yet?2 (30s):How's your, how's your eighties decor going for your1 (35s):New house? Okay, well we closed yesterday. Well,2 (39s):Congratulations.1 (40s):Thank you. House buying is so weird. Like we close, we funded yesterday, but we can't record till today because my lender like totally dropped the ball. So like, here's the thing. Sometimes when you wanna support like a small, I mean small, I don't know, like a small bank, like I really liked the guy who is the mortgage guy and he has his own bank and all these things. I don't even, how know how this shit works. It's like, but anyway, they were so like, it was a real debacle. It was a real, real Shannon situation about how they, anyway, my money was in the bank in escrow on Friday.1 (1m 20s):Their money that they're lending us, which we're paying in fucking fuck load of interest on is they couldn't get it together. And I was like, Oh no.2 (1m 29s):They're like, We have to look through the couch cushions,1 (1m 31s):Right? That's what it felt like, Gina. It felt like these motherfuckers were like, Oh shit, we didn't actually think this was gonna happen or something. And so I talked to escrow, my friend Fran and escrow, you know, I make friends with the, with the older ladies and, and she was like, I don't wanna talk bad about your lender, but like, whoa. And I was like, Fran, Fran, I had to really lay down the law yesterday and I needed my office mate, Eileen to be witness to when I did because I didn't really wanna get too crazy, but I also needed to get a little crazy. And I was like, Listen, what you're asking for, and it was true, does not exist. They needed one. It was, it was like being in the, in the show severance mixed with the show succession, mixed with, it was like all the shows where you're just like, No, no, what you're asking for doesn't exist and you wanna document to look a certain way.1 (2m 25s):And Chase Bank doesn't do a document that way. And she's like, Well she said, I don't CH bank at Chase, so I don't know. And I said, Listen, I don't care where you bank ma'am, I don't care. But this is Chase Bank. It happens to be a very popular bank. So I'm assuming other people have checking accounts that you deal with at Chase. What I'm telling, she wanted me to get up and go to Chase Bank in person and get a printout of a certain statement period with an http on the bottom. She didn't know what she was talking about. She didn't know what she was talking about. And she was like, 18, 18. And I said, Oh ma'am, if you could get this loan funded in the next, cuz we have to do it by 11, that would be really, really dope.1 (3m 6s):I'm gonna hang up now before I say something very bad. And then I hung up.2 (3m 10s):Right, Right. Yeah. Oh my God, I know. It's the worst kind of help. And regarding like wanting to support smaller businesses, I what, that is such a horrible sadness. There's, there's no sadness. Like the sadness of really investing in the little guy and having it. That was my experience. My big experience with that was going, having a midwife, you know, with my first child. And I really, I was in that whole thing of that, that time was like, oh, birth is too medicalized. And you know, even though my husband was a doctor, like fuck the fuck the medical establishment we're just, but but didn't wanna, like, I didn't wanna go, as my daughter would say, I didn't wanna be one of those people who, what did she say?2 (3m 52s):You know, one of those people who carry rocks to make them feel better.1 (3m 57s):That's amazing. Super.2 (4m 0s):So I didn't wanna go so far as to be one of those rock carrying people to have the birth at my house, but at the same time I really wanted to have this midwife and then there was a problem and she wasn't equipped to deal with it. And it was,1 (4m 11s):I was there,2 (4m 13s):Fyi. Yes, you were1 (4m 15s):The first one, right? For your first one.2 (4m 16s):The first one.1 (4m 18s):Here's the thing you're talking about this, I don't even remember her ass. What I, she, I don't remember nothing about her. If you had told me you didn't have one, I'd be like, Yeah, you didn't have one. I remember the problem and I remember them having to get the big, the big doctor and I remember a lot of blood and I remember thinking, Oh thank God there's this doctor they got from down the hall to come or wherever the hell they were and take care of this problem because this gene is gonna bleed out right here. And none of us know what to do.2 (4m 50s):Yes. I will never forget the look on your face. You and Erin looking at each other trying to do that thing where you're like, It's fine, it's fine. But you're such a bad liar that, that I could, I just took one look at you. I'm like, Oh my God, I'm gonna fucking bleed out right here. And Aaron's going, No, no, no, it's cool, it's cool, it's cool. And then of course he was born on July 25th and all residents start their residency on July 1st. So you know, you really don't wanna have a baby or have surgery in July cuz you're getting at a teaching hospital cuz you're getting a lot of residents. And this woman comes in as I'm bleeding and everything is going crazy and I haven't even had a chance to hold my baby yet. And she comes up to me and she says, Oh cuz the, the midwife ran out of lidocaine. There was no lidocaine.2 (5m 30s):That's right. They were trying to sew me up without lidocaine. And so this nurse comes in, she puts her hand on my shoulder, she says, Hi, I'm Dr. Woo and I'm, and I said, Dr. W do you have any lidocaine? I need some lidocaine stat right up in there. Gimme some lidocaine baby. And she had to call her boss. You know who I could tell when he came in, of course he was a man and I could tell when he came in, he looks at my midwife and is like, Oh, this is what you did here. I see we have to come in and clean up. But sometimes that's the case. Sometimes it's really just true that, you know, it's that the, that the bigger kind of like more corporate option is better cuz it just works better.1 (6m 8s):Well, and they've done this before, like there is, they've done the job before in a way, and they've seen the problems. They know how to troubleshoot in a way because they just have the fucking experience. Now you could say that getting that experience is like super fucked up and patriarchal and, and all the isms, it's, and you'd be right, but when you are bleeding to death or when you know you are in a big financial negotiation that could go south at any moment and lead to not having a ho like a all feeling lost. You want someone who knows how to fucking troubleshoot, dude. Like, come on. And I, you know, and it is sad, it's heartbreaking when you like, fuck man.1 (6m 50s):I really wanted this, like Dr. Altman always said, and I have an update on Dr. Altman, my favorite psychiatrist mentor of mine. But he always said like, well when I was going through med titration, when they put this dingling at Highland Park Hospital, who tried her best but put me on lithium thinking I was bipolar and then I was and all the meds, right? All the meds. And he's like, well they could've worked2 (7m 15s):It could've worked it1 (7m 17s):All's. And I was like, you are right. So like, it could've worked, it could've gone differently, but it just didn't. So it's like, yeah, it's better to look at it like that because, or else it's just infuriating that it didn't work in the first place, Right? Like, you're like, well fucker, Well they tried.2 (7m 35s):Yeah. I use that all the time that it could have worked. Things that I got through you from Dr. Altman, you know, my husband is having like some major, you know, growth moments. Like come like those moments where all the puzzle pieces become clear and you go, Okay, my childhood isn't what I thought it was and this person has got this and this person has got that. Yes. You know? And, and whenever he's doing the thing that we all do, which is like lamenting the life, the family he wish he had had, I always say like, well, as Dr. Almond says, it could have worked. Yes, these parents could have been just fine for you if you were a different person, but you're you.2 (8m 16s):And so, and they're them and it wasn't a good match. And like that happens sometimes.1 (8m 21s):And I think it's really good with kids maybe too. Cause it's like, listen, like, like I say to my niece, like it could, this could have been whatever it is the thing or my nephew too that worked and like that you loved volleyball or that you loved this. Like you are just looking, and I think it's all about titration, right? Like it's all about figuring out where we fit in, where we belong, where we don't. And it's a fucking process, which is what he was saying and like, and that you don't, we don't get it right the first time. Even in medicine, even in it's maybe especially in medicine, maybe in especially in relationships, like, so it, it also opens the door for like, possibility, right? That like, it's an experiment and like, we don't know, even doctors don't know, Hey, run this by you, Miles did of course.1 (9m 14s):And done. What about you? What about you?2 (9m 17s):I'm gonna do it after this, after we're done recording today, I'm gonna go over and I always like to take one of my kids so they, you know, see that this is the process and you have to do it and it's everybody's responsibilities to do it. That doesn't mean that I didn't get all angry at my own party this week. You know, my mom has a great expression. I think it's her expression. She says it. In any case, all politics is local, right? Like where it really, where the really meets the road is what's happening in your backyard. And like, I have a lot of problems with my town,1 (9m 52s):So Right.2 (9m 53s):They don't wanna have, you know, they voted down this measure to put a a, like a sober living place, wanted to take up residence here. Couldn't think of a greater idea. Nobody wanted it. You know, it's a lot of nis not in my backyarders over here. And it really drives me crazy. And in the, in the paper this week, there was a big scandal because there's this particular like committee in our town, Okay. That was in charge of, there was gonna be this, what is it, like a prize maybe or an honor or not a scholarship Okay. But something where they were gonna have to name it.2 (10m 33s):Okay. And they were, you know, really looking around for names. They were trying to think up what names would be appropriate. And somebody put forward the name of this person who is already kind of a named figure in our town. Like, we had this beautiful fountain, it's named after him. He was, he was a somewhat of a big guy, you know, he was an architect, whatever. Sure. So this name gets put forward in this woman who's on this committee says, I don't think this is a great time to name something after an old white man. Now, to me couldn't be a more reasonable thing in the world to say everybody's calling for her resignation. And these, you know, the thing that I hate the most about, not just conservatives, but it seems like it's especially conservatives.2 (11m 20s):I hate this saying. And I remember, I think I've said this before on the podcast, I remember hearing some black activists saying a lot of white, you know, a lot of racism perpetrated by white people is like founded on pretending. Pretending like you don't see color pretending like, you know, saying things like, Oh, well why would you have had that experience, you know, walking down our street at night? Like, or why would you have had that difficulty getting that job? I don't understand. And pretending like they don't know that this person just got1 (11m 51s):That job because of2 (11m 52s):The color biscuit and that kind kind of a thing. So of course the way that people are coming down on this woman is to say, Well, I don't know about you, but I was taught that we have to look beyond race and we have to recognize the person before the color of their skin. And if you can't be, you know, representing the needs of white men, then I just don't really think that you, there's a place on this council. And of course, you know, somebody who I know and have in the past really respected was quoted in this article as saying, Oh, somebody who considers himself like a staunch liberal. Yeah. I mean, I just really can't think of any people of note from our town who weren't white men.2 (12m 34s):Sure. And this motherfucker let himself be quoted in our newspaper as saying this. Now maybe he feels fine about it. Maybe he doesn't think there's anything wrong with it. But I I I think it's completely, completely disgusting. Of course. So then I went and I just did this research of like all the people who have lived in our town historically, they're not just white men. We, there's other people to choose from. Needless1 (12m 58s):To say. Yeah. Well also, like, it's so interesting. I mean, it's just that that quote just is so problematic on so many levels. It like goes so deep. But like the other thing is like, maybe they miss, the only thing I can think of is that dude, did they miss the second half of your quote? Which was, and that's a problem. Like, like if, if you can't, if you can't finish that quote with, you know, I can't really think of like anyone of note in our being or anyone being recognized in our town in this way that wasn't a white dude and that's really crazy. We should really reevaluate how we're doing things here.1 (13m 39s):Period. You're so2 (13m 41s):To offer, you're so, you're so sweet to offer him this benefit of the doubt. Of course I don't offer that to him because this is a person who, you know, there's been a few people in my life who I've had the opportunity to, you know, know what they say privately and then know what they say publicly. Right? And I, and I know this, you know, I know this person personally. And no, it doesn't surprise me at all that, that that would've been the entirety of the quote. It would've been taken out of context. Now it might have been, and I don't know, and I'm not, I'm not gonna call him up to ask him, but you know, at a minimum you go on the local Facebook page and say, I was misquoting.1 (14m 20s):No, no, yeah. Chances are that this, this person just said this. And actually the true crime is not realizing if, if, if that's the case, that they, that that statement is problematic. So that's really fucked up. And also, like, think of all the native people that were on that land, on our land. Like, you're gonna tell me that just because you haven't done, they haven't done the research. They don't think that a native person from the northeast did something of greatness. Shut up, man. Excellent. Before it was rich.2 (14m 56s):Excellent point, Excellent point. Maybe when I write to my letter to the editor, maybe I'll quote you on that because Yeah, yeah. It's like, it's so, it's just, and I'm, by the way, I'm, I have been, I'm sure I'm still am guilty of the same thing too, of just being the laziness of like, well, I don't know, we'd love to, you know, hire a person of color, but none have applied. I mean, I have definitely said things like that and I just understand differently now I understand. No, no, no, they're not gonna be at the top of the pile of resumes that you're gonna get because historically these people haven't felt like there's a place for them at your table. So what you have to do is go above and beyond and say, we are specifically recruiting people of color for this position. I understand.1 (15m 35s):And how about even like, do some research online and find out who those people are and try to like, hire them away from wherever they are to and make them a great offer. You know what I mean? Like all those things. Well,2 (15m 48s):This experience did cause me to go on my little Wikipedia and look up, you know, people who have lived here and I was really like, surprised to learn how many people have known. Now it's true to say that, you know, when, when you're just looking up a list of famous people, it is gonna mostly be white men because that's who mostly, you know, sort of, she made, made history, made the news, whatever. But yeah, one of the very first things that come up, comes up when you look it up my town on Wikipedia, is that the fact that this was the Ramapo tribe that lived here. You know, this is who we took the land away from. I was also surprised to that.1 (16m 29s):I've never,2 (16m 30s):Yeah, Yeah. It was also interesting to learn, supposedly according to this, how many people of live here currently, including people like Harvey Firestein, who I have, I've never seen around town, but God I would really love to. And like some other, you know, sort of famous people. But anyway, That's1 (16m 50s):So cool.2 (16m 51s):Yeah. So, so I will be voting after this and I really, I don't have a great feeling about the election, but I'm, you know, I'm just like, what can you do? You can just sort of go forward and, you know, stick to your values. Yeah. I mean,1 (17m 7s):The thing is, stick to your values, move forward. And like my aunt, happy birthday, Tia, it's her birthday today, and she is like super depressed that, you know, she, she said, what she says is like, fascism is really, today is the day that we really something about fascism, it's like really dire and like really, Okay. So my, it's so interesting that I think boomers feel really bad because they had it so good, even though it wasn't really good, there was an illusion of goodness. Right? So I, I am depressed. But here's the thing, and I was, I was gonna bring this up to you.1 (17m 47s):It's like I, I had an experience last night where I went to this theater and saw the small theater, which I really wanna do my solo show in which is this famous theater called The Hayworth, which is, they show silent movies and all, but there's now it's like an improv sort of venue and, and it's really cute and throwbacky. But anyway, I went there and I just was thinking like, as I was watching these performers, like, oh, it is not even that, Like, it's literally that I spent 45 years thinking that I was worse than everybody else, right? And so now that I don't really think that, I actually don't have that much time left to accomplish what I would like to accomplish. So I, I spent all this time feeling like I couldn't do what she's doing.1 (18m 29s):I can't do what he's doing, can't do what theirs doing. They're, they are doing because I'm not good enough. Like literally. And now I'm like, Oh my God, I'm good enough. I have things to say. I really wanna leave a legacy. And literally the clock is ticking. Now, I'm not saying I'm running around like a nut, but what I'm saying is like, I, I, I do feel that I literally don't have the time left to participate in half-assed measures of art or whatever we're gonna do. We gotta make it purposeful because I w i, I spent all this time getting ready 45 years to not hate myself. And now the clock is ticking, I donate myself and there are things to do.1 (19m 13s):That's literally how I feel. So then when I see art or something where I'm like, Why are you using your platform this way? What are you talking about? What are you saying? Oh no, I can't, I even now I know why people leave movies early, plays early if it is, and some, for me anyway, like some people probably just assholes and like the, the person on stage doesn't look cute and they're out or whatever, but, or they're having panic attacks like I used to and I have to leave. But like, mostly I understand where it's like this is wasting my, my time, time I could be using to sort of plant seeds that may do something to be of service.1 (19m 53s):So I'm gonna jet and good luck to you. But yeah, it's the first, I just really feel like time is of the essence. And I always thought that was such a stupid thing that old people said, which was, you know, time is our most precious commodity. And I was always like, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And now I'm like, oh shit. Yeah, it's really true Dude.2 (20m 15s):Yeah. Yeah. I actually had an experience some that I relate to with that, which is that, you know, I, I volunteered to be part of this festival of one act and you know, the thing we were supposed to do is read all of the submissions and then pick our top three. And then they were gonna do this rank order thing where they're attempting to put each director with one of their top three choices. Well, I read, it was like 10 plays I read them and I, I didn't have three, three ch choices. There was only one play that I felt frankly was worth my time.2 (20m 56s):And I felt really uncomfortable about having that feeling. And I was doing all of the like, who do you think you are? And you know, it's, you haven't directed something in three years and beggars can't be choosers in the whole thing. And I just thought, you know, I know what I'm gonna do if I don't stand up for whatever it is I think I can do here is I'm gonna resent the thing that I get, you know, pitted with and then I'm gonna do something self-destructive or I'm gonna kind of like blow up the relationship and I don't wanna do that. So I spend a lot of time thinking about how I was gonna write this email back saying basically like, I don't have three choices. I only have one choice. And I understand if you don't want to give that to me that this, I might not be a good fit for you.2 (21m 37s):You know? But I really, I really kind of sweated over it because when you don't, you know, when you're a very, if I was an extremely established theater director, you know, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But I'm not, I'm trying to be established here and I, you know, so my, my, my go-to has always been well having opinions and choices and stuff like that is for people who, you know, have more than you do or have more to offer than you do. And it doesn't always work out that when you kind of say, This is me and take me or leave me. It doesn't always work out. But in this case it doesn't. They gave me my first choice. And so I'm, I'm happy about that, but there's a lot.2 (22m 18s):Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, there's a lot that just goes into the, it's all just work I have to do on myself. Like, I have this, a way of thinking about things is like, I have to do this work with this other person or I have to convince them why it has nothing to do with that. It's just that I have to do this.1 (22m 34s):Well that's what I'm realizing, like Gina, Absolutely. And good for you for like, coming at it from a place of like, okay, like this might not work, but I have to do it to see and put it out there and it may not work and they may say, go fuck yourself. But the alternative one is resentment, but also is like, hmm, not doing anybody else any favors either. If you aren't saying like, I actually don't have three choices here, I'm not gonna do justice. And I also, it brings me to my other thing, which I thought was so full of shit, which is so true. It's like most things are just not, it's about not being a right fit. It's not about you're bad and I'm good, I'm good and you're bad.1 (23m 15s):It's like, this is not a good match. And I, I think it just takes what it takes to learn that it is a not, it's about a matching situation. So like you knew that like those other two wouldn't be good matches and you wouldn't do a service to them or yourself. And it's not, And also like this thing about beggars can't be choosers. I fucking think it's so dumb because like most of us are beggars all the time and, and we, we settle for garbage. And it doesn't, like, I feel like we can, like beggars should be more choosy. And I also feel like, I'm not saying not be humble, but like, fuck you if you take away our choices, like we have to have choices.1 (23m 57s):That's the thing. It's like beggars have choices, whatever you call a beggar, we still have choices. Like how we're gonna interact and how and how we're gonna send emails and shit. I'm just like,2 (24m 9s):Yeah. Plus that whole phrase is so like, in a way rooted in this kind of like terrible supremacy structure that we're trying to fight against, which is like, we wanna tell, of course we wanna tell beggars that they can't be choosers cuz we just, we don't wanna think about them as people who have the same agency in life as we do.1 (24m 25s):Sure. And now I've started saying to people when I have this conversation about like, about unhoused, people like having tent encampments and I get it, like, you're going to school, you're walking your kid to Montessori and there's a fucking tent encampment in your front yard. You did not pay for that. You did not sign up for that. You are, I get it. And also my question is, what are we gonna do when the tents outnumber the people in homes? Because then it's a real fucking problem. So like, how are we gonna do that? You think it's uncomfortable? I think it's uncomfortable to walk by a tent encampment as I'm on my way to a coffee date with someone or whatever.1 (25m 8s):That's uncomfortable. But what are we gonna do when, like in India, the, the quote slums or whatever people, you know, whatever people choose to call it, outnumber the goddamn people in the towers. Then we, then it's gonna be a different problem.2 (25m 35s):Today on the podcast, we were talking to Rodney Toe. Rodney is an actor, you know him from Parks and Recreation, Barry good girls Rosewood. He was in a film this summer called Easter Sunday. Anyway, he's a delight. He's also a professor of theater at USC and he's charming and wonderful and we know you are going to love listening to him as much as we loved talking to him. So please enjoy our conversation with Rodney Toe.3 (26m 8s):Can you hear me? Can you hear me okay?2 (26m 11s):Yes, you sound great. You sound1 (26m 13s):Happy. No echo. You have beautiful art behind you. We can't ask for a2 (26m 17s):Better Easter Sunday. We were just talking about Easter Sunday, so we're gonna have to ask you Oh sure about it, Beth. But first I have to say congratulations, Rodney tell you survive theater school.3 (26m 28s):Oh, thank you. Yes, I did. I sure did. Was2 (26m 31s):It usc? Did you go to3 (26m 32s):Usc? No, I, I'm a professor. I'm currently a professor at usc. So1 (26m 36s):We just assumed you went there, but where did you go3 (26m 38s):To No, no, no, no, no. I, that, that came about like in a roundabout way, but no, I, I totally, I went, went to Marquette University. Oh, in Milwaukee?1 (26m 46s):In Milwaukee. Oh my gosh. Yeah. So3 (26m 48s):Everybody's reaction, everybody's reactions like, well1 (26m 53s):I actually love Mil, I'm from Chicago and Evanston you do and then you are,3 (26m 58s):Yeah, born and raised north side. My family's still there. What1 (27m 1s):The hell? How did I not know this? Yeah, I'm from Evanston, but lived in Rogers Park and went to, we went to DePaul.3 (27m 7s):Well I hear the park. Yes, yes. Born and raised. My family's still there. I am a Chicago, I'm an undying Chicago and through and through. Yeah.1 (27m 15s):Wait a minute. So, so, okay, okay, okay. So you grew up on the north, you grew up in, on the north side.3 (27m 20s):Yeah, I grew up in, I, I grew up and I went to Lane Tech. Oh1 (27m 24s):My gosh, that's where my niece goes right this very minute. She goes, Yeah,3 (27m 28s):It's1 (27m 28s):Quite the school. I dunno how it was when you went, but it went through a hard time and now it's like one of these3 (27m 34s):Go, I mean when I went it was, it was still considered a magnet school. And I I, you know, I think like in like it went maybe through a period of like, sort of like shifting, but then it's like now it's an incredible school. I'm September 17th is apparently Rodney to day at Lane 10. No, Yeah, it just happened. I mean it's, it's silly. It's Easter significance. No, cause of Easter Sunday they did like a bunch of, you know, I do a lot of advocacy for the Asian American for Asian-American representation. So sort like all together1 (28m 4s):That movie had broke so many, broke so many barriers and was, I mean it was a phenomenal, and also I just feel like it's so obviously so needed. Duh. When people say like, more representation is needed, I'm like, okay, no shit Sherlock. But it's true. It bears repeat again. Cause it still is true that we need more representation. But I am fascinated. Ok, so you went to Lane Tech and were you like, I'm gonna be a famous actor, comedian? No, what,3 (28m 34s):What anything about it? Didn't I, you know, it's called Lane Tech for a reason, right? It's a technical school. Correct. So like we didn't, you know, it didn't, I mean there were arts, but I, it never really, you know, it was one of those things that were like, you know, I guess like when you were a kid, it's all like, hey, you wanna learn how to like macrame. But there were theater arts in my, in my high school, but it wasn't like,1 (28m 54s):In fact, my mother did macrame. And let me tell you something, it has come back in style. And the shit she made, we could be selling for $199 at Urban Outfitters right now. I'm just,3 (29m 4s):Oh yeah, it's trendy now. Yeah. It's like, yeah, it's in style.1 (29m 7s):Anyway, side note, side note. Okay, so you were like, I'm not doing, there was no performing at Lane Tech. There was no like out there, there,3 (29m 13s):There was, and there was, but it wasn't, again, you know, in terms of representation, there was nothing that like, I mean there was nothing that that showed me any kind of like longevity in, in, you know, it didn't even really occur to me that this was a business that people sort of like, you know, pursued for themselves. So it wasn't until I went to Marquette that I discovered theater. And so it was one of those things that like, I was like, oh, there's something here. So it wasn't like, it wasn't fostered since I was a kid.1 (29m 43s):This,2 (29m 44s):And this is my favorite type of origin story because it means, you know, like there are people who grow up in LA or their, their parents are in the industry. And then, so it's always a question like, am I gonna go into this industry? But, but people like you and like me and like Boz, who, there's no artist in our family, you know,3 (30m 4s):You2 (30m 4s):Just have to come to it on your own. So I would love to hear this story about finding it at Marquette.3 (30m 10s):So like the, this, I, I've told this story several times, but the short version of it is, so I went to college for chemistry. And so again, because I came from, you know, that that was just sort of the path that, that particularly, you know, an Asian American follows. It's a very sort of stem, regimented sort of culture. And when I went to Marquette, my first, my sort of my first like quarter there, it was overwhelming, you know, I mean, college was, was a big transition for me. I was away from home and I, I was overwhelmed with all of the STEM courses that I was taking, the GE courses. And I, I went to my advisor and at the time, you know, this is pre-internet, like he, we sat down, I sat down with him and he pulled out the catalog.3 (30m 52s):Oh yeah, the catalog, right? I1 (30m 54s):Remember the catalog. Oh yeah.3 (30m 56s):And so he was like, let's take a class that has nothing to do with your major. Oh,1 (30m 60s):I love this. I love this advisor. I love this advisor. Do you know, can he you say his name3 (31m 7s):At the, was it Daniel? Dr. Daniel t Hayworth. I mean, it's been a while I went to college with Dahmer was arrested. So that's been a1 (31m 15s):While. Okay. Yeah's, same with us. Same with me. Yeah.3 (31m 18s):Yeah. So like, I think it was Daniel Daniel Hayworth. Yeah. Cuz he was a, he was a chemistry professor as well. So he opened up, he opened up the, the thing in the, the catalog and it said acting for non-majors. And I remember thinking, that sounds easy, let's do that. And then I went to the class, I got in and he, he, he was able to squeeze me in because already it was already in the earl middle of the semester. And so I, the, the, the, the teacher for that class was a Jesuit priest. His name is Father Gerald Walling. And you know, God rest his soul. And he, his claim to fame was he had like two or three lines on Blues Brothers, the movie.1 (31m 59s):Amazing. I mean like great to fame to have Yes. Get shot in Chicago. Yeah. And if you're a Jesuit priest that's not an actor by trade, like that is like huge. Like most people would like die to have two to three lines on Blues Brothers that are working anyway. So, Okay, so you're, so he, so how was that class?3 (32m 19s):So I took the class and he, after like the first week he asked me, Hey is, and it was at 8:00 AM like typical, like one of those like classes that I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm gonna go in here miserable. Yeah. But he said to me early on, he said, Do you have any interest in doing this professionally? And I said, no. And he's like, and he, he said, and he said, I was like, You're hilarious. You know,1 (32m 43s):You're a hilarious Jesuit.3 (32m 45s):Yeah. I'm like, Good luck with God. He, he then he was directing, he was directing the university production of, and he asked me to audition for it. And I was, I don't even know what an audition was. That's amazing. So like, it was one of those things that I didn't really know how to do it. I didn't know much about it. And so he's like, Can you come in and audition for it? And I did and I got it and it was, it was Monts the physicist,1 (33m 12s):What the fuck is that?3 (33m 14s):Oh man, I love that play. It's Amont, it's the same, you know, it's the same. He's, you know, Exactly. It's really, it's one of those like sort of rarely done plays and it's about fictitious Albert Einstein, the real, lemme see if I, it's been so long since I recall this play. The real, So Isaac Newton and what was the other Mobius? A fictitious, So the real, I'm sorry, The real Albert Einstein, The real, the real Albert Einstein, the real Isaac Isaac New and a fake, a fictitious play scientist named Mobius.3 (33m 55s):And they were, they were all in, in a mental institution. And I1 (33m 60s):Think that I have this play and my shelves and I just have never read it before. Okay, so3 (34m 4s):Who did you play? It's extraordinary. Extraordinary. And so I played, I played a child like I did up until my mid thirties. I played a child who had like one line, and I remember it took, it took place in Germany, I believe. And I remember he's like, Do you have a German accent? I was like, No. You're1 (34m 20s):Like, I I literally am doing chemistry 90.3 (34m 23s):Yeah. I was all like, you're hilarious. Yeah. Only children do accents, You know what I mean? Like, it was totally, I was like, whatever's happening, I don't even know what's happening. And, and then I made up a European accent. I mean, I, I, I pulled it on my ass. I was like, sure, don't even remember it. But I was like, one of,1 (34m 39s):I love when people, like, recently Gina showed me a video of her in college with an accent. Let me tell you something, anytime anyone does an accent, I'm like, go for it. I think that it's so3 (34m 51s):Great. Yeah. I've got stories about, about, I mean, I'm Asian, right? So like, I mean it's been one of those things that all my life I've had to sort of navigate people being like, Hey, try this on for Verizon. I was like, Oh gosh. And you know, anyway, I can go on forever. But I did that, I had a line and then somebody saw me in the production with one line and said, Hey, this is at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, somebody from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. It's huge1 (35m 18s):Theater. Fyi. Right,3 (35m 20s):Right. Again, it's, it's to this day. And so they asked if I would intern, if I would be considered interning while I was in school. And I said, I didn't even know what that was. So I met with them. And when I walked into that theater, it was one of those, it's one of the biggest, most extraordinary music theaters in the wor in the country. Right. Won the regional, Tony and I, again, I had no frame of reverence for it. So walking in, it was like this magical place. And so I started, I started interning right, right off the bat. And it was one of those like life changing experiences. I, I mean, to this day, the best acting I think I've ever seen, you know, face to face has been on that stage. It's, you know, many of those actors are still, I'm still in touch with to this day.3 (36m 3s):Some of them have passed away. However, it was the best training, right? I mean, I got thrown into the deep end. It was like working with some of the greats who never, no one ever knew. Right. So it really, it was really a wonderful experience. And that's when I sort of, you know, that's when I was like, Oh, I actually can do this for a living. So it was,1 (36m 21s):Oh yeah, Milwaukee rep. I've seen some amazing stuff there. And also what would've been great is, yeah, we like, I mean there's so many things that would've been great at DePaul at the theater school, but one of them would've been, Hey, there's all these regional theaters, like if you wanna make some dough, it was either like, you are gonna be doing storefront and Die of Hunger, or you're gonna be a star. Hilarious was no like, what about Milwaukee Rep? What about the Guthrie? Like all the things3 (36m 50s):Gut, Yeah. Never1 (36m 51s):Told at least. Or I didn't listen or I was like in a blackout drunk state. But like, I just feel like hilarious. I just feel like that is so amazing that you got to do that. So then, Wait, did you change3 (37m 2s):Your It wasn't, I did. I eventually did. Yes. So I have both. And so now it was one of those, like, it was, it was harrowing, but eventually, I mean, I did nothing with my chemistry degree. Nothing. Like literally nothing. That's,2 (37m 16s):Most people do nothing with their theater degree. So, so it all evens out. Wait, I have a question. Now. This is a question that would be difficult for me to answer. So I wouldn't fault to you if it's difficult for you. What do you think it was in you that this person saw and said, have you ever considered doing this professionally? I mean, just trying to be really objective about the, the asce the essence of you that you bring to the table. Always. How, what did that person identify, do you think, if you3 (37m 44s):Had to guess? You know, I'd like to say it was talent. I'd love to be that person and be like, you know, they recognized in me in one line that ordinary artist was going to emerge into the universe and play children into his thirties. I, I wish I could. It was that, I mean, honestly, I looked different than everybody else on that's a white school and Milwaukee rep, you know, God, forgive me for saying this, but it was a sensibly all white institution.1 (38m 12s):Super white. Super white. Yeah.3 (38m 14s):So in comes this little Asian guy who like they thought might have had potential and also is Asian. And I checked off a lot of boxes for them. And you know what I could easily say, like I, I could easily sort of, when, if you asked me like 20 years ago, I was like, Oh, I was talented, but now I'm like, no, I made my way in because of, because I, I checked boxes for people and, and1 (38m 37s):Talented,3 (38m 38s):You couldn't,1 (38m 39s):You3 (38m 39s):Couldn't have done it if you didn't have talent to thank you. And I can, I can, you know, whatever, I can own that now. But the, but the reality is like, I made it in and that's how I got in. And I'm okay with that. And I'm not saying that it's not taking anything away from talent, but the reality is it's like you gotta get in on the inside to work your way out. And if I didn't have that exposure early on, I certainly wouldn't have had the regional career that I did for a little while. You know? So like that credit, like you, like you said Jen, it's like, it's a, it's a huge credit. So like I would not have made it in any other way. Right. And I certainly,1 (39m 12s):Yeah, I just am like noticing also like my reaction to, Yeah, it's interesting too as other humans in this industry or any industry, it's like, it's like we have had to, especially those of us that are, you know, I'm 47 and like those of us who have made it in or sort of in for, in my, I'm just speaking for myself. Like I, I sort of, right, It could have been fucked up reasons or weird reasons that we got in the door or even filling someone's need or fantasy. But then it's like what we do with it once we're in the room, that really, really matters. And I think that yeah, regardless of how you ended up in Milwaukee rep, like I think it's smart and like I really like the idea of saying okay, like that's probably why I was there.1 (39m 58s):I checked, I've checked boxes, but Okay. But that's why a lot of people are a lot of places. And so like, let's, let's, let's, you could stop there and be like, that is some fucked up shit. Fuck them. Or you could say, Wait a second, I'm gonna still have a fucking career and be a dope actor. Okay, so you're there, you're, you're still, you graduate from Marquette with a double major, I'm assuming, right? Chemistry and, and was it theater, straight up theater or what was your degree?3 (40m 23s):It's, well, no, no, it's called, it's, it's, it's the, at the time it's called, they didn't have a theater degree. Right. It was called the, you graduated with a degree in Communications. Communications,1 (40m 32s):Right? Yes. Okay, okay. Yeah. My, my niece likes to say Tia, all the people in communications at UCLA are the dumbest people. I'm like, No, no, no, no, no. That would've been me. And she's like, Well, anyway, so okay, so, so you graduate and what happens? What happens to you?3 (40m 54s):So, you know, I, I went from there. I went to, I got my equity card pretty ear pretty early cuz I went for my, I think it was my final between my, the summer, my junior year and my senior year I went to, because of the Milwaukee rep, I got asked to do summer stock at, at ppa, which is the Pacific Conservatory, the performing Arts, which is kind of like an Urda contract out in the West Co on the west coast. And so I was able to get credits there, which got me my equity card very quickly after, during that time I didn't get it at the institution, but I got like enough, you know, whatever credit that I was able to get my equity card. And again, at the time I was like, eh, what are the equity? I didn't even know know what that was really.3 (41m 34s):I don't know if anybody truly knows it when they're, when they're younger. So I had it and I went, right, I had my card and I went right to Chicago because family's there. So I was in Chicago. I did a couple of shows, I did one at at Lifeline at the time. I did one at North. Yeah. So it was nice to sort of go back and, and, and, and then I, you know, right then I, it's my favorite story, one of my favorite stories. I, I got my, my my SAG card and my after card in Chicago that summer, because at the time the union was separate. That's how old I am. And I got my SAG card doing a Tenax commercial, and I got my after card doing, I'm not sure if they're still there.3 (42m 18s):I think they are actually. It is a company called Break Breakthrough Services and they did it live industrial. Oh yeah.1 (42m 24s):They, I think they still wait live. How does that work? Yeah,3 (42m 29s):Exactly. So it's a lot of like those training, you know, you see it a lot, like the people do it, like corporate training stuff. Right. So they used, at the time it was really new. So like they used a lot of actors and they paid well.1 (42m 42s):Well, I did an Arthur Anderson one that like paid my rent3 (42m 45s):Long time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So exactly when Arthur Anderson was still a, I think I did one too. So like, they,1 (42m 53s):Rodney,3 (42m 55s):Were you in St. Charles, Illinois?1 (42m 57s):I don't know. I had to take the Amtrak. It could have been,3 (42m 59s):Yeah. In St. Charles. Right? That's where they were centered. Yes. Yeah.1 (43m 2s):Okay, go ahead. Go ahead. So you, okay, so you got your, I know our world. Do you live, Where do you live?3 (43m 8s):I'm in, I'm in LA right now. This is my home. Yeah.1 (43m 11s):Okay. Well I'm coming to your home. Okay, great. I'm in Pasadena right now. Okay. Anyway, go ahead. Oh yeah.3 (43m 17s):Okay. So we, yeah, I went to Chicago, got my cards, and then was there for, you know, a hot minute and then I moved to New York. Okay.1 (43m 25s):Wait, wait, wait. Moved. Did you have, what years were you working in Chicago? Like were we still, were Gina and I in school? What, what, what years were that were you were like, Tampa, a man Chicago.3 (43m 35s):I did God bless that commercial. Yeah, it was so good. I did, let's see here, I grad, I was there in 90, let's see, 97,1 (43m 47s):We were there. Well, Gina was graduating and I, I was, yeah. Anyway, we were there.3 (43m 52s):And then I moved to New York in 98 and then I moved to New in 98. So1 (43m 55s):You were only in Chicago a hot minute? Yeah, yeah, yeah.3 (43m 57s):Okay. Yeah. But then I came back, I came back in 2004 five to do a show at Victory Gardens. Oh. And then I did a show at Victory Gardens, and then I did a workshop at Stepin Wolf. So it was nice. Look at1 (44m 12s):Victory Gardens. Victory Gardens. That was a whole,3 (44m 15s):I'm sorry, what was that?1 (44m 16s):R i p, Victory Gardens.3 (44m 17s):Oh, yeah. I mean, well I was there pre-K. Yeah. And so, but it was, yeah, r i p I mean, r i it was truly one of the most magnificent, magnificent shows that I've been part, but I mean,1 (44m 30s):Okay, so wait, wait, wait. Okay, so why New York? Why weren't you like, I'm gonna bust out and go to LA and be a superstar on,3 (44m 38s):It's all about representation. I mean, I didn't see at the time, and you know, if you think about it, like there were people on television, but, you know, in terms of like the, the, the, it wasn't pervasive. It was like sort of every once in a while I'll turn on my TV and I'll see like Dante Bosco or I'll see like, you know what I mean? But it wasn't like I saw like, you know, I wasn't flooded with the image of an Asian American making it. However, at the time, you know, it was already Asian Americans were starting to sort of like flood the theater world, right? So I started, you know, through James c and, and Lisa Taro in Chicago, and like, people who are like, who are still friends of mine to this day, Asian American actors, they were doing theater. And so I was like, you know what, I'm gonna do theater. And so I, it was just one of those, like, I went to, and I already had these credits.3 (45m 19s):I had my equity card, I had some credits. My natural proclivity was then to go to, to, to first theater in New York. So it wasn't, I didn't even think about LA it wasn't like, oh, let me, let me like think about doing television and film. So I went1 (45m 32s):To York. I just feel like in LA it's so interesting. As an actor, writing is a little different, but as an actor, it, most of us, if we plan to go to LA as actors, we're gonna fail. I just feel like you have to end up here as an actor by accident because you do something else that you love and that people like, and then they're like, I just, it's not the most welcoming. Right. Medium film and tv. So like, it's so hard. So I think by accident is really sort of the only way, or if you're just already famous for something else, but like, anyway, So you're in New York. Did you, did you love it? Wait, can I,2 (46m 9s):Can I hang on Buzz, Can I do a timeout? Because I've been wanting to ask this just a little bit back to, you know, your undergrad experience. Did you wanna be, did you love chemistry or did you just do that because Oh, you did, Okay. So it wasn't, it wasn't like, oh, finally I found something that I, like you liked chemistry.3 (46m 29s):Yeah. To this day, to this day, I still like, it's still very much like, you know, the, the, the values of a stem field is still very much in how I teach, unfortunately. Right? Like, I'm very empirical. I, I, I need to know an, I need to have answers. Like, you know, it tends to, sometimes it tends to be a lot of it, like, you know, you know, sort of heady and I'm like, and now I need, I need, I'm pragmatic that way. I need to understand like why, Right? That2 (46m 53s):Doesn't seem unfortunate to me. That seems actually really fortunate because A, you're not the only artist who likes to think. I mean, you know, what about DaVinci? Like, a lot of people like to think about art in a, in a, I mean it's really, they're, they're, they're really kind of married art and science.3 (47m 8s):Yeah. They really are people. I, I think people would, It's so funny. Like people don't see it as such, but you're absolutely right. I agree. It's so more, Yeah. There's so much more in common.1 (47m 18s):The other thing that I'm glad Gina brought that up is cuz I'm questioning like, okay, so like, I don't know about at Marquette, but like at DePaul we had like, we had, like, we had these systems of, you got warnings if you, you weren't doing great and I bet like you probably didn't have the cut system cause that just is okay, good. But okay.3 (47m 36s):Well we were, we remember we were, we weren't a conservatory, right? So we were very much a, a liberal programming.1 (47m 42s):Yeah, I love it. Oh God, how I longed for that later, right? But anyway, so what would've helped is if someone with an empirical, like someone with more a stem mind sat down with me and said, okay, like, here are the things that aren't working in a practical way for you, and here are the things that you can do to fix it. Instead, it was literally this nebulous thing where my warning said, You're not living up to your star power now that's not actually a note. So that, that, that Rick Murphy gave me, and I don't, to this day, I'm like, that is actually, so I would love if I had someone like you, not that you'd be in that system, but like this to say like, okay, like here's the reasons why.1 (48m 25s):Like there was no why we were doing anything. It was like, you just do this in order to make it. And I said, Okay, I'll do it. But I was like, what the hell? Why are we doing this? That's,3 (48m 35s):That's like going to a doctor and a doctor being like, you're sick. You know what I mean? And you're like, but can, that's why I'm here is for you to help me get to the root of it and figure it out. Right. Being like, you're,1 (48m 46s):I think they didn't know, Here's the thing, I don't think it, it3 (48m 50s):Was because they're in.1 (48m 51s):Yeah. I I don't think it was because they were, I mean, they could have been rude in all the things. I literally, now that I'm 47, looking back on that experience, I'm like, Oh, these teachers didn't fucking know what they were, how to talk. And3 (49m 3s):This is how I came. Yeah, yeah. Which is how I came back to usc. So like that's,1 (49m 7s):Anyway, continue your New York adventure. I just wanted to know.3 (49m 11s):No, no, no. New York is was great. New York is New York was wonderful. I love it. I still love it. I I literally just got back with it. That's why, remember I was texting you, emailing you guys. I I just got back, Yes. The night before. Some amazing things. My husband would move back in a heartbeat if I, if I like texted him right now. And I was like, Hey, like let's move back. The house would be packed and we'd, he'd be ready to go. He loves, we both love it. You know, Am I in love with New York? I, that, that remains to be seen. I mean, you know, as I get older that life is, it's a hard life and I, I love it when there's no responsibilities when you can like, skip around and have tea and you know, walk around Central Park and like see shows.3 (49m 53s):But you know, that's obviously not the real, the reality of the day to day in New York. So I miss it. I love it. I've been back for work many times, but I, I I don't know that the life is there for me anymore. Right. I mean, you know, six fuller walkups. Oh no. Oh no. I just, yeah, I1 (50m 11s):Just like constantly sweating in Manhattan. Like I can't navigate, It's like a lot of rock walking really fast and3 (50m 20s):Yeah. And no one's wearing masks right now. I just, I just came back and I saw six shows when I was there. No one's wearing masks. It's like unnerving. And again, like, you know, you know, not throwing politics in it. I was like, you guys, like, how are you okay with it? I'm just like, how are you not unnerved by the fact that we're cramped in worse than an airplane? And everyone's like coughing around you and we're sitting here for three hours watching Death of a Salesman. I mean, like, how was that1 (50m 43s):Of an2 (50m 45s):Yeah know?3 (50m 46s):I mean,2 (50m 47s):So what about the, so at some point you, you pretty much, I mean, you don't do theater anymore, right? You transition to doing3 (50m 55s):Oh, I know, I do. Very much so, very much. I'm also the associate, Yeah. I'm the associate artistic director of, I am a theater company, so like I'm, I'm very much theater's. I will never let go. It's, it's just one of those things I will never as, as wonderful as television and film has been. It's, it's also like theater's, you know? It's the, it's my own, it's my first child. Yeah.2 (51m 19s):Yeah.1 (51m 20s):We have guests like Tina Parker was like that, right? Wasn't,2 (51m 23s):Yeah. Well a lot of, a lot of people. It's also Tina Wong said the same thing.3 (51m 26s):He and I are different. She's part, we're in the same theater company. So Yeah. Tina's.2 (51m 30s):That's right. That's right. That's right. Okay, now I'm remembering what that connection was. So I have a question too about like, when I love it, like I said, when people have no idea anything related to performing arts, and then they get kind of thrust into it. So was there any moment in sort of discovering all this where you were able to make sense of, or flesh out like the person that you were before you came to this? Like a lot of people have the experience of, of doing a first drama class in high school and saying, Oh my God, these are my people. And never knowing that their people existed. Right. Did you have anything like that where you felt like coming into this performing sphere validated or brought some to fullness?2 (52m 14s):Something about you that previously you hadn't been able to explore?3 (52m 18s):Yeah. I mean, coming out, you know what I mean? Like, it was the first time that people talk, you know? Of course, you know, you know, I was born to, you know, like was God, I said I was born this way. But that being said, like again, in the world in which I grew up in, in Chicago and Lane Tech, it's, and, and the, you know, the technical high school and, and just the, the, the, I grew up in a community of immigrants. It's not like it was laid out on the table for one to talk about all the time. Right. It wasn't, and even though I may have thought that in my head again, it wasn't like, it was like something that was in the universe and in the, in the air that I breathed. So I would say that like when I got to the theater, it was the first time, you know, the theater, you guys we're, we're theater kids, right?3 (53m 2s):We know like every, everything's dramatic. Everything's laid, you know, out to, you know, for everyone. Everyone's dramas laid out for everyone. A the, and you know, part of it was like sexuality and talking about it and being like, and having just like, just being like talking about somebody's like ethnic background. And so it was the first time that I learned how to talk about it. Even to even just like how you even des you know, you know how you even describe somebody, right? And how somebody like, cuz that again, it's not, it wasn't like, it wasn't language that I had for myself. So I developed the language and how to speak about people. So that's my first thing about theater that I was like, oh, thank God.3 (53m 43s):You know? And then, you know, even talking about, you know, like queer, like queer was such a crazy insult back when I was a kid. And then now all of a sudden queer is now this embraced sort of like, badge of honor, Right? And so like, it was just like that and understanding like Asian and Asian American breaking that down, right? And being Filipino very specifically breaking that down, that all came about from me being in theater. And so like, I, I'm, I owe my, my life to it if you, and, and because I've, yeah, I didn't, you know, it's so funny how the title of this is I Survived Theater School for me. It's, Yes, Yes.3 (54m 23s):And I also, it also allowed theater also gave, allowed me to survive. Yes.2 (54m 31s):Theater helped you survive. Yes. That's beautiful. So in this, in the, in this spectrum or the arc, whatever you wanna call it, of representation and adequate representation and you know, in all of our lifetimes, we're probably never gonna achieve what we think is sort of like a perfect representation in media. But like in the long arc of things, how, how do you feel Hollywood and theater are doing now in terms of representation of, of specifically maybe Filipino, but Asian American people. How, how do you think we're doing?3 (55m 3s):I think we, you know, I think that there's, there's certainly a shift. You know, obviously it, we'd like it to be quicker than faster than, than it has been. But that being said, there's certainly a shift. Look, I'm being, I'll be the first person to say there are many more opportunities that are available that weren't there when I started in this, in this business, people are starting to like diversify casts. And you know, I saw Haiti's Town, it was extraordinary, by the way. I saw six shows in New York in the span of six days out of, and this was not conscious of me. This is not something I was doing consciously. Out of the six shows, I saw every single show had 90% people of color.3 (55m 43s):And it wasn't, and I wasn't conscientious of it. I wasn't like, I'm going to go see the shows that like, it just happened that all I saw Hamilton, I saw K-pop, I saw, you know, a death of a Salesman I saw. And they all were people of color and it was beautiful. So there's definitely a shift. That said, I, for me, it's never, this may sound strange, it's not the people in front of the camera or on stage that I have a problem with. Like, that to me is a bandaid. And this is me speaking like an old person, right? I need, it needs to change from the top down. And for me, that's what where the shift needs to happen for me. Like all the people at top, the, the, the people who run the thing that needs to change. And until that changes, then I can expect to starter from1 (56m 25s):The low. It's so interesting cuz like, I, I, I feel like that is, that is, we're at a point where we'd love to like the bandaid thing. Like really people really think that's gonna work. It never holds. Like that's the thing about a bandaid. The longer the shit is on, it'll fall off eventually. And then you still have the fucking wound. So like, I, I, I, and what I'm also seeing, and I don't know if you guys are seeing it, but what I'm seeing is that like, so people got scared and they fucking started to promote execs within the company of color and othered folks and then didn't train them. And now are like, Oh, well we gave you a shot and you failed, so let's get the white kid back in that live, you know, my uncle's kid back in to, to be the assistant.1 (57m 6s):And I'm3 (57m 7s):Like, no people up for success is a huge thing. Yeah. They need to set people up for success. Yes, yes, for sure.2 (57m 12s):Yeah. So it's, it's performative right now. We're still in the performative phase of1 (57m 16s):Our, you3 (57m 17s):Know, I would say it feels, it, it can feel performative. I I'm, I'm definitely have been. I've experienced people who do get it, you know what I mean? It's just, Sunday's a perfect example of somebody who does get it. But that being said, like again, it needs to, we need more of those people who get it with a capital I like, you know, up at the top. Cause again, otherwise it's just performative, like you said. So it's,1 (57m 38s):Does it make you wanna be an exec and be at the top and making choices? Yeah,3 (57m 42s):You know, I've always, people have asked me, you know, people have asked me what is the next thing for me. I'd love to show run. I've, I just, again, this is the, this is the stem part of me, right? Like, of us, like is I'm great at putting out fires, I just have been that person. I'm good with people, I'm, I'm, you know, and I've, I, you know, it's, it's, it's just one of those things that like I, I see is a, is a natural fit. But until that happens, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm also, you know, a professor is very much a version of show learning. So I've been doing that every day.1 (58m 14s):We talk about how, cause you've mentioned it several times about playing children into your thirties. So a lot, we have never had anyone on the show that I'm aware of that has had that sort of thing or talked about that thing. They may have had it. Mostly it's the opposite of like, those of us who like, I'll speak for myself, like in college, were playing old people at age, you know, 16 because I was a plus size Latina lady. And like that's what what went down. So tell me what, what that's what that journey has been like for you. I'm just really curious mostly, cuz you mentioned it a couple times, so it must be something that is part of your psyche. Like what's that about? Like what the, I mean obviously you look quote young, but there's other stuff that goes into that.1 (58m 57s):So how has that been for you and to not be, It sounds like you're coming out of that.3 (59m 1s):Yeah, I mean, look, all my life I've always been, you know, I mean I'm, I'm 5, 5 6 on a good day and I've always just been, I've always just looked young. Like, I mean, I mean, and I don't mean that like, oh I look young. Like I don't mean that in any sort of self-aggrandizing way. I literally just am one of those and you're built, like me, my one of my dear friends Ko, God rest his soul, he was always like, Rodney, you're like a little man look, looks, you're like a man that looks like a boy. And I was like that, that's hilarious. Like, and look, I for growing up little in, in high school and, and it, it was one of those things that I was always like, you know, like I was always chummy with people, but I was never sort of like, like there's a look, let's face it.3 (59m 45s):Like we're, we're a a a body conscious society and when you're, whatever it is, you can't help. There's implicit bias, right? Implicit bias, right. Supremacy at it's most insidious. And so I am not all my life, I was like always trying to, you know, the Napoleon complex of always trying to sort of be like, prove that I was older than I was.1 (1h 0m 6s):How did you do it? How did you do, how were you, what kind of techniques did you use? For3 (1h 0m 10s):Me, it wasn't even my technique. It was about doing everything and anything I possibly could. I mean, I was like president or vice president, I a gajillion different clubs. So it1 (1h 0m 18s):Was doing, it was doing, it was not like appearance. Okay, okay. So you3 (1h 0m 23s):Was actually yeah, I couldn't do anything about this. Yeah.1 (1h 0m 25s):Right. So yeah, but like people try, you know, like people will do all kinds of things to their body to try to, But for you, it sounds like your way to combat that was to be a doer, like a super3 (1h 0m 36s):Duer. And I certainly, I certainly like worked out by the time I got to college I was like working out hardcore to try and masculinize like, or you know, this. And, and eventually I did a gig that sort of shifted that mentality for me. But that being said, I think the thing that really, that the thing that, that for me was the big sort of change in all of this was just honestly just maturity. At some point I was like, you know what? I can't do anything about my age. I can't do anything about my height, nor do I want to. And when that shifted for me, like it just ironically, that's when like the maturity set in, right? That's when people started to recognize me as an adult.3 (1h 1m 17s):It's when I got got rid of all of that, that this, this notion of what it is I need to do in order for people to give me some sort of authority or gimme some sort of like, to l

KIRBY: The Musical  is a brand new musical by Richard Gustin, based on a 2021 novel by Iris Iglarsh. It is a heart-warming ghost story and a tale of friendship, loss, and family secrets. Richard drops in to tell us how it's going in these early stages of development. In this episode, we discuss:The origin and adaptation process of KIRBYRichard's work as an actor/director/playwright and how each of those roles informs how he approaches the others His Star Trek analogy for actors His upcoming play, Being Seen and planning next year's Chicago runAnd more!Resources MentionedKirby's Dilemma by Iris IglarshUbiquitous PlayersBeing Seen by Richard GustinWorld Premiere WisconsinWrite On, Door CountyMilwaukee Fringe FestivalAbout Our GuestRichard Gustin is an emerging playwright whose plays include Being Seen, KIRBY: The Musical, Surviving the Cycle, Flat World, A Sparrow Falls, Leviathan, Mercy, Someone Like Me, Concentric Circles, Found Objects, Switch, CruciFiction and an original adaptation of Everyman.Richard is a member of Dramatists Guild and Actors' Equity Association. He has been seen in major roles at various regional theatres including: the Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland, Kansas City Rep, the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, the Ivanhoe in Chicago, and Milwaukee Rep.Directing credits include The Dream of The Burning Boy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Godspell, How the World Began, Almost, Maine, Waiting for Godot, Antigone, The Miracle Worker, Rabbit Hole, Everyman, Wings, My Fair Lady, Master Harold. . .and the boys, Our Town, Lobby Hero, True West, Steel Magnolias, Proof, Doubt, Silent Sky, Surviving the Cycle, The Glass Menagerie, and many others.Connect with Our Guestwww.richardgustin.comFacebookRead Richard's plays on Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media get together to discuss the news of the week, including The Milwaukee Rep's plans for a $75 million "new" theater complex. The plans came to light with the announcement of a $10 million, 20-year sponsorship by Associated Bank, which has its primary Milwaukee presence just north of The Rep's current theater. The Rep plans to stay at the same location, but will completely remake its three theaters. Andrew and Arthur discuss how the plan marks another major project remaking Milwaukee's cultural assets, following the Bradley Symphony Center and the planned move of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Insider Story SpotlightUse of electric and hybrid vehicles in Wisconsin has grown significantly, but still less than 2% of state total2022 BizTimes Future 50 WinnersBig StoryMilwaukee Rep plans to build new $75 million theater complex

We'll look at a report from the ACLU on the jail to deportation pipeline throughout Wisconsin. We'll speak with historians about how they're documenting the stories of Lantix Wisconsinites. We'll hear a local family connection to the sinking of the Titanic ahead of the Milwaukee Rep's reopening of the production. Plus, we'll learn about the history of one of the Jones-Hill House.

During this episode of Why Change? Jeff interrupts our normal schedule to amplify the work of artists and educators responding to gun violence in the United States. Jeff interviews Michael Cotey, founder of #Enough Plays to End Gun Violence; they discuss the role of our community in joining the movement. In this episode you'll learn: About programs supporting young creatives against gun violence; What youth leaders and the research says about this pandemic; and How to engage in the movement. ABOUT MICHAEL COTEY: A Chicago-based, Milwaukee-bred theatre-maker. He has directed at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act, First Stage, Northwestern University, UW-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois Wesleyan University and Youngblood Theatre. Michael has also assisted at Goodman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, and Milwaukee Rep, for prominent directors, like Tony Award-winners Mary Zimmerman and Robert Falls. From 2009-2013 he was the Founding Artistic Director of Youngblood Theatre in Milwaukee. Regularly celebrated by the theater community and the press as one of the most exciting new Milwaukee theater ventures in decades, Youngblood provided professional opportunities to early-career emerging artists, introduced the works of provocative new playwrights, and staged theatre in raw found spaces that invoked Milwaukee's storied industrial past. He's taught at UW-Madison, Roosevelt University, Northwestern, and UW-Milwaukee. He was both the member of Directors Lab Chicago and the FAIR Program at Oregon Shakespeare. Michael graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a BFA in Acting and from Northwestern University with an MFA in Directing. In 2014 he was named UWM's “Graduate of the Last Decade.” Learn more at www.michaelcotey.com This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation's Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts' theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode's webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support

We look at how the Supreme Court could change as hearings begin for a new nominee. We explore the life and legacy of Mary John, founder of the Milwaukee Rep. Then, learn why UW-Madison is one of the leading universities in recruiting Peace Corps volunteers. Bubbler Talk explores why there are so many water towers in Wauwatosa. Plus, we chat with a local chef who was on the latest Gordon Ramsey cooking show.

As we enter production for Season 1.5, Michael and Jake sit down with the lovely fellows over at Dice in Mind to have a chat about the making of Season 1.0. Learn a bit more about the project's genesis, how the group came together, and get into the nitty gritty in how this thing is put together. If you enjoy the interview, give Dice in Mind a follow. You can also follow them on Twitter or buy them a cup of coffee! If you'd like to support Mythic Thunderlute, join us on Patreon or grab some Merch. CW: Language -- From Dice in Mind's feed: This week we have the good fortune of chatting with Jake Blouch and Michael Doherty, two of the minds and voices behind the wonderfully creative Mythic Thunderlute: A D&D Podcast Musical. If you have listened to MTL, we think you will agree it is one of the most creative things happening in the RPG community today. If you haven't listened to at least a few of their episodes, stop what you are doing and get on over to their feed. Yes, it's that good. Please check out Mythic Thunderlute, and while you're there support their work through Patreon and buy their merchandise: Mythic Thunderlute MTL Patreon MTL Merch Jake Blouch is a Philly based actor, song writer, voiceover artist and future President of the United States. He has performed in theatres across the Philadelphia region, and even a couple times in Delaware! In addition to his "career" as an actor, his songwriting and musical projects include his parody band Jawbone Junction, which aims to give Southern Rock the Spinal Tap treatment (Roscoe Chubb on the drums). His original musical Something Like a War was commissioned by 11th Hour Theatre Co, and received a showcase reading in 2019. For his turn in their production of See What I Wanna See he won the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical. He lives in South Philly with his true love, his wife Sophia, and her true love, their dog Teddy and cats Tobias and Sister Aloicius. Michael Doherty is an east coast-based actor, writer, and comedian. He has participated in nearly 50 theatrical productions across the country, including productions at 59E59 Theaters, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, the Wilma Theater, and more. His television pilot, Los Jarochos, won Best Writing at the 2013 Independent TV Festival. Michael is a published educational researcher in an ongoing collaboration with the University of Denver, studying the thought processes of professional actors. In 2019, he married fellow actor and best friend Alex Keiper during preview week for The Nerd at Milwaukee Rep.  Welcome to Dice in Mind, a weekly podcast in which we explore the meaning of life through the lens of RPGs! In each episode, we will consider everyday stuff like science, religion, philosophy, and economics…through the lens of a specific roleplaying game and its dice mechanic. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron. You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Music by Kevin McCloud courtesy of Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 license (https://www.youtube.com/c/kmmusic/featured). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ken Volante speaks with Kimberly Laberge and Cory Fitzsimmons from Wisconsin. This episode is a nice way to connect with two talented directors and actors as they create their version of Things I know to Be True for production in April 2022. Kimberly Laberge is a teacher, stage manager, director, and critic based out of the Milwaukee area. Kimberly has worked with area companies including First Stage, the Milwaukee Rep, Kohl's Wild Theater, and more. Some favorite projects include directing Oedipus Rex, starring in Our Town, and providing entertainment as a live princess for Friend Like Me Parties and Entertainment. A proud member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA), when not involved in productions, Kimberly runs the independent theatre review blog The Drama Den www.stageonapage.com Cory Fitzsimmons is an actor, teacher, and first time director from the Milwaukee area. A graduate of UW-Milwaukee, Cory is an Irene Ryan Award nominee and a two-time SURF Award recipient. Favorite roles include James in Book of Days, The Old Artist in Jarman, and most recently the title role in Oedipus Rex.  Things I Know to Be True by Andrew Bovell follows the Price family - Bob, Fran, and their four adult children. Each adult child is brought home at different points by a major event in their lives, from love, to identity, to even crime. Meanwhile, Fran and Bob's relationship is reflected in the light of their children's crises, leading them to examine their own standing with one another. The story is told through rooted, realistic family drama interspersed with soliloquies with music and movement. The result is a piece of truly elevated drama, making clever usage of all of the tools theatre has to offer. Bovell's text asks the question, can one love too much? https://www.facebook.com/thingsiknowmke    

Intro: Should we take offense that it's Women's History month? (history has not exactly honored women.) Gina had a rough re-entry from vacation, the Disney enchantment, the expense of having kids, the pleasures of one on one time, Junipero Serra was also a monster, Whitey Bulger, networking. Let Me Run This By You: Is Drag Race sexist?, Sasha Velour,  Interview: We talk to Rebecca Spence about Hendrix College, Phantom of the Opera with Linda Eder, Ricky Schroeder and Silver Spoons, Erin Gray, taking the Christmas pageant quite seriously, Syler Thomas, being the preacher's daughter, playing Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and the Stage Manager in Our Town, Tisch, Zelda Fichandler, Mary Beth Fisher, Carmen Roman, Deanna Dunagan, Ora Jones, Amy Morton, Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, Every Brilliant Thing, Cyrano at Milwaukee Rep, beauty privilege, aging as an actress, Linda Evangelista, how Rebecca sees herself in terms of the cultural shift in American theatre, the accessibility benefit of digital theatre.FULL TRANSCRIPT (unedited):2 (10s):And I'm Gina Pulice. We went to theater school1 (12s):Together. We survived it, but we didn't quite understand.2 (15s):And it's 20 years later, we're digging deep talking to our guests about their experiences and trying to make sense of it all.1 (22s):And you will too. Are we famous yet? February one, one month behind my friend one month by,2 (37s):Well, it's March 1st happy women's history month.1 (41s):I didn't even know that's how bad of a woman I am.2 (45s):Oh, well I was just thinking like, should we take offense that it's, you know, black history and women's history, like it's all in the past, you know, like why with both of those groups of people, we don't really want to be in the past.1 (1m 2s):Oh. And in fact there is a t-shirt that says that people love that. I have the same thought that says the future. Wait, the future of film is female. And I'm like, what about the present of film?2 (1m 17s):Right, right. Write1 (1m 19s):About like, I don't have a lot of time. I'm 46. Like what are you talking about the future? I mean, I can't be talking about the future. So I, I think the more we can get things in the present, the better off we are,2 (1m 33s):The better off we are now you're back. I'm back. I'm back. I'm back. I'm back. I did not want to come back. I did not leave my vacation. I did not wanna leave 80 degree weather and no responsibilities and fun all day. And it was our, a free entry1 (1m 53s):Monday, really? For everybody, just2 (1m 55s):You or well, for everybody. But for my part, it was getting in on a very late plane, not getting home till one 30 in the morning. It's two inches of ice on my driveway. So I'm like doing slapstick, trying to get my luggage to my door. My daughter's asleep. Oh my, I took the wrong key. I didn't have the right. I didn't have my house key. I don't know what the key is that I took. And so luckily, I mean, I guess I, nobody knows my address, but luckily we have a door that we often leave unlocked and it was unlocked.2 (2m 45s):So we got in and I got my daughter upstairs and I said, just go to sleep. I'll take care of everything. And she was like, yeah, of course, of course. I'm like, I'm not taking care of anything right now. So I remembered that we had some snow melt. I smelled, I go get it. And of course, when I walked into this door, that's usually unlocked. I immediately locked it saying like, we really shouldn't be leaving this open all the time. Oh my God. I know what's coming. I think, keep going, keep going though. And then I get my little ice smell and I go to the back and I closed the door because it's 20 degrees. And I don't want to let all the more mare out. And I happily salt my steps and get the luggage and bring it back up.2 (3m 30s):And the door was locked because the door was locked and I still don't have a key. And that my daughter is fast asleep. And not only is she slowly, I've already turned on the white noise machine. So if I ring the doorbell, if I had any chance of her hearing me, which it's pretty scant. And in any case, because she's a heavy sleeper, I've now masked the sound and it's cold, it's cold. And you, I immediately would be like, I have to eat this ice melt. That's not sane. That did not occur to me. Here's what occurred to me. I'm wearing leggings a t-shirt and a thin sweatshirt because I was just in 80 degree weather and sneakers.2 (4m 12s):I have no hat. I have no code. I have no gloves. I don't even have a key to the car. That's in the driveway because it's my husband's car. And why would I have a key to that? And we do have a garage code that has been broken for like a year. So I guess I should fix that for next time. I'm in this situation. Yeah. And I just tried ringing the doorbell and I tried yelling her name, you know, from down to like I'm in Romeo and Juliet, just yelling up to her window to the family in Utah. They weren't back. Oh my God.2 (4m 55s):I'm like, what the hell am I going to do? Walk to my neighbors at two in the morning and, and do what use, oh, and I didn't mind my phone was inside of, oh my God. Even if I had my phone, what am I going to do? Call my daughter. She doesn't have a cellphone. So I was in a real quandary. I was, I was in a pickle. So here's what I'd come to. I'm going to throw a heavy Boulder through our glass door so that I could get in. And then I'm going to tape it up with cardboard because I must get inside of my house. And then I remembered that another security breach we have is that our window in our dining room that goes directly onto our porch is never locked and very easy to climb through.2 (5m 43s):So that's what I did. And I didn't get to sleep until 3:00 AM. And that's just, that was just like, that was just, of course that was my reentry. Like there could have been no other reentry because ending your vacation sucks, sucks,1 (5m 60s):Bad. It2 (6m 0s):Really sucks. The greatest period of time is like the two weeks before your vacation, when you're getting psyched and then your vacation. And then for me, about two days before it's over, I'm like, oh God, I have to go.1 (6m 12s):I, I, I mean, you know, we're, I am really bad at transitions. Like I remember as an actor being told that to like, and I remember thinking that, and I remember thinking that's perfect. Like that, that makes perfect sense. I'm not shocked. And it makes perfect sense. I, there were no transitions in my childhood. It was like, you're being thrown here and then you're being thrown it. And so this all makes sense. And also it to be fair, your vacation did look fucking brilliant.2 (6m 43s):Like my vacation was like a1 (6m 46s):Dream.2 (6m 47s):It was like a dream come true. Honestly, like I kept being like, why is this so amazing? And I, I do. I do think, I, I think I understand now why Disney has the stranglehold on everybody's wallets that it does. It's because for many people, it is a place where your childhood is openly defended and encouraged and people don't get that. You know, and most people don't get that in other realms of their life. And you know, there's a lot of adult, only groups of people at Disney.2 (7m 28s):Like I even read a review of our hotel that was complaining about the number of children there. It's a, it's a, it's a, it's called the all star movies. It's like the it's 101 Dalmatian themed and toy story and Fantasia. And I'm thinking, wow, this couple went here thinking, oh,1 (7m 50s):People visionary tear like they without no, no, no. There are. Yeah, no, you're right on eighties. I think you've really, really hit the nail on the head. When you said that it's people's childhood encouraged, like, are you kidding me? Like senior pictures. I was like, oh, I'm going there. And I don't care if I go alone. Like, I don't give a fuck. You're going to see me alone. Wandering through Disneyland. Happy as a fucking clam.2 (8m 19s):Do you like rollercoasters? No. Oh, you don't like roller coasters. I was going to say, well, let's go together because I didn't get to ride one single roller coaster.1 (8m 25s):I will go with you. I would go if I trusted the person, I'm always just like, because I'm so neurotic. I'm like, do I want to die with this person? If I'm with some weird, like, you know, whatever. No I would go with you.2 (8m 40s):Well, let me tell you that. I don't know when the last time you went to like a six flags was, but the difference between your run of the mill amusement park and Disney is like the difference between coach on spirit, airline and first class Emirates. Yeah, exactly. It's just, they really, they really curate the experience for you. And I'm so fascinated by all of the work that has gone into just that, like all of the work that has gone into, and we, we had a classmate at the theater school who worked at Disney before she went to theater school and I'm drawing a blank on her name, blonde blonde hair.2 (9m 23s):And she told us about some of the rules. They have rules about how long your fingernails could be. And they had rules about your earrings and they had rules. I think some of those rules have changed because I'm pretty sure you didn't used to be able to show tattoos. I think you couldn't have dreadlocks before. Like it was a whole thing. It was a whole thing. So, so they've put a lot of effort into preserving the magic, right? Like you can't, there's this underground tunnel system. So you don't see the characters in there. Cause my daughter kept saying, oh, it was so sweet. She said, there's this hotel that's right near the park. And she said, why didn't we stay at that hotel? And I said, because it's like $3,000 a night. And she said, oh, I bet that's where the princess is live.2 (10m 7s):And I said, yeah, maybe. And I, and it was, as you recall, we went through this whole Santa's Easter bunny thing and she's she's hip to that. So I didn't challenge her assumption, but a couple of days later she did. And she said, well, they're not really princesses. They're really people who put on princess dresses. So they probably don't live here. I said, yeah, they probably don't. She said, where do I live? And I said, in an apartment, and I just saw the look on her face, like imagining, you know, Ariel living in her studio in like Florida. Right. And I live in Orlando having gone to theater school and then like, what am I doing? But you know what she's doing? She's fucking making dreams come fucking true is what she's done is like, honestly, it's the Lauren's work.2 (10m 53s):I felt like because they have these opportunities for you to meet the princesses, you know? And these people know their characters so well to the point that I can never hear Cinderella, she talks so quietly. I can never hear what she's saying. The, the girl, the woman who plays Rapunzel, that character talked a million miles an hour, she talks a million miles an hour. They read and they just know the ins and outs of their movies, such that they're constantly referencing. Like when, when we met Jasmine, she said, have you seen my monkey?2 (11m 35s):A pu I mean, and Clarissa was like, no, is she around here? Like, we'll, we'll go look for him. They really draw you in to the world. Do they are master storytellers? That's what they are Disney is. And these people, their whole,1 (11m 54s):I know people that go on Disney cruises that are like, I would live on this boat if I could.2 (12m 2s):Yeah, man. It's so enticing. It, it really is. And I, and I found myself being like, okay, this is like a museum product. It's a vacation. Like, but I think it made it harder to leave Mo a lot of times I have to say, especially since having kids, no offense to my kids. A lot of times when I come back from vacations, I'm like so relieved for it to be over because I've had to do so much work. I mean, traveling with one kid, who's pretty, self-sufficient was very easy to put a whole new spin on a family vacation.1 (12m 38s):It's my new thing, which is one-on-one time. So what I noticed in your pictures and social media was that when it's one-on-one time and I just had my niece here, right? Yes. I want to hear all about that. One-on-one time is so much different than family time. And I never had one-on-one time with either of my parents. Not that I really wanted it, but like, it was always trying to force groups or other families with our family. And I think one-on-one time people don't like to do because it's so intimate. And I, and I get that. But I also think when I saw your pictures, what I noticed was a genuine happiness and a knot in your face and your daughter's face, but also like a fun, it looked like fun.1 (13m 27s):And a lot of times when you see family fucking pictures, everyone looks miserable, miserable, miserable, miserable, miserable, and it's no one's fault, but that is the jam. It is miserable to be in a group.2 (13m 37s):It is miserable. And actually, as we were walking around, she kept saying, why is that? Dad's screaming at his kid? Like there was a moment where somebody was, I didn't observe it, but there was a baby crying. And how she reported it to me was that this mother told the baby to stop crying. And I said, well, you know, we're not having that experience because you're not a baby. And because we're not all together, but we've had a lot of experiences like that. You know, I'm glad that you don't necessarily think, look at that and say, oh, that's just like our family. But that is just like our family when we're all together,1 (14m 17s):It's a dynamic. So this is my whole, my whole like new way of seeing things. Not new way. But like w what helps me get through situation is like, oh, this is a dynamic problem. It is, it is a energetic, interpersonal problem. It's not one, one person's fault. But like, I now will never, I said to my niece, like, I only want to do one on one time with, with each of you. Great2 (14m 45s):Idea. Great idea. So how did that whole thing1 (14m 47s):Come to be? So I really wanted to, so each I have taken my nephew and my niece, the oldest one on solo trips, right. To two different places. But the youngest has never been, and then the pandemic hit. And so I was like, wait a second. This isn't fair. Not that life is fair, but I like to keep things kind of like, I don't want her being like, what the hell? I'm the youngest? Cause I was the youngest. I get it. So I was like, all right, I want a lease to come out here. But by herself, without my sister, without the kids, without George, like, no, no, no, no, no. Also our place is so small. Only one person could fit in it. Right. So a small person.1 (15m 28s):And so I said to my sister for her 13th birthday, which was Sunday, I want to fly Elise out. And so that's what I did. And she, she had president's day, right? So she, she missed one day of school because me and Mr. Davis school to do something with my sister and at least came and we had a blast one-on-one man, I'm all about trying to help the dynamic, not be unmanageable for myself and for others, but I'm really thinking about myself. Like2 (15m 60s):Probably so appreciated the attention she got. Right. Because I'm sure there's not much opportunity for her to get individual attention.1 (16m 8s):It's not practical. It just doesn't happen. There's so much going on. And you know, and, and so we had a blast. Now look, one thing that I was telling my therapist yesterday, I was like, oh, this is what I realized about children. They're fucking a lot of energy, even one brilliant child, right. That is, is just being a child. That's turning 13, no problems. Still, a lot of energy goes out cause she's, you know, and they're fucking expensive. So I don't care. I mean, I don't, I know nothing about, I know 100th of what the costs would be, but I'm like, oh my God.1 (16m 48s):And we weren't even doing crazy shit. We were so like, for people to say like, oh, a family of four or five can live on 50,000, $50,000. I'm like, are you, I spent like $50,000 in three days that I don't have, what are you talking about?2 (17m 3s):This is why, I mean, I have avoided saying miss in the past, but this is why we make so much money and have nothing. I mean, we have our house, we have a house, we own a house and we own cars. Yeah. But we have nothing else. We have nothing else. We have no savings. We have nothing else because 100% of our money goes to this very expensive thing we've chosen to do, which is1 (17m 28s):Yeah. And, and I have so much, I'm like, oh my God. Just even light. Yeah. Just life. Just not even buying. I mean, we didn't go crazy. We didn't go to Beverly Hills. We're not like living. Okay. So we went to, she got in really late Friday night and we went to, then we slept in a little bit. And then we went to the beach, went to my favorite beach, which is a unibrow beach who I found out was a terrible ruler that killed a lot of indigenous people, which is sad. But anyway, yeah. Paradise, Sarah that bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, man. I thought he was a Franciscan monk. I don't know my okay. I don't know.1 (18m 9s):Anyway. So it was like, oh, you know, he killed a bunch of indigenous people. I'm like, oh, that's great. Anyway. So we went to that beach in long beach, my favorite beach. Cause it's super chill. It's not a scene. It's not like Malibu. It's not like it's like down home. I love long beach. Right. And I also have an affinity to long beach because my ex lived there who passed away. So I like long beach, a lot. I have like special memories of that. And so we did that. We went, we ate like I now, because we moved to the pandemic. I had no reference for good food in my, in my neighborhood, in Pasadena, in LA none. So I was like, all right, we're gonna use this as an opportunity to explore dude, look, it has no, it doesn't hold a candle to Chicago.1 (18m 55s):Cause that's just how, you know, Chicago. I always tell people like Chicago is the best food and you'll die of a heart attack, but like, you'll eat the best food. We found great restaurants that we ate at. We, so we did a lot of eating. We did a lot of walking, walking around. We did some walks, some hikes. She obsessed with my dog Doris. And she was really, really good with her. Like trained her. Like she's really, she and her brother are both really into training dogs. So she did a lot of training with Torres, which I kept up zero. And then I just, I just don't care. And then I just don't, that's the truth. And we just really spent time together talking about life and about, you know, her, her life as a 13 year old and teenage stuff.1 (19m 42s):And, but it was, it was only, it was like she got in Friday night, she was here Saturday, all day, Sunday, all day, Monday, all day. She left Tuesday afternoon. I was so exhausted. I was like, I don't know. I have. So again, I have so much respect for her parents and people who are engaged with their kids. That's what I'll say. Like people who actually are trying to fucking be engaged. It's it's insane. I don't know how anyone has time to do anything else. Let me run this by, You know, I go into my little phases with the content I'm consuming and right now I'm really deep into con reconsider.1 (20m 31s):This is an old love that I kind of got away from drag race. Oh, right. Yeah. And I never had this thought before and I'm not, I don't have a judgment about it really either way. It's truly just a curiosity.2 (20m 47s):Curious to know what your thoughts are. Did you ever watch1 (20m 49s):That show? So I watched it a long time ago when it first came out. Did they remounted like, is there's different incarnations?2 (20m 57s):Yeah. They're on like season 13 or something like that. Yeah.1 (21m 0s):I watched it at the beginning when I also got into project runway and I got into America's next top model and all that stuff. Yeah. I, I, it wasn't my thing. It just didn't, it didn't compel me. Like I wanted it to love it and I, it's not, what is it about me? It is that, or the show. It's not my type of reality show in that. I just don't care enough. It's you know, about fat, like the fashion, the fashion. I, I'm more interested in the psychological component and at least at the beginning, it wasn't a huge part of the show.2 (21m 45s):Yeah. Well, for me it is the clue. Remember on star search when they used to have acting that acting component and it was so boring to watch, you know, because it's just not the same as singing and dancing. Right. Even I, as a little kid was like, this is boring. I didn't want to watch the acting part of star search. So we don't have an acting reality competition show. Drag race is the closest thing we have to because drag is theater, you know, it's creating character it's it's and, and there, the art has elevated to such a degree that the people who are really killing it are doing things that you would not imagine are drag and they're not wearing breastplates and they're not, they're just there.2 (22m 37s):And it's part of this whole concept of gender fluidity, which I'm really interested in. But my, my question is, is it inherently sexist that these men are doing female impersonations, right? Because, and a big part of it is the humor. And I just had this mode of being like, wait, is the fundamental conceit here that we're laughing at men being women, because why would you be a woman when you can be a man? I just, yeah, it may not be. And, and many, many drag artists may be feminists may consider themselves feminist.2 (23m 22s):I think RuPaul is not necessarily a feminist and he's not, he's not necessarily anti-racist. I mean, I think he's problematic in his own way, but it just occurred to me like, what am I laughing at this idea about just being a woman? Are we, are we trivializing? And we're making it frivolous.1 (23m 43s):It's so interesting. Like, I mean, think that it goes, what comes to mind is also like, how do the artists identify? Like, do they identify as, as, as non, you know, non-conforming or, or, or, or how, how did they feel?2 (23m 60s):Right. That's been an interesting evolution in the show actually from the first season. I think they they've had, they had at least one person who through the course of doing, it said, actually, I'm not, I don't really want to do drag. I want to be a woman. I am a woman. There's, there's been that. And I haven't really followed it closely, but there has been some controversy about like, well, if you have a woman, a trans woman on the show, then is it still drag? Right. So there's all these questions. I don't really know where that debate sits at the present moment, but I do know that very many people who consider themselves drag artists don't consider themselves men in any way.1 (24m 43s):So it's like, right. I, so that, that then leads me to be super curious about yes, like can cat it become one. It reminded me of Shakespeare when she experienced time pretending to be women. And it was always, you know, women weren't allowed to be actors or whatever, and they, and they also like, you know, they would make fun in a higher sort of, even a intellectual way. They were making fun of the, the weaker sex, whatever. So, yes, I think there's a part of it that we're just laughing at the horror show that is being a woman. And then the other thing that I was thinking about was I think you're onto something when, if we can transform it from being about that, to being about elevating art too.1 (25m 29s):Like when you said things that you wouldn't that piques my interest, wouldn't consider quote, drag. That is like, where I think we're headed in theater, right?2 (25m 38s):Like, oh yes, we must be. I mean, if we are to survive, we must be headed in that way.1 (25m 44s):Can you give me an example of like what, what you wouldn't consider drag that is like,2 (25m 50s):I got there's this drag artists named Sasha Valore and sh I'm right now, I'm on season. I forget if it's eight or nine, it might be nine. And she Sasha the lore does L well, first of all, and I think he identifies as a man. He does his art is political and intellectual. And he's one of these people who doesn't wear fake breasts. He does, he, what he does is he covers his nipples with pastries and, and, but builds the most beautiful garments around a look around an idea blend.2 (26m 31s):And, and it's rough. What I love is when it's referencing so many different things, when he explains his outfit later, he's like, well, this is a reference to Marlena Dietrich. And this is, this is a reference to, you know, the, how the gay culture in Russia exists because it's, you know, it's illegal to dress in drag there and, and homosexuality is not outright illegal, but it's, you know, obviously not a way that you want to go around presenting yourself. It's just this elevated conversation. I mean, the first time I ever saw actual drag was in Las Vegas at a show, I was a teenager and I couldn't believe I'd never seen it before.2 (27m 15s):I couldn't believe how much this man looked like a woman. And that's what the drag was. It was all about pretty much straight forward, like glamor looking as feminine as possible. And it has just come a long way since then. And now it's about, it's really just about embodying characters.1 (27m 34s):So yeah, you love storytelling. So this is what I'm getting at from the Disney thing. And from this is that you love detailed nuance, researched and referenced storytelling. Totally. That is your jam. So2 (27m 51s):It was my mind when, when all of these disparate things can come together into one cohesive piece of art. That's what I like in plays. That's what I like in books. That's what I like him.1 (28m 1s):So that's really interesting to know. Like, I think also like, yeah, for me, what I like is yes, super detailed, specific thought out things like I remember my favorite thing as a kid was pop-up books that had teeny little hidden parts that you wouldn't expect to have a tab that have it. That was my fucking jam. I was like, that is what I like about television is when there's callbacks or references or little Easter eggs, or like where you're like, oh my God, oh my God. Oh my God. Did you notice that the, you know, like I get into that because it means ultimately that people fucking care what they're doing.1 (28m 45s):Yeah,2 (28m 46s):Yeah, yeah. Oh, yes. That's what really gets you. That people care Today on the podcast we are talking to Rebecca, Rebecca is an actor. And if you live in Chicago and see theater, there's a very good chance that you've seen her on more than one occasion in more than one brilliant star Trek. She also does film and television. She's got actually a television series, 61st street. She's in Candyman, that's out in theaters right now.2 (29m 26s):She was in one of my favorite shows, easy, which featured a lot of great Chicago actors. We didn't really talk about any of that. We talked about her as dying love for Chicago theater and her absolute respect for the actors that make it happen. So please enjoy our with Rebecca Spence3 (29m 52s):Podcast or a voiceover.2 (29m 55s):What's the matter with you? Why don't you get with it podcast or be a professional podcast? It's so easy. Honestly, you just break right into the market. You get tons of downloads. And3 (30m 9s):This is what I hear. It's amazing that I haven't jumped on this bandwagon yet. I don't know.2 (30m 14s):I will say the number, the apex of active podcasts or podcasts that were downloadable in the pandemic was 2 million up from 750,000 before the pandemic.3 (30m 29s):I absolutely2 (30m 30s):Believe it's trending back down because I think people realize like it's kind of a lot of work to maintain something every week. So, you know, we're just hoping to get back into that sweet spot. Maybe even less people will do it and we'll get down to like half a million. So then we'll really have a chance. Anyway, congratulations, Rebecca Spence, you survived theater school. Wait, wait. You're, you're looking, you're looking like you don't agree with me.3 (30m 59s):I, I I'd like to reframe it a little bit. I, I survived a theater major. I did not survive the grad school audition process. I Did not into the theater school.2 (31m 18s):We've often said we should call it. We should really call this. I survived my desire to be famous, whether you became famous or not, you know, like you have to contend with your, with your desire for us,1 (31m 29s):Never went to grad school for you went to undergrad and you got a theater major, and then you, and then you went to you, you auditioned for grad schools and didn't get it. What, how could Rebecca Spence that fucking get into grad school? Are you kidding me?3 (31m 43s):No. What I was doing, I didn't have a clue what I was doing. So I, but I can say that my audition process for grad school is what brought me to Chicago and, and made me fall in love with Chicago. And ultimately helps me choose Chicago as a home base, which is where I've had my education. I, my entire education in theater has been through observing and watching people very, very, very good at what they do. And2 (32m 15s):Just observing or asking people. I mean, you said you didn't know what you were doing when you were auditioning, but3 (32m 21s):Yeah, I went to my, I had, I don't know anything to compare it to. I think I had a great theater experience in, at my tiny little school. We had a three professor department and they were wonderful. I, I looked at some conservatories for undergrad and I just wasn't entirely sure if that was what I wanted to do. Cause I didn't know anything about professional theater, not a thing I grew up in, in, in Texas. I had, I think I saw maybe one professional production.3 (33m 2s):I had a friend whose parents were into musicals and they gifted me with an evening to go see Phantom of the opera with Linda ETR of all people. So I'm like, if you're going to get an experience seeing it, that was great. But I knew I wasn't a musical person. I didn't have that kind of gift. And I didn't know what, like I never had seen regional theater. I had never gone to1 (33m 29s):Like a play3 (33m 30s):Play. No, I think my parents took me to a community college production of glass, menagerie,1 (33m 39s):Light fodder for a child have to say like, what is coming forward for me when you're talking about, you're not the first person to say like a musical with the first introduction to any kind of acting and they get a bad rap, sometimes musicals, but they're a gateway for so many kiddos. It's like magic. I'm like obsessed with musicals now.3 (34m 7s):Yeah. I I'm the youngest of three girls by a large margin. My sisters are nine and 11 years older than I am. And so they would put on plays and then stick me in them. So I was kind of dressed up a lot and they'd be like, go say this. And I would do that. And I've got1 (34m 27s):Actors now. What's that? Are3 (34m 29s):They actors now? Okay. No, not at all. No. We just had very active imaginations. And so I, but I loved it. I, I always wanted to be, I had a very active imagination and, and wanted to, I knew I wanted to act like I, I want it to be on silver spoons. Oh,1 (34m 50s):Well, here we are facing. I always, I always thought that the line was here. We are faced to face a Comella silver spoons. Somehow someone informed me that Kamala, wasn't a real word. You guys. And so I was like, wait, what do you, they were like, what did you just say? They're like, say it again. And they were like, you know, that's not the line, but anyway, you want it to be in silver. Did you want to be on like, Ricky's like sister or anything? Like you just wanted to be in that world?3 (35m 26s):Oh no. I had a whole, I had a whole plot line. Oh yeah, no. I was also going to be adopted into the family. Oh yeah. They were, I, I was also going to be adopted into the family, but then of course we were going to become love interest. Of course it's very twisted. I was, I was quite convinced. I, you know, Aaron Gray was going to be my mother. Oh. I also loved buck Rogers. So it was a big club look, Roger. So I kind of followed Erin gray. I thought she was quite possibly the most glamorous woman I'd ever seen. And that's not true.3 (36m 6s):Doris Day was, but I wanted to be parented by1 (36m 13s):Yes. I mean, that's like me and like my modern day telling Brian Cox, I wanted him to be my new father. Right. And that didn't, he was like, people have told me that before. It was actually, it's a real thing. So like, okay, so you, you want it to be that. And then how did that translate Rebecca into like actually studying it? Because like, how did you know? It was a thing3 (36m 37s):I started doing a lot of plays in church. I did a lot of church. Like I was married about 12 times. It feels like, and I remember taking, I remember my like little, my first like actual play. I remember, I think I had been four and I was married and I took it really seriously. And the little boy who was playing Joseph, who also happened to be named Joey was not taking it seriously. And he kept taking his little robe and throwing it over his head. And I remember being livid, absolutely livid. I just was, I was so disappointed because I really felt like I was giving off as many, like holy maternal vibes as I possibly could.3 (37m 26s):And he, he wasn't up to the task.1 (37m 28s):Did you find it, did he get fired or like, did he get recast recast?3 (37m 33s):I I, no. No, no. I mean, my memory is being up in front of the, I don't remember any group kind of rehearsal process. I just remember being up there and holding my little baby doll and feeling very pious Over. And Joey was like screwing with a shepherd.1 (37m 54s):That's fantastic. I am Joey, by the way, I would be the Joey. I'd be like doing dance moves and they'd be like this one, but here's the thing3 (38m 3s):Laughing. And that's why it was because people were laughing and they, you know, he was drawing attention and laughing. And I was like, I don't remember this being a comedy. This is a comment1 (38m 19s):Here's, what's interesting about that story for me is that you w I've never worked with you as an actor, but I know from being around you and seeing you work, that you are not enough, and this is not, well, I'll just say it like, you are like a consummate per actor. Like you, you take this shit seriously, which I adore, which I actually learned from people like that. But like, you are very kind and lovely, but you also are a fucking professional actor. And there is like, I know that sounds so obvious, but you know what I mean? Like there are people like Joey that fuck around at age four, which is fine. He's four. But like the fact that you didn't fuck around as Mary at age four, I think is actually an important thing in your, in your history because you take this shit seriously.1 (39m 7s):Also. You're like you work all the time, which is fantastic, which I don't think there's a coincidence there. That's all I'm saying. That's all. Yeah.3 (39m 19s):Thank you. I mean, I knew I wanted to do, I played a lot alone. I mean, I was alone all the time. So I was constantly like perfecting different personalities. I mean, because I moved as much as I did, we moved every two and a half to three years. I had like an opportunity to like, be put into different scenarios. And that was just like a playground for me to, to, well, first of all, it was survival. It was trying to figure out where am I? How do I fit in? How do I make friends? What what's like that group of people doing and how do I sort of evolve and adapt. So that they'll speak to me.1 (39m 57s):Did you move because of your family? Were you a military situation?3 (40m 2s):God's military? My, my father was an Episcopal priest, tiny segue. I listened to your podcasts and I'm the one that, that I just delighted and was listening to Siler. Thomas. I knew Siler Thomas from church camp. I had no idea Seiler Thomas. Wasn't cool. We, I grew up sort of adjacent to, to him. He's older than I am. So he was in a much like cooler hipper, older church crap. And, but we went to like all of the same, like regional functional things.3 (40m 47s):Cause my father was an Episcopal priest. And so he was very active in youth stuff. And so I went with him. That's how I know Seiler camp counselor. And I was a camper and I had no clue that he was a theater person. No, I can't2 (41m 5s):Wait to tell him. I can't wait to tell him3 (41m 7s):We reconnected sort of over Facebook, but I haven't seen him, but I listened to his entire podcast and I, I, I got really, I got really excited.2 (41m 15s):Yeah. Yeah. He's, he's fantastic. What I would have done if I had to move every couple of years is I would have pretended that I was British. When I came to a new school. Did you ever adopt new, like a really different3 (41m 31s):Personality? No, I couldn't. We were always sort of presented, like we were kind of presented as a family so that wouldn't have ever worked out for me. I did have a friend though in the sixth grade, my friend, Susan. And it was the first time we in, I was in Waco, Texas, and we went to all the sixth graders, went to one school for me, entire city were busted into a sixth grade center and we would rotate classes and she, and I would come up with like each class that we were in. We would have completely different personalities. We would like today where the really loud Rawkus girls and today were very shy and reserved, but today where the pranksters.3 (42m 17s):And1 (42m 18s):So you did go to theater school cause that's all we did. So there2 (42m 23s):Starting at four years old, you started your year to school3 (42m 25s):Training.2 (42m 28s):Yeah. So when you finally, when it was time for college, you were considering conservatories, but decided not to. How did you pick the school that you went to Hendrix?3 (42m 41s):I picked Hendricks because they had a theater program and my parents said that I had to be within a day's drive. And so they said, we can, you can go to school, but we have to be able to be able to drive to you within 12 hours, if anything happens. So I went 10 and a half hours away to two Hendricks college in Arkansas and had a pretty campus. And I, I knew, I, I knew I wanted to do theater. I had started doing more professional place, not professional, but, but really high quality plays in high school.3 (43m 21s):And I knew that I wanted to keep doing that. I really loved it. I just sort of disappeared into that. And that was, that was a safe way to build quick family, you know, do you found your people really fast? And I, I, that, that felt good to me. So I really enjoyed it. And2 (43m 41s):Were they known for having a great theater department?3 (43m 45s):No, but they built, so I did my freshman year, we moved in the middle of my eighth grade year and I had one freshman year in a, in a really small, small town in Southeast Texas or S yeah, it was near the coast and that didn't, that didn't go so well for me. And I ended up being sent to boarding school.1 (44m 13s):What did you do? Were you depressed?3 (44m 15s):Very poor choices and trying to, in trying to, to fit in, what is it,1 (44m 21s):Does that mean? What does that mean? Did you smoke cigarettes or like kill people? What happened like3 (44m 27s):In the middle? No, I, I had some substance stuff happened. I found the substances are pretty early in like, like an eighth grade. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no. I mean, we, we lived in the town that I lived in was known for grass farming and rodeo, and we didn't have anything to do. There was no, there was no movie theater. We didn't have a Walmart. We didn't have a skating rink there. It was,1 (44m 57s):It's like Footloose the toast.3 (44m 60s):So what we did is we went out to fields and drank like, that's true. That was what you did. So I, I, I wanted to do that. So I drank a lot and then I got caught a lot. And so my parents had a panic and sent me to boarding school in Austin, which they had a, really a growing theater department. And by the time I graduated, they had built this huge complex. So my senior year was the first year they sort of became an art school. So I kind of said goodbye. I mean, our first production was like, I remember they flew in some flats from Las Vegas.3 (45m 42s):I want to say we did guys and dolls, but we had like actual professional flats. And it was like my senior year. I was like, oh my God1 (45m 51s):Star, were you the star Rebecca? I was3 (45m 53s):Adelaide Adelaide. And then I got to be the stage manager in our town. So that was, but of course I, I didn't know what that meant. I wanted to be Emily,1 (46m 5s):Emily, of course. And then there were3 (46m 7s):Like stage manager and I was like, what? I'm stage managing the play? Like, I clearly hadn't read the whole play. I just read what I was like. I didn't know that that meant I had more to do. And it ended up being like a really, really meaningful, beautiful experience.2 (46m 24s):And just getting back to like the making. Cause I, I really love talking about making bad decisions. Would you say that you kind of did the, there is a trope of a preacher's daughter getting in to trouble? Is that what happened to you? Yeah, it was a rebellion against,3 (46m 43s):I mean, I, I just, you know, is there either the really, really good girl or the really, really bad girl and I, I, I didn't want to be the really, really,1 (46m 56s):Really hard position to be like, I can't imagine, like, even if your parents are like the nicest people there, again, there's a status thing that happens when there's someone in the community is touted as a certain thing. Like it's like royalty a little bit in America. Like we don't have, you know, so it's like you it's like, and then you're expected to behave a certain way. And as much as I had, like, I would say very little care and guidance in some ways I also didn't have a lot of pressure to be a certain way because we were all just like, there was no title. Like my parents didn't do anything. So it's, it's a tricky situation. But what I'm, what I'm also noticing is that the, the poor decision making and the drinking and they're getting caught actually was, it led to some really good fucking theater like that.1 (47m 46s):You went to Austin and you got to do like really good acting work. So it worked. I mean, you know, it wasn't a, it wasn't an all a bad thing. So you were like, yes,3 (47m 58s):I have learned more from my, my failures than I have ever learned from my successes. And I've had a lot of failures. I've had a lot of,1 (48m 8s):You know, something that I can speak to from being in like an insider in Chicago or formerly, and now in California, but being at a Chicago actor is like, everybody, I want to talk about the pressure in Chicago. So you are one of those people in Chicago that everyone's like, oh, Rebecca Spence books, everything. And I know it's not, I listen. I'm not saying it's true. This is what I'm saying. Let's get to the heart of the thing that I want to ask, which is from being on the I'm now on the outside looking in. Right. So what is it like? Cause that's always something that I heard and it has actually very little to do with you with other people's shit.1 (48m 48s):Right? It's not, I'm not saying you are doing anything, but what I'm asking as a woman and a performer, what is it like? And it's easy for me to do now because I'm in LA. So I don't give a, you know, like it's like, what does it feel like to have that kind of pressure of people, first of all, are you aware of it? That people are like Rebecca spins, books, everything. And then how does that affect you? And do you want to tell them to go fuck off? Or are you like, I work really hard.3 (49m 14s):Well, this, if this I'll take it two steps back, because this is a Testament to how much I, I love and admire Chicago theater. My understanding, I, I didn't get into theater school because I sabotage my auditions because I didn't know what kind of an actor I wanted to be. I actually, I choked. I freaked out because I thought that if you wanted to be an actor that meant that you wanted to be famous. And, and so I went to NYU, I came to Chicago to audition for theater school that I did the errata and auditioned for NYU Tisch.3 (49m 56s):And then I crashed the Harvard art. I didn't know you could crash. And somebody said you did. So I just got in line and I crashed the Harvard auditions. I made it to the final rounds of, of Tish. And I flew to New York and had a solid panic attack. I just, I didn't know anything about New York. I had, I came from tiny town in Texas. I had never been to Chicago. I had never been to New York. I didn't have a smartphone. I didn't know how to get around. I, I met Zelda. I met, you know, I did all the stuff. I was like, I can't afford this. I don't, I don't know what this is. I don't know what I'm doing. And I, I P I straight up chokes and, and really sabotage my own audition.3 (50m 40s):But I liked Chicago and my husband got a job here and we moved here and then somebody said, you know, I needed to find a job. I didn't even know. They were like, what about the Goodman theater? And I, I was like, I don't even know what that is. And I didn't know what, like actual regional theater was. And I ended up getting a job in development at, at the Goodman theater, because I was too scared to act. Cause I thought I don't actually know what I'm doing. I didn't know how to do like prepare a monologue very well. I had done that my senior year in college. Like we prepared one monologue. I didn't know like how to go through that whole process. But I started working at the Goodman. I started watching, I saw Chicago actors come on stage.3 (51m 24s):And it was people like Mary Beth Fisher, people like Carmen, Roman people like Deanna Dunnigan. Like people, people like Ora Jones. Like that was when I started hearing when they were like, oh, oh, oh my God. Or Jones is going to be on say, oh my God, Amy Morton. I'm like, who wait, who are these people who wait, who are these people? And like, people that I started hanging out like the theater crowd, when they started speaking about these people and their work ethic, I was like, that's what I want. I want to be a well-respected name in a medium sized town.3 (52m 5s):That's that to me is how I know I've made it. If people are like, oh, oh, we want to go see that show because I guarantee you, you're going to see someone who has put in the time, put in the effort, they're going to bring nuance. They're going to bring, you know, a craft to it. That was my goal. That's. And so when I hear that, there's part of me, that's like, I still don't know what I'm doing, but the little ego part in the back of my brain is like, it's what we've always wanted.1 (52m 38s):Yeah, no.3 (52m 39s):I wanted to be a respected actor in a town that who, whose work? I respect so much. I fucking love Chicago actors. And I love Chicago theater. I don't think there's any better theater in the country. I think that, that the work ethic and the quality of people that go in and do the work and bring, bring their hearts and their souls to it. That's all I've ever wanted to be a part of. So when you say, when you're like, oh, she works all the time. I'm like, I, I, I don't, I mean, I do work, but there's part of me. It's like, oh my God, maybe we're doing it. Maybe1 (53m 17s):I can tell you right now, Rebecca Spence, that you are doing the thing. Because when I saw you in, what was it? Every brilliant thing is that the, It was, it was beautiful. And when I saw it, I was like, oh yeah, this is why she, she books. She works all the time. It's all relative. Right. But that thing of she works all the time. But like, this is why it actually is because you're good at what you do. And you're also, like you said, you actually really care about the thing we were talking about. Caring, like Disney really cares how they take care of their parks. Like, that's a, that's a segue, but like, that's the, the point is that you, you, the care that you put into your, your art is very desirable, right?1 (54m 5s):Like people want to work with that. And I think in Chicago, there is this sense of, we're just sometimes we're just there to make it to the next place. But what it sounds like for you is like, this is your place3 (54m 18s):I'm here. Like this is, I have no desire to move to New York. I have no desire to move. I'm doing exactly what I always like. I'm doing more than I ever thought I ever hoped that I could do.2 (54m 33s):Like, wow.1 (54m 34s):I mean,3 (54m 35s):I ever thought that I hook could hope to do so. I am. I'm always really grateful because I,2 (54m 46s):Yeah, honestly, I, I really think that more people could stand to do that, to have as their goal. You know what, one of the things that has come out of this glut of information put out us all the time is this concept of like exceptionalism and that you only really hear reflected or, or echoed or amplified stories of people who are exceptional. People who make millions of dollars or people who, whatever graduate Harvard when they're 10 years old. And it, one of the casualties of it is that I think people who are forming their identities don't necessarily get enough examples of people who are achieving anything in the middle, you know, any kind of other success.2 (55m 36s):And, and we know how much these extreme successes lead to like tragedy. In a lot of cases, we'd be doing ourselves a favor. If we could put more stories of like, I aimed for this thing, that is not the, you know, the outer limit, but is, you know, difficult to do, but was obtainable for me. I think that would be,1 (55m 57s):I think it's so good. And I think that the, the also the, the irony or whatever it is is that now you, you, in terms of, in terms of film and television, you do book that work too, but it's not because your it's like you, that was your goal. And, and all this theater stuff is just sort of there it's like that work comes because of the, what you have done build the platform. And I think Gina, what you're speaking about is nobody's building the fucking platform on which to stand. So it's like all of a sudden, they're just catapulted on this platform at the top of the sky, and there's nowhere to go, but fall. Right. So you've done the work to build the platform, Rebecca.1 (56m 40s):And I think that that's, that's rare that doesn't happen. And I think that's fricking amazing because you have something to stand on. You're not like floating in LA like on a pedestal about,3 (56m 53s):I wouldn't do well in LA. I don't think I, I don't think I would do well there. I could maybe hang out in New York, but I don't think LA would, I liked LA. I went out there for just a brief moment just to see what it felt like. And people are like, oh, you're going to love it, or you're going to hate it. And I didn't feel either way. I, I liked it. I mean, I, I, wasn't responsible for living there and getting rent, paying rent. I was staying in a friend's pool house. And so I had a place to live for a month and I had one audition. So I hiked, it did a lot of hiking, which was great. And I found little pockets there, but I've thought, I don't think I could live in a town that is just constantly cycling around one industry.3 (57m 41s):And that was kind of how I've always operated. I didn't want to go to a conservatory because I was like, there's way more to me than just acting like, I, I love, I, I like, I love what I do it's but it's not the only thing that drives me. Like I like theater and acting is, is the thing that I love most, most of all, but I really there, I love Chicago, so there's so much more to do than just2 (58m 10s):So true. So I keep thinking about a little Rebecca and little Joey, we've heard a lot of stories about people who, when they were in college, feeling resentful about P other people who they felt like didn't take it seriously enough people, you know, like a common thing is a person who had to work really hard to get a full ride because they couldn't have afforded it to go to college otherwise. And then to be there with people who are partying instead of, you know, spending a hundred percent of their time dedicated to what they're doing. Does that come up for you now working on something now, do you encounter people who you feel maybe aren't fully appreciating the opportunity they're being given or, or at this level now, are you mostly with people who take it very seriously to,3 (59m 3s):Yeah, I haven't had that. And I mean, most of the people that I work with are really just so excited to be in the room. I mean, I, I, I th I can think of one instance when I was doing non-equity theater in a basement somewhere for, for, I was the only female in the entire, in the entire production, like cast, crew, everything. It was, it was me. And it was a bunch of guys that were kind of jerking around a little bit and it affected, it was like a really serious play.3 (59m 45s):And I remember one of them pulled up a pretty, I don't want to say dangerous, dangerous is too extreme of a term, but it was a play. It was days of wine and roses, which was, and you know, where I have to, the character ends up drink in some, but they, they changed the bottle and put actual alcohol in it onstage, and didn't tell me. And so I chugged and had like a thing of alcohol and I was like, and nobody would fess up to it. Like nobody who did, who did it? Y'all who did that? Just like tell me, and no one would, would, would fess up to it.3 (1h 0m 26s):And then I was like, this sucks. Yeah. That's actually, that's the only time I can think of when I was like, I'm, I'm putting my heart and soul into it for the most part. No, I've never, I thought, what about upset or like, is everyone you're working with really like, to joke around too. I mean, I, yeah, what I do on stage, I take very silly, but I love to play. I'm a prankster. I liked to, I I'm very silly. I like to be silly. I, I love people that are having a fantastic time. And when I know that it's not like messing up somebody else's process I'll jump right in.3 (1h 1m 7s):Cause I, I like it. So I haven't had any, what's a, what's a favorite project. Gosh, there've been, there've been a lot. I did a production of a three person Cyrano up at Milwaukee rep and it was the first time I'd ever left Chicago. And we did a three person version of, of Cyrano where we did made all of the sound effects ourselves.3 (1h 1m 49s):And so we switched characters and jumped and I had never done anything like that of like sort of it wasn't devised, but it, it, it was much more deconstructed than anything that I had ever been a part of. And it was, and we toured it. We toured it all around Wisconsin and into Minnesota and I'd, I'd never done it. I'd never done summer stock. I had never done anything like that. And we were this little Merry band of three, plus our manager in a, in a van driving all over making, you know, I was, we would do the sword fights and I would, I would use the foils and make all the sound effects and sheets.3 (1h 2m 30s):And I just thought that was, it was, it was a great time. I love it.1 (1h 2m 34s):Why did you love it? Like what, what you just love doing the like, cause it was the first time you did it or like what was the feeling that you were like, this is fucking awesome. Wow.3 (1h 2m 44s):Creative thing. And we surprise so many people because we made like the set was made out of ladders and like we would make the set and I love surprising the audience cause they would come in, they'd be like, what the, what is this? Like, are you like, oh God, we're gonna watch people like create out of boxes. See it, like, you're going to take me on one of these like craft paper theater projects and what am I getting myself into? And with just like a little thing of twinkle lights and we, and I was working with these two phenomenal actors, Reese, Madigan, and Ted Daisy, who work at Milwaukee rep all the time out and, and Oregon Shakespeare.3 (1h 3m 25s):And they do a lot of Oregon Shakespeare work. And we just played, we played in, played in, played in plate. It was, it was playing. And yet then we would have these like gut punch moments and it, I had just never done anything like that. I had always been put in sort of very traditional roles and nobody usually allowed me to step outside of those boxes. And I, I did it and had such, such a good time doing it.1 (1h 3m 53s):That leads me to my question about beauty. Okay. So I'm obsessed with this idea of beauty as, as a, as it relates to how people that are, are how we relate to our own beauty or feeling lack thereof or so, you know, you, I would say for me, you like a stunning, stunning woman. And, and I would like to know what is your relationship like? I mean, it's a very, it's a very intense question, but I am obsessed with it. What is your relationship like to your own idea of your beauty? Because people, because what you said, really trait triggered something in me of like people usually put me in these traditional roles, which to me means like beautiful wife, a beautiful mother, a girlfriend, a blah.1 (1h 4m 46s):And as you age, like talk all about that because people will say like Rebecca Spence is gorgeous and I agree and I want to know what is it like? And I guess it's sort of hard if you're the fish in the water, but like tell me, what's your relationship like to the way your own looks?3 (1h 5m 2s):Sure. You know, I, I, I fully acknowledged that I've had duty privilege. Like I've fully acknowledged that that has been a part of my progress. And you know, it has been something that has put me in roles. Like I was never the ingenue ever. I was never the Juliet. I was always the lady capital. I was always, cause I had always had a lower register and I always looked mature. I had a very classic features. And so I was always like lady Croom, lady Capulets.3 (1h 5m 43s):I was always like the bitter aunt. And it's kind of, I was Jean Brody, you know, like I got to, to have these sort of larger power play or things, which I always wanted. I wanted to play more powerful than I wanted to play pretty because I knew that I was always viewed as such. And you know, it's, I know that I've been allowed into a lot of rooms because of how I look. I think maybe that's why my drive is so strong because I want to back it up.3 (1h 6m 24s):Like I don't, it's very important to me that I bring work ethic and integrity and talent to, to, to that so that as I age and as I grow and as this goes away or transforms and evolves that I'm leaning more on, on, on the thing behind it. And, and aging as, as someone who is it's real, like it's, it's a real ego check when you were always called in for the beautiful wife and now you're starting to be called in for, you know, other roles.3 (1h 7m 11s):And, and this isn't a it's I know how it sounds like I always like know and feel1 (1h 7m 18s):No, no, no, no. Here's the thing. You're the one, you're the first person that we've talked to that we've said like, Hey, like I remember we interviewed someone and Gina brought this up to someone and was like, you're very beautiful. Like, what's it like to, and the person could not acknowledge that they, because they were, I think, I don't know what was going on. I assume they were afraid to sound vain, but here's the thing. It doesn't sound any kind of way. What sounds, what it sounds is like, you're trying to make sense of the way the world sees you, which actually isn't about you either. It's like, and yet acknowledge the privilege.1 (1h 8m 0s):So you're the first woman that we've talked to that has said, yeah, like I acknowledged like this got me into rooms, but I want to back it up instead of pretending that it doesn't exist. Right. Because,3 (1h 8m 12s):Because for anybody to lie, I, you know, I remember being, I remember being in a room and I was like, I was like, you're beautiful. And she was like, oh, I just am fat. And I'm like, come on. You know, I was like, come on, don't do it. Like it doesn't, it's, it's, it's so insulting to people that, that, that, that, like, let's be the thing I've tried to do is truly be objective about my work and, and who I like to. So you have to be objective about, like, I know what I look like. I know what I bring in, so what else do I add to it?3 (1h 8m 52s):And I it's something that I will never forget because, and after that, I know when we were very young, who is doing really, really well right now, and she is, you know, a self identified fat actress and like that, that is how she works in the world. And it's, she's, she's just phenomenal. But she was the daughter of a, of a beauty queen. Like her mother was a beautiful, beautiful woman. And she was like having to grow up with, you know, under, under someone that was beautiful. She's like I had to watch watching her age was one of the most painful things I could have ever witnessed because she was so used to being the most beautiful woman in the world, in the room.3 (1h 9m 42s):Like that was her identity was she didn't have to do too much else because she was the most beautiful woman in the room. And when she aged and those things started to fade it, she had sort of lost her identity. And that, that conversation has stuck with me for forever. I was like, don't ever be the person that, that your exterior is the only thing you have.2 (1h 10m 4s):Yeah. Well, I mean, I think it's awesome. I think it's fantastic that you acknowledge your beauty privilege, but I also acknowledge that there is a prison aspect to it too, or certainly when one is young, you know, where you can only be considered, you know, for a certain type of role, it can be just as limiting. And then if you go to that,3 (1h 10m 28s):Because of it, I mean, I I've been told, I lost I've lost roles where something is really, really, really excited about. And they were like, you're too, you are too classically attractive to be relatable. And I was like,2 (1h 10m 45s):Yeah,3 (1h 10m 46s):Being relatable is my jam. Right, right. What I worked so hard to do, I wouldn't be relatable. And I'm, you won't allow me out of that. And then of course, you know, I've got to sit back and I'm like, look, people have to face this kind of feedback on a completely dip. So, you know, I was like, then I mean that it sucked. And I, and I grieved that. I was like, but, but this is this industry that, and other people face that in tote for D for a myriad of different other reasons, they are told based off of how they look that they aren't right for the role. And I, I always knew that, but I was like, God, that sucks.1 (1h 11m 26s):And I'm thinking of like, yeah. And, and,3 (1h 11m 31s):And know it. And you don't want to tell anybody about it because no one, no one's going to be like, oh, that's horrible.1 (1h 11m 37s):Right. Right. I mean, it's this thing of you don't of course you don't want to, but I'm also just aware of like, like, I was obsessed with this whole story of Linda Evangelista who got face surgery, and then she finally showed her face and she looks fucking fine to me. Like, it's not about that. It's not about her face. It was about, it was no, no. I mean, literally it she's. I read the whole thing too. She, she calls herself deformed. She has like some fat that comes up over her bra3 (1h 12m 13s):Solidified. It's hard. Like, oh, that's true. Yeah. It's painful and hard. And,1 (1h 12m 20s):But the thing is like the, it is for me, what, what it brought forward was like from the outside, right outside, looking at Linda Evangelista, she's still one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen with her without her deformity. But it doesn't matter because she is not her identity was this model. Right. Which probably screwed her for life and also offered her privileges beyond my wildest dreams. Both are true. So I guess what it brings forward is like, everything about this journey is a combo fucking platter. You kinda have the privilege of beauty without also being in a prison.1 (1h 13m 1s):You cannot have the privilege of, you know, like for me, I kind of have the compassion that I have for humans. If I had not gone through what I had gone through as a child, especially an overweight child, like gum, it comes together. And I think we're so used to seeing people as, oh, that's Rebecca Spence. This is what she does. And this is how her life, it's not that way. And I think that's one of my life goals is to just show people through my writing and my work. Like this is a fucking combo platter. People like you don't get one way, like Linda Evangelista said, she feels like the most ugly person. And she acknowledged that she was a model and made millions of dollars doing it.1 (1h 13m 42s):So like, it's both, you're both, you're both things I give you permission. I give everyone permission to have both the prison and the privilege. I know it's not my job to do, but that's what I would wish on the world if I was running shit, which I'm not. So there we go. But anyway, that's my rant about you. I just really am focused on like asking women, especially like, what is it like, you know, especially as we get older to like change and it's a real3 (1h 14m 10s):Ego knock, I'm, you know, I'm not going to lie. I, I filmed something recently and I, my son went on, said, took a picture of the monitor and gave it to me. I was like, you know, I was like, oh shit. Okay.

Tyrone, Dujon, and the rest of the Definition Theatre ensemble are working hard to bring more underrepresented stories to the forefront in Chicago’s theatres. Established in 2012, Definition Theatre has not only been successful in creating and sharing these stories but recently received a $1.6 million seed grant from the City of Chicago to build their own theater and community center on the South Side. In this episode, you’ll hear insights on how they navigated this journey, while currently holding full time jobs and careers outside of Definition Theatre. Tyrone is the founding Artistic Director of Chicago’s Definition Theatre, he is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has studied abroad at Shakespeare’s Globe. As a first generation Jamaican-American, Tyrone is passionate about equity and inclusion in the fine arts and has completed advanced anti-racism training to lead change in our community. Select theater credits on and off stage include: Definition Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Writers, Old Globe, Berkeley Rep, Milwaukee Rep, and Stage 42 (off-broadway). Tyrone is currently adjunct faculty at DePaul University and the University of Illinois - Chicago while also serving on the Board of Directors for the League of Chicago Theaters. He is also a proud member of the NAACP, SAG-AFTRA, SDC, and represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. Dujon is the Director of Development for Definition. In addition, he serves as the Global Program Manager for Accenture's Black Founder's Development Program. Led by Accenture Ventures, the new initiative will help improve Black communities’ ability to create wealth for those who previously did not have a seat at the table and enable the next generation of innovation. Dujon has traveled, worked, and studied in 50 countries and is passionate about connecting technology, culture, and education within communities. Find Definition Theatre Online: Definition Theatre's Website – Make certain you donate towards the building fund! Definition Theatre's Instagram News Articles Chicago Tribune – Definition Theatre gets $1.6 million for new home on South Side University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Definition Theatre expected to Break Ground 2023 Cool stuff discussed during the episode that you should further explore: How to Start a Nonprofit – Tyrone spent time talking about ALL the paperwork, check out this resource that has the basics Black Enterprise – Dujon loves checking this outlet as a source for staying informed on Black excellence American Theatre – Tyrone taps into this resource to stay current on the latest in American Theatre Theatre in Chicago – Tyrone ensures he keeps a finger on the pulse in his backyard as well Donor Perfect – Website that Definition Theatre uses to stay engaged with their donor community Google Workspace – The Definition Theatre team stays connected and can collaborate using this resource

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/a8lqwXTrY6g JOHN PIELMEIER began his career as an actor, working at Actors Theater of Louisville, the Guthrie Theater, Milwaukee Rep, Alaska Rep, Baltimore's Center Stage, and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights' Conference. It was at the O'Neill that his play Agnes of God was first staged. A co-winner of the Great American Play contest, Agnes premiered professionally at Actors Theater of Louisville, which production was followed by several regional productions and a seventeen month run on Broadway. His other plays include Voices in the Dark, produced on Broadway and winner of the 1999 Edgar Award for Best Play (published by Broadway Play Publishing); Haunted Lives, a collection of one-acts published by Dramatists Play Service; Courage, a one-man show about J.M. Barrie, produced at the Lambs' Theatre off-Broadway, published by Playscripts, Inc. and filmed for public television; The Boys of Winter, produced on Broadway and published by Playscripts, Inc.; Sleight of Hand, produced on Broadway; Jass, presented at the O'Neill Playwrights' Conference and workshopped at the New Harmony Project; Impassioned Embraces, a collection of short plays and monologues, published by Dramatists Play Service; Steeplechase the Funny Place, a musical (with music and lyrics by Matty Selman) workshopped at the New Harmony Project; Young Rube, a musical (also with Mr. Selman), workshopped at the Gathering at Bigfork in Bigfork, Montana and first produced at the Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis; Willi, a one-man show based on the speeches of mountaineer Willi Unsoeld, which premiered (and was performed by the author) at A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle (breaking box office records); The Classics Professor, workshopped at The Gathering at Bigfork and at CAP21, New York City.

We look at what both buyers and sellers can expect for the 2022 housing market. Then, learn how to overcome obstacles to the ballot box. We look at how a proposed sandhill crane hunt could have an impact beyond the bird's population levels. Plus, learn about Milwaukee Rep's latest production, Dad's Season Tickets.

Kimber Elayne Sprawl originated the role of Marianne in Girl From The North Country at The Public Theater and on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include A Bronx Tale, and Beautiful:The Carole King Musical. She performed in the National tour of The Lion King and regionally she appeared in The Niceties at the Milwaukee Rep and Memphis at the Walnut Street Theater. She is a graduate of CCM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Milwaukee Arts, Culture, Creative Industry Summit today is sold out! If you can't join us today at the St. Kate, we've put together a compilation of 32 Arts and Culture Czar segments from the three seasons of our podcast. At our Summit, we will be asking the 200-plus folks to tell us their Arts and Culture Czar proclamations. You can play along at #ImagineSummit. Jim Neuner, Sunstone Studios, 5:20: Collaborate and use under-utilized resources like schools Megan McGee , Ex Fabula, 8:30: Fund and value local arts and artists Rosy Petri, Artist, Co-Chair Public Policy Work Group, 10:09: Make beauty and public art accessible Michael Hostad, Light the Hoan, 11:08: Create a culture where creative people can make cool things Ian Abston, Light the Hoan, 13:30: Take the opportunity to “finish” and build Milwaukee Kristina Gomez, Milwaukee Public Library, 15:00: Incorporating food access into cultural production LaShawndra Vernon, Artists Working in Education, 16:19: Tax hospitality for neighborhood arts development Wes Tank, Tank Think, 17:20: Share, collaborate, and make dope things Pat Buckley, Buckley & the Russian General, 19:16: Flood the zone with funding for creatives Ray Nitti, Sharp Creatives, 21:26: Talent Retention and invest in neighborhoods Que El-Amin, Young Enterprising Society, 23:32: Tax Credits for creative industries Mikal Wesley, Urbane Communities, 24:24:00: Tax Incentives in local talent Bobby Drake, Independent Artist, 24:52:00: State funding coming through a creative council Anne Basting, TimeSlips, 25:55:00: Social Rx & Artist in Residence in City & County Eric Tillich, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 27:54:00: Increase state and local funding Malkia Stampley, Actor/Director, 28:44:00: Transition existing leadership Kurt Ravenswood, Producer, 31:00:00: Film fund; get out of the way Pardeep Kaleeka, Interfaith Conference, 31:33:00: Make more access to art May Adrales, Milwaukee Rep, 32:10:00: Make Theater free & free coffee Arvind Gopalratnam, Milwaukee Bucks, 33:36:00: Bring back the holiday folk fest Kendra Ingram, The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 34:55:00: Arts and culture tax district Briana Baurichter, Artist, 37:08:00: Integrate arts into education Beth Weirick, Downtown BID #21, 38:34:00: Make kids travel and bring back culture Jeffery McAllister, Fashion Sense, 39:44:00: Emerging neighborhood arts council Wendell Willis, MPS Foundation, 40:57:00: New buildings/development must have an arts and design aspect Dan Schafer, Journalist, 43:43:00: Equitable funding for BIPOC artists Sarah Smith Pancheri, Summerfest, 44:40:00: Abundant arts education Bob Babisch, Summerfest, 45:21:00: Ensure small arts eco system Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Wisconsin and Milwaukee Poet Laureate, 45:57:00: Mandate arts experiences Greg Bach, The Laughing Tap, 49:04:00: All arts respected; mandatory attendance Kaitlin McCarthy, The Laughing Tap, 49:50:00: Arts funding in schools; reduce stigma in participation Matt Kemple, The Laughing Tap, 51:36:00: More arts funding Support this podcast

We look at the state of the pandemic here in Milwaukee, how to get a COVID-19 booster shot, and how the city is preparing to vaccinate kids. We learn how the Milwaukee Consortium of Hmong Health is working to combat culturally specific COVID-19 misinformation. Plus, learn about Milwaukee Rep's latest production, Dad's Season Tickets.

An award-winning character actor recognized for his salute to the lunacy and legacy of Groucho Marx and his portrayal of the outrageous Latin Lover Caesar in Teatro ZinZanni. Frank is a theatrical barnstormer and has performed lead roles at the Arena Stage, Goodspeed Opera House, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Milwaukee Rep, Bucks County Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Boston's Huntington Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse and Alliance Theatre.  Ferrante is the in-house director at the Walnut Street Theatre for the critically-acclaimed revivals of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, Broadway Bound, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Sunshine Boys and Lost in Yonkers. The film version of his stage show Frank Ferrante's An Evening with Groucho premieres on public television in Spring, 2022. On this episode he shares insights on the importance of preparation when creating and channeling characters and the value of focusing on “quality of performance” in every show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Aaron sits down with Tammy Belton-Davis, the founder of Athena Communication and the chief diversity officer for the Milwaukee Rep. Tammy's journey of stepping out in faith from the comfortable into the unknown will inspire you on your own entrepreneurial pathway.

Our guest this week is Arvind Gopalratnam, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Milwaukee Bucks and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation. In his role, Gopalratnam will oversees the day-to-day operations of the Bucks Corporate Social Responsibility Department while furthering the philanthropic efforts statewide of the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation.  But first off, in the intro: the Imagine team is almost fully vaccine “marinated,” so they’re starting to get back out into the world. David went to a performance at the Milwaukee Rep, Mac went to his daughter’s vocal recital, and Lindsay’s rehearsing with Bel Canto. Plus, Mac has a pitch for Planet Fitness.  At 12:53, Arvind joins the pod. Mac can’t help but open with some Bulls/Bucks rivalry. Then: learning piano and becoming a diehard Phish fan (he’s been to over 50 shows) (15:40); Arvind's career start as an NBC Page, including work with NBC Sports and doing seating at SNL (25:20); how his view of Milwaukee’s arts and culture has been informed by his role on the board of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (32:30); how the Bucks embrace supporting Milwaukee’s arts community (36:00); how the Bucks lived into the responsibility of the moment last summer in support of Black Lives Matter and how it will impact their community engagement work moving forward (38:20); it’s Arvind's turn as Czar of Arts and Culture and he wants to bring back the holiday folk fair (50:30).   Plugs  https://www.nba.com/bucks/ (Milwaukee Bucks)  Twitter: @Bucks  Twitter and Instagram: @BucksCommunity  https://www.nba.com/bucks/foundation/foundation-week (Bucks Foundation Week) (5/3 - 5/7)  Ephemera  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn2Zgpsa5YI (What tackle football in a sauna *might* look like )  https://www.milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/ella-fitzgerald-first-lady-song/ (Ella Fitzgerald First Lady of Song)  https://www.milwaukeerep.com/etc/aapi/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FY21NewsletterApril26&utm_content=version_A&fbclid=IwAR0WRyIfo_YbbKrUBVydxwrjxVuUq106bXb7FfVvaTlGFLGL9zB68nPeqZQ (Milwaukee Rep AAPI Month)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovBDDfB1s0w (Ralph Vaughan Williams “Dona Nobis Pacem)”  https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/phish-milwaukeehome-pabst (Trey Anastasio loves Milwaukee)  https://www.businessinsider.com/this-job-more-selective-than-navy-seals-2016-6 (Becoming an NBC Page is harder than getting into Harvard)  Support this podcast

Our guest this week is Arvind Gopalratnam, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Milwaukee Bucks and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation. In his role, Gopalratnam will oversees the day-to-day operations of the Bucks Corporate Social Responsibility Department while furthering the philanthropic efforts statewide of the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation.  But first off, in the intro: the Imagine team is almost fully vaccine “marinated,” so they're starting to get back out into the world. David went to a performance at the Milwaukee Rep, Mac went to his daughter's vocal recital, and Lindsay's rehearsing with Bel Canto. Plus, Mac has a pitch for Planet Fitness.  At 12:53, Arvind joins the pod. Mac can't help but open with some Bulls/Bucks rivalry. Then: learning piano and becoming a diehard Phish fan (he's been to over 50 shows) (15:40); Arvind's career start as an NBC Page, including work with NBC Sports and doing seating at SNL (25:20); how his view of Milwaukee's arts and culture has been informed by his role on the board of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (32:30); how the Bucks embrace supporting Milwaukee's arts community (36:00); how the Bucks lived into the responsibility of the moment last summer in support of Black Lives Matter and how it will impact their community engagement work moving forward (38:20); it's Arvind's turn as Czar of Arts and Culture and he wants to bring back the holiday folk fair (50:30).   Plugs  https://www.nba.com/bucks/ (Milwaukee Bucks)  Twitter: @Bucks  Twitter and Instagram: @BucksCommunity  https://www.nba.com/bucks/foundation/foundation-week (Bucks Foundation Week) (5/3 - 5/7)  Ephemera  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn2Zgpsa5YI (What tackle football in a sauna *might* look like )  https://www.milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/ella-fitzgerald-first-lady-song/ (Ella Fitzgerald First Lady of Song)  https://www.milwaukeerep.com/etc/aapi/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FY21NewsletterApril26&utm_content=version_A&fbclid=IwAR0WRyIfo_YbbKrUBVydxwrjxVuUq106bXb7FfVvaTlGFLGL9zB68nPeqZQ (Milwaukee Rep AAPI Month)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovBDDfB1s0w (Ralph Vaughan Williams “Dona Nobis Pacem)”  https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/phish-milwaukeehome-pabst (Trey Anastasio loves Milwaukee)  https://www.businessinsider.com/this-job-more-selective-than-navy-seals-2016-6 (Becoming an NBC Page is harder than getting into Harvard)  Support this podcast

Both guests are featured in this week’s MBJ cover story – our next installment of the “Small Business, Big Mission” series. The theme is “Local seeds of recovery and challenges ahead for small business owners in a post-pandemic economy.”  MBJ’s Sari Lesk talks with Milwaukee Repertory TheaterExecutive Director, Chad Bauman, then later with Joyce Nwatuobi, founder of digital health companyThriveHealth. In both cases, they discuss their experiences during the pandemic and looking ahead to recovery in the economy. Click here to get tickets for MBJ’s Real Estate Awards  on April 27th. Use the code “mbjpodcast” for $5 off. For more information on some of the stories featured in today’s episode, visit https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/

A Wisconsin theater company has been teaching local students literacy skills through theater for the last ten years. We talk about the program, who it reaches and how things changed because of the pandemic.

Monday on Lake Effect : We learn how LiberateMKE is campaigning to fund community programs that advance safety and crime prevention. Then, we look at Milwaukee Rep’s “We Rise” series of virtual events celebrating Black History Month. The President of the Marcus Center talks about advancing racial equity in the performing arts. Plus Bubbler Talk clears up some muddled history about why we put soda in our Wisconsin Old Fashioneds. Guests: Markasa Tucker, executive director of the African American Roundtable Amaud Jamaul Johnson, UW-Madison professor & poet N’Jameh Camara, associate director of engagement at Milwaukee Rep; Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, associate artistic producer at Milwaukee Rep Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President & CEO of the Marcus Performing Arts Center Bubbler Talk

An episode for Sondheim fans! This week, we turn our focus to Sondheim Unplugged, one of the most popular and long-running series presented at Feinstein's/54 Below. A celebrated New York event since 2010 (It's a Hit!), the show features some of Broadway and cabaret's most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only, delving into the musical world of Broadway's master composer. In December 2020, Sondheim Unplugged was recorded and streamed as part of 54 Below Premieres, the club's new streaming series. God, That's Good! We are joined by creator and host Phil Geoffrey Bond and performer Lucia Spina.   Phil Geoffrey Bond created Sondheim Unplugged, the long-running, award-winning monthly series, in 2010 and has served as its producer and host ever since. His novel, The Last Year at Low Tide, is currently available on Amazon from Chess Books as are his other titles — My Queer Youth, Small Town Confessions, The Fall of Mrs. Parsons, The Disney Diaries, and All the Sad Young Men. Phil has served as Director of Programming for The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, The Laurie Beechman Theatre as well as Feinstein's/54 Below, where he later became Director of Original Programming. He is the recipient of seven Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets (MAC) Awards, two Backstage Bistro Awards, a Broadway World Award, and a Nightlife Award. Lucia Spina made her Broadway debut with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti) in 2006. Her Broadway credits include Kinky Boots (original cast), South Pacific, Legally Blonde (Enid), and Les Miserables. Off-Broadway, she originated roles in Silence! The Musical (Catherine/Senator Martin) and Fugitive Songs. She toured the country with Legally Blonde, and her regional work includes credits at Goodspeed Opera House, Long Wharf Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Barrington Stage, Milwaukee Rep, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and The Hangar Theater, as well as Sunday in the Park With George (Nurse/Mrs./Harriett) and Anyone Can Whistle (Osgood) at the Ravinia Festival (Lonny Price, director; Paul Gemignani, musical director). She has sung with the acclaimed American Pops Orchestra and has graced cabaret stages all over New York City garnering her Best Female Vocalist for BroadwayWorld's 2015 Cabaret Awards. www.luciaspina.com Sondheim Unplugged premiered online Saturday, December 26, 2020, and is available on-demand through January 23, 2021. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.54below.com/Sondheim.  View clips from the show: Natalie Douglas sings “Losing My Mind” https://youtu.be/j9FLx8Z4Qfg Telly Leung sings “Being Alive” https://youtu.be/viXRnxui0Uc All music clips in this episode are from Sondheim Unplugged at Feinstein's/54 Below, filmed on December 5, 2020: “Being Alive” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, featuring Joe Goodrich on piano “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Lucia Spina “Marry Me a Little” cut from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Nicholas Rodriguez  “Move On” from Sunday in the Park with George, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Lucia Spina & Nicholas Rodriguez  “Something's Coming” from West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Darius de Haas  “Losing My Mind” from Follies, music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Natalie Douglas  “Being Alive” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Telly Leung  “Anyone Can Whistle” from Anyone Can Whistle, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by T. Oliver Reid Instrumental from “Beautiful Girls” from Follies, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, featuring Joe Goodrich on piano   Credits This podcast is hosted by Nella Vera and produced by Grace Benigni, with support from the Feinstein's/54 Below marketing staff. Original artwork by Philip Romano. Follow Nella on Twitter at @spinstripes  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the date of this interview (10/28), Milwaukee Rep was one of the first companies in the US to create a health and safety program that would grant them the ability to perform for live audiences. However, due to increasing COVID cases in WI their production will now be digital only (announced 11/5). This interview highlights the planning process of a company working around the clock to create live theater in the midst of a pandemic. 

In a banner week, the gang celebrates the announcement of the $5 million state of Wisconsin grant program for arts and culture groups and welcomes May Adrales, Associate Artistic Director at The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre for an enlightening discussion on taking risks, the advantages of being an outsider, and the 20/20 Vision for Milwaukee Arts that will be held on Wednesday, 9/9 in conjunction with the Black Theater Festival.   What some of our listeners do with their bookend bread slices (2:03), $5 million dollars!! (4:15), The #TanSuit debacle (5:00), Focusing on racial equity and inclusion in the arts (11:10), May Adrales joins the show (15:11), May's origin story stemming from family lore (17:45), Growing up in Appalachia (24:32), The two Bisayan phrases that Mac knows (27:18), Using stereotypes to her advantage, or how May assisted with surgeries as a teen (29:30), When getting fired is a gift (31:15), Milwaukee being May's artistic home (37:24), 20/20 Vision for Milwaukee Arts (42:54), The difference between directing a play and a conference (46:36), May's Arts and Culture Czar reign: Making Theatre Accessible and Free Coffee (48:21), Plugs (51:29), Looking into the future: Mac's bad performance review next year (52:59) More: http://www.mayadrales.net/ (May Adrales) | Like: https://www.facebook.com/MilwRep (Milwaukee Rep) | Learn: https://zoom.us/j/94396851282?pwd=SHhCbm1zNktxYjlVZlVBZVU3RHlpQT09 (20/20 Vision for Milwaukee Arts) on Wed, 9/9 at 1 pm | Attend: https://www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/milwaukee-black-theater-festival (The Black Theater Festival) (ends 9/12) Audio transitions: https://radiomilwaukee.org/discover-music/milwaukee-music/vuca-and-barbara-stephan-celebrates-the-mother-child-bond-on-their-new-single-lovely-child/ ("Lovely Child" by The VUCA Collective), featuring Barbara Stephan Episode 32 ephemera: https://foodprint.org/issues/the-problem-of-food-waste/ (The massive problem of food waste) (40% of food in America is wasted) https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/reusing-bread-ends-crusts/ (Bread end recipes) (bread crumbs, bread pudding, crostini, etc) https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2020/05/29/hard-hit-milwaukee-arts-groups-want-wisconsin-state-government-help/5259236002/ (The #TanSuit debacle that launched a thousand email messages) https://www.imaginemke.org/be-an-arts-champion/action-center.php (Thank your state elected officials and tell your federal electeds that they must pass the next round of coronavirus relief to #saveourstages, #restart our creative economy, and ensure the future of arts and culture) Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)   Support this podcast

Nikolas Gonzalez is a props artisan and touring prop master. Graduating from Southern Utah University, he's been fortunate enough to have worked in various region/summer stock theatres, including USF, OSF, Milwaukee Rep, and Pioneer Theatre. Nikolas joined his first tour, The Bodyguard The Musical, and has been thankful for everything touring brings. He enjoys hiking, drawing, sculpting, painting, and trying new experiences (currently learning how to cook and bake real food)   Use code Theatrewolf for 10% your Deathwish Coffee Company Order!   Also, don't forget to like the Facebook Page: Theatrewolf Podcast

In this episode, Abbi Hess (18') celebrates her early success working in professional theatre after graduation. Abbi talks about her participation in the Emerging Professional Residency Program at The Milwaukee Rep and how her Theatre degree from Carroll helped prepare her for a career in the arts. Abbi also talks about her new position as an Assistant Stage Manager at Forward Theatre in Madison.

This weekend on Lake Effect : We have a first hand account of what it’s like to be a COVID-19 survivor in Milwaukee. Bubbler Talk looks at how the pandemic is affecting students with special needs. We talk about how the coronavirus has reawakened some longstanding debates on the nature of our government. Plus, a project by local arts organizations is putting masks and face shields in the hands of frontline workers. Guests: Danielle Nelson, Better By Each Other Bubbler Talk Jennifer Fenton, visiting assistant professor in political theory at Marquette University Jared Clarkin, director of production at Milwaukee Rep

NYC Casting Director Michael Cassara talks with host Maggie Bera about how professional auditions work in NYC, how actors can take advantage of social media, and how the COVID-19 crisis is changing the theatre industry as we know it. Michael Cassara, CSA is a Casting Director and Educator in New York City, where he and his team have cast over 400 theatre and film projects since the formation of Michael Cassara Casting in 2003. Recent credits include Mr. Holland's Opus (dir. BD Wong, upcoming world premiere at Ogunquit Playhouse), Cheek To Cheek: Irving Berlin In Hollywood (upcoming premiere at York Theatre, dir. Randy Skinner), An American In Paris (int'l tour, dir. Christopher Wheeldon), A Night With Janis Joplin (National Tour), Spamilton (dir. Gerard Alessandrini - NYC/Chicago/Pittsburgh CLO/current US tour), Enter Laughing (York Theatre), The Mad Ones (Prospect Theater Company, dir. Stephen Brackett), Gigantic (dir. Scott Schwartz/Vineyard Theatre), Forbidden Broadway (last three editions/cast albums), The 12 (Denver Center/world premiere), and many more. Regional credits include frequent productions for top regional theatres including Gulfshore Playhouse, Argyle Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Old Globe, Denver Center, Great Lakes Theater, Hangar Theatre, American Theater Group, and more. Film: The Hyperglot (dir. Michael Urie, Artios nomination for excellence in casting), Grantham & Rose (dir. Kristin Hanggi). Resident Casting Director for the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) (2007-2019), and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) since 2013. As an educator, he regularly teaches at many of the nation's top universities and training programs, including Baldwin Wallace University, The Boston Conservatory, Elon University, Indiana University, NYU, Texas State, and many others. Michael is a native Clevelander and the only person to ever hold membership in both the Casting Society of America and the Association of Professional Genealogists. BFA, Otterbein University. MichaelCassara.net Follow Michael Cassara on social media:  Instagram - www.instagram.com/michaelcassara/ (@michaelcassara) Twitter - https://twitter.com/michaelcassara (@michaelcassara) Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCassaraCasting To grab your copy of the Marketing 101 For Actors eBook, go to www.actoraesthetic.com/shop/marketing-for-actors. To join the Actor Aesthetic Tribe on Facebook, click here. Spread the love and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the Actor Aesthetic Podcast on iTunes, Google, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.  Visit actoraesthetic.com for more information. Follow Maggie Bera on social media Instagram: @actoraesthetic Facebook: www.facebook.com/ActorAesthetic/ Email: maggie@actoraesthetic.com

Recent projects include: Born Yesterday for Ford’s Theatre; MacBeth for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Penn and Teller on Broadway, directed by John Rando; the premiere of Queens for a Year, directed by Lucie Tiberghien for Hartford Stage; The Tempest for American Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, and South Coast Repertory theatres directed by long time collaborators, Aaron Posner and Teller.The Scottsboro Boys directed by Joe Calarco for The Signature Theatre.At Wit’s End, Love in Afghanistan, Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike for Arena Stage; the premiere of American Song, directed by Mark Clements for Milwaukee Rep; The Games Afoot for the Cleveland Playhouse; Company, Hairspray, Chess, and Sunset Boulevard for The Signature Theatre directed by Eric Schaeffer; Sabrina Fair for The Ford’s Theatre and The Merry Wives of Windsor for The Shakespeare Theater; Hand to God, directed by Joanie Schultz for The Studio Theatre; Jelly’s Last Jam for Signature Theatre, directed by Matt Gardiner; District Merchant for South Coast Repertory, directed by Michael Michetti; At Wit’s End, for Cincinnati Playhouse, directed by David Esbjornsen; Three Sisters for The Studio Theatre directed by Jackson Gay; and the premiere of No Sisters for The Studio Theatre written and directed by Aaron Posner.Nominated for Washington, D.C’s Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Set Design fourteen times, he received the award in 2000, 2009, 2015 and most recently in 2017 for Stunning, for Woolly Mammoth Theatre, directed by Anne Kaufmann.Inclusion of materials for The Chicago Shakespeare production of Macbeth was funded in part by The University of Maryland International Program for Creative Collaboration and Research where Mr. Conway is a Professor of Design.

SALE

Mandy is NOT happy about the PWI Women's 100 ranking and she really want to vent her frustrations. After which she gives her opinion on the biggest male names in the business and then finally your favorite couple discusses seeing In The Heights at the Milwaukee Rep and which Lin Manuel Miranda Broadway show they prefer.

Amaris Bates, a fellow EPR at Milwaukee Rep, joins me! Enjoy a solid crossword experience, with the delightful audio of me performing Edgar Allen Poe(try), accidentally making my roommate feel bad, and trying to stop laughing for about thirty seconds! Crossword Date: Monday, October 29, 2018 Crossword Constructor: Peter Gordon

One of my colleagues at Milwaukee Rep actually has a mother living in Milwaukee! While she was feeding for a Labor Day dinner, she also agreed to do an episode with me. Crossword Date: Monday, September 3, 2018 Crossword Constructor: Trent H. Evans

The performance of "Guys and Dolls" at the Milwaukee Rep includes a little bit of everything: Singing, dancing, jumping, flipping, even punching.

Trena interviews actor and filmmaker Chike Johnson on his career and current projects. Chiké Johnson most recently appeared in the Broadway production of A Time To Kill.  He spent most of 2013 in the Midwest where he was part of The Goodman Theatre’s production of Meet Vera Stark and Milwaukee Rep’s production of Raisin in the Sun. His New York credits include; Manhattan Theatre Club’s Wit on Broadway and Off Broadway’s Lost In The Stars in New York City Center’s Encores! He also appeared in the Off Broadway production of Ruined co-produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club and The Goodman Theatre. Some of his other Chicago credits include: Sizwe Banzi is Dead at the Court Theatre and The Crucible, The Unmentionables and Huck Finn at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Regional credits include a revival of The Unmentionables at Yale Repertory Theatre; Lincoln in Topdog/Underdog at Renaissance Theaterworks; Duke of Cornwall in King Lear at Milwaukee Repertory Theater; Cephus Miles in Home at In Tandem Theatre; Willie in Master Harold and the boys at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre; and Martin Luther King, Jr. in Smoldering Fires at First Stage Children’s Theater. Some of Mr. Johnson’s film credits include Friends with Benefits, Sleepwalk with Me, The Machinist and his television credits include Law & Order, Girls, Veep and Prison Break.

Join Nick Cusumano as he welcomes his former student, Chad Bauman, the new managing director of the Milwaukee Rep. Chad shares with Nick the responsibilities of managing director of a Regional Theatre. Chad discusses in work at the Arena Stage and his involvement with its production of Next to Normal before it headed to Broadway.

"Lombardi"'s leading lady Judith Light talks about her research into both the role and the real-life Marie Lombardi, and whether she thinks "Lombardi" is a "football play." She also talks about her early training at Carnegie Mellon University; her first professional job, touring European military bases in "Guys and Dolls" during the Vietnam War; shuttling between regional theatres, particularly Milwaukee Rep and Seattle Rep in the early 70s; what she learned from comedian Pat Paulsen when she appeared with him in "The Last of the Red Hot Lovers"; playing small roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival's productions of "A Doll's House" and "Measure for Measure" and a major role on Broadway in the short-lived "Herzl"; why she took a 22 year hiatus from the stage -- and then chose to return in a role as challenging as Vivian Bearing in "Wit"; the opportunity to work with playwright and director Athol Fugard on "Sorrows and Rejoicings" in both New York and Los Angeles; and her appearance as Joanne in "Company" for Reprise! -- and whether there are more musicals in her future. Original air date - November 24, 2010.

"Lombardi"'s leading lady Judith Light talks about her research into both the role and the real-life Marie Lombardi, and whether she thinks "Lombardi" is a "football play." She also talks about her early training at Carnegie Mellon University; her first professional job, touring European military bases in "Guys and Dolls" during the Vietnam War; shuttling between regional theatres, particularly Milwaukee Rep and Seattle Rep in the early 70s; what she learned from comedian Pat Paulsen when she appeared with him in "The Last of the Red Hot Lovers"; playing small roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival's productions of "A Doll's House" and "Measure for Measure" and a major role on Broadway in the short-lived "Herzl"; why she took a 22 year hiatus from the stage -- and then chose to return in a role as challenging as Vivian Bearing in "Wit"; the opportunity to work with playwright and director Athol Fugard on "Sorrows and Rejoicings" in both New York and Los Angeles; and her appearance as Joanne in "Company" for Reprise! -- and whether there are more musicals in her future. Original air date - November 24, 2010.

In January of 1987, noted director, educator and SDC Board Member Mary Robinson met with directors Mark Lamos and Nagle Jackson to discuss running regional theatres. At the time, these two men were the Artistic Directors of Hartford Stage and Princeton's McCarter Theatre respectively. The conversation begins as many of SDCF's one-on-one interviews do, with Lamos and Jackson outlining the origins of their careers as directors, and specifically as Artistic Directors. We find that both men transitioned from performance to direction, and as Lamos puts it "were the kind of actor's you saw and said 'it looks like he should be a director'". These two master artists talk about the lessons they learned in the various posts which they've held at America's leading regional theatres, including: A.C.T; Arizona Theatre Company, Guthrie Theatre, Milwaukee Rep and others. We learn that though there are issues unique to each theatre and community wherein they reside, there are common obstacles and rewards that face all artists and administrators who work in regional theatre. Lamos and Jackson speak about how they've dealt with enhancing subscriber bases, choosing a season, working with Boards of Directors, finding new audiences and engaging their communities, and reaching out to communities that are not regularly exposed to theatre. This is a discussion not to be missed by anyone who's ever had the goal of running or starting a theatre company.